"Next time, lets try ice skating!"
"No way, ice skating is super girly!"
"Wayl, what about ice hockey?"
"Are you sure that's safe?"
"I like that idea!"
"Minorty rules, Sweetie Belle!"
"That's majority, dodo!"
"Stop calling everypony birds!"
The crusaders were buzzing along the busy streets of Ponyville, arguing playfully as Scootaloo drove their wagon to the hill. Drifting down into the Everfree District, Fluttershy cowered out of the road, bunny rabbits in tow. They almost reached Sweet Apple Acres, when the scooter screeched to a stop. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom leaned to the front where Scootaloo was driving. "Wuts wrong, Scoot?" Scootaloo hopped off her steed and examined it quickly. "Aw man! We got a flat!" Sweetie Belle frowned. "Awwwww." Applebloom hopped off. "Wayl, why don't we head go by the lake?" Scootaloo groaned. "Boooorinnnnggggg. But, I guess there's nothing else we can do." The three walked down to the Ponyville Lake, and lay down, looking at the afternoon sky reflect in the water.
"Hey Scootaloo, when can we have a sleepover again?"
"Sorry Sweetie, my folks are in Zebrica this month. Rainbow Dash is babysitting me!"
"Wow, that's mighty exciting, Scoots!"
"Oh, guys, Rarity said soon, she's gonna take me to a fashion show in Manehatten!"
"Blech, sounds fru fru."
"Mah sister says Manehatten is really pretty, and it has buildings so big you cant see the top!"
While Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle discussed their plans, Applebloom got to thinking, 'What happens if the Cutie Mark Crusaders...seperate?'. What will she do then? "Hay girls, promise we'll say friends, even after we git our cutie marks?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at their friend, then at each other, and nodded confidently. "Yeah Applebloom, we promise." Sweetie Belle smiled, until she felt something wet on her hoof. "Ewww, what is that?" She neighed at Scootaloo. Scootaloo scoffed "It's a blood oath, you spit on your hoof and shake." Applebloom giggled and spat in her own hoof, and put her hoof on the crusaders. "Cutie Mark Crusaders! Forever!"
Scootaloo woke up by the sound of fear. A familiar scream found its way to her ears, and caused the filly to panic. "Rainbow Dash!" This was Rainbow Dash! She wasn't afraid of anything! She jumped out of her soft, cloud bed, and hovered above the ground, finding RD at the windowsill. "Whats up, Rainbow Dash!?" She said, panicing. The multi-colored mare turned around, her eyes red with tears. "S-scootaloo! We have to go, quickly!" Scootaloo's eyes widened. "What? Why? What's happening?" She neighed. Rainbow didn't speak, she grabbed Scootaloo with her head, and bucked her onto her back. She jumped out the window, and bulleted down to the mainland below.
"Sweetie Belle! Applebloom!" Scootaloo called, as her friends ran towards her. Accompanying them were Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle. "Dashie!" Pinkie called, as the six friends ran to each other. Scootaloo gulped, realizing Pinkies straight hair. She had seen that once before, when she found out her Granny Pie died. Obviously, whatever happened, it was bad. "Guys, what happened?" Sweetie Belle was sobbing sadly, as Applebloom was hiding tears. She tilted her head up, signalling Scootaloo to look up. She slowly, and fearfully, lifted her head up. She didn't move, she didn't cry, she didn't breath. In the distance, fire and ashes flew, as Canterlot castle was burning to the ground. She choked, unable to muster up a sound of any kind.
"Captain Dash! Ditzy Doo just came back from the Everfree Forest!" Rainbow growled. "Why in pony hell was she out there?! She could've been killed!" Ditzy Doo, a grey coated, yellow maned featherbrain of a pony, flew down, as RD looked at her in shame. In her mouth was a scroll. "A brown pony from Canterlot was yelling, and I wanted to see if he was hurt..." Rainbow put her nose to hers. "Don't you dare do that again." Meanwhile, Twilight magiced the letter to her face.
"To Whom It May Concern,
The royal guard would like to provide all towns some information on the attack on Canterlot. We have determined the attack was done overnight with pre-set Dragonbombs. Dragonbombs are Earth Pony made bombs, but were supposedly hidden in clouds and roofs. But, a possible lighting spell may have occurred.
As of now, the wherabouts of the Princess's are unknown. Only one thing is known..."
Twilight gasped, refusing to read more. "W-wut did it say?"
Breathing in, with tears welling.
"Equestria is now at war."
"I'm sorry dear, I just cannot let you out right now. With all the tension going on it is much too dangerous!" Rarity neighed to her sister. Sweetie Belle groaned. "But Rarity-" Rarity cut her off. "No means no, Sweetie Belle." The foal frowned. "But..I wanna see my friends..." Rarity sighed. "Sweetie Belle, it's too dangerous to go outside, but, I know its unbearable to sit here and wait, so you can go to Twilight's to borrow some parchment. I'm much too busy trying to contact Mother and Father to go out myself, so go quickly!" Sweetie Belle smiled lightly. "Thanks, sis."
Sweetie Belle walked up the street, entering the market district. She forced herself to look down, trying not to look at the broken remains of Canterlot. She trudged down to Twilight's house quickly. She knocked, expecting Twilight, but instead her dragon assistant Spike answered the door. "Oh, hey Sweetie Belle, what's up?" Sweetie Belle frowned. "N-nothing, just nervous about everything." Spike sighed, glancing upstairs. "Me too, Twi is beside herself worrying about the Princess. I've never seen her so depressed." Spike continued to glance nervously to the upstairs bedroom. "I hope her letters got to her." Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. She never really thought about that element of the attack. Who will rule Equestria? Maybe the royal adviser? She hoped the messenger would return with another news scroll. Oh yeah! The scrolls! "Spike, Rarity needs some more parchment, and wanted to borrow some from Twilight. Can I have a few rolls?" Spike nodded and walked inside quickly, bringing out three rolls of parchment. "You and Rarity stay safe, okay?" Sweetie Belle nodded. "Mmhmm."
Applebloom looked around the farm sadly. Granny Smith always told her that her Mum and Pa passed away protecting us from a war with the buffalo, back when the Apple Alamo was just starting to build the biggest family orchard. War was a scary word, so short but so filled with sadness and hate and anger. She didn't understand much of the details about why this was happening, all she knew was the pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies were not trusting each other until this was sorted out. But Applebloom was no fool. Her sister told her "Sugarcube,no matter wut, yer friends are still yer friends, and don't let anypony tell you otherwise." But for the past two days, she wasn't allowed outside the farm. So, she glumly roamed around, reaching the spot of the farm called Bunnyhop Bushel, after the family of rabbits who would steal the apples. She followed the path, slowly and patiently, until she reached her destination.
Applebloom walked into the clubhouse, half expecting her friends to be there. Of course they weren't. So she sat down, and read some old ideas for cutie mark crusading. Today they were supposed to go lion taming. "Aw shewt, that woulda been fun.." She was too busy thinking to notice the sound of hoofsteps. "Yeah, it woulda been." Applebloom looked over her shoulder. "Scootaloo!" She neighed, galloping over for a hug. "Rainbow Dash let ya see me?" She asked. Scoot shook her head. "I had to sneak out, I can't stay long." Applebloom frowned. "Ah- ahm scared! What's goin on? Everyone is saying that a war is happenin! But, then I won't be able to see you anymore!" Scootaloo bit her lip. "Yeah.... I know." Sweetie Belle then walked in, expecting nopony to be in there. "Applebloom! Scootaloo! Thank gosh you're here!" They all nuzzled each other, but quickly dispersed. "What's going to happen to the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Sweetie asked, almost crying. Scootaloo put her hoof over her shoulder. " I dunno, Sweetie Belle, I really really want to keep hanging out... you guys and Rainbow Dash.. are all I got." Applebloom got up. "We made a promise, right? Even if we're apart, we'll always be the Cutie Mark Crusaders, we'll always be friends!" Sweetie Belle sobbed, and Applebloom held back tears. Scootaloo just looked forlorn, trying her best not to show any sadness.
"Never forgit, everypony, even if we can never see each other again, we'll still be friends. Forever.."
