Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sat in the living room, settling down after dinner. Despite the now returned rings around Scootaloo’s eyes, both mares managed a warm smile as they snuggled together on the couch.Their happy times were good as gone, however, when they heard one of the last sounds either of them wanted to, a knock on the door.

The two sighed and looked to one another for a moment before getting up and walking to the door. Scootaloo took a deep breath, preparing for the final sign that seemed to dictate her allowance to sleep, as well as her payment for the privilege. What she saw once the door was open, however, surprised her, quite pleasantly.

“T-twilight?”

The alicorn opposite Scootaloo giggled lightly and smiled. “Were you expecting somepony else, Scootaloo?”

“N-no! I mean, uh, yeah, I mean, kinda, um, it’s complicated,” she stammered out.

“What she means is that we weren’t really expecting anypony. Sorry, she hasn’t been sleeping well, Princess,” Sweetie explained.

Twilight, strangely unfazed by the strange act, sighed with a soft smile. “You two don’t have to call me that, you know? I just wanted to come check up on you both while I had some free time.”

Scootaloo blinked and paused for a moment before letting out a nervous chuckle. “Oh, uh, yeah. Come on in, Prin—er, Twilight?”

Twilight nodded and stepped inside, Scootaloo closing the door behind her. “Well, you’ve certainly got a very…” As Twilight looked around, she noticed the busted mirrors, but only let a small pause slow her. “... comfortable looking home. Are you two living together now?”

Sweetie Belle blushed slightly and giggled. Scootaloo simply smiled as she responded, “Heh, yeah. I guess we are. So, uh, what did you wanna do?”

Twilight looked around for a moment before speaking. “How about we just sit and talk over tea? Maybe some chamomile?”

Scootaloo gave a half-smile as she and Sweetie Belle led their new guest into the kitchen. “Sure, but I’ve already tried just about everything. No medications, though. Apparently my family has a bad history of obsession and addiction. Don’t wanna chance too much, ya know?”

Twilight nodded, walking to the seat facing towards the doorway out of the kitchen. “Well, is it okay if I sit here?”

“Sure, sit wherever ya like. Sweetie’s real good with measuring out the tea and all.” Sweetie Belle gave another small giggle to that, happy to see Scootaloo seeming to enjoy herself, and to have someone else in their life, if only for a short time.

Scootaloo took a seat more or less opposite of Twilight as Sweetie Belle set the kettle on the stove, finishing up before taking a seat beside Scootaloo.

“I’d like to start by apologizing for taking so long to come by. I really wanted to check up on you after, you know… But I’ve had to keep things up around here lately. I mean, I know you two were very close.”

Scootaloo shrugged after a moment. “It’s cool, I guess. I mean, you’re a princess and all now, even if you don’t like being called one, so it’s not like I expect you to be checking up on everypony in Ponyville every day. Besides, Sweetie’s been a lot of help with everything lately. I don’t really trust myself with the… sharper things, while I’m so sleep deprived.”

Twilight nodded slightly, looking to Sweetie Belle for her reaction and finding the mare smiling as usual. “Still, you were her sister. Somepony should have made sure you were okay from the start.”

Scootaloo managed a slight smile, but said nothing. Sweetie Belle wasted little time moving closer and holding her fillyfriend close. It took a minute, but Twilight seemed to understand the impact of her words. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Is that why— O-oh… Um, I suppose we should move on to the other reason I’m here then, shall we?”

The two mares across from her were still and silent for a moment, but both soon gave a nod. Twilight looked past the mares for a moment before nodding, then looking back to them. “Well, I’m here because I’ve been meaning to speak with you both on—” Twilight was cut off with a knock at the door, a sound that sent Scootaloo out of her chair. In under a second, anxiety, surprise, and even fear painted on her face.

Twilight gave the mare an odd look. “Are you okay, Scootaloo? Was that the pony you were expecting?”

“No! I mean, I’m not expecting anypony, I’m just—”

“She’s just a bit on edge, I’m sure, Twilight. You would be too if you hadn’t slept in over a week.”

Twilight’s expression fell at that, quickly. “You’re right. I’m sorry sleep is such a problem, Scootaloo. I really wish I could help.” The knock came again, the same pattern, but easily much louder. “I also really think somepony should answer that.”

Scootaloo nodded and sighed as she walked to the door and stopped. Sweetie made her way to Scootaloo’s side, but this went unnoticed. The only thing on her mind was one thought Please, please, please be Diamond Tiara. Be anypony, I don’t care, just don’t be an empty doorway. Scootaloo took another breath before opening the door, just in time for Twilight to reach her other side.

The doorway was empty.

Sweetie turned to Scootaloo. She seemed like she wanted to speak, but even Twilight could tell from her eyes that she was heavily conflicted. She didn’t get the chance, however, as Scootaloo sighed. She stayed still for a moment, but soon straightened up, her face strangely serious as she whipped around and went straight for the door to her cellar. Twilight and Sweetie followed her, wordlessly.

By the time the other two made it down, Scootaloo was already reading the letter on the table—the usual body in the room was still covered. Once Twilight reached the bottom of the stairs, Scootaloo set the letter down and pulled the dagger from her hoodie pocket, holding it firmly as she walked over and nearly tore the sheet away.

Upon seeing the soon-to-be-victim still unconscious, she turned to Twilight, dagger raised and pointed at the princess, a fire in the young pegasus’s eyes. “You think just because I’m sleep deprived that I’m fucking blind? Do you think I’m fucking stupid or something, Princess?”

Two sets of eyes were on Scootaloo after that, both as wide as they could be. “Wait, what? What are you talki—”

Scootaloo nearly lunged forward, her wings half-raised and her tone now fierce. “Don’t you dare try that innocent shit with me! I saw how you acted. Scootaloo may not have, but I sure as fuck did. Now you listen here. I’m gonna fucking do this, you’re going to give me answers, and nopony is going to hear a damned word. Are. We. Clear?”

Sweetie Belle slowly stepped closer. “S-scootaloo, pl—”

Scootaloo’s wings flared for a moment before she had Sweetie Belle by the collar of her shirt, the tip of the dagger pressed dangerously against the unicorn’s throat. “Scootaloo isn’t here right now, Belle. Now both of you just let me do this, and that pony over there is the only one that loses any blood tonight, deal?”

Sweetie Belle stared for a moment before giving a slight nod. Scootaloo let her go and stepped towards her victim. Sweetie rushed to Twilight, holding onto her tightly. Scootaloo looked at the now very much awake pony strapped before her. Without a word or a moment’s hesitation, she slashed the blade across the stallion’s abdomen.

As his guts began to spill, she flipped the dagger in her hand, her thumb near the pommel, and used both hands to force the blade into the stallion’s heart. She paused for a moment before yanking the dagger free and flicking the gore from it.

She then walked to Twilight, her expression still the same as before. “Now, here’s a question, Princess: What just happened?”

Twilight, for the moment entirely oblivious to her magic or any of the other advantages she had over the mare before her, hesitated before managing an answer. “You just killed that stallion.”

“Good. Now, why?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why did I kill that stallion? No, first, how did I? What happened to him?”

“You gutted him and stabbed his heart.”

“Now, why did he die like that? Why did I do it?”

“I don’t know what you’re—”

Scootaloo slammed the blade of the dagger into the wooden rail of the staircase. “You know what I’m talking about! He died because somepony put him down here. Somepony you saw put him down here. That somepony left me a letter telling me that I would have to do this in front of you, and you know what? I didn’t even fucking need it this time. I’m sick of being stuck awake.”

Twilight stared for a moment, a moment too long, into Scootaloo’s eyes. The fire was still there and still strong, but even in spite of it, there was an eerie emptiness to them. She stepped back, and it was over. “Okay, okay. I know. Just calm down, please? How about you rest, then we’ll go and—”

“I’m staying right here until they come to clean up.” Scootaloo pulled the dagger free and walked to the table, taking a seat on it. “If they’re waiting on some signal from you, give it to them. Just because I killed doesn’t mean I’m on some time limit. I can stay awake all fucking night, and all tomorrow night too.”

Twilight seemed ready to say something, but stopped. She petted Sweetie Belle’s head and departed up the stairs. Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo—not saying anything, not stepping closer, just looking; and Scootaloo looked back, doing the same.

It wasn’t long before two sets of hooves sounded upstairs, neither in any apparent rush. A few steps later, Scootaloo noticed Twilight, followed by a figure in a black hoodie and black pants, the hood pulled up and only showed a light blue muzzle.

Scootaloo stood, knife in hand, and stepped towards the middle of the room, waiting as the two found their way to the bottom of the stairs. The pony in black stepped forward, as did Scootaloo. “Take the hood off.”

“Scootaloo, please, just—”

“I want to see who’s been putting me through this. You owe me that fucking much!”

Twilight started to respond, but went quiet when the hooded pony held up a hand. She pulled the hood down, exposing a sky-blue coat, powerful magenta eyes, and a rainbow mane. Scootaloo remained silent for a time, staring at her very much alive big sister. The silence was soon broken with a single word. “Why?”

“Look, Squirt, I—”

“Don’t call me that,” Scootaloo muttered while slowly shaking her head. “You lost that privilege when you made me sit through your fucking funeral!” She gripped the knife tighter, her voice shaking as her eyes began to water. “I’ve lost weeks of sleep over that! I thought it was my fault. I thought I’d never get to see you again. I hated myself for not saying what I should have.”

Rainbow Dash flinched, but stayed in place. Could her expression drop more, it would have. She took a slow, careful step forward. “Scootaloo, please, just put the knife down, okay? Just put it down and we’ll show you what’s going on.”

Scootaloo’s breathing was unsteady as she tightened her grip around the handle. Rainbow Dash hesitated before taking another, less sure step forward. She leapt back as Scootaloo yelled out, throwing the knife to the floor. She fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands as she took in deep, quivering breaths—muffled sobs escaping from her covered visage.

Rainbow Dash started to rush towards the younger pegasus, but stopped herself. She instead eased herself closer before kneeling by her little sister. She carefully reached out, gingerly wrapping her arms around Scootaloo. When Scootaloo didn’t pull away, Rainbow pulled her closer, wrapping her sister in her wings.

“Just get it out of you, Scootaloo. Just let it out.” She softly stroked Scootaloo’s mane, holding the mare close as she cried in her arms.

Still off near the steps, Twilight stared at the scene before her. She felt more than a simple pang of guilt as she witnessed the current events in front of her. It took the princess a few moments more to notice that Sweetie Belle had made her way over and was now holding her fillyfriend and her sister.

Save for the muffled sound of Scootaloo slowly but steadily calming her breathing, the next few minutes went by in all-but-complete silence. Once it seemed the mare had collected herself, Rainbow Dash slowly pulled back. Sweetie Belle, however, stayed for a while longer.

Rainbow Dash looked to Twilight. A moment passed before the alicorn gave a nod and took a step towards the couple on the floor. Twilight cleared her throat softly, catching the attention of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

“I suppose we should get on our way then, shouldn’t we?” she asked.

Scootaloo wiped her face clean and nodded. Sweetie Belle gave her fillyfriend one last hug before helping her to her hooves. Without further conversing or question, the four mares made their way upstairs and out of the house, Twilight and Rainbow Dash both mentally noting to have somepony pick up the new corpse and clean the floor.

The walk was shorter than either Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle expected, although, to be fair, neither expected it to end at the Golden Oak Library. They could speculate all they wanted, but as Twilight and Rainbow Dash entered, they felt they might get answers faster by simply following them.

Twilight led the group down a hallway in the back of the main room. It lead down and into her lab quickly. The alicorn was obviously not at the intended destination, however, as she walked to a portion of the far wall, pressing a plate in. No sooner had she done so, that the wall nearby glowed before fading away to reveal yet another staircase.

Now feeling more unnerved than before, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed Twilight and Rainbow Dash down. The stairs seemed to go on forever, but the group finally reached the bottom. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were momentarily speechless as they took in the massive room around them.

The silence was quickly broken by a familiar voice. “Might I ask why they are here early?”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle turned to the voice to find the towering presence of Princess Luna before them. They remained without words for the time, though it was not as if they were being spoken to.

Twilight wasted little time turning to the royal sister and responding, “We didn’t really have a lot of choices, Princess. She caught on before going after the victim. She said she would have waited until somepony came to get the body.”

Luna gave a slight nod before casting a glance at the two younger mares who had still yet to speak since arriving. She looked them over for a moment before nodding once more to herself and turning. “Then come with me, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle,” said she with wave of her hand as she made her way to a fairly small throne a few meters away.

After a short hesitation, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed Luna across the room. Luna took a seat on her throne and looked between the mares before her.

“I suppose you wish to know about the events put before you as of late?” questioned Luna.

Scootaloo stepped forward. “Yes, Princess Luna. What’s going on? Why have you been getting me to kill ponies?”

Luna remained silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was softer, but still held an air of authority. “You have my sincerest apologies for not requesting your service beforehand. This is a matter most important, and I wished to handle it as quietly as possible. When the situations presented to me, gave me a chance to work things into motion faster, I overlooked most reason to not take such a chance.”

Scootaloo remained quiet, but it was apparent from her expression that she was not taking that alone for an answer. Luna exhaled softly.

“I believe that, if any here have earned the right to know the situation, then it would be you. You have followed orders in the blind hope of relief, and you have suffered through something that you did not ask for. I believe a more pertinent question to you is, why Rainbow Dash is not dead, despite the very official funeral that was held.

“That would be nice,” Scootaloo remarked.

“To avoid telling you too much too early, I will say simply that Rainbow Dash’s death was a scapegoat of sorts through which we all managed to avoid a rather heinous disaster. The body in the coffin was made to look as accurately like Rainbow Dash as possible. It was a task entrusted to Rarity.” Luna paused for a brief moment. “Please know, Scootaloo, that Sweetie Belle was never, at any point, aware of this.”

The pegasus peered over at her fillyfriend and nodded.

“Now, if you wish to know more at this moment, I shall tell you. If not, simply say so. We have some time, and you may rest on what you have learned, if you so please.”

Scootaloo took a few deep breaths before looking back to Luna.

“I still don’t know why you did all of that to me. I want answers.”

Luna gave a nod and stood, walking to a nearby bookcase and thumbing through the visible covers. Her silence as she did so was more than slightly irritating to Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle could see it plainly. Sweetie Belle pulled her fillyfriend close, which seemed to at least keep the pegasus from saying anything she may have regretted.

Luna seemed to find what she was looking for, as she soon pulled a book out, lightly brushing off the little dust that accumulated on it before turning to the younger ponies. The Princess of the Night walked towards the couple as she spoke. “To be brief on the matter of your main concern, I need your help.”

The two mares before her sported almost matching expressions of confusion. Luna had expected as much and presented the book she’d taken from the shelf only moments prior.

Scootaloo took the rather hefty, aged-looking tome in her hands. There was no title and, in fact, nothing at all upon the dark grey cover. The couple looked up to Luna, who had adopted a somewhat more solemn expression.

“What do you know of shadow ponies, Scootaloo?”

Author's Note

Hey, sorry it took so long! Unraveling is finally finished, and not just badly like my last attempt. Well, I know I should've put the AU tag on earlier, like, when Shadow Changeling was more or less linked to this, but, yeah... Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed.