Not All Is Set In Stone

by Tails_155

First published 20th of May, 2012

A crystalline beast has risen from the below Equestria's soil and turned every older pony to crystal

^ Somewhat. It's a different perspective retelling of a story from within, and actually the source of a lot of the original bits and pieces of the above story.

Scootaloo image via Celliron
Apple Bloom image via PixelHeartArt
Sweetie Belle image via Thealjavis

After being entombed in the earth for centuries, a crystalline monster has risen from the depths of the Equestrian soil. It and its minions want revenge. It attacks Equestria, turning all older ponies to crystal where they stand. The creature, however, refuses to attack the younger ponies, as the last time he saw the sun was when he, too, was young. With Twilight and her friends turned to crystal, what is Equestria to do?

Not So Ordinary

Author's Notes:

Things to note about this story: It was written before anything had been announced of The Crystal Empire, so I didn't have any knowledge of that idea to rework it. It just so happened that they used a similar (in the loosest sense) idea.

At one point this was a plausible, to some extent, idea for the show, only a bit darker than the show usually goes. That said, I think, unfortunately, over time, it has kind of lost that ability, but this universe does tie in with the Autobiography of Scootaloo. They're written from the same universe's canon, so there are references to that in here. They're not really able to be split since the same universe within my mind developed both of these ideas.

The bells chimed on the large structure as the mouth opened and dozens of foals spewed forth from the doors. Various students, some energetic, some drowsy, chatted away as they headed toward their homes, downtown, or, for a couple foals, just out of town, down the path between Ponyville and Port Mane. Three brightly colored fillies bounced happily down the path debating what would be their newest hobby to try out.

"We should totally be stunt ponies! You could be the Cannonball Mare, I could be the Winged Wonder and you could be The...White... Unicorn."

"You've been reading those comics too much, lately, Scootaloo." Apple Bloom rolls her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Scootaloo says, adjusting her saddlebags, the latest issue of Superpals: Crash & Burn tumbling into the dirt. Scootaloo mutters inaudibly and picks up the comic, checking to make sure she didn't tear it. Sweetie Belle giggles.

"She is saying you sound like you're coming up with our super hero names."

"Well, if we could be superheroes that'd be cool, too."

"Not what I meant."

"I know that! I'm not a mule. Uh, no offense." Scootaloo turns to a mule standing outside Sugarcube Corner.

"None taken."

"The line seems so long, today. Must be the weather--" Apple Bloom looks to the clear sky, then to the busy exterior of Sugarcube Corner.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash has given us some awesome weather this week!" Scootaloo interrupts.

"What do ya say we just go to the clubhouse? I can get us some apple pie after we drop off our stuff." Apple Bloom suggests.

"Yeah, the sooner we get to the clubhouse--" Sweetie Belle starts.

"The sooner we can get our cutie marks!" Scootaloo steals the sentence once more.

"Fervent, today." Sweetie Belle turns to Scootaloo. Scootaloo looks at her, unsure whether to be insulted or not. She refuses to ask what fervent means, though.

The trio abandon the idea of shakes. They head to the clubhouse and drop off their bags. Sweetie Belle pulls out her Writing Conventions For the Elementary-Aged Foal and glances at the homework. "This should be cake."

"Ugh, I hate homework. Do we really have to start with homework?"

"It's best to get it done, then it's over with." Apple Bloom answers.

"But it's soooo boring!"

"It's... five questions." Sweetie Belle sighs.

"Five questions worth of wasted time. Our cutie marks are waiting!"

"If you have any trouble, just ask us!" Sweetie Belle repeats her offer she has given many a time before.

"I don't want to be the stupid pony." Scootaloo slumps down, her voice somewhat bitter at her ineptitude.

"You're not stupid; you just don't pay attention."

"Well, if it weren't so boring..." Scootaloo trails off.

"If we get a snack first, will you chill out and do the homework? Again, it's just five questions." Apple Bloom looks at the assignment.

Scootaloo sighs. "Fine, whatever."

Apple Bloom nods and heads for the clubhouse door when the old tree below creaks, and the ground begins to rumble.

"What's going on?" She exclaims.

"How should I know?" Sweetie Belle shouts, competing with the trembling bass that feels like all of Equestria is ripping open.

"Should we be in here? What if this thing falls?" Scootaloo tilts her head, instinctively hovering, staring at the open window.

"Let's get outside, away from the trees." Apple Bloom suggests, a sudden crack of a nearby tree rattling a branch to the ground adds an exclamation point to her suggestion. The trio bolts for the door of their now wholly disorganized clubhouse. All three fillies look at each other, concern rising. The sky's light fades and a focused point of light overpowers everything, making opening one's eyes a struggle.

The rumbling gets harsher, and boards of the clubhouse's balcony fall to the ground. The fillies run for the main road, away from anything that could fall. Eventually the brightness becomes too much and the trio duck and cover by the roadside, shielding their burning eyes.

The noise reaches its peak, as the sounds of explosions echo across the horizon, the land seeming to rip open a huge scar north of Canterlot.

The rumbling subsides slowly, eventually Ponyville's tremors subside down to a more controllable rumble.

"What in Equestria is this, anyway? This is not normal." Sweetie Belle shouts over the last of the tremors.

"Really? I thought this happened all the time." Scootaloo rolls her eyes at Sweetie Belle who gives a mildly irritated scowl in return. The rumbling subsides and the air is eerily quiet at Sweet Apple Acres.

"We gotta go check on Granny Smith! Who knows what happened to my house?!"

"I gotta check on Rarity!"

"Let's split up and see if everypony is okay." Scootaloo bolts for town without awaiting a counterargument.

Sweetie Belle looks to Apple Bloom and shrugs. Apple Bloom nods, and they both part ways, heading for their houses.

--------------------

The giant scar across the terrain has brought train travel to a halt along the north end of Canterlot. Guards stare over the battlements at the tear in the land that clearly was not there even a few minutes ago. The tear emanates a glow of lava, as well as a more ominous muted rainbow glow that shifts. The guards' hearing is so shocked by the crashing and rumbling that the sounds of crawling, scraping and climbing are inaudible at the distance of the castle.

Princess Celestia makes her way to the end of the castle where guards have informed her of an anomaly. Her eyes narrow as she beholds the sight of crystalline beings of all shapes and sizes making their way from the chasm. "Get to your families."

"But Princess, who will guard the walls?"

"I doubt that will matter much longer. Get to your families." This did no good toward putting the guards at ease.

"Princess?"

The princess says nothing else. The guards leave their post, a mild tremble to their movement.

--------------------

A voice, equal parts deep and shrill echoes up the chasm, as a large alicorn, even by Celestia's standards, makes its way to the surface. "I never thought I would see the sun's brilliant rays reflect upon me again. It has been a long time." The creature doesn't quite resemble a standard equine of the land, he is far more angular and his eyes blend into his face, seemingly chiseled from a single stone. His color is that of an iridescent grey. "Time to take back what was once my father's, and now rightfully mine. I swore I would avenge you, father."

The creature spreads its crystalline wings and rears back in determined triumph. The ranks surrounding him grow in number, as creatures of all builds and forms flood the edges of the chasm. The walls an enormous geode of brilliant colors.

"After all these years those ponies have flourished, I see? Well, maybe it is time they received a taste of their own medicine. A rightful tomb of stone for what they did to us." He mutters angrily to himself. His swordlike horn glows a faint glow, and a brilliant light flashes across the lands. Any ponies within direct contact of its light are petrified where they stand, coated in a shell of rigid crystal. The enormous equine takes to the sky, heading toward the castle, which has suffered significant damage from the quakes. After landing within the barriers, he turns to a family cowering in the streets. An expression resembling a grin reaches his transparent face. In a flash, the adults among the huddle are crystallized, leaving the foals overcome with tears.

"Now, now, young ponies. It is only fair." The harsh voice, like a deep pitched series of nails on a chalkboard, hisses at the foals. "I shall leave you hopeless and alone, much like your kind did for me and those like me. Trapped in the ground for millennia, I would spit at your hooves. Selfish whelps. Begone!" The towering creature barks. The foals run off, wailing.

He gives a satisfied smirk, turning to more ponies attempting to escape the wrath of this being. He turns, playing with his victims. He fires a single red beam from his chest, striking a single pony, whose limbs immediately fail it, falling to the ground, terrified. The stone prison that escapes from its ribcage climbs across the helpless creature's body until all that's left is the helpless head, face messed up in a tearful yelp of agony. The pony screams until it is finally muted by fully crystallizing. The ponies who caught sight run away in a panic.

Not long after, Celestia makes her way to the center of town, where she witnesses the being picking off victims one at a time, laughing in a harsh tone devoid of anything a normal soul would call joy. Shining Armor makes his way to the center of Canterlot, as well.

"So you must be Beryline. I showed your kind mercy, giving them control of the depths of Equestria. It is reckless of you to squander that for some bitter claim of revenge."

"You should know what it is like to be without sunlight, did you not suffer the wrath of your sister? How is she doing, by the way? Happy to be back from her prison? Oh, yes, word does travel, even if we could not. I heard you needed a precious pack of pony pals to bail you out. Pathetic, sending your lessers to do your job."

"Silence! I am willing to show you mercy once more if you retu-" A bolt of light is fired toward the only two ponies still in the center plaza. Shining Armor releases a blue barrier that dissipates the blast into nothingness. "Hmph. If that's how you wish to behave, then we shall see what becomes of you." Celestia fires a neon green blast toward the beast who begins firing blast after blast. The duo backs up, reaching the walls of town, where they are flanked by the countless creatures which have made their way to the entrance of the city. A sudden thunderclap is heard, and the duo disappears.

"Typical Celestia, running to hide behind her minions. We shall deal with them, later. First, to reclaim land for you, my friends." The monstrous equine slowly hovers high into the air and lets out a terrible flash of muted colors, which crystallize vast swaths of the town, leaving only terrified foals cowering in the blast. "I like the thought of that. Let these young creatures come to learn our pain. Maybe one day they will learn to respect us, or if nothing else, fear us." A smirk of determination reaches the ambiguous face. "Maybe one day we can live in peace." Another solemn cackle escapes the would-be lips of the equine.

Reunite

The gemstone alicorn takes to the skies and scans Ponyville, blasting adult ponies as it sees them.

Scootaloo makes it into Lucky Buck's house after running from the clubhouse. "Is anypony here? Everypony okay?"

Rainbow Dash replies, "I was going to ask you the same thing. That was a huge earthquake! What took you so long to get home?"

"I went to hang out with the Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, and then--the earthquake, and... and...." Scootaloo pants, trembling enough that standing is a labor of its own.

Before she can finish her sentence, a flash of light illuminates outside the window, and a beam hits Rainbow Dash in the back. She yelps, and slowly becomes encased in a sapphire casing. Scootaloo yells for help and witnesses Rainbow Dash frozen in place, as a single feather, sapphire as her body, falls from Rainbow Dash's wing. The window and floor around her are covered in a crystalline crust, too, for a couple feet.

Scootaloo panics and runs over to Rainbow Dash. "Mom? Mom...? Mom!" She shouts, trying to get a response. Her eyes drop to the floor, clouding up from tears. She catches sight of the solitary feather, which she takes to her room, where she breaks down, crying.

"What is happening!?" She yelps, curling up into a ball, terror welling up into a burning coal in her stomach. She wretches hugs a pillow, teeth clenched tight.

--------------------

Apple Bloom arrives in the house in time to witness Granny Smith's agonizing face becoming encased in peridot. Apple Bloom shrieks and runs toward the barn, where Big Macintosh is standing outside, a wail of fright permanently chiseled into his ruby visage. Apple Bloom bellows and charges for the orchard, seeking her big sister. All she finds is a citrine figurine the size of a mare, propped, back hooves against a tree. She, an apple, and the ground around her all crystalline replicas of their former selves. Apple Bloom runs over to try and help her, to no avail. Apple Bloom slumps down beside the tree.

Spike, searching for the Crusaders, reaches Apple Bloom first, panting, he tells her "Apple Bloom, you need to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and find Princess Celestia, she's on her way with the other princesses and Shining Armor." Spike eyes the crystal apple and licks his lips, his stomach growling.

He walks over to the apple, and picks it up. Apple Bloom exclaims to him "Hey! What are you doing? That's my sister's! And find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo? What's wrong with my family? What's going on? The other princesses? I don't understand."

"Woah, you're going a mile a minute! Just... just find them. That's all Princess Celestia told me! I don't know what's happening, either! How would I know?" He eyes the apple again, and is blocked by the filly, who scowls. Spike backs off, his heart sinking.

"This is no time to be eating, and you better not lay a claw on my sister!"

"What?! I'd never!" Spike expresses a genuine sense of offense. "I... just... That apple looks so good!" His eyes are nearly hypnotic.

"You're coming with me." Apple Bloom insists, pocketing the apple in her saddlebags, beside the homework that has no chance of being completed today.

"Twilight had the same thing happen to her. Apparently all the mares and stallions in town are having this happen. Celestia told me it was important for you to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and get to her before it's too late. Celestia says it's the only chance for everypony!"

She runs from the farm in tears, Spike trailing behind, trying to catch up. On her way to Rarity's house, she comes across Dinky Hooves, who is in tears, terrified, embracing a quartz replica of her mother.

"A-are you okay, Dinky? Oh my..." Apple Bloom says, catching sight of a familiar gray pegasus, crystallized with a horrified look on her face.

"Momma tried to protect me... now... now this happened... Momma? MOMMA!" She calls out in vain, then breaks down into tears once more. "Daddy is just the same... He's over there..." She points and continues to cry.

Apple Bloom, knowing she has a job to do, refuses to let Dinky sit there in fear. She tries to comfort her friend and classmate, "D-don't worry. Sh-she loves you, n-no matter what has happened. W-we'll get things fixed! O-okay? Okay?" She hugs Dinky, fighting back her tears and pushing her doubts to the back of her mind. "We need to get you somewhere safe, but don't worry. She'll be okay. I-I promise." Apple Bloom's eyes burned hot as the fire of a full-grown dragon, but despite the pain, she refuses to break down, for Dinky's sake.

"O...o-okay..." Dinky replies through the fear and sorrow; she follows Apple Bloom as the trio continues toward Rarity's house. Along the way, they find a cellar that has been left unlocked.

"I think you'll be safe down here, nopony should find you. Uh, hide down there for now. I-I promise you we'll try and make everything right again."

"You sure?" Dinky eyes the cellar, a basement to an unfamiliar house, lit only by a couple hanging lanterns. "W-well, I guess... I-I mean well... Apple Bloom... thank you..." Dinky says, giving Apple Bloom another hug before crawling into the cellar, finding that other foals have also hidden in there. She calms slightly at the thought of being with others, instead of alone.

Apple Bloom enters The Carousel Boutique, finding Sweetie Belle in tears, slumped on the ground, sitting next to a heart shaped diamond at Rarity's feet. Before Apple Bloom has any time to say anything, Celestia's voice shouts out to her.

"Apple Bloom! Is Sweetie Belle in there? We must hurry and find Scootaloo. Shining Armor is getting weak. We don't have much time."

Apple Bloom forcefully drags Sweetie Belle, who grasps desperately for her sister, grabbing hold of the heart crystal lying on the ground. After Apple Bloom pats her on the back, insisting "We have to go, we'll make it right," Sweetie Belle places the crystal, as well as a picture of her family in Apple Bloom's saddlebags, and timidly follows Apple Bloom out of the shop.

Throughout the time spent with the princesses, beams repeatedly target them, dissipating or bouncing off Shining Armor's and Cadence's barriers, and crystallizing various bits of the empty town.

"Lucky Buck's house! She probably went to check on Lucky Buck and R--" Sweetie Belle cringes, the mental image of Rainbow Dash being in the air, and crashing to the ground, possibly shattering to pieces leaves a lump in her throat the size of a grapefruit.

The Crusaders' Charge

"Lead the way, young ones." Celestia insists, deflecting a beam to the ground, sending shards of smoky quartz spiring upward. "Quickly!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle head forward, fast as their tiny legs can carry them. The monster becomes focused on the crowd, three princesses and the royal guard's leader, the prize is too tempting. Blast after blast whizzes by, streaks of crystal trail and flank the group.

"There!" They arrive at Lucky Buck's house, a whimpering can be heard from the open door. The silence from town is only broken by the hiss of beams, and the high pitched scraping of crystals growing outward. A blast spirals around the group, who paused when Sweetie Belle indicated the house.

"Hang on!" Shining Armor calls, and a violet orb encloses around the princesses and their precious escorts. wwith a whoosh and a hum, the group warps inside the building, and Shining Armor enchants the door, reinforcing it. "Hurry. We don't have much time!"

The group examines the surroundings: Rainbow Dash, front hooves raised, wings spread, but curled down, as if trying to fly, a pale aquamarine statue, complete silence as a blast hits the outside of the door, the crystals hiss and crack on the outside of the door, locking the group inside. They hear whimpering from Scootaloo's room, and they make their way in, one by one, Shining Armor focused solely on protecting the house from intrusion.

--------------------

"Foolish." Beryline scowls, picking up enormous pace as he heads from his view in the sky for the house, whose crystalline barrier has all but imprisoned the group. He begins firing blasts at all the windows, blocking any chance of escape.

-------------------

"Scootaloo! S-Scootaloo... A-are you okay?" Apple Bloom speaks in a soft voice. No reply, Scootaloo only continues to cower in the corner of her bed, the aquamarine feather laying beside her. Sweetie Belle puts a hoof on her shoulder, causing Scootaloo to jump, slightly.

"Scootaloo, this is very important. Equestria needs your help! Rainbow Dash will be fine, but only if you act immediately." Celestia insists, an unfamiliar panic in her typically calm voice.

Luna chimes in. "Sister, wait. Scootaloo. Here, let me help you." She takes the feather from the bed as Scootaloo paws at the air after it.

The other Crusaders give Luna and Scootaloo their space, moving to the center of the room with the other princesses. Blast and crack and hiss and thud bombard the walls of the house as Beryline approaches the walls at blinding speed.

Luna's horn glows, her eyes shut. The feather spins, glowing white, and eventually fading back to normal, backed with a barrette clasp. The feather floats back to Scootaloo, who eyes it in confusion. It fastens itself to her mane, and Luna's horn fades back to its normal azure. "There, young Scootaloo, now Rainbow Dash will be with you wherever you go. However, this is urgent. We very much need your help to restore Ponyville, and all of Equestria, to the way it was. Rainbow Dash will be fine, but she needs your immediate help. I, too, know what it is like to lose my family." Luna turns to Celestia for a moment, placing a wing around Scootaloo.

Celestia gives a scowl, half offended, half concerned about wasted time. Scootaloo whimpers and finally gives a weak nod. "O-okay, what... what do I do? What can I do?"

Celestia gets an idea from this, and turns to Apple Bloom, and swipes the apple from the he saddlebags around Apple Bloom's shoulders. Apple Bloom watches the apple in awe. The apple glows golden, and fades into form of a tiara, decorated with the apple in the center. She places it back in Apple Bloom's bag. "All three of them have a small token to enchant. This is exactly what we need."

Cadence nods and turns to Sweetie Belle, once she pulls the diamond heart from Apple Bloom's saddlebags. The gem glows a soft silver, and a platinum chain snakes out of the top of the heart, creating a pendant. She also removes the picture of Sweetie Belle's family from the saddlebags, and infuses the image into the heart, the cleave of the crystal showing the image clearly. Cadence smiles softly to Sweetie Belle and places the locket around Sweetie Belle's neck.

Scootaloo makes it to her feet, wearily, and approaches her friends' side.

"Are we all ready then?" Celestia asks.

Scootaloo nods, still trembling.

"It is important that you find your way to the homes of the three pony tribes from before Equestria was founded. There are three temples, each with their own special power. Each of you needs to make your way to one of the central altars to imbue your items with the powers that will bring back our friends. Once Twilight and her friends are rescued, they and you can defeat these creatures and rescue Equestria."

A horrific crash blows a crack into the door, through the shards from the outside. The whole group flinches.

"We don't have much longer, much time has been lost. But there is a book in the library here on the history of Equestria. In there you will be able to find out the locations of the pony tribes' original homes." Be careful, and don't let anypony know what you are doing. Your seemingly fragile nature as young foals is all that protects you from Beryline's wrath.

Shining Armor collapses, exhausted, and another beam crashes through the door, blowing it off its hinges. Shards of wood and gemstone fly everywhere as the monstrously large alicorn comes into the house. The fillies run in terror, climbing to the upper balcony, hiding. Celestia turns to the beast.

"You have tried run and tried to hide, but it did you no good. This will be your prison." Beryline states calmly.

"Don't think I will give in without a fight." Celestia scowls at the threat, which towers over even her height.

Blasts cross paths and Cadence and Shining Armor attempt to assist, but even the three combined are on the losing end. Princess Luna focuses her own magic on sending a last bit of advice to the trio, hiding in the master bedroom. The three terrified fillies hear within their own heads Luna's final words. "Stay wary of Beryline's minions. They may not be as reckless as him, many are wild creatures, many, and may not ignore your presence, be very care--" The resisting beams are overpowered as the dull rainbow light impacts Celestia in the chest. Soon after beams strike the other three guardians of Equestria. Sunstone and diamond, sapphire and moonstone, tourmaline and amethyst, quartz and labradorite encase the four large ponies.

The three look at each other in horror. Beryline scoffs, leaving the house, whose entrance is left in ruin. He takes to the sky once more, seeking other ponies to imprison in gemstone. Scootaloo grits her teeth and fights back her frustrated horror. The three pass looks back and forth, debating what to do. They finally give a worried nod to one another, and make their way out of the house, now almost entirely crystalline from the various beams which collided with its walls. They hurry off to the library, passing dozens of crystalline ponies frozen in various states of panic. They buck open the library doors, which had crystallized shut at the base. After enough effort, they open.

Spike sits on the floor, exhausted from climbing to the balcony to be near his closest friend. "Spike! Do you know where books on the history of Equestria are?" Spike turns to Scootaloo, an upset look on his face.

"Does this look like a time to read up on history?"

"A-actually, uh, yes?" Sweetie Belle tilts her head to the side, analyzing the absurdity of her statement.

"Spike? Please..." Her voice shrinks as she returns Spike's worried look. "Celestia told us to find this book."

He nods a slow, concerned nod and begins to look around the eerily silent library. He directs the trio to the wall on history. The three begin throwing books all over the floor, scanning the pages for information on the founding of Equestria. Scootaloo finds a book about Hearth's Warming Eve, and calls to the others "Here! This is it! Look, a map of where they came from! And look, there's Canterlot! And there's where we'd be!" A hoof indicates the edge of the forest, at the foot of mountains, southeast of a bay familiar to the orange filly.

"I-uh, I'm going to go hide with the others. I can't stay here with Twilight like this." Spike backs away from the amethyst statue, and out of the library. Running, tears creeping into the corners of his closed eyes.

"Hey, wait!" Apple Bloom calls, Spike turns around, sliding on his heels.

"There's a basement. Some ponies are hiding there!" Spike nods. "I can show you."

The small group sneaks their way along the streets, watching carefully as a large crystalline elk, enormous gemstone wasps and formidably large sparkling snakes prowl the streets of the once friendly town. The fillies and young dragon make their way back to where Dinky was hiding, and they knock. "Dinky? Dinky. It's me, Apple Bloom." She whispers, loud enough to penetrate the wooden surface.

"Apple Bloom? Are you coming to hide with us?"

"Uh, n-no, but Spike is."

"Oh, well, be careful, Apple Bloom." The door creaks open enough to let Spike in. Featherweight and Pipsqueak turn to each other and peer out at the trio.

Pipsqueak inquires, "W-where are you guys going? Why aren't you hiding here?"

"We uh... we're trying to... um... can... can we not talk about it? Just.... just trust us." Sweetie Belle fumbles, trying to hide their intentions, per Celestia's warning.

"Just... be careful." Everyone turns to Featherweight, surprised to hear him speak.

Scootaloo and the others nod. "You guys, too. Don't leave here unless you absolutely have to."

"You don't have to tell us, twice." Rumble says. A small colt, photographer for the Foal Free Press, nods.

The trio bids a timid farewell, and sneaks off, finding an abandoned store to hide in, while they make their plan. The three scan the page as fast as they can. "I think we need to go back get some bags, food, and anything else we might find useful. This may be a long trip... Meet back here when you're ready." Sweetie Belle turns to the others, who stare, gritting their teeth. "I mean... when you have what you need."

"Let's...uh, stay together? Let's stick with each other. I mean, most of our stuff is at the clubhouse." The very idea of being alone again sends a stone plummeting into Scootaloo's stomach.

"Well, yeah." Sweetie Belle looks outside. "Maybe we should. It's... it's probably better." Apple Bloom looks toward Sweet Apple Acres through the store window, ducking as an emerald bear stomps past the shop.

"There's not much space to hide between here and there, we're gonna have to be careful." Apple Bloom bites her lip. The others nod in agreement.

"Well the map seems to show the cave underneath Canterlot as the place they ended. Should we go there, or just start heading north from Sweet Apple Acres?" Sweetie Belle asks, putting the tome back in Apple Bloom's saddlebags.

"I guess we could head to Canterlot, but what would we find there?" Scootaloo sighs.

"Well, we don't know exactly what we're looking for. Maybe there will be some sort of clue?" Sweetie Belle shrugs.

"We need to get our stuff, first. I'm already getting tired carrying all this stuff. I also don't think we'll need our homework." The trio nods, and watches for an free moment outside the shop. Once the coast is clear, the trio sneaks across the street, taking back alleys to the edge of town. They hide inside some bushes as a sapphire hawk perches on a roof across the road from their position. They stare at each other, peeking out of the bushes as carefully as possible, waiting for their chance. When the bird takes to the sky, the three cling to each other in fear, but after the hawk leaves their sight, they sigh a sigh of relief and sneak toward the edge of the orchard. They make their way to the familiar clubhouse, and dump out their bags.

Apple Bloom places the tiara and book back into the bags, leaving a pile of pencils, notebooks and coursebooks on the ground. The other two do the same. Sweetie Belle tucks her locket into an outer pocket on her bag. Scootaloo keeps the barrette right where it is.

"Food. We'll need food. We don't know how long we'll be gone." Sweetie Belle insists.

"The cellar of the house. Granny Smith stores jams and preserves and all kinds of stuff down there."

"Well, I guess that's where we go next, then." Scootaloo nods.

They hide below the orchard's shade, sneaking from trunk to trunk, picking up the occasional good apple along the way. Picking a few dandelions and edible wildflowers, as well. They arrive at the house, where Granny Smith still hasn't moved. Apple Bloom's lip pouts and she fights back tears. Her sorrow becomes determination as she pushes open the cellar door. They make their way into the cold, dark box, and begin stocking up on the lightest and most filling goods they can find. "Don't overdo it." Apple Bloom warns.

"Yeah, yeah. Just hurry. We don't know how much time we have. If we're going to be able to do anything, the longer we take..." Scootaloo feels a lump in her throat as memories strike like lightning. She closes her eyes tight and breaths hard, fighting back her frustration. "Are we done?!" She snaps, anger besting her, the other two turn, surprised. Scootaloo's jaw aches from clenched teeth. "We can't wait here all day, okay?!"

"Scootaloo, chill out. We can't let this beat us. We're here for you. Just, try and relax."

"Relax?! Really?" She hisses.

"Look, let's just go." Apple Bloom gulps.

"We never really decided, are we going to Canterlot or not?"

"I think if there's some chance of a clue as to what we're doing, that's our best bet."

"It's settled, then. Come on, let's get out of here." Scootaloo sighs. Apple Bloom nods, avoiding sight of her grandmother as the group makes their way along the edge of the Everfree Forest. They sneak from treeline to bush to treeline, approaching the town in the distance, slowly.

Questing For Past Homes

As the Crusaders head out of town toward Canterlot, Scootaloo catches sight of Cheerilee, now a tourmaline statue of a rearing pony. Scootaloo's ears droop and her lip quivers. She speeds up, eyes closed, to catch up with the others.

"What's wrong, Scootaloo? I mean..." Sweetie Belle's ears drop down and she blushes.

"Cheerilee, too..." Scootaloo fights off tears. The three look at each other and droop their heads, making their way to Canterlot in a haze of gloom.

"Well, we'll make it all better, right? Right guys...?" Sweetie Belle tries to raise their spirits.

"I hope so... but I just don't know... I don't know if we can do it... We're just fillies!" Apple Bloom lowers her head.

Scootaloo stays silent. Apple Bloom gives Scootaloo a hug, shifting her tone to a soft, protectful one. "Sweetie Belle is right... we'll be able to do it Scootaloo!" She gives a gentile, warm smile.

The trio sneaks further across the edge of the Everfree Forest, hiding from timber wolves and various crystalline creatures. Scootaloo turns, frustrated. "We have to hurry up. This is taking too long." Scootaloo jumps out. "Come on."

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom whispers loudly.

"I'll... I'll distract them. We're never gonna get anywhere if we go at this pace. Come on!" Scootaloo insists. The others chase after her, not wanting to be separated. Scootaloo directs herself toward the castle and hovers lightly, but swiftly, eyes closed, fighting her own mind for control.

--------------------

"Come on, Squirt! You can do it!" Rainbow Dash calls out.

"It's so tough! Maybe I'll never fly."

"Come on, one more time. I've seen you hover, you're halfway there!"

"I'm.... I'm doing it!"

"Haha! Told you, but with me training you, was there ever any doubt?!"

"You're the best, Rainbow Dash!"

"Just wait until--"

--------------------

THUD. Scootaloo collides with the increasing slope. "Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom call out at the same time. "Are you okay?" Apple Bloom continues.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just got distracted is all. I'm--I'm fine, really." Scootaloo shakes her head, blushing. "Rookie mistake." She forces a smile, parroting her mentor.

"Well, at least we're closer. We need to get out of the open, though. Who knows what could happen if one of these things finds us!" Sweetie Belle looks around, a mild paranoia setting in.

"Let's just hurry. If we take too long, we may be come a snack anyway!"

"I don't know..."

"Look, come on. I'm not going to argue about this."

Apple Bloom looks to Sweetie Belle. They share a nervous shrug, and race after Scootaloo.

After hours and hours of running, only taking breaks as long as necessary, they reach the foot of a large mountain. At its top is an enormous, though clearly marred, castle. The trio approaches a cave at the foot. They enter, and begin searching the walls and floors for anything to give them a clue of what they're doing.

Scootaloo grabs some brush and grabs a couple stones and smacks them against each other, making sparks. A small fire builds, providing more light than the afternoon sun shows into the corridor.

"There." Scootaloo nods. Sweetie Belle looks toward the center of the cave, where a pillar has been erected with a hymn from many Hearth's Warming celebrations of the past.

At the base of the pillar is a small placard that states "Here, in the heart of Equestria, three ponies: one pegasus, one unicorn, and one Earth pony, set aside their past prejudices, and filled the land with their courage, hope, and compassion, beginning an era of friendship in the land, softening the hearts of their prideful leaders."

"Well, I don't see anything too useful, here. What a waste of time!" Scootaloo stomps, sighing.

"Relax. Let's just keep going. We need to head to the homes of the three pony tribes, Celestia said. Maybe we'll find something, there. It was worth a shot."

"But we're wasting time!"

"Scootaloo, what's the--"

"Look! I'm not... not going to be alone. Not again. I..." Scootaloo slumps down, frustrated. The friends all share a hug.

"But Scootaloo, you're not alone, you have us!" Apple Bloom tries to hide her own anxieties and cheer up her friend.

"We have another problem, though, guys..." Scootaloo's voice sounds half-broken. Scootaloo looks off into the distance, out of the cave, to the skies, thought and worry choke her. "Y-you guys can't fly... And the Pegasi's home is in the clouds..."

"O-okay, Scootaloo... but even if you are alone, it won't be long. We'll be back home before you know it, and we'll be waiting for you. We know you can do it. Besides, we still have to get there. We'll stay together as long as we can."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Look, we wouldn't leave you, would we? We're The Cutie Mark Crusaders! We stick together!" Apple Bloom gives as genuine a smile as she has the whole day.

The trio makes their way out of the cave and takes one last look at the capitol city, marked and marred, along with the castle, with spots of varying crystals, a pony statue at the heart of nearly every spot. A stone sinks into the stomach of all three of the fillies.

"From here they came from that way, up those mountains, through a forest and across some plains. So I think that's the way we need to-" Sweetie Belle freezes in place. "Guys, run!" she shouts, and barrels down the mountainside, the other two look around and follow quickly.

"What is it, Sweetie Belle?" Suddenly they hear the chittering of about a dozen crystalline creatures, gnashing their teeth and following quickly behind. They reach the foot of a nearby forest and all duck inside a thick pile of brush. The creatures run into the forest and out of site, chittering and knocking over weaker trees.

"What was that about?" Scootaloo asks, panting.

"I don't know, but they must not have cared for us, because they just kept going."

"We need to get back to the path." Apple Bloom nods, determined. "The longer we take, the more likely it is that... they will catch us!"

The three nod and make their way back from the forest onto the pathway into the mountains.

They continue along the pathway, constantly glancing over their shoulders. Finally at the foot of the mountains Apple Bloom gulps, the other two exchange concerned looks, and they begin to head for the top. They climb--and climb--and climb.

And climb.

"How big is this mountain?" Sweetie Belle, frustrated and tired, finally asks, gasping for breath.

"I'll see how far we got left." Scootaloo takes to the sky with quite a struggle, and gets an aerial view. She shouts, relieved. "We're almost there, only uh--only a bit more! Then it goes downhill for a while. I think I see the forest from the map!"

Scootaloo makes her way back down to the ground.

"That's a relief" Apple Bloom sighs. "But it's getting dark. We better find somewhere safe to set up camp."

"Are you crazy? You're going to sleep out here?" Sweetie Belle stares at Apple Bloom.

"What else would we do? It's going to take more than a couple days to do this..." She replies. "We'll find somewhere safe, don't worry."

The trio makes their way up the side, and creeps down the other side, hooves unsteady, until they reach the treeline, the forest proper not far below.

"I think underneath these trees, if we stay really quiet--" Sweetie Belle turns to the others and points at some brush with a low clearance, before stumbling and rolling down the mountain.

"Sweetie Belle!" The others chase after her. She rolls into some brush and into a tree. Wary, but taking only mild scratches and bumps and a couple bruises, she shakes her head and dusts off.

"I'm... uh, I'm fine." She scrambles out from under the bushes. "Actually, guys, this seems like a good spot! I can stand under here just fine, once you get past the edge of the bush! Come on in here!" She beckons them to the brush, they all file in. It's roomy enough for three fillies, but definitely on the cozy side of size.

The trio eats a small meal. They try to get to rest, but after a few minutes they hear something rustling around. "Shhhhh" Scootaloo covers the others' mouths. She peeks her head out carefully, catching sight of an amethyst creature no less than six times their size stomping around, followed by four smaller ruby creatures with pincers. They crawl their way through chittering and groaning, knocking over small trees and knocking down branches.

"That was close" Scootaloo whispers. "I hope you guys sleep quietly, because we're only safe if nothing finds us."

Sweetie Belle shivers, nervously. The three cling close to each other, backing up as close as they can to a large tree stump behind the brush.

Scootaloo wakes in the middle of the night and checks if everyone is still okay. I don't know what I'd do if I lost them, too. She thinks to herself. Hugging the tiny pillow she packed tightly and fighting off tears. Stop it, if you start crying, then you'll put everypony in danger. Then, it will be your fault.

Scootaloo decides that since she isn't getting any sleep, she may as well stand guard. If I can give my friends just enough time to get away, maybe it will be just what we need. She pokes her head out of the brush, just enough to watch the path made by the large creature, hours ago. Everypony is counting on you. Everypony.

--------------------

"I'm really hungry..." One of the foals groans.

"We don't have any food here." Shady Daze responds.

Featherweight looks at the doorway. He turns to the filly, a pink filly with a blond mane. He turns back, and walks past Rumble and Spike, who are standing watch over the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Spike asks.

"We need food. Who knows how long we'll be down here?"

"Woah, woah, you?" Rumble interjects. "Come on, I mean, you're a nice colt and all, but you're definitely not cut out to outrun some big crystal monsters, and you're way too lanky to be sneaking around. Think about this."

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Well, who around here is fast or sneaky."

"I reckon I'm small enough I can hide pretty well." Pipsqueak joins the conversation.

"You sure? What if something--"

"Look, you said it yourself, Featherweight. You stay here, you're more of a thinker and between you and Dinky, you can help out if somepony needs emotional support. I'm tiny, I can hide pretty well if I have to."

"That settles it. Pipsqueak and I will go." Rumble nods.

Spike turns to Featherweight. "That only really leaves me to guard the door."

"Well, I can fly, too. If I need to distract something while everypony else runs, I can. I'll stand guard with you. You two." He turns to Rumble and Pipsqueak. "Be careful, and remember, I know it stinks to have to steal, but I don't think anypony will care right now. Get what you can, be safe, and get back as soon as possible. If you are gone more than an hour, I'm going looking."

"Looking? What good will that be?"

"I've taken so many pictures of this town, I know my way around it. I know where all the food shops are. If anypony can find somepony, it's probably me." Featherweight's face is one of determination.

"I... fair enough." Rumble shrugs.

"Just be careful. If you can find some bags--"

"I know, I know, look, we have hungry ponies. We can talk when we get back." Featherweight sighs as Rumble pushes the door open, slowly. Pipsqueak and Rumble scan the coast and decide to head out.

"Is there any way we can safely start a fire down here?" Featherweight asks Spike.

"I mean, there's going to be smoke, so not really."

"It's going to be so dark down here. I hope nopony is afraid of the dark, because I don't really know what else to do."

"Relax, Featherweight. I've never seen you so on edge." Shady Daze turns to his Editor In Chief.

"Well, in all honesty, have you ever had a situation like this happen?"

"Right."

Featherweight paces, looking to the door occasionally.

Dinky approaches Featherweight. "Look, everything will be fine."

"I just... worry about them."

"They'll both be alright, I believe in them."

"Not just them. I haven't seen Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, or Apple Bloom since they left this afternoon."

"Don't worry about them. They must have some sort of reason for going wherever they've gone."

"I know... I just-- Shut the door."

Spike slowly pulls the door shut as the rumbling of a stampede of something tears through the streets. Nopony can see anything, Dinky clings to Featherweight and Spike.

"Just stay still." Spike whispers.

--------------------

Rumble takes to the sky immediately, using the clouds as cover to find his way to Sweet Apple Acres, where he knows plenty of apples will provide a quick and easy load. He flies to the treeline of the orchard and sees plenty of apples ready for picking. He turns his attention to the house, not far from his landing position. Surely somewhere in there is a blanket I can use as a bag, or maybe just some sort of bags that The Apples use when they go to the market.

He soars across the way to where the door is open, with Granny Smith still standing in her same place. Rumble backs off for a moment, thinking the trapped elder pony is a dangerous creature. He catches his breath and goes inside. He digs around and finds a beat up old set of saddlebags. This will have to do. He straps them on and immediately realizes that these, designed for an Earth pony, will not allow space for his wings. He sighs. Night is falling rapidly as he makes his way back out to the orchard, on hoof.

After bucking a few trees to no avail, he decides to drop the saddlebags and fly up to collect the apples. A couple large crystalline tigers prowl through the area, sniffing around and examining the ground. Rumble stays up in the tree he was picking, holding his breath as the creatures pass. Once he is certain they have left his area, he sighs a sigh of relief, and finishes collecting his goods, and begins the paranoid trek back toward the basement.

In the dark, the town looked different from any other time he'd seen the town. He stumbles around the streets, looking for any sign that he was in the right place. He mutters to himself in frustration.

--------------------

Pipsqueak took a detour to his house, he knew there was a set of saddlebags that fit him correctly on the couch. He closed his eyes as he entered the house, not wanting to see his parents. Jasmine Tea was leaning, crystallized, on the sink edge, halfway through dishes. He couldn't look at his mother. He used the wall as a guide to find the couch, and grabbed his bags, turned toward the door, and ran back outside. He used the shrubs along the sides of the neighborhood as cover, avoiding a very large opal spider as it shimmered, crawling by. He made his way around to the shops. He knew his father had worked with several residents to set up booths, and knew the houses many of them lived in.

There's Berry Punch's house. He went around the house to a small berry garden, flourishing with all kinds of delicious treats. Pipsqueak's stomach rumbled. Just a couple. I have ponies waiting on me. He indulged in a couple blueberries and a hoofful of raspberries. Collecting the rest of his goods, the temptation was strong, but he fought the urge.

He left the garden, headed for Peachy Pie's home, just on the Everfree edge of town. He went into the house, and checked the counter, where a bowl of fresh peaches sat. He dumped the bowl inside his saddlebags and turned away, stalling for a second. I can't do it. I can't just take this stuff. He left ten bits from his bag on the table.

He made his way back along the path to Berry Punch's, where he set five bits on her garden porch step.

He found his way back, knocked three times on the door, and whispered his name. The door creaked open and he let himself in.

"Seen Rumble?"

"Not since we left. Why?"

"Well, we haven't. There's still time before sunset, but I hope he's okay." Featherweight looked out the crack in the door.

Everypony gets a share of the food and they store the couple jars of preserve for the next morning. The little bit of sunlight left disappears.

"Where is he?" Spike asks.

"I'm going after him. He can't be out there at night. We don't know anything about these creatures. He could be in danger."

"Fine, but I'm coming with you." Spike insists.

"No. You protect everypony else. I know what I'm doing." I hope.

"O-okay." Spike looks to where the voice seems to be. "Be careful."

"I know. Just--make sure everypony stays safe here. If I don't come back soon, just stay here. Just rest. No sense in sending anypony else out there." Spike nods, uneasy feelings in his gut. "Okay?"

"O-okay, Featherweight."

Featherweight flies up into the sky, trying to use the moonlight to give him some clue if a foal is wandering somewhere. He begins checking around the block of the makeshift hideout. After about an hour of searching and hiding under tables, he sees a colt with saddlebags. "Rumble!" He whispers as loud as he can.

"Huh? Featherweight? What are you doing out here? We need to get back!"

"Yes, we do. Are you lost? You're blocks away from the basement."

"Uh... no, I was just..."

"Look, you don't need to impress anypony, just come on."

"F-fine."

A large sapphire bear roars and startles the two pegasi.

"Run!" Featherweight points to the house. "That way!" He turns a different direction.

"What about you?"

"I can fly. You can't right now. Go to the--" The bear swats at Featherweight, who barely dodges the blow. "Go!"

Rumble hesitates, but takes Featherweight's advice. Featherweight flies off, luring the bear away, dodging swat after swat. A final swing claws his right back leg, drawing some blood, but his determination keeps him moving. Once he is sure the bear is far enough from their hideout to lose the bear, he take to the sky, high as he can go. The bear roars, and stomps off to the north. Featherweight sighs, flying slowly back to the basement.

He lands near the door, hobbling the last bit of the way. "It's me, Featherweight." He whispers, wincing as he put weight on his back legs. The door opens and he stumbles down the stairs, landing in a pile on the floor. The area is moderately light by a flashlight which points to Featherweight.

"Featherweight, are you okay?!" Pipsqueak rushes to him, pulling one of the cloths off a pile sitting in the corner of the basement. He checks that it is clean and begins wrapping the taller colt's leg.

"Yeah, fine. Just fine. Good idea with the flashlight."

"I always keep a flashlight in my saddlebags. I've gone on a couple camp outs after class, and didn't want to go home to find some of that junk, so if it's quick and easy, I just keep it with me. I also have a bit of rope."

"Rope!" Featherweight shouts, startling everypony.

"What about it?"

"We can tie the knob to the second step, fish it underneath the step and tie it down, keep the door shut while we sleep."

"Sounds like a pretty good idea." Spike nods.

"Who is good with knots?"

"I am." Twist speaks up. "I mean, I make all kinds of candy and--well--I can tie knots."

Pipsqueak pulls the rope out of his saddlebags, which are now empty. He sets them in the corner, using the pile of cloth as a pillow, curling up for bed. "Just shut off the flashlight whenever everypony is ready to sleep." Twist takes the rope and knots it around the door handle, tying slack from both ends to the second stair from the top. She ties them with all the expertise one who makes her own chocolate dipped pretzels would have.

"There we go!" She smiles.

"Well, everypony, I think we should get some rest. It's been.... a day." Featherweight sighs. The group all huddles together in the corner where Pipsqueak has already half-drifted off. With a click, the room goes pitch black, leaving the only sights in anypony's minds to their imagination.

Biting Off More Than They Can Chew

Scootaloo eventually drifts off for a couple hours, but once the sun rises, she stirs awake, though drowsy. She sneaks out of the brush to check if they are still safe. She also finds some fruits were knocked from the trees and she brings them back to the others. "Hey guys! We need to get going! Come on. Here, I found some fruit on the ground. Must have fallen from the trees." The other two slowly stir awake.

"Ten more minutes, Rarity." Scootaloo raises an eyebrow and tilts her head.

"Sweetie Belle, where do you think we are?"

"Huh? Wha--Oh. Uh, h-hi Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle takes a share of the food that Scootaloo discovered. "Thanks."

"How far did we get? How much longer do we have?" Scootaloo paces at the edge of the brush, checking repeatedly over her shoulder.

Sweetie Belle pulls out the book and looks at the map. Apple Bloom stretches and stirs. "Hey y'all. Scootaloo, you look tired, are you okay?"

"Wha? Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm... I'm fine." Scootaloo continues to pace, fighting off dizziness and a noticeable fatigue. "Once we get to moving I'll be okay. The-uh, th-the ground was just uncomfortable."

"We made it about, hmm. I think at this pace we'll get there in a couple more days. We were only moving for about six or seven hours, yesterday. We can get a good twelve to sixteen in if we keep movi-"

"Then let's go. Let's get moving." Scootaloo drags her hooves a bit, but starts walking. The others scramble to their hooves. Sweetie Belle tucks the book away. "Scootaloo! Scootaloo, wait! Your bag!"

Scootaloo groans. "Oops."

"Are you sure you'll be okay? You look exhausted."

"I'll be fine, let's go."

"Scootaloo, it's no good if we wear ourselves out. If you need to rest we-"

"Let's. Go." Sweetie Belle turns to Apple Bloom who shrugs and shares a concerned look.

They wander for hours through the trees. Only once or twice do they need to seek refuge in the brush.

"I thought we were in trouble, that time. That thing didn't even seem to care. I'm not really... sneaky colored." Scootaloo turns to her pals.

"Sneaky colored?"

"You mean camouflaged?"

"That. I swore it saw me."

"Well, it didn't seem to care, so I guess we're fine."

"Maybe it just didn't find us important? Maybe--"

"No maybes, the coast is clear."

"Scootaloo, stop. Just stop."

"Stop what?"

"You're wearing us out. You're so determined. You need to-"

"I just want-"

"No. Stop. Let me finish. You keep interrupting us. Look. You're worried, we're worried. We understand, but you don't have to be some superpony. Just be realistic. We're all freaked out. You're acting like we have to destroy ourselves to do this. We won't do any good by anypony if we drive ourselves into the ground."

"I'm just..."

"Scared? We're all scared."

"No." Sweetie Belle gives a dubious glare. "Y-yeah."

"Look, Scootaloo. I know you're having a lot of trouble, we're all dealing with this."

"You didn't lose your--"

"I did." Scootaloo stops in her tracks as Apple Bloom stares at her.

"Yeah, well... you... you didn't even know your parents."

"Scootaloo!"

"It's not the same, okay?"

"I didn't say it was the same." Apple Bloom's voice becomes slightly bitter. "But we have a job to do, and yes, we may have a limited amount of time. Yes, we may be in some hurry, even if we don't really know that, but we can't stumble through this. We have to have a plan. We can't just assume we'll be okay. We need rest. We need food. We need breaks. Don't put us in more danger because you want to hurry too much."

Scootaloo continues to walk. Apple Bloom sighs and turns to Sweetie Belle. "Let's go." Her voice betrays her underlying hurt.

The group continues for several minutes when Scootaloo turns back to the others, who are several yards behind, but visible. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry. I just--I just can't lose them again. I didn't get to say goodbye to Mama and Papa, I can't do it again. I just..." She loses the battle against her tears. "I can't deal with it again." Scootaloo slumps down in the middle of the greenery.

"Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle sighs. "You could have just talked to us. We could have helped you deal with this. We're worried, too. We're not hiding it. Why do you have to act so tough? It's us! We're not going to judge you."

"Yeah, we're your friends. We'll be there for you no matter what!" The three hug each other. "Now c'mon, I think it's time for a snack, maybe even a nap."

"I really don't need a nap. I'm awake now. Promise." Scootaloo sighs. "But... I could use a bite to eat."

They wander to a nearby thicket and hide under the brush. The brush is lower than their previous hiding place, but they don't complain.

"I uh, grabbed this just in case we needed a bit of a pick-me-up." Apple Bloom digs out a jar of Zap Apple Jam.

"You still have Zap Apple Jam?"

"Sure, we don't use it all up right away. Sometimes we have it with Hearth's Warming treats."

"We ate all ours in the first two weeks we had it." Scootaloo eyes the jar, showing its brilliant colors, even in the shade of the brush.

The trio eats and takes a breather. "Anypony seen a spring, lately?"

"Well, this map says there's a river if we go this way." Sweetie Belle points to the right.

"Good, my bottles are empty."

"I have a bit if you're thirsty." Apple Bloom offers a mason jar of apple juice.

"Thanks." Scootaloo drinks the liquid. "I haven't had anything but water all day, this is amazing.

"Keep it, I have another, well, half of another."

"Then we should stop by that river, I think." Sweetie Belle nods, leading the way.

The group reaches the river, refilling their bottles and filling empty jars. "Well, this is a lot heavier again." Scootaloo sighs.

"Need help carrying anything?" Scootaloo stares off at the water. "Scootaloo?"

"Huh? No I'm fi--" She pauses as Apple Bloom stares at her incredulously. "Well, could you?" Scootaloo offers a smile.

"I can probably take a couple jars of water." Apple Bloom returns her smile. Scootaloo passes the jars over. They cross the river at its slowest point.

"We'll need to head back left, or we'll end up wandering in this forest for a lot longer. The trees open up back over this way." Sweetie Belle looks through the trees at the sun, then back down to the map. "I uh... I think. What time is it, anyway?"

"I can fly up and see if I can find where it opens up."

"Be careful."

"Yeah, yeah. I've done this a few times, now. I'll be fine."

Scootaloo flaps her wings, and after a big struggle, she lifts into the air. She stops on a branch after getting some height and rests.

"You okay, Scootaloo?"

"Yeah, just... just taking a breather!"

"Don't overdo-"

"I know, I know!" Scootaloo sighs. Sweetie Belle scowls. "Sorry." Scootaloo lifts up into the sky, and catches sight of a clearing. "We're gonna have to head that-- uh, that.. way... over..." Scootaloo's vision begins to spin, and starts losing altitude.

"Scootaloo?"

"To... the... left. Like.... like you said!" Scootaloo says, and her wings stop flapping. She begins diving downward, her eyes half open, suddenly adrenaline kicks in and she begins fluttering, flailing her limbs. She slows her descent, but collides with a tree branch, which cracks below her, and she stumbles to the ground with a thud.

"Scootaloo!" The two race over to her body, slumped awkwardly, marked with a few bruises and several branches and twigs stuck in her mane.

"I'm... I'm okay, maybe we should... maybe we should rest after all."

"We told you! Come on, let's sit down for a while."

The three pile up into a ball, and within moments, all three are asleep under the cover of brush. They rest for roughly an hour and a half before the rumbling and thudding of heavy footfalls stirs them awake. Within mere seconds, they are all on their feet, ready to run, should they be discovered.

Scootaloo pushes the other two backward, instinctively. "Ouch! Careful!" Sweetie Belle whispers, attempting to kick some burrs out of her leg.

"Sorry. Shh!" Scootaloo turns back for a moment.

Sweetie Belle fights her thoughts. You shh.

A pair of ruby creatures, large and ugly as ogres stomp past. They knock over a large tree and pass by, oblivious to the existence of the three concerned ponies.

"That was close!" Apple Bloom crawls out from the brush and knocks the leaves out of her mane.

The trio creeps around with concerned caution for a few more hours, dodging large amethyst and tourmaline wasplike creatures, ducking into the brush once more.

"Look! There's the end of the forest!" Sweetie Belle shouts. A grin peeking against the cheeks of her now dirt-covered face.

"I've never been happier to see fields." Scootaloo grins and sighs a sigh of relief.

They make their way out of the forest and down an overgrown path. Then, a booming, terrible roar comes from their side. They freeze in place, turn to look, seeing a huge emerald sharp-toothed saurian creature and a small pack of smaller sapphire would-be-reptiles.

The three run as fast as their little legs can carry them into a small cave where they collide with something solid, which gives. A huge citrine scorpion chitters and swings its tail toward the trio, who only dodge by the grace of sunlight bouncing off the tail in time to give warning. They run screaming from the cave. Scootaloo sees another tiny cave. "Guys, over there! Go!" She shouts and turns back toward the creatures, which have converged, and after a small tussle, change their attention to the filly racing toward them.

"Scootaloo! What are you doing?" Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both cry, keeping their pace.

"Don't worry guys, get to that cave!"

"But..."

"Just... trust me, please!" Scootaloo bellows, eyes half closed.

The two look at each other, then take their friend's advice, running for the cave. They hear the creatures running off in another direction. They don't dare look back; they dive for the cave.

Once they are inside they look at each other. "Scootaloo? Scootaloo?! Where'd she go?!"

In the distance, they hear a scream, followed by a very large racket of thuds.

--------------------

Scootaloo charges toward the pile of creatures, whose attention has shifted the only noncrystalline being still within sight. They scramble forward, the smaller creatures gaining speed. Scootaloo looks left, and sees a cliff. She closes her eyes and hooks a left. Please, don't give up on me now, wings. Please, please, please. For my friends... for my family... She spreads her wings and begins flapping wildly, her heart pounding harder and harder as he runs out of land. Now! She hops for the sky, flapping with as balanced a rhythm as she can hold. She closes her eyes and begs to herself. Please! Don't give up. Don't give up. You can do this.

The cacophony below becomes louder, then softer, followed by a significant crash as gemstone creature after creature slides off the edge, a couple of the reptiles scrambling to grab onto the edge. The scorpion catches itself, closing and opening its pincers a couple of times, then staring at the cliff edge. Scootaloo looks down, her vision spins slightly, but she grits her teeth and continues to flap her wings. She begins losing altitude, her shoulders and wings aching. She fights herself. The scorpion loses interest and wanders back for its cave. Scootaloo releases a sigh of relief between panting, and begins fluttering toward the cave she told her friends to hide in. She slowly sinks, and stumbles to the ground, landing on her chin, slumping and groaning.

"Scootaloo?!"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Better than those things, anyway."

"Get in here!" Her friends both run out and roll her over.

"Ow. Ouch! Hey! Come on, cut it out. I can move myself!" Scootaloo rolls to her feet and pulls herself up. "Also, Sweetie Belle, pushing with your head, really? You remember you have a horn, right?"

"S-sorry."

The three share a laugh.

"That's the first time I've laughed since... well..." Scootaloo's ears droop.

"Come on, lets get into the cave and rest. I think this is far enough for now. The sun is setting, anyway."

"I brought bandages, just in case. Here, let me wrap that." Sweetie Belle offers.

"Th-thanks." Sweetie Belle dresses Scootaloo's back left leg, and puts the extra bandages back in her bag.

Scootaloo looks out of the cave anxiously. "We can make it a bit further.

"What did we tell you?"

"Come on! At least to the edge of the rocks. There's another pile of rocks right over there we can hide under. It looks like we could fit under there." Scootaloo's friends look at each other, then back to her. "Come on... please?"

"We stop there. We go no further."

"F-fine."

The trio takes a slow pace, as Scootaloo limps along. They eventually arrive at a craggy area of the field. They make their way around, constantly glancing behind rocks, fearful of what could be hiding. The sun getting low in the sky, they look to each other fearfully.

Scootaloo looks at her planned spot.

"This...uh seems like a really bad idea."

"Scootaloo, it's dangerous to be wandering around a place like this at night. At least when we can see, we can know where things are. When it's dark, we're just waiting to be grabbed up." Apple Bloom replies.

"You gave up our cave. This is all we have, now. There's no way we can get back to that cave before it's dark."

If something happens.. this is all my fault. Scootaloo gestures for the others to go in first, and takes the position closest to the edge of the rocks. I hope everypony at home is okay.

Biting Off More Than They Can Chew (Pt. 2)

Most of the day was fearful waiting. The group stared at each other, up the stairs to the small cracks of light from the outside, rationing out breakfast and lunch.

"S-should we go see if anypony else is okay?" Featherweight paces back and forth, waiting in vain for good news.

"Who else is there?" Spike turns, uncomfortable with the idea of wandering around.

"Well, it doesn't seem like any foals were turned to crystal. Maybe there's others out there?"

"Well, I'd hope they found groups of their own or something." Rumble grits his teeth, looking at the doorway.

"What if they didn't? What if they're scared, alone?" Featherweight asks. Dinky cringes at the thought.

"Anypony with half a brain would stay put and live off what they have."

"We didn't." Featherweight sighs.

"We were outside... well, most of us? You were all outside, right?"

"Uh..." Spike twiddles his fingers.

"Some of us went for help. I didn't know what happened anymore than any of you did." Featherweight responds, his teeth sticking out as he bites his lip in concerned.

"Well then, they would have tried to find somepony else."

"Well, nopony has found us... and... wait... The Cakes! They have little foals!" Everypony stares back and forth.

"They've been alone a whole day!"

"Quick... okay, okay..." Featherweight paces quicker. "Well... I mean, I can go and..."

"We've been over this. You stay here. It's the middle of the day. You're not--"

"I get it. I get it. I'm just worried."

"Spike and I will go. If they're not there, we'll just hope somepony found them. What.... what other choice do we have?"

"What if.... what if we all went as a group? We could... pull others away from the group." Featherweight turns to the others.

"Seems pointlessly dangerous."

"You have to carry two baby foals, and find any milk that they can drink, and anything else foals need. It's not a job for two."

"Well..."

"I think we need to try it."

Rumble sighs. "I guess we don't really have a choice."

"It's settled. We'll leave anything we don't totally need right here."

The small group heads out, empty saddlebags and timid hooves. Featherweight points in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. "Don't say anything unless it's absolutely necessary." Everypony nods.

They move slowly, peering around house edges. Eventually arriving at an intersection where several multicolored gem hyenas are sniffing around.

Featherweight turns to the crew. He whispers. "I'm going to fly up on the roof. When I point, you go. Don't wait too long. I don't know how long they'll stay turned around if they turn. Go one or two at a time. Don't get in each other's way."

"Dinky and Spike, you go first. I'll fly somepony across."

"Good idea." Featherweight nods and takes off for the roof.

He sits, waiting for the right moment. After what seems like hours, they turn away from the intersection and Featherweight gestures. The two run as fast as their legs can carry them. Rumble picks up Pipsqueak and flies up high, once he knows the hyenas aren't turning, he bolts across the path, taking Pipsqueak directly to Sugarcube Corner. "Stay here, I'll go back for the others. Hide behind the counter or something."

Rumble lifts off and soars back to where only a couple foals are left. He zooms across and lands beside Featherweight. "Are we good?" He whispers.

"Yeah, hold on a sec." Featherweight leans over and gestures to the last two.

They head across the intersection, and pass by. Featherweight sighs, and lifts off.

"I checked when I dropped Pipsqueak off, the rest of the coast is clear."

The two zoom across the pathway, landing beside the nervous crowd. "Let's go." They stay cautious, peeking around corners until they arrive at the restaurant. Featherweight leads the crew inside, and looks around. Pinkie Pie stands, front hooves in the air, beside a cake, untouched for a whole day, sitting on the table.

Featherweight gulps and the group files in. "P-Pipsqueak?"

"Nopony's here."

"Hmm... well... I-uh, I hope they're okay."

"Me, too--what was that?" Dinky scrambles out of the doorway, giving a soft squeal.

"Relax, relax. I'm... where have you guys been hiding? I'm... well... hello."

"Hi... We're... uh... we-we have a... basement. Do you guys have food?" Featherweight's concern overrides his awkwardness.

"Not... really... I mean Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake do...or will in a minute."

"Why don't you come in with us? We have a pretty big basement, and we have food for at least another day."

Spike turns to the unfamiliar filly. "I uh.. sorry, who are you?"

"My name is Spring Lily. I found the Cakes' foals, they've been so worried. We've gotten them calmed down, but they needed more food. I don't have anything to carry anything with."

"Why not go home and get your saddlebags?" Featherweight suggests.

"I'm from out of town. Mama had the hotel key."

"You seem strangely calm." Rumble stares, a bit jarred.

"I-uh... I help my Mama at a hospital, I'm kind of... used to-"

"Used to everypony turning to crystal?" Spike tilts his head to the side.

"Loss... I've been able to get over it pretty easy by now. I mean, don't get me wrong... I'm... well..." She bites her lip. "I uh, need to get some food. They're all waiting for me at the shelter."

"We'll go with you. We brought saddlebags. We can help."

"You sure? It's dangerous. Our shelter is kind of... out in the open, but none of us wanted to stay in the same house as somepony... stuck like that."

"We really should move you to the basement. Nopony is down there, and it's cellar doors, you don't see anypony. Promise."

"And you have space?"

"Definitely. Just you three?" Dinky gives a warm smile.

"Six. A heavyset colt, two uh... unicorns, me, and the foals."

"That's fine, we'll have space. Let's go. Show us the way." Featherweight nods.

They walk down the streets, cautiously peeking around corners once more, after a short trek, they find Snips and Snails and Truffle watching over a couple small foals, fidgeting and fussy.

"How have you been taking care of them crying?"

"Well, we've been in a cave, but it's so dark, so when the sun came up, we came out of the cave."

"A cave? Is it safe?" Dinky grits her teeth.

"So far..."

"You guys are coming with us. Come on, Snips, Snails, Truffle, get up here, get the foals."

"Rumble!"

"Shush, quiet down."

"You sure we're okay? You won't feel cramped?" Lily asks.

"Really, we'll be fine. Get your stuff. We have to get out of here. We can have some dinner."

Rumble flies up into the air.

"Where are you going?" Featherweight asks.

"I'm getting more food, lead them home."

"Don't forget a set of saddlebags."

"Food! We forgot the milk!" Lily sighs, shaking her head.

"Well, we'll have to make a detour, then. Here, Pipsqueak, you think you can get them back okay?"

"Sure thing, mate."

"Get everypony back. Lily and I will go and get milk."

"I'm coming, too." Dinky and Spike both speak up.

"What for?"

"There are no blankets." Spike insists. "These foals in that basement? It was kind of chilly last night."

"Yeah, and we can maybe grab some food. I uh, I don't think the Cakes would mind?"

"Here." Pipsqueak digs out the last of the change from his pocket. "Leave it on the counter. You'll feel better about it."

"Uh..."

"I did it before, too. It just felt wrong."

"F-fair enough." Featherweight shrugs.

"Let's get going before the sun sets. Be careful, guys."

"That should just be our motto." Pipsqueak chuckles, and leads the others back. The town's silence still sitting uneasy. The only sounds were rustling in the distance, and birds chirping.

After a relatively uneventful, but still tense in everypony's heart, trip back, they make it into the cellar. "Say, you guys got a nice place down here!"

"Snails, quiet down."

"Sorry. Just, well-"

"Set your stuff down and get comfy. We're waiting. If we don't hear from Rumble or Featherweight's group in an hour, I am heading out."

"I'll go with you." Shady Daze nods.

"Okay, so let's just wait here."

--------------------

Rumble zooms across the sky, hopping from cloud to cloud. He lands on top of a house and flies through the window. He heads downstairs where a bowl of cherries sat on the counter. "Score."

... You idiot! No saddlebags!

He wanders up and down the house looking for a bag. He finds one, eventually, and slaps his forehead. I can't believe I forgot bags.

He fills up the bag with cherries. He lifts off and heads up the stairs and out of the same window. His heart sinks. I don't know how I'll return this... I mean, yeah, it's a cloth bag, but... He flies back, and grabs the sheet off the bed in the room, tying the sheet to the weather vane. There.

He flies to another house, grabbing a couple lemons, and a few dozen sugar cookies. He stuffs some wilted daffodils in the bag, too. They may not be perfect, but, hey. He grabs a couple loaves of bread, and his bag is full. He swoops out the window, and immediately soars onto the roof, dodging a slash from a large, furious peridot cat. "Uh... um..." He flies up higher, sitting on a cloud, waiting. The creature hisses and roars, a couple of larger gemstone cougars stand below the cat, staring, one pacing.

--------------------

"Hurry, it's getting darker."

"I know where everything is. Do you have water?"

"A little."

"We'll have to get some bottles, or a jug if you can carry it... what's your name?"

"Featherweight, and... uh... how big of a jug?"

"Hmm. We'll figure something out."

"I can carry it." Spike nods.

"Here, keep an eye outside, Spike. We'll get the stuff."

"Why me?"

"If they come after you, you can eat them!" Dinky chuckles. Spike smirks, the idea tempts him.

"I uh... I can do that."

"Eat them, or watch out?"

"Whatever needs to be done." He laughs, and stands in the eatery, watching out the windows.

"Okay. Let's go."

Within a matter of moments, Lily has all the goods pulled out of drawers left open, and various things from the refrigerator. A couple of bottles clink, and she backs out of the refrigerator.

"Ready."

"Okay, so water, next?"

"Yeah."

"I'll get the blankets, now." Dinky hops up the stairs.

After a couple minutes she comes back with 3 blankets draped over her shoulder like a cape, and a pillow in her mouth. Featherweight, trading places with Spike, who is filling a water jug, smirks.

"We good?" Spike asks.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Dinky nods, pillow still in her mouth.

"Okay, let's go."

The crew sneaks down the streets, the sky beginning to fade into a purple.

Tap, tap, tap. "It's us."

"Hey guys." Pipsqueak smiles, opening the door. "Seen Rumble?"

"You haven't?" Featherweight drops the pillow and flies off.

"Welp." Pipsqueak gives a grimace.

Spike turns off down the street.

"And where are you going?"

"Gems." He smiles, and picks at the wall of a nearby building, which has been distracting him for the last day. He picks at the wall and peels off some of the stone, licking his lips he takes a bite. His grin is immediately replaced by a frown. "Eeeyuck. These don't taste like regular gems at all." He mumbles, kicking the dirt as he returns to the cellar.

"What was that about?" Pipsqueak cocks his head to the side.

"They're gross. That's not any regular gem. It tastes... angry? Does that make any sense?"

"Well... No."

--------------------

Please, please, go away? Please?

"Rumble!"

"Featherweight!"

"Well, I see why you haven't made it back... Hmm. What to do? Ah. Idea. If they follow me, head home. If not, wait here."

"That probably isn't an issue. He stares down at the three cats, all staring up at him, now."

Featherweight flies off to his house, goes up to his room and grabs a pillow. Soaring back as quick as he can.

"Here, be ready, in case this works."

Featherweight swoops lower, holding the pillow, swinging it back and forth. He has the full attention of the creatures. He flies up higher and chucks the pillow down the road as far as he can.

"You uh, should have left that to me..."

"Meh, it's enough. Let's go." Featherweight shrugs, the felines chase after the new target, falling within reach. Within seconds the pillow is torn to pieces. Seconds was all they needed. The pair swoops to the top of a building with several peaks, and hides until they see the cats heading out of town.

"What all did you find?"

"Cherries, a few old daffodils, some lemons... I can't believe I forgot saddlebags."

"You made it work." Featherweight smiles.

"I think this is the most I've ever heard you talk."

"There's more important things. I-uh... I'm not really worried what everypony thinks when I'm worried if they'll be okay."

Rumble smiles and pats the fellow pegasus on the back.

"Let's get back."

After a short flight, they land beside the cellar door and tap again. "Found him."

"Rumble! You okay?" Dinky looks to him. "You look alright. Did you get lost?"

"No, but some uh... those things tried to get me, and wouldn't go away. Sorry I didn't get more."

Featherweight nudges him. "Hey, you got something, and it's not like you were goofing around."

"They followed me, even when I pushed the cloud."

"Nopony is upset. You did a good job." Featherweight smiles a toothy smile. Rumble returns the smile with a small grin of his own.

"How are the foals?"

"Fine as can be. They have even laughed a bit since we got here." Lily gives a relieved smile of her own.

"Good, let's have some dinner, and get some rest."

Home Ain't What It Used To Be

The sunlight peeks over the peaks of the nearby mountains, and the amber glow stirs Apple Bloom awake. She yawns. "Well, it wasn't like home, but I don't ache that bad, how did you guys sleep?" She turns to Sweetie Belle and notices something missing. She and shakes Sweetie Belle awake. "You seen Scootaloo?"

"Wha? Huh?" Sweetie Belle rolls over, still half-asleep.

She looks around and shakes Sweetie Belle again. "Scootaloo! Scoot-get up, Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo?! Where are you?"

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle jolts awake, processing Apple Bloom's panic. "Scootaloo?!"

The two crawl out from under the rock and scramble to their feet. They run off to search for their friend.

Apple Bloom wanders east, Sweetie Belle west. Apple Bloom hears some whimpering in a familiar voice. "Sweetie Belle, I think I found her! Scootaloo! There you are! Sweetie Belle! I did, found her! Scootaloo? What's... you okay?"

Scootaloo, propped up against another rock, wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'm just slowing you guys down, now. Besides, I don't know what good I'm going to do if I keep getting this upset. I didn't sleep very well at all last night, or the night before that... I miss Rainbow Dash... and Lucky Buck... I miss Cheerilee... I miss my aunt... and my parents, too... I miss my parents more than I have in a long time."

Apple Bloom nuzzles Scootaloo, not wanting to hug her, for fear that the extra weight will hurt her back leg worse. "You aren't slowing us down, you saved our lives! And we'll make everything... well...we'll make... things better... Just you wait and see."

Sweetie Belle catches up to the others. "What happened? Are you okay, Scootaloo? What's wrong?"

"Nothing... I'm just being a baby."

"Scootaloo! You are not. We're all worried. We all miss our families. You have plenty of reason to be so upset. Why, if I could get a hold of one of those things I'd..." Apple Bloom sighs and stomps the ground, kicking a stone.

"Whatever... We need to get going. We're almost there."

The others sigh and follow Scootaloo, trying to keep with her slowed pace. They help her when she stumbles over the rocky ground. Every stumble and tumble hurts in more than a single way for Scootaloo. She grits her teeth harder and harder, to the point her gums ache.

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asks in a weak voice. "Scootaloo, just relax. You're fine."

"I'm not fine! We're so far behind where we could be! We could be there by now for all I know! We had to stop for me yesterday. We're moving slow today. You guys had to find me cowering in my room! I am not fine. I'm not."

"Stop. We went over this. We're all having a hard time, you just keep trying to pretend you have to be so strong." Apple Bloom sighs.

"I haven't seen either of you cry. I'm the crybaby. I'm..."

"Shut up!" Sweetie Belle breaks her silence. "Shut up and stop it right now!"

Scootaloo freezes, shocked by Sweetie Belle's anger.

"I'm sick of this. You are one of my two best friends. You are not this lowly, worthless creature you keep pretending you are. We're all handling things differently. You don't think I've cried over this? You've been so far ahead of us, trying to get there as fast as you can. Apple Bloom has stopped twice to help calm me down. You didn't even hear. You need to stop worrying about what you think we think, because you've been wrong this whole time! We care about you, Scootaloo. You're not some spare wagon wheel. You're our friend. Now stop beating yourself up." Sweetie Belle begins to pant, having ranted herself tired. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry, just... please."

Scootaloo bites her lip and tears up, a bit of a smile on her face. "No, I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you guys feel so bad. I'm just so... I mean I guess I already explained it earlier. I just can't handle losing Rainbow Dash and Lucky Buck, too."

"We know, that's why we're doing this. Just remember, how you feel is part of this. If you back yourself into a corner, then we won't make it. We already have to split up when we get to pegasi's fort. Don't get yourself so worked up that you can't make it. It's not even about saving everypony, it's about taking care of yourself."

"I-I guess you guys are right. I just have a lot on my mind, I guess."

"We all do, that's why we want you to work with us, and not try and do this all on your own."

"Guys?" The three wander up to a large dilapidated structure. Sweetie Belle's eyes light up.

"This is it! This is where the three had their meeting before they set off to find Equestria! Which means that that, over there, is the pegasi's fort, and somewhere over there is the Earth ponies' village. I know where to go from here. I-I don't see the earth ponies' place; here, Apple Bloom, you take the book. You may need the map. We'll meet here after we find the temples."

"Wait, we're not going to your places together?" Scootaloo turns to the others.

"Well, we uh... we thought... we thought that it wouldn't be fair for you to have to go alone and us go as a group..." Apple Bloom pats Scootaloo on the back, Sweetie Belle nods.

"But what if something happens?"

"No time to waste, remember?" Sweetie Belle parrots her friend.

Scootaloo's lip quivers, a weak smile on her lips. "You... you sure?"

"We're sure." The other two say in unison.

"A-are you okay?" Apple Bloom asks.

"I-I'm alright, that's just sweet. Dangerous, but sweet. You guys be careful..."

"You, too!" the other two say in unison.

Scootaloo struggles into the air and flies off toward the spiring gray clouds. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom nod and head their separate ways.

--------------------

"Day three, no news." Featherweight paces.

"Who are you talking to?" Rumble asks.

"O-oh, j-just myself. I'm just... just worried, y'know?"

"Y-yeah."

"If you keep doing that, you'll wear a hole in this floor."

"Whose house are we even in?"

"I-I think it's... I think it's Starshine's house."

"Starshine?"

"Yeah, she works with Rainbow Dash. I wouldn't be surprised if they're good friends. They uh... have the same kind of personality? Starshine is a bit more of a go-getter."

"So she's a weatherpony?"

"Yeah. I've-uh, I've met her a couple times taking photos. She spends a lot of time in Cloudsdale, she said. Rent's cheaper."

"You sound like an adult. Rent?" Rumble chuckles. The others all giggle a bit.

"Heh, yeah. I..." Featherweight shrugs.

One of the foals begins to writhe a bit, groaning and warning that it's about time to cry. Lily charges for the foals. She picks up Pound Cake. "Shh, shh, shh. There there." She rocks the colt back and forth, the whimpering becomes a soft coo, and he falls back asleep.

"You're really good with little foals." Featherweight smiles.

"I work in the nursery back in Equinapolis. Well, I volunteer. I'm not old enough to work, but I play with the foals and feed and change them."

"What were you guys doing here?"

"We heard this was where Twilight and her friends lived. We went to Canterlot a few months ago, and learned about their story. We wanted to see what their hometown looked like."

"Well, Twilight isn't quite from here. Don't get me wrong, this is her home, I guess, but she's from Canterlot, originally."

"Oh, no, I know, but this is where she and her friends live now."

"Yeah. They're nice."

"You've met them?"

"It's not that big of a town. Plus, I mentioned Rainbow Dash, earlier."

"Oh! Rainbow Dash, yes, yes. I remember now. I've... not really been thinking about it." She chuckles.

"Understandable."

"He spends a lot of time around Rainbow Dash." Pipsqueak chuckles and pokes Featherweight in the ribs.

"Is that so? What for? Are you training to be a weatherpony?"

"N-no..." Featherweight blushes. "M...my fillyfriend." He hides his face a bit. "My fillyfriend is her daughter."

"Oh? That's so neat! Where is she? Is she here?"

"We uh... we don't know. We haven't seen her and her friends since the afternoon.... everything happened." His lip quivers a bit.

"Don't worry, Featherweight, I'm sure they're fine." Rumble says. "Scoots is tough. When she's not hanging out with you, we've played a lot of dodge ball. She can pack a real kick." Featherweight smiles. "Featherweight, trust me, they'll be fine."

Sweetie Belle's Crystal Maze - The Hope Charge

It sure is a lot scarier being out here alone... maybe Scootaloo was right... The unicorn felt strangely small, wandering her way to the unmaintained castle. She stares at its oppressive, daunting spires, cracked and crumbling, and down to the ground ahead of her. The ground has overtaken ancient stone, cracking the rock and growing grasses and weeds in the tile. She makes it to the entrance and gazes on the spectacle. The pink and white spires are cracked from ice damage, age, and disrepair, gemstones have fallen to the ground and cracked. The place is silent.

"Hello?" She shouts. Who is honestly going to reply? She asks herself shaking her head. She walks around the streets of the town. She digs in her saddle bag for a small snack, taking a rest. She finds her locket and sighs. She looks at the faded picture trapped in crystal, fighting back tears. After staring for a few moments, she puts the locket around her neck.

She sets foot on the entrance to the outer walls, when, from the corner of her eye, she catches sight of an orange stone as it moves. All the crystals lining the roads stretch into towers and block street paths. Sweetie Belle yelps, then sighs. You just gotta deal with it. Find your way through, it looks like a maze. Oh, well. Just stay against the wall.

She wanders the streets, now glowing with varying hues from the gemstone walls reflecting every which way. Normally this colorful light would make me happy... but something feels so... unsettling. She takes left after right after left. Dead end. She turns around, sighs, and heads back to the previous intersection. She slowly makes it further inward, and the walls shift around her. "No!" She shouts, then sighs. This is going to be tougher than I thought... How am I supposed to find my way through if everything keeps changing?

Sweetie Belle makes her way through to dead end after dead end after dead end. Every time she reaches one, the walls around her shift, and she's lost again.

This is hopeless. She slumps over onto her side. Tears well up in her eyes. How am I supposed to save anypony? I don't even have my cutie mark. I don't even know if I have a talent at all. I am going to let everypony down. Celestia trusted me... Why would she trust me? She curls up as the walls shift around her again.

She curls up into a ball of surrender. The walls around her laugh and she begins to cry. She covers her eyes, and feels a tug against her neck. She looks down at her pendant, her locket, with her mother and father, and loving (when not demanding) sister. "She may be hard to live with sometimes, but I didn't want to live without her... She's my sister!"

The word 'sister' echoes off the walls. She opens her eyes wide. I have to do this! For Rarity! For Mom and Dad! She shouts, and the walls echo again 'Mom and Dad'. The locket on her heart feels like it is pulsing to her heartbeat. She looks at the wall, looking to her horn. Her horn begins to glow on its own. Her heart pumps determination through her limbs, giving her strength to topple mountains. She runs through the maze, seeing right through the tricks of the walls. She turns, guided by a force beyond her understanding. She doesn't question it, she just follows her heart and horn. Within a few minutes, she makes it to the center of the town, to the temple. She climbs the steps.

She hears rumbling behind her, the creatures suddenly changing back into their giant, monstrous forms. She runs inside as quick as she can. She heads for the altar at the middle of the area as a crash sounds from the door, knocking the rotted wood to the ground. Rocks fly everywhere. One of the bits of debris from the door frame strikes the small unicorn in the back. "Ouch!" She doesn't break her stride, wincing, sore. She hops onto the altar, clambering to get her back legs onto it. A salmon-red beam rises, blasting the monsters out the door, into the walls and towers, knocking some of the already crumbling structures to the ground. The creatures storm away, scattering in a rage, groaning and roaring.

The locket around her neck glows puce. Sweetie Belle smiles a wide smile and speeds off through the crumbled castle, back to the place where they planned to meet.

She arrives first, sitting at the large, broken table in the structure where they split.

Scootaloo's Memories - The Courage Charge

Scootaloo, after a half an hour of flying, lands on top of one of the spiring clouds. She scans around for anything that looked special enough to be a 'temple'. She catches glimpse of a building with a hole knocked into the side of it. She struggles with all her effort to take to the air, but can't build the strength, she tries to set her feet back on the spire but misses, hurdling downward, screaming. She impacts the clouds. "Oof!" I guess it could've been worse, but I wish I could fly more, just... so tired...

She wanders the streets of the abandoned sky town. The towers have all filled with rainwater, turning a gloomy gray. From most places, the sun doesn't even reach the ground. Shadows from taller clouds crowd the street. Scootaloo slumps down a bit, trembling slightly with every step. Can these things even be up here? What do I have to be afraid of?

She wanders past cloudhouse after damaged cloudhouse. A chill runs down Scootaloo's spine as she limps down the streets. Still super creepy. I've never been inside a stormcloud. Almost on cue, a bolt of lightning arcs above her head. She darts down the street as fast as her legs can carry her. She reaches a clearing where the clouds aren't so gloomy, where sun peeks over the edges of the clouds.

She allows her heart rate to return to normal as the atmosphere seems more inviting. Her rest is short lived, however, as she turns her head, hearing something in the distance.

"H-hello?" She calls out. "Hello? I hear you." She shouts, turning toward a wall.

She shrugs Must be fooling myself. Calm down, Scootaloo, nobody's there. She sighs, then turns to look over her shoulder. Several pony-looking figures begin to shine against the clouds. Scootaloo recoils at first, expecting to be hit by something. Then, she comes to realize what it is shining on the wall.

"M-mama?" She turns to a cloud that looks like it has Rosy Fields against the wall. She runs up only to find it is just an illusion. She watches her mother and father against the wall as they slowly turn sickly, then fade into nothing.

"M-mama! Papa! Come back!" She paws at the wall. Their images are quickly replaced when an image of her aunt comes into view. "Aunt-Auntie Raincloud!" She talks at the wall, now sitting.

She watches as the image before her ages. "No! Stop! Stop it! Come back! It's me! I-I love you... I miss you." She shrinks down, her voice now very tiny, her head droops. The image disappears, then is replaced with gray cloud, nothing more.

Cheerilee comes into view, the little filly's eyes cloud up with tears as she witnesses her teacher, struck by a beam and crystallizing. "No." Scootaloo can barely squeak out the word.

Once again the walls fade to gray.

Finally Lucky Buck and Rainbow Dash appear, and are both struck. "No... no... come back... I... I miss you so much..." Scootaloo curls up into a ball.

After rocking in place and calming herself down enough to sit up, she turns her head up and sees Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie...Sweetie Belle? No. No!" She stares at the figure as Sweetie Belle slumps down. "Sweetie Belle! What's wrong?" Who am I kidding? Her heart begins to fill with a rage and determination. She hops to her hooves. She looks toward a pair of crystalline figures on the tops of the clouds. A rage sparks inside her. She darts after the crystalline creatures, who fly off.

She soars after them, but glances to the side, catching sight of a gazebo, seemingly pristine in a land of broken and abandoned structures. She grits her teeth and lets the creatures get away. She hooks a left and goes full speed, toward the temple she saw. She fives for the ground, landing on her hooves, staring at the gazebo. She catches sight of a dozen gemstone creatures with claws and wings, who monsters dive out of the gazebo toward her, knocking clouds up into the air. Scootaloo charges her way through, evading claws and hooves of all colors as they smash into the clouds around her.

She kicks one of the creatures in the chest as it swipes at her, bouncing off and diving through its arms. Another jumps at her, she jumps over it and hops off its back, gaining altitude. She dives toward the steps and smashes through a storm cloud blocking her way to the gazebo.

The gazebo holds a cold darkness. The only light that seems to come inside the walls is one narrow cone of light. She slowly heads toward the only area lit inside, a small altar lit by an oculus in the roof. She reaches the foot of it and several of the creatures roar. An aquamarine pegasus flies at her and she screams. She hops onto the altar, and a seafoam beam flies into the sky, surrounding her. Her hair gets blown around by the wind, and the sapphire feather in her mane glows. The creatures stop in their tracks and run off, chittering and growling into the distance. A shockwave flies outward, sending the closest creatures tumbling and rolling.

Th-that... that wasn't Rainbow Dash was it? That wasn't M-Mom... right? No... No it couldn't have been. She reassures herself. Sitting on the altar, collecting herself, building up her strength once more. The room falls dark again, only lit now by the shine bouncing off her barrette. The bizarrely dark gazebo now a soothing blue, she feels strangely rejuvenated by the sight. Scootaloo stands on her feet. "I can do this. I can! I'm coming guys!" She shouts.

Apple Bloom's Dilemma - The Sympathy Charge

The red-maned Earth pony follows the map to where the map says the village is supposed to be. She wanders for hours. "I don't see anything!" She shouts, then sighs. She keeps going, and the treeline breaks, revealing houses reclaimed by nature. She catches sight of a few small crystalline creatures, and breaks into a sprint. The creatures run off, frightened of the small pony. "Come back here!" She shouts. "When I get you I... Ugh!" She continues. "Do you see what you guys did to my friend?!"

She runs through the grass-covered streets of the former home of her kind. She follows the rabbit, still furious, an image of Scootaloo's defeated gait in her head. "Get back here!" She charges full-speed, arriving at the outer edge of the still-standing structures in the village, where walls begin to break away, leaving only overgrown foundations in their stead. She looks around, the rabbit hopping desperately away from her, approaching a stone base, cracked, but devoid of plants. The only plant life reaching as far as its center being old tree branches, some dead from age.

She sees a small dais, similar to the one back in the Cave of Warm Hearts and she chases a small gemstone rabbit to the foot of the altar, where lightning strikes without warning. The strike startles her, and she backs away from the pillar. The tree nearest the altar loses a branch, which catches fire. She stares at the burning branch and notices the small gemstone rabbit squealing and struggling beneath its weight.

"You! Ugh, you're one of them!" She shouts at the terrified creature as it covers its head with its ruby arms. "I should leave you right there! You're...." Her voice weakens. "You're scared. You're... alone... and helpless... like us..." Her lip quivers. She sighs, her broken scowl becoming a frown. Her heart fills with a determination to help. She approaches the branch.

"Here..." She begins to push the branch off the creature, bucking it away as quick as possible, to avoid receiving burns herself. The branch flies across the stone floor and eventually burns itself out. The rabbit stands up and stares at her. "You... you didn't hurt anypony. You're just a little rabbit. You're... you're just as scared as us." She stares, curious and upset with herself. She places a hoof on the rabbit, who accepts the contact. She gives it a soft pet, and sighs, again. The other creatures peek out from the foliage, another creature runs up to Apple Bloom. At first she winces, expecting to be attacked. The creature chatters with the other one, and both run off. The crystalline creatures all stare.

"Well then... Maybe Fluttershy was right." Apple Bloom looks around. A small wooden shack half stands, with an exposed, broken stone altar. "Maybe animals just need to receive care and compassion... What have I done? I'm... I'm so sorry." She backs away, her ears down. The creatures continue to stare, curious, but somewhat scared. Apple Bloom turns around, facing the dais. "Aw..." Her heart sinks. The lightning strike has split the dais into pieces. She approaches it slowly.

"I-I hope this thing still works..." Apple Bloom climbs up onto the now-broken piece of stone. She closes her eyes, a bit scared of another bolt of lightning coming from seemingly nowhere.

A cerulean beam flies from the stone, startling Apple Bloom at first, and the tiara in her bag glows from inside. She catches sight of the glow, bright against the dark inside of her saddlebags. She stares at it, staring at it, glowing with a blue glow in stark contrast to the gold of the apple's gem.

The beam emits a shock wave which shifts the trees, and illuminates the area. She places the tiara on her head and feels recovered from her exhaustion, and filled with a warmth and loving. The creatures all look at each other, then come closer. She smiles and pets the creatures, who seem to be far less afraid and more friendly. She loses herself for a moment, but realizes she has a job to do. "I'm sorry, guys, I gotta go!"

She runs back on the path from whence she came. I hope everypony else is okay.

Everything Will Be Okay

"They've been gone so long." Featherweight's voice is soft and trembling. "What if they're hurt?"

"I... I've been worried, too." Pipsqueak approaches his pal and sits beside him.

"Why aren't we doing anything?"

Dinky turns to the pair, setting down Pound Cake. "Apple Bloom told me to stay here. She told us to trust them, remember?"

"I trust them, but I also know it's dangerous out there. What if something happened they didn't expect?" Dinky falls silent. Featherweight begins pacing again.

"They're tough fillies." Spike interjects. "I'm sure they're... they're fine, Featherweight."

"You're sure?"

"I... well..."

"I am." Rumble walks over to the others.

"How?"

"Look at how well we've done. We've gone looking for food twice, and nopony was hurt. Not one of us."

"You almost were."

"Yeah, but I wasn't was I?"

"I'm just worried."

"We all are." Dinky sighs, pacing a slight bit herself.

"We can't go anywhere, though." Lily insists.

"Why not?"

"Who is going to take care of the foals?"

"Not all of us! I just meant... like... me."

"And just where do you intend to go?" Rumble sighs. "We haven't seen them in days. Who knows if they're even in town."

"I... well... I'm..." Featherweight blushes and looks to the floor, holding back tears.

"I get you're scared and worried, but why put yourself in danger to go searching for somepony when you have no idea where they could even be?"

"I mean, I... I understand, but... I just--"

"I know, you're like me." Rumble sighs, and looks to the ground. "You hate being here, being unable to do anything. Out there everypony is crystal, or maybe scared and alone, or any number of other things. I know why you want to do something, but there's really nothing to do. At worst you'll get yourself into trouble, and how do you think Scootaloo would feel about that? I've seen how you two are. I wish I had even one friend as close as that, let alone a fillyfriend. I know you know how she is. I heard Diamond Tiara when she stole Scootaloo's diary. I know deep down she's just as scared as all of us. I know she'd fall apart if you got hurt. For her sake, you need to stay here. We should only leave if we absolutely have to."

Featherweight's lip quivers. "You... you have a level head on your shoulders, Rumble... That's a good point." He sighs. "It sure doesn't make it easier, though. That's for sure."

"Oh, definitely not. Don't... don't get me wrong. I'm wanting to go do anything, so bad. Even just some hoofball or some--"

"We can go get some games or something. The school isn't too far from where we are." Dinky nods.

"At least something." Rumble suggests.

"I think we could do that pretty safely."

"Let's go, then!" Rumble hops to his feet.

"You and I will go. Everypony else, you guys watch over those two."

"You got it!" Pip nods, Spike gestures.

"Oh, and... be careful." Spike smiles. Everyone chuckles, a brief silence follows as the two head out.

The pair heads out toward the school. They take to the skies.

"It always just feels... so nice to fly." Rumble sighs. "It just... feels great."

"Mhm." Featherweight barely vocalizes.

"What's up?"

"Just... still a lot on my mind."

"Come on, lighten up a bit."

"I... I don't know where any of my friends and family are except Pip, Shady, and Dinky."

"Where's your dad?"

"He was out taking pictures when I got home. I have no idea where he is. I only found out what happened when I was looking out my window. I... I went looking for Dad, but I gave up when I saw Pip running down the street. We both tried to find out what the other knew, when Dinky and Snowflower told us to hide with them--" They land at the swing set. They catch sight of Cheerilee's crystalline form, and both fall silent.

"L-let's go inside." Rumble's voice is shaky.

The two go into the house, silent and empty, lights still on, paperwork still sitting on Cheerilee's desk. Featherweight's gangly limbs tremble with every step. "It... feels so wrong in here."

"Let's hurry... I don't like this at all."

They dig through the recess items and place a hoofball and two game boxes into the bag Rumble found the night before. Featherweight grabs some pencils and a few sheets of paper. He also stares at the chalkboard, which was half-erased. He feels nauseous. "L-let's get out of here."

Rumble doesn't argue a bit, and the two take to the skies.

They return to the basement, and knock. "It's us." Rumble says in a soft voice.

"Heya, that was quick and easy!" Spike smiles.

"--Quick."

"What's wrong?"

"Just... don't worry about it."

Spike bites his lip. "You... don't want to talk about it?"

"No. Let's just get downstairs."

The Meeting Of The Three Pony Tribes

Sweetie Belle reaches the meeting place first, hiding inside for shelter, just in case.

About an hour later, Apple Bloom reaches the tower. "Hey! Did you find it? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just want to get back home. I'm missing everypony. I sure hope this works."

"C'mon, Sweetie Belle, Celestia herself told us to do this. It's gotta work!"

"I suppose you're right. Seen Scootaloo?"

Apple Bloom shakes her head. Sweetie Belle's heart sinks. "I hope she's okay." They both sit silent. Sweetie Belle breaks out of anxiety. "D-did you see any creatures?"

"Yeah... I... I chased them and-"

"You chased them? Are you crazy?"

"No... but I was mad... very mad. I wanted to hurt them... But then one got trapped under a tree and I... I let it go... because...because it was so scared..."

"Wow... crazy... I can't believe you chased them... especially just to let them go!"

"What about you? Did you?"

"Kind of... I mean, yeah. They... became like... walls? I was in a big maze, and the walls kept moving."

"These things must be powerful."

"Maybe... I just-Scootaloo!" The two run over and hug their friend.

"Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo doesn't say much at first. She just slumps onto a chair at the table.

"Scootaloo, tell us what happened. You... you don't have to deal with this alone."

"I saw everypony... I even saw you, Sweetie Belle. I'm... I'm happy you're okay, but... I just... I miss them all so much." Scootaloo's eyes fill with tears. "I want them back!"

"Well, we're... we're all ready, and we can go in the morning. It's getting late. We should sleep in here tonight." Sweetie Belle leaves her hoof around Scootaloo's shoulder.

"I-I just miss them y'know?"

"I... I do... and I miss my parents, too... even if I was too young to remember them... But at least I had Applejack and Big Mac and Granny Smith; you..."

"Can we drop it? So, what happened with you guys?"

"I uh... was in this maze... and I almost gave up. Every time I would find a dead end, the maze would move. I-I just sat there, curled up...then I looked at the locket Celestia made me, and remembered my family, and then I uh... I don't know... I just felt like, I had to do this. I mean, even before, I knew I had to do this for everypony, but I just felt... determined, you know? Suddenly it was so much easier to find my way. The maze... I could just feel my way through..."

"Well, we're glad you're safe."

"And you, Apple Bloom?"

"She... chased some of those creatures and let one go!"

"You what?"

"Y-yeah... it was just... so scared! It didn't mean any harm... it was just like a regular bunny... it... it was scared."

Scootaloo cringes. "I... wow... I would have had trouble if I could have caught one. I don't know what I would have done."

"That's what I thought, too. But it got stuck under a burning branch... and I don't know... I couldn't let it get hurt. I just couldn't."

"Well, everypony is okay... or at least, we are..."

"I hope everypony at home--the foals at least, are okay. We'll have to check on them when we first get a chance." Sweetie Belle nods to Scootaloo. "I just wanted to say one more thing" Scootaloo breaks tone, her voice softer, "before we go to sleep, that is..."

"What's that?" Apple Bloom turns to face the pegasus.

"I am... really happy you guys are my friends. Being all alone up there made me realize just how special you guys are."

"I-I missed you guys, too... You guys are good friends" Sweetie Belle nods.

"Aww, I missed you guys, too! Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Apple Bloom shouts.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders to the rescue! Yay!" The three shout in unison, then curl up underneath the table.

--------------------

"You sure you don't want to talk?" Dinky sits next to Rumble.

"It was Cheerilee... and... the whole school. It was so quiet, and... Miss Cheerilee must have gone outside to see what was going on while she was cleaning the chalkboard... it was only have erased... she still had homework from the other day on the desk. It was just... it felt so wrong." Dinky scoots closer to Rumble, and gives him a hug.

"Well... I... Everything will be okay, right?"

"Will it? Do we even know that?"

"We can just hope. I trust Apple Bloom and her friends. Just... cheer up, okay?"

Pipsqueak comes over. "Hey, Rumble, wanna toss the hoofball? I think we have enough space here that we won't bother the little foals. Just a simple catch game?"

"Y-yeah. I-I could do that." Rumble forces a bit of a smile, and hops to his hooves.

Dinky smiles at Rumble who blushes a bit and heads off with Pipsqueak. She turns her attention to Featherweight, who she notices to be curled in a bit of a ball.

"F-Featherweight?"

"She was our teacher. She... she was one of the first people to ever care for me... respect me."

"You heard us, then?"

"Y-yeah. I just... She looked so scared. Do... do you think it hurts?"

"I... don't really want to think about it."

"Y-yeah. --And where's Scootaloo? Where are Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom?! They left us here. If they get hurt and we can't--"

"Don't think like that. You know them. They've dealt with some pretty big falls trying so hard to get their cutie marks. I think if anypony our age can handle being on their own, it's that group. I mean, you've hung out with them. You know how tough they are!" Dinky nudges Featherweight. "Trust your fillyfriend. She may be reckless, but she wouldn't leave you unless she knew it was for the better. We both know what she's gone through, if she left this place, she knew she had a job to do."

"I just wish she would have told us what was going on."

"Maybe she couldn't."

"Couldn't?"

"What if like... she was told to keep it a secret. We don't know what creature did this. We don't know what they can do. Maybe she wanted to make sure we didn't have to keep a secret in case... whatever this thing is... found us."

"M-maybe."

"Look, trust them."

"I-I do. I trust them; I'm just scared."

"I'm scared, too."

Bonk. The hoofball beans Featherweight in the head.

"You okay, chap?" Pipsqueak asks.

"Y-yeah... hey, Pip."

"Yeah?"

"Are... are you worried about Sweetie Belle?"

His mouth opens and closes a couple times, finally generating words. "I... I thought I was hiding it pretty well..."

"That's why I asked. You seem so... okay."

"I just don't want to be a downer. Everypony is already so on-edge, I just want everypony to try and be as happy as they can. We have to deal with this either way, and we're kind of stuck. I just don't want to... I don't want everyone to give up."

"You gonna throw it, Pipsqueak?"

"Y-yeah, here!" He hurdles the ball back to Rumble. "Gimme a minute."

"Alright, I'm worn out, anyway. Take five?"

"Sounds good." He turns back to Featherweight and Dinky. "Having that much trouble, eh?"

"I just feel like... I've been trying to play leader so long... I haven't had a chance to let it out, really."

"Let wha-" Featherweight starts crying. Everypony stares. A chorus of "what's wrong"s and "you okay?"s chimes in.

"H-he's fine." Dinky intervenes. "Just keep to what you're doing. He'll be okay."

Featherweight leans onto Dinky. Pipsqueak sets a hoof on Featherweight's shoulder. The two just sit with him, while he pours out a waterfall of tears. Pipsqueak struggles to hold his composure.

"And... on top of it all, I'm sure there's more of us out there, worried, maybe alone."

"We can't just go searching all the time. I mean, Snips and Snails and Truffle and Lily found each other and took care of the Cakes foals without us."

"Yeah, but what if there are other little foals we didn't know as well?" Featherweight's heart is in his back hooves.

"We'll just have to hope everypony is okay. Look, if in two days we haven't heard anything, we'll go looking again, 'kay?"

"What if-"

"We can't do this all the time. I know... it's dark now, and we need a day to just... handle everything, I think. We've been crawling around an empty town. We've been splitting up and having to find each other. We've been going so hard for so long. I really think everypony is about like you. It's been hard on all of us, but we're all hiding our fear so much we're scaring ourselves. I think tomorrow we need to just be there for each other."

"That... sounds like a really good idea, Pip."

"Now, I think you look pretty tired, Featherweight. Curl up over here and get some rest. I think we'll probably shut the lights off before too long."

"Y-yeah... I'll... I'll do that." Featherweight gives a deep, long sigh, collecting himself. Pipsqueak throws the extra blanket over his pal.

"G'night, Featherweight."

"Good night."

"Hey guys, I think we need to get to bed here in a few minutes. It's getting late."

"Aww, just one more round?"

"One more."

Dinky chuckles. Funny to see the tiniest foal making rules. She heads over to Rumble.

"Still worn out?" Pipsqueak joins the two.

"Yeah, I think I'm pretty tired, too. A lot on my mind. The day wasn't as busy as the last couple of days, but I'm worn out. I think it's just all hitting me, now. I think I've just..." He lowers his voice so only the two of them can hear, "I've been so scared I haven't thought about it."

"Why are you whispering?"

"I... I like to be seen as a pretty tough colt."

Pipsqueak chuckles. "You can be tough and scared. Look at me... look at Spike."

"Spike?"

"He hasn't said anything since he got here, but we were talking and he's so worried about Twilight. He was actually sick the first night."

"Wow."

"He's a dragon."

"Y-yeah. I... well, yeah. I'm scared. I just... I've been so worried about my brother and my mom and dad... What if this never changes? What if we're stuck like this forever?"

"It won't happen. Something will change everything. I know it!" Pipsqueak's optimism rushes forward again. He gives a cheery smile. They continue talking until their eyes get heavy.

"O-okay... everypony." Rumble gestures wearily "I-I think we need to shut off the lights." He barely finishes his sentence before he begins lightly snoring.

Lily chuckles. She rocks the little foals a few times and both begin to doze off. She walks over to the various flashlights and shuts them off one by one.

The Quest For a True Home

The three stretch and get ready for the trip back. They make their way out, in time to encounter a bear made of pure diamond.

"Get back!" Apple Bloom pushes the others back. The bear starts walking toward her. She cowers backward, but the bear only sniffs her, and nuzzles her hoof. Apple Bloom stares, startled. She rubs the bear's nose and the bear gives a strange coo. The bear stands up and wanders off.

"What the hay was that all about?" Scootaloo stares at Apple Bloom.

"I have no clue..."

The two have a relatively uneventful return over the next two days, with most creatures giving them no mind, or occasionally approaching curious. Eventually, they become comfortable around the creatures, who appeared fully harmless, regardless of how intimidating they seemed.

--------------------

Featherweight stretches and gets to his hooves. He looks around, the sunlight creeps through the edges of the door, and he can tell a couple of others are laying awake. He whispers "Everypony ready for the lights, yet?"

"Ten minutes."

How come everypony talks in minutes? We have no clue what time it is. "'Kay." Habit, I guess.

After a few minutes heads to a flashlight and it flickers and the bulb pops. Featherweight jumps, everyone gets to their hooves.

"Welp. That one's no good for now."

He goes to the others and lights up the area.

"What's the plan for the day?" Rumble turns to Featherweight.

"Pip suggested we just take it easy. We have enough food for today. After today, though, we need to see if anypony else is out there. I mean we know there are other students in the class.

"A couple I'd rather not find." Pipsqueak chuckles.

Featherweight halfheartedly chuckles.

"Aw, come on, I wasn't serious."

"Anyway, we uh... if there are others out there, we need... we need to find them. At the very least we need to make sure everypony we can find is okay where they are."

"How will we do that?"

"We'll start in one area and go house to house until we reach the center of town. I'll work on a plan. I got paper and stuff last night. Everypony just take 'the day off,' sort of."

"How is everypony feeling?" Dinky interrupts.

Lily steps forward. "Yeah, if you guys need to talk... I think we all could let some frustration out.

The group spends hours and hours talking, crying, playing games, and reminiscing.

"I mean. I-I really don't want to bring e-everypony down but--" Pipsqueak fumbles a bit.

"You won't." Lily smiles.

"I've been pretending this... this whole time. I've been acting all perky and eager, but frankly, I'm terrified."

"I understand that." Spike nods. "I mean you heard how worried I am about Twilight."

"It's just so weird coming from a playground world where you get bullied for looking weak. Now we kind of... need these moments, because... well, we'll all go bonkers if we don't."

"Yeah, yeah, I get that." Rumble nods.

"But I wonder, deep down, what happens if I never see my parents again? I love my parents." He sighs and fights back tears, his tough side not wanting to give in. "And S-Sweetie Belle. I know you don't know her Lily, but... Sweetie Belle is the kindest filly I've ever met. She is always there when I am having a tough day. She is amazing." A bit of a twinkle shines in his eyes. "I worry that she's out there and things might have gone wrong. What if they weren't... able to do what they went to do?"

A lump fills up Featherweight's throat.

"They'll be fine. I told you all, yesterday." Dinky smiles, setting a hoof on Pipsqueak's shoulder. "They're the best for the job that I can think of, whatever it is. They deal with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon better than anypony I know, and they have tried and struggled with so many things, and they still haven't gotten their cutie marks. They stay happy, and even when they come in with bruises and bandages from accidents, they don't let it beat them. They're going to be just fine." At least I hope so. "Besides, they have each other, too!"

About an hour passes and they get to Featherweight's turn. He waited patiently for his turn, and once it arrived, he was a bit startled. He'd already planned out what he was going to say, and it all collapsed into a single phrase of denial.

"I-I-I'm fine."

"Come on, this is what today is for. Just let it all out."

"No, really... I just... don't worry about it."

"Uh..." Spike tilts his head surprised. "I think we all know after yesterday night that you're not okay."

"We're not moving on until you tell us. You need to let go as much as the rest of us." Lily insists.

"Look, there's a lot going on. Some I don't really even want to talk about."

"Like what?"

"I just said I don't want to talk about it."

"Is this about your parents?" Rumble blurts out, then immediately recoils, realizing what he said.

Featherweight clams up. "S-sort of. But... just... yeah... I just don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"Come on. We're not going to pick on you. We are in this together." Lily nods.

"Duh, yeah." Snails smiles.

"Yeah, what are we gonna say?" Snips chuckles.

"Th-this doesn't just end here. I know you guys outside here. This isn't some vacation. There's a real world out there. I have... bits of my life I'd really rather some ponies not know."

Lily groans. "Okay, fine. What can you talk about? Just, come on. We all saw you last night. Something is going on in there."

"Well... I... I miss my dad... I miss my teacher... I miss Scootaloo... I miss the... the weekends when we'd--you know... we'd all go to Sugarcube Corner, or we'd go to the market... or the playground..." His eyes well up. "I just want life back like it was. I'm... I'm scared. I'm-I-I don't want to insult you guys... but I'm kind of lonely... Like, lonelier than I was when I used to stay home all the time. I just... I want... life back."

Everyone stares, silent. Nopony knows what to say.

"Sorry."

"Featherweight. You don't need to feel lonely."

"No, not like that kind of lonely. Like... don't you guys feel that? That feeling? It's not like... regular loneliness. It's hard to explain. Haven't you ever been with friends you kind of know, and you're all having fun, but you feel... like you don't fit in, even though... oh, I don't know how to explain it."

"You fit in here!"

"That's what I mean. I can't even think of the words. I just... can we move on?"

"Fine. Fine." Lily half-smiles, her heart heavy.

"I guess that leaves me and you two?" Rumble says, turning to Dinky and Lily.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Well. You guys all know I try to be a tough colt, but I really feel... so scared right now. The other day when those cats almost got me, I was really scared. I still wake up every couple of hours and look at the door. I don't want to be asleep if something happens. I..." He trembles. "I guess I'd rather it be me..."

"Don't talk like that. Nothing is going to happen."

"Do you know that?"

"Well..."

"Look, part of why I act so tough is because I'm constantly worrying about what could be happening. We have one wood door protecting us from whatever is out there. We've been lucky so far, but it's only been a couple of days. We can't stay like this forever, and none of us are tough enough to take those things on."

He gets up and begins pacing with nervous energy.

"I keep thinking, 'well, what if something does find us? What do we do?' Or 'What if we run out of food? What do we do in the winter?' Are any of us even farmers?"

"Things will get better before the winter." Dinky gives an optimistic grin. She walks up to Rumble and pats his back. He stops pacing for a minute, blushing.

"A-a-uh-again. You don't know that. What if it doesn't? What if we have to figure out how to take care of these foals and we run out of milk? What do we do? We're just foals ourselves! We're not really ready for this."

"You... really have thought about this a lot."

"Yes. A lot. Even when I was carrying Pipsqueak or collecting cherries I was thinking about everything else that could go wrong. I thought about where all you guys were. When yo were crossing the street and those big crystal things were there, I was just thinking 'what if they get caught and I'm all the way over here?' You guys are my closest friends, right now. I hope you guys stay my friends, but... I'm really worried about all of you, now."

Lily smiles. "When we get out of this, I'll make sure I have your addresses, so I can write to you all. I'll make sure I can visit again, if at all possible."

"Sounds like a plan." Rumble smiles. "But first we have to make sure we get to that point. I'll probably always be worrying. I just do. At school I worry about my grades. Sure, I'm usually fine and all... but--look I'm getting off track. Just... I worry about everything. I pretend to be fine, like all of us seem to, but I'm just as scared as all of you."

"We can all get through this together." Dinky smiles. A few moments of introspection fall over the group.

"Well... I guess it's your turn."

"Oh... uh... hmm... well... you guys all kinda said what all worries me, except this... I mean Rumble kind of hit on it. We've all kind of been stuck together as a little family-away-from-family, and I don't want this to be the only time we ever spend together. I mean I have some friends, but I always like new friends, and I don't want this to be a 'we have to' type thing... I mean I really... like spending time with all of you."

Everyone smiles. Pipsqueak chuckles. "We spend time together all the time, you don't have to worry about me."

"Yeah... don't worry about it. I think after this, we all know a bit more about each other." Rumble continues. "I'd be happy to hang out at school or after school or whatever."

Featherweight silently nods.

"Well, that's really all I have been thinking about. I would love to be friends with all of you. Don't be afraid to say 'hi,' whenever we get out of this." A few moments of waiting, and Dinky turns to Lily. "And, that leaves you!"

"Ah, uh... well, I mean, if we ever get out of this, I just hate that I'll have to move so far away, again. I have found real friends in all of you, and I live so far away. I'll look forward to it if I get to visit, but I have made better friends with all of you than I have made with anypony at home. I really miss my parents, but that's about all of home that I do miss. I really like spending time with all of you. I promise I'll write, and I hope you all write back." She tears up a bit.

"You have to have friends back home."

"I mean, I have friends at school, but I don't have like... friends friends. I don't hang out with anypony. I go home, or to work with Mom, and that's about it. I'm pretty... quiet, usually."

Snips and Truffle chuckle and look to Featherweight. "We know somepony like that!" Snips grins. Featherweight blushes.

"I'll write back." Featherweight smiles. Everyone around the room agrees. Lily smiles, wiping a tear from her left eye.

"Other than that, I mostly just have been worrying about these two. I don't know if any of the rest of you have taken care of little foals, so, since I kind of know how to do that, I've been focused on them. Sorry if I haven't seemed... the most chatty."

"Don't worry, you're doing a great job, and it's a tough job. I don't know if anypony else here has, either. I know I haven't." Dinky nods.

"T-thanks" Lily smiles.

The light through the cracks begins to fade. The crowd has a nostalgic melancholy. Everypony senses a desire for how things were, but they don't want to lose the ties they've made. They all struggle to fall asleep that night.

"I just hope you all don't forget me." Lily speaks up, as flashlights shut off.

"Don't you worry about that." Dinky smiles. "I'll write you first thing the day you leave, so when you get back, you'll have a letter waiting! You'll have to come visit us at school when all this clears up."

"Will do."

Stronger Than the Sum of Its Parts

--------------------

The sun peeks through the cracks of the cellar door. The group empties their packs. "Only bring what we need. Keep your luggage light, we don't know what we'll find. Lily, you staying here to care for the foals?"

"Yes."

"Dinky, you and Shady stay here with her, then."

"Can do!"

"Yes, sir."

"Shady, I've told you... I have no clue how many times, not to call me sir... just seems so weird."

Shady Daze chuckles and blushes. "Sorry, habit. I call Miss Cheerilee 'ma'am' and my parents 'sir' and 'ma'am.' Don't know why, always have. You're kind of my boss, after all."

"Whatever." Featherweight chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Anyway, just help her out if she needs help."

Spike opens the cellar door, and standing outside are three hungry crystalline wolves, which jump for the door. Spike yelps and slams the door. "Get back!" Everypony stands back.

Feathereweight turns to everypony. "Get anything you can, block the door." The door thuds and pounds from wolves stomping and scraping on the doors.

"Hide the foals. Protect them. Be ready. I don't know what's going to happen!" Rumble stands at the top of the stairs. Spike standing beside him, nervous, but ready for anything.

A muffled, raspy female voice can be heard. "Hey! You! Get away from there!"

The sounds of the wolves fade as the weight leaves the door.

Apple Bloom stares at the wolves, who approach. As they near the trio, Apple Bloom's tiara glows, and the wolves all stop what they're doing and stare, wagging tails like puppies. Scootaloo just stares in awestruck amusement. "Never gets old."

The trio knocks and Sweetie Belle speaks. "It's us, we're back." Dinky pounces at her and gives her a hug. "Are you okay? Where have you been?"

"We should be asking you the same thing. We're trying to fix things. I-I think we have it under control. Just... stay here. Don't come up unless you're told it's okay."

"O-okay." Dinky turns back inside. Before she can shut the cellar, Rumble, Spike, Featherweight and Pipsqueak come up.

"We've been taking care of our group, and we found a few others, but there may be others out there. Just make sure everypony is safe if you can." Featherweight nods, hugging Scootaloo tightly.

"Don't worry. We're hoping Twilight and her friends will be able to help us."

"Twilight?! How?" Spike smiles, his body filling with an electrifying eagerness.

"We don't quite know, yet. We're just doing what we--just... things will hopefully be back to normal, soon." Sweetie Belle gives a hopeful, but uncertain nod. Pipsqueak gives Sweetie Belle a hug, as well. "Now, get back in the cellar for a while. Wait for someone to come get you."

They part ways, the cellar closes once more, and the trio sets off. They head for the library.

After a few moments, they're spooked as Spike speaks. "Guys, I-I"

"Ahh! Oh, Spike... what are you doing here?"

"I want to help. I want to help Twilight if I can."

"Just be careful."

"You don't know how many times I've heard that, this week."

The group, now four strong, makes their way the rest of the way to the library. Once inside, the ponies head toward Twilight, and the three talismans begin to glow. The feather fires a pale green, the pendant, a puce, and the tiara a blue beam toward the crystallized unicorn. The gemstone shell breaks off of Twilight who stands, bewildered.

"What just happened?" She asks.

"A few days ago a crystal monster attacked and-" Sweetie Belle is cut off by Twilight.

"Oh dear, the gemstone monsters have broken free? I have a book about this, we need to hurry! Spike find the book on-"

"Twilight, Twilight!" Twilight stops scanning the shelves and turns to the girls. "We already have what we need. We have to find your friends so you can get the Elements of Harmony!"

"Oh! You girls rescued me?" The trio nods.

Spike gobbles up the amethyst fragments that fell to the ground. "These taste much better than the other ones did."

"These little gems we have are what saved you. But there's no time to talk about this, w-we gotta hurry. Who knows how long... or if you'll turn back." Apple Bloom urges Twilight.

"Right."

"Guys... could... could we go help Rainbow Dash next?" Scootaloo asks, her ears drooping.

The other two look at each other, both wanting to save their families first. They frown, then turn to Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom finally says "O-of course Scootaloo... We'll get Rainbow Dash back next..."

Scootaloo manages a weak smile and the growing group run off. Flashes of light fly at them, but dissipate before they even come close to hitting the group.

The enormous grey-rainbow alicorn dives down from the sky. "Just how did you break free? I couldn't have missed you. I checked everywhere in this town after all the princesses came here. A blast flies at the crew. Twilight prepares a barrier, but before the blast even reaches her barrier, it dissipates.

"What? What happened?" The alicorn growls and fires bolt after bolt, each fading or bursting before coming within five yards of the group.

The crystal monster shouts "Get them! What are you doing?" Various forms of various crystals follow the trio, Twilight and her pet dragon, but every time they see Apple Bloom, who was kinder to their kind than their master ever was, they always split off, stopping, often confused.

They reach Lucky Buck's house, and Scootaloo runs inside, the others following close behind. "Rainbow Dash! --Mom! Y-you'll be okay in just a second!" Scootaloo shouts. "Come on, come on, come on!" She rushes the other two.

They stand around Rainbow Dash, and the same effect. The beams converge toward Rainbow Dash and free her from her shell. Spike cleans up once again, Twilight bops him on the head. "Spike!"

"What? There's nothing else to do with them."

Scootaloo pounces Rainbow Dash "What... what's going on? Last thing I remember was I was hit by light and suddenly I couldn't move my hooves."

"Rainbow Dash! I-I missed you so much! We have to hurry though." Scootaloo forces herself to break the embrace.

"What happened? Why are the princesses here, and what happened to them?"

The trio stands around the princesses. Their gems glow, but flicker and fade without success.

Twilight speaks up. "Perhaps the Elements of Harmony will help. We'll just have to come back. Let's go."

[dialogue markers precede unmarked dialogue now that there are so many characters]

"Elements of Harmony? What's going on?"

"We need to get the Elements of Harmony. The girls had to save us from being encased in crystal. Equestria is under attack by an ancient being." Twilight fills Rainbow Dash in as they formulate their plan.

Rainbow Dash takes to the sky and shouts, "Well let's go get 'em!" She tries to fly out the window.

"Wait!" Twilight uses her magic to grab Rainbow Dash's tail.

"Why?"

"We need to save the others, first. We need all of the Elements of Harmony, and everypony's been turned to crystal!"

"Well let's go then!"

"Yeah, let's go!"

They make their way to Rarity's Shop, close by, Scootaloo never leaving Rainbow Dash's side. They repeat the process on the diamond unicorn.

"Sweetie Belle, I just had the most awful experience, you wouldn't believe it! Wait, where'd all of you come from? What happened? Sweetie Belle! You took my gem! I needed that for my ensemble! Give it back!"

"Wait! We need it!" Twilight Sparkle and Sweetie Belle speak in unison.

"I don't see how you need it more than I do, it is perfect with this outfit! Look at it! What did you do? Why is... is that a picture of us?"

"It's been enchanted. We need it to save the others, Equestria is in danger!" Sweetie Belle insists.

"That's right! It's absolutely imperative that we get the Elements of Harmony, immediately!" Twilight vouches.

"Come on! Let's go!" Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash are halfway out the door.

They rush off to Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity, complaining, in tow.

Applejack is freed from her citrine case. "Huh? Wha? What's goin' on? What're y'all doin' here?"

"We have to get the Elements of Harmony, Equestria is in danger!" Twilight insists.

"This is getting kind of repetitive." Scootaloo turns to Sweetie Belle, who chuckles. Apple Bloom hugs her sister.

"Well, let's get goin'! Hey, sugarcube. That's a mighty fine crown ya got there! Where'd ya get it?"

"No time." Twilight calls out. The crowd continues, dodging blast after blast as the alicorn comes back for another attack.

"I don't know how you're doing what you're doing, but you will not win. I will not be brought back into the bowels of this planet!"

Another beam flies at them and dies out before hitting them, the monster overhead roars in anger. "Why, my minions, why have you abandoned me? We're finally free!"

At Fluttershy's cottage, Fluttershy breaks free in the same fashion, topaz falling around her. She gasps. "My animals! What happened? Everything is such a mess! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"

"Don't worry, they'll be fine, but we have to get the Elements of Harmony! Let's go!"

Pinkie Pie breaks free and pink diamond crumbles to her feet.

"That was awesome! Did you see that? The crystals all around me, they were all like, 'CRSSSSH!' And then they fell and it was like crystal confetti! Speaking of confetti, isn't that a funny-"

Everyone: "Pinkie!"

The troupe makes their way back to Canterlot, where everyone they pass is crystallized. Twilight and the others look in horror, Pinkie tries to imitate the faces on the various statues as they make their way down the streets to the castle.

They reach the Elements of Harmony and put them on. The various trinkets across the nine ponies glow various colors, and a bright glowing orb expands around the group, wide as the walls of the Canterlot Throne Room.

"I think we should be protected from the attacks without being huddled together. Let's get back to Ponyville!"

The group makes their way to Ponyville once more, the sky has darkened, as the sun rests on the horizon. Every pony they pass breaks from their crystal cage, shaking off the fragments, befuddled. The monster now runs through the streets and eventually paths, then once more, streets, attacking its own minions in a rage.

The group reaches Ponyville just as another beam is fired at Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo winces and ducks under her hooves. "No, no, no, no, no!"

Twilight nudges Scootaloo. "Wait! Look, she's okay! The Elements are protecting us!" She shouts to Beryline "Stop right there!"

"What? What do you want! Why won't you stay gone! You ponies trapped me underneath the earth millennia ago!"

"Celestia and Luna placed you underground because of precisely this! You kept imprisoning everypony in statues! We just wanted peace, but you let your greed for power overcome you."

"This was my father's land, and y-you invaded, they were my rightful subjects! I was the rightful heir! My father crystallized you because you were in his land!"

"But you didn't believe in diplomacy, you only attacked the others!"

"Well, I will show you once and for all!"

"Let's get 'em, girls!"

The six begin their spell, alongside the CMCs, firing two rainbow beams, spiraling at the creature. Both of them bounce off, colliding with a café and a shop, breaking a window and a door, freeing a couple of ponies, each, from their crystalline prisons.

"Your pathetic attack isn't going to do anything to me!" The monster laughs and fires blasts at the ponies. They all die out as they approach. "Looks like we're at a stalemate, then." The monster fires a beam at he running, freed ponies who are once more entombed.

"How dare you! You're awful!"

"To you, maybe. My minions love me!"

There is a loud crash, followed by part of a building crumbling, narrowly missing a crystallized pony. Dozens of crystalline creatures jump at the monster, only to be knocked to the ground, shattering a couple.

"What? What is this? You think insubordination will save you? I will end you all!"

"We need to free Celestia and the other princesses! They'll be able to help us!" Twilight whispers.

"Let's go!" The Crusaders all cheer softly.

Home Sweet Home

The group returns to Lucky Buck's house. They all stand around the princesses, and nine brightly colored beams converge on the spot where all the princesses and Shining Armor rest, motionless. The four of them awaken from their crystalline slumber. Spike scrambles for fragments of gem as they crumble to the floor.

"Spike, I'm going to send you home if you don't stop it! Now's not the time."

Spike sighs.

Celestia walks over to the Crusaders. "Congratulations, Crusaders! You did it! I knew I could trust you!"

"We're not done yet, the Elements of Harmony and these things didn't even seem to affect the monster at all!"

"Yeah, they just bounced right off!"

"Let's go."

The group, now thirteen strong, charges to where the battle between Beryline and several of the other creatures still still rages. Dozens of cracked and shattered beings limping or felled litter the streets.

Beryline screeches a furious sound and tosses the creatures all over town, many of them crumbling and cracking. The creatures scatter and hide.

"Ah, Celestia, so I see you've been freed to witness the end of pony society, too!" Beryline hisses, his voice deep and shrill at once.

"You will pay for what you've done! Why did you do this to all these innocent ponies? This is not your land!"

"No! This land was mine! You ponies took it from my people! My people were here for eons before you made your way to our home."

"Enough!"

The group proceeds to fire beams. Shining Armor and Cadence together, the Crusaders together, Twilight and her friends together, Celestia and Luna.

The various spells all strike the enormous alicorn at once. It bellows in a rage and bursts into thousands of pieces.

Silence falls over everypony, a sense of cautious dread, competing with hope. "I-is it over?" Scootaloo asks as dust clears.

"I-I think so." Twilight responds. Celestia examines the surroundings. Fragments of crystal litter the streets.

The aching, brittle creatures littering the street all back in fear of the alicorns. Celestia turns to them, staring cautiously.

Apple Bloom turns to Celestia. "Um... Princess... um... Your Highness? I-is it true that these creatures were here first?"

Celestia's scowl toward the other terrified creatures breaks. "I-I well, yes. Yes, they were here first. But we lived in a few secluded towns, far from where they truly lived. I can only imagine it was the father of the one we just defeated who led a full scale attack against us. He told me in Canterlot that he was out for revenge for his father. We had to put them underground. It was for the safety of us all. The stronger among them kept imprisoning ponies when they'd seek materials for houses. Eventually there was a war. And, well... the remaining crystal creatures were locked away in their own underground land."

"But... but these creatures... th-they seemed scared by that creature... I don't think it was their fault... Can't we give them another chance?"

"Y-yeah, most of them left us alone." Scootaloo nods.

"Yeah, I mean a few attacked us, but who knows why they attacked us."

Celestia turns to the other creatures.

"Do you creatures promise that you will leave us be, if we will do the same for you?"

The various crystalline monsters chitter and growl toward each other, then nod.

"Very well, you three. Your sympathy and concern for these creatures will spare them, unless they attack us again." Celestia turns back to the creatures with a newly formed scowl. The creatures reel back slightly. The scowl lifts into a grin as she returns to the fillies.

"So, what exactly are these, anyway? Are they like... Elements of Harmony?" Scootaloo smiles at the idea of being more like her idol and adoptive mother.

"They're an older, slightly weaker type of magic. The Essence of Courage, Hope, and Sympathy are... a sort of prototype, you could say." Twilight explains. "I have a book somewhere about older artifacts and enchantments."

"Of course you do, Twilight." Sweetie Belle chuckles. "If you find it, I'd be happy to read it. This was really fascinating... scary, but fascinating."

"We were... kinda heroes!" Scootaloo cheers.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, together forever! Yay!" The three cheer.

"S-say, did we earn our cutie marks?!"

The three all look at their flanks to see if they got their marks. Still blank.

"If that didn't get us our marks, what will?" Sweetie Belle frowns.

"Saving the world would be a spectacular special talent, but quite a burden, don't you think?" Twilight comforts the frustrated fillies.

"But we want our Cutie Marks now!!!" The trio whines.

The rest of them laugh.

The group wanders the streets, recovering the various ponies as they pass. Apple Bloom rushes back to the cellar, and knocks.

Dinky pops out, and Apple Bloom nods.

"Hey guys, it's safe! We can leave again!"

Dinky runs down the streets to where Derpy and Doctor have both just been freed. She hops between them cheerily, and they both hug her in a tight embrace.

Celestia turns to the rest and says "I will take care of those afar, once you have freed everyone, come to the castle. We can lock these up for safety's sake once more. You never know when we may need them again."

Twilight nods, and Celestia and Luna take to the skies, Shining Armor and Cadence head for Canterlot.

The foals scatter. Featherweight embraces Scootaloo, and Pipsqueak Sweetie Belle.

"We have to find my dad." Featherweight urges.

"And mine." Scootaloo responds.

"I got it, Squirt, you go help Featherweight!"

"O-okay, Mom." Scootaloo nods.

Twilight and her friends split up, using the powers of their Elements to free their friends and neighbors. The Crusaders, as a group, seek out family of friends, and free them one by one. Featherweight hugs his father. Pipsqueak heads home with his parents, kissing Sweetie Belle on the cheek before setting off. Snips and Snails head off with their parents, and Lily, upon meeting her mother once more, tells her of the adventure she had, and how she cared for the Cakes foals, whom she had just brought back to Sugarcube Corner. The two share a hug, and she turns to Featherweight and Rumble.

"And thank you two. You really helped keep us all together. I hope you'll write, and I will try to visit you all at school when I get a chance. Who knows, maybe we'll all be together someday."

Featherweight nods. Rumble gives a smile and affirms. "Of course we'll write. We're friends, now."

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Lily digs into the saddlebags she was still wearing, pulling out a couple of sheets of paper with her address in Equinapolis. She hands one to both of the colts. "And I should probably give these back."

"We'll take them to school. They'll find their way back home."

"School. Miss Cheerilee!" The Crusaders dart off toward the school, where they stand in a triangle around their imprisoned teacher.

"You'll be back with us soon!" Sweetie Belle smiles. The beams fire once more, cracking away the gemstone shell.

"What happened? Is everypony okay?" Miss Cheerilee glances around. "I came outside to see what a noise was and... Scootaloo? Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom?"

"It's kind of a long story." Scootaloo explains.

"But we can share at show and tell!" Sweetie Belle nods, Scootaloo nudges her. "What? We can."

"Fine. I guess."

"Aw, c'mon Scootaloo, it'll be fun!"

"You two have a weird definition of fun." The three laugh as Miss Cheerilee stares in a haze of curious confusion.

"Well, I will have to hear tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow's Saturday, Miss Cheerilee!" Scootaloo chuckles.

"Oh, my. Well... I-uh, I guess I'll have to hear about it on Monday, then!" She sings.

"Sure thing!" Sweetie Belle smiles.

"Let's go, we have the whole weekend to figure out our Cutie Marks! Imagine what a show and tell that will be!" Scootaloo hops, filled with eager energy. The three run down the road to Sweet Apple Acres, freeing Apple Bloom's grandmother and brother,soon after, meet Twilight Sparkle, who takes their enchanted accessories and promises to bring them back to Canterlot.

"I think that's everypony. I'll take these back when I bring the Elements of Harmony to Celestia. You girls go enjoy your weekend. I think you might have done enough traveling for the time being."

"You don't know the half of it." Scootaloo chuckles. "I could use a rest right about now."

"Me, too." Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom insist, in chorus back. The three laugh and head for the clubhouse.

Author's Notes:

Hopefully this is at least a bit more polished than the first round. Let me know your thoughts!