Finding Scootaloo

Sherlock stared up at the mare, eyes blazing as his chest heaved. He pointed the gun at her, baring his teeth threateningly. "GIVE US THE FILLY OR I SHOOT!" He shouted.

The mare giggled softly. "Oh Mr. Detective, you wouldn't do that. If you kill me, you never find out just how I pulled this off!" She called, her voice sweet like sugar.

John shuddered slightly, staring at the menacing figure on the top of the stairs. Teasing teal eyes looked down at him and Sherlock, as if this whole thing was merely a game for her. "She's insane..." He breathed.

The mare gasped softly. "Insane? How dare you! How would you like it if somepony called you insane?" She demanded, eyes narrowing.

Sherlock dropped his glare and instead put on a negotiating face. "If you come down here and tell us how you pulled it off, I won't shoot." He offered, placing the gun on the ground for emphasis.

The mare gave him a suspicious look, before a pale yellow hoof hit the stairs. She continued to eye him suspiciously as she started to slowly come out of the shadows, the darkness leaving her form almost as if it was melting away. "Oh, I suppose it couldn't hurt. Can't stay hidden forever, not when the great Sherlock Hooves and John W. Pony are on the case!" She cackled a bit as she descended the final steps and stood before them.

Sherlock stared at her. "I don't believe I know your name." He stated, drawing his head up to assert his authority over her at the moment.

The mare giggled, flicking her rosette mane away from her eyes. "Fluttershy, former Element of Kindness. And yes, former. I suppose keeping not only a filly but a Princess hostage would make me revoke my title." She replied cheerfully.

John shuddered.

"TWILIGHT!"

The terrified voice made Twilight crack her eyes open weakly, and she took in the filly beside her. She blinked a few times, but the fuzziness wouldn't leave her sight. She moaned softly and put a hoof to her head, teeth clenching as her head throbbed painfully. She looked over again, before all the breath escaped her in a surprised gasp.

"SCOOTALOO!"

Twilight pulled herself into a sitting position, eyeing the filly closely. One of her vibrant wings as hanging limply, the shoulder joint swollen and bruised. Most likely sprained. Twilight threw her forelegs wide as Scootaloo rushed over.

Scootaloo hurried over to Twilight and hugged her tightly, starting to sob heavily. She felt a pair of forelegs wrap around her and the Princess sat up, cradling her. A pair of wings closed over her and she buried her face in the lavender chest before her, tears streaming down her fuzzy cheeks.

Twilight hugged Scootaloo close, shielding her from the world with her great, pale wings. "We're going to get you out of here Scootaloo, I promise. I'll find a way." She told the filly soothingly.

"I-It was so s-scary!"

"Who took you Scootaloo? Tell me, please."

Scootaloo sniffled and looked up at Twilight with huge, watery eyes. "M-My older sister..." She hiccuped.

Twilight's stomach dropped and her eyes widened. "N-No... R-Rainbow didn't..." She breathed.

"M-My real big s-sister..."

Twilight's ears dropped. "R-Real big sister? You mean, you actually do have a sister? By blood?" She asked.

Scootaloo nodded feebly. "Y-Yeah... F-F-Fluttershy..." She whispered.

The Alicorn's heart plummeted. Fluttershy. Fluttershy was the kidnapper. Fluttershy had kidnapped Scootaloo.

Fluttershy had done this.

Sherlock gave Fluttershy an emotionless stare, blue eyes guarded and revealing nothing. "So tell me Fluttershy, how did you do this?" He asked, sitting down and looking down at her.

Fluttershy sat back on her haunches and giggled, putting a hoof to her mouth. "It was quite easy, I assure you. You see, Scootaloo has a little fanclub for Rainbow Dash. And they always wear these silly rainbow wigs to show just how much they love her. All I had to do was get my hooves on one, which was just an easy trip to this house, where Scootaloo kept hers in her closet. Then some blue feather dye in case any of my feathers fell, and a short trip to kidnap one filly. Easy!" She explained, smiling brightly.

John stepped over and glared at Fluttershy. "But why!? Why kidnap Scootaloo!?" He demanded angrily, lowering his head as if to charge. Sherlock's pale foreleg prevented him, and he shot an incredulous look at the detective, who only shook his head calmly.

Fluttershy stomped a hoof and her eyes blazed, her cheerful smile becoming maniacal as she shot to her hooves. Her mane frizzed and she started breathing heavily, crouching down in case she had to attack. "BECAUSE SHE REPLACED ME! SHE ABANDONS ME FOR THE NEXT PEGASUS THAT COMES ALONG, ISN'T THAT NICE? WELL IT ISN'T! IT'S NOT NICE AT ALL!" She shrieked, panting for breath.

John stared at her with wide eyes. She was completely maniacal... "How, exactly, did Scootaloo abandon you?" He asked.

Fluttershy gave him a deadpan stare. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" She sighed, her hoof hitting her face as she shook her head.

Sherlock glared at her. "I can assure you that John is no idiot. But he does have a point, how did... Oh," His foreleg dropped from in front of John as realization dawned on him. He smirked a bit at Fluttershy, noting the perfectly calm expression on her face, "Scootaloo's your younger sister by blood. But she refuses to admit it because she's ashamed. She's ashamed to have you for an older sister, because she wants Rainbow Dash. When her father beat her, that was the excuse she needed to leave." He continued.

Fluttershy bared her teeth in a threatening snarl. "You have no idea what Rainbow Dash did." She spat.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow at her. "Do tell." He offered.

Fluttershy stomped a hoof angrily. "She killed my father. She broke through the window in Scootaloo's room, grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him outside. They started fighting in midair, my father was mercilessly beaten by my best friend. And even when he begged her to stop, she just kept going. She kept hitting and biting and hurting until she brought her hooves down on his skull and sent him plummeting. He was dead before he hit the ground. But did they press charges? No. They let her go. He was the only good thing left in my family, and he was murdered." She growled.

"I can assure you that she is not aware of the death of Rivet."

Fluttershy let out a dry chuckle. "Well I am. Mother, you'll know her as Merry May, left that night. She abandoned Scootaloo when she needed it most, imagine my surprise to come home and see that my father was a bloody, beaten mess on the ground. I could see his brain, how his broken skull was jabbing into it. Imagine seeing that, your own flesh and blood on the ground and beaten almost beyond recognition. And then I find out that instead of coming to me, her big sister, Scootaloo went to Rainbow Dash! SHE REPLACED ME!" She howled, tears spilling over.

Sherlock held up a hoof. "Fluttershy-" He started.

"WHAT DOES SHE DO WHEN SHE'S SCARED? WHEN SHE'S ALONE? WHEN SHE NEEDS HELP? SHE GOES TO RAINBOW DASH! SHE GOES TO THAT PAIN IN THE ASS WHO ACTS LIKE SHE'S BETTER THAN ANYPONY ELSE, INSTEAD OF HER BIG SISTER! HOW DO YOU THINK THAT FEELS!?" Fluttershy started laughing frantically even as tears flowed down her cheeks, "SHE COMPLETELY ABANDONS ME AND THEN GOES OFF WITH THE FIRST TOUGH PEGASUS THAT SHOWS UP! HAHA! ISN'T THAT JUST HILARIOUS!? LOOK AT ME LAUGH! I'M CRYING WITH LAUGHTER!" She screeched wildly.

Sherlock raised his hoof to calm her, but his eyes revealed that he was alarmed by how fast her mood kept changing. She was a dangerous and unstable mare, and he knew it. "Fluttershy, we need you to calm down." He told her firmly.

Fluttershy brought herself into the air, still cackling as she glared at him. "CALM DOWN!? I SPILL MY GUTS TO YOU AND YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!? MY FAMILY IS GONE, SHERLOCK HOOVES! GONE! I HAVE NOTHING BUT ANIMALS AND SO CALLED FRIENDS WHO DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO ASK ME HOW I FEEL ABOUT ALL OF THIS! TO THEM, I'M A SHY AND BREAKABLE DOORMAT! SHOULDN'T THEY BE CONCERNED!?" She demanded.

Sherlock leaned his head back a bit. "We'll get you mental help Fluttershy, but we need Scoota-"

"SHUT THE BUCK UP!"

Fluttershy wound up and her hoof swung out, cracking across Sherlock's face.

Then all Hell broke loose.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" John roared, wings snapping out as he charged the mare. He rammed his head into her stomach and sent the two of them hurtling, slamming his hoof roughly into her ribs and pinning her against the floor.

Fluttershy retaliated by bucking up into his stomach, causing him to fall away with a pained gasp. With him distracted, she jumped into the air and flew into the darkness, hiding herself.

John scrambled to his hooves and looked around wildly, backing up to stand with Sherlock. Both stallions now knew that they were at a disadvantage, she could see them, but they couldn't see her.

A pale projectile dove at them, and two quick hooves took Sherlock's gun. The Pegasus hit the ground and spun at them, hooves holding the gun out. Fluttershy's crazed eyes stared at them as she laughed shrilly, hooftip against the trigger. "SAY GOODBYE!" She screamed.

Rainbow lowered her head as the house rushed up to meet her. She rammed into the door head on, the wood splintering at the impact. Lightning flashed behind her, lighting up the room as she leapt into the air.

Flash!

She was in the air over John, both stallions staring at her with shocked eyes.

Darkness.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Flash!

She was heading straight for Fluttershy.

Darkness.

Flash!

Fluttershy was holding the gun at Rainbow.

Darkness.

"BRING IT, BITCH!"

Bang!

Flash!

Rainbow lying on the ground howling in agony, blood flowing from her side.

One bandaged cerulean wing lying all alone, bleeding onto the wood.

Darkness.

Scootaloo screamed as the gunshot went off, making Twilight hold her closer.

That's when she heard Rainbow Dash screaming.

Twilight's eyes widened and she gently placed Scootaloo on the ground. "Scootaloo, I need you stay here, ok? I'm going down there." She told her.

Scootaloo sniffled. "But-"

"I'm sorry Scootaloo, but Rainbow's down there."

Scootaloo hesitated for a moment, before her eyes steeled and she nodded.

Twilight stood and only managed one step before falling with a yelp of pain. Her eyes watered as her right hindleg throbbed painfully, but she bit back her tears.

The filly whimpered. "T-Twilight...?" She asked feebly.

"My ankle..." Twilight ground out, looking back at her leg. Her ankle was swollen and bruised, she'd probably reinjured it when Fluttershy had attacked her. Nonetheless, she climbed to her hooves and used her wings to keep the weight off of her bad leg.

Another shriek of agony tore through the air.

Twilight's eyes widened, before narrowing in a ferocious glare as she whipped around and charged the door, turning and driving her shoulder into it. She felt it give way before she tumbled out, hissing as she was forced onto her leg. Her wings snapped out and she took to the air, horn blazing with bright magic as she swooped down towards everypony.

Down to war.

Sherlock stared at Rainbow with horror etched onto his normally emotionless face. She was lying on her side, chest heaving as her blank eyes stared ahead, blood pooling over her fur and dripping to the wooden floor. In front of her, her bandaged wing was just lying there, as if it was completely natural for it to not be connected to her side.

Fluttershy had shot her.

Shot her wing clear off her side.

Fluttershy clicked another bullet into place, but was tackled by John and the shot hit the ceiling as the gun clattered to the ground. Cold, hard rain pelted into the old house and lightning lit up the room in a brilliant white flash.

The flash came just in time to reveal Twilight slam down on the ground, teeth bared and eyes blazing with power and rage, horn flared so bright that the entire room was cast in an eerie magenta glow. She lowered her head just as her eyes flashed dangerously, and her irises went from raging violet to furious orange.

Right before their eyes, Princess Twilight Sparkle burst into flames.

Her coat turned bleach white, and her mane and tail turned into crackling flames, leaping into the air as she faced all three ponies, Rainbow Dash lying on the ground behind her. The aura around her turned orange to match her eyes, and she lowered her head in preparation to charge. "MOVE!" She roared at John as she started forwards.

John dove out of the way just as the flaming Princess hit Fluttershy.

The two mares started trading blows, Twilight's burning hooves leaving black marks along Fluttershy's body. Both were screaming wildly as they tore into each other. Spell after spell struck Fluttershy, but she jumped onto Twilight with a ferocious screech and pinned her against the floor, ignoring the wild spells that failed to do more than singe her already battered body. She raised a back hoof before stomping down on Twilight's injured ankle, hearing a satisfying crunch as the Princess wailed in agony. Twilight's horn flashed suddenly and she blasted Fluttershy square in the chest with fiery magic.

A flash of blinding white light exploded outwards, and then a horrible scream filled the room.

Fluttershy rolled away from the light as flames leapt into the air, feeling her own fur set alight. She rolled until she hit the wall, her body covered in burns as she stared at Twilight with wide, terrified eyes. The Alicorn had advanced on her, standing over her in all her blazing glory. "You wouldn't, even after all of this you don't have the heart to kill me." She spat in a futile attempt to scare her away.

Twilight levitated the gun over to herself and held it forwards. "If you think that, then you have no idea who I really am." She snarled back, clicking a bullet into place.

Fluttershy stared at the gun. "Twilight... Please... Mercy..." She begged. She looked back at her former friend, and felt as if she was looking into the face of Death himself.

"Say it again."

Fluttershy trembled at the cold tone Twilight's voice had taken on. "M-Mercy..." She whimpered, tears coming to her eyes.

"One. More. Time."

"MERCY!" Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs.

There was silence for a moment.

"No."

Bang!

Fluttershy slumped, a bullet hole resting right between her eyes. Her and her twisted, maniacal dreams died in an instant, the glow of her cold teal eyes dying as they reflected the flames behind the Alicorn like glass.

It was over.

Twilight felt the flames die from her body, returning her to her normal state. The smell of smoke filled her nostrils and she whipped around, eyes wide as she saw the fire. "GET OUT!" She shrieked, starting to run over but collapsing with a scream of pain. Now that the rush of adrenaline had faded, she could feel all the pain of her now broken ankle. She spread her wings and took to the air, flying above the flames and heading towards Scootaloo's room.

Scootaloo gasped when she saw the glow of fire behind Twilight. "What's going on?" She squeaked as she was gathered into the lavender forelegs.

Twilight held her close. "Very, very bad things Scootaloo. We need to get you out of here." She responded, turning and flying out of the room. She saw Sherlock levitate Rainbow onto John's back and she followed them outside, the rain instantly plastering her mane to her neck and forehead and she held Scootaloo closer.

Behind them, inside the burning house, a single cerulean wing that held the remains of a certain spectrum haired Pegaus was burnt to cinders, hopes and dreams dying with it. An already dead mare was unable to run from the flames the jumped from her body, burning her fur clear off.

The house collapsed on itself, and the damp ground managed to keep the flames from spreading as the rain slowly extinguished it.

Fluttershy and all her evil deeds were dead.

Twilight was sitting at Rainbow's bedside.

Her right hindleg was in a cast, something she highly resented. That meant she was going to need help getting around for the next month or two, which she didn't really want. Flying was out of the question with the extra weight on that one side, so not only was she practically helpless, but she was grounded.

Rainbow had it much, much worse, however. Bandages were wrapped around her side, covering where her right wing had been. She'd woken a few days earlier, and the sight of her missing wing had brought her entire world crashing down around her. She'd managed to knock one doctor out and throw another one into a wall before she'd been sedated, and whenever she woke up she was lifeless, eyes dull as she spoke to anypony who visited. She was a flightless Pegasus now, and that realization crushed her. Her dreams were impossible now.

But Twilight wouldn't give up on her.

The Alicorn sat at her bedside every day, just watching. To those who watched, they would swear that she was the Element of Loyalty. She was beside the crippled mare every waking minute of every day, keeping a watchful eye over her sleeping form.

While the events had been a week ago, it felt like just a few hours ago to those who had been personally involved. And to Twilight and Rainbow, the scars would always be with them.

Rainbow had nearly lost her sister.

Twilight had intentionally taken a life.

"Twi..."

The Alicorn snapped out of her thoughts and looked to see Rainbow looking up at her. She smiled softly and rested her pale hoof against Rainbow's vibrant one. "I'm here Rainbow..." She told her.

Rainbow's cheeks heated up slightly at the touch, and she looked away. "So I kinda sorta have to tell ya something..." She began, looking surprisingly bashful.

Twilight nodded. "Go ahead." She offered.

Rainbow took in a deep breath. "Well, ever since this whole thing started, you've been by my side. You've been there for me when nopony else was, and that's just... Beyond awesome. You willingly put yourself in so much danger just for me, and... And... I started realizing just how... Incredible you are." She explained slowly.

Twilight's cheeks had a vibrant rose coating. This was entirely out of character for her friend, to be spilling her heart out like this. She put a shocked hoof to her mouth as she realized what words were coming next.

"I... I love you, Twilight."

Rainbow bit her lip and offered Twilight a sheepish look, cheeks bright red.

Twilight stared at her for a moment, before smiling. "I love you too Rainbow. I don't know for how long, but I do. You're just... You're amazing and incredible and beautiful, and I admire your bravery and just how powerful you are. You're so important to me, and... Oh, just kiss me!" She exclaimed, leaning down and connecting hers and Rainbow's lips.

Unlike most stories read, neither of the two were shocked by Twilight's bold actions. Their eyes slowly slid shut as they shared a moment of passion, weeks of pent up emotions bursting forth into the single kiss. All the stress, the fear and the hurt melted away as the heat of love burnt in their hearts and souls.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, the slow healing process had begun.