) I do not own the cover art and I forget who made it. All characters in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belong to Lauren Faust and Hasbro. If you want to hear an amazing reading by SilverMistfim click this link! "Dear Fellow Crusaders....."
It was cold that September morning. Apple Bloom started her day like she always did, thinking about Scootaloo in that cursed hospital room, with more tubes injecting medicine into her body than Apple Bloom could count. She always wished that she had some miraculous cure to the cancer that had not only taken Scootaloos wings, but also left her a shell of herself. She remembered questioning why her wings had to be taken, until a nurse explained that it was a treatment to cure the cancer. She said it was the most effective of ways. Most effective for everypony except Scootaloo. It failed and she was left with no wings and still sitting in that ICU room. Even though it hadn't cured it, it did bring her survival rate up to 70%, and Apple Bloom hoped it would be enough to let her live happily, and get her our of the room very soon. Apple Bloom put her bow in her hair and proceeded to the kitchen to find Applejack sorting through the mail. She sat in one of the chairs and looked at her sister. "Any more letters from the bank sis?" Apple Bloom asked her sister. Applejack sighed.
"Yeah, they said that if we don't pay the bill next Friday they're going to take the farm." She said in a tone that sounded tired and sad. Apple Bloom frowned and hopped off the chair to hug her sister Applejack smiled a little bit. "Thanks, lil' sis I really needed that this morning." Apple Bloom let go and walked over to the door where she stopped and turned to her sister.
"I'm gonna head out to the hospital to see Scoots today." She told her sister. Applejack nodded and Apple Bloom walked through the door. As she trotted down the streets toward the hospital, she saw Sweetie Belle, who was walking in the same direction as her. Sweetie Belle frowned as Apple Bloom caught up with her.
"The hospital sent me a letter that said Scootaloo wanted to see us immediately, it sounded pretty urgent," Sweetie said in a melancholy voice. She tilted her head to the ground and began to cry freely. Apple Bloom attempted to comfort her friend by stroking her mane and telling her that everything was going to be okay. Sweetie looked at Apple Bloom with tear stains on her face. "Thanks, you made me feel a little bit better," Sweetie said with a small yet still sad smile. Apple Bloom nodded.
As soon as they walked through the hospital door, Nurse Redheart greeted them then sighed. "I take it you're here to see miss Scootaloo." She said. Apple Bloom nodded and Sweetie Belle did the same. Nurse Redheart led them to the elevator then turned and said, "Do you still remember what floor the ICU is on, including her room number?" They nodded and she left to go tend to another patient. Sweetie and Apple Bloom were quiet as they rode in the small box up to the intensive care unit. A nurse opened the door to room 248 for them and they silently walked in. Scootaloo had her back to the window, which had the beautiful sunrise for the day, along with the busy Main Street of Ponyville. She stared at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle for a while, her eyes dull and void, until she recognized them and her eyes shone like diamonds.
"I'm....so.....happy.....you.....could.......make......it..." she said through labored breaths. Sweetie Belle whimpered at the sight of her friend struggling to breathe. Scootaloo tried to sit up for what she was about to say, but ended up just lying down on the bed anyway. "I...just...wanted.....to.....say....good-bye.." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gasped at what their friend had just said.
"Wha-whad'ya mean?" Apple Bloom said through tears. Sweetie Belle began sobbing and Scootaloo turned away from her.
"I...mean...that...this....is.....the....last...time......you'll.....see....me....because...I'm....dying..." she said, "So.......just.....let......me.......say...........good-bye.....like.....any.....other.....pony........would." she said. Her pulse reached dangerously high as she whispered the two words, good-bye.
Several days later
Everypony who had ever known Scootaloo was at her funeral. All sad faces, even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked melancholy today. Pinkie Pie's mane was as flat as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had ever seen it before. Rainbow Dash held a small picture of Scootaloo to her and cried, staining the ground with her tears. Twilight Sparkle quietly walked to the podium and levitated a stack of cards. Next to her was Fluttershy, then Rarity, then Pinkie Pie,then, finally, Rainbow Dash. Twilight cleared her throat then began. "I didn't know Scootaloo all that well, but from what I had seen of her, she was an amazing filly." When she finished she left the podium and walked away. Fluttershy then started hers and ended it quickly because it was inaudible because of her sobs. Rarity ended strong but when she returned to her seat, she began to cry. Pinkie Pie only walked to Scootaloo's casket and placed a cupcake in the side. Rainbow Dash began hers.
"Scootaloo, she was....... my little sister that I never had. Her death was like me getting stabbed in the back again, and again, and again. I could never fully express my sadness that my sister has...has..." She began to cry and ran away from the podium. The procession ended and Derpy walked towards Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.
"She requested that I give you both this when she...." Derpy couldn't finish and gave them the letter, then flew away. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle opened the letter, and when they finished reading, Apple Bloom looked to the sky and said,
"To our greatest crusade we will ever embark upon."
Dear fellow crusaders, by the time you get this I will be gone. Yeah kinda depressing huh? Either way, I just wanted to let you guys know that know matter what, we will always be crusaders, together and forever. Since I know that we will always be on crusades that will be tough, I want you to go on the greatest crusade I have ever thought of (even better than getting your cutie marks.) Be happy. Live a long and happy life. It's going to have its ups and downs, but get through them. Of course I still want you to get your cutie marks, but also live life to the fullest. Ugh....I sound so sappy right now. Well, if you got through this sappy thing, then congrats. Cutiemark Crusaders forever, Scootaloo.