Three Months Prior
Moonlight drifted down from the holes in the roof, casting a pale glow onto the deep purple mane of the filly. Scootaloo lie awake in bed, her eyes half closed and bloodshot from her lack of sleep. She had been awake for hours now, excitement infecting her mind with insomnia. She clutched an old framed photograph of her and Rainbow Dash at the town carnival. Scootaloo shivered, her breath fogging up the cracked glass. It was nearly Spring, but there were still several weeks left until Winter Wrap-Up, keeping the temperature down in the single digits.
Scootaloo’s makeshift “house” of corrugated metal sheets and plywood provided absolutely no insulation. A stack of wooden pallets sat in the corner, a used candle perched on the top. She called this her desk, but it wasn't much more than a rugged bench. Her bed was a dirty, torn mattress with a thin cloth as her blanket. There were also a few smoldering planks of wood inside a ring of cinder blocks. Her fire had long since gone out, but she didn't care. Scootaloo just couldn't stop thinking about when Rainbow Dash was going to come home from the Academy tomorrow.
She had been stationed in Afghanastallion for nearly a year, and she could only come back for a short time, but Scootaloo planned to make the most of it. She couldn't wait to show her how well she could fly now that her wings had gotten bigger. Maybe we could race! She thought to herself. She knew very well she couldn't win, but she could still try…
Scootaloo awoke with the sun in her eyes. She had her blanket wrapped tightly around her, and the picture she had been holding had been placed atop her table.
“Wha-?” She said aloud, confused. “But I didn't…” then her eye caught something by the door. She threw the blanket off of her and trotted over to the strange item. Lying on the floor was a basket filled with breakfast rolls; a folded note was neatly tied to the handle.
Scoots;
It began.
I was worried about you, so sis and I brought you some breakfast and made sure you weren’t cold last night. I really wish you would come and stay with us… or anybody for that matter. It just doesn’t seem right for you to freeze to death in this excuse of a shack. We also have some left-over firewood at our house if you want it.
Your friend,
-Sweetie Belle
Scootaloo looked at the note and reflected on her friend’s concern. She didn’t have to freeze her ass off very night just because she was too stubborn to do anything about it. She pushed the thought aside when she realized how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten for about two days, and her stomach moaned profusely. She gorged herself on five rolls in a matter of minutes, until she was satisfied.
Scootaloo hung the woven basket on a jutting piece of metal in the roof to keep critters from stealing its contents, and walked outside. The deep blue sky was a strange sight to be seen with the several inches of snow on the ground, but she wasn’t complaining. Scootaloo took a deep breath and began trotting down the street in the direction of the Carousel Boutique. She passed several stallions pushing plows to clear the snow, but didn’t offer a word of greeting. After several long minutes, the eloquent building finally came into view.
She broke into a gallop and skidded to a stop at the door. Scootaloo cleared her throat, and knocked thrice on the door. A frustrated groan came from inside, followed by a loud crash! A few moments later the door swung open; A bleeding (but smiling) Rarity held the entrance open. She had several long scratches along her face, each one bleeding profusely.
“Oh, Scootaloo dear! There you are! I thought you wouldn’t make it!” Rarity said cheerfully. Scootaloo stood still, taken aback with her eyes wide. “Oh…right.” Rarity’s smile drooped a bit. “Don’t worry darling, I just got into a little scuffle with Opalesence. I’m quite alright.” Her nervous smile returned again, and an awkward silence filled the air.
“Ehem…” Rarity cleared her throat. “Well please come in.” She stood aside, and Scootaloo hurried into the shop. A table lay tipped over several feet away, and Sweetie Belle was sweeping up the shards of a vase.
“Morning!” Sweetie Belle said, excited “Did you get our gift? Me and Rarity worked all night on those!”
“Yeah, I got it. Thanks for that…” Scootaloo smiled sheepishly. “I don’t really need your help thou-…” Her sentence was cut off by a yell.
“DAMMIT, OPAL!” Rarity screamed from upstairs. There was another loud thud, followed by silence. Sweetie Belle had shown no reaction to her sister’s fury, and just continued sweeping.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Scootaloo quietly asked.
“Just my sister being a diva. She broke a vase and is making me clean it up!” Sweetie Belle replied, not even looking up from her work.
“But she sounds really angry… why is she like this?”
“I ‘dunno. I think it might have something to do with Rainbow Dash though.”
“What do you mean? Why would she be angry with her?”
Sweetie Belle just shrugged, brushing the shards from the dustpan into a bin.
“Anyways,” She said, changing the subject. “When did you say that she was going to get here?”
Scootaloo kicked the ground with her hoof.
“About noon, she said. But you can never tell with her!” She blushed slightly. Eventually Rarity came trotting down the stairs, holding a beautiful multi-coloured umbrella.
“Here you are!” She said. “I certainly hope she likes it. It took me days to get all the right fabrics!” She handed it to the orange filly, and rushed back upstairs, a look of fury in her eye. Sweetie Belle gazed at the beautiful masterpiece, intrigued. “Oo-oo-oo. What’s that for?”
“Oh.” Scootaloo said. “It’s just something I asked Ms.Rarity to make for me. A little present I guess.”
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but she barely had time to notice until a knock sounded on the door.
The little orange Pegasus squealed, and raced to the front door, her hooves making a clopping noise on the marbled floor. She stopped briefly before swinging the door open, exclaiming
“Dashie! You’re finally here! How’s the Academ-…” She stopped short, gazing up at the two stallions standing at the entrance. They wore black military service suits, with a deep green armoured automobile in the street behind them. One of the stallions took off his hat and began to talk.
“Is this the household of Rarity Adaéir?” He asked in a deep, Scouse accent. His coat was a dull yellow and his gray mane had been cut down to just short gray needles.
“Um…” Scootaloo said, taken aback. “One sec.” She began trotting up the stairs and was almost bowled over by Rarity, her face covered with plasters.
“Yes, I am the leaseholder of this establishment. Who do I make my acquaintance to?” She announced curtly and formally, a sign of worry showing on her face. She looked at the two fillies and motioned slightly with her hoof. Sweetie Belle perked up, and hastily ushered Scootaloo farther into the house, until they were out of sight of the doorway.
“Bu-… What are we…?” Scootaloo began.
“Shh!” Sweetie Belle hissed putting her hoof up to her ear. They could just barely hear the conversation between Rarity and the two others. The yellow stallion began speaking
“I am Officer Crichton and this is Lieutenant Halifax. We are here reporting the current status on Lieutenant Colonel Dash.”
“What?? Rainbow Dash?” Rarity questioned. “What’s happened to her?”
The Lieutenant cleared his throat. “We are at a great displeasure to report that Ms.Dash is… missing in action.”
Rarity gasped slightly, and a short silence followed. Scootaloo’s heart fluttered, and she peeked out from her niche till she could clearly see the scene at hand. The Officer began speaking again, waving his hoof around matter-of-factly.
“A military convoy was ambushed on its return journey from the Las Pegasus Military Base. Her body, as well as three others, was not found.”
The Officer put his cap back on, and straightened his shirt.
“If you wish to contact us, please do not hesitate.” The Lieutenant handed a slip of paper to stunned mare. A few numbers had been inscribed on the 'business card' Rarity had just received.
“You have our condolences.” Then, as abruptly as the arrived, they shut door and the sound of the vehicle faded into the distance.
Author's Note
To anyone who might be reading this... I WILL continue this story. The problem is, I am still VERY RECENT to the world of storytelling, and I no longer have an editor. If anyone has any input/criticism/afterthoughts etc. do not hesitate to share please.
Chapter 1 : Intro : Rainbow Rain
Everypony wore some form of black to cover their neon coloured coats and manes. Regal dress as well as tattered robes were worn throughout the groups. The rain was pouring down and there wasn’t a Pegasus willing to clear the skies. A neat rectangular hole had been dug, a large pile of dirt on its brink. Lined up at the back of this trench were five of the famed heroes of Ponyville; Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie (her mane straight and gray, hanging down all the way to the ground).
With their hoods up high and heads hanging low, about fifty ponies also surrounded the pit. At the very front of all the groups was Scootaloo; she had her tail tucked into a bold but simple dress. She clutched a rainbow umbrella, shielding herself from the rain, as well as shadowing her face, keeping any sense of emotion under a veil of darkness. Suddenly, a slow snare drum began beating. A steady crash…crash…crash… followed by a gunshot ringing out. This was followed by twenty more, all keeping in time with the drum. The five ponies that stood at the head of the trench dragged themselves reluctantly from their position to make way for the “main event”; A large marble sarcophagus carried by four stallions.
Each wore a ceremonial military dress of black, gold, and white.They walked slowly but purposefully, their heads held high. Spitfire, dressed in similar attire, but with many stars and decorations covering it, followed. She carried a folded triangle of yellow, white and black on her back. The drums stopped their drab rhythm the moment the stallions got to the trench. They set the coffin down and walked away.
Spitfire then unfolded the banner, revealing the flag of Equestria. She draped it on the coffin, took off her hat, and set that down as well. Princess Twilight then walked to where Scootaloo still sat, and placed her crown upon a slate of marble, reading:
Lying forever in peace…
Danielle “Rainbow Dash” Rene
2003-2023
…may justice be sent upon her slayer
Twilight’s horn began to glow and her wings spread out as she timidly lowered the sarcophagus -flag and hat still atop its lid- into the trench. There was a moment of complete silence and stillness, then everypony walked away. Even the military and the remaining Mane Six left without a word…
…except for Scootaloo and her rainbow umbrella.
