When Scootaloo is taken by Slendermane, Rainbow Dash makes it her mission ot find the creature and make him give Scootaloo. But is it already too late for Scootaloo?
Scootaloo is missing. Vanished. Rainbow Dash is extremely worried about her little sister, and things soon grow form bad to worse when Goldie Delicious arrives in Ponyville to inform the ponies that Scootaloo has been taken by a creature known as Slendermane. Desperately wanting to save her sister, Rainbow Dash makes it her mission to confront Slendermane and get Scootaloo back. But could it be that it's already too late to save her? Inspiration comes from "Slender: The Arrival"
Diamond Tiara was in a very bad mood. The worst mood she had ever been in. Worse than when Applebloom upstaged her Cutecenera. Worse than when she had lost her job as Editor in Chief of the Foal Free Press. Even worse than when she and Silver Spoon had lost the chance to carry Ponyvile's flag in the Equestria Games.
She was simply hanging out with Silver Spoon and harassing those three Blank Flanks as usual. She had decided to make Scootaloo the focus of the torment, commenting on what a worthless chicken she was. However, her schtick was interrupted by none other than Rainbow Dash. The fastest Pegasus in Equestria came to Scootaloo's defense, and basically ordered Diamond Tiara to not pick on her little sister.
Surprised, Diamond replied that Scootaloo was in no way Rainbow Dash's sister, because Scootaloo was just a worthless Blank Flank Pegasus who couldn't fly and didn't deserve to live.
Silver Spoon ran off when Diamond Tiara had said this, leaving her alone to face the gut wrenching death glare Rainbow Dash was giving to her.
"Get this straight, you little brat!" Rainbow Dash had said, "If you ever pick on my sister, or her friends, again, I will personally make sure you regret it. Get it?"
Diamond Tiara had attempted to leave with a huff, but then Rainbow had grabbed her and forced her to look her in the eyes.
"GET IT!?" she repeated.
Diamond quickly nodded, "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Now apologize to Scootaloo."
Saying that she was sorry to the piece of trash was the most humiliating moment of her entire life. She had no choice but to bottle up all of her anger after that, and she stormed off silently in a random direction, not paying attention to where she was going.
"I hate her," Diamond Tiara thought bitterly, "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her! I hate her! I HATE ALL OF THEM!" Diamond Tiara looked up at her surroundings, and her blood ran cold. In her rage, she had walked right into the dark Everfree Forest.
Shuddering with fear, Diamond Tiara slowly began to back up and get out of the scary place.
"You help me. . .I'll help you. . ."
The fur on the back of her neck stood up when she heard the scary rasping voice echo around her.
"Who's there?" she said in fear.
"You do me a favor. . .and I'll do you a favor. . ."
Diamond Tiara gulped as she looked all around her. "A. .. f-favor?"
"Yes. . .I can get help you get revenge on that tender Pegasus filly."
Diamond Tiara's eyes widened. "You could really?"
"Yes. . .she won't be harmed, per say. . .but she will suffer greatly. . ."
Diamond Tiara smiled wickedly, "Oooh, that sounds wonderful! It's a deal! What do you want me to do for you?"
Suddenly, Diamond Tiara felt a strong cold presence behind her. Then, something icy cold and slightly moist touched her temples. Diamond Tiara's eyes widened as eight abstract images appeared in her mind. They floated before her minds eye, implanting themselves permanently into her memory, so that she would never forget them.
"Draw my eight pages. . .make sure that filly, and that filly alone, sees them. . . No one else must see them other than you. . .Once she discovers the pages. . .once she sees them. . .I will take care of the rest. . ."
Diamond Tiara suddenly turned around fast.
There was nopony there.
So, with the eight images burned into her mind, Diamond Tiara allowed herself a quick evil chuckle, and then ran back in the direction of Ponyville, having somehow obtained the knowledge of how to get back home.
"I'll kill two birds with one stone! Scootaloo will suffer when. . .whoever I talked to uses his magic on her, and Rainbow Dash won't be able to do a single thing about it!"
Two days went by.
Friday was an uneventfully school day. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon didn't even bully them. Scootaloo gave Rainbow Dash all the credit for that. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were glad to see how becoming Rainbow Dash's sister had made Scootaloo more happier than ever. And seeing Rainbow Dash tell off those two spoiled fillies was just the greatest thing ever.
They spent the rest of the day doing a little Crusading, this time stand up comedy, which failed miserably. But that didn't get them down, especially Scootaloo, because she was going to spend the day with Rainbow Dash on Saturday.
So Saturday came, and Rainbow Dash took her new little sister to Cloudsdale. Scootaloo couldn't deny that it was one of the best days she'd ever had. Riding upon the back of Rainbow Dash, she was treated to a tour of all the sights of the beautiful cloud city, with rainbow waterfalls flowing down over the clouds. They had lunch out where Rainbow Dash cheerfully listened to Scootaloo as she enthusiastically described all the misadventures she and the others Crusaders have been. Dash made sure to give Scootaloo bits of useful advice to stay out the danger zone while still having fun and trying awesome things.
Later on in the day, they settled down on one of the higher clouds, overlooking the magnificent floating city. The sight was absolutely breathtaking. The pair began to talk their some other stuff, things on their minds, what they hoped to accomplish in the future, even their dreams. Scootaloo was mostly interested in hearing about Rainbow Dash's flight camp days. She was invested in the action packed stories, and laughed out loud at the funnier stories.
As Scootaloo rolled around laughing after being told about the time Dash put some spicy liquid rainbow into the water cooler, Rainbow just watched the orange filly laugh her heart out for a moment and said, "Ya know, I'd say becoming you're sister was one of the best things that ever happened to me."
Scootaloo stopped laughing and sat up quickly, looking at Rainbow Dash with wide eyes. "Really?"
"Really," Rainbow replied, "You're somepony I can really just talk about stuff with. And it feels nice to when you're just so open with me, Scoots. I like being the one who's there for you." Rainbow's smile suddenly faded, "But those two spoiled fillies just make me so mad. Saying all that nasty stuff to you." Rainbow Dash slid over closer to Scootaloo and held her beneath her wing. "Scoots. . .promise me that you'll never listen to what ponies like that say to you, cause it's all lies. It's not true. You remember what I told you before the flag carrying competition. Speaking of which, you and your friends won it because of you." Rainbow smiled down at Scootaloo and playfully ruffled her purple mane. Scootaloo chuckled as Rainbow went on, "You're more talented than even you know, Squirt. All you gotta do is keep going after what you're good at, and what you love to do. And you'll impress the whole world, just like me. Can you promise me that you'll do all that?"
Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash and nodded enthusiastically, "Sure thing! I promise, Rainbow Dash!"
"That's 'Big Sis', to you, Squirt!" Rainbow Dash said cockily.
Scootaloo's smile widened as she hugged her big sister a bit tighter.
Scootaloo was very sad to see the day end, but she knew that she and Rainbow Dash would have plenty of time to hang out again in the future.
Scootaloo walked into her room and was about to plop down onto her bed when she saw her saddlebags on the floor. She had just thrown them down the moment she got home, never even opening them. She was far too excited about spending the Saturday with Rainbow Dash to think about homework. But of course, Scootaloo knew it had to be done, so she opened up her saddlebags, and saw something that didn't belong. It was a thin stack of papers folded in half.
Curious, Scootaloo took out the papers and unfolded them. There seemed to be eight of them, and the one on the top depicted what looked like a bunch of trees, possibly a forest, and the figure of a very thin pony standing in the trees. The picture was crudely drawn in pencil, but as Scootaloo stared at it, the more the crudely drawn image seemed to captivate him. Her eyes were soon fixated on the pony figure. She found herself unable to look away, unable to take her eyes of it as she began to feels as if she were being slowly pulled in to the image.
The Friendship Express pulled into the station in Ponyville. As the doors opened, an elderly yellow pony with white poofy hair walked briskly out of the train, looking very distraught, almost fearful. She looked up and held a hoof over her old eyes to shield them from the bright Sun. She could just make out Sweet Apple Acres in the distance.
"You old fool. You stupid old fool," Goldie Delicious said to herself, "If you're to late. . .oh sweet Celestia, if you're too late. . ." The mare went silently as she jogged over to the farm as fast as her legs could carry her.
3 days. Three long days since Scootaloo vanished without a trace. Three days of frantic searching for the missing orange pegasus. And it had all come up empty. Ghastly Gorge and the nearby mountains were combed, and nothing was found. Sections of the Everfree Forest were looked through, which was difficult due to its danger. Zecora sadly admitted that she hadn't seen the missing filly.
And now, the Mane Six, the rest of the Apple Family, and Scootaloo's four closest friends; Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Button Mash, and Spike were all gathered together at the Apple Farm, worrying, and trying to determine what their next move should be.
"I'll send for some Royal Guards to come and do a more thorough search of the Everfree Forest," Princess Twilight said resolutely.
"Good idea, Twi, maybe they'll have better luck," Applejack said.
Some angry mumbling caught everypony's attention, and they all turned to the pony who had spoken. Rainbow Dash did not look good. At all. Her mane looked even messier than usual, and her face only was now only capable of two expressions: frown or scowl.
"Whatcha say, Dashie? We didn't hear you," Pinkie Pie said in a loud whisper.
"I said, 'why the hay would she have gone in there anyway'," Rainbow Dash said bitterly as she folded her fore legs and turned away from everypony else.
Fluttershy and Rarity exchanged nervous glances. Fluttershy actually looked slightly afraid. Everypony was now slightly afraid of Rainbow Dash now. Especially after she had single hoofedly barged into the Diamond Dog Caves and knocked scores of the canines senseless in her search for Scootaloo. Luckily, the Rover, Spot, and Fido managed to convince the distraught pegasus that her sister wasn't in the caves. The ratty looking dogs looked so pathetic that Rainbow Dash took their word for it.
"Scootaloo isn't stupid," Rainbow Dash said quietly, "There's no way she would've just walked into the Everfree Forest like that. She'd have no reason to. We had an awesome day together before she. . ." Rainbow Dash stopped talking abruptly at that point.
Applejack turned to Scootaloo's friends, "Are you sure ya'll don't know anything that can help us find Scootaloo?"
"No, Applejack. We don't have a clue where Scootaloo could've gone," Applebloom said.
"I don't even know, and I've played the Professor Neighton and Phoenix Wright Immortal Bird Attorney games!" Button exclaimed.
"You're not helping," Sweetie Belle whispered.
Twilight groaned and banged her forehead, "This makes no sense. Scootaloo went to her room, she wasn't seen leaving her room, and yet she's gone! What are we missing! We need some kind of clue!"
BANG!
Goldie Delicious threw open the front door and shouted, "Apples! Are yer all present and accounted for!?"
"Goldie Delicious?" Applejack said in surprise.
Granny Smith got up and walked to Goldie's side, putting a hoof on her back gently as if to steady the yellow elder's labored breathing, "Well, what in the name popping popovers brings you here?"
Goldie turned to Applebloom, and smiled in relief. "Ahh. . .I see Applebloom is just fine."
"Huh?" Applebloom said.
"Well, yeah, she's fine alright," Dash said angrily.
Goldie's smile slipped away. "What's wrong? Is anything the matter?"
"Oh, sweet Celestia, no!" Goldie gasped as she stumbled backwards, her legs wobbling.
"Hang on there, deary," Granny Smith said consolingly, gently leading Goldie Delicious to the couch.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" Applejack asked nervously.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," Goldie said, "I'm too late. Too late."
Rainbow Dash turned to Goldie Delicious, suspicion in her eyes. "You know something, don't you."
Goldie looked sadly at Rainbow and said, "I'm so sorry. I truly am. I-."
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Rainbow Dash roared, flying up inches away from Goldie's face, "WHERE'S MY LITTLE SISTER?!"
Applejack and Big Macintosh grabbed Rainbow Dash and pulled him away, holding her tightly as she struggled.
"Hold it right there, Rainbow! Ah won't have you assaulting my kin! Ah know you're worried about Scootaloo, but how about we just listen to what Goldie has to say first!"
Rainbow Dash stopped struggling, "Alright. But I better get some answers."
Goldie hung her head in shame, "I'm so sorry. I should've been more careful."
"Careful about what?" Applejack inquired, starting to become slightly suspicious as well.
Goldie sighed, and she said, "The main reason I lived alone . . .was to keep an eye on something in the nearby woods. . . " she shuddered in fear, "A. . .horrible, horrible creature. . ."
"A creature?" Twilight echoed curiously.
Goldie nodded gravely, "Yes, indeed. I only narrowly escaped it when I was a young un, so I made it my mission to keep tabs on it for as long as I lived. But sometimes, I'm so busy caring for my precious kitties or stacking Apple Family records that I just forget." She turned to Applebloom and said, "If only I wasn't so scatterbrained. I should've known what would happen when you arrived there."
"Me?" Applebloom asked nervously.
Goldie nodded gravely a second time, "This creature I was looking after. .. you see. . .it only goes after children. Little fillies and colts. It's quite clear what happened. I spent weeks back at home trying to track its location and movement, but I couldn't find a trace of him. It was then that I realized that it had followed you." She closed her eyes and shuddered, "I was so frightened, I got here as fast as I could, to show you how to ward it off. If only I had been quicker."
"Um. . ." Twilight said in an unsure tone, "Ms Delicious. I. . .uh. . .don't mean to be rude, but-."
"Why are you just sitting there telling us a ghost story?" Applejack said in disbelief.
"Shut up, you guys!" Rainbow Dash shouted harshly, shocking everypony greatly. She then turned to Goldie and said, "Why did it go after Scootaloo? You just said it followed Applebloom here!"
"It was day when she and the rest of the Apples went home," Goldie said plainly, "And I suppose being amid family was enough to keep it away. And with so many ponies in Ponyville, that would keep it from being able to strike. It doesn't like crowds."
"But Scootaloo was safe at home!" Rainbow Dash said.
Goldie put on a thoughtful expression. "They say. . .it can operate through proxies, other cold hearted ponies as it were. . .in order to bring victims to him."
"Alright, wait a moment," Twilight said, "please forgive my frustration, Ms Delicious, but, about this thing, this creature you keep talking about. What exactly is it?"
Goldie was silent for a moment. Then, she closed her eyes a took a deep, shaky breath. She then reached into her shawl and took out an old photograph. She placed it on the table and pointed at it. "My 9th birthday party," she said. The photo depicted a younger Goldie Delicious participating in a seven legged race. Many young ponies could be seen having fun and smiling. Everyone in the room gathered around as Goldie pointed with her hoof at something that appeared in the background of the photo.
"It. . .has the shape of an Earth Pony stallion. Tall. Thin. Very pale. It wears a plain black suit, as plain as he blank face. A faceless face. No eyes. No mouth. No nose. Looking at it in person will drive you insane. And sprouting from it's back. . . are thin. . .black. . .waving tentacles to grab its victims. . .It's known as-."
"Slendermane."
Everyone looked at Button Mash, who had finished Goldie's sentence. The young colt had a serious look on his face, although his propeller hat was still spinning.
"How did you know?" Goldie said in complete shock.
Button Mash reached into his saddle bag, which he had put down next to him, and took out his laptop.
"I'll show you," he said as he placed the laptop on the coffee table, woke it up from sleep mode, and quickly booted up a game.
"Slender: The Eight Pages," Button said, "It's game based on the Legend of Slendermane. The game designers were friends with a couple of research scientists guys who were looking into the stories of the Headless Horse, the Pony of Shadows, and Slendermane. Anyway, in the game, you're lost in the woods where Slendermane is, and you have to-."
Goldie cut Button off by angrily slamming his laptop shut. "A game?" she said, seething with rage and nearly touching noses with Button Mash, "There are ponies ignorant enough to take something so dark. . .so evil. . .and make it into a game?"
Button whimpered and back away from the angered elder pony, "I didn't make the game! It wasn't me!"
Goldie sighed and shook her head, "I'm sorry. This just seems so. . .foolhardy. . ."
"Button, this all sounds really scary. How could you play a game like that?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Button shrugged, "I heard about the game a while ago, and Iwas scared of it at first. But then I thought, 'It's just a game. It's not like I'm really there.' Also, it's not like the game's violent or anything. Slendermane just teleports around and scares you like that. And you just get a quick painless game over if you look at him for too long. He mostly just stands still in the game, with his empty face which I always kinda thought was stupid. So I got used to it. Now I see it as a creepy version of hide and seek plus a scavenger hunt."
"I hope you realize if you were to come across it in reality, you would go through the most horrible torment imaginable as it's blank face catches your eye. Believe me, I should know," Goldie said.
Rarity swallowed down a lump in her throat and said, "Are you sure this thing, this Legend is true? We could just be getting worried over nothing."
"A pony like that could never-ever-ever-ever-ever-ever smile! Ever! That's SCARY!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
Twilight picked up the photograph with her magic and scrutinized the figure in the background. "This. . figure does match Goldie's description. And I may have read something about this Slendermane a while okay during my studies, although I dismissed it without a second though. I assumed it was just a kind of ancient urban legend our ancestors told to make their children behave. Something just made up, and not real-."
"Oh, that thing's real alright," Rainbow Dash said darkly, grinding her teeth angrily, "And it took Scootaloo from us."
Fluttershy had been huddled in a corned in fear the whole time due to the scary story being told. She gulped and said, "H-how do you know for sure?"
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes in thought. Then she opened them and said, "Because Princess Luna told me."
"WHAT!?" everypony exclaimed.
"Princess Luna?" Spike echoed in disbelief.
"Was it in a dream?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah. It happened last night. I was really beat after ransacking those Diamond Dog Caves. I fell asleep qcuikly. . ."
Rainbow Dash was walking through a dark forest. Was it the Everfree? Dash couldn't tell. Then, she saw a familiar purple tail swinging back and forth ahead of her. She could even make out some orange fur.
"Scootaloo!" Rainbow Dash cried out in joy.
However, Scootaloo didn't turn around. In fact, she started running forward.
"Scoots! Wait! It's me, Rainbow Dash! SCOOTALOO!" Rainbow cried out as she began flying after her little sister. However, no matter how hard she flapped her wings, she just couldn't catch up to the little filly. Before long, Scootaloo had disappeared into the darkness.
"NOOOO!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she landed on the ground, allowing tears to fall from her eyes. "It's not fair. I was so close. Why-."
Rainbow was cut off when she looked up for a split second. The thin, towering figure standing over her caused her to yelp in fear and fall over. Rainbow quickly turned around, and to her surprise, saw none other than Princess Luna.
"When I met this creature long, long ago, neither one of us walked away unscathed," she said, "I posses the powers of the Night, but perhaps the Night is not what is needed to stop this creature. What is needed is light. And perhaps it will be an entire spectrum of light that will dispel this creature's darkness."
Rainbow Dash stared up at Luna, not sure what to make of all her words. But then she remembered the figure that had frightened her. Dash assumed that it had left after Luna arrived, so she turned around.
That's when Rainbow Dash got her first good look at Slendermane.
"That settles it," Rainbow Dash said after relating the dream to everypony in the room, "I thought it was all just a crazy dream, but now I know it's real." Rainbow Dash stood up tall, "Slendermane took Scootaloo, and I'm going to save her."
"Save her?"
Rainbow Dash turned to Goldie delicious, who had spoken in what appeared to be confusion.
"Yes, save her! She's my sister! What kind of pony would I be if I let some monster-."
"You don't understand, do you," Goldie said in a grief stricken tone, "How long has it been since she was claimed by it? You have to realize that by now-"
"NO!" Rainbow Dash shouted, stomping the ground with her hoof so hard the wood floor cracked, "I don't wanna even think about that!"
"I won't let you hang on to false hope!" Goldie said, rising from the couch suddenly to look Rainbow Dash in the eye, "To be taken by it means certain doom! And if you make a conscious effort to find it, then it will come after you even though you're not a child! Then you will be gone as well!"
"Scootaloo isn't gone!" Rainbow argued, "Why do you think Luna visited my dream and said what she said! It's up to me to stop that thing and save Scootaloo!"
"Alright!" Goldie said, anger in her eyes, "Maybe you are the one to finally destroy it, but we have no reason at all to believe that filly is still alive. Slendermane took her, and Slendermane brings only death! She could not have survived! Scootaloo is dead, young mare! Do you understand what I'm saying. Scootaloo is dead!"
The whole room went completely silent. Nopony even dared to breathe after that statement. They all were looking straight at Rainbow Dash, who had a horrified expression on her face.
"No. . ." she said, shaking her head, "No. . .you're wrong, you're-."
Everyone could only watch in grief as Rainbow Dash began to break down and cry right in front of them. She looked down and sobbed silently, not wanting to completely loose it in front of her friends.
Goldie's expression softened as she stared at the weeping Pegasus. Regret filled her heart and soul as she looked on. Then, a determined look appeared on her face, and she stepped forward, taking of her saddlebags and placing them on Rainbow Dash's back.
Rainbow Dash looked up in surprised as Goldie gave a her a reassuring smile. "If I had a sister in trouble, I'd hang on to any hope there was too. Maybe. . .I am wrong. Perhaps it is holding her captive for some purpose. She could very well be still alive. But you don't have much time. The items in those bag will help protect you. Look through them later." Goldie pointed to the front door and said, "Now go! Before it's too late!"
"Wait an apple bucking minute!" Applejack shouted as she ran forward. However, Rainbow Dash had already zoomed out the door. "She's gonna git herself killed!" Applejack exclaimed as she ran out the door in hot pursuit. After about a second, everyone else followed except for Granny Smith and Goldie Delicious.
Goldie looked towards Granny Smith and said, "Well, what do you think?"
Granny Smith didn't even need time to think about it. She answered right away, "If it we're Applebloom, Applejack would be doing the same thing. Even that Rarity unicorn would be rushing out like that if it were Sweetie Belle. Heh. No sense trying to stop her. And it's good that you gave her a little help too."
Goldie nodded, "Oh yes. She'll definitely need it." Goldie looked at the window and at the setting Sun, after which the Moon would soon rise. "Oh Luna, I hope it's enough. Please, let this all end well. . ."
Rainbow Dash ran through Sweet Apple Acres. Her tears were now gone, and her soul, heart, and mind were focused on one thing and one thing only. It made her whole body heat up from passionate rage. Her red eyes shone brightly, matching the red light of the sunset that was gracing the Apple farm. Rainbow Dash stopped to lean against an apple tree as she reined in her strong emotions and looked out at the sunset.
My heart was blue in my bedroom last night. No happiness to be seen A kingdom of depression, and it looks like I'm the queen My sister Scootaloo is nowhere to be found And to this revenge I am loyal-bound
More tears threatened to spring out, and Rainbow Dash pressed a fore leg over her face.
He took my sis, she could be dead, Now I'm gonna crush that creature's head! For what that monster did to me, You'll see
Rainbow Dash suddenly flew straight up, high above Sweet Apple Acres in the cloudless sky.
Slendermane, Slendermane, You better prepare to get smashed! Slendermane, Slendermane, My name is Rainbow Dash! I don't care who gets in my way! I'm gonna save you, sis! No pony messes with my family
Rainbow Dash landed back onto the ground and started running again, heading in the direction of the Eeverfree Forest.
I'm running out of patience. This is going much too slow. If only Luna killed this creature, 1000 years ago!
Come here and see what I can do, I'll rip that black suit out off of you! Take off your tie and strangle you! You're doomed!
Filled with even more passion, Rainbow took to the air again and threw punches and kicks in mid air.
Slendermane, Slendermane, I know this will sound crash, Slendermane, Slendermane, But I'm gonna kick your ass! Mark my words! You are gonna pay! I'm gonna save you, sis!
"WAAAAAAAIIIIIIIT!!!!"
Rainbow Dash turned and looked down to see everypony from the farmhouse running over to her, with Applejack leading the way. Button Mash, however, suddenly jumped up, bounded off of Big Macintosh's back, over Applejack, and landed in front of the group. Looking frantically nervous, Button called out urgently to Rainbow Dash.
His tentacles fly out and penetrate your spine! He'll teleport off-screen then buck you from the other side! And if you try to counter with your Buccaneer Blaze! That's when he'll use his "face," to bring his static haze!
Rainbow Dash hovered back down to ground level, and Button Mash got closer as he tried to get his point across.
Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, (I'm not frightened, I'm not afraid of fighting,) You can't fight Slendermane! (There's gotta be a chance to rescue Scootaloo.) Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, (I don't care what you all say, Slendermane is gonna pay,) I should know, I've played the game! (My sister's out there somewhere, I gotta rescue her.)
Rainbow Dash flew high into the air and pointed down at the large crowd.
I don't care who gets in my way!
Rainbow Dash then looped in mid air and rocketed off at top speed towards the Everfree Forest while shouting as loud as she could.
I'M GONNA SAVE YOU, SIS!!!!
All the group could do is watch in silence as Rainbow Dash used her unmatched speed to disappear into the distance.
"Hope she at least has 20 bits with her. . ." Button said softly in defeat.
Rainbow Dash landed in a clearing of the Everfree Forest just as Celestia finished lowering the Sun. Luna was already bringing the moon up over the horizon. The pegasus looked around at her surroundings, wondering why she had chosen this spot of all places to land. She also noticed how oddly quiet the forest seemed. She expected to hear animals chattering, Timberwolves howling, anything. But the forest was dead silent tonight.
"Okay," Dash said to herself, "Now what?"
The answer to that question was obvious: find Scootaloo. However, Dash suddenly realized that she had no plan whatsoever. Remaining calm, Dash decided that he should start with seeing what Goldie Delicious had given her. So she dug into the saddlebags and searched through them.
The first item was an ordinary flashlight. Handy.
The next item was looked like a plain black photo album with eight plastic sleeves. Odd.
And finally there was a pair of goggles, similar to the ones she wore when flying at the Wonderbolt Academy.
Curious, Rainbow Dash put the clear goggles on. She looked around the forest with them, not seeing any difference in vision, until suddenly, her vision blurred slightly, and a high pitch squawking noise echoed in her head. Rainbow recoiled in shock, but didn't turn away from the section of the forest she was looking in. As she stared off in that direction, the blur of the goggles stayed. Rainbow Dash wasn't a genius like Twilight, but she could figure out what this meant.
"He's that way," she said to herself. And so, with only the light of the flashlight, due to the trees blocking the light of Luna's moon, Rainbow Dash walked on, deeper into the Everfree Forest.
Rainbow Dash had been walking for a few long minutes without seeing or hearing a thing. Even the blur of the goggles had gone away. Just when she thought she was going the wrong way, Dash spotted something in the light shining from the flashlight sticking out of her saddle bag. Her heart leapt. It was a piece of paper, stuck to a tree. Rainbow sprinted over to it and reached it in seconds. She looked at it long and hard, the sight of it bringing a mixture of both hope and fear to her heart.
"Scoots. . ." Dash said softly, her mind moving at sonic speeds. Did Scootaloo leave this message? Had she escaped from Slendermane? Was she still caught? Was she still alive?
Rainbow Dash shook her head to clear it, "Keep it together, Dash," she said to herself. She then looked at the page hanging on the tree. "Wait a minute," she said, and she took out the photo album from her saddle bags. "I wonder. . ." she said thoughtfully. She then shrugged her shoulders, took the page off of the tree, and slipped it into one of the albums' plastic sleeves.
Thump. . .Thump. . .Thump. . .Thump. . .
Rainbow Dash felt her hair stand on end as she looked around frantically.
Nothing. . .
Rainbow breathed out slightly, and started walking in a random direction, hoping that she'd find something. She walked through the forest, scanning her surrounding for clues. Hoof prints, stands of hair, anything that could lead her to her little sister.
"Come on. . .where are you?" Rainbow breathed out softly.
After a few minutes of walking, Rainbow Dash spotted another sheet of paper attached to a tree.
"I knew it," she remarked as she ran up to it and read its message.
"I get it," Rainbow Dash said darkly as she took the paper and put it into the book, "This is all game to you, isn't it!" Rainbow called out to the forest at large, a rage filled expression on her face, "Well I'm not leaving you alone! I'm getting my sister back! you hear me!?"
Her only answer was her own echo in the dead silent forest.
"Heh-heh. . ." Dash laughed nervously, and she pressed on.
After a few minutes, Dash found herself amid a section of trees that were cut halfway up. It was as if a giant pair of scissors came down and snipped off the tops of a whole bunch of trees.
"What the hay?" Dash said in shock, "What happened here?"
However, her shock was soon forgotten when she saw another page on one of the cut trees.
"I'm not here to run," Rainbow said.
Suddenly, a low droning noise echoed through the woods. Rainbow Dash shuddered in spite of herself.
Rainbow soon came across a pair of large white rocks. Looking at them reminded here of the story of how Rarity got her Cutie Mark, causing a quick smile to pass across her face. She also noticed another page stuck to one of the rocks.
Rainbow gave it a quick look over and put it in the book. She then decided to check the other side of the rock. The pegasus mare walked around the rock, wondering if she could find another clue.
And there it was.
The grating sound came back at full force, her vision blurring through her goggles as she caught sight of the faceless stallion. Before she even knew what was happening, Rainbow Dash found herself running as fast as possible, not daring to look back. She ran and ran, her mind focused on putting as much distance between her and the pale stallion.
Before long, she found herself leaning against an abandoned wooden cart, putting a hoof onto it to support her as she breathed heavily. Suddenly, tears sprung unbidden to her eyes.
"I ran! I ran away like a coward! I was supposed to fight that thing! I was supposed to save my little sister!" she thought angrily. She beat at her head with her hooves, angered at herself for her cowardice. After the third hit, she stopped in mid strike, ruffled her mane, and slapped her face a few times. "Keep it together Dash," she told herself, "Think about it. If you look at it, you die. You had to ru- retreat. If this is a game, then maybe. . .Scoots is the prize."
Regaining her confidence, Rainbow Dash stood up straight and gave a determined nod. "I'm gonna find the rest of those pages!" She turned to the cart, and lo and behold, there was another page.
By the light of her flashlight, Rainbow Dash came across what looked like an abandoned camp site. The fire was nothing put a pile of charred wood, and the tents were old and falling apart, with wide gaping holes in them.
Rainbow gulped, her imagination conjuring up an image of a group of friends camping out, like when she, Rarity, Applejack, and all their sisters had camped out; midnight their own business until Slendermane appeared.
The mare shuddered, doing her best to push those thoughts out of her head with the memory of that night when Scootaloo became her sister, when she had both literally and figuratively taken the little orange pegasus under her wing. That felt nicer than she had expected to be. Perhaps it was because she hated being alone, and with Scootaloo as her little sister, she'd never be alone again.
Or at least, so she thought.
Rainbow Dash focused her mind back on the task at hand, and looked around the campsite.
"Gotcha," she said as she snatched up a page stuck to the backside of the canvas tent.
The thought of the creature's face sent shivers down Dash's spine. Or was it the sudden ghostly breeze that began blowing through the area? Dash suddenly became aware of how her goggles were blurring slightly. Against her better judgement, she peeked out from behind the tent. She could see Slendermane standing a midst the trees.
Rainbow Dash ran without a second thought. "Have to get away. Have to survive. Have to win! For Scoots," she thought resolutely.
Rainbow Dash skidded to a halt when she came across a harrowing sight. It was a huge tree. A huge dead tree. While everything else around it was green and full of life, this tree was gray and bare.
"I wonder if he life in this thing," Dash thought to herself, half as a joke and half as a serious question. Dash cautiously walked around the trunk of the creepy dead tree. To her delight, she spotted the seventh page.
"Great," Dash said, snatching up the page and sticking it in the black album, "One more page and-."
Dash stopped dead in his tracks when he got a good look at what was on the page.
Dash's heart began to pound harder and faster than ever before. This page seemed to instill a new level of fear in her. And then, Dash heard the high pitched noise. The noise that went off over and over again. The noise that mingled with the howling wind and thumping sounds to create a symphony of terror.
Rainbow Dash took a few steps forward, and Slendermane was there.
Too frightened to scream, Rainbow Dash just soundlessly turned and ran as fast as she could off into the forest, the sounds around her getting louder and louder as she ran. Time and time again she would catch glimpses of the tall figure in the woods around her. One time, he appeared right in her path, and she had to roll to the side quickly to avoid him.
"Come on, come on, come on! Where is it? Where-?" Rainbow thought, but was interrupted when she came to the edge of a cliff. She slid to a halt just in time. She turned to check if Slendermane was still following her, but that's when she saw it. On a nearby tree. The final page.
"YES!" Rainbow shouted, running to the tree, snatching up the page, and slipping it into the final plastic sleeve of the album.
Rainbow Dash shut the book closed, and at that very moment, all the noises stopped. She blinked her eyes as silence rang out around her.
"Did I do it? Is that it? Will he let Scootaloo go now?" Dash thought hopefully.
Not sure of what to do, Rainbow started walking alongside the cliff's edge, wondering what she should do now that she had won Slendermane's game. But then, at that very moment, an irresistible force seemed to grab Rainbow Dash and spin her around, bringing her face to face with Slendermane.
Rainbow felt her mind begin to break as she stared at blank faced stallion, tentacles slithering out from his back. Rainbow Dash couldn't move. She was hypnotized by the horrifying figure, even though the blur that the goggles provided.
Just as the evil tentacles were about to lash out at the mare, she suddenly regained control of her body, reached into her saddlebag, and pulled out the book of pages, holding it in front of her like a shield. She closed her eyes tightly and backed up. . .and fell over the edge of the cliff. It wasn't a straight drop, so she bounced onto the rocky surface a few times, still clutching the book as she tumbled down, down, down; until she hit her head on a rock and everything went black.
"See, Scoots! What did I tell ya? If carrying Ponyville's flag in the Equestria Games doesn't proof your awesomeness, then nothing will!"
"Thanks Rainbow Dash. But I'd even be here if it weren't for you."
"Well, that's what big sisters do. They look out for ya."
"Heh-heh, well. . ."
"Umm. . . . .Oh, to hay with it, come here Squirt."
Rainbow Dash pulled Scootaloo into a hug, much to the filly's surprise and joy.
"I love ya, little sis . . ."
"Scootaloo!?" Rainbow Dash shouted as she sprung awake suddenly. Celestia's Sun was shining down upon the gorge Rainbow Dash lay in. The sky was blue, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Dash looked around, only to see nothing but rocks. She looked down, and saw that the book with the eight pages was laying on her chest, perhaps after protecting her all night.
"So. . .he didn't get me. . ." Dash observed, but then she frowned, "But where's Scoots!? I won that thing's stupid game! Where's Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash got up quickly and shouted at the top of her lungs, "SCOOTALOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
The only reply was the echoing of her own voice.
Rainbow Dash growled and bucked at the dirt beneath her hooves, angered that she apparently went through that nightmare last night for nothing. She picked up the book and flashlight and stowed them away in her saddlebags. Then, without really thinking, she began walking in a random direction, lost in her own thoughts.
"I have to be making some progress, here. I mean, I collected that thing's pages, that has to mean something. If only I had waited to here more from Goldie Delicious. She sounded like she knew more about Slendermane. Why did I take off so quickly?! Why didn't I wait!? Why-?"
BONK!
Rainbow Dash walked right into something wooden, causing her to see stars. She shook off the dizziness and took a look at what she had bumped into. It was a wooden sign that read in faded lettering:
The Slate Family Rock Farm FORECLOSED
The "FORECLOSED" part was a sheet of paper glued to the sign. Rainbow looked past the sign and saw that the gorge widened up into what seemed to be a huge crater, as if it were once a huge lake with a river valley flowing into it in the past. Within the huge crater was a decrepit farmhouse and silo. Filled with a new hope, Rainbow flew at top speed to the structures, imagining herself finding Scootaloo tied up and gagged in the basement, untying the poor filly, and the two of them hugging joyfully as the orange pegasus praised her hero for rescuing her.
Rainbow Dash walked away from the building feeling more angry than ever. She searched through both the farmhouse, the basement, the attic, and even the silo for hours, and all she found were crude drawings of that accursed stallion on the walks, ceiling and floors that weren't already collapsed.
It was clear to her why this rock farm was no longer operational.
Just as Dash as about to take to the sky and search from the air, she spotted a large black spot on the wall of the crater.
"Hey," Dash said, and she quickly made her way to it. As she suspected, it turned out to be a cave.
"It's probably a mine," Dash commented. She pulled out her flashlight, clicked it on, and entered the cave.
Dash seemed to be having some luck in the deduction department, because the cave was indeed a mine-shaft. The walls of the cave were picked and chiseled smooth, and every so often there'd be a wooden post holding the ceiling up. After waling for a few minutes, Dash came across a vast wide cavern with a high ceiling. In the center of it was a tall structure that went up into the roof. Dash quickly approached the structure, and quickly discovered that it was a freight elevator. Dash shined her flashlight on the control panel. Dash never was one to read instructions, but skimming it easily told her that she needed to make sure six generators were up and running. Luckily, she knew what a generator looked like, thanks to the ones Twilight had in her basement.
Rainbow Dash turned to see the many passages strewn about the walls of the large chamber.
"Alright," she said, "Here I go."
A few minutes of walking down a random passage led her by a few carts full of coal. Dash looked around carefully, a tiny hint of paranoia in the back of her head, until she finally arrived at one of the generators. Dash hit a button on the large yellow machine and it hummed to life.
"There's one," she said.
Dash exited the first tunnel and looked into another cave. This one was shorter, and it wasn't long before generator number two was powered up.
"That's two," Dash sighed, beginning to feel bored. She hated tedious things, and that's what this was. She considered just flying up the elevator shaft, but the shaft itself was actually closed up and designed to be un-accessible unless it was turned on.
Dash turned away from the generator and walked back through the tunnel, not learning from her earlier mistake and becoming lost in her thoughts again.
"Sweet Celestia, this is boring. At least when I was picking up papers in the forest it felt like I was winning against Slendermane. He isn't even here. He's not involved here. I may not even be going the right way. I'm not any closer to Scootaloo. I can only hope she's up wherever that elevator leads. But all I really want is to get a fair shot at that creep. Why doesn't he fight fair. I could buck his face so hard he'll have a face. I swear, I'm gonna rip his tentacles-"
Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped when a constant sound came to her ears. It had started the moment Dash had turned on the second generator, and it had gotten louder and louder with each passing second.
It was the sound of running hoof steps.
Dash slowly turned her head in the direction of a tunnel across from him. She looked into the deep darkness, her eyes wide as saucers as the hoof steps got louder and louder.
And then, a pony wearing a dirty white cloak ran out.
Dash shouted out in fear, fumbling the flashlight in her hooves. She pointed the light at the cloaked pony, fully illuminating it. The pony's fur was very dirty, almost charcoal black, as if it had been rolling around in the coal. When the light fell upon it, it quickly lifted a hoof to cover its face, as if the light was burning it's eyes.
"Who are you. . . ?" Rainbow Dash breathed out nervously. She gulped down the lump in her throat, and she said louder, "Who are you?!"
The figure slowly lowered its hoof and revealed its face.
It was a skull.
Just when Rainbow thought it couldn't get any worse, the skull faced figure let out a blood curdling shriek, and ran straight at her.
It took a second or two for Rainbow's mind to process what was happening, and when it did, Rainbow turned around fast and ran like a vampire fruit bat out of Tartarus. Her heart pounded as she ran down a random tunnel, her hooves thundering against the floor. She chanced a glance behind her, and saw to her horror that the Chaser was right behind her, and gaining fast.
Rainbow looked ahead of her and saw a pile of crates forming a wall. However, there was a gap on between the top of the stack and ceiling. Rainbow leapt up into the air and flew through the gap, and floated down gently on the other side.
Rainbow took a deep breath in relief, thankful that frightening chase was over. "What was that thing?" Dash asked to herself, amazed at how frightened she had become. Dash turned, and spotted a third generator. She turned it on, and then quickly walked deeper through the tunnel.
"Must be one of Slendermane's minions," Dash said to herself, "Coward. Sending someone else to do his dirty work."
Rainbow was reminded of the special goggles she was wearing when Slendermane popped into existence right in front of her. Rainbow screamed as her vision went nuts and she turned onto a branching pathway, running away from the faceless phantom.
Dash soon found herself in a cavern filled with metal barrels. She didn't know nor care what the barrels contained. She was just focused on finding the last three generators before she got killed.
"Slendermane, and skull-face," Dash thought to herself, "This just isn't fair."
Dash walked behind a stack of barrels and spotted the fourth generator. After turning it on, the sound of running hooves came to her ears again. This time, however, Dash squashed the fear in her chest.
"That thing ain't Slendermane. I can take this thing down. I'll make skull face talk."
Dash grit her teeth as she walked around from behind the barrels.
"I'm not afraid."
Dash jumped and slid behind a line of barrels and listened to the sound of the approaching Chaser.
"For Scootaloo!"
Dash leapt out form behind the barrels. . .only to receive two blunt hooves to her chest.
Dash was knocked down flat on her back, and her wings were pinned down to the ground. The roars and shrieks of the Chaser echoed throughout the cavern as Rainbow Dash stared up in horror at the skull faced creature. Her whole body felt cold and her heart was screaming as the horrifying phantom held her down helplessly. The Chaser's eyes were black and empty, and foul smelling, rasping breaths puffed out of the mouth. It roared as it began slamming its hooves against Dash's face. The punches seemed to snap Rainbow Dash out of her terror, and something awakened within her.
"I can't die! I gotta save my sister from these monsters!"
Dash gave a shout as she used all her strength, and pushed herself up, beating her wings with maximum strength and knocking the Chaser off of her. The Chaser arced a considerable distance through the air and landed painfully on its back a few meters away. The Chaser didn't appear to be dazed by the landing, but it quickly got up and ran off.
Dash panted as she tried to get her heart back down to it's normal rate.
"I'm close," Dash said, "I gotta be getting close to her. They're trying to stop me." Dash cracked a smile and turned to walk away, "Well, that's not gonna happen. I'm gonna get to Scootaloo. And then they're all gonna pay." Dash walked through another tunnel, this one filled with a bunch of gems sticking out of the walls. "Spike would like it here. . .actually, no, he wouldn't think gems are worth being chased by psychotic monsters." At the end of the tunnel, Dash found generator number five. "One more left," Dash said as she switched it on. She ran through another tunnel and found herself in the main elevator chamber. She ran across the room towards a tunnel, but then Slendermane suddenly barred the way.
Dash sidestepped and threw herself into an adjacent tunnel, and ran down it thinking, "That last generator's gotta be in that other tunnel. Oh please, let this tunnel connect to it. . ." Dash scanned the right wall for any possible doors or openings, and just when she almost lost all hope, a shaft clogged with fallen wooden beams and stone appeared.
"Heyaaaaaahhhh!" Dash shouted as she threw herself at the debris, kicking and punching at it, smashing wood and kicking out stone. In a few brief moments, Dash had smashed through the blockade, and plowed through the short shaft. Then she saw the final generator.
"YES!" Dash exclaimed as she switched the generator on. She turned to go back the way she came, but stopped.
"He wouldn't appear in the same place twice. . ." she thought, and then she ran down the passage way that Slendermane had blocked. She jumped off the ground and flew down the tunnel until she arrived in the elevator chamber. She skidded to a halt at the controls and turned them on, and the old slightly rusted gears groaned as the entire elevator shaft shuddered. Dash jumped onto the platform, and heard the fierce growling of the Chaser. Dash looked across to see the dirty cloaked pony charge towards her at top speed.
"Come on, come on!" Dash said to the elevator as it shuddered and moved a few inches upwards. She looked back at the approaching skull faced phantom quickly closed the distance between them. Dash suddenly remembered how the Chaser had reacted when she shined her flashlight at it. She whipped out the flashlight and clicked it on and off, flashing it at the figure. The Chaser stopped dead in its tracks, shielding it's skeletal face with its dirty black hooves, stumbling backwards as the light appeared to burn it.
But then, after a few tense moments, the batteries of the flashlight gave out.
Dash's cry of fear died in her throat as the elevator jerked free with a loud clank and carried her up rather quickly. "Thank, Celestia," she breathed as the elevator carried her up and up and out of the mine.
Rainbow Dash exited the small wooden building that contained the top of the elevator. Dash looked around at the surrounding woods, wondering where to go next. She looked up at the setting Sun, and that's when she noticed the radio tower in the distance.
Button Mash bit gently on the glow stick, slightly illuminated the path of the three young ponies through the Everfree Forest.
"What's the point of using those things if we got flashlights?" came Applebloom's southern drawl.
Button turned around and glared at the yellow earth pony seriously. "Because this Hardcore mode!"
"Uhh. . . ." Applebloom said.
Button sighed and rolled his eyes, "The batteries will die! It's a common horror trope."
"Life ain't a game or a movie!" Applebloom complained as she took out her flashlight and clicked it on.
"Don't do that! You'll attract to much attention!" Button shouted as he tackled Applebloom and wrenched the flashlight away from her.
"Give that back!" Applebloom shouted as the she and Button wrestled on the ground.
Sweetie Belle watched her friends wrestle from afar. She shook her head and said, "Oh come on, you two. Did you forget why we snuck out here? Scootaloo. . .? Ring any bells?"
The two earth ponies stopped fighting, and then both quickly got up.
"Sorry, Applebloom," Button said as he adjusted his hat, "I'm just really nervous about this."
"It's alright," Applebloom muttered, "But these glow sticks aren't very bright."
"We don't want to attract the Slendermane!" Button said in a loud whisper.
"Well Ah guess he must be deaf, because your saddle bag is jingling like crazy!" Applebloom complained.
"Firs of all, this is a game satchel!" Button said indignantly as he tapped his bag with the directional pad symbol on it. "And second of all, in here is insurance!" Button opened his stacheld and revealed a pile of bits.
"How is money gonna help us out in the middle of the forest?" Applebloom asked.
"Well, duuuuuhhhhhhh!" Button said with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, "Everypony knows that Slendermane will leave you alone if you give him 20 bits."
"Seriously?" Applebloom said in a deadpan tone.
Button moved his face closer to Applebloom's face and said angrily, "Is this the time or the place for joking around?"
Applebloom backed off quickly and stood next to Sweetie Belle. "Okay, okay, Ah believe you. It's serious. Hey wait! What if it's 20 bits per pony?"
Button cried out as Applebloom tackled him and reached into Button's saddle bags.
"Applebloom! Stop! You're hurting him!" Sweetie Belle cried out worriedly.
There was the sound of tinkling coins as Applebloom's hoof flicked the money out of the bag.
"NOOO! My only line of defense!" Button shouted as he pushed Applebloom off of him and started gathering the money up as Applebloom did the same thing.
"STOP IT! STOP IT!" Sweetie Belle cried out, causing the other two ponies to stop there frantic scrambling. "Look at yourselves! You're acting crazy! When we decided to sneak off into the Everfree and go save Scootaloo, I thought we were gonna focus on saving our friend! But all you're doing is using this whole thing as an excuse to fight with one another! This isn't about us! This is about Scootaloo! Remember!?"
Button and Applebloom looked very ashamed as they stared at the ground.
"Sweetie Belle. . ." Button said, "I didn't want you to come at first, because this is dangerous, and you're my best friend in the world. I'd never forgive myself if something bad happened to you." Button looked up at Sweetie Belle with a smile, "But now, I'm so glad you convince us to let you come with us."
Sweetie Belle sighed and smiled.
Button turned to Applebloom and held his hoof out to her. "Friends?"
Applebloom looked over and nodded to Sweetie Belle, and then turned back to Button and shook hooves with him. "Best!"
Button nodded, "Thanks, Applebloom. I guess I just couldn't help but get a little worried about this. I mean, my fur's the darkest."
"Huh?" Applebloom said.
Button smiled sheepishly, "Horror trope. Right, Sweetie-" Button froze and his heart seemed to skip a beat when he turned to look at Sweetie Belle.
"Oh no. . ." Applebloom whispered as she turned her head to the right. Her fears were soon realized.
Sweetie Belle was gone
"SWEETIE BELLE!!!" Button shouted at the top of his lungs as he took out his own flashlight and shone it around wildly, "SWEETIE BELLE! SAY SOMETHING! PLEASE, TELL US WHERE YOU ARE!"
"Button, clam down! Please-" Applebloom said urgently.
"NO-NO-NO-NO-NOOOOO!" Button cried out as he dropped his flashlight and fell flat on the ground. "SWEETIE BELLE!" Button shouted as he broke down into tears.
"Come on, Button, get it together!"
"N-n-no! She's gone!" Button said in between heavy sobs, "She's gone and it's all my fault!"
SMACK!
Button's head was knocked to one side from the force of Applebloom's slap.
"Now you listen to me," Applebloom said seriously, "We are not gonna fall apart here. We're gonna find her, but first we gotta calm down, alright?"
Button sniffed and nodded tearfully.
"Okay then," Applebloom said, and she shifted her gaze to the bits on the ground, "Maybe. . .if we give him the 20 bits he'll let Sweetie Belle go."
Button growled, "Sweetie Belle is worth tons more than 20 bits!"
Applebloom shrugged and started gathering up the bits, "Well, you said that 20 bits was his price."
Button sighed as the filly tossed in the money into Button's satchel. "Okay. . .let's go."
"Wait!" Applebloom said, "What about Scootaloo?"
Button growled again and said in a dead serious tone, "We - save - Sweetie Belle - FIRST!"
"Okay, okay! Gosh, let's just go," Applebloom said disgruntledly.
Button and Applebloom walked silently through the empty woods. They were looking around the woods, scrutinizing every tree with the hope of spotting the snow colored filly.
"Applebloom?"
"Yeah Button?"
"You know that you're one of my best friends, along with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle right?" Button asked nervously.
Applebloom blinked, but then smiled warmly, and put a foreleg around his shoulder. "Don't worry Button, we're friends for sure."
Button smiled slightly, but it quickly fell back into a frown. "We have to save them. We have to find them."
"We will, Button we will," Applebloom said, "Ah'm sure when everypony realized that we've gone, they'll come out and find us." Applebloom's eyes widened, "Oh my gosh, we are so grounded!"
Button shrugged, "It'll be worth it when we find-" Button suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
"What is it?" Applebloom asked.
Button gulped loudly, "Check that out. . ."
Applebloom followed his gaze and spotted a creepy looking dead tree in front of them. Applebloom let out a sigh of relief and said, "It's just an ugly old-"
A cloaked figure jumped out from the top of the tree and landed in front of Applebloom and Button. Button shrieked and jumped behind Applebloom in fear.
The figure raised it's head and snarled through it's filthy skull face.
The two ponies ran screaming as loud as they possibly could as the snarls and shrieks of the Chaser echoed throughout the forest.
Button Mash sat inside a dark tunnel, his legs sore and his body exhausted from running so fast for so long. After managing to catch his breath, Button thought about his situation. He looked around and saw that he was completely alone. His heart sunk down so low that he could've sworn that it was in the Nether.
"My friends. . .they're all. . ." Button Mash said miserably, his lip trembling as tears leaked out of his eyes. But then, something inside him snapped. He jumped up on his hooves with a determined look in his eyes. "I'm gonna end this once and for all." Button Mash scratched at the ground with his left hoof. His eyes spotted a sizeable stone on the ground. He picked it up and tossed it up and down, "I'll smash Slendermane and his skull faced friend!" he said in deadly earnest. Button stood up tall and declared "By the forces of Wisdom, Power, and Courage; in the name of the Wizard Ruler of Arcana; I shall save those fair maidens!"
Rainbow Dash trudged onward through the woods and towards the radio tower, it's blinking red light calling her forward, beckoning to her. The mare kept on walking, her mind working hard as she went over the many possible outcomes that this journey could have. Was Scootaloo waiting for her in that building? Would Rainbow Dash burst into a room and find her sister tied up, after which she would free her and share an long awaited hug? Or would Slendermane and his skull-faced Chaser be waiting for her, and an epic battle for her little sister's life would begin?
Once again, Rainbow Dash was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize what was happening in the world around her. It took a burning tree falling to the ground in front of her to snap her out of her thoughts. She stepped backwards and looked around to see that she was standing right in the middle of an enormous forest fire.
"What the hay!?" Dash shouted as she looked around at the flaming death surrounding her. But then, the image of the tall thin stallion standing wreathed in flames caught her eye, which led her to turn and make a beeline for the radio tower. She didn't bother to look around or behind her. She just couldn't. She had to get to that building. Embers fell rained down around her, and trees began falling down and collapsing into flames.
"Come on, come on, come on!" Dash said to herself as she jumped into the air and twirled through the air, diving through raining embers and under falling trees. She then crashed through a chain link french and rolled across the ground. The pegasus got up to her hooves and looked up at the radio tower standing above her. She looked at the door to the building and opened it, ran in, closed the door behind her, and locked it securely.
Dash gave a long sigh of relief, and turned around. He breath caught in her throat as she saw the messages scrawled in white paint on the walls of the hallway. Messages like "Stop running", "You were already dead the moment you left", "The Arrival will be your departure", "He attracts us to him for his pleasure," "He loves his proxies," and "You belong to him now."
Dash looked at all of these messages scrawled on the walls as she traveled down the corridor, wondering who made them, and to where this hallway would lead her. Dash soon noticed that there was a fire burning at the end of the hall. But what really got Dash's heart pumping was the figure of a pony lying in a fetal position and illuminated by the burning wood nearby.
Dash quickly closed the final distance and slid to a halt when the identity of the pony became clear.
"Sweetie Belle?" Rainbow asked in disbelief.
The white unicorn filly opened her eyes and turned towards the pegasus mare. She gasped, tears in her eyes, and ran over to hug the older mare. "Oh, Rainbow Dash! It was just horrible! It took me! It was the! Worst! Possible! Thing!"
As Sweetie Belle sobbed into Dash's fur, Dash noticed the white paint smeared all over Sweetie Belle's hooves and horn. "Did she write those messages? Why?" Dash thought to herself. This also brought another more pressing thought to mind. "What the hay are you even doing here!?" Dash asked in a slightly angry tone.
Sweetie Belle let go of Rainbow Dash and wiped her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Rainbow, but we were so worried about Scootaloo-"
"What do you mean, we!?" Rainbow asked angrily.
Sweetie Belle shrank back and said, "W-well. . .Appelbloom and Button wanted to-"
"Why didn't you tell anypony! Why didn't you get somepony to stop them! Now you're in danger too!" Dash exclaimed, looking quite furious. Sweetie Belle hung her head in shame. Dash was about to say more, but stopped short when she noticed one final message written on the wall before her. What made this message different was that it was written in bright orange paint.
YOU HAVE FAILED HER
Suddenly, loud banging could be heard from the other end of the hallway.
"Eep!" Sweetie Belle squeaked as she jumped next to Rainbow Dash.
The mare stood protectively in front of the filly as she stared down the darkened hallway to the door that seemed to have gotten much further away than she recalled. The banging continued, getting louder and louder by the second. Then, the nearby fire blew out, plunging the pair into darkness.
"W - w - we're doomed!" Sweetie Belle screamed.
As the banging intensified, the door could be heard slowly breaking.
"NO WAY!" Rainbow Dash thought, "I'm not gonna let it end like this!" She looked around wildly, in a desperate search for some way out. Then, her eyes fell upon the wooden ceiling above her. "Yes," she thought. She quickly placed Sweetie Belle onto her back.
"Listen to me, Sweetie Belle. Hang on as tight as you can!" Dash shouted. The filly silently obeyed, and the pegasus took a few steps back down the hall, the banging still ringing out in her ears. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash charged forward across the floor, apparently heading straight for the wall. Then, at the last possible moment, Rainbow Dash jumped and unfurled her wings. She pulled up quickly and soared up into the air. Just as the door was broken down in a crash, Rainbow burst through the wooden roof in a smash.
As pieces of wood flew wild, Dash flew away from the radio tower without looking back.
Once they were a good distance from the forest fire, Rainbow Dash landed, and Sweetie Belle jumped of her back excitedly.
The little filly hopped up and down joyously and said, "Oh my gosh! You saved my life, Rainbow Dash! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank-" The filly stopped when she noticed that Rainbow Dash was looking down mournfully, her eyes closed.
"Rainbow Dash?" Sweetie Belle asked softly.
Dash didn't hear Sweetie Belle speak. All she could think of was that cryptic message that was written on the wall.
"You have failed her. . ."
Sweetie Belle let out a gasp when she saw tears leaking out of the tough pegasus' eyes.
"Rainbow. . .we'll. . ." Sweetie Belle gulped down a lump in her throat and said confidently, "We'll find her! We'll find Scootaloo. I know we will!"
Dash didn't say anything. She just stood silently with her head down as the feeling of failure overtook her.
"SWEETIE BELLE!!!!!!"
The filly's head turned to face the shout and saw Button Mash running towards her.
"Button! You're okay!" Sweetie Belle cried as she ran up to meet him in a hug.
"I was so worried!" Button said through his tears.
"Me too," Sweetie Belle replied.
"Where's Applebloom?"
The young ponies turned to see Rainbow Dash with a serious look as she approached them.
"I know she came with you. Where is she?" Dash demanded.
Sweetie Belle turned to Button, who simply blinked and shuffled his hooves nervously. "Well. . .there was this really scary skull pony-"
Button was interrupted by a loud terrified shriek. Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped as Button stood frozen solid.
"Not again!" Dash shouted furiously as she ran off into the forest. "Stay close behind me!" she called back behind her. The two exchanged glances before quickly running after Rainbow Dash.
The pegasus paced herself. She ran quickly to get to the source of the scream, but slowed up so she didn't leave Button and Sweetie Belle too far behind.
"I'm not failing anypony ever again!" she thought resolutely.
Dash burst through a bush, and came face to face with the skull faced pony, who was standing on top of a terrified looking Applebloom. The cloaked pony made a sound similar to laughter, and then placed it's grimy hooves on Applebloom's neck.
"OH, HAY NO!" Dash shouted as she threw herself at the Chaser with her hooves out. The two ponies rolled across the ground for a few feet, as the Chaser swing its hooves wildly. To Dash' surprise, one of the dirty hooves caught her goggles, and it pulled it off with a snap. And then, the figure rolled off of her and ran off.
Dash got up and looked at the Chaser, who was now leaning up against the side of a big tree, breathing heavily. It held up the goggles mockingly, swinging them around and making guttural sounds.
Dash scratched at the ground with her front hoof. But before she charged, the Chaser pointed to the side. Dash would've ignored it if she hadn't heard the terrified weeping. She turned to see Applebloom trembling on the ground, pale and trembling in fear as she stared at something. Dash turned yet again, and saw that Slendermane was only two feet behind her.
Without the goggles, all Dash could do was stand dead still, staring blankly at Slendermane's empty face. The creature released its tentacles, and they slowly snaked out towards her. Rainbow Dash was held helpless as her mind seemed to crack, warp, and melt under the eyeless gaze of the faceless creature. The tentacles wrapped around her legs, torso, and neck.
The Chaser laughed hoarsely as Slendermane pulled the rainbow maned pegasus close in with his constricting tentacles.
Rainbow Dash dived down at top speed just in time to catch the screaming orange pegasus.
"I gotcha!" Dash declared as she carried Scootaloo up and back towards dry land.
The scared filly opened her eyes and said in relief, "Rainbow Dash! Is that you? Thank you, thank you!"
The pair soon landed, and Rainbow Dash placed Scootaloo on the ground in front of her. The older mare's heart was pounding, and the cold ice cube of fear still lay in her stomach.
"If I hadn't woken up. . ." Dash thought fearfully as images of Scootaloo plunging to her death began to cloud her mind. Dash quickly attempted to dispel those fears by putting on angry disposition.
"What were you doing out here in the middle of the night?!" she demanded frustratedly.
At first, Scootaloo turned away in shame. But then, she turned back a stared at Rainbow Dash for a moment. She then took a deep breath and spoke in earnest, "I'm so, so sorry, Rainbow Dash! I just wanted you to hang out with me and see how cool I was so you'd take me under your wing, teach me everything you know, and become like my big sister!"
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in shock. "Her big sister? I knew she was my number one fan. . .but. . .wow. . ." she thought.
Scootaloo took a breath and continued, "But then you started telling those spooky stories and I got scared! I thought I heard The Headless Horse so I ran out here by myself, and..." Scootaloo began to tear up, "...well, I guess you know the rest."
Rainbow Dash stared long and hard at the little filly. "So, she was scared. . .but she tried to hide it. . .just like I did. . ." she thought to herself. And then, at that moment, Rainbow Dash realized something that she felt like kicking herself from not realizing sooner. That fiery fighting spirit. That enthusiasm. That desire to be awesome. That love of action and excitement. The way she wanted to look cool and tough in front of everypony else.
"She's. . .just like me. . " Rainbow Dash thought to herself. And right then and there, she made up her mind.
She smiled warmly at the filly and said, "Hey, I'm gonna tell you something, but if you ever tell anypony else, I'm gonna deny it. First time I heard those stories..." she looked around to make sure nopony was listening in, "I was scared too."
Scootaloo sniffled and blinked. "You were?" she asked.
Rainbow nodded. "Sure! I mean, I got over it because I realized pretty quick that if there was such thing as a Headless Horse, I could totally take it on," she said with a smile. A smile that Scootaloo reciprocated. Rainbow Dash got a little closer to Scootaloo and said, "So, you're looking for somepony to take you under their wing, huh?"
"Mm-hmm."
Dash extended her wing and draped it around Scootaloo, pulling her in close. "Yeah, I might be up for something like that," she said.
An enraptured smile appeared on Scootaloo's face. "Really?" she gasped, sure that this was all too good to be true.
Rainbow Dash smiled and said jokingly, "As long as you don't go falling into any more rivers in the middle of the night."
Scootaloo laughed and said, "It's a deal!"
Rainbow Dash soon realized how nice it felt to have a little filly cuddling up next to her. The thought that she had somepony, a little sister, to look out for and support in her time of need gave her a feeling of fulfillment that was even stronger than when she performed her first Sonic Rainboom.
And so, Rainbow Dash pulled the filly in closer with her wing, and nuzzled her in a tender loving hug.
"Well, Rainbow Dash," she thought to herself, "You just got yourself a little sister. . .your sister. . .your sister. . . your sister. . ."
"MY SISTER!!!!" Rainbow Dash suddenly bellowed in a burst of burning passion. Her wings snapped open, and the gave a series of powerful flaps in rapid succession, which launched both her and Slendermane into the air.
Slendermanes' tentacles were still wrapped around Rainbow Dash's body, and they attempted to snake around her wings. However, the creatures attempts to halt Rainbow Dash's flight were futile, as the pegasus wings beat strong and fast enough to batter away the vile tentacles.
Slendermane tried to whip at Dash's body and face with the tips of the tentacles. He even pulled at her mane. He did whatever he could to distract the pegasus, to make her falter. But Rainbow Dash wasn't there at the moment. All that remained was a furious Element of Loyalty who knew no physical pain or thoughts. Just an unstoppable force determined to pay retribution to the creature that dared to abduct her little sister.
Soon the pair reached what had to be the stratosphere. Rainbow Dash stopped flapping her wings, and the pair began to fall. They were very quickly picking up speed, and it only took a few moments for them to reach terminal velocity. At this time, Rainbow Dash began to flap her wings again, sending them down even faster. Slendermane quickly retracted it's tentacles and attempted to fall away, but Rainbow Dash suddenly reached out and held the creature around it's neck with an iron grip. He thrashed around in an attempt to break free, but the Rainbow mare's strength was currently insurmountable. The pair went faster, faster, and faster, until with a final shout of exertion from Rainbow Dash, they finally broke through.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The Sonic Rainboom burst forth, causing a multicolored ring to expand out from the point of the explosion. When Dash landed on the ground, she landed alone.
She looked around and saw Applebloom sitting slack jawed at the display. She turned to one side and saw Button Mash and Sweetie Belle run in, also with looks of amazement on their faces.
"Rainbow Dash?" Sweetie Belle said in a hushed voice.
"Did you. . .?" Button said nervously, "I mean. . .did you. . .is he. . .?"
"Over here! They're over here, everypony!!" shouted a familiar voice.
Dash turned to see Twilight and Fluttershy flying down towards her. Out of the bushes came Rarity, Applejack, Big Mac, Milano Mash and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie tackled Rainbow Dash in a huge hug and shouted, "She's okay! She's alright!" She then turned angry and placed her forehead on Dash's, "Don't you ever scare us like this again, Rainbow Dash."
Twilight swooped down and pulled Pinkie off of Dash. "Pinkie, give Dash a chance to breathe!"
Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a gentler hug and said, "Oh, I was so worried! I'm so relieved you're okay!"
Rarity ran over to Sweetie Belle, Applejack and Big Mac ran to Applebloom, and Milano ran over to Button; each of them both coddling and discipling the young ones at the same time.
"We're sorry for running off, we really are," Sweetie Belle said sorrowfully.
"We just had to see if we could help find Scootaloo," Button Mash said, and then he put on a pitiful face and said, "Pwease don't ground us!"
Milano just sighed as she hugged the brown colt. "Oh Button, what am I going to do with you."
"Do you have any idea what kind of danger you put yourself in!?" Applejack said angrily.
"We're really sorry, Applejack," Applebloom said, "But you should've seen it! Rainbow Dash beat the monster with a Sonic Rainboom! It was amazing!"
Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, "Really? Did you really destroy it?"
Rainbow nodded and said, "Yeah. That's right. I Rainboomed that thing into oblivion. Just like Princess Luna said I would."
Twilight smiled a bit, but then it fell as quickly as it came. "And. . .Scootaloo?" she asked tentatively.
Rainbow Dash was silent at first. She didn't truly care anymore, so she just let her tears out, although she didn't sob at all as she stood there.
"I. . ." she began, but then her voice decided to stop working. She swallowed hard as everypony looked at her. She sniffed as her face became damp with tears. "I . . . I've failed-"
Rainbow was suddenly interrupted by a moaning and rustling. Everyone turned to see that the skull faced Chaser was slowly twitching and moving from where it lay after being thrown back by the Sonic Rainboom. Applebloom stepped back behind Big Mac as the Chaser got up to it's hooves.
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and started to approach the figure, but then the crowing of a rooster reached her ears.
At that very moment, Celestia raised the Sun over the land, casting light over the forest and creating a kaleidoscope of light and show through the leaves and branches of the trees. As the light fell upon the Chaser's grimy cloak and filthy fur, Rainbow Dash suddenly realized for the first time how small this pony really was.
The Chaser groaned and shielded its eyes from the sunlight, as if it had grown too used to the dark. However, it's left hoof stopped when it touched it's skeletal face. The pony's hoof hovered over the skull, and gripped the very top of it.
Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped when the figure threw down a dirty plastic Nightmare Night skull mask to the ground. She stared hard at the harmless mask for a moment, and then slowly raised her head to look at cloaked pony. She then flew forward and held the smaller pony in her forelegs. Then, without hesitation, she lifted off the dirty cloak, revealing that messy purple mane and those beautiful violet eyes.
"Rainbow. . .Dash?" the filly remarked hoarsely, a parched throat making it hard to speak clearly.
If Rainbow Dash had been crying earlier; then now, her eyes were gushing tears profusely. Dash held the filly as close to her chest as she possibly could. "I - I thought - I thought you were-," Dash sobbed, hardly unable to sort out all the emotions she was feeling at that moment.
Scootaloo felt tears of her own leak out as she shook her head and said, "Rainbow Dash, please don't cry. Everything's okay. I'm-."
"I love you, Scoots," Dash said in a tone of voice completely alien to her as she fiercely nuzzled the filly she held in her hooves, "I really do. You're the perfect little sister, and you're my sister. You're the one I get to teach to fly, to stand up for, and to take care of when you need help. I can't even describe how awesome that makes me feel." Dash took a moment to take a few deep breaths in between sobs and said, "I - I almost lost you, Scoots. It was so awful. I almost lost you. My little sister! I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I'm so sorry I let this happen to you."
Scootaloo was amazed by Rainbow Dash's display of affection as much as she was surprised by her tears. The filly put her hooves on er big sister's shoulder and said, "It wasn't your fault . . sister. . ." When Rainbow opened her eyes to look at her, Scootaloo smiled and said, "You risked your life to save me . . .that was pretty awesome, wasn't it?"
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile back. She let out a relieved laugh as she lifted Scootaloo up with her as she hovered up into the air, allowing the two of them to bask in the sunlight.
"I love you, little sis," Rainbow Dash said sincerely as she looked at her sister, seemingly not hearing the "awwws" coming from Fluttershy and the other Crusaders.
"I love you too, Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said as she rested comfortably in Rainbow Dash's embrace.
". . . . .Hey, Scoots."
"Yes?"
". . .I think you need a bath."
Scootaloo looked down at her once orange fur, which was now blackened with thick dirt. She chuckled a bit and said, "Oh yeah. I do."
Rainbow Dash smiled and ruffled Scootaloo's mane playfully, "Yeah. And after that, I think we'll have Pinkie Pie do what she does best. . ."
Rarity had insisted that Scootaloo get a full Spa treatment on her, and the filly agreed to it on the condition that they leave out the hooficure. To Scootaloo's delight, she came out of the Spa looking better than ever. Her bright orange coat was once again full of life, and her purple mane showed off its vibrant passion once again.
Sugar Cube Corner was the site of great celebration that evening. The recovery of a missing child certainly was a good reason for a party. And Scootaloo was the star of it all. The part had the usual faire. Sweet treats, lively music, games, and more. Goldie Delicious was there, of course. She was so relieved that Scootaloo was safe and sound. When Rainbow Dash told her of how she took care of Slendermane, she just smiled and asked for the goggles and eight pages back.
"I'll be needin' 'em," Goldie Delicious said plainly with a half-smile, much to Rainbow Dash's confusion.
But what surprised Rainbow Dash was how Scootaloo eagerly asked her to relate the tale of how she tracked down and defeated the creature that had kidnapped her. At first, Rainbow Dash suggested that they just forget about something so scary; but Scootaloo said that she wasn't at all scared now that her big sister was here for her, and she wanted to know all about her big sister's adventure.
And so, the party concluded with Rainbow Dash telling the tale of her daring exploits against the Slendermane, complete with embellishments. Even Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Button Mash gave their two cents in as they spoke of their own adventure.
"Wait," Sweetie Belle said, interrupting Button Mash's explanation of events, "What I want to know is how you managed to get away from Slendermane."
Button Mash just shrugged and said, "I gave him 20 bits."
Suddenly, rap music filled the room and Pinkie popped up wearing her rapper's outfit, complete with an alarm clock hanging from a chain around her neck. Vinyl Scratch appeared in the room as well. To the amusement of all, Pinkie Pie started rapping.
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
No crying in the club Monster got ya bent all night I've been watching you get freaked out all night She a Chaser and you been running 'round all night You a Proxy he got you for your rent all night Play ya position in the club or gimme 20 bits No running in the club or gimme 20 bits No hiding in the club or gimme 20 bits You on a mission in the club so gimme 20 bits
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
No crying in the club Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits Gimme twenty bits
Diamond Tiara was fuming as she punched her pillow over and over and over again. She had hopped that when Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's other Blank Friends had gone on that rescue mission, that she could get rid of all of them, leaving her free to do as she pleased without them messing up her schemes. But no, they just had to rescue Scootaloo and foil all her plans yet again.
"Curse you, curse you, curse YOU!" Diamond Tiara screamed as she hurled her pillow against the wall in her rage. She took a few deep breaths, and then walked over to retrieve her pillow. "Stupid mystery guy," she muttered, "Saying he'd take care of Scootaloo for me. Ha! There's a laugh. I drew those stupid pages for him, stuffed them in Scootaloo's bag. Well, he sure didn't deliver on his promise, the stupid loser. I'd love to give whoever he was a piece of my mind!"
Diamond Tiara put her pillow back on her bed, and then climber into bed herself. She lay awake for a while, unable to fall asleep due to her intense rage.
