It's always nice when someone's wish comes true, but what if everyone's did?
One night, an amazing display lit up the sky over Ponyville. A comet, brighter than any in living memory, was making its way through the sea of stars. The residents of the town gathered en masse to witness the spectacle. As was the tradition for such an occasion, many ponies made a wish on the celestial body, hoping that maybe, just maybe, some of them might come true...
Rainbow Dash wasn't exactly a morning pony, but she managed to get out of bed and go about her routine regardless. As much as she liked sleep, she had an appointment to keep that morning. As usual, she picked up the small pile of mail that had been delivered to the box on her balcony and took it inside to sort through. The first few letter were the usual fluff: junk mail, fan mail, and bills. She tossed the junk in the trash as she found it, setting the rest aside for later. She paused on the second to last letter, immediately recognizing the return address.
You'd think they would get the hint after all these years that I'm not coming back, the pegasus thought as she threw the letter in the trash with the junk mail without reading it. I've moved on. Why can't they? The last letter, however, erased any hint of annoyance that the previous one may have caused. Okay, now that is awesome! Scootaloo will definitely want to see this! Rather than leaving to find the filly, though, the mare simply walked over to a nearby hallway and shouted...
"Hey, Scoots! Wake up!"
The pegasus filly stirred at the sound of a familiar voice. She didn't want to get up. Her bed was so soft and comfortable, like sleeping on a cloud...
Wait, a cloud?
Realizing something was wrong, Scootaloo opened her eyes. She was lying in a bed made of clouds, in a room that was also made of clouds. Familiar items decorated the white walls of the room: Wonderbolts posters, a rainbow pennant, the Best Comedy medal from the Crusader's performance at last year's talent show... It was all her stuff, but this wasn't her room.
How did I end up in a cloud house? the filly wondered as she rolled out of the bed. Maybe we're on vacation, and I just forgot... but why did I bring my posters? Yawning loudly, she made her way over to the door. Walking on clouds was a strange, yet comforting feeling. There were almost never any clouds low enough to the ground to walk on in Ponyville. The only time she had ever gotten to do so was years ago, when her father had carried her into the sky to show her what it was like. It was a pleasant memory...
"It's an amazing feeling, standing up here. Clouds under your hooves. Wind in your wings. It can make a pegasus want to stay in the sky forever. But you can't let yourself do that. Do you know why, Scootaloo?"
"Why?"
"Because the sky is empty, nothing but air and water. You could spend your life up here, free to follow the winds to your heart's content. But the wind does not make good company. You would be alone, with no home to go back to. Do you know where your home is?"
"Our house!"
"Not quite. Home is where you rest your wings, and who you rest them with. Promise me that you'll remember that."
"I promise..."
Lost in thought, Scootaloo wandered out the door, and right into the pony standing outside.
"Oof!" the mare grunted. "Next time, try to actually wake up when you get out of bed. At least you're out, though. I was about to get you up myself!"
Scootaloo looked up at the pony, finally realizing why her voice had sounded so familiar.
"Rainbow Dash?"
"That's my name, don't wear it out!" the pegasus said with one of her trademarked grins. "Come on, sis, I got something extra awesome to show you this morning!" With a flap of her wings, Dash raced away down the hall.
Did... did she just call me 'sis'? None of this made any sense, and the confusion was giving Scootaloo a massive headache. Am I dreaming? Yeah, that has to be it! A dream!
"Hey, Scoots! What's the hold up!" Rainbow Dash called from the end of the hallway.
"I'll be right there!" Nopony's ever called me 'Scoots' before... I guess it is a pretty cool nickname. Eager to see how her dream played out, the filly trotted down the hall to meet her "sister".
"You are not going to believe what came in the mail today!" the older pony said as Scootaloo entered the living room. Unlike the rest of the house she had seen, this the floor of this area was made of hard tiles, most likely enchanted so the clouds could support it. This allowed the room to accommodate some more traditional furniture, as well as Tank, Rainbow's pet tortoise, who was sleeping in his shell under a table in the center of the room. Rainbow Dash herself was standing on the far side of the table, staring intently at a piece of paper on the table.
"So... what is it?"
"Only the most awesome opportunity of a life time! Check it out!" Dash nudged the paper across the table to Scootaloo, who began to read aloud.
"Congratulations! You have been selected as the winner of the first annual Wonderbolts Sweepstakes! Enclosed you will find two VIP passes to this summer's Wonderbolt Exhibition in Canterlot." The orange filly stared at the letter in disbelief.
"I told you it was awesome! There's even two passes, so we both get to meet the Wonderbolts!"
"Wow..." Now Scootaloo was sure she was dreaming.
"You know, it's kinda funny," Rainbow Dash continued, "but I don't remember even entering this contest. It's almost like somepony decided to grant the wish I made last night. Crazy, right?"
"Wish?"
"Yeah, everypony was making wishes on that comet last night. I wished for another chance to meet the Wonderbolts. Don't you remember?"
The comet! Memories of the night before came rushing back to the filly, and the realization of what had happened made her head spin.
"Uh, you okay, Scoots? You don't look so good."
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine... that's pretty crazy..."
"Oookay, then..." Rainbow Dash eyed her sister suspiciously. "Well, I promised Pinkie Pie I'd meet her at Sugarcube Corner for breakfast this morning. Wanna tag along?"
"No thanks, I'm not very hungry right now..."
"Alright then, suit yourself. We'll just have to hang out later. See ya!" After giving they young pegasus one last concerned look, Rainbow Dash trotted out the door in the room and took off, leaving Scootaloo alone with her memories.
The previous night...
Soft white light filled the night sky as the comet passed overhead, making it easy for Scootaloo to see the path ahead. She didn't normally ride her scooter at night, but she was in a hurry. There was no way she was going to miss a chance to stay up late and hang out with her friends. She eventually arrived at the park, where it almost seemed like the whole town had come out to see the comet.
The whole town except for my parents, Scootaloo reminded herself, still bitter over the fact that they would rather stay in bed than come out and see the comet. Luckily, it wasn't hard to spot where the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be, as Pinkie Pie already had a brightly decorated Comet Party set up for her friends. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle would almost certainly be with their sisters, Applejack and Rarity.
"Scootaloo! You made it!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she and Apple Bloom galloped to meet their friend.
"Like I would miss this! Can you believe the size of that thing?" Scootaloo gazed at the object in the sky.
"It's amazin'! Twlilght's makin' a really big deal 'bout it, sayin' that it's unprek... unpredec..."
"Unprecedented," Sweetie Bell finished for Apple Bloom.
"Yeah, that! She's even got a telescope set up to look at it!"
"Oh! Maybe we could get Astronomy cutie marks!" Sweetie said.
"That's a great idea! Stars are cool, right?" Scootaloo chimed in.
"Definitely!" Apple Bloom agreed.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS STARGAZERS! YAY!" With their signature shout, the trio galloped off to look at Twilight's telescope. Unfortunately, the lavender unicorn would have none of it.
"Look, things are a little crazy tonight, and I really have to focus on studying this comet. This means that I can't share my telescope right now."
"Awwwww.... Please?" The fillies whined in unison.
"No."
"Pleeeeeeaaaase?"
"No."
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"
"NO! For the last time, No!" Twilight shouted in frustration, though she immediately appeared to regret it. "Sorry about that, girls. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's been a long day..." The mare smiled apologetically at the trio for a moment before speaking up again. "Here's an idea! What if I took you all out stargazing tomorrow night? How does that sound?"
"That would be great!" Sweetie Bell beamed at the older unicorn.
"Yeah, how 'bout you meet us at our clubhouse tomorrow night?" Apple Bloom suggested.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see all of you tomorrow, then. It'll be fun!" Twilight said before returning to her observations. "Now, where did Spike run off too? He was supposed to help me take notes..."
"This is going to be awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "So, what do you want to-"
"Oh Sweetie Belle!" Rarity called, cutting the filly off. "Could you come over her please?"
"You too, Apple Bloom, it's almost time to make our wishes!" Applejack added.
"Wishes? What wishes?" Scootaloo asked, confused.
"Oh yeah, you weren't here the last time there was a comet, were you?" Apple Bloom said.
"No..." Mom and Dad wouldn't let me stay up that late on a school night...
"Well, whenever a comet's in the sky, it's tradition to make a wish on it. At least, that's what Granny Smith told me. She said last time that she hadn't seen a comet in the sky since she was a little filly, which makes this one happenin' so soon after the last one extra special!"
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack called again.
"Be right there!" Apple Bloom replied before trotting off to make her wish with her family.
So, now what? Looking around, Scootaloo suddenly felt very much alone. Everypony had somepony to share the moment with. The Apple Clan all sat together, as did Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Pinkie Pie was with the Cake family, trying to get Pound and Pumpkin to pay attention to the comet. Twilight had Spike, who was taking notes while the unicorn looked through her telescope, and even Fluttershy had brought her rabbit Angel out with her to enjoy the sight. The only other pony who was by themselves was Rainbow Dash, who was lounging on a cloud a ways up in the air. I wonder if she feels lonely up there too...
An idea crept into the pegasus filly's head, and she knew what she wanted to wish for. It was a silly wish, but this whole wish business was silly to begin with. Wishes didn't come true, no matter how much you wanted them to.
If I'm going to make a pointless wish, I might as well make a wish for both of us, she decided. I wish Rainbow Dash and I were sisters...
It took a minute for Scootaloo to think clearly again. This wasn't a dream. This was real. A huge grin crept across the filly's face.
I did it! I wished for Rainbow Dash to be my sister, and now she is! This is awesome! Scootaloo let out a cheer, which prompted Tank to poke his head out of his shell to stare at her. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you, just got a little excited." she said sheepishly to the tortoise. His only response was to blink slowly before returning to his shell. You know, I think I'll go have breakfast with my sister after all... but how do I get down from up here?
Scootaloo walked out the door Dash had left through and on to the front balcony of the cloud house. It wasn't very high off the ground, as far as clouds go, but it was still more than high enough to make it inaccessible from below. After a little thought, the filly realized that getting down was doable, if tricky, as she could hover well enough to make her way down slowly. Getting back up later was where the problem was. Looking back at her tiny wings, Scootaloo sighed. The doctors said that it wasn't uncommon for a young pegasus's wings to develop slower than the rest of their body, and that they would catch up eventually. For now, though, all they could do was slow a fall, let her jump a bit higher than normal, and propel her scooter.
My scooter! That's it! I'll just build a ramp, get some speed and use that to jump back up! Now all I need is some lumber, maybe Apple Bloom can... Before she could finish her train of thought, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Walking over to the right edge of the balcony, she found her scooter, leaning up against a column. It must be enchanted to not fall through the clouds just like the floor inside! Awesome! Right next to it, however, was a carefully sculpted ramp made of clouds, which gently sloped down to the ground below. Rainbow Dash, you are officially the best sister ever! With an excited shout, Scootaloo rocketed down the ramp and set off for Sugarcube Corner.
"What's wrong Dashie? You've hardly touched your muffin!" Pinkie Pie asked her friend sitting across the table.
"Oh..." Rainbow Dash replied, nervously poking her breakfast with a hoof. "I'm just a little worried about Scootaloo, that's all. I think this whole wish deal might have done something to her." Despite the fact that Sugarcube Corner was an excellent bakery, its specialty was in desserts, not breakfasts. This, combined with the excitement all around town, meant that the brightly colored parlor in the front of the store was practically deserted that morning. "What do you think of all this?"
"I think it's amazing! Everypony got their wish, so now they're all super happy, and super happy ponies make for the best parties!" The pink pony was practically vibrating with excitement.
"What about all of the ponies that wished for something that turns out to be dangerous? There has to be at least a few of those."
"I talked almost everypony I know this morning, but nopony's done anything like that. That is strange..." The pink mare seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, a rare sight for a pony like Pinkie Pie. Within a few seconds, though, she perked up and continued talking. "At least your wish worked out well enough! I bet you're happy you entered that contest after all!"
"But I didn't enter that contest! That letter just showed up in the mail this morning."
"Really? Well that's even better!'"
Better in your strange world, maybe, Rainbow Dash thought. None of this adds up. I need to talk to Twilight about this later. If she doesn't know what's going on, I'm sure Princess Celestia will. All of these inconsistencies only managed to compound what had been troubling the Dash in the first place. "I'm still worried about Scootaloo, though..."
"Don't worry, I'm sure the she wished for something great too!"
"But she was acting really weird this morning, like she was confused. What if she accidentally wished for something really bad, and there's no way to fix it?" What if she doesn't want to fix it? Dash tried to push those thoughts from her mind. She's my sister. I promised that I would take care of her. No wish is going to stand in the way of that.
"Hmmm..." For the second time that conversation, Pinkie Pie was deep in thought. This only laster a brief moment, though, before her right ear twitched. "Why don't you just ask her?" That very moment, an orange blur burst through the door and sped across the tiled floor, circling the table three times before screeching to a stop right beside Rainbow Dash.
"Nice moves, Scoots!" The pegasus smiled at her younger sister. "You're getting better at that."
"Thanks, I've been practicing!"
"Looks like you're feeling better, too."
"Yeah, sorry about this morning. I didn't get nearly enough sleep last night, you know, with the comet and all."
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about- Wait... Where's Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo scanned the room, but the pink party pony was nowhere to be found.
"Right here, sillies!" Pinkie Pie shouted from behind Scootaloo, nearly causing the filly to jump through the roof. "Here's a breakfast muffin for you, Scootaloo. Hey, that rhymes!" The pink pony giggled at her unintentional poetry as she tipped her head, causing the plate she was balancing on top of it to slide neatly on to the table next to Rainbow Dash's.
"How did you do that?" Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the spot Pinkie had appeared from.
"You weren't looking!" she replied, prancing back to her seat on the other side of the table.
"But... Never mind." I should know better than to try and figure that out by now...
"So, you wanted to ask me something?" Scootaloo asked, looking up at her sister.
"Yeah..." Might as well get straight to the point. "What exactly did you wish for last night?"
"So, let me get this straight. You didn't wish for anything?" Rainbow Dash gave her sister a puzzled look.
"I really didn't, I swear!" Scootaloo replied. "I... I thought making wishes was, well, stupid. So I didn't." At least that's partly true, the filly told herself. She didn't like having to lie to Dash like this, but she didn't really have a choice. What am I supposed to do, tell her that we're only sisters because of some magic comet? She needed to change the topic. "What about you, Pinkie Pie? What did you wish for?"
"Can't tell you!" Pinkie Pie said, breaking out into a ridiculously wide grin, even for her.
"What? Why not?"
"Because, if I tell you what I wished for, it won't come true, duh!"
"But our wishes already came true." Dash said to her friend. "Telling other ponies about them didn't make them go away."
"Mine's different!"
"Alright then..."
"Hey, Rainbow?" Scootaloo spoke up.
"Yeah, what is it, Scoots?"
"I promised the Crusaders I'd meet them at the clubhouse this morning, so I'm going to head down there now."
"Sure thing. Just make sure you're back home for dinner, because there's no guarantee I wont eat it all myself if you aren't there to stop me," Rainbow Dash said with a wink.
"You bet! See ya!" The younger pony shot her sister one last grin before wrapping what was left of her breakfast up in a napkin and stuffing it into her saddlebags. She then hopped back on her scooter and sped out the door, leaving the two older ponies alone once again. As she left, the smile faded from Rainbow Dash's face, and the mare slumped in her chair.
"What's wrong now? She said she didn't wish for anything, didn't she?" Pinkie Pie asked the pegasus.
"Yeah, that's what she said."
"Then why the long face?"
"She's lying."
Ponyville was a mess. While most ponies' wishes were harmless, there were a lot that bit of far more than they could chew. At least three times on her way out of town, Scootaloo nearly got floored by pegasi that obviously hadn't had wings the day before and had no idea how to fly straight, and she saw quite a few new unicorns whose attempts at telekinesis resulted in the objects they were trying to lift exploding, imploding, spontaneously combusting, or turning into potted plants. An argument had broken out in the street over a house that had grown into a fabulous mansion overnight, engulfing the space where at least four other houses had been in the process. The residents of each building were disputing the ownership of the now merged property. Scootaloo was also pretty sure she saw at least two different ponies dressed up as The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well running around and trying to curb the chaos, only managing to add to it as they went.
Everything will be okay in the end, Scootaloo thought, remembering the numerous disasters and monster attacks that had devastated the town in the past. Compared to those, this was nothing. Besides, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell wouldn't wish for anything stupid... right? A feeling of dread washed over the young pony as she thought of all of the terrible things her friends could have wished for, any number of which had potential to be dangerous. I need to get to the clubhouse, fast! Putting as much energy into her wings as she could muster, she took off for Sweet Apple Acres.
Thankfully, it only took a few minutes to reach the clubhouse at Scootaloo's speed. Fixing up the old, worn out building had been a labor of love for the trio, especially Apple Bloom, and all that work had certainly payed off over the last few months. Now they had a place to hang out and plan their activities. One where they wouldn't be bothered by the adults, bullies, and overall strangeness that seemed to follow them around everywhere else. Hopefully, none of that would change. Taking a deep breath, Scootaloo walked up the stairs and pushed open the front door.
"Scootaloo! You're okay!" Within seconds of opening the door, the other two crusaders had their friend in an inescapable hug, squeezing her as hard as they could.
"Can't... breathe..." the pegasus gasped, prompting her companions to let go and give her some space.
"Sorry," Sweetie Belle said with a embarrassed grin.
"We were just afraid that you'd... well..." Apple Bloom stammered a bit, "wished for somethin', uh... stupid."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, girls," Scootaloo chuckled, "but I guess it's only fair. I was afraid of you two doing something stupid too, like wishing for cutie marks."
"After what happened to Apple Bloom with that Heart's Desire flower? No way! Besides, why wish for something that we're just going to get eventually anyway? We still have tons of things to try!"
"Yeah!" Apple Bloom chimed in. "That's why I wished for somethin' practical!"
"Like what?" Scootaloo asked.
"A whole mess o' candy!"
"What." the other two fillies deadpanned in unison.
"It never goes bad, tastes amazin', and is great to share with your friends! What's not to love?"
"I guess you're right." Sweetie Belle said, "My wish worked out pretty well, too. I wished I had a permanent room at Rarity's place, so I could stay there whenever I wanted."
"Why would you wish for that?" Scootaloo could hardly stand to be around Rarity half the time. It was always "Fashion" this, or "Stay away from my scissors" that. She and Sweetie Belle had gotten really close these past few months, though, so the pegasus didn't dare say any of that out loud.
"Well, you see..." the unicorn filly looked at the floor, awkwardly sweeping one of her front hooves in a pattern across the ground. "I was actually kinda jealous of you and Apple Bloom. Especially you, Scootaloo."
"You were jealous of me?"
"Yeah... You and your sister get to have so much fun together, and that's because you live together. No one to force you to be apart. No parents to march you around like some sort of wind-up toy. I wanted to be able to do that whenever I wanted. "
No parents? What is she talking about? I have parents. They're... They're... Where were they this morning? The whole morning had been so confusing, she didn't notice that she hadn't seen her mother or father since the night before. And Mom's an earth pony, so she wouldn't be able to stay in the cloud house...
"What's wrong, Scootaloo? " Apple Bloom asked.
"Nothing. I'm fine." Scootaloo replied as she figured out a plan of action. They must still be living in our old house. I'll just go see them once were done here. At least they slept through the comet last night, so they couldn't have wished for anything...
"If you say so. What'd you wish for, anyway?"
"Oh, nothing," the pegasus lied again.
"Nothing? Really?" Sweetie Belle wondered, looking rather perplexed. "Why wouldn't you wish for anything?"
"I just thought it was stupid, okay? Shows what I know."
"Ah, don't feel so bad 'bout it, Scootaloo. You can have some of my candy!" Apple Bloom said, placing an encouraging hoof on the orange filly's shoulder.
"Yeah! At least you didn't wish for something that seriously messed things up like all those ponies in town. No wish at all is way better than that."
"Thanks. You girls are the best!" Scootaloo smiled at her friends. I just hope they're right...
Eventually, the group had to go their separate ways for the day. Sweetie Belle left early and was helping Rarity decorate her new room, and Apple Bloom had a lot to take care of at home thanks to her own family's wishes.
"Ya see, Applejack wished for an 'extra set of hooves to help 'round the farm,' " the yellow filly explained, "so she woke up this mornin' with eight legs. She's in the hospital 'til the doctors can figure out how to fix it, so me and Big Mac have to split her chores 'till she gets better." Scootaloo tried to force herself not to laugh, but the image of Applejack with that many limbs was just too silly. "Hey! This is serious!" Apple Bloom glared at the pegasus for a moment before turning and gazing out a nearby window, a forlorn look coming across her face. "Sorry... I'm just worried 'bout her, that's all."
"No, I deserved that. Things are a little crazy right now. For all of us." Scootaloo said, trying to comfort her friend.
"Not for you. Everything's just fine with you and Rainbow Dash."
"Yeah... maybe. But you're my friend. Your problems are my problems, and I'm there for you if you need me."
"Thanks..." The filly smiled as she regained her composure. "I need to get goin'. Those apples won't collect themselves."
"Alright, then. Tell Big Mac I said hi."
"Can do!"
The two fillies waved goodbye and set off toward their homes. In Scootaloo's case, however, she was going to her old home. The one she had fallen asleep in just the night before.
I need to know exactly what happened, Scootaloo thought as she rode her scooter away from the farm. She was slowly starting to figure out exactly how her wish worked. Everypony she had talked to that day acted as if she and Rainbow Dash had always been sisters. This meant that the wish changed the past, but Scootaloo could still remember things the way they used to be. If she wanted to continue on with her new life, she needed to know what she had missed. She had a whole life with Rainbow Dash behind her, and she couldn't remember a moment of it. The only ponies who were there for all of it were her parents. They would have a photo album, or a story about when she was younger. Once I have this figured out, everything will be perfect.
Scootaloo's family lived in a modest wooden house on the edge of town. Nothing fancy, but her parents had always been extremely proud of it. Sure, it wasn't as big as some of the houses in town, and it didn't have any of the fancy decorations, bright paint, or intricate craftsmanship that made them stand out, but it was theirs, and they took very good care of it.
Just one more hill, the filly told herself as she strained her wing to get up the last slope. She normally wouldn't push herself so hard and take the easier route up, but she was in a hurry. Soon, her scooter crested the hill and coasted down the other side, right into the stand of trees that enclosed her house. Alright! Scootaloo sighed with relief as she neared the clearing where the house stood. I'm... Her own thought was cut short when she actually entered the clearing, though. ...Home?
The small, familiar meadow was empty, with no sign that there had ever been a house there at all.
"Mom? Dad?" the orange pegasus called out. She was only answered by the chatter of squirrels. "Anypony?" she tried again in desperation. This... This can't be happening... Scootaloo got off her scooter, letting it fall over in the grass. Exhausted from rushing up the hill, she was too numb to care. Why? Where are they? Everything was wrong. She concentrated on her parents, on every memory she had of them, hoping that she might be able to make another wish...
"Did I ever tell you the story about how we came to live here, Scootaloo?"
"No, Mom. What is it?"
"Well, it all goes back to not long before you were born. I lived here in Ponyville with my family, and your father lived in Cloudsdale. I met him when the pegasi moved the cloud city over Ponyville one summer to use our reservoir to offset a particularly bad drought. He just happened to eat lunch at the same restaurant I worked at, and we talked for a while. Pretty soon we became good friends."
"Friends? You mean you didn't get married right away?"
"Well, maybe a bit more than just friends, but we weren't quite in love yet. That kind of thing only ever happens in fairy tales. In fact, your father almost left and went back to Cloudsdale when it moved elsewhere."
"But you got him to stay?"
"No, I didn't convince him to stay."
"Then who did?"
"It was you."
"Me?"
"Yes. Once he knew we were going to have you, your father dropped everything. We couldn't live in Cloudsdale, so he built us this house with his own four hooves. He got a new job doing local weather, and worked as hard as he could to make our new home a happy one... Thank you, Scootaloo."
"Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything."
"If you hadn't come into our lives, who knows where we'd be right now... You brought us a new life together and made us a family. I couldn't wish for anything more than that."
Even after Pinkie's incessant attempts to assure her everything would be okay, none of the events that morning sat well with Rainbow Dash. She had been taking care of Scootaloo more than long enough to know when she was hiding something. Dash didn't intend to push the issue, though.
I'll let her tell me when she's ready, the pegasus decided. For now I just need to get to the bottom of what's happening. Things just aren't adding up. This was easier said than done, though. The library was closed when Rainbow Dash went to find Twilight, with a note on the door saying that she would be away on "official Canterlot business" for a while. She must be with the Princesses trying to figure out this mess. It's strange that she didn't tell us that she was leaving, though...
The rest of the day passed without incident, or as close to without incident you could get considering the circumstances. It took a bit longer than normal to clear the clouds out of the sky, thanks to the fact that half of the weather team had been incapacitated by various wishes, and several ponies had wished for rain for their gardens. After trying everything they knew to get rid of the rain clouds, they figured out that the wishes only required the rain to fall on whatever the wish specified, which meant that they could leave a single raincloud over each of the gardens in question and new ones would stop popping into existence. They couldn't clear the sky completely, but it was close enough. Before Rainbow Dash knew it, the day's work was over, and it was just about time to get ready for dinner. She decided to just get take out to avoid having to cook. It had been a rough day, but she looked forward to a relaxing evening at home with her sister. Unfortunately, things didn't work out for that plan.
Scootaloo didn't come home for dinner. This didn't exactly worry Rainbow Dash at first; Scootaloo has been out late with the Crusaders plenty of times. Then the sun set, and the situation became increasingly worrying.
Something's wrong, Dash concluded. She would have at least stopped by to tell me if she was spending the night somewhere else. Combine that with her behavior today and how messed up the town is... Taking off into the moonlit night, the pegasus made a beeline for the Crusader's clubhouse.
"Scootaloo, where were you today?"
"I was at the clubhouse, Dad."
"And what were you doing there?"
"I was hanging out with the Crusaders, same as usual."
"Don't lie to me. I've talked with both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's families today, and neither of them were at the clubhouse. I'll ask you again. What were you doing there today?"
"I was... holding a meeting."
"A meeting for what?"
"The Rainbow Dash... Fan Club..."
"Rainbow Dash again? How many times have I told you to stop chasing after that mare? It's not good for you."
"And why is that? Rainbow Dash is the best flier in Ponyville! If I ever want to learn how to do it right, I need to watch her!"
"And just look at the example she sets! Remember when she got it into her head that she was a superhero?"
"Yeah, I remember. She saved a lot of ponies' lives!"
"Not without risking her own life and the lives of those around her with her showboating. If it weren't for that Mare-Do-Well pony, lots of ponies could have gotten hurt, or worse!"
"But-"
"No buts. That pony is lazy, irresponsible, egotistical, and shortsighted. Is that really the way you want to be when you grow up?"
"She's not a bad pony, Dad!"
"Look, I just want you to stay away from her for now. No more fan club meetings, either."
"Why?"
"If you can't see why, Scootaloo, then you need to open your eyes..."
For the second day in a row, Scootaloo woke up in an unfamiliar bed.
"Oh, look who finally decided to open their eyes."
Sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Scootaloo looked to the end of the bed to see her new sister standing there, smiling at her.
"Rainbow Dash? What happened? Where am I?"
"You are currently in Ponyville General Hospital," answered a voice from the far end of the room. An older, gray unicorn stallion wearing a white coat approached the bedside, holding a clipboard and pen with magic. "You were brought here last night by your sister, completely unresponsive. She hasn't left your side since."
"And I don't plan on it any time soon," the blue mare affirmed. "Hey, doc. Now that she's awake, could you give us some privacy? I need to talk to her alone."
"Not a problem. Just make sure you alert someone if her conditions changes at all. I'll be back to run some tests later, and if all is well she'll be cleared for release this evening."
"Sounds great! Thanks!" Rainbow Dash said as the doctor left the room. Once the door closed behind the stallion, she turned back to Scootaloo, and the smile faded from her face. It was then that the filly noticed how worn out the mare looked. Her multicolored mane was a mess, and large dark circles were present under her eyes.
She must not have slept at all last night, Scootaloo realized. The doctor said she's been here the whole time, too...
"Hey, Scoots," Dash said, breaking the awkward silence. "I'm going to ask you a serious question, I want you to be completely honest with me." The younger pony braced herself for the question, certain that it would be about her wish. "Am... Am I a good sister?"
"What?"
"Ever since I- we left Cloudsdale years ago, some ponies thought I was making a big mistake. They said I was too irresponsible, and that we wouldn't make it. Back then, I probably was. I put my all into proving them wrong, though. I brought us here, worked hard to make sure things were stable, and made plenty of friends. Heck, I even managed to help save the world! Twice! I thought I had everything worked out. Now... I'm not so sure..." Rainbow Dash gazed out the window on the opposite side of the room for a moment before turning back and looking her sister dead in the eyes. "I need to know whether I made the right choice or not. Whether or not I've been doing the right thing all these years. Have I been a good sister?"
She's blaming herself for all of this... Scootaloo stared at the older pegasus in stunned silence. She had no idea how to even respond to the question. I don't even remember the same life she does, so what am I supposed to tell her?
"It's okay. If you can't tell me, then I already know the ans-"
"No!" The orange filly shouted in frustration, silencing Rainbow Dash mid-sentence. "You haven't done anything wrong! I'm the one who's ruining everything..." Tears began to blur Scootaloo's vision. She couldn't take it anymore. She's just another victim of this stupid wish, same as Mom and Dad... Just thinking about what she had discovered the night before left her feeling helpless. Broken. Nothing was real anymore. She closed her eyes, wishing that the nightmare would end.
Something soft and warm wrapped itself around Scootaloo's body. Opening her eyes again, she saw that it was Rainbow Dash, embracing her with a wing.
"I'm sorry..." the filly whispered.
"For what? Wishing for something stupid? I know you wished for something, you can't hide that, but I don't care what you actually wished for. You're safe, and we're together. That's what really matters. Besides," Rainbow Dash chuckled, "I wasted my wish on a pair of dumb tickets, and Applejack next door wished herself right into that hospital bed. How do you think we feel?"
"At least you got something cool out of yours..." And I guess I got something cool out of mine, too... Scootaloo realized, pressing herself closer to her sister. "Can... Can we stay like this for a while longer? This is nice..."
"Sure thing, Scoots."
Two ponies, a light brown earth pony mare and a blue unicorn stallion, were sitting together in the park, seemingly unaware of the young pegasus watching them at a distance in the shade of a tree. It had taken Scootaloo the better part of the last three days, but she had finally been able to track down Willow Wind, her mother.
At least, the pony who used to be my mother, she reminded herself as she continued to observe the couple. From what she had been able to gather, Willow Wind was happily engaged to the stallion accompanying her, and was leading a perfectly normal life in Ponyvile. The experience gained in the time Scootaloo had spent snooping around for the Foal Free Press made digging up that kind of info much easier than it otherwise would have been. It was a great relief to finally confirm the conclusions she had come to shortly after being discharged from the hospital. Nopony's lives are really any worse off thanks to my wish, they're just different.
With the knowledge that the only pony really hurt by her wish was herself, Scootaloo sat down under the tree, finally able relax and reflect on the past few days. The barrage of ponies asking about what happened once she had left the hospital had caught her off guard. At first she thought that half the town seemed to know about the incident. Turns out she wasn't that far off.
"You see, the first place I looked for you was at the clubhouse," Rainbow Dash had later explained. "Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were there, getting ready for a night of stargazing. When they told me that you were supposed to be there, but they hadn't seen you since early that afternoon, I knew for sure something bad had happened. I pulled together a search party and we combed the area. Eventually we found you in that clearing."
At least Twilight never showed for stargazing, either, so I didn't miss much. Scootaloo leaned back and closed her eyes. It was a good feeling, finally having everything sorted out, eager for what the future might bring. The sun was bright, the birds were singing, and everything was right with the world. Today was the first day of the rest of her life...
"Um, excuse me?" A familiar voice asked, snapping Scootaloo out of her contented stupor. She looked up to see Willow Wind standing over her, and her heart nearly skipped a beat. "I couldn't help but notice that you were watching my fiancé and I earlier. If you have something to say to us, go ahead and say it. Don't just stare."
She always was able to pick out the smallest details... "Oh, uh, sorry about that. It's nothing, really. You just... remind me of somepony I knew..."
"I see... Tell me, what's your name? I feel like I've seen you before..."
"Scootaloo. You've probably just, uh, seen me around town. I'm always out and about."
"Scootaloo... That's a nice name. I almost wish I had thought of it myself." the mare said, the stern look on her face softening to a slight smile. "Well, Scootaloo, try to not to spy on ponies like that next time. It's quite rude."
"Yes, Mo- ma'am. Won't happen again." The filly cringed as she almost slipped up. Talking to her mother-who-was-no-longer-her-mother was an extremely awkward experience.
"I'll hold you to that. Be good now!" As Willow turned and trotted away, she hummed a few notes of a song Scootaloo had heard many times before.
She used to sing that song to me when I couldn't sleep... Does she remember? It became obvious to the young pegasus that sitting around and thinking wasn't going to cut it. She just wanted to clear her head and move on, to forget about the way things used to be, because now things never were that way to begin with. When it came to clearing her head, though, Scootaloo knew exactly what to do.
Soon she was on her scooter, going nowhere in particular. It had been a long time since she had just rode around for fun. It always felt like she had someplace to be, or sompony to meet. She rode over the gently rolling, grassy slopes of the park, attempting to build up speed as the rhythmic buzz of her wings filled her head. Reaching a particularly steep slope, she crouched down and put as much energy as she could into the climb. The scooter rocketed over the crest of the hill, it's momentum carrying the filly off the ground and into the open air above. The world around her seemed to slow to a crawl, and Scootaloo closed her eyes, focusing on the air moving over her wings. For this one moment in time, she was flying. A tilt of the head. A tweak of the wings. Every part of the body worked together in an intricately choreographed dance to stay aloft. With a little effort, the pegasus leaned to the right, and her trajectory turned. She imagined Rainbow Dash performing one of her stunt routines, pulling off hairpin turns like they were nothing. It wasn't anything nearly as impressive as that, but it felt amazing nonetheless. The moment couldn't last forever, though, and the filly began to quickly descend. She opened her eyes and leveled the scooter with the ground, preparing to complete her airborne turn. Upon touching down, Scootaloo immediately shifted her wings to push forward and down, rather than up. Grass was slippery, and she needed all of the traction she could get to stick the landing. She still slid sideways for a moment, but quickly regained control and rocketed off toward home.
"Yes!" The orange filly shouted to the wind after the successful landing, her heart racing with excitement. She pushed herself to go faster, aiming for every bump in the path, every log on the side of the road. With each obstacle, she attempted a different trick, from a simple spin of the scooter beneath her, to grinding down a fallen tree. The stunts required her full concentration. There was no room to think of anything else. Before she knew it, though, she arrived back home. With one last burst of speed, Scootaloo pushed her way up the cloud ramp, finally slowing to a stop once she reached the balcony. Leaning the scooter against the railing, she fell over on to the soft ground exhausted, but with a wide grin on her face.
"Hello, Scootaloo. It's been a long time."
The voice nearly caused the filly to jump out of her skin. Leaping to her hooves, she turned to see two pegasi standing on the balcony with her. The mare who spoke was a dark blue mare with a striking white mane, and she was accompanied by sandy brown stallion with a red mane. Their sudden appearance caused a plethora of questions to race through the young pony's head.
"Who are you? What are you doing in our house? How do you know my name?"
"Come now, Scootaloo," the stallion said with a smile. "Don't you recognize your own parents?"
"You sure this is the place?" Rainbow Dash asked, touching down on the busy cobblestone street.
"Yup! I never forget an address!" replied Derpy Hooves, smiling as she landed beside the blue pegasus.
"But you don't even work in Canterlot. How do you know where everything is?"
"Just trust me."
"If you say so..." Rainbow turned to face their destination, a small, unassuming stone building in Canterlot's Market District. So, this is where those tickets came from? She walked toward the doorway for a moment before noticing that Derpy was still following her. "I appreciate the help finding this place, but you don't have to tag along if you don't want to."
"I just wanna help out! Besides, I took the day off today, so I'm not missing anything back home."
"Alright then. Lets get do this." Dash said, her companion nodding in agreement. The pair of pegasi approached the building and entered.
Ever since Scootaloo had gotten out of the hospital, Rainbow Dash had been spending a lot of time investigating the wish event. She needed to know more about what happened, if not for herself, then to make sure Scootaloo would be okay. Even is she didn't know what her sister wished for, she needed to figure out how it could have affected her. If she could figure out that much, then keeping her sister safe would be far easier. Unfortunately, all of this was easier said than done. Rainbow Dash was no good at mysteries. She couldn't even stand to read about them. Too much talking, not enough action. Twilight would have been able to help, but she still wasn't home. Eventually, though, she had figured out her first lead: her own wish. If she could follow the tickets back to where they came from, she might be able to figure out the extent of the magic. Luckily, Derpy had volunteered to help her find the location of the tickets' return address when Dash asked about it at the Ponyville Post Office. She had been a little leery of letting the walleyed mailmare assist her, especially after the Town Hall incident, but so far Derpy had been nothing but helpful. It only took about an hour or two of flying to reach Canterlot, which was much faster than the twisting and turning route the train took up the mountain. Once in the city itself, it had been simple enough for Derpy to track down the address.
The inside of the building consisted of a small lobby with a desk, several benches, and what appeared to be several offices behind that. The grey stone walls were adorned with Wonderbolts posters in a token attempt to liven up the suffocating atmosphere of the room. A young, pale green pegasus mare sat behind the desk, staring at the ground out of what appeared to be sheer boredom.
"Welcome to the Wonderbolts Promotion Center." The receptionist said in a bored monotone. "If you have any questions about upcoming events or contests, please take a pamphlet for more information. Also, before you ask, no, we are not accepting any applications at this-"
"I'm not here for any of that," Rainbow Dash said, interrupting the memorized greeting. The receptionist's ears perked up at the sound of her voice.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash! Sorry to give you the standard speech, I wasn't paying attention," the green mare said, any sign of her previous boredom vanishing into a new excited demeanor.
"Do... I know you?"
"Awww... You didn't forget good ol' Summer Breeze again, did you? You'd think after visiting here every few weeks you'd finally learn my name!" The pony pouted for a moment, before giggling and smiling at Dash again. "You really are laid back, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I guess... Sorry about that..." Rainbow Dash played along with the pony, not entirely sure what to make of her. I've never seen this place before in my life, and she thinks I come here all the time? "Anyway, I had a few questions about these." Stuffing her head into her saddlebag, the pegasus produced the envelope with the tickets in it, and tossed it onto the table.
"Oh, wow! That's amazing! I never thought you'd actually win when you entered a few months ago."
"That's the thing, though. I don't remember entering the contest."
"Really? I remember it perfectly! You were so excited about it that you checked back here every week or two to see whether you won or not, as well as to see if the Wonderbolts were holding tryouts. In fact, I think I still have your entry form on file here..." She rummaged around in a filing cabinet behind the desk for a few moments before pulling out a simple sheet of paper. Surely enough, there on the dotted line at the bottom of the page was Rainbow Dash's signature, an incredibly large and stylized "RD" that almost took up the whole line on its own.
"I love your signature, Rainbow Dash. It's pretty!" Derpy said, hovering above the blue pegasus.
"It's awesome, not pretty. Thanks, though."
"Oh, are you here for some Wonderbolt information, too?" Summer Breeze said, looking up at the mailmare.
"Nope!" The other two pegasi stared at Derpy, expecting her to continue. This only led to an awkward silence.
"Oookay, then..." the receptionist began. "In any case, congratulations on winning the contest. I can safely say that the tickets you have here are genuine, so no need to worry about a scam. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No, that'll be-" Rainbow Dash said before remembering something. "Well, there is one thing I want to ask you." The green pony perked up at the words. "Has anything really strange been happening around Canterlot the last few days?"
"Oh... Anything strange?" Summer Breeze replied, a look of disappointment appearing on her face. "No, nothing in particular, though I heard rumors of some really weird stuff happening in Ponyville. That's where you're from, right? Is everything okay back there?"
"Well, things are settling down now, but some strange things did happen a few days ago," Rainbow Dash replied. "Nothing here, though?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"Thanks anyway. See ya later, then." The blue pegasus waved goodbye and began walking toward the exit. "You too, Derpy. Let's go." The grey mare was still near the back of the building, staring a poster on the wall, or possibly two at once. It was hard to tell. She spent a few more moments studying the poster before waving at Summer Breeze and following Dash out the door.
"Come back any time!" the receptionist called after them. "It's always nice to have company..." Sighing heavily once the pair was out the door, Summer Breeze resumed staring off into space, now a little bit happier than before.
"Well, I definitely wasn't expecting things to be getting even more confusing." Rainbow Dash sighed, resting her head on her front hooves. After leaving the Promotion Center, Dash and Derpy had found a nearby outdoor cafe where they could rest and go over what they knew. Derpy happily sipped a chocolate milkshake as the blue pegasus continued. "I never did any of that stuff, but all of the evidence says that I did."
"Your wish came true, right?" said the mailmare, "Something had to change for your wish to happen, so it changed."
"Well, duh. Of course the wishes change things. That's what they're supposed to do. What I want to know is what exactly did mine- oh no..." It took a moment, but then everything clicked. The inconsistencies, the confusion, it all added up. "The past! My wish changed the past..." The implications of what exactly was going on were staggering. "Even other ponies memories were changed, like Summer Breeze..." How many of my own memories were changed by everypony's wishes? It certainly wasn't something Dash wanted to think about.
"She likes you, you know." Derpy said, still sipping her milkshake.
"Huh?"
"Summer Breeze. It's really obvious."
"She was acting strange, even for somepony who knew me..."
"It's the same way I've seen ponies act when they get a package from their special somepony. Their eyes always get all big like this." The grey pegasus put on a large smile, tilted her head, and opened her eyes wide, like an excited puppy. As silly as it looked, Dash realized that it was indeed the way Summer reacted when she saw her, well, aside from the awkward eyes.
"Special somepony? But I'd never..." Would I? In light of her recent discoveries, she wasn't sure anymore. If the wish changed the past, then everything she had done up the that point made sense. If there had been a contest to win VIP passes to a Wonderbolts event, there's no way she would have passed it up, and if she knew about a place like that Promotion Center, she definitely would have visited it ofter to check for openings on the team. Would she have picked up a marefriend? "No, I wouldn't. I didn't," the blue mare decided. She acted like she liked me, but she never acted like I liked her back. She was just hopeful. Besides, I don't even like mares... At least, I don't right now. Who knows what several months of things being different could do to a pony? Regardless of what actually happened, the idea of ending up in a relationship with somepony she'd never met as a side effect of one little change to the past sent chills down her spine. Again, she pushed the unpleasant implications from her mind. "That leaves two major questions: First, why haven't anypony's wishes been conflicting or causing dangerous problems?Somepony must have wished for something damaging. Second, why just Ponyville? Summer said that nothing strange had been going on here, or anywhere else as far as she knew. None of this makes any sense!"
"I bet Twilight Sparkle would know something. She knows everything!"
"I've tried that already, but the egghead's been off in... Canterlot..." Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof into her forehead. "How could I be so stupid! Come on, Derpy. We're going to the castle!"
"But what about my milkshake?"
"I'll buy you a new one later. Let's go!"
The grey mare sighed and tossed two bits on to the table before spreading her wings and taking to the air, chasing after her overeager friend.
"The things I do to help a pony out..."
All Scootaloo could do was stare at the two ponies in silence as her mind tried to sort out the situation.
"You know, honey, you really shouldn't be surprised that she doesn't recognize us," the mare said to her husband. "After all, she was hardly out of diapers last time we saw her."
"You're... my parents?" Scootaloo sat down on the cloud, her previous exhaustion returning. Of course they're your parents, idiot! Sisters normally share a set of parents, she reminded herself, suddenly feeling strangely calm. Nothing is "wrong" here. If anything, I'm the wrong one... Looking up at the two ponies in front of her, Scootaloo smiled. Everything was falling into place. She had a full family again. "Mom? Dad?"
"Oh, Scootaloo!" Before she could react, the mare had her front legs wrapped around the filly, hugging her tight. The filly couldn't help but hug her new mother back. "Everything's going to be alright now. We're going to make sure that nothing is going to hurt you anymore."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, Princess Celestia is not holding audience with anypony at this time. I can't let you in," The unicorn guard said gruffly.
"That's fine. I'm not here to see the Princess. I need to see Twilight Sparkle." Rainbow Dash replied.
"I can't let you do that, either. Lady Twilight is not accepting visitors at the moment."
"I'm not just some visitor, I'm Rainbow Dash!" The mare struck a heroic pose. The guard was not amused. "Twilight's best friend? Bearer of the Element of Loyalty? Best young flier in Equestria?"
"I know who you are. I'm under Princess Celestia's orders not to let anypony disturb her or Lady Twilight's work. No exceptions. I'm sorry, but you and your friend are going to have to leave."
"But-"
"No. Exceptions."
She argued with the stallion for a little while longer, until he threatened to remove her by force. One "I'd like to see you try" later, and both pegasi found themselves tossed back out the castle gates by the guard's magic. Grumbling under her breath, Dash stormed off, with Derpy following close behind. The upper tier of Canterlot near the castle was filled with elaborate buildings, with public walkways and gardens spread throughout the area, and was an excellent place to gather one's thoughts. Eventually, the blue mare sat down on the edge of a small, clear pond near the main gate.
"I guess that's it, then. Without Twilight's help, I can't help Scoots. All I can do is worry."
"Anything I can do to help?" Derpy said, sitting beside Dash.
"Heh, I wish."
"You know what's funny? So did I."
"What?"
Rather than responding, the crosseyed mare prodded the water with a hoof, and as she drew it away, a small bubble pulled away from the water with it, drifting into the air.
"How did you do that?" asked Rainbow Dash, staring at the hoof-sized orb.
"Oh, this?" Derpy began, bouncing the bubble back and forth between her forehooves. "One day I thought to myself, 'I can move clouds around, and clouds are made of water, so why can't I move water around?' My first attempts ended with me getting wet. Lots of ponies laughed. Eventually, though, I touched the water just right, and I figured out how to make bubbles! Everypony laughed, then, too, but it was different. They were laughing because the bubbles brightened their day! From then on, I knew that if I did my best and stayed cheerful, I could brighten everypony's days just like my bubbles did, and I got the mark to prove it." The mare glanced down at her flank and smiled for a moment, letting the bubble float down to the ground, where it quietly burst. "It wasn't enough, though. I've always been a clutz, and I could never quite do anything right. Sometimes, I could only make ponies angry, no matter how hard I tried. I was no help to anypony, but the comet changed all of that."
"What do you mean?"
"It was a very simple wish." Derpy stood up and began to hover a few inches off the ground, moving out over the water. "I wished to be helpful, and that's what I'm gonna be!" Moving as if she was prancing across the water, the pegasus flew in lazy arcs across the pond, pulling up a bubble with every "step".
"What in the name of Celestia are you doing?" Rainbow Dash called out, confused.
"Like I said, I'm helping!" Soon, a massive cloud of bubbles had formed over pond, and Derpy began flying in circles around them, gathering them up. "Now's your chance! Go!" the mare shouted as she zoomed off toward the gate, pulling the cloud of bubbles with her.
What in Equestria... It didn't take long for Dash to figure it out, though, hearing the confused yell of the guard pony as he was enveloped in bubbles. Not wasting another second, the blue pegasus took off past the blinded guard and through the gate, entering the castle. You really have been a big help, after all, Derpy. I owe you one. Once she made a mental note to get the mailmare an extra awesome muffin from Pinkie Pie once they go back to town, she turned her mind to the task at hand. Don't worry, Scoots. I'll get to the bottom of this. I'm not going to let these wishes hurt you anymore.
"Are you sure everything is alright?" her mother asked for what had to have been the fifth time.
"Yes, I'm fine. The doctors said everything checked out perfectly," Scootaloo said, reassuring her parents. When the two of them had arrived in town, they had heard about her recent hospitalization for the first time. Making sure that she was safe and healthy had immediately become their top priority.
Scootaloo proceeded to show her new parents around the cloud house, taking the time to talk about each of the items hanging in her room, as well as show off the impressive architecture of the main balcony and cloud ramp. She finished with the living room and the latest member of their family.
"And this is Tank, our pet tortoise," said the filly, motioning to the sleeping reptile with a hoof. "Come on out and say hi to Mom and Dad, Tank!" Moving slowly as usual, Tank poked his head out of the shell, looking up at the two unfamiliar ponies with what was probably curiosity.
"A... tortoise?" Her father stared quizzically at Tank, not quite sure what to make of him.
"Yep! He once saved Rainbow Dash when she got her wing pinned under a boulder at the Ghastly Gorge, so she decided to keep him as a pet."
"Scootaloo, just where is Rainbow Dash, anyway?" the stallion asked.
"Oh, she's in Canterlot for the day. Said she had an errand to run."
"And she left you here alone?"
"I guess..." I can take care of myself, though. Dash knew that.
"I see..." The two older pegasi whispered to each other, occasionally making worried glances in Scootaloo's direction. They had been doing this off an on for the entirety of the tour.
"Is everything okay?" Scootaloo asked, noticing their behavior. They're worried about something. Me? Or Rainbow Dash?
"Oh, absolutely!" her mother answered, immediately smiling and trotting to her side, her father moving to examine the rest of the room in the meantime. "We were just discussing the possibility of a family trip!"
"Family trip?"
"We were hoping your sister would be here, so we could bring her along too. I'm surprised she didn't stay home to meet us, or even tell you that we were coming."
"Are you sure she even knew about it?"
"Oh, I'm sure she did," replied Scootaloo's father, returning from the far side of the room with what appeared to be an envelope tucked under his wing. "This," he continued, dropping the opened letter on the living room table, "is the letter we sent you both saying that we were coming down for a visit. It probably arrived about four days ago. I found it in the trash."
"What? ...Why?" Scootaloo had no idea what to think of this. She just hid that and left?
"I don't know, but she can explain herself when she catches up with us," her mother said, pulling the confused filly closer to comfort her. "Honey, would you write up a note for Rainbow Dash detailing where we're going, please?" Smiling one more, she turned back to her daughter. "Scootaloo, how would you like to visit our home in Cloudsdale?"
"Dad, what's Cloudsdale like?"
"Oh, it's nothing special, Scootaloo, just another town. Only difference is that it's made of clouds, not brick, stone, or wood, and everypony's a pegasus."
"I don't know, it sounds way cooler than living in a place like this. Everything is soft and white, and because you'd be above the clouds, the sun would always be shining! Can you take me up there sometime?"
"We'll see. We'd have to get a unicorn to cast a cloud-walking spell on your mother, first. You know how she hates being left out of family trips. For now, though, let's just say that the clouds are always whiter from the ground, and leave it at that..."
"Are you okay back there, sweetie?" the mare called to the cart behind her. "We're almost there!"
"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine." Scootaloo replied, peering over the edge of the cart to gaze at the distant ground below. "Please don't call me 'sweetie', though. That's my friend's name."
"I'll keep it mind."
I'm going to visit Cloudsdale! If it weren't for the fact that doing so would probably cause her to fall out of the cart, the filly would have jumped for joy. Cloudsdale was the hub of pegasus culture in Equestria, and almost every famous flier Scootaloo could think of was born, raised, trained, or otherwise strongly associated with the city.
Her parents had already been aware of her flight deficiency, and were well prepared to transport their daughter. They acquired a small, sturdy cart to transport the filly in before setting off, her father assuring her that being unable to fly changed nothing about their trip. Once they were in the air, they had spent the next few hours telling Scootaloo a bit about themselves and what they did for a living. As it turns out, both of them were physicians, and ran a small sports medicine clinic for athletes.
"We've even given therapy to a good few injured Wonderbolts over the years," Her father had explained. "In fact, meeting one of them was a big part of what inspired Rainbow Dash to train so hard herself. It's a real pity that she dropped out of flight school when she did. She probably would be able to join the Wonderbolts herself by now if she had followed through on her formal training."
Rainbow Dash... What happened? Thinking about her put a damper on Scootaloo's excitement. As much as she loved being her sister, there was still so much that Scootaloo didn't know about her, and the trashed letter had thrown her for a loop. Why would Rainbow Dash want to keep me away from our parents? Did something happen between them in the past? Even their parents themselves seemed confused by her behavior.
"Am... Am I a good sister?"
Dash's question echoed in Scootaloo's mind, and began to take on more significance beyond guilt about the incident that put her in the hospital. There was more than just her wish causing problems here, and she was going to find out exactly what it was.
"I thought I had everything worked out. Now... I'm not so sure..."
The interior of the castle was like a maze. Hallways branching from other, identical looking hallways, each with dozens of doors leading to various rooms, made proper navigation for somepony unfamiliar with the grounds an exercise in guesswork. Luckily, the few times that Rainbow Dash had been in the castle, Twilight had made sure to show the gang around the one place Dash was sure she would be able to find her: the library.
Books are always the first thing she goes to for answers. Despite the guards being on high alert once the one at the gate reported in, the high, vaulted ceilings of the castle halls and their many colorful decorations made it easy to sneak around, provided that she didn't bump into a anything or make any loud noises. Soon enough, she reached the entrance to the castle's library. Luckily, the nearby guard patrol had just rounded a corner, and no guards were posted specifically in front of the door.
"These archives contain Celestia and Luna's private collections, and only the Princesses themselves can grant access to them," Twilight had told them on the night of her last birthday, after the boring garden party ended. "I've been in there a couple times myself. You could learn about anything you wanted with everything they have in there! Millennia of knowledge, all kept in one place! Some of the books are so old and rare that only one copy still exists, and you have to cast a special protection spell to be able to read it without it falling apart in your hooves." Even if Twilight didn't have the answers she need, Dash was sure something in the library would.
"Time to finally figure out what's going on," the blue pegasus whispered to herself as she pushed open the door and slipped inside. She found herself in a long corridor make by two sets of bookshelves that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. This library is bigger than I thought. I guess I'll just have to find her the hard way. Good thing nopony's guarding this place. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind when the marble floor beneath her hooves lit up in a large disc shape with a bright violet light.
Acting on instinct, Rainbow Dash took to the air, attempting to put as much distance between herself and the light as possible. As fast as she was, though, the trap was faster. A sheet of magical energy erupted from the edges of the disc and quickly settled in a small dome shape. The pegasus smashed into the barrier as she took off, bouncing back to the ground stunned.
A magical trap? Dang it, I should have seen that coming! the mare berated herself. I mean, come on! Daring Do runs into one of those almost every other book! Now how do I get out of here...
"You aren't supposed to be here, Rainbow Dash," boomed an authoritative voice the pegasus would have recognized anywhere. The air in front of her flashed with a blinding yellow light. When it faded, in its place stood a massive white pony with wings spread wide and horn held high, her multicolor mane billowing as if blow by an invisible breeze. "I would have thought that the guards had made it quite clear that visitors were not welcome today. Not even you." Dash recognized the look on her face. It was the same look of stern disappointment she had given Twilight after the incident with the enchanted doll that made the whole town go crazy.
"Princess Celestia, I-"
"No explanations will be necessary, Rainbow Dash. I know why you are here."
"You do?"
"Yes. You are looking for answers." The princess's face softened from a disapproving scowl to an understanding smile. "It was foolish of me to think that a royal decree would keep the bearer of the Element of Loyalty from trying to find those answers for her friends and family." Closing her eyes for a moment, Celestia touched her horn to the barrier. It glowed for a brief moment, and the dome receded back into the glowing disk on the floor, which then faded away. "The security spell here now recognizes you, Rainbow Dash. You are free to come and go from the archives as you see fit, for now at least."
"Wait, you're just letting me go? And I'll get to talk to Twilight now?"
"Of course!"
"Yes!" Dash excitedly jumped a short distance into the air and began hovering, glad to be out of the cramped "Finally!"
"On one condition."
Uh oh.
Scootaloo was in heaven, or at least a place that she imagined heaven must be like. She had always thought that Rainbow Dash's house was one of a kind, but here in Cloudsdale, everything was built like that, and many buildings were even more amazing! Elaborately sculpted walkways, rainbow rivers, grand, imposing pillars, and numerous other flourishes adorned much of the city. It was the most beautiful sight Scootaloo had ever seen! Her parents' house was no exception. It was set on a small cloud overlooking the larger one that housed the clinic, and looked like a small tower, with multiple floors connected by a spiral staircase that ran up the outside of the building. Balconies allowed for easy access to any floor from the air.
"Welcome home, Scootaloo," her father said with pride as the family touched down on a solid platform set into the house's roof.
"Well, I wouldn't call it my home, but thanks!" Scootaloo replied, hopping out of the cart.
"We're family, dear," said her mother. "Our home is your home!"
"'This is so awesome!" the filly shouted, excitedly darting back and forth across the roof, trying to take in all there was to see. "We could go watch the Wonderbolts practice, or we could make cloud sculptures, or tour the weather factory! I've always wanted to see how they make rainbows! Oh, I know! We could-"
"That's enough, Scootaloo." Her mother chuckled at the young pony's enthusiasm. "I'm sure we'll be able to do all of those things eventually. I think your father has something else in mind for now, though."
"That's right! If you'll just come with me, I have something I'd like to show you." Motioning for his daughter to follow him, the stallion started down the stairs with Scootaloo close behind.
"So, what are you going to show me?" the filly asked, nearly bouncing with anticipation.
"Be patient. I want it to be a surprise!"
Eventually, the pair reached the bottom of the stairs, entering a room at the base of the cloud. As Scootaloo's eyes adjusted to the dim light that trickled through the translucent cloud walls, she realized that they were in a workshop of some sort. Cabinets, workbenches, and tools lined the walls, and on one bench at the far end of the room sat a lumpy looking object covered with a white sheet.
"What is this place?"
"This is where I design customized gear to assist in the therapy, training, and overall recovery of our clients in the clinic," the elder pegasus explained. "It's thanks to the tools I've made here, and the physical therapy techniques that your mother has developed that we are able to help so many ponies. I even think we can help you, Scootaloo."
"Help me?"
"In all of the years I've been doing this, I've seen many pegasi with many different types of injuries. The most tragic are those who have crippled their wings. Flight is the most important aspect of being a pegasus. It is what sets us apart from the earth ponies and the unicorns. Without it, what purpose do we have in the world? We are not as strong as the earth ponies, nor can we cast spells like the unicorns. I have seen the look of realization and devastation on a pony's face as I tell them that they will never fly again. That they no longer have a place in this world, and I have vowed to stop that from happening any more."
"What does that have to do with me? I'm not crippled, just... slow. I'll grow out of it!"
"Will you? Your disorder usually only affects young foals, and they almost always grow out of it by your age. Your condition could be so severe that you'll never grow out of it!"
"But-" Scootaloo began, before her father cut her off and continued.
"And even if you do grow out of it, how long are you willing to wait? One year? Two? Five? Ten? It pains me to see you like that, even for a minute! You still haven't found your cutie mark yet, right? Why do you think that is? You haven't just lost your purpose in this world, you've been denied it by the cruelty of fate!"
I've lost my purpose? That can't be true... can it? Everything her father said made sense, though... "What am I supposed to do, then? Just give up?"
"Absolutely not! I said that I could help you, didn't I?" The stallion reached over and ruffled Scootaloo's mane with a hoof. "This," he said, trotting over to the covered object on the workbench, "is something that will help injured pegasi everywhere regain their purpose, and you will be the first one to use it!" He pulled the sheet away, revealing what appeared to be several thick strips of thick canvas laid out over both sides an elaborate metal frame, arranged in the shape of feathers, and bound together.
"Those are... wings?"
"Yes they are! Lightweight, adjustable, and able to fit over nearly any wing-shape, they'll give any pegasus the wings they lack!" Her father beamed with pride at his creations. "Within the hour, you'll be free to soar to your heart's content!
Rainbow Dash stared at the note on the table in disbelief. She had just arrived back home from Canterlot, eager to tell her sister what she had learned.
They took Scootaloo with them! Why in the name of Celestia would they want to take her? They never even cared about her! This can't be good. Ever since leaving Cloudsdale, she had wanted nothing to do with her parents. Sure, they sent letters every now and again, but Dash usually just threw them out without opening them, and that included the one that had arrived the morning of the wish incident. I told them that if they wanted to talk to me, they could do it to my face. They didn't even have the decency to do that! I'm going to fly over there right now and get her back! Something stopped the mare before she could even leave the room, though. Dang it, I can't just leave! Turning around, Rainbow Dash walked back across the room and laid down on the sofa, burring her face in her hooves.
"What am I supposed to do, Tank?" she asked her animal companion, who lumbered over to his owner, listening intently. "I mean, Princess Celestia entrusted me with an important duty. One that can sort out this whole wishing mess! I can't just abandon that and hunt down Scoots, can I?" Tank only blinked. "On the other hoof, what kind of sister would I be if I just abandoned her like that?" Tank walked over to the end table to the right of the couch, and nudged the one photograph sitting on it with his nose before looking back at the pegasus. It was a picture of Dash and Scootaloo at Sweet Apple Acres, receiving a set of blue ribbons for winning the race in the Sisterhooves Social. She had never seen her sister smiling wider than she had on that day.
"We make a pretty awesome team, don't we Dash?"
"You bet we do, Scoots. Keep this up, and pretty soon you'll be able to join me on the Wonderbolts in a few years!"
"You're right, Tank. Scootaloo is the whole reason I went as far as I did to get the answers in the first place! The mission can wait a few hours, I have a sister to get back!"
"So, how do I do this?" Scootaloo asked as her father slipped the larger artificial wings over her own, adjusting the straps over her midsection that held them on to her. Her mother stood by, watching her husband work with pride.
"The basics of flying are instinctive, and it's probably quite similar to the way you ride your scooter. Just push up instead of forward."
"If you say so..." The filly began flapping her new wings. She started slow, getting a feel for their larger size. Surprisingly enough, they were far lighter than she thought they would be. Dad really knows how to build things, doesn't he? She began to flap them faster, and was soon hovering a short distance above the roof. Wow! It used to take all of my strength to do this for even a few seconds! This is easy! This was it. All she had to do was give herself a little push, and she would be flying! "Here goes nothing!"
Rainbow Dash raced as fast as she could towards Cloudsdale. Any faster, and she would be pushing Sonic Rainboom speeds. As tempting as it was to perform one for the boost in speed, doing so over such a long distance would exhaust her by the time she reached the city. Luckily the speed she was maintaining at the moment was more than enough to get her to there in only a few more minutes. She could already see the cloud structures rising on the horizon.
Almost there! I'm not going to let them take you away! With one last burst of speed, the blue pegasus closed in on the city in the sky. She quickly found her former home, sitting above the clinic as it always had. On the rooftop, she could make out both of her parents. She hadn't seen them in years, but they had hardly changed. But where's Scootaloo? They didn't lock her inside, did they? They had better hope that they didn't, otherwise I'm gonna-
"RAAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNBOOOOOWWWW DAAAAAAAAAASH!" An orange and violet streak blew past the blue pegasus from above, nearly knocking her out of the air. "Whoops! Sorry, I still don't quite have a handle on my own speed yet!" Scootaloo shouted as she climbed back up to her sister's altitude. All Dash could do was stare with her mouth wide open, trying to process what she was seeing.
"Scoots! You... You're..."
"Flying? I know, right? Isn't it awesome?" The filly performed a small backflip in the air, cheering loudly as she did so. "Dad invented these extended wings that can fit over wings too small or damaged for flight, letting the pegasus fly again! Or for the first time, in my case. I've never had so much fun in my entire life! I can't believe you get to do this every day!"
"Are you sure those are safe? They don't look too sturdy..."
"Oh, that's just because they're super-ultra-lightweight, so it's hardly any heavier than your own wings." Scootaloo explained as she circled around Rainbow Dash, performing progressively more elaborate twirls and flips as she did so.
"If you say so," said the older sister. "It's just that the last time one of my friends got artificial wings, she got in way over her head and broke them. I had to pull off a Sonic Rainboom just to save her!" Not to mention that they inflated her ego to monumental size...
"I wouldn't worry about that!" Scootaloo said, now flying in fast, tight circles. "Dad told me to put these wings through anything I could think of to test them out! He'd never tell me to do that if there was any chance of-"
SNAP
No! No no no no no!
Scootaloo watched in horror as her left wing splintered and broke under the strain of her turns, spraying chunks of the metal frame everywhere. A particularly large chunk smashed into Rainbow Dash's head, stunning her for a moment as the filly began to plummet. Frantically, she flapped her wings in an attempt to slow her increasingly rapid descent. Thanks to the two different sizes of her wings, though, all she managed to do was put herself into an uncontrollable spin.
Nonononononono!
The cloud below rushed at her with incredible speed as Rainbow Dash finally came to her senses.
"SCOOTALOO!" the blue pegasus screamed as she launched herself into a nosedive. The filly could make out a small cone of light forming in front of Rainbow Dash as she dove.
She going to make it, she has to! Scootaloo told herself, even though deep down she knew that there was no way Dash could make it in time. She had heard the story of her idol's Sonic Rainboom at the Best Young Flyer's Competition dozens of times. She had performed the feat out of similar dive to save Rarity and the Wonderbolts as they fell, and only managed to catch them just above the ground. Scootaloo had a much shorter distance to fall, which wouldn't give Dash nearly enough time to reach her. Is... is this it? she thought, seconds before reaching the cloud.
She heard an enormous, thundering boom, and everything went black.
Colors exploded behind Rainbow Dash as she broke the sound barrier, and for a moment, time appeared to slow to a crawl, the following milliseconds feeling like an eternity to the pegasus. Scootaloo continued to fall below her, eyes wide with terror as she approached the cloud below. At the speed she was falling, it didn't matter how soft the cloud was, the impact would be nearly as strong as if she had hit solid ground.
I can do this! I have to do this!
Rainbow Dash pushed her wings harder than she ever had before, gaining on her sister and nearly getting close enough to snatch the filly up with her front legs. She only had one shot, and her timing had to be perfect.
Now! Reaching for her sister, the blue pegasus began to pull into a hair pin turn to avoid the cloud.
She missed.
Scootaloo's body hit the cloud with a sickening thud, and time came rushing back to its normal speed.
"Scootaloo!" The filly's mother rushed rushed to the site of the impact, trying to focus on her medical training through the fear and adrenaline. She could see Rainbow Dash in the distance, attempting to recover from the momentum of her Sonic Rainboom. It would take her a minute to get back to her sister. Step one: check to see if the scene is safe. It had been a long time since she had needed to give emergency care to anypony, much less her own daughter, and it took all of her focus to remember the basics. The first step was easy, considering that the accident was a fall. Step two: ascertain the severity of the victim's injuries. The mare's heart skipped a beat as she reached Scootaloo and began to asses her condition. It wasn't good.
Scootaloo laid on her side, three of her legs bent in ways that no pony's leg was meant to bend. She was still breathing, but it was shallow and ragged, suggesting at least a few broken ribs and possibly a punctured lung. Her wings seemed to be in decent shape, however, the artificial wings (or what was left of them) having taken the brunt of the damage.
Step three-
"Stay away from her!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she landed in front of her mother, taking a defensive position over Scootaloo.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm just trying to-"
"No! You've done more than enough already! If you had just left us alone in the first place, none of this would have happened!" The rainbow-maned pegasus was on the verge of tears, her expression a mix of anger and devastation. "But you just had to show up unannounced and kidnap her for your little experiment, here, didn't you?"
"Unannounced? We sent you a letter! You even read the letter!"
"I never read anything you send me! I even told you that the one time I did write back to you!"
What? But he said... "None of that matters now! Scootaloo needs help, and-"
"And I will help her!" Rainbow Dash shouted back, refusing to let her mother finish speaking. "I'm taking Scootaloo to the hospital. If you really care, you'll let me and just go away!" Taking as much care as she could, the pegasus gently scooped her sister up with her front legs and took flight, leaving her mother where she stood.
This was supposed to be our chance to fix things... to be a family again... the mare thought, completely at a loss for what to do. She barely even noticed her husband landing next to her.
"I'm sorry, I got here as fast as I could, I just had to grab something from my workshop first," he said, opening up what appeared to be an empty saddlebag.
"What is that for?"
"I need to gather as many pieces of those wings as I can so I can better understand how they failed. If I can work out the kinks in the design, then I should have a new prototype ready for Scootaloo to test by the time she-" His wife's hoof struck him across the face, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"You... Rainbow Dash was right! This really was just all just one big experiment to you, wasn't it? All that talk of bringing us together again, that was all just a lie? You lied to Scootaloo, and you lied to me!" The white maned pegasus stomped a hoof in anger and glared at the stallion.
"I never-"
"Rainbow Dash never even opened that letter. You did. You planted that seed of doubt in our minds, all so you could keep Scootaloo here for your own personal glory, didn't you?"
"It was never about me!" the stallion shouted. "It's about pegasi everywhere! If I can perfect these wings, then no pegasus will ever have to go flightless again! We'll never have to see another poor, broken soul walk through our doors, devoid of any purpose in life," he explained, motioning to the clinic behind him. "I gave our daughter a purpose! If that purpose turned out to be sacrificing herself for the greater good, then so be it! We should be proud of her!"
"Can you even hear what you're saying? The 'greater good?' 'Sacrificing herself?' This is our daughter, and those were just wings! There's more to her than that! I am proud of Scootaloo, but not because she put on your pair of shoddy wings! I'm proud because our little filly is growing up into a strong, independent young mare, one that can decide her own purpose, wings or no wings!" The mare's anger subsided a bit, and she gave her husband a forlorn, disappointed look. "This... This isn't the stallion I married. That pony would have never let anything tear his family apart, and I should have realized that years ago when our daughters left us in the first place." She turned and began to walk away, looking back to say one last thing. "I'm going after Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. You... You need to think long and hard about what your priorities are. If you can't realize what's really important in your life... then I don't think I'll be coming back." With that, the pegasus took off towards the hospital. It's time to make things right.
"Hey, I think she's waking up!" Rainbow Dash's voice echoed through the gray haze that filled Scootaloo's mind.
"Well, what do ya know? Looks like the little champ's going to pull through after all!" said another voice.
I... know that voice...
"Hey, Scoots! Ya there? You got a really awesome visitor!"
"Ahmrgwake..." Scootaloo groaned as she opened her eyes, only to be blinded by the bright lights of the hospital room. As she waited for eyes to adjust, the first thing she noticed was that she couldn't move. A dull, distant feeling of pain shot through her body every time she tried. Even when she could finally see straight enough to notice the casts covering most of her legs and the bandages around the rest of her, everything still felt fuzzy and out of focus. None of that stopped her from recognizing the uniformed stallion standing beside her sister, though. "...Dad? What are you doing here?" I thought he didn't care for Cloudsdale...
"Wow, those must be some powerful painkillers. She's mistaken me for your father now!" her not-father said, chuckling a bit.
"Scootaloo, this is Dawn Flash, one of the best fliers in the Wonderbolts!" Rainbow Dash said, excitedly introducing the pony.
"Hello there, Scootaloo!" Dawn Flash smiled cheerfully. "I heard you were pulling off some pretty impressive moves before taking a that big fall. Keep it up when you're all healed up, but try to be more careful, okay?"
"Okay..." Dad's a Wonderbolt? "I'll be more careful next time, Dad..."
"Scootaloo..." Dash sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, guess she's not really all here at the moment."
"Oh, that's fine. I've visited kids before who didn't even wake up while I was there. It's not your fault."
"Not my fault... Yeah..."
"Here, how about I give you something to remember this little visit by?" Grabbing a pen clipped to his uniform in his mouth, Dawn Flash scribbled a large signature on the filly's cast. "There, that should do it! I've got a practice flight to get to, so I need to get going. Get well soon!" With a smile on his face, he turned to leave, but was stopped by Rainbow Dash.
"Thanks again for doing this. It'll really mean a lot to her, once she's coherent again, that is. Things have been... rough lately for the two of us."
"Think nothing of it! I'm always around cheering up kids in the hospital. Just a way to give back and help my fellow pony." He extended a hoof to Dash to shake. "I've heard some pretty good things about you, too. Your sister's not the only one I should be telling to keep up the good work."
"Heh, yeah. I've got some pretty sweet moves," the mare boasted as she flexed her wings before accepting the hoofshake.
"I bet you do. I'll keep an eye out the next time we hold open tryouts, though that probably won't be for a good while. The team is pretty full as it is. Fly safe, Rainbow Dash. Just don't forget to let you hooves touch the ground every once in the while. Too much time with your head in the clouds isn't good for anypony."
"I'll keep it in mind." Rainbow Dash replied as the pegasus exited the room. Once again alone with her sister, the pegasus walked over and stood next to the bed, her sister's condition immediately removing whatever ego boost Dawn Flash had given her. "Déjà vu, eh, Scoots? Two hospitalizations in one week, that's gotta be a new record, right?"
"Yeah... De... Dej... What you said..." Scootaloo answered, feeling as though she was watching the world from somewhere far away. Unable to hold on to consciousness, she soon slipped back into a troubled sleep.
"Mom, can I ask you something?"
"You can ask me anything, Scootaloo!"
"Have you ever done something that you really regret?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Well, the Crusaders and I really screwed up on Hearts and Hooves Day last week, and we nearly messed up the lives of two really great ponies. We only barely managed to fix things in time, and if we hadn't... well... I just hate the fact that I did something so stupid! What if it was permanent? And it was my fault? How are you supposed to make up for something you can't fix?"
"We all make mistakes, dear, and we all have to face the consequences of them. What's important is that you learn from your experiences, and do everything in your power to make the best of it."
"You made mistakes that you regret?"
"Of course I have! My choices in the past once caused a poor colt to leave his home, family, and dreams behind, but you can't let regret hold you forever. The experiences that have resulted from our mistakes are something that we wouldn't trade for the world. Did you learn something important from your mistake?"
"Yeah..."
"Then hold on to the result of your mistake. It can never be changed, but you can build off of it. Experience is the foundation of who you are, but it's up to you to lay the bricks..."
The sounds of shouting eventually dragged Scootaloo out of her slumber. Her mind was still a bit hazy, but she could at least think clearly if she tried. She soon recognized the voices as Rainbow Dash and and her mother, arguing over something. The filly strained her neck, trying to get a better view of the two of them as they talked. It was difficult to focus, but she tried her best. She needed to know what had happened.
"Do you really think you can just trot in her and 'make things right' after what you did?" Rainbow Dash asked, glaring at the other mare.
"What we did doesn't matter anymore," her mother answered, meeting Dash's gaze.
"What?!" Dash shouted, flaring her wings in anger. "Do you remember what Dad called Scootaloo after she was born? An accident! He said she was never meant to happen, and that you had to put for up for adoption! I couldn't just let you do that to her! To me!"
An... accident? The words hit Scootaloo like a blow to the head. My wish did this... I did this...
"We thought we didn't have a choice, Rainbow Dash! That's why it doesn't matter! We weren't ready for another foal, much less one that couldn't fly! The clinic was struggling, and we didn't have the money to take care of her, especially since we would have had to move somewhere safe for her..."
"I don't care! You put the dumb clinic above your own daughters!"
"And I was wrong!"
"But but that's just- Wait, what?"
"I was wrong, Rainbow. Both your father and I were wrong, and you father is still wrong." The mare sat down, hanging her head in shame. "We did have a choice, but we refused to see it. We could have started over, worked together as a family to make it through. Instead, we refused to take responsibility, and you decided to take that responsibility in our place. This is all our fault, though I wish your father could see that..."
No it isn't, Scootaloo thought, slumping back into the bed. This is all my fault, not theirs. They would be a perfectly happy family if not for me...
"I... I don't know what to say," Rainbow Dash said, that last hints of anger draining from her voice.
"You don't have to say anything, dear. You don't even have to forgive me. I just want you to know that I'm sorry, and that I'm here to help, if you'll have me."
I'm sorry, too... Scootaloo silently apologized. She wanted to say it out loud, but to them, she had nothing to apologize for. All she could do was lie quietly and cry.
Two days had passed since Scootaloo's injury, and life was slowly beginning to reach a semblance of normalcy for Rainbow Dash, save for two large problems. The first was Scootaloo herself. Once the doctors in Cloudsdale had deemed her condition stable, Scootaloo was discharged under the condition that she be confined to their house for at least a week, and that she avoid any strenuous activities until the casts came off, and even then, the prognosis wasn't looking good. When she fell, she landed hooves first. According to the doctors, that probably saved her life. Unfortunately, the impact had badly mangled three of her legs to the point that she would likely live with the injury for the rest of her life. While she would likely be able to walk just fine once the bones healed, she would probably never be able to move any faster than a slow trot again without long, extensive therapy and recovery time.
It wasn't the injury that troubled Rainbow Dash, though. Their mother had accompanied them back to Ponyville, insisting that she personally oversee Scootaloo's treatment and therapy. She said it was the least she could to to make it up to them. Scootaloo's wings had come out of the incident in good shape, too, meaning that she would still be able to ride her scooter, and eventually fly, reducing the impact her handicap could have on her day to day life. No, what troubled Rainbow Dash was her sister's response to being informed of her condition. All she did was nod quietly, hardly reacting to the news in the slightest. In fact, for the past two days, she had hardly reacted to anything, only giving one or two word answers when spoken to and rarely choosing to leave her room. With all that had happened in the past week, it looked like all of the trauma had finally caught up with the filly.
The second problem, though, was far larger in scope. Princess Celestia had given Rainbow Dash a mission, which she was no closer to carrying out than she had been two days ago...
"Somewhere in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash, there is a pony whose wish is the root cause of many other wishes," the Princess had explained. "I call this wish the Keystone, because it's existence supports the existence of many other wishes."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that if that wish were to somehow be undone, it would cause a chain reaction that could undo many changes as well."
"So, we just need to find that wish and reverse it, so that everything can go back to normal, right?"
"It's not nearly that simple, but that is a part of it. Twilight is pouring all of her time and energy into researching the implications of all of this, but in the meantime, your job is to try and find the Keystone."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"The Keystone will be the wish that has altered the past the most, thus affecting the eventual wishes of other ponies. It won't be easy, but finding out what ponies wished for something that altered the past is imperative. From there, you should be able to narrow it down. I have faith in you Rainbow Dash...
So, now what? Rainbow Dash stood on the balcony of the cloud house, gazing out over Ponyville. She had asked around, and even enlisted her friends to search for the Keystone, but there was nothing to be found. Almost everypony they could find had made wishes that were simple, on the spot changes to reality. No need to tamper with the past. The simplicity of it all was actually frustrating. Even her own wish, which had altered the past at least a little bit, hadn't affected anypony in Ponyville, meaning that it was unlikely that her own wish was the Keystone. No conflicts, no huge disasters, nothing! How can a whole town full of ponies make wishes and not have them clash with anypony else? Anything like that would stand out and make this so much easier...
"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" Dash's mother said, stepping out onto the balcony. "It's rather hard to appreciate the view from Cloudsdale. Everything is so insignificant looking from up there, and all of the detail is lost. Just another reminder of how out of touch I've been, I guess."
"Yeah, it's pretty, I guess. Not really my thing," Rainbow Dash replied, continuing to stare out at the town.
"You're worried about Scootaloo, aren't you?"
"Of course I am! What kind of sister would I be if I wasn't? I've never seen her like this before. Then again, she's never been through quite so much before, either..."
"You know," her mother began, "when your father an I first arrived to pick her up, she seemed so happy, as if she didn't care about what had happened in the past. She was just glad to be a family again. I made a promise to her, right here on this balcony, that I wouldn't let anything hurt her anymore." The older mare sighed and shook her head. "I was a fool, making a promise that I should have known I couldn't keep. All I did was make things harder on her. I betrayed her."
"Hey, if you're stupid, then I'm stupid right along with you," her daughter stated. "I made the same promise, and I couldn't even catch her when she fell..." A long silence fell over the pair at the mention of the fall. Eventually, Dash spoke up again. "Dad's not coming back, is he?"
"No. He has his own dreams, his own ideas. After a certain point, we only factored into them as assets. I think that is what hurt Scootaloo most of all... She trusted him so much. It takes a lot of faith to put the past behind you like that, and to have that faith shattered..."
Clouds.
Clouds always shifted, never keeping quite the same shape. Even the semi-solid structural clouds that made up the cloud house would swirl and shift slightly, creating a swirling pattern of whites and grays over Scootaloo's bed. The filly stared at these patterns, letting them occupy her mind for as long as they could. She was tired of thinking, tired of rationalizing. The only conclusion she could reach was that she had ruined everything, and that never shifted.
I give up, she finally thought, shifting uncomfortably in her bed, the casts on her legs scraping together. There's nothing I can do. My old parents are gone forever. Rainbow Dash's childhood has been ruined. One of my new parents almost got me killed, and now they've broken up... None of that can change. All I can do is try to make it up to them...
"Oh really?" A distorted voice echoed in Scootaloo's mind, feeling as if it came from every direction at once. "I know something else you could do."
Who-
"It doesn't matter who I am. I just want to offer a solution," The voice said, cutting off her question before she could even think it. "What if I told you that you could take it all back?"
"She did know about why you left us in the first place, right?" Dash's mother asked.
"Of course she did," Rainbow Dash said. "She's known for years. It's impossible to raise a filly with no parents and not have them find out why." Which still makes it all the stranger that she trusted him... The observation continued to trouble the pegasus, as she remembered what Scootaloo had said to her just before the fall.
"Dad told me to put these wings through anything I could think of to test them out! He'd never tell me to do that if there was any chance of-"
The rainbow-maned pegasus shuddered as the memory of the fall flashed before her eyes once more.
She should have known better than to trust him like that! It's almost as if she didn't remember... Slowly, things began to come together in her mind. "Memories! That's it!" Rainbow Dash shouted and galloped back into the house, heading towards Scootaloo's room.
"Rainbow Dash, what are you talking about? What memories?" Her mother called after her, struggling to keep up.
It all makes sense now! The strange behavior, walking out to the middle of nowhere expecting something to be there, not knowing what our parents had done, all of that is caused by her memories! She doesn't remember anything because she remembers things the way they were, just like with my own wish. Her wish altered the past! It could be the Keystone! Rainbow Dash quickly reached Scootaloo's room and knocked on the door. "Hey, Scoots, can I come in? I need to talk to you about something." There was no answer.
"Maybe she fell asleep?" her mother suggested as she finally caught up.
"Maybe, but this is important." Dash knocked on her sister's door once more. "Scoots! Can you hear me? I need to talk to you!" After being answered by more silence, Dash opted to just open the door anyway. "I'm coming in, Scootaloo, you need to wake up. Let's get those lazy eyes open and-"
Scootaloo's bed was empty, and the filly was nowhere to be found.
"What if I told you that you could take it all back?"
Take back... my wish? The thought had crossed Scootaloo's mind many times before, but she had never seriously entertained the idea. Wishes may have come true once, but it was silly to think that it would ever happen again.
"Of course! That would solve all of your problems, wouldn't it? Everything would go back to the way things were, and you would learn a valuable lesson. Everypony wins! The voice answered with and odd edge of excitement in it.
I would definitely take it back if I could... But how?
"Granting a wish is just a magic. Really big magic, but still just magic, and magic can be reversed."
But I'm not a unicorn, how am I supposed to cast a spell to reverse it? Scootaloo wondered.
"Don't you worry about that, I have it all worked out. Now you just need to get to where we can do that."
And where would that be?
"In the Everfree Forest."
"What?" Scootaloo said out loud. How the hay am I supposed to do that? I'm not exactly... mobile at the moment.
"Don't worry about that, either. I have an awesome idea!"
"Scootaloo!" Rainbow Dash called out, desperately searching the room. "Where could she have gone?"
"Maybe she wandered out of her room on her own?" her mother suggested.
"If she did, she couldn't have gotten far. Unless... Oh no." The younger pegasus paused, spotting something in the corner of the room.
"What is it?"
"Don't tell me she..."
"What did she-" her mother began, stopping when she reached her daughter's side. "Oh."
A roughly circular, filly-sized hole had been cut out of the wall, with the clouds that had made up that section missing as well.
"She's riding a cloud! We need to go, now!" Dash shouted as she sprung into action. Not bothering to take the door out, she charged straight through the cloud wall and took flight, leaving a much larger hole beside the smaller one. What could you possibly be thinking, Scootaloo?
"This is a terrible idea!" Scootaloo shouted over the combined noise wind rushing by her and the beating of her wings. The tops of the trees flew by not far beneath her, creating a blurred sea of green and brown beneath the thick thick chunk of the cloud wall she had pushed out of her room. Her legs were jammed tightly into it, anchoring her to the cloud as she propelled herself through the air. It was nigh-impossible to steer the cloud with any degree of fine control from that position, but the condition of her legs didn't allow for any other option. "Are you sure that this cloud will hold together? They're not exactly made for these speeds..."
"I'm pretty sure. Just don't try anything crazy."
As if this wasn't crazy enough to begin with, the filly thought.
"Hey, I heard that!"
"Well, you weren't supposed to! It would be nice if I could have a thought to myself, you know!"
"Oh! I hadn't thought about that, sorry!" the voice apologized, sounding rather surprised. "I'm only able to read your mind so easily because you let me, though. Just focus a little bit, and you can put up a mental block, so to speak, or think, as the case may be. That should give you some privacy."
So... like this? Scootaloo wondered, turning her thoughts toward protecting her mind. The voice did not answer. Okay, it's working... I hope. Finally alone with her thoughts, the filly looked over her situation. One large question came to the front of her mind. Why is this... whatever it is helping me? It hasn't even asked for anything in return... She had been so caught up in the prospect of fixing her mistakes, that she hadn't even thought to question it. Even if it wants something out of me, is it worth it? She thought about all of the ponies she had hurt, and all of the memories that she could never share with them. Yes, she decided. This is something I need to do.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt the internal monologue I'm sure you're having right now, but we've got a problem, the voice said with a hint of urgency.
"What is it?"
"You know how I said that I was pretty sure that the cloud would hold?"
"Yeah?" Oh, no... don't tell me...
"Well... I was wrong. I forgot how unpredictable Everfree air currents can be..."
Of course... Scootaloo turned her head to examine the cloud, immediately seeing the problem. Bits and pieces of the cloud were falling off and dissolving into a fine mist behind her. "Got any more bright ideas?"
"Um... J-just give me a minute. I'll... work it out. the voice stammered.
"We don't have a minute!" Scootaloo shouted at the air. What kind of mysterious magical voice doesn't have a Plan B? How am I even supposed to land this thing? Slowing down, she struggled to try and direct the cloud toward the ground. It began to descend, but Scootaloo had a feeling that it was more due to the cloud falling apart than any effort of her own.
"Okay, I got it!" said the voice, apparently reaching a conclusion. "Just ride it out, and then jump off at the last second. That should just about get us to our destination."
"That's your plan?" Scootaloo asked, exasperated.
"Sometimes the simplest course of action is the right one," the voice stated plainly, having regained its composure.
"That's... a good point," the filly admitted. "Alright, just tell me when to jump, I'll take care of the rest." Scootaloo braced herself as the cloud continued to disintegrate. While there was no way that she would be able to fly, she could probably slow her fall enough to keep from hurting herself again. Soon, the tops of the trees were mere inches from the bottoms of her hooves, which had begun to stick through the bottom of the cloud. "Any time now!" She shouted.
"Just a few more seconds. I need to make sure that you'll clear this gorge."
"What g-" Scootaloo began, only to see the trees clear out from under her, revealing a wide, rocky chasm. "Oh." Her descent began to accelerate, and it quickly became clear that she was headed for the wall on the opposite side of the gorge. "I'm not gonna make it!"
"You don't have to, just jump! Now!"
"But I can't-" Before she could even finish her objection, the last of the could gave way beneath her, forcing the filly to push off as hard as she could and hope for the best. Scootaloo cried out in unexpected pain as her under-developed wings strained to support the combined weight of her body and her casts, the muscles involved putting pressure on her barely-healed ribs. If I can just make it to a ledge of some sort... she thought, focusing as hard as she could on her destination. Darkness crept in on the edges of her vision as the pain became too great, though, and soon enough her wings gave out altogether. The bottom of the chasm came rushing up at her.
"That's close enough. I'll take it from here," the voice said, booming with a new-found strength. A soft white glow enveloped Scootaloo, and the filly's fall came to a sudden halt. The force lifted her out of the chasm, placing her gently down on the far side before flickering and giving out.
"How... did you..." Scootaloo gasped, attempting to stand only to collapse from exhaustion instead. The last thing she saw before the blackness finally took her was set of translucent hooves on the ground in front of her, covered in the same ghostly white glow...
Okay, Rainbow, stay calm. Think rationally. You just need to organize ponies for a search again, same as last time. Rainbow Dash flew into town, heading towards Carrousel Boutique. She would visit each of her friends first, and have them recruit ponies for the search. That would allow them to get started and cover a lot of ground much faster. Her mother had already gone off to the opposite end of town to get Fluttershy, and from there the two of them would go to Sweet Apple Acres to get Applejack and Big Macintosh. AJ was still recovering from her wish-induced affliction, but that only prevented her from applebucking, not from walking about on the search. Rainbow herself would get Rarity first, then Pinkie Pie. The sun was already beginning to set as the reached the town square, which meant that they would be searching in the dark. That fact alone was going to make things far more difficult. Even in the fading light, though, she easily spotted the pony who was both the last one she expected to find, and the one she was most glad that she did. "Twilight!" Rainbow Dash bolted towards the purple unicorn, nearly tackling her as she landed. "Thank Celestia you're here!"
"Rainbow! I was just heading to find you! The others are already on their way to the library," Twilight Sparkle said urgently.
"The library? What for?"
"I made a breakthrough in my research on that comet, and we need to get together and form a new plan. Things aren't quite as simple as I initially thought they would be."
"Sorry Twilight, but you'll have to fill me in later. Scootaloo's gone missing, and I'm not doing anything else until I find her!" Rainbow Dash said before preparing to take to the skies again. Looks like my mother and I will have to organize the search ourselves...
"Rainbow, wait!" Twilight shouted, causing the pegasus to halt just a few feet off the ground. "I know Scootaloo is important you you, but you can get others to help find her. What I've discovered is much bigger than that, and we need to make finding the Keystone our top priority right now! I'm sorry..."
"I don't care, Twilight! I've let her down enough already! If it's any help, though, I think Scootaloo is the Keystone. If you want to find it so badly, then help me!" At those words, the unicorn's eyes went wide with terror.
"Are you sure?"
"I can't say that I'm one-hundred percent sure, but she's the only pony in town that I know of who it could be at this point."
"If she is, and she's missing, then we're in a lot more trouble than I thought. I think I know how we can find her, though! Come on!" Twilight Sparkle galloped off towards the library with Rainbow Dash flying right behind her.
Please be safe, Scoots... I'm coming!
"Why do I have to be the one holdin' ya up?" Apple Bloom whined.
"Because, somepony has to get up there to see what they're doing, I'm lighter than you, and you're stronger than me," Sweetie Belle replied is a hushed voice. The two fillies stood outside a window of the Golden Oaks Library in town, where both of their sisters and their friends had gathered. The sun had already set, and muffled voices could be heard from inside the building. "Now crouch down so I can climb on your back, and keep it quiet. Rarity was in a big hurry when she ditched our slumber party, so this must be important, but we're both supposed to be in bed, remember?" After slipping a few times, Sweetie Belle finally managed to keep her balance on top of Apple Bloom, putting her front hooves on the windowsill and peering inside.
"Y'know," Apple Bloom grunted. "maybe I can get my cutie mark in... ugh... heavy liftin'."
"Shhhh! You'll blow our cover!"
"Oops, sorry..."
"Shhhh!" Turning her attention back to the window, Sweetie Belle squinted as her eyes adjusted to the bright light inside. Six familiar ponies sat around a table in the center of the room and appeared to be engaged in a heated discussion. Nudging the window open a crack with her horn, the young unicorn began to eavesdrop.
"Hehe!" Pinkie Pie burst out laughing, nearly falling onto the ground. "Twilight, you can be so silly sometimes!"
"Pinkie, this is serious!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.
"She has a point, dear," Rarity said, speaking up. "Even you have to admit that what you're suggesting sounds rather... well, ridiculous."
"I thought the same thing when I first thought of it," Twilight said, "but the more I researched similar magic in the Princess' archives, the more it began to fit together. It's the only way any of this makes sense."
"So then what're we waitin' for?" Applejack said. "You said we need to find that Keystone pony, right? Well I've had just about enough of these wishes by this point," she paused for a moment, glancing down at the bandages around her midsection. "Let's just round up as many of the townsponies as we can and get all of that wish findin' business over with. That'll do it, right?"
"Yes, but we don't have the time to do all of that, unfortunately," Twilight replied.
"Besides," said Rainbow Dash "we already know who it is, remember? We just need to find Scootaloo!"
Scootaloo? She's this... Keystone thing? Whatever that is... The two Crusaders hadn't seen their third member much since she had returned home from Cloudsdale, mostly because she hadn't left her house at all. Rainbow Dash had told them that she had gotten hurt, and wouldn't be able to play for a while.
"What's goin' on in there?" Apple Bloom asked, beginning to tremble a bit under Sweetie Belle's weight.
"They're talking about Scootaloo," the white filly answered.
"Is she okay?"
"Shhh!"
"You said so yourself that you weren't a hundred percent sure, though." Twilight Sparkle turned her attention to an unassuming brown box sitting on the shelf behind her. "No, we need to know for sure, and we need to be able to track the Keystone down, too. Luckily, Princess Celestia devised a spell that will lead us straight to the Keystone, and gave me these to help us perform it." Bringing the box over to the table with her magic, Twilight focused for a moment, and three hidden latches on the box popped open with small flashes of purple light, allowing the lid to swing open. Inside lay five golden necklaces arranged around a golden tiara, each set with a large gem to match their owner's cutie mark.
"The Elements of Harmony!" Fluttershy gasped. "But why? We don't have to... fight anything again, do we? I hate it when we have to do that..."
"No, no fighting. If my research is correct, the wishes should all have an innate connection to the Elements, especially the Keystone. If we can follow that connection back, it should lead us right to it," Twilight explained. "Everypony put theirs on, and I'll be able to cast the tracing spell." The other five ponies nodded as Twilight levitated their respective Elements to them.
"But why would the Elements be connected to the wishes?" Rarity asked. "We haven't even touched them since we used them to defeat Discord."
"As far as I can tell, the magic of both the wishes and the Elements of Harmony seem to draw from the same type of energy, which would explain how the wishes are so powerful," Twilight told her. "I still have no idea how-."
"Enough talking already!" Rainbow Dash shouted, stopping Twilight mid sentence. "Scootaloo's out there somewhere, and I'm not going to let us sit here any longer and talk details! We need to go!"
"Right," Twilight agreed. "Sorry. Everypony ready?" The other five ponies all nodded again in unison, wearing the Elements of Harmony snugly around their necks. "Okay, here it goes..." The unicorn closed her eyes, lowering the Element of Magic onto her head. Her eyes then snapped open, glowing with a blinding white white light. The sudden flash startled Sweetie Belle, causing her to lose her balance and slip, falling over on top of Apple Bloom.
"Oof!" Apple Bloom grunted. "Whatcha go and do that for?"
"They're doing some sort of crazy spell in there to try and find Scootaloo!"
"Wait, Scootaloo went missing?"
"Apparently. They said that she was-" Suddenly, the window above them flew open, as did every other window in the library, and a great wind blew into the building from all directions. Another flash of light erupted from the tree, followed by a loud crash.
"What was all that about?" Apple Bloom wondered out loud.
"I don't know, but I think I hear them coming outside! Quick, hide!" Sweetie Belle dove behind a nearby bush and motioned for Apple Bloom to do the same. Just as the second filly made it to cover, the library's front door opened, and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony stepped out.
"There's our trail, girls. Let's go!" Twilight shouted, and the group galloped off in the direction of the Everfree Forest. As they moved out of sight, the two hidden ponies stepped out, confused.
"How did they know where to go?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I know! Look!" Apple Bloom pointed to the space in front of the door with a hoof. At first, Sweetie Belle couldn't see anything strange, but upon closer examination, she saw it. A faint glowing trail of white light floated in the air, leading out the library door and towards the edge of town. "Whatever they did must've made that light for them to follow. If we follow it too, then it should lead us straight to Scootaloo!"
"But..." Sweetie Belle gulped loudly, staring off into the distance where the trail led. "It looks like that thing goes straight into the Everfree Forest from here. Remember what happened last time we went in there without permission? We almost got turned into statues by that cockatrice!"
"Nah, I've been in there plenty of times since then to visit Zecora!" Apple Bloom stated proudly. "Besides, Scootaloo's in there! The Cutie Mark Crusaders never abandon one of their own!"
"You're right," Sweetie Belle agreed. "Let's go!"
"Cutie Mark Crusaders Scootaloo Rescuers!" the pair triumphantly shouted in unison before beginning to gallop off down the trail. A voice from behind them caused the pair to freeze in their tracks, though.
"I'm sorry, but did you just say that you knew where Scootaloo is?" The crusaders turned to see a dark blue pegasus mare with a white mane standing behind them. "I'm afraid I can't let two little fillies like you wander into that forest alone."
"I'm sorry ma'am," Apple Bloom apologized, "but our best friend is in trouble! We're goin', and you can't stop us!" The fillies began to run again, but soon found the mare galloping right beside them.
"Don't worry, that's why I'm coming with you. Scootaloo is my daughter, and I'm not going to lose her again!" the mare said.
"Wait, you're Scooaloo's mom?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yes, though I'm not sure if I deserve to be at this point..."
"What're ya talkin' about?" Apple Bloom said. "You're willing to risk all sorts of danger to help find her! How many moms can say they've done that!"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed. "I can't imagine my mom ever doing something like this!"
"Thank you..." Scootaloo's mother smiled, taking comfort in the fillies words. "Now you girls lead the way! Let's try not to keep Scootaloo waiting!"
The first thing Scootaloo noticed when she regained consciousness was that everything ached. The second thing she noticed was that the floor was very cold.
"Unhhhh..." Scootaloo groaned, opening her eyes to see a dark, stone ceiling arching high above her. "Where... am I? How did I get here?"
"They call this place 'The Castle of the Ancient Pony Sisters,'" the voice answered, sounding even stronger than before. "As for how you got here, I'm not completely useless, you know. I was able to draw a little bit of power from this place once you got close enough, and I used that to get you here. It's pretty tough work, moving things around without a body. I can't say I'm used to that just yet..."
"I see... thanks." Struggling to her hooves, Scootaloo tried to keep as much weight on her one good leg as possible as she took in the room around her. She stood on a slightly elevated circular platform overlooking a great stone hall, the open window in the wall behind her revealing both a wide expanse of ruined buildings as well as a star-filled night sky. Wow, I was out for a while. The sun already set... "So this is a castle of some sort?" the filly wondered, hobbling over to the window for a better look. "Why is it out here in the middle of the Everfree Forest?"
"The full story of the legends of this place are lost to time, but this place was once the home of both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna," the voice explained. "All it is now, though, is a symbol of the end of things. The end of the long standing harmony before Nightmare Moon, the end of Nightmare Moon herself, and soon, the end of your wish and all of the pain it has caused."
The end of all the pain... Scootaloo thought of all of the trouble she had caused with her selfishness. I'm sorry for everything, Rainbow Dash. You'll have your happy family back soon... A new look of determination came over the filly face as she gazed out the window. "Yeah," she said, speaking to the emptiness around her. "It's time to end this."
"No! The rest of you need to speed up!" The bearers of the Elements of Harmony raced through the Everfree Forest, Rainbow Dash taking the lead. The Elements themselves glowed softly as they generated the ghostly trail of white light that the group followed, illuminating just enough of the path ahead of them to prevent anypony from running headlong into a tree.
"Rainbow Dash! Stop!" A violet aura surrounded the blue pegasus, halting her in mid air.
"What's wrong with you, Twilight? We can't stop now!" Dash shouted, struggling against Twilight's spell.
"We can't keep going like this!" Twilight shouted back. "Most of us can't move as fast as you."
"Fine, I just won't go any faster. You've all been keeping up with me so far, anyway. Now let's go already!"
"No, Rainbow, we need to slow down," Twilight said, setting Rainbow Dash down as she gestured to the rest of the group. "Most of us can't keep this pace up much longer. Applejack especially is in no condition to run like this any more."
"Now wait... just a... minute there..." Applejack panted, taking the opportunity to lean against a nearby tree. "Don't y'all let me slow ya down any on account of my condition... If we need to keep movin'... I'll keep movin'..." Rainbow Dash knew better, though. The orange mare looked like she was about to pass out, and the rest of the group didn't look too great, either. Even Pinkie Pie, normally an endless fountain of energy, was merely standing casually rather than her normal idle bouncing.
"Applejack..." Rarity sighed. "You really mustn't push yourself like that! It's not healthy!"
"Rarity's right, AJ," Twilight said in agreement. "The spells that were required to reverse that wish's transformation magic put a lot of strain on your body. You're likely to injure yourself further if you keep this up."
"But-"
"No, Applejack, they're right," Rainbow Dash said, sitting down. "I'm pushing my problems on to the rest of you, and that's not fair. I can't expect the rest of you to make up for my mistakes..."
"Don't say that, Rainbow," Fluttershy said, sitting down beside her friend. "We're all here together, and we can solve our problems together."
"This is my problem, though. My mistake. My responsibility... My fault if anything goes wrong... What if she's already-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence Miss Mopey Wings!" Pinkie Pie interjected, jumping right in front of Rainbow Dash's face and glaring at her. "The Rainbow Dash I know would never talk like that! She's the kind of pony that could smash into a cliff face first, shake it off, and keep going! I would know, I've watched her do it! The real Rainbow Dash wouldn't get angry or sad like this. She would shake it off and do what she had to do! Now are you the real Rainbow Dash or not?"
Am I? Rainbow Dash wondered. For that matter, should I be? All I've done is screw up... The correct answer was quite clear, though. "Yes," she replied. "I am!" Pinkie is right! I can't let my mistakes define me. How I overcome them defines me, and I will take this head on! No more self-pity, for Scoots' sake! She leaped to her hooves, ready to face what lay ahead.
"Do you Pinkie Swear?"
"I Pinkie Swear!" Dash smiled and performed the motions, ending with covering one eye with her hoof.
"Perfect!" Pinkie Pie giggled and snapped back to her normal, cheerful demeanor. "I knew I could get that smile back!"
"Alright, lets rest a few more minutes before we get moving again," Twilight said, the rest of the group nodding in agreement. Twilight then turned back to Rainbow Dash. "It's nice to have you back, Rainbow."
"Thanks," the pegasus replied. "I'm still worried, though. At the pace we're going, who knows how long it will take to reach the end of this trail. We don't even know how far away the end is."
"I wouldn't worry too much. This was Princess Celestia's plan, remember?" Twilight smiled. "In fact, we're only phase two."
"So, if you're Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash's mom, then why haven't we seen you around at all?" Sweetie Belle asked as she sat down next to Apple Bloom on a fallen log. The three ponies had been following the strange trail of light for about twenty minutes, and they needed to take a break if they wanted to keep their strength up. "I never really thought that much of it before, because, well..." The unicorn cast an awkward glance over to Apple Bloom, who met her friend's gaze for a moment before looking away and staring at the ground, ears drooping.
"Yeah, it's not that strange..." Apple Bloom added, not bothering to look up. "I never even knew my parents..."
"But you're still... around," Sweetie Belle continued, putting a leg around her friend to comfort her. "What happened?"
"I failed her, that's what happened," the mare answered. "It just took me until a few days ago to realize it. Rainbow Dash has been taking care of Scootaloo on her own for almost her entire life. Scootaloo never knew me, either."
"But now that you're back, things can get better, right?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah, Scootaloo must have been real happy to finally meet ya," Apple Bloom said. "I know I would've..."
"She was, actually. She really was... and I was happy too. I finally got a second chance." The mare smiled, remembering their tearful reunion on the balcony. The smile quickly faded as she recalled what followed, though. "I failed again, though, and Scootaloo got hurt for trusting me. I don't expect her to ever trust me again after that..."
"Well, we trust ya," Apple Bloom stated, standing up. "And I'm sure Scootaloo'll come back around soon, especially once she sees ya bein' so dedicated to helpin' her!"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle shouted, leaping to her hooves as well. "I've only known you for a few minutes, and you're already one of the most dedicated ponies I've ever seen! There's no way that Scootaloo wouldn't forgive you after this!"
"I hope so..." I don't think I can even forgive myself, though..
"So, what exactly do you need me to do?" Scootaloo asked, awkwardly sitting down on the dais as her legs began to ache from standing.
"Just stay right where you are for now, I have some preparations to go through, first," the voice answered.
"What kind of preparations?"
"Well, right now I'm gathering energy. Then once I have enough we can begin preparing the spell."
"If that's all you needed to do, then why did we have to come all of the way out here?"
"This place has the energy I need. You can't feel it, but to me, this whole castle... hums with an ancient power." The voice seemed to tremble as it spoke of this, as if in awe. "Long ago, this place was the site of the final confrontation between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon. Together, Elements of Harmony unleashed their power and banished Nightmare Moon for a thousand years. When she eventually escaped, the Elements were used again in this very room, this time purging Princess Luna of the darkness that had consumed her heart. Twice the Elements of Harmony were unleashed here, and twice their power seeped into these walls. It's that power that I'm drawing upon. It's... beautiful... The voice trailed off, leaving Scootaloo in silence.
Well, now's as good a time to ask as any, I guess, Scootaloo decided. "So, I know that it doesn't really matter since we're out here already, but why are you doing all of this?"
"To reverse your wish, of course!" the voice replied.
"No, I mean what's in it for you? What reason does a... whatever you are have to help me?"
"Well... the voice began, almost seeming to sigh as Scootaloo pushed the subject, "technically, I'm not so much going to reverse your wish as simply... take it."
"Take it... as in take it to use yourself?"
"...Yes."
"And you just expected me to give it to you? No questions asked?" Scootaloo asked, raising her voice a bit.
"Yes."
"No! No way! Not happening!" Scootaloo shouted at the disembodied voice, pulling herself to her feet once again. "Fixing everything is one thing, but I am not just going to let some mysterious voice in my head have something that powerful! How stupid do you think I am?"
"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you!" the voice shouted back. "You would have said no right away, just like the others! At least this time you'll have to hear me out first. I'm your only ticket out of here."
"Oh yeah? How're you gonna get- Wait." Scootaloo paused, the full meaning of what the voice said finally hitting her. "Did you just say 'others'? This was never about me at all, was it? I'm not the first pony you've offered this to?"
"No! I mean, Yes! I mean, I- I don't know!" the voice stuttered.
"What do you mean you don't know? Either you've asked somepony else or you didn't!"
"It's not that simple! You wouldn't understand!"
"Well, you're going to have to try and make me, then!" Scootaloo's shouts echoed through the empty room unanswered as the voice fell silent. After about a minute, the voice finally spoke again, this time in a calm, determined manner.
"You know how you said that you wanted to fix everything? Well you're wrong. You just want to fix your life. No, I'm the one who wants to fix everything, because I lost everything. The universe is- Uh oh." The voice fell silent, as if just noticing something for the first time.
"What now?"
"Something's coming. Something big. We need to get on to the next step!"
"Wait, what's happening? What's coming? What next step? If you think that you can just rush me into this so you don't have to explain-"
"I will explain! I'll just have to do it as I work. We can't afford any interruptions. You'll always be free to walk out any time, I won't stop you. I promise." As the voice spoke, a glowing white fog rose from the edges of the dais and began to swirl around it. "Step two is focusing the gathered energies in the physical world. This step must continue uninterrupted for a while, and if the circle is broken, I'll have to start over. Luckily, I think I can-"
"Foolish foal! You know not what forces you tamper with!" another voice boomed out of the darkness, it's incredible volume only amplified as it echoed off the chamber's walls.
I've heard this voice before! Scootaloo realized. It would be nearly impossible to forget a voice like that. No sooner had she remembered when the air in front of the dais flashed with a brilliant white light, leaving a single pony standing there when it cleared. She stood much taller that the average pony, wings unfurled and horn alight with magic, her ethereal, blue mane billowing as if in a gentle breeze. Scootaloo could only stare in awe as Princess Luna stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she eyed the swirling mists around the filly.
"As a Princess of Equestria and Guardian of the Night, we cannot allow this ritual to continue!" Luna shouted, lowering her horn to aim it at the magical mist. "Stand back, child!" A beam of blue light erupted from her horn and flew at the fog. Much to the Princess's dismay, however, it only splashed harmlessly against an invisible barrier, the energy dispersed in a dome shape around the circle.
"As I was saying," the voice began again, more or less unfazed by Luna's sudden interruption, "luckily, I'm able to divert some of the energy into creating a barrier. It'll slow down the process a bit, but it'll hold."
"I see. You are a fool if you think that such a spell can stop me, as well as if you truly trust whatever entity is behind this," Luna said, dropping the pretense of the Royal Canterlot Voice as she once again prepared her magic. "There is more to the forces at work here than the likes of you could ever imagine."
"Then would you just give me an explanation for this already!" Scootaloo shouted, looking first at Luna, then at the swirling mist. "Both of you!"
"You shall have your explanation after you cease this ritual and exit the barrier! If you do not yield, then I shall be forced to tear it down and retrieve you myself!" When it became clear that Scootaloo was not going to move from where she stood, the Princess again unleashed a torrent of magic upon the shield, this time with enough force to shake the ground they stood on as the air around the filly exploded. This attempt, too, was was unsuccessful, only managing to scorch the floor around the dais.
"It's no use, Luna," the voice said, now echoing aloud throughout the room, though still without any discernible source. "This shield is created from the residual power of the Elements of Harmony themselves. It is far beyond you or any other living pony's ability to undo. Of course, you know all about that, don't you?" Luna's eyes widened as the voice said its last sentence.
"Show yourself, coward!" Luna shouted in anger. "We demand you tell us what you know of this!"
"I think you're the one who needs to tell us, Princess. The nice filly asked for for explanations from us, and neither of us are in any position to deny them to her, especially since everything that has happened here is your fault," the voice responded with what sounded like contempt. "You first."
Her fault? How is any of this Princess Luna's fault? Scootaloo wondered. She's just trying to save me, even though she doesn't know what's going on... does she?
"Very well," Luna replied, sighing in resignation. "Once, long ago, I was visited by some old friends..." Her horn glowed as the world around them warped, forming an illusory image of events long past...
Princess Luna stood on a ledge of stone Gazing out at all of her great domain. High up, upon the mountain of her home She watched the sun set far beyond the sky.
'Tis time, she thought, as the sun's rays vanished, And soon she once again began her spell. Eldritch magics flowed throughout all the air, As Luna's horn shone bright as any star. She focused just beyond the horizon And made the great, white moon to rise. Set in motion, the moon was now on course Until the time came for it to set down.
Down along the mountain's slope she flew, Towards Canterlot, where home's comfort waited. Once bathed in darkness, the city awoke. Lights appeared in every single window, Welcoming their Princess back to them.
"Princess Luna approaches! Raise the gate!" The guards called out as she reached the castle. Luna could have simply entered above, Through the balcony of her own bedroom, But she preferred that her presence be known To all.
Guards and servants all bowed as she approached. In return, she smiled at them as she walked by. The vaulted halls inside were bustling With ponies making their preparations For the night's planned food and festivities. It was only a small, private event, But to Luna it was more important Than even the Grand Galloping Gala. She needed to prepare for the banquet, For a Princess must look their best, of course, Especially when meeting with old friends.
Once in her room, away from the noise outside, The Princess gazed at a mirror on the wall.
Too plain, this simply shall not do, she thought, Examining the image before her. She donned a fine dress, soft white like the moon. Much better, she thought, turning to her mane. It was simple, compared to her sister's. It did not flow with a life of its own, But that did not matter at all to her. She simply tied it up behind her head, A style Celestia could not achieve. Lastly, she opened a jewelry box, And took out the ornate necklace inside. It was made of gold, intricately etched. In the center was set a bright white gem, Shaped like the crescent moon on her flank.
Now that her preparations were complete, Luna made her way to the banquet hall. Again the ponies bowed, again she smiled, And soon she reached the doors of the great hall. A touch of magic, and the doors swung wide.
"Presenting her Ladyship, Mare of Night, Regent of the Moon, Princess Luna!" A young page announced to those in the room, Which Luna saw was only one pony.
"Come now, I think I can recognize her. She is my only sister after all," Celestia said with a small chuckle. "Besides, formalities should only start Once the both of us are in attendance." She never had cared for such things at all, Preferring to keep events quite simple. That included her choice of her clothing. She wore no dress, only her tiara, As well as a necklace just like Luna's, With a bright sun shaped gem set inside it.
"Dearest sister, will our guests arrive soon?"
"I do hope so," Celestia answered. "At least one of them can't stand being late, And he's rubbed off a bit on his partner." As if on cue, the page spoke up once more, As two ponies approached from the hall door.
"Presenting the esteemed proprietors Of Equestrian Clocks and Carriages, Mister and Missis Tick Tock and Quicksilver!"
The first pony was a simple stallion, With a slender build, a plain maroon coat, And an extremely well kept jet black mane. His mark depicted a group of four gears, All interlocked to turn in unison.
His wife was a strong looking pegasus, With a bright silver coat like her namesake, And a freely flowing windswept white mane. Her flank was adorned with several white streaks, All intertwined in a swirling pattern.
Both wore similar necklaces of gold, Just like those worn by the two Princesses.
"Welcome, dear friends!" Celestia called out, Galloping over to greet her guests. "You have, as always, arrived right on time."
"Of course we did!" Tick Tock replied gruffly. "Punctuality is-"
"Quite paramount," Quicksilver said, finishing his sentence. "Must you always say that, even to friends? No need to brandish our slogan at her."
An awkward silence fell over the two, As they glared intensely at each other. It lasted for what seemed like forever Before the couple burst out with laughter. Their laughter was extremely contagious, And Celestia soon joined in herself. Even Luna couldn't help but chuckle.
"You see? That would be why I love you so. You always keep me honest," Tick Tock said.
"And you make sure that I am never late," Quicksilver said, giving him a quick kiss. She then turned to their hostesses. "It has been many years, Celestia. You hardly look to have aged but one day! Except for your mane, of course. Is that new?"
"Only somewhat," Celestia replied. "It just started doing this two years back, and it's nigh-impossible to manage," She glanced down at her bright pink mane and tail, Both flowing in some invisible wind.
"Well, I think it suits you just perfectly," Quicksilver said. "And as for you, Luna, Still antisocial as ever, I see."
"It is nice to see you too, Quicksilver," Luna said back, smiling at her friends.
While they were still short a few more ponies, With Tick Tock and Quicksilver at the table, The celebration began in earnest. They talked of their successful new business: Timely transport across Equestria, All kept synchronized by finely tuned clocks Crafted by Tick Tock, a master watchmaker. Quicksilver was their first carriage driver, The combined strength of her wings and her legs Allowed for the fast transport they strived for.
Before their story could continue, though, Catching up on the past was put on hold, As the next guest had arrived.
"Presenting the esteemed Doctor Bright Wing!" The page called as the new pony entered. True to his name, he was a pegasus stallion With a bright green coat and a sky blue mane. He wore a heavy cloak, covering his wings, As well as yet another gold necklace, Its gem shaped like a mortar and pestle.
"Bright Wing! Thank goodness that you could make it!" Tick Tock shouted to his friend. "You're late, though. Seven point five minutes to be exact. Given how far you were traveling from, I expected you six minutes late instead!"
"You can't get the timing right every time," Bright Wing said, sitting down at the table. "Nopony's perfect. Nopony at all."
"Just where have you been, all of these past years?" Quicksilver asked the older pegasus. "You couldn't even show at our wedding, And all you sent in writing was 'abroad.'"
"I've been all over the world, Quicksilver," He answered, staring off in the distance. "Collecting herbs, studying new techniques. Learning medicine from the very best."
"Well, I hope that all of that was worth it."
"It actually was... for the most part."
"Do take off that stuffy old cloak, my friend!" Celestia said to brighten the mood. "I made sure that this place was warm enough."
"I'd really rather not, Celestia." He answered, pulling it tight around him.
"Come on now! This is a happy evening! I can't have a guest looking so drab!"
"No."
Luna noticed him shift as he refused, And saw something quite strange about his shape. While the leftmost side of his heavy cloak Held the shape of a pegasus's wing, The rightmost half hung on his side, empty.
"Sister, you really should not push him so. There are things that he would prefer we not see..."
The group fell silent, figuring it out. No one had the heart to ask what happened, And Bright Wing seemed unlikely to tell them. Luckily, the melancholy soon broke, As a sixth pony appeared at the door, Having materialized with a flash.
"Presenting the est-" The page was cut off by the young pony, Who whispered something to him, silently. "Presenting... Star Swirl?" the page said, confused.
"Star Swirl!" the group called out in unison, Getting up to greet their final member. She was a small, dark blue unicorn mare, With a long, wavy, silver-gray mane And a mark of a swirling galaxy. She wore neither clothing nor jewelry, Carrying only a small saddlebag.
"I missed you all so much!" the mare shouted, Giving each friend a hug as they approached.
"I see you've mastered teleportation," Luna said as she held Star Swirl tight. "You would make your great-grandfather quite proud."
"Well, no. Not exactly," Star Swirl replied. "I missed. I was aiming for past the door. I really am just awful at that spell."
"Now why, exactly, would you aim for there?" Tick Tock asked the mare. "You were still quite late."
"It's that... announcement all of the guests have. I had hoped that I could have just skipped it. I hate all those titles and accolades. I'm just Star Swirl. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Now that we're all here, let us begin," Celestia announced to the ponies. "Page, please leave us. We need our privacy." The page nodded, leaving the banquet hall, And Luna closed the two doors behind him. "I'm sure you're all wondering why we're here. Ten years ago tonight, we all first met. A week later, we found the Elements, And using them, we defeated Discord. For that great day's tenth anniversary, We shall hold a nation-wide festival!"
"That sounds incredible, Celestia!" Quicksilver exclaimed, the others nodding. Luna, however, was only confused.
"Sister, this is the first I've heard of it. Just how long have you been planning all this?"
"For several months, I have been preparing, But almost everything is in place now."
"And you did not care to tell me of this?"
"There was much to plan, and so little time. You sleep through the days, and I through the nights, Limiting our time to work together. Working with you would slow everything down."
Is that all I am to her? Luna thought. Just a hindrance, something to slow her down? She would have said something quite indignant, If not for a smile from Celestia.
"Besides, I did not want to ruin the surprise." The white pony's horn glowed with strong magic, And an illusion swallowed the whole room. The six ponies found themselves standing on air, And below them lay an expanse of trees.
"Celestia, what are we looking at?" Bright Wing asked as he stared below his hooves, Rather pleased to at least pretend to fly.
"Below us is the Everfree Forest, The yet untamed heart of Equestria," Celestia explained to the others. "That is, it was before my work began." Several acres of trees vanished below, And in their place stood a mighty castle. "This, Luna, is going to be all yours. I think I would call it Midnight Castle, Though you can name it whatever you like."
"Sister, this..." Luna could not find the words.
"It's not done yet, but it's habitable," Celestia said as her spell faded. "The dedication will be very soon, At the beginning of the festival." The Sun Princess smiled at her sister. "Did you think I do not know how you feel? Here in Canterlot, you are never seen. The ponies must first know their of their Princess, Before they can come to fully trust them. That will be rather difficult from here. A new city will form around that place, And you can protect it as I do here."
All Luna could do was hug her sister, Struggling to hold back her tears of joy.
"And don't think that I've forgotten my friends," Celestia said to the group as a whole. "The Equestria that we have today Would not exist if not for all of you, And you should all be honored together."
"And what do you mean by that?" Star Swirl asked.
"None of this peace would exist without you, And this festival is in your honor! Tales of the Elements of Harmony Should not simply be forgotten legends. The story of all of you, their bearers, Should be immortal, so none shall forget!" With another burst of yellow magic, A curtain on the far wall opened up, Revealing a massive stained glass window.
"That's simply beautiful!" Bright Wing exclaimed.
"It's..." Quicksilver said.
"Us..." Tick Tock finished.
Star Swirl only stared at it silently.
The window depicted the six Bearers, All standing together against Discord, A bright beam of light turning him to stone.
Luna smiled, feeling quite nostalgic. She already knew what was coming next, As this was the original reason That the group had been called back together.
"It has taken a long time," she began, "But Equestria is fully repaired. All of Discord's magics have been undone, And the land no longer needs tight control. You stood beside us in our time of need. There is not another group of ponies That we would rather have at our sides now."
"We offer you positions and titles," Celestia said. "Places in our courts."
"But what about our business?" Tick Tock asked.
"You can expand it to its potential! From Equestrian Clocks and Carriages, The Equestrian Transit Ministry! What do you say, my friends? Do you accept?"
The married couple looked at each other, Reading their partner's expression and eyes.
"Of course we do!" the two said together.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, either," Bright Wing said, "I planned to settle down soon, And this would be the best way to do so."
"Isn't this simply amazing, Star Swirl?" Quicksilver asked, giddy with excitement.
"No, it isn't," she replied. "I decline."
"What? Why?" Tick Tock asked her, looking concerned. "You deserve this, same as the rest of us!"
"And that is precisely the issue here!" Star Swirl snapped, backing away from the group. "I don't deserve it! I haven't earned it!"
"What in the world are you talking about? You stood with us against Discord's chaos, And you bear the Element of Magic!" Celestia said, the others nodding.
"And what, pray tell, did that do to earn this? Or have you forgotten all the details? All of that happened ten long years ago. I was just a small, helpless filly then, Just barely having earned my Cutie Mark. You said that the Element of Magic Is the 'spark' that ignites the other five. That is all I am, the spark, the catalyst. Contributing simply by being there. I was just the child you protected, Forming our group through no action of mine."
"Star Swirl, I-" Luna began, getting cut off.
"I am not finished yet!" the mare shouted. "Thanks to the Elements of Harmony, And Star Swirl the Bearded's great legacy, I've been given praise and expectations, Things that I didn't earn and can't live up to! I am expected to be great mage, Solving everything by waving my horn. I'm not even that good at magic! My talent is simply astronomy, Not the study of spells and enchantments! I will earn my own place in this wide world, Not have it given to me by mere chance!" Star Swirl opened her bag magically, Retrieving a familiar tiara. "All I really want is to start over, To be remembered for my own few deeds." She tossed the tiara on the table, And started for the banquet hall's great doors. "I value our friendship ever so much, And I enjoyed our time here together, But I can't pretend to be what I'm not. I only ask for one simple request: Please remove me from that stained glass window. Let the ponies forget me and my deeds, So that I may make my mark on my own. I do hope that we can all meet again. Just as friends, not as rulers or great heroes."
With that, she opened the doors and left them, Each pony just staring in stunned silence.
And so it was quickly decided: Qucksilver had then withdrawn her credit, After seeing Star Swirl deny her own. Her husband soon followed, Bright Wing as well. The window would be completely destroyed. In its place, a new one would now be made, Depicting Celestia and Luna Turning Discord to stone all on their own. They still accepted their new positions, But there would be no grand ceremony.
With the new, revised festival plans set, Luna had retired to her chambers, Her heart and mind heavy many doubts.
Will I be remembered for my own deeds? She wondered, gazing into her mirror. Soon, I will move in to my brand new castle. If I am not notable in their eyes, The ponies will not ever follow me. They will stay in Canterlot when I leave, For Celestia is the one they know.
She began to devise a way to sway them, To remind the land that she was there, too. A way to give an incredible gift, To all.
She moved to the window to see her sky, And an idea dawned on her for her gift.
They do not care for my dark sky at all, Seeing more beauty in a sunny day. For them, I shall create a wondrous sight, The likes of which have never been seen before!
Pouring over ancient books and dank scrolls, She devised what would be her greatest spell. She would reach out to space, beyond the moon, And bring a piece of it down close to them. Comets were rare, and very far away. This would be closer and brighter than them all!
Luna lowered the moon that night content With her great gift of light to the whole world. As her mind began to wander in sleep, The doubts began to creep back in her mind. She wondered if the comet was enough. The next night again she read the old books, Looking for something grander to create. Something that she could add to her one gift. She found many spells, ancient spells, dark spells. Spells of terrible, nightmarish power. These were absolutely useless to her. They could only ever take, never give.
To give... The power to give... Luna thought. A new idea dawned upon the Princess. An answer that had been there all along.
The first day of the festival had dawned, And all of Canterlot celebrated. Ponies gathered in the many stone streets, Dancing and singing, having a good time. As usual, Luna slept through the day, Preparing for the night's presentation.
Luna rose as the sun began to sink, And donned all of her royal attire: A tiara, jeweled shoes, and her necklace. Tonight was the night she made herself known To all.
Midnight Castle was announced at sunset, To much applause from the ponies below. Standing beside Princess Celestia, Luna began to cast her spell of night, Raising the moon once the sun had lowered. Once again there was applause from below, As the traditional spells had been cast, And the crowd began to leave and disperse. Luna was nowhere near finished, though.
"Wait! Do not leave yet, for we have just begun!" She called in the Royal Canterlot Voice. "We have prepared a great gift for you all!"
"Sister, what is this?" Celestia asked.
"Am I not allowed to surprise you as well?" Luna replied, turning back to the crowd. "Turn your eyes skyward and behold my gift!" Her horn shone bright against the black night sky, But the light was soon drowned out from above, As a new white light appeared from the dark. A comet, larger than any before, Began its trip across the sea of stars.
"Luna, this is simply magnificent!" Celestia said in awe at the feat. "I cannot think of a more fitting gift."
"But I can, dear sister. It is not complete." As Luna spoke, another light appeared, This time from the gem hanging on her neck. "This gift shall not simply be magnificent, This gift is perfect, impossible to match!" She closed her eyes, tightly concentrating. The the gem's light grew, as did the comet's, Luna's new spell resonating with it.
"Luna! You must stop this folly at once!" Celestia shouted, seeing the spell. "The Elements must not be used this way!"
"No! The power of Generosity is mine! I shall wield it in any way I see fit! With this I escape the shadow of the sun!" Luna's eyes snapped open, glowing bright white. "Ponies of Equestria! Receive our gift!" We grant you all of your deepest desires! Simply wish, and it shall be reality!"
"Enough!" Celestia shouted into the sky. A blinding yellow light filled all the air, And the comet vanished into nothing.
"Celestia! Must you always upstage me?" Luna asked, starting her spell once again. The Sun Princess looked away from her And spoke in a quiet, sorrowful tone.
"Does Generosity give for itself, And not for the betterment of others?"
The words struck Luna like a heavy blow, And she staggered, the glow gone from her eyes.
"No... I only wanted... I wanted..." Luna's necklace clattered to the cold ground, Vanishing in a small flash of white light. In its place sat gray sphere carved of stone. Luna fell to her knees, staring at it.
"Fear not, good ponies! Your Princess needs rest! All shall be well once she has taken it." Celestia said, addressing the crowd. Without turning, she then spoke to Luna, Her voice flat and cold, without emotion. "Your comet has been sent a great distance, As far as my power could transport it. It may yet return, eventually, And the damage to you has now been done. You need not ask for forgiveness from me. I am sorry for driving you to this, Keeping you in the shadow of the sun..." A single tear fell from the white mare's face As she turned and walked into the castle.
Luna lay in silence under the moon, As the ponies returned to their own homes, To sleep away the night she created For all.
"And that was it? That was how this all started?" Scootaloo stared at the image of a younger Princess Luna, only to be reminded of herself. She just made a mistake, just like me. Only her mistake was much bigger...
"Yes... it was..." Luna whispered, pained by her memories.
The illusion faded, leaving Scootaloo nauseous and dizzy as the world around her came back into focus. Having your senses abruptly hijacked then released was not a pleasant experience. Teetering to one side, she attempted to right herself, only to overcompensate and fall over anyway.
"Careful there!" The white aura of the voice's magic enveloped Scootaloo, propping her back up on her hooves. "You should probably take a seat next time someone tells a story like that. They tend to be long."
"Sure..." Scootaloo said, managing to successfully sit down.
"White magic..." Luna muttered, glaring at the spell.
"What was that, your highness?"
"Every pony's magic has a color, their own personal signature. Your magic is white. Blank. Every bit of power you have is stolen, not your own."
"And you think I care?" The voice asked.
"Part of it is stolen from my friends..." she replied softly, maintaining her piercing gaze at the energies still swirling around Scootaloo. The filly shook her head, finally free of the illusion's aftereffects.
From her friends? The ones in her story? Scootaloo thought about them for a moment, before remembering something the voice had told her:
"Long ago, this place was the site of the final confrontation between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon. Together, The Elements of Harmony unleashed their power and banished Nightmare Moon for a thousand years..."
If that's true, then that battle was the last time Princess Luna saw any of her friends. This energy is all that's left of them... Even to Scootaloo, something about taking advantage of that just felt... wrong. If this works, though, none of this will ever have happened! Everything can go back to normal, and nothing will have been wasted or stolen! I have to make sure it counts, though... "Alright then," Scootaloo said to the air. "Now it's your turn. You're going to completely answer my questions this time, or I'm not helping you, got it?"
"Got it."
"You mustn't trust this entity or anything it says, little one," Luna said. "If it truly needs you for its goals, then it will say anything to sway you."
"I don't trust it," Scootaloo replied, "but this is my only chance to undo the damage I've done! Unless... Are you able to undo my wish yourself? You created them, after all."
"I... cannot." Luna looked away, unable to meet the filly's stare.
"Then I have to give it a chance." Scootaloo sighed. Taking a deep breath, she turned away from Luna and spoke to the empty air again. "Now, who are you, and why do you want my wish? Convince me to help you."
"Let me tell you a story, Scootaloo. I'll try not to be as long as the last one," the voice began, pausing as if to gather its thoughts. "Once, what seems like an eternity ago, and ever so far away, there was a little filly, just like you, who lived in a little town, just like yours. She went to school, she played with her friends, and she dreamed of the future. One night, Luna's comet appeared, and as was expected, everypony made a wish on it. The filly made an amazing wish. When it came true, everything was perfect, and the filly and her family could not be happier. She wouldn't have traded her wish for the world. It didn't last, though. One day, everything vanished. Her family, her friends, her home, the universe itself, all gone. The filly found herself alone in a void, unable to find her home. That filly was me, and that's why I need your wish, Scootaloo. When I said I lost everything, I meant everything. If I could just get another wish, I could finally go home! That's all I want..."
"But, that doesn't make any sense!" Scootaloo interjected, confused. "You're here now, aren't you? What's stopping you from going home?"
"I can't find it."
"But-"
"You just don't get it, do you?" The voice asked, almost sounding amused. "Let me spell it out for you: I am not from this world."
"What do you mean 'we're phase two?'" Rainbow Dash asked as the group got began to move again.
"I mean that this time, it's not just up to us," Twilight answered. "The Princesses were on the lookout for our tracking spell, and one of them is probably already there. Everything is going to be fine."
"That's good to hear." Rainbow Dash sighed with relief. Everything is going to be okay now, Scoots. I promise.
"In any case, it really is a nice feeling, knowing that we're not the only ponies standing between Equestria and total destruction for once."
"Yeah, and this time it's not even total destruction. Just fixing some craziness."
"Hopefully. Considering the degree to which reality has been messed with here, things could easily be more dangerous than they appear," Twilight said, causing Rainbow Dash to shoot her an annoyed look.
"You're a really good morale booster, you know that?"
"Sorry," Twilight said sheepishly. "I can't help it when so little of what's happening makes any sense."
"What's there to make sense of!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she butted in to the conversation. "Everypony made a wish and they all came true and now everything's all crazy!"
"That's just it, though, everything's not crazy!" Twilight shouted in frustration. "I mean, sure, the first few days were kinda hectic, but from what everypony I've talked to has told me, everything settled down really quick. It was too simple. Too easy. Tell me that one of you noticed this!"
"Nope!" Pinkie Pie answered cheerfully.
"Ain't much to notice from a hospital bed, sorry sugar-cube," Applejack said.
"I, um, haven't exactly left my house much..." Fluttershy said in her usual near-whisper. "Angel wished for something... problematic. Sorry..."
"I'm afraid I've been rather busy as well," Rarity said. "You have no idea how many dresses, coats, and hats I've had to re-tailor and adjust for new body shapes, wings, and horns. From my point of view, things certainly were crazy."
"Actually... yeah, I kinda have," Rainbow dash said, remembering her investigations. "I was going to look into it a bit more after I got back from Canterlot, but... I decided other things were more important. And I still think that, so let's take this situation one problem at a time. Scootaloo first, inconsistencies later."
"Alright, if you say so, but-" Twilight began before noticing something. "Hold on, I think we've been here before." The group came to a stop in front of a familiar rope bridge. "The trail leads straight into the castle! But why here?"
"Does it matter? We're almost there!" Dash shouted, taking to the air. "I'm going on ahead! It's only a short distance, you all can catch up!" The pegasus bolted forward, faster than the rest of the group could follow.
"Rainbow, wait!" Twilight shouted, but it was too late. "Come on, girls, one last push! We can't let her just go in there alone!" Galloping across the bridge once again, the remaining five ponies approached the castle, hoping that they weren't too late.
"What?" Scootaloo was dumbfounded. Another world? This thing has to be joking. "You honestly expect me to believe that-"
"Yes, I do," the voice said, cutting her off. "Think about this: What are the rules of the wishes? What are their limits?"
"Um..."
"There are none," Luna stated. "They were never given any."
"Exactly!" the voice exclaimed. "Each and every wish must come true, no matter what. What do you think happens when two ponies wish for things that can't both happen? What about the contradictions?"
"Well... there weren't any," Scooaloo answered, thinking it over. "Everypony got their wish without a problem. Unless..."
"Unless somepony did wish for something that contradicted another wish. Then the wish would come true in the only way it possibly could," the voice said, finishing for her. "Worlds born of contradictions, each created to house a new reality for a wish to come true without interference. Now do you understand?"
"Yeah..." Scootaloo couldn't believe what she was hearing, but it all made sense. And it made her head hurt. "Just... how many are there?"
"Who knows? Could be a few dozen, could be a few hundred. I've only visited about six so far, and there's only one I'm looking for..."
"So that's what you meant when you said that you asked 'others' for their wishes before..." the filly realized. "But why were you acting so weird about it? And none of this fully answers my question. You told me what you want, but not who you are."
"Haven't you figured it out yet? I'm-" The voice suddenly stopped as a trail of glowing white light faded into view, leading straight to Scootaloo from the door at the far end of the room. "What in the world is that?"
"That would be how I found you," Luna answered, almost sounding smug. "It is a tracking spell, and if it has become visible, then they must be close."
"Who's 'they?'" the voice asked. As if to answer it, a blue streak flew in the near by window, landing beside the Princess.
"Scootaloo!" Rainbow Dash shouted with joy at the sight of her sister. She bolted towards the dais, only to run headfirst into the barrier protecting her. "What the hay? Hang on, Scoots, I'll get you out of there!"
"Dash, wait! I-" Before Scootaloo could stop her, though, Rainbow Dash had already recovered and galloped to the far side of the room.
"You cannot break the barrier yourself, Rainbow Dash!" Luna called after her. "It is beyond even my power to destroy!"
"Oh yeah?" the pegasus replied with a look of stone-cold determination on her face as she crouched down into a takeoff position. "Well, I have something you don't at the moment, Princess. I have a sister to protect!" She launched herself at the barrier, flying as fast as her wings would push her. The impact seemed to shake the castle itself, knocking Scootaloo off her hooves and causing the barrier to visibly shimmer and crackle with energy. It did not budge, but neither did Rainbow Dash. She continued to push against the barrier, visibly straining herself to her limits.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash. You never do give up, do you?" The voice said, sounding rather nostalgic. "It's no use, though. You can't get through. Not until Scootaloo and I finish our transaction."
"I don't know who you are, or what you are doing, but you are messing with the wrong mare!" Rainbow Dash shouted, the Element of Loyalty around her neck beginning to shine brighter as she spoke. "If you really knew who I am, then you'd know that I would fly through Tartaros and back for my friends. What do you think I'd do for my family?" The gem around her neck flared up once more, and again the barrier crackled with energy for a moment before it began to crack, small, glowing fractures spreading across its surface.
"Dash... I'm so sorry..." Scootaloo whimpered, looking up at her idol. "This is all my fault. All because of my stupid wish. I just want to make it all go away..."
"Don't apologize, Scoots!" Rainbow Dash smiled, still pushing against the weakening barrier. "I told you already, it doesn't matter what you wished for. We'll work through it together, as a family. We even have Mom back with us now! Everything's going to be just fine!"
"No, Dash, it isn't..." Scootaloo said, shaking her head. "Not unless I can get rid of the wish forever..."
"Stop talking like that, sis! You're not alone in this. You're never alone!"
"But it's all a lie!" Scootaloo shouted, starting to tear up. "Our lives are just one big lie, and I'm the only one who knows about it! I am alone! Everything bad that's happened to you is all my fault, and if I don't fix it, then you'll just keep blaming yourself for my mistake!"
"Scoots? What are you talking about?"
"My wish..." The filly took a deep breath, gathering all of her courage. She saw five more ponies galloping into the room, but they didn't matter. This was between her and Rainbow Dash. "I... I wished to be your sister!"
"What in the world was that?" Apple Bloom asked, feeling the ground tremble beneath her hooves. They stood at the far end of a rickety looking rope bridge, an ancient castle looming in front of them.
"It sounded like it came from that castle over there," Sweetie Belle said. "That's where the trail's leading, too!"
"Scootaloo's in there, and so is Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo's mother said. "I have to help them! But..." She glanced at the two fillies by her side. I can't take them in there... Who knows how dangerous it is? But these fillies are so determined, they'll just run in themselves if I tell them to stay here! The mare racked her brain, trying to figure out a way to help Scootaloo and keep her friends out of danger.
"But what?" Sweetie Belle asked. "If they're in there, then let's go!"
"Yeah!" Apple Bloom chimed in. "I don't want keep them waitin'!"
"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to stay here," the mare answered, making up her mind.
"What? Why?"
"We are standing in front of a mysterious castle in the middle of the Everfree Forest with mysterious magic at work that's strong enough to shake the ground. It is far too dangerous. I can't let you go in there before I know its safe!"
"But what about Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked. "We can't just leave her!"
"But what would Scootaloo think if something happened to you? Or your sisters? They're all in there right now, doing their best, and if either of you got hurt, or worse, then all of this will have been for nothing!"
"But..." Sweetie Belle began, before her gaze turned to the ground. "Okay..."
"Yeah..." Apple Bloom agreed, looking similarly disappointed.
"Once everything is safe, I'll make sure to come get you, I promise!" Taking to the air to move faster, the mare took off into the castle, following the trail of light. Knowing them, this will only be a short deterrent, but if I run into anything dangerous, I'll make sure to go back and stop them before they hurt themselves.
Outside, the two Crusaders stoop despondently in silence for a few minutes before a smile came across Sweetie Belle's face.
"You're gettin' an idea, aren't ya?" Apple Bloom asked when she noticed her friend's expression.
"Yep!" she answered. "We can only go in if we're absolutely sure there's no danger, right?"
"Right..."
"So... that trail of light has led seven ponies now straight to Scootaloo, and if anything dangerous was along the way, they'd have taken care of it! If we follow the exact path that everypony else took, then we'll be exactly as safe as they were! We'll just take it slow, and it'll be perfectly safe!"
"Sweetie Belle, you're a genius!" Apple Bloom shouted. "Lets go! We're comin' Scootaloo!" Both fillies entered the castle, following the trail on the way to the great hall...
"Rainbow!" the rest of her friends shouted as they rushed to her. The pegasus had fallen to the ground after Scootaloo's revelation, the light of the gem hanging from her neck winking out. Shaking off her friends attempts to help her up, she stood up on her own, saying nothing.
"There's a certain irony to all of this," the voice said, startling the ponies who had just arrived. "Loyalty is such a strong virtue, but it can be so easily shattered by the simple truth."
"Who said that?" Twilight asked, trying to find the source of the voice. "Princess Luna, what is going on?"
"That voice claims to be a pony from another world that was created by a wish, Twilight Sparkle," Luna answered. "It is attempting to extract the filly's wish for its own use."
"Another world? But..." Twilight took a step back, working through the ramifications in her head.
Through all of this, Rainbow Dash stood quietly with her eyes shut tight, trembling with a combination of disbelief and anger.
"Dash, I really am so sorry..." Scootaloo said again. "I never meant for any of this to happen..."
"Then get on with it and fix it already!" Rainbow Dash snapped, practically screaming at the filly. "Twelve years! Twelve years of my life never should have happened! Who do you think you are, messing with my life like that! I bet you were just one of those foals in my 'fan club', weren't you! I was just so awesome that you just had to make yourself a part of my life!"
"Rainbow, she couldn't have known that her wish would come true," Fluttershy said, placing a comforting hoof on her friend. "None of us did!"
"It still happened!" Dash shouted, swatting Fluttershy's hoof away just has her mother flew into the room. She was too angry to care. "Maybe it was because of your wings! You can't fly, so you thought that if we were family that would help you, is that it? Well, we all know how that turned out for all of us!"
"I... I just thought..." Scootaloo stammered, shaken by Rainbow Dash's verbal onslaught.
"Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?" her mother shouted, landing to the left of the group. "We need to help her!"
"She did this to you, too, Mom! She and her stupid wish!"
"What in the name of Celestia are you talking about?"
"I... just thought you looked lonely..." Scootaloo sobbed. "That night, everypony had somepony to share the moment with, except you... You were just laying up there on your cloud, all alone..."
"What? No I wasn't!" Rainbow said. "I was with... with you..."
"Isn't this awesome, Scoots?"
"Definitely, sis! I've never seen a comet this huge before! It's almost like we can reach out and touch it!"
"You think so?"
"Yeah!"
"Pfft, This is nothing. Lets get you a real view! Hold on tight, we're taking this cloud right to the top of the sky!"
"You mean we're- Whoa!"
---
"How's this? Did I pick the best view, or what?"
"It's... amazing!"
"Awww yeah!"
"You really are the best big sister ever, you know that?"
"You ain't half bad at the whole little sister schtick, either."
"Thanks... Hey, apparently we get to make a wish on comets like this, kinda like blowing out all of your birthday candles in one go."
"Oh yeah? Well, I wish I had another chance to meet the Wonderbolts! You'd get to come too! How awesome would that be? What about you?"
"I don't believe in any of that wish mumbo-jumbo. It's kinda silly."
"Yeah, I know, but it's still fun to think about, go ahead!"
"Nah, I've already got everything I could ever wish for..."
"It's time, Scootaloo. I've gathered all of the energy I need. Are you ready?" the voice asked, the swirling energies intensifying.
"Yeah..."
"Scootaloo, wait!" Twilight shouted, having just realized something. "You can't-"
"As for the rest of you," the voice said, cutting Twilight off, "I'm sorry for all the trouble. This will all be over in a moment." As the voice spoke, the cracked barrier vanished as the swirling energies engulfed Scootaloo in a blinding bright light.
"Everypony, we have to stop her!" Twilight shouted, and the Elements of Harmony all began to glow, except for Rainbow Dash's. "Rainbow!"
I.. I was never alone... Rainbow Dash realized, causing the Element of Loyalty to glow dimly. Even when my friends weren't there, Scootaloo was. Without her... "Right! Scootaloo! I forgive you!" Dash's necklace lit up like the rest, and the six ponies rose into the air. The combined glow from both the voice's spell and the Elements became too much for the other ponies in the room, and they shut their eyes. Nopony noticed two fillies run up the stairs in into the room before galloping towards the silhouette of their friend barely visible in the bright light.
"Scootaloo!" The Crusaders continued blindly into the light, just as the rainbow colored beam hit.
The world around them vanished into nothingness.
"Scootaloo! I forgive you!" Rainbow Dash's final words to her echoed in Scootaloo's mind as the light engulfed her. Suddenly, the light disappeared, and the filly found herself in an empty blackness. She saw nothing, she heard nothing, and she felt nothing but her own thoughts.
"Hello?" she called out into the emptiness.
"Scootaloo?" a familiar voice answered. "Sweetie Belle! I think I found Scootaloo!"
The darkness in front of her gave way to reveal two more fillies, standing on a solid, white circle in the nothingness.
"Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle shouted as Scootaloo stepped into the circle. "I knew we'd find you eventually!" Both Crusaders jumped on to their friend to hug her, and for the first time in what seemed like ages, Scootaloo laughed.
"Hey! Watch the broken..." Scootaloo began, only to notice that her casts were gone, and her chest didn't hurt anymore. "...Never mind. What are you two doing here?"
"We couldn't just leave our best friend all alone, could we?" Apple Bloom answered with a smile. "Your mom helped us get to the castle, and we followed ya here. By the way, where exactly is here?"
"I can answer that question," the voice from nowhere said. "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, welcome to The Void."
"The what now?" Apple Bloom asked, thoroughly confused.
"The Void. The Nothing Between Universes. The Blind Eternities," the voice answered. "Names philosophers have given to a place that didn't exist. A theoretical place of "what if?" scenarios and "how come?" questions. Now, that the wishes have been granted, and the universes split, it exists out of necessity, and even then only barely. In it, we are everywhere at once, and nowhere at all. Time does not exist, and reality is meaningless."
"Did you understand any of that?" Apple Bloom asked the others.
"Maaaaaybe every other word..." Sweetie Belle replied. "Or every third..."
"But... why did you bring us here?" Scootaloo asked the voice. "And what happened to my legs? Did you heal them?"
"I didn't do anything to your legs. They're sill in casts," it answered. "What you see here aren't actually your real bodies. They're still in your universe, right where you left them. I just pulled your minds and souls into the Void, and you instinctively created an image of your body as you perceive it. Reality in the Void is shaped by your thoughts. When we are done here, you can return to your bodies, no harm done."
"So, if I just think about it..." Sweetie Belle said, and the blackness around them disappeared, replaced with the Crusader's Clubhouse, or at least an illusion of it.
"Exactly! Now, as for why you are here," the voice continued, "it's because this is the only place you can give me your wish. Your wish is tied to your very soul, and they are normally inseparable. Here, though, you only need to will it, and it you can remove it altogether."
"Hold up just a minute here," Apple Bloom said, cutting in. "What the hay is this thing talkin' about? You said you didn't wish for anythin'!"
"I... I lied..." Scootaloo admitted, hanging her head in shame.
"What, were you embarrassed about it?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Kinda... It was such a big wish, and it changed a lot of stuff. I was afraid of what you'd all think if you found out."
"Aw, come on, Scootaloo. We don't care what you wished for!" Apple Bloom said, attempting to cheer up her downtrodden friend.
"Rainbow Dash said the same thing, but..." But she forgave me, Scootaloo thought. That doesn't change how much I hurt her, though...
"But nothing!" Apple Bloom replied. "You're our friend, and your problems are our problems!"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed. "We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders! Like we'd let a stupid wish slow us down!"
"You're right," Scootaloo said, unable to keep herself from smiling a little bit. That smile soon faded, however, and Scootaloo decided to come clean. "I wished that Rainbow Dash and I were sisters, and we're here now so that I can fix it." Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stared in disbelief at Scootaloo's revelation for a few seconds, before Sweetie Belle finally spoke up.
"Scootaloo..." she began, and the young pegasus cringed, bracing herself for more scolding. "That's an amazing wish!"
"What?"
"I mean it! If you've always looked up to Rainbow Dash the way I remember it, even before you made your wish, then it must be a dream come true! Not to mention how well you two always get along! You two inspired me to wish to live with Rarity and help her out more!"
"Why in the world would you want to give that all up?" Apple Bloom asked. "Y'all are family now!"
"Because it's not fair!" Scootaloo explained. "Thanks to my wish, my old parents never met each other, Rainbow Dash's family is all messed up, and she had been blaming herself the whole time! It's not fair to any of them for me to have changed their lives like that!"
"Aren't you just doin' the same thing here? Goin' and changin' their lives without permission?" Apple Bloom countered.
"This is different! This is fixing everything!" ...Isn't it?
"I don't know..." Sweetie Belle said. "What if your wish made somepony's life better? Wouldn't it be bad to change it back?"
"I... But..." Scootaloo thought about the ponies her wish had affected. Dad's a Wonderbolt now, because my wish let him follow his dreams... Mom met someone else, and is getting married... Should I take that away? But Rainbow Dash... "It doesn't matter... They had happy lives either way. Rainbow Dash and her family getting their lives back is worth it."
"What about them? Would they want you to change things back?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"We talked a lot with your mom on the way here," Apple Bloom said. "She's tryin' as hard as she can to make things up to you, and I know she wouldn't give you up for the world!"
"That's only because she feels guilty for something that wasn't her fault!" Scootaloo shouted, stomping on the imaginary wooden floor. "It's my fault, not hers! I have to do this! For Rainbow Dash, for her family-"
"Then let them decide, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle cut her off. "Just because you're saying that it's your fault, doesn't mean that it's your fault! You couldn't have known what would happen!"
"Granny Smith always tells me that we have to lie in the bed we make for ourselves, but that our family shares it with us," Apple Bloom said. "They're your family now, and they care 'bout you. We care 'bout you! I don't know what the right choice is here, but I don't think you know either. You don't have to choose alone, Scootaloo." Scootaloo said nothing, turning to stare out the clubhouse window at the illusion of the apple orchard.
Maybe they're right... This isn't my choice... Scootaloo thought.
"She has to choose now, though," the voice said, finally speaking up. "Once you return, I can't bring you back here again, and if I can't have your wish, then I can't use it to go home..."
"Then, you can just have my wish!" Apple Bloom closed her eyes for a moment, and an orb of white light appeared in front of her. "Here, I just wished for a room full of candy. It doesn't matter if you take it."
"I can't use your wish," the voice said.
"Why not?"
"It has to be Scootaloo's."
"Wait, it has to be my wish?" Scootaloo turned back towards the rest of the group. "I thought you picked me because we both wanted to fix things that went wrong, and didn't you say that you asked others?"
"I asked others, yes, in many different worlds, but they were all you, Scootaloo. Different versions of you." the voice answered. "It has always been about you. We're connected, whether you know it or not."
"We're connected? Why? Who are you?"
"To be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure anymore," the voice answered. "Time almost stands still while you're in the Void, and I've been here so long... I stopped giving myself a form long ago. I can remember who I was, though. Who I can return to being if I can get a second wish..." Across the room from the Crusaders, a familiar white mist appeared and began swirling, moving faster and faster until it vanished in a flash of light. In its place stood a familiar, young pegasus filly, with a deep orange coat and a messy, purple mane. "I was you, Scootaloo."
"...Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle did a double take, looking from the first Scootaloo to the new one.
"You're... me? From another world?" Scootaloo asked her doppelganger.
"Yes," the other Scootaloo answered in her own voice.
"But... how?"
"Let me show you, and prove that I'm telling the truth..." The clubhouse vanished, and the Crusaders were plunged into the nothing of the Void.
Darkness.
Scootaloo wandered aimlessly in that darkness, calling out to anypony who might be able to hear her. Nopony answered. She had no idea how she got to where she was, only that one moment she was playing with her friends, and the next she was here, and everything was gone. She just wanted to go home. And so she did.
She found herself in front of a house, built in the center of a small clearing. Home.
"Mom! Dad!" the filly called out as she galloped inside. Her mother was in the kitchen, preparing dinner while her father sat at the kitchen table, relaxing after a long day at work.
"Welcome home, dear!" her mother said from the stove.
"There's my little scooter maniac!" her father said enthusiastically. "How was school today?"
"Good," the filly answered, "though I think I dozed off sometime near the end of class. I had the strangest dream..."
"Well, sounds like you had some fun today!" her father said cheerfully, ruffling his daughter's mane with a hoof.
"I... guess?" Scootaloo said, puzzled by the stallion's odd response. "So, what's for dinner?" the filly asked her mother, just like she did every evening.
"I managed to get some fresh blueberries in town today, so I thought we might have breakfast for dinner. I know how you love blueberry pancakes!"
"Sounds great! But... didn't we have the same thing yesterday?"
"I knew you'd like it!" Her mother turned and smiled at her, not answering the question. "Now run along and get cleaned up for dinner. We don't want any dirty hooves on the table."
"Yes, Mom..." Scootaloo trotted out of the room, not sure what to make of her parents' behavior. Once she had washed the dirt off her hooves, she returned to the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Her parents were still right where she had left them. They continued their activities in awkward silence for about a minute before Scootaloo finally spoke up. "Is something wrong? You guys are acting kinda weird..."
"Welcome home, dear!" her mother said, repeating herself.
"What?"
"There's my little scooter maniac! How was school today?" her father said with the exact same enthusiastic tone of voice he had before.
"What? You already said all that!"
"Well, sounds like you had some fun today!"
"Dad, snap out of it!" Scootaloo shouted at her father.
"I managed to get some fresh blueberries in town today," her mother began.
"Not you too, Mom! What's going- "
"-so I thought we might have breakfast for dinner. I know how you love blueberry pancakes!"
"Stop it..." Scootaloo closed her eyes and put her head down on the table, hoping that it was all just a bad dream. "Please..."
"I knew you'd like it! Now run along and get cleaned up for dinner. We don't want any dirty hooves on the table."
"Stop it!"
"Welcome home, dear!"
"STOP!"
The room fell deathly silent after Scootaloo's scream. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the darkness again, and it was as if she hadn't even opened her eyes at all. None of it had been real. Just a memory, played over and over again. Not to be discouraged, though, the filly continued to search, sure that she'd find her way home eventually...
"That was just the start," the Void Scootaloo said, sighing heavily. "It took what seemed like ages, but I eventually found another world. I quickly learned that it was not my own, though. My body wasn't there to return to, and things were slightly different. Tweaks to the universe made by wishes. I almost gave up right there before deciding to do the one thing I could do: I read. In the Void, time stands still, and the universe was laid bare before me to look at. Every detail of it. I read books, examining their contents from outside the universe, learning as much as I could about the magic I was sure was behind all of this. I found that with a source of energy, I could cast spells if I focused enough, a benefit of not having a real body, and I devised this plan to return home. When the Scootaloo of that universe declined my offer, I searched for another. It took what felt like years from my perspective, but I eventually found one. The result was the same." The clubhouse rematerialized around the group, and the void filly stared at her double longingly. "I've been searching for so long... I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it up..."
Scootaloo was at a loss.
My friends are right. I can't give up my wish when it affect so many other ponies, but what about her? How can I just leave myself behind in this place to wander for who knows how long? There has to be an answer... Scootaloo sat down and closed her eyes, focusing on anything she could to help her. Memories flashed before her, and the dreamscape of the back half clubhouse faded, replaced by rapidly shifting, blurred images of the past. The front of the clubhouse remained intact, with all four fillies still standing in it.
"Scootaloo, what are you doing?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking away to prevent the constantly shifting scenery from making her dizzy. The filly did not answer, simply continuing to concentrate.
"I don't think we can help her anymore, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said. "It's all up to her..."
"I can send you two home now, if you'd like," the Void Scootaloo said, and the front door of the clubhouse swung open to reveal a rainbow colored space beyond. "If you walk through that door, you will return to your bodies on the dais. The colors you see there are from the Elements of Harmony being used, but they're harmless to the likes of you."
"But what about Scootaloo?"
"Once she has made her choice, she will follow you. Thanks to the time dilation, you'll all arrive back in your bodies at approximately the same time. She'll be fine, I promise."
The two fillies nodded and approached the door, looking back at their friend one last time before leaping through the portal. With Sweetie Belle gone, the illusion of the clubhouse vanished completely, consumed by Scootaloo's swirling memories. This continued for a while until it finally came to a stop, and Scootaloo opened her eyes. She found herself standing on a cloud high in the sky overlooking Ponyville. The sun hung low in the west, turning the sky a beautiful combination of reds and oranges.
"Have you made your decision?" Her doppelganger asked, appearing in front of her.
"Yeah," Scootaloo said, taking a deep breath. "I... can't give you my wish."
"What? Why? Everything will return to the way it was, and I can finally go home! Everypony wins!"
"I just can't. There's too much that I shouldn't mess with. Too much that you shouldn't mess with. This is bigger than both of us. I'm sorry..."
"Too much for me? Bigger than me? You have no idea what I am capable of!" The second Scootaloo's form exploded with light, blinding the first. When the light faded, the doppelganger was gone. In her place stood a pony several times the height of Scootaloo herself, similar in stature and form to Princess Celestia herself. Her orange coat glowed softly in the fading sunlight, and with her wings spread wide, she cast the entire cloud into shadow. She had a flowing ethereal mane and tail that retained their original purple color around the edges, but faded to an empty blackness towards the center, like the Void itself. The horn atop her head lit up with a familiar white aura, and Scootaloo was lifted from the cloud and brought to eye-level with the mare. "I am Master of the Void, having traveled its expanses for an amount of time incomprehensible to the likes of you!" she shouted, her voice distorted like it had been when she first spoke to Scootaloo, but louder and angrier. "I have willed entire worlds into existence, and destroyed them with a mere thought. Who are you to say what is beyond my means? With you I have the power to end this existence and return to one like yours!"
"You have the power, but that doesn't give you the right!" Scootaloo shouted. "Nopony has the right to toy with lives like that. Not me, not Princess Luna, and definitely not you!"
"I can make you give it to me," the alicorn of the Void said coldly. "Even if I had to tear the very essence of your being to pieces, I could take your wish if I chose to do so."
"But you won't, will you?" Scootaloo asked. "You promised me that I could walk away if I wanted to. If you're really me, you'd never break a promise like that!" Scootaloo closed her eyes and concentrated, willing herself out of the levitation spell and back to the cloud. The mare said nothing and made no attempt to stop her. Instead, she only closed here eyes and laid down on the cloud, as if resigning herself to her fate. Again exerting her will on the Void, Scootaloo made the door that her friends had stepped through reappear behind her. "If you really want to end this, then come with me!"
"What?" the pony said, opening her eyes and using her normal voice once again.
"Stay here, in my universe. No more aimless searching. No more meddling with the lives of others. No more loneliness. I'm sure Twilight and the Princesses can figure something out for you."
"But... what about my home?"
"Do you know where we are?" Scootaloo gestured to the cloud around them. "If you're me, then I'm sure you remember coming here once, and I'm sure you'll remember the promise we made. Another promise we should never have broken..." Scootaloo turned away from her double, and the door swung open to reveal the same scene it did before: the Elements of Harmony striking the dais. "I'm going back now. You can keep searching if you want, but I hope you follow me. Nopony deserves to be alone like this." With that, Scootaloo stepped through the door, and the Void vanished from her view.
Please be okay! Please be okay! Please be okay! No sooner had Rainbow Dash's hooves touched the ground again when she galloped off towards the dais, which was still engulfed in the multicolored whirlwind created by the Elements of Harmony. She reached it just as the energy began to fade, revealing not only Scootaloo, but Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as well, simply standing still and looking rather disoriented. Their presence there was puzzling, but unimportant at the moment. "Scoots!" Dash shouted and hopped onto the dais. The filly stared at the ground, unable to meet the mare's gaze.
"I've really made a mess of everything, haven't I?" she said quietly without looking up.
"Well... yeah. You definitely did. No denying that." Rainbow Dash replied, looking at the downtrodden filly and smiling. "But it's nothing we can't figure out together." She ruffled the filly's mane with a hoof.
"Together? You mean you don't care that it's all... fake?"
"Of course I care!" Rainbow Dash said, her smile fading. "I'm still not sure what exactly to think of all this. I do know two things, though. First, I shouldn't have gotten so angry at you. You never meant to do anything. Second, I remember my life with you. Everypony else remembers it too. Everypony but you. From my point of view, if anypony's memories are fake, yours are." Without saying another word, Scootaloo leaped at her sister, hugging her tight, or as tight as she could with casts on her legs. The filly buried her face in Dash's coat and began to cry, and the mare simply smiled again and held her even tighter. "Everything is going to be okay."
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack shouted as she galloped up to her sister. "What in tarnation are ya doin' here?"
"Sweetie Belle, you too?" Rarity said, joining Applejack at the front of the room. "How in the world did you two get here?"
"That would be my doing," Rainbow Dash's mother said, stepping forward. "They were dead set on chasing after Scootaloo, so I decided to escort them. If I tried to send them home, they would have just sneaked away and followed you all anyway. I told them to wait outside the castle, but I guess there was no stopping them."
"Yeah, they probably would've gotten themselves into trouble no matter what. Thanks for watchin' out for 'em, ma'am" Applejack said.
"You two fillies should know better than to do something so foolish, though!" Rarity said, scolding them. "Who knows what could have happened!"
"We're sorry..." the two fillies said in unison.
"And you'll have a long time to think about just how sorry you are when you're cleaning up my workshop, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "And I think Apple Bloom should help, too. What do you think, Applejack?"
"That sounds like a great idea, Rarity," Applejack replied slyly, smiling at Apple Bloom.
"Awwwwww..."
"Um, sorry to interrupt the family reunion here," Twilight Sparkle said, joining the group, "but who is that?" She pointed behind Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, at a pony laying crumpled on the ground. She was a young mare, looking to be a only be one or two years younger than the likes of Twilight or Rainbow Dash, but otherwise looked identical Scootaloo, right down to the blank flank and undersized wings. There was one other key difference, though. The mare also had a horn. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Scootaloo turned around to look at the pony, quickly realizing who she was.
"I think... that's me."
"Hey, Scoots! Wake up!"
Scootaloo yawned and blinked as the waking world came back into focus. She was in her bed made of clouds, the bed she had finally come to accept as her real bed. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the events of the last two days rushed back to her. After Scootaloo had explained the situation in full to the ponies at the castle, her double had been taken back to Canterlot for medical care and examination by Princess Luna, who assured them that everything in her and her sister's power would be done to help her. When asked why the double looked so much different than Scootaloo, Luna could only theorize, guessing that the Elements of Harmony had affected her similarly to how they had affected Luna when she was Nightmare Moon, giving her a body that best represented who she was deep down inside, and the immeasurable amount of time that she had spent in the Void channeling its power had fundamentally altered her soul. Now all that was left was to adjust.
"Scootaloo! Don't make me get you out of bed myself," her mother called from down the hall. Oddly enough, she had needed the least amount of time to adjust to the news of Scootaloo's wish. In her own words: "There's no point dwelling on what might have been rather than what is. As for your father... I doubt your wish changed who he was deep down. If he was really the type to use his family as tools, then I wouldn't want to be with him regardless of how many daughters I have, and I have you to thank for showing me that."
"I'm coming!" Scootaloo called back as she rolled out of bed and onto the cloud floor. It felt good to be out of those casts. As puzzled as the doctors were, as far as they could tell, she was completely healed. Rainbow Dash told her that she saw the Elements of Harmony regrow Rarity's tail once, so they were probably responsible. If only they could have done something about my wings... the filly thought as she trotted down the hall.
"There you are!" Rainbow Dash greeted her in the living room "I know you wanted to sleep in this weekend, but Pinkie Pie invited us all to Sugarcube Corner for breakfast again, and I thought you'd like to come."
"Sure," Scootaloo said, yawning a bit. "I cut out early last time, so I need to make it up to her anyway."
"All right!" Rainbow Dash replied. "Watch out, though. Remember that one time Pinkie decided to conduct your birthday party personally? We were washing the cake batter from that explosion out your coat for hours!" Rainbow Dash laughed at the memory, and even their mother chuckled at the mental image.
"No... I don't," Scootaloo replied dejectedly, cutting her sister's laughter short.
"Oh... right..." The family stood in awkward silence for a while before Rainbow Dash abruptly changed the subject. "Hey Scoots, bet you can't beat me into town!"
"Oh yeah? You're on!" The sisters took off out the door, the elder of the two giving Scootaloo a slight head start to get to her scooter while turning to wink at their mother, who simply smiled and followed behind the pair, not bothering to try and keep up. Scootaloo rocketed down the cloud ramp and onto the road, Rainbow Dash flying low above her head. In less than a minute they had made it into town, ponies waving at them as they raced past. As they neared their destination, Rainbow Dash put on one last burst of speed and landed casually in front of the door a few seconds before Scootaloo skidded to a stop next to her.
"Better luck next time, Scoots!"
"Luck has nothing to do with it. I'll get faster, you just wait and see!" Scootaloo shot back, hopping off the scooter and propping it up against the wall.
"Gladly, sis." Rainbow Dash smiled, and the two walked into the building.
"Hey, what's going on?" Scootaloo asked as the door swung shut behind them. "Why are all the lights out? Are they closed today?"
"Oh no..." Rainbow Dash said, realizing what was going on just as the lights switched on.
"SURPRISE!"
"So, do you like my ultra-super-secret-now-you're-sisters-forever-surprise party, Dashie? Do ya? Do ya?" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing around the blue pegasus as the party went into full swing. "I've been planning it for almost a week now!"
"It's great, Pinkie, it's just what she- wait, a week? You just learned about what was going on a day ago!"
"Well, duh!" the party pony said, stopping her bouncing momentarily. "But I wished to be able to throw the best surprise party ever for the ponies who needed it most, and somehow I just knew it was going to be you two! That's why I couldn't tell you what I wished for: it would ruin the surprise!"
"That... makes a surprising amount of sense. At least for you," Rainbow Dash said. "Thanks."
"You betcha! Ooh! It's time for the party games!" Pinkie Pie suddenly sprung into action and ran off into the crowd. "Hey, Scootaloo! Wanna play Pin the Tail on the Pony?" Somehow managing to round up the majority of the foals in Ponyville, Pinkie began the game with Scootaloo first in line. Rainbow Dash watched from the sidelines and gave a sigh of relief. Everything was going to be just fine. For real, this time.
"Hey, Rainbow, what's up?" a voice called from the crowd. The pegasus turned to see Twilight trotting up to her.
"Not much, Twi. Just getting on with life, I guess."
"I'm happy to see that everything's turning out okay, especially considering how bad things could have been."
"What do you mean?"
"You know how Scootaloo's wish is the Keystone wish?" Twilight began. "If what she said is true, and the wishes really did create whole universes to prevent contradictions, then..."
"Then what?"
"Then because her wish created this branch universe, undoing her wish would have destroyed it completely."
"What?" Rainbow Dash shouted, causing a few ponies to turn and look at them.
"Shhhh!" Twilight held a hoof up to her mouth and continued in a whisper. "This isn't something anypony else needs to know, especially not Scootaloo. She probably feels guilty enough as it is."
"Yeah... you're right... But to think that that almost happened..."
"It really makes you think, doesn't it? Princess Celestia told me that that's probably what happened to the universe the other Scootaloo came from, and she somehow managed to hang on in the Void. She never was going to find her home, no matter how long she searched..."
"Is she going to be okay?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I'm not sure. She still has strong connections to the Void, and appears to draw power from it in her magic. The Princesses are going to try and train her in how to best use that power, and hopefully she should be able to find her own path in life. It might do everyone some good if you and Scootaloo visited her every once in a while, though."
"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash looked off at her sister, currently bobbing for apples with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders. "I just wish there was a way for Scootaloo - our Scootaloo - to easily sort her own thoughts out. I get the feeling that she still doesn't quite know how to feel about everything. Heck, I still don't know how to feel."
"Well, it's not a perfect solution..." Twilight said, smiling, "but I know what I do when I have some thoughts to sort out, and I think Scootaloo could probably benefit from it, too."
Dear Princess Celestia,
I've never written to you before, but Rainbow Dash said that I should probably write to you about what I've learned after everything that's happened. Sometimes things happen that nopony can see coming, and sometimes those things aren't something that you can fix by yourself. I tried to go it alone, but ended up causing more problems than if I had simply been honest with everypony from the beginning. I learned that you need to take everyone into consideration when you try to make big decisions, and that it's not fair to them to keep them in the dark. My life is different now, and I'll never forget the way things used to be, but I have a happy family here, just like I did before. If there's anything else I learned, it's something that I had forgotten that I never should have: "Home is where you rest your wings, and who you rest them with." Someone very special to me said that once, but I never really got it until now. I am home here, and I always will be.
