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MLP Fanfic - Nothing Is Set In Stone

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[ For context on Scootaloo's part of the story, there's a link to the backstory notes here: fav.me/d5071sm ]

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The bell rings from the school, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, run down to their clubhouse after school. They're laughing and joking and pledging (once more) that today is the day they'll get their cutie marks.

They reach the clubhouse and Scootaloo scans over a list of things that didn't work and states "We have to get something awesome for our cutie marks," to which Apple Bloom remarks "You always say that."

Scootaloo replies with a glare "Am I wrong?"

Suddenly, there is a rumble, and then a big earthquake. The three panic and get out of the tree as fast as they can, the contents of the clubhouse getting tossed all around.

"I hope everyone is okay, that was scary." Apple Bloom gasps.

"I'm going to check and see if everyone is okay at home," Scootaloo says.

"Me too," Sweetie Belle replies.

The three run to find their respective families, making sure they're okay.

A huge crystalline horse with a low, echoing voice lets out a laugh. "Finally, my minions. We have broken free from our prison deep within the earth. Take in the sights, bask in the light of your new home!"
The creature spreads its crystalline wings and poses in a way, quite similar to Celestia at the Summer Sun Celebration. The creature, now surrounded by numerous crystalline creatures in varying colors and shapes, catches sight of villages.
"After all these years those ponies have flourished, I see? Well it is time for them to pay. Show them what it's like to be in a prison beyond their control, even if it's the last thing they ever see." He catches sight of smaller ponies and sighs. "So young, much like I was the last time I saw the sun. Spare the little ones."
The creature blasts a red beam from its horn and strikes a pony right in the chest, the focus changes to said pony, who slowly begins to crystallize from the chest out, the ground around the pony also crystallizing a short distance.
The pony screams until it is finally muted by fully crystallizing. The ponies who caught sight run away in a panic.

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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 anyone here? Everyone 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 CMCs, and then the big earthquake happened and we all ran home to see if everyone was okay."

As she finishes 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 RD. "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.

Apple Bloom reaches Applejack just as Apple Jack is hit, standing beside a tree she just bucked. She, an apple, and the ground around her all crystallize, 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 her first, panting, he tells her "Apple Bloom, you need to find the other Crusaders 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 the other Crusaders? I haven't even seen if my family is okay!"

Spike recoils from the comments. He continues "All the older ponies are having the same thing happen. You need to find the other Crusaders. Celestia says it's the only chance for everyone! I have to find Sweetie Belle! You go see if everyone else is okay, and come find us." He walks off carrying the apple, but unable to get himself to eat it out of guilt.

Apple Bloom runs to the barn and the house, finding Macintosh turned to ruby, and Granny Smith turned to peridot, as well as the pie she was making turned to citrine. She runs from the farm in tears, and on her way to Rarity's house, she comes across Dinky Hooves, who is terrified and in tears as well, standing near her mother.

"Are you okay, Dinky? Oh my..." Apple Bloom says, catching sight of Derpy, 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, and says. "Don't worry, she loves you no matter what has happened. W-we'll get things fixed, o-okay?" She hugs Dinky, fighting back tears and doubts of her own. "We need to get you somewhere safe, but don't worry. She'll be okay. I promise."

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

"I think you'll be safe down here, nobody should find you, hide down there for now. I promise you we'll try and make everything right again."

"Okay Apple Bloom... and... thank you..." Dinky says, giving Apple Bloom another hug before crawling into the cellar, finding that other little ponies have also hidden in there.

Apple Bloom goes into Rarity's shop, finding Sweetie Belle in tears 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.

"Is Sweetie Belle in there? We must hurry to Lucky Buck's. Shining Armor is getting weak, and Scootaloo refuses to leave Rainbow Dash!"

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

The other Crusaders look at each other in horror, realizing what this could mean for Scootaloo, having already lost many parental figures at this point. They run off with Celestia et al. Spike snatching up the diamond, his mouth watering, Sweetie Belle grabbing a picture of her family.

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Celestia, et al., Sweetie Belle, an Apple Bloom reach Lucky Buck's house, finding Rainbow Dash, front hooves raised, wings spread, but curled down, as if trying to fly, a sapphire statue. They hear whimpering from Scootaloo's room, and they make their way in, one by one.

"Scootaloo! S-Scootaloo... A-are you okay?" Apple Bloom asks. No reply, Scootaloo is horrified, crying. Sweetie Belle puts a hoof over her shoulder.

"Scootaloo, this is very important. Equestria needs your help! Rainbow Dash will be fine, but you must act immediately." Celestia says in a panic.

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

The other Crusaders give Luna an Scootaloo their space, moving to the center of the room with the other princesses.

Luna creates a barrette out of it and clips it into Scootaloo's mane.

"There, Scootaloo, now Rainbow Dash will be with you wherever you go. But we very much need your help to restore Ponyville, and the rest of Equestria, to the way it was. Rainbow Dash will be fine, but she needs your 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.

Cadence gets an idea from this, and turns to Apple Bloom, and swipes the apple from Spike's hands, he watches it float away, clawing at the air, still tempted. She creates a small tiara and places it on Apple Bloom's head. "Celestia, all three of them have a small token to enchant. This is exactly what they all need."

Celestia nods and turns to Sweetie Belle, adding a chain to the diamond Spike was carrying, and taking the picture she had, and placing it inside the gem, creating a small diamond locket, which she places around Sweetie Belle's neck. Spike pouts.

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

"Are we all ready then?" Celestia asks.

"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 Twilight and the others. Once Twilight and her friends are rescued, they and you can defeat these creatures and rescue Equestria. 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."

Shining Armor collapses, exhausted, and the beam that struck the barrier hits Celestia in the side. She gives out one last warning. "Be careful, the minions of the creature are ruthless, and will try to stop you..." She turns to diamond where she stands.

Luna and Cadence are both struck next, becoming sapphire and opal, respectively. Last is Shining Armor, unconscious, splayed on the floor, becoming diamond, as well.

The three look at each other in horror, and finally nod a worried nod and make their way out of the house, now almost entirely crystalline from the various beams that bounced into the house. They and Spike 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 goes over to Twilight, and sighs. "I should've been here for you..."

"Spike! Do you know where that History of Equestria book is?" Spike turns to Scootaloo, an upset look on his face. "Spike? Please..." Her voice shrinks as she returns the worried look.

He nod a slow, concerned nod and begins to look around the eerily silent library. He finds the book, though he is very nervous, being in the same room as Twilight and it being so silent. He takes the book and hands it to the trio and says.

"I am going to go hide with the others, I can't stay here with Twilight like this." He backs away from the amethyst statue, and out of the library. Running, tears creeping into the corners of his closed eyes. He finds a windowless shed where some young ponies are hiding.

The three scan the pages as fast as they can. "I think we need to go back to our houses and get some bags, 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."

The three run off to their respective houses and collect some food and meet back at the library. "Look! There's a map of the path that the ponies all took, leading to a cave at the bottom of Canterlot's Mountain!" Sweetie Belle points to a map on the faded pages of the book, the map is so old Ponyville isn't even on it.

"I guess we head to Canterlot, then," Scootaloo sighs.

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As the Crusaders head out of town toward Canterlot, Scootaloo catches sight of Cheerilee, now a tourmaline statue of a bucking 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 Cantorlot 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. "Sweetie Belle is right... we'll be able to do it Scootaloo!"

"It says here the three altars seek a pony with strong virtues in courage, sympathy, and hope." Sweetie Belle reads from the tome.

Scootaloo continues to look off into the distance, seeming enveloped by thought and worry. Finally she points to the mountainside. "We're almost there. But... but you guys can't fly... And the Pegasi's home is in the clouds..."

The other two look at each other with a frown. They reach the foot of the mountain, marked and marred, along with the castle, with spots of varying crystals, a pony statue at the heart of nearly every spot. The trio sighs.

"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.

"Those were the monsters Celestia warned us about." Sweetie Belle whispers through panting of her own.

"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.

"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 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?" Scootaloo 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 until they reach the treeline, the forest proper not far below.

"I think underneath these trees, if we stay really quiet, nobody will find us." Sweetie Belle turns to the others and points at some brush with a low clearance, the perfect height for them to sneak underneath somewhat comfortably. "It may not be the best night's sleep, but sleep is sleep."

They sneak into the brush and eat 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 Bell 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 everyone in danger. Then, it will be your fault.

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After the hours pass, Scootaloo wakes first, and turns to check and make sure the other two are okay. She sneaks out of the brush to check and see where they are. 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! We don't want to waste any time." The other two slowly get up and take a share of the food that Scootaloo discovered.

They wander for hours through the trees.

"Watch out, here are more of those things!" Scootaloo whispers and pushes the other two into the brush.

"Ouch! Careful!" Sweetie Belle whispers, attempting to kick some burrs out of her leg.

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.

They creep around for a few more hours, dodging large amethyst 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 T-rex-like creature and a small pack of raptorlike sapphire creatures.

The three run as fast as their little legs can carry them into a small cave where they bump into a large scorpionlike diamond creature. They run screaming from the cave. Scootaloo sees another tiny cave. "Guys, over there! Go!" She shouts and turns back toward the creatures, now gaining on them quite quickly.

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

"Don't worry guys, get to safety!"

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 head for the cave.

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

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

They look at each other in horror. "Scootaloo!?"

Their fear soon subsides as they see the silhouette of a tiny pony in the distance, flying for the pathway. Scootaloo slowly drops to the ground, and limps to the cave.

"Are you okay?!" Apple Bloom crawls out of the cave and runs to Scootaloo's side. Her leg a dark red with bruise.

"I brought bandages, just in case. Here, let me wrap that." Sweetie Belle offers. She dresses the leg and puts the bandages back in her bag.

"Thanks, Sweeite Belle."

"Do we need to stop for a while?"

"No, we can't waste any time."

They slow their pace so Scootaloo can keep up. Reaching 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.

"We can't sleep out here, it's way too dangerous." Scootaloo says. "But even wandering around a place like this at night seems like a terrible idea... what are we going to do?"

"Look, over there!" Sweetie Belle points. A small, very low hanging rock sits, with just enough space for them to hide out of reach from creatures.

"This still seems like a really bad idea."

"You said it yourself, 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 targets!" Apple Bloom replies.

"Okay... Are you sure it's safe, though?"

"I'm certain."

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In the morning, Apple Bloom turns to Sweetie Belle and shakes her awake. "Come on guys, we gotta get up... Scootaloo?"

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

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! Oh, come here Scootaloo. It'll be 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.

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

The others sigh and follow Scootaloo, trying to keep with her slowed pace. They make it through the rocky field and into a valley. The three wander up to a large dilapidated structure.

"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 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.

"Well, uh... right... I-I guess so. Are you guy sure?" Scootaloo's lip quivers.

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

"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.

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Scootaloo, after a half an hour of flying, lands on a cloud at the 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! Well, could've been worse."

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.

She wanders past cloudhouse after damaged cloudhouse. A chill runs down Scootaloo's spine as she limps down the streets.

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

She shrugs "Must be fooling myself. Calm down, Scootaloo, nobody's there." She sighs, then turns to look over her shoulder.

Suddenly several pony-looking figures 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-mom?" She turns to a cloud that looks like it has her mom against the wall. She runs up only to find it is just an illusion. She watches her mom and dad against the wall as they slowly turn sickly, then fade into nothing.

"M-mom! Dad! Come back!" She paws at the wall. Their images are quickly replaced when an image of her aunt comes into view. "Auntie! 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 to see a group of crystalline figures on the tops of the clouds. A rage sparks inside her. "I'll get you! I'll stop you! All of you!"

She takes off, full speed, toward the temple she saw. The monsters dive off the rooves 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 what is left of the temple doors, rolling into the inside of the temple.

Scootaloo can hardly see anything inside the temple except one narrow cone of light. She slowly heads toward the only area lit inside, a small altar lit by the hole in the roof. She reaches the foot of it and several of the creatures roar, a sapphire 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 hair glows. The creatures stop in their tracks and run off, chittering and growling into the distance.

"Th-that... that wasn't Rainbow Dash was it? That wasn't 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 room 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.

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"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 makes it to the entrance and gazes on the spectacle. The pink and white spires are cracked from ice damage, gemstones have fallen to the ground and cracked. The place is silent.

"Hello?" She shouts. "Who am I kidding?" She asks herself. She walks around the streets of the town.

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 it's a maze."

She wanders the streets, now glowing with varying hues from the gemstone walls reflecting every which way.

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..."

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 says, slumping over onto her side. Tears well up in her eyes. "I'm no good at anything." She tells herself. "How am I supposed to save anyone? I don't even have my cutie mark. I don't even know if I have a talent at all."

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 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'. She tries to cast a spell, and she nods with enough determination to topple mountains. She runs through the maze, seeing right through the tricks of the walls. 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 tours, knocking some of the already crumbling structures to the ground. The creatures storm out in a rage, groaning and roaring.

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

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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.

"Hello!" she says, catching sight of a couple of derelict houses near overgrown fields. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see..." She catches sight of a few small crystalline creatures, and breaks into a sprint.

The creatures run off, larger ones lumbering and knocking over trees. "Come back here!" She shouts. "When I get you I... Ugh!" She continues. "Do you see what you guys did to my friend?!"

A tree falls in her way and she backs up, then hops over the tree; she hears a squeal.

"You! Ugh, you're one of them!" She shouts at the terrified creature as it covers its head with its ruby arms.

"I should just let you sit here and think about what you've done!" She scowls at the creature. Her scowl breaks as she watches the small creature cowering.

"You...you're helpless, though. A-and scared..." She sighs, her broken scowl becoming a frown.

"Here..." She begins to push the tree off the creature. After a brief struggle with the somewhat heavy tree, she frees the small creature. 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 leave, peacefully.

"Well then... Maybe Fluttershy was right." Apple Bloom looks around. A small wooden shack half stands, with an exposed, broken stone altar.

"I hope this thing still works..." Apple Bloom climbs up onto the broken piece of stone.

A cerulean beam flies from the stone and the tiara in her bag glows from inside. She catches sight of the glow, bright against the dark inside of the dying temple.

She places the tiara on her head and feels recovered from her exhaustion. She runs back on the path from whence she came.

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

Scootaloo 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, my leg doesn't even hurt anymore!" Scootaloo smiles. "Did you find any of those creatures where you were?"

"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?"

"Y-yeah... they messed with my head... I... I saw my parents... and Cheerilee... and my aunt... and Rainbow Dash and Lucky Buck... and I saw them all... leave me... again..." Scootaloo's lip quivers.

"Oh, poor Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom wraps her hooves around the teary-eyed pegasus. "I'm so sorry..."

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

"I... I do... I miss my parents, too... even if I was too young to remember them... But at least I had AJ and Big Mac and Granny Smith, you had a lot more struggle than I did..."

Hours pass.

"I sure hope Sweetie Belle is okay... It's getting dark." Scootaloo looks out the cracked window, continuing to pace as she had over the time spent waiting.

"I'm fine!" a voice sounds from the path, "I just had to get through a maze. It took a long time... sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I think we all had our own struggle with those creatures." Apple Bloom welcomes the unicorn with a warm embrace.

"Yeah, I thought I was going to give 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 was hopeful again. Suddenly it was very easy to find my way. The maze... I could just feel my way through..."

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

"I just wanted to say one more thing" Scootaloo interjected, "before we head back home, that is..."

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

"I really am 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 head off for Ponyville.

They make their way back, arriving in Canterlot in the early evening a couple days later, having not seen any creatures anywhere as they returned. They reach the cave and see that Canterlot has been damaged, scratches and cracks in the paint. They exchange concerned looks and head down the path to Ponyville, reaching by nightfall.

Most of the houses are crumbling. The run back through the streets. Apple Bloom checks the cellar where she left Dinky. Dinky pounces at her and gives her a hug. "Are you okay? Where have you been?"

"Trying to fix things. I-I think we have it under control."

"Apple Bloom, watch out!" Scootaloo shouts. Apple Bloom turns around to see a ruby wolf. As she makes eye contact with the creature, it turns and walks off.

"How'd you do that?" Scootaloo stares at her friend, dumbfounded.

"I...I have no idea."

"Dinky, I think you need to go back down in the cellar for a while, better to stay safe."

"Uh-huh, Apple Bloom. Hey guys! Apple Bloom says she may be able to fix things!" Dinky turns to the others hiding in the cellar, and they cheer.

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

The trio makes their way to the library. They stop by the shack where Spike was hiding. Scootaloo knocks on the door. Voices inside scream.

"This is it, guys, they found us!"

"Spike. Spike! It's us! We're back!" Scootaloo shouts to the shack of quivering ponies plus one dragon.

"Oh... oh, Scootaloo? You-you made it? Guys! Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle made it! They may be able to save us!"

Spike opens the door cautiously, his eyes closed at first. "Oh, Scootaloo, it is you. I was worried it might be a-a trick..."

"It's us, we're back!"

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 blue, the pendant, a white, and the tiara a red beam. 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 little gems we have saved you. But there's no time to talk about this, w-we gotta hurry." 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 they run off, Twilight following close behind. Flashes of light fly at them, but dissipate before they even come close to hitting the group.

The crystal monster shouts "Get them, my minions! 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 them than their master ever was, they always leave them be.

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? I haven't eaten in quite a while... I'm hungry. You need to keep more food at the house."

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

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

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

RD: "Hurry and do what?"

TS: "We need to get the Elements of Harmony. The girls had to save us from being encased in crystal. There's a monster attacking Equestria."

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

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

RD: "Why?"

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

RD: "Well let's go then!"

Scoot: "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.

Rar: "I just had the most awful experience, you wouldn't believe it! Wha-why is it night? What happened? Sweetie Belle! You took my gem! I needed that for my ensemble! Give it back!"

TS and SB: "Wait! We need it!"

Rar: "I don't see how you need it more than I do, it is perfect with this outfit! Look at it!"

SB: "It's been enchanted. We need it to save everypony!"

TS: "That's right! It's absolutely imperative that we get the Elements of Harmony, immediately!"

Scoot: "Come on! Let's go!"

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

Apple Jack is freed from her citrine case. "Huh? Wha? Why is it night? What's goin' on? What're y'all doin' here?"

TS: "We have to get the Elements of Harmony, Equestria is in danger!"

AJ: "Well, let's go sugarcube!"

Another beam strikes 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? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"

Scoot: "Don't worry, they'll be fine, but we have to get the Elements of Harmony to save them! Let's go!"

Pinkie Pie breaks free and pink diamond crumbles to her feet.

PP: "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.

RD: "I think we should be able to split up now, not be such an easy target for the creature!"

TS: "True, now 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 monster now running through the streets attacking its own minions in a rage.

"Not so fast!" Rainbow Dash shouts, drawing the creature's attention.

"And what is a little pony like you going to do to stop me?" The monster laughs.

The rest of the ponies reach 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 the monster, "stop right there!"

Monster: "What? What do you want! Why won't you stay gone! You ponies trapped me underneath the earth centuries ago!"

TS: "Celestia and Luna placed you underground because of precisely this! You kept turning everypony into a crystal statue!"

Monster: "This was my land, and y-you invaded, they were my rightful subjects!"

TS: "But you didn't believe in diplomacy, you only attacked the others!"

Monster: "Well, I will show you once and for all!"

TS: "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.

Monster: "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.

TS: "How dare you! You're awful!"

Monster: "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.

Monster: "What? What is this? You think insubordination will save you? I will end you all!"

TS (In a whisper to the others while the monster is distracted): "We need to free Celestia and the other princesses! They'll be able to help us!"

Scoot: "They're at Lucky Buck's house!"

TS: "Let's go."

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

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.

TS: "Spike, I'm going to send you home if you don't stop it!"

Spike sighs.

Celestia walks over to the Crusaders. "Congratulations, Crusaders! You did it! I knew I could trust you!"

SB: "We're not done yet, the Elements of Harmony and these things didn't even seem to affect the monster at all!"

AB: "Yeah, they just bounced right off!"

Celestia: "Let's go."

The group, now thirteen strong, charges to where the battle between the monster and several of the other creatures still continues.

The monster screeches a furious sound and tosses the creatures all over town, many of them crumbling and cracking. The creatures scatter and hide.

Monster: "Ah, Celestia, so I see you've been freed to witness the end of pony society, too!"

Celestia: "You will pay for what you've done! Why did you do this to all these innocent ponies? This is not your land!"

Monster: "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."

Celestia: "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 monster at once. It bellows in a rage and bursts into thousands of pieces.

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 were. I can only imagine it was the father of the one we just defeated who led a full scale attack against us. We had to put them underground. It was for the safety of us all!"

AB: "But... but the others aren't so bad... in fact, they seemed scared by and upset with that creature... Can't we give them another chance?"

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, Apple Bloom. Your sympathy for these creatures will spare them, unless they attack us again." Celestia turns back to the creatures with a newly formed scowl. The scowl lifts into a grin as she returns to the filly. "It was your gift, sympathy." She turns back to Apple Bloom.

AB: "Wait, so, if I was sympathy, who was hope and who was courage?"

SB: "I think Scootaloo had to be courage... even after everything she's dealt with, she still managed to save everyone. That had to have been tough. Also, she risked her life so we could make it to safety!"

AB: "That's true, so y-you were hope?"

SB: "Makes sense. Only after I was hopeful again, looking at my family in the locket, was I able to find my way again."

Scoot: "But you guys were courageous, hopeful, and sympathetic, too! We all weren't sure if we'd be able to make it, and you both kept trying to make me feel better..."

AB: "Maybe, just maybe, we're all three!"

CMC: "Cutie Mark Crusaders, together forever! Yay!"

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.

TS: "Saving the world would be a spectacular special talent, but quite a burden, don't you think?"

CMC: "But we want our Cutie Marks now!!!"

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.

Dinky: "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.
Fanon context on Scootaloo's situation up to now: [link] -- [link] (MUCH more thorough)

Now up on FiMFic: [link]

I was really happy I managed to do this. I had no expectation I'd be able to make a story on my own.

It tops out at 7223 words at this point, and I feel pretty good about it.

Once I started writing it, more and more little ideas popped to mind, so there's a couple references and a bit of an invasion-policy commentary in it now.
© 2012 - 2024 Tails-155
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konics's avatar
sorry i dont have time to read this right now. But would you mind checking out my most recent journal. you might like it