An Adventure Sure to Leave a Markby MuffinmallowChaptersThere's Always Complications......AlwaysOdd HappeningsThere's Always Complications...Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sat in the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle groaned, "ugh, what is taking her so long?" Scootaloo looked out the window for a minute before saying, "I don't know, but she better hurry up." Apple Bloom stormed in out of nowhere, "Ah'm here! Sorry Ah'm late!" Scootaloo asked, "what took you so long?" "Well, Ah was lookin' for the recruit, and took forever to find her. But Ah finally found her and she's waitin' outside." Sweetie Belle asked, "why couldn't we ask Babs to come with us instead?" "'Cause she's recruitin' in Manehatten." "Duh!" Scootaloo let out condescendingly. "You don't have to be such an ass about it, Scootaloo." "You don't have to be a-" Apple Bloom interrupted them by screaming, "enough! Now look, the new blood is outside the clubhouse. Do ya wanna make a bad impression by fightin' like ya do all the time? Or, are we at least gonna pretend we're friends long enough fer her to get a good feelin' around us?" Sweetie Belle said, "okay." Scootaloo mumbled, "fine. But she should have known-" "Mah gosh, just shut up, ya both sound like babies! Ah'm gonna go get her now. If you two even look at each other bad, Ah will buck you girls so hard, y'all will go back to when this was Ponyland." She trotted out the door. Sweetie Belle thought aloud, "Ponyland?" "I have no clue." Apple Bloom walked in, "guess she left. Way ta go, y'all scared her off!" They hung their heads in shame. She smiled, "Ah'm just kiddin', she's right next to me." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other and at the blank space next to their friend. Scootaloo said, "I don't understand. Nopony is there." "And that is where yer wrong, show yerself Dinky." Just then, a unicorn filly appeared next to Apple Bloom and said in a mocking tone, "duh." Scootaloo started to get annoyed, "are you mocking me?" Sweetie Belle giggled, "who's the dumb one now?" "Shut it." Apple Bloom said, "what the hay did Ah say about you two? Dinky, introduce yerself before Ah end up killin' both of 'em." The new filly nodded her head and began to say, "I'm Dinky Doo." Scootaloo questioned her entrance, "that's it? No booming mic, or smoke? No written speech?" "This is coming from the filly who never heard of an invisibility spell, even though it's one of the most renowned spells amongst non-unicorns," she said like a virago. Scootaloo started to get angry, "I suggest you shut your trap before it gets you seriously hurt." Dinky smirked, "or what? You'll beat me up? I can easily pin you down, not like you can fly or anything." Scootaloo went up to Dinky's face with hostility in her steps and anger on her face, Dinky held the same bored expression. Apple Bloom couldn't control the volume of her voice when she screamed, "Stop it!" She took a deep breath, "Ah see yer capable of gettin' into fights too Dinky," she turned to Scootaloo, "outside, now!" "Sheesh you sound like my mother-" "Now Scootaloo!" Scootaloo trotted out the door. Apple Bloom followed after. Sweetie Belle said, "you certainly held your own against Scootaloo. Did you have to mention the fact she can't fly though?" "Just what would weaken her. Besides, she's just a pony who acts tough, she doesn't scare me." Apple Bloom tried to hold back shouts, "what is yer problem Scoots? You've been grumpy all day, ya nearly got into a fight with Dinky. Yer first words to her sounded threatening." Scootaloo argued, "well she's a bitch and I don't think she should be a crusader." "She acted the way she did 'cause you acted the way you did. Ya picked a fight with one of the smartest foals around. Now do ya wanna go crusadin' with us, or do you wanna be left in the dust?" "Hold on! It was my idea to do this!" "Actually, it's mah idea, yer just bad at listening." "Well, either way, I'm the one with the scooter!" "Ah think we can manage. If ya wanna go so bad, then apologize to Dinky. "Fine." They went back into the clubhouse. Apple Bloom said, "sorry, just havin' a pep talk." She shoved Scootaloo closer to Dinky. "Sorry for making you mad," Scootaloo said fakely. Dinky detected how she said this. "Yeah, whatever," she replied. Apple Bloom said to them, not noticing how they spoke to each other, "see isn't that better? Now let's keep this behavior up, makes everypony happier." They all looked at Apple Bloom, who seemed happier than usual. "Why are you so happy?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What's wrong with bein' happy?" Apple Bloom asked back. "Nothing, you just seem more cheerful today than you do any other day." "Well, it's 'cause Ah threw in mah first crusadin' idea." Scootaloo butt in, "whoa whoa whoa, hold on. You've had many good ideas, like why are we called the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" "Well-" "Because of you, you thought of the brilliant name." Sweetie Belle asked, "and whose the one who got us this clubhouse?" Apple Bloom weakly said, "me?" "Yes, it was you who talked to Applejack about getting our hideout." Scootaloo joined in with Sweetie Belle and they both said, "and who convinced Babs to recruit ponies for the Manehatten branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" "Ah suggested it to her." Sweetie Belle spoke alone, "it was your idea. You may not think of ideas for crusading, but you thought of the bigger stuff that does and will help us when we crusade for our cutie marks." Apple Bloom had a light blush, "alright, Ah get it! Let's just initiate Dinky already." The veteran crusaders got into position, Scootaloo on timpani and Sweetie Belle reading the oath from behind the podium. Scootaloo played a beat, then played a drum solo. When she finished, Sweetie Belle started reading, "we, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Dinky Doo to join us as a," she stopped reading when she remembered Scootaloo didn't revise the oath. She skimmed through the paragraph of words describing what she would be to them. She placed her hoof on the spot she would continue reading, "as a fellow Cutie Mark Crusader! You are solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your... you're a crusader now!" Apple Bloom cheered. Dinky smiled, then looked at Scootaloo, who scowled at her. When Apple Bloom went to Sweetie Belle, Dinky went to Scootaloo and asked in a hushed voice, "why are you so angry?" "I'm... I'm not, I'm glad you're apart of the team," she replied equally hushed. Dinky walked away, "yeah, walk away," she said under her breath. The fillies gathered around. Apple Bloom said, "so this how it's gonna go. We're gonna tell our guardians where we're goin', which is around Ponyville, when really, we are goin' to be venturin' into the Everfree Forest." "But don't we always go there?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo continued, "yes, but we aren't sticking to our usual route." Sweetie kept asking, "well what about-" She was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Comin'!" Shouted Apple Bloom. She opened the door to see Applejack with the local newspaper in her mouth. She dropped it to the ground, "read it." Apple Bloom and her fellow crusaders read the headlines. Dinky backed away and shed a few tears. Applejack had realized she was there, "oh shi... Ah'm sorry," she said in her most sympathetic voice. Dinky choked out, "it's alright." Sweetie Belle said, "it's okay to be sad." "I know," she said with no emotion, keeping control of her weeping. Apple Bloom blurted out, "horseapples Dinky! How can ya be so calm?! Yer mother is dead!" Applejack immediately said, "Apple Bloom!" And smacked the back of her head. Apple Bloom was confused, "Ah mean it! Most foals would be bawlin' about the fact that any of there family died. Yer emotionless!" Applejack shouted, "enough Apple Bloom! Ah don' know what the hell has gotten into you, but you are comin' with me right now!" "But Applejack Ah-" "Now!" She started to pull Apple Bloom by the ear. "Ow ow, Applejack yer hurtin' me owww! The door slammed shut as they walked out. The three watched as that happened. Two of them turned to Dinky. Dinky looked at them, "what?" "Are you going to be okay?" Sweetie Belle asked softly. "Yeah... I'll be fine." Dinky replied. "Are you sure? Because we'll help you through it." She stood up, "I said I'm fine!" She casted a spell and was gone. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at each other in silence. They both tried to think of something to say. Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence when she said, "so Scootaloo, mind if I stay at your place?" "It's better you don't." "Oh, then, do you want to stay with me? My parents are out of town and they didn't send me to Rarity so..." "That, I say yes." "Alright let's go." Dinky sat, alone, in her house. She cried in loneliness and in grief her mother had died. She hadn't known her birth father, and her older sister left the family for advanced magic studies, thus, she was alone. "Why *sniffle* did you have to go? Why does *sob* the Fausticorn hate me?!" She heard a voice and ignored it, thinking she was going crazy. She heard it again and looked around. The mailmare was standing beside her. "Mommy!" She got up and ran towards the mare. She hugged her as tight as she could, "I knew you weren't dead, the press ponies just didn't have their facts straight," Ditzy got out of her grip. Dinky asked, "what's wrong?" She seemingly ignored what Dinky said, "you're a special filly and you can't let your talents go to waste. I just want to let you know that I love you and I always will." "I love you too. You don't seem right." Ditzy gave her a kiss on the forehead and vanished. There Dinky was, alone. She went out the door and walked into town. "I can't stay there, unless I wanna go insane." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were walking side by side with each other. Sweetie Belle looked back as they passed a house and asked, "aren't we passing your house now?" "Yeah." "Aren't you going to ask your parents if you can spend the night?" "Whoa, I'm spending the night? Are you trying to flatter me?" Scootaloo asked playfully. "No! I..." Sweetie Belle had a light blush. "It's okay if you want me to, I want to. I hate being alone anyway." Sweetie Belle thought about that last sentence, "what do you mean, alone?" "Can we talk about something else?!" She said defensively. "Okay, sorry, I didn't know-" "Let's just get to your place already!" They walked, Sweetie Belle felt bad for bringing up a personal subject Scootaloo didn't seem to talk about. Scootaloo felt bad for yelling at the filly that was her first friend. Apple Bloom sat in her room, "why am Ah in trouble? Ah just asked a question." Her door opened, Applejack walked in, "Ah don't understand, why am Ah in trouble?" "Apple Bloom, her mother died, and you yelled at her fer hiding her emotions. She didn't want to make a scene." "And how would you know that?" "Because Ah talked with Dinky-" "How?" "She's downstairs. Ah'll go get her, maybe you will try to be nice and respect her motives?" Applejack went downstairs. Dinky came up a few seconds later and sat in front of Apple Bloom, "you okay?" She asked Dinky. "Yeah." "Good, Ah'm sorry about earlier." "It's okay, you didn't understand." Dinky changed the subject, "Applejack said I can stay the night, is it okay if I sleep in here?" "Yeah, but we have a busy day tomorrow, so we gotta wake up early." Dinky nodded her head, they both went downstairs. Apple Bloom said, "we'll treat ya just like family." She smiled. Dinky barely managed a smile. "Ha! That's it Dinky." Scootaloo entered Sweetie Belle's bedroom. She said just as she walked in, "we killed most of time itself, but the night is still young. Let's ask each other super deep questions like what other fillies do at slumber parties," she said jokingly. "Speaking of super deep questions, I'm sorry about what I asked earlier. I didn't realize you were so affected by it." "It's fine, I shouldn't have yelled like I did," Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to speak, but Scootaloo interrupted her, "okay, this counts as your question," she took a deep breath, "I'm alone because I'm an orphan, but nopony knows. Now you're the only pony who knows." Sweetie Belle sat there, unsure of what to say. Scootaloo spoke before her again, "okay, my turn. Um... I got it. What was the deal earlier when you freaked out on me? I was only kidding around." Sweetie Belle stuttered, "w... wait! I didn't freak out! It... it was because..." Scootaloo wanted to know, "because..." Sweetie Belle froze up. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and said, "look, I gotta go whiz. You better have a proper answer for me when I get back." Scootaloo walked out the bedroom and guessed where the bathroom was. Sweetie Belle quickly hopped into bed. When Scootaloo finally came back, she saw Sweetie Belle's head sticking out from under the bed covers, back turned to the door. "Okay! Guess I'm sleeping in the guest room!" Sweetie's head shot up, "no!" "You feeling alright? You're acting really weird, you always do when it's just the two of us." "I'm fine, it's just... sleep with me, my bed is way better than the guest bed," she smiled and had a tiny blush. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and went for Sweetie Belle's bed. When Scootaloo got comfortable in the bed, Sweetie Belle glomped her from behind and whispered, "good night." Scootaloo had a nervous smile and was slightly freaked out, but said back, "good night weirdo." ...AlwaysApple Bloom awoke from a pleasent slumber. She got up quickly and went to the window. She smiled, "oh good, the sun is just startin' to rise, Ah thought Ah slept in." She looked over at Dinky. Her smile dropped to a frown when she saw her; Dinky's face was nearly covered in sweat and the expression on her face showed pure horror and agony. She trotted over to Dinky and shook her awake. She shot up, nearly headbutting Apple Bloom. "Ya alright?" She asked while giving Dinky a rag. She took the rag, "yeah, I'm fine," she wiped her face, "you didn't have to wake me. Just the same old nightmare." "What about?" "Just me failing everyone I love, not that I have anyone who loves me anymore." "That's not true, Ah love you... in a totally friendly way Ah mean." Dinky smiled, "I know what you mean. I really appreciate you doing this for me. How about we get breakfast, I wanna beat the other two to the clubhouse." Apple Bloom got up and opened the door for Dinky, "Ah love the way you think." Dinky giggled as they went downstairs. Scootaloo laid in bed in Sweetie Belle's grip. She hadn't known how long she had been awake, but Sweetie had not budged. She tried shaking her awake and saying her name, both didn't work. Now she's trying to wiggle out of her grasp. Sweetie only held tighter. Scootaloo stopped moving in an effort to loosen her grip. She did and, in addition to that, nuzzled the back of her neck. Scootaloo let out a girly yelp and jumped out of the bed. Sweetie Belle said after, "I'm sorry!" A blush started to form. "What the heck Sweetie Belle?!" "I'm sorry, I thought you were... my blankie," her face was getting redder Scootaloo fought really hard to hold in her laughter, "your blankie?" "I don't use it anymore. I've just never shared a bed with anypony before. And I guess I-" "Stop, I get it," she opened the door, "do you need me to pour you a bowl of oat flakes, little filly?" She walked out snickering. Sweetie facehoofed, "ugh! Now she thinks I'm a baby." "Oh, and we need to stop at my house first!" Scootaloo yelled from the kitchen. She then said, "do you need me to hold your hoof on the way there?!" She laughed after that. She facehoofed again, "why can't I fast talk like Rarity can?" She got out of bed. She got out a pen, ink pot, and paper. She dipped the pen in the ink and started to write. Apple Bloom and Dinky waited in the clubhouse. Dinky looked out the window. Apple Bloom looked at Dinky, then at a newly installed clock, then back at her. She started to get worried, "you alright? You've been starin' out that window for an hour," Dinky continued to stare out the window, "Dinky?" She moved closer to her. "Look up." Apple Bloom looked out the window. She didn't even see a cloud, "what am Ah lookin' at exactly?" Dinky mumbled something to herself. "Ah didn't catch that." She repeated herself in a quiet, yet audible voice, "she's not dead. I see her, up in the sky." "Dinky-" "Not dead." "Yer freakin' me out. Please, this ain't the Dinky Ah met a couple months ago." Apple Bloom put a hoof on Dinky's shoulder. Dinky snapped back to reality, "I'm sorry. It's just, I always see my mom, which makes me think-" "Hey, it's okay," Apple Bloom thought about parents, "y'know, Ah never had parents. Applejack said she got angry at me 'cause they passed away after Ah was born," she chuckled at the memories of stories, "what Ah'm gettin' at is, it's better to have once loved then to have never loved at all. Mah older brother told me that." "Wow, words to live by, I guess." The door flew open. An orange pegasus flew in and crashed into the wall. She got up with a spinning head, "oh man, that one needs work." Sweetie Belle followed after, "so cute." Apple Bloom trotted to Sweetie Belle, "what took ya so long?" "Blankie problems." "Ya got a blankie?" "Well... that's not the point! Where's all the stuff you were going to bring?" "It's all outside, didn't you see it? Or y'all lovestruck?" Apple Bloom developed a wide smile. Sweetie Belle's face started to redden for about the fiftieth time, "I don't like Scootaloo like that!" "Ah never mentioned Scootaloo, Ah asked if yer lovestruck, y'know, Button." "Who? Whatever, let's just load the wagon." The four fillies walked out to pack the wagon full of supplies. Apple Bloom moved closer to Dinky and said, "ya don't have to help us load the wagon, the three of us got it." "Whenever the three of you touch anything, it explodes, so I think I'll help." Apple Bloom chuckled, "well yer one of us now, so you'll be blowin' things up too." Scootaloo yelled at them, "hurry up you two, Sweetie Belle and I aren't doing all the damn packing!" Apple Bloom yelled back, "we're comin!" She then said to Dinky, "she's seriously gotta cut down on her shoutin'," they both watched her drop something, she cursed, "and her swearin'." Sweetie Belle paced back and forth, "okay, we've got food and water in case something bad happens, clothes in case it gets cold, first aid for-" Scootaloo cut her off, "you've said this a thousand times in a matter of thirty minutes, we'll be okay," she went back to tying down their cargo. "But what if-" "We'll be fine." While those two argued, Apple Bloom and Dinky sat next to each other, "y'know, ya don't have ta go with if ya don't want to," Apple Bloom said in a considerate voice, "Ah'll understand." "No, I wanna go, this is a choice I'm making." "Good, Ah was really hopin' you'd come with. In case ya haven't noticed, those two get on my nerves," she stood up, "Ah'm gonna go make sure everything's set." Dinky sat there, thinking about what is to come, "what do ya mean ya forgot the extra pair of skis?!" Her ears perked up. Scootaloo shrugged, "guess I'm used to it being just us. Guess Dinky can't go now." Sweetie Belle shook her head, "she can have my skis, I'll just ride on the scooter with you." "Yuck! What're you gonna do, hold the back of my neck again?" "That's exactly what I'll do!" she said as she got on the scooter and held on to Scootaloo. Apple Bloom looked around, "oh shoot! Ah forgot the crusader cloaks. Dinky! Can ya go and get 'em?" she nodded and went up the ramp and into the clubhouse. The moment she walked in, she found the cloaks on a table. She walked over and grabbed them. When she turned around, she dropped the cloaks and nearly screamed. The reason why she didn't scream was because it was her mother. She silently went in for a hug. The apparition felt so real to her, as if she was there with her. "You're making a good choice going with them Dinky. A terrible fate will come upon them, you'll be the one who saves them from it." Dinky retreated, she was confused, "how will I do that? These are the first friends I've ever had. How will I even know when this 'terrible fate' will happen? Ditzy started to disappear, "you'll see it. I love you and I miss you." "Wait don't go!" In mid sentence, she was gone. Dinky let out a sigh and said, "I miss you too." She grabbed the cloaks and walked out the door. When she was outside, Scootaloo asked, "who were you talking to?!" "Like you care!" She said back. She walked down and gave a cloak to each crusader. The three had theirs, but there was one more Dinky held, "whose is this?" Scootaloo rolled her eyes as Dinky asked that question. Apple Bloom smacked Scootaloo in the back of her head and replied to Dinky, "it's yers." Dinky was shocked. She has been a crusader for technically less than a day, and she already has her own cape. She tied it on and said gratefully, "wow, thanks." "Not a problem. Get yer skis on, yer headgear too." When she finally did that, Scootaloo asked, "is everypony ready?" The fillies between the supplies and the scooter nodded their heads. Sweetie Belle tightened her grip and said softly, "always." "Then let's go!" Scootaloo started flapping her wings, and they rode off. When they reached the entrance to the Everfree Forest, Scootaloo said, "okay, do you three really wanna do this?" Apple Bloom replied, "yeah, we do. Why ya askin'? Are ya chicken?" She took a deep breath, "SCOOTA-" Scootaloo raised a hoof, "don't start that again unless you want me to jam my hoof so far down your throat, you'll wish a breathing tube is all you needed afterwards!" "Alright, Ah get it, just go already." Scootaloo started her wings, then they went into the forest. They rode on the trail. "We're at least five miles away by now!" Scootaloo sounded excited. They rode out of the forest and were met by a cliff. Scootaloo turned the scooter around, but it was stuck, "get unstuck!" She kicked the dirt under it. Then the ground beneath them gave away and they fell. They all screamed in terror as they plummeted helplessly to the ground. Odd HappeningsDinky awoke on top of Scootaloo. Eyes half opened, she heard rushing water. She saw a river, she did feel kind of wet. She slowly got up, "we're alive! Ha ha! I can't believe it!" "How?" Scootaloo asked as she got up, "we plummeted who knows how many feet, and into a rushing rapid!" "Why ae you questioning it? We're alive!" "What point is there for me? Nopony would care if I die." She looked at Scootaloo in annoyance. She heard a voice, "your friends are on the other side..." Dinky looked around. She thought about the river, maybe this is what the voice is talking about. She shouted, "APPLE BLOOM!!! SWEETIE BELLE!!!" She waited a moment before she heard Apple Bloom. "We're fine, but it sounds like yer on the other side of the river!!" She shouted. "That's because we are!! We'll find a way to you!!" "We?!!" "Scootaloo!! Okay, enough shouting, we might attract an animal!!" Scootaloo stared at Dinky, "we're going to them? How did they even get there? It's dark out. Are you gonna teleport us there?" She asked sarcastically. "No. Are you gonna fly us to them?!" Scootaloo sat in defeat, "that's what I thought. Now get up, or I'm leaving your self-sorry flank behind." Scootaloo got up, "fine, let's just go already." She looked at the wagon, which still had most of its baggage, "we should at least take this." Apple Bloom cradled Sweetie Belle. "Ya don't have ta worry, Ah'll keep ya safe. Ah can only imagine how Applejack feels about our disappearance. Probably worse then you right now." "I'm not afraid of the creatures of the night," she paused to get out of Apple Bloom's grip, "what if something happens to them on their way here? I don't know what I'd do if Scootaloo..." She started to tear up. Apple Bloom cradled her again, "hey, hey, it's okay. Dinky is smart and Scootaloo is tough. Why do ya get so glassy-eyed 'bout Scootaloo?" Sweetie stuttered, "do... do I have... to answer that?" "Seeing as this is a common occurrence, yes!" "Well, I have a crush on her." "On Scootaloo?" she asked, surprised. "Well I just met Dinky so..." "An' how long did ya have this crush?" "Why don't we start a fire? It's starting to get cold," Sweetie said, quick to change the subject. "We can't do that, Ah would expect ya ta know that, seeing as ya went over the list a supplies a million times. We could try huddlin' ta keep warm." Sweetie blushed, "you mean cuddling?! "Not necessarily-" "But basically!" "Ah'm tryin' ta keep us alive, but yer bein' too much of a spas ta agree with me! Don't think of it as cuddlin', but as tryin' ta stay alive." Sweetie Belle nodded her head, and held Apple Bloom, she held her back, "I guess this isn't bad, it's better than freezing." Scootaloo and Dinky came to a way to cross the river, a fallen tree that looked sturdy enough to hold their weight. Scootaloo started to cross, "well, let's go." "Are you nuts?! We are right over a river, what happens if one of us falls?" "What happened to your hot shot personality?" "Our luck ran out when we survived that fall-" "Then we better hurry, or else something'll happen to Sweetie and Bloom!" Dinky fell silent, "Apple Bloom has always made you sound awesome, but to me, you shouldn't even be here." She turned around to cross the river. "Wait," she stopped, "you go, I'll stay with the wagon." "Just levitate the wagon," Scootaloo commanded. "And you think it's that easy?!" Dinky scowled, "I'd like to see you do something useful, dodo." Scootaloo shot her a death glare, "I'm not gonna say it again, levitate the damn wagon over the river!" "I can't!" Dinky blurted. Scootaloo asked aggressively, "what do you mean?!" "I don't know how to levitate objects, I can barely turn invisible without passing out!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes and muttered, "and you thought you had the right to tell me off, skank?" She started speaking louder, "what are we gonna do with the wagon?" Dinky sat down, "I'll stay here and make sure nothing happens, you go get them." Scootaloo crossed the log, but looked back, "turn left!" She nodded and went in the given direction. Dinky sat in silence. That changed after a voice said, "your cape is messed up." She looked in the direction of the voice to see her mother. She got up and gave a silent hug to the apparition, "how are you dead? You feel so real." Ditzy got out of her grip and carried the wagon to the other side of the river. She put the wagon down gently and blew a kiss in Dinky's direction, "I love you too," she mumbled, about to shed a tear. "COME ON!!!" She looked up and saw Apple Bloom about to pull the wagon, "we gotta get back to the two!!" Dinky quickly crossed the river and got to Apple Bloom. They walked back to the makeshift campsite. A minute passed by, Dinky asked, "how'd you get there so quickly, when it's taking us longer to get back?" "'Cause Ah ran after hearing you bein' left alone. It was a far run, but the farm life has made me a little more endurent," she looked at Dinky, "aw man, yer cloak is ruined." A few more minutes went by, "Alright, Dinky, we should be there... by... now." Dinky caught up to Apple Bloom, "what's... wrong..." What they saw shocked them; Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were kissing. A few minutes earlier... Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle continued huddling. Sweetie Belle looked up and pushed Apple Bloom away. "Hi Scootaloo!" "Hey Sweetie Belle, Dinky fell back." Apple Bloom got up and ran full sprint in the direction Scootaloo came from. Scootaloo sat down next to Sweetie Belle, "why the hell were you two hugging?" "We were huddling for survival purposes." "Yeah, okay." "I swear! Apple Bloom isn't my very special somepony anyway." "Then who is?" Sweetie Belle clopped her hooves together repeatedly, "well, she's-" "She? Oh man, this sounds interesting." "She is! Yes, she is lives in Ponyville, she's in Cheerilee's class, and she really is a total hottie." Scootaloo rubbed her face, "enough with the mystery! Who is she Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie looked up at Scootaloo. She leaned over and kissed the clueless pegasus. Scootaloo froze, she had no idea what to do. Sweetie pulled back, "it's you." Scootaloo took a step back, then ran back to the river cross, shoving Apple Bloom and Dinky out of the way. They watched her run. Dinky shook her head. Apple Bloom called for her to come back. Dinky turned over to Sweetie Belle. She tapped Apple Bloom on the shoulder and gave a point in her direction. Apple Bloom walked over to Sweetie Belle, "ya alright?" "I'm so stupid," she said, holding back any tears she felt coming up, "what was I thinking?" She turned to Apple Bloom, "what if she doesn't want us to be friends anymore?" "Don't be like that, Scootaloo is the type a pony who forgets that mushy love stuff. Remember that date Rainbow Da-" "But a date Rainbow Dash went on doesn't affect Scootaloo in any real way." "By the time she comes back, it'll be forgive and forget, it's best to leave her alone, Ah doubt anything could seriously hurt her, Ah'm a fast runner." Dinky rummaged through the wagon, "look, I found a lantern, and a few sleeping bags!" She got the lantern out, turned it on, and laid the sleeping bags out, "I don't know about you two, but I'm getting some sleep." She got in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle, "it'll be okay. Tomorrow, it'll be like nothin' happened," she said, while cozying up in her sleeping bag and shutting her eyes, "be sure to turn the lantern off when ya go ta bed." Sweetie Belle got in her sleeping bag, but didn't sleep. She stared in the direction Scootaloo went in. Scootaloo walked along the edge of the river, kicking in any rocks in front of her. While walking, she stepped on false ground, which gave away, causing her to fall. She let out a shriek just as she was gonna fall into the river. She stopped falling, she looked at the river she was just about to land in. She thought it was getting farther and farther. She ended up back on land, something was pulling on her tail, "alright, who's..." she looked at who her savior was to see no one, "hello?!! Somepony?!" She looked around, no one appeared, "weird." She got up and walked to their mini camp. When she got back, she saw Sweetie Belle was wide awake. She moved with light steps and moved her sleeping bag to Sweetie, "can't sleep?" She quickly turned over, "Scootaloo!!" "Quiet," she looked at the sleeping fillies, "an animal might hear you." She walked over to the lantern and turned it off, then walked back to her bag. She got in it and scooted closer to Sweetie Belle. "Wait, what are you-" She was cut off by Scootaloo wrapping a foreleg around her chest. "I... like you too. I'm sorry for running off like that, it was just... sudden, that's all." Sweetie Belle wrapped her forelegs around Scootaloo's shoulders, "I'm really glad we share these feelings," she felt drool land on her foreleg, "good night, Scootaloo." Scootaloo's eyes shot open. She had no idea why, it's still dark. What she saw would have made her scream, but, she couldn't. She couldn't move either. She looked around, but could not escape what she saw; Dinky was well awake, and talking to her mother, her dead mother. She couldn't do anything but eavesdrop on them. Ditzy said to Dinky, "you know, I caught your friend right before she fell into the river. She could have been killed." "Mom, I had nothing to do with-" "You've gotta stop your cousin from doing that kind of thing." "Cousin?" "Her father was my brother, he was a soldier. He disappeared when a war neared its end." Ditzy started to vanish, "you must make sure you keep Scootaloo alive, she's your only other family left." She went away completely. Scootaloo closed her eyes just before Dinky looked in her direction. A few, long minutes went by before she heard Dinky shift in her sleeping bag. Scootaloo regained movement during those minutes. She nearly woke up Sweetie Belle, but decided she could at least get some sleep. She had a lot of difficulty falling back into slumber after forcing her eyes closed. She got startled when something brushed her. She opened her eyes and saw Sweetie was nuzzling her again. She still felt weird getting touched like that, but she knew it was a feeling she would have to get used to. She whispered to herself, "tomorrow, when we set off on our grand adventure, I'll make sure nothing happens to you Sweetie Belle. No matter what."
There's Always Complications...Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sat in the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle groaned, "ugh, what is taking her so long?" Scootaloo looked out the window for a minute before saying, "I don't know, but she better hurry up." Apple Bloom stormed in out of nowhere, "Ah'm here! Sorry Ah'm late!" Scootaloo asked, "what took you so long?" "Well, Ah was lookin' for the recruit, and took forever to find her. But Ah finally found her and she's waitin' outside." Sweetie Belle asked, "why couldn't we ask Babs to come with us instead?" "'Cause she's recruitin' in Manehatten." "Duh!" Scootaloo let out condescendingly. "You don't have to be such an ass about it, Scootaloo." "You don't have to be a-" Apple Bloom interrupted them by screaming, "enough! Now look, the new blood is outside the clubhouse. Do ya wanna make a bad impression by fightin' like ya do all the time? Or, are we at least gonna pretend we're friends long enough fer her to get a good feelin' around us?" Sweetie Belle said, "okay." Scootaloo mumbled, "fine. But she should have known-" "Mah gosh, just shut up, ya both sound like babies! Ah'm gonna go get her now. If you two even look at each other bad, Ah will buck you girls so hard, y'all will go back to when this was Ponyland." She trotted out the door. Sweetie Belle thought aloud, "Ponyland?" "I have no clue." Apple Bloom walked in, "guess she left. Way ta go, y'all scared her off!" They hung their heads in shame. She smiled, "Ah'm just kiddin', she's right next to me." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other and at the blank space next to their friend. Scootaloo said, "I don't understand. Nopony is there." "And that is where yer wrong, show yerself Dinky." Just then, a unicorn filly appeared next to Apple Bloom and said in a mocking tone, "duh." Scootaloo started to get annoyed, "are you mocking me?" Sweetie Belle giggled, "who's the dumb one now?" "Shut it." Apple Bloom said, "what the hay did Ah say about you two? Dinky, introduce yerself before Ah end up killin' both of 'em." The new filly nodded her head and began to say, "I'm Dinky Doo." Scootaloo questioned her entrance, "that's it? No booming mic, or smoke? No written speech?" "This is coming from the filly who never heard of an invisibility spell, even though it's one of the most renowned spells amongst non-unicorns," she said like a virago. Scootaloo started to get angry, "I suggest you shut your trap before it gets you seriously hurt." Dinky smirked, "or what? You'll beat me up? I can easily pin you down, not like you can fly or anything." Scootaloo went up to Dinky's face with hostility in her steps and anger on her face, Dinky held the same bored expression. Apple Bloom couldn't control the volume of her voice when she screamed, "Stop it!" She took a deep breath, "Ah see yer capable of gettin' into fights too Dinky," she turned to Scootaloo, "outside, now!" "Sheesh you sound like my mother-" "Now Scootaloo!" Scootaloo trotted out the door. Apple Bloom followed after. Sweetie Belle said, "you certainly held your own against Scootaloo. Did you have to mention the fact she can't fly though?" "Just what would weaken her. Besides, she's just a pony who acts tough, she doesn't scare me." Apple Bloom tried to hold back shouts, "what is yer problem Scoots? You've been grumpy all day, ya nearly got into a fight with Dinky. Yer first words to her sounded threatening." Scootaloo argued, "well she's a bitch and I don't think she should be a crusader." "She acted the way she did 'cause you acted the way you did. Ya picked a fight with one of the smartest foals around. Now do ya wanna go crusadin' with us, or do you wanna be left in the dust?" "Hold on! It was my idea to do this!" "Actually, it's mah idea, yer just bad at listening." "Well, either way, I'm the one with the scooter!" "Ah think we can manage. If ya wanna go so bad, then apologize to Dinky. "Fine." They went back into the clubhouse. Apple Bloom said, "sorry, just havin' a pep talk." She shoved Scootaloo closer to Dinky. "Sorry for making you mad," Scootaloo said fakely. Dinky detected how she said this. "Yeah, whatever," she replied. Apple Bloom said to them, not noticing how they spoke to each other, "see isn't that better? Now let's keep this behavior up, makes everypony happier." They all looked at Apple Bloom, who seemed happier than usual. "Why are you so happy?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What's wrong with bein' happy?" Apple Bloom asked back. "Nothing, you just seem more cheerful today than you do any other day." "Well, it's 'cause Ah threw in mah first crusadin' idea." Scootaloo butt in, "whoa whoa whoa, hold on. You've had many good ideas, like why are we called the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" "Well-" "Because of you, you thought of the brilliant name." Sweetie Belle asked, "and whose the one who got us this clubhouse?" Apple Bloom weakly said, "me?" "Yes, it was you who talked to Applejack about getting our hideout." Scootaloo joined in with Sweetie Belle and they both said, "and who convinced Babs to recruit ponies for the Manehatten branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" "Ah suggested it to her." Sweetie Belle spoke alone, "it was your idea. You may not think of ideas for crusading, but you thought of the bigger stuff that does and will help us when we crusade for our cutie marks." Apple Bloom had a light blush, "alright, Ah get it! Let's just initiate Dinky already." The veteran crusaders got into position, Scootaloo on timpani and Sweetie Belle reading the oath from behind the podium. Scootaloo played a beat, then played a drum solo. When she finished, Sweetie Belle started reading, "we, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect Dinky Doo to join us as a," she stopped reading when she remembered Scootaloo didn't revise the oath. She skimmed through the paragraph of words describing what she would be to them. She placed her hoof on the spot she would continue reading, "as a fellow Cutie Mark Crusader! You are solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your... you're a crusader now!" Apple Bloom cheered. Dinky smiled, then looked at Scootaloo, who scowled at her. When Apple Bloom went to Sweetie Belle, Dinky went to Scootaloo and asked in a hushed voice, "why are you so angry?" "I'm... I'm not, I'm glad you're apart of the team," she replied equally hushed. Dinky walked away, "yeah, walk away," she said under her breath. The fillies gathered around. Apple Bloom said, "so this how it's gonna go. We're gonna tell our guardians where we're goin', which is around Ponyville, when really, we are goin' to be venturin' into the Everfree Forest." "But don't we always go there?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo continued, "yes, but we aren't sticking to our usual route." Sweetie kept asking, "well what about-" She was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Comin'!" Shouted Apple Bloom. She opened the door to see Applejack with the local newspaper in her mouth. She dropped it to the ground, "read it." Apple Bloom and her fellow crusaders read the headlines. Dinky backed away and shed a few tears. Applejack had realized she was there, "oh shi... Ah'm sorry," she said in her most sympathetic voice. Dinky choked out, "it's alright." Sweetie Belle said, "it's okay to be sad." "I know," she said with no emotion, keeping control of her weeping. Apple Bloom blurted out, "horseapples Dinky! How can ya be so calm?! Yer mother is dead!" Applejack immediately said, "Apple Bloom!" And smacked the back of her head. Apple Bloom was confused, "Ah mean it! Most foals would be bawlin' about the fact that any of there family died. Yer emotionless!" Applejack shouted, "enough Apple Bloom! Ah don' know what the hell has gotten into you, but you are comin' with me right now!" "But Applejack Ah-" "Now!" She started to pull Apple Bloom by the ear. "Ow ow, Applejack yer hurtin' me owww! The door slammed shut as they walked out. The three watched as that happened. Two of them turned to Dinky. Dinky looked at them, "what?" "Are you going to be okay?" Sweetie Belle asked softly. "Yeah... I'll be fine." Dinky replied. "Are you sure? Because we'll help you through it." She stood up, "I said I'm fine!" She casted a spell and was gone. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at each other in silence. They both tried to think of something to say. Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence when she said, "so Scootaloo, mind if I stay at your place?" "It's better you don't." "Oh, then, do you want to stay with me? My parents are out of town and they didn't send me to Rarity so..." "That, I say yes." "Alright let's go." Dinky sat, alone, in her house. She cried in loneliness and in grief her mother had died. She hadn't known her birth father, and her older sister left the family for advanced magic studies, thus, she was alone. "Why *sniffle* did you have to go? Why does *sob* the Fausticorn hate me?!" She heard a voice and ignored it, thinking she was going crazy. She heard it again and looked around. The mailmare was standing beside her. "Mommy!" She got up and ran towards the mare. She hugged her as tight as she could, "I knew you weren't dead, the press ponies just didn't have their facts straight," Ditzy got out of her grip. Dinky asked, "what's wrong?" She seemingly ignored what Dinky said, "you're a special filly and you can't let your talents go to waste. I just want to let you know that I love you and I always will." "I love you too. You don't seem right." Ditzy gave her a kiss on the forehead and vanished. There Dinky was, alone. She went out the door and walked into town. "I can't stay there, unless I wanna go insane." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were walking side by side with each other. Sweetie Belle looked back as they passed a house and asked, "aren't we passing your house now?" "Yeah." "Aren't you going to ask your parents if you can spend the night?" "Whoa, I'm spending the night? Are you trying to flatter me?" Scootaloo asked playfully. "No! I..." Sweetie Belle had a light blush. "It's okay if you want me to, I want to. I hate being alone anyway." Sweetie Belle thought about that last sentence, "what do you mean, alone?" "Can we talk about something else?!" She said defensively. "Okay, sorry, I didn't know-" "Let's just get to your place already!" They walked, Sweetie Belle felt bad for bringing up a personal subject Scootaloo didn't seem to talk about. Scootaloo felt bad for yelling at the filly that was her first friend. Apple Bloom sat in her room, "why am Ah in trouble? Ah just asked a question." Her door opened, Applejack walked in, "Ah don't understand, why am Ah in trouble?" "Apple Bloom, her mother died, and you yelled at her fer hiding her emotions. She didn't want to make a scene." "And how would you know that?" "Because Ah talked with Dinky-" "How?" "She's downstairs. Ah'll go get her, maybe you will try to be nice and respect her motives?" Applejack went downstairs. Dinky came up a few seconds later and sat in front of Apple Bloom, "you okay?" She asked Dinky. "Yeah." "Good, Ah'm sorry about earlier." "It's okay, you didn't understand." Dinky changed the subject, "Applejack said I can stay the night, is it okay if I sleep in here?" "Yeah, but we have a busy day tomorrow, so we gotta wake up early." Dinky nodded her head, they both went downstairs. Apple Bloom said, "we'll treat ya just like family." She smiled. Dinky barely managed a smile. "Ha! That's it Dinky." Scootaloo entered Sweetie Belle's bedroom. She said just as she walked in, "we killed most of time itself, but the night is still young. Let's ask each other super deep questions like what other fillies do at slumber parties," she said jokingly. "Speaking of super deep questions, I'm sorry about what I asked earlier. I didn't realize you were so affected by it." "It's fine, I shouldn't have yelled like I did," Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to speak, but Scootaloo interrupted her, "okay, this counts as your question," she took a deep breath, "I'm alone because I'm an orphan, but nopony knows. Now you're the only pony who knows." Sweetie Belle sat there, unsure of what to say. Scootaloo spoke before her again, "okay, my turn. Um... I got it. What was the deal earlier when you freaked out on me? I was only kidding around." Sweetie Belle stuttered, "w... wait! I didn't freak out! It... it was because..." Scootaloo wanted to know, "because..." Sweetie Belle froze up. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and said, "look, I gotta go whiz. You better have a proper answer for me when I get back." Scootaloo walked out the bedroom and guessed where the bathroom was. Sweetie Belle quickly hopped into bed. When Scootaloo finally came back, she saw Sweetie Belle's head sticking out from under the bed covers, back turned to the door. "Okay! Guess I'm sleeping in the guest room!" Sweetie's head shot up, "no!" "You feeling alright? You're acting really weird, you always do when it's just the two of us." "I'm fine, it's just... sleep with me, my bed is way better than the guest bed," she smiled and had a tiny blush. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and went for Sweetie Belle's bed. When Scootaloo got comfortable in the bed, Sweetie Belle glomped her from behind and whispered, "good night." Scootaloo had a nervous smile and was slightly freaked out, but said back, "good night weirdo."
...AlwaysApple Bloom awoke from a pleasent slumber. She got up quickly and went to the window. She smiled, "oh good, the sun is just startin' to rise, Ah thought Ah slept in." She looked over at Dinky. Her smile dropped to a frown when she saw her; Dinky's face was nearly covered in sweat and the expression on her face showed pure horror and agony. She trotted over to Dinky and shook her awake. She shot up, nearly headbutting Apple Bloom. "Ya alright?" She asked while giving Dinky a rag. She took the rag, "yeah, I'm fine," she wiped her face, "you didn't have to wake me. Just the same old nightmare." "What about?" "Just me failing everyone I love, not that I have anyone who loves me anymore." "That's not true, Ah love you... in a totally friendly way Ah mean." Dinky smiled, "I know what you mean. I really appreciate you doing this for me. How about we get breakfast, I wanna beat the other two to the clubhouse." Apple Bloom got up and opened the door for Dinky, "Ah love the way you think." Dinky giggled as they went downstairs. Scootaloo laid in bed in Sweetie Belle's grip. She hadn't known how long she had been awake, but Sweetie had not budged. She tried shaking her awake and saying her name, both didn't work. Now she's trying to wiggle out of her grasp. Sweetie only held tighter. Scootaloo stopped moving in an effort to loosen her grip. She did and, in addition to that, nuzzled the back of her neck. Scootaloo let out a girly yelp and jumped out of the bed. Sweetie Belle said after, "I'm sorry!" A blush started to form. "What the heck Sweetie Belle?!" "I'm sorry, I thought you were... my blankie," her face was getting redder Scootaloo fought really hard to hold in her laughter, "your blankie?" "I don't use it anymore. I've just never shared a bed with anypony before. And I guess I-" "Stop, I get it," she opened the door, "do you need me to pour you a bowl of oat flakes, little filly?" She walked out snickering. Sweetie facehoofed, "ugh! Now she thinks I'm a baby." "Oh, and we need to stop at my house first!" Scootaloo yelled from the kitchen. She then said, "do you need me to hold your hoof on the way there?!" She laughed after that. She facehoofed again, "why can't I fast talk like Rarity can?" She got out of bed. She got out a pen, ink pot, and paper. She dipped the pen in the ink and started to write. Apple Bloom and Dinky waited in the clubhouse. Dinky looked out the window. Apple Bloom looked at Dinky, then at a newly installed clock, then back at her. She started to get worried, "you alright? You've been starin' out that window for an hour," Dinky continued to stare out the window, "Dinky?" She moved closer to her. "Look up." Apple Bloom looked out the window. She didn't even see a cloud, "what am Ah lookin' at exactly?" Dinky mumbled something to herself. "Ah didn't catch that." She repeated herself in a quiet, yet audible voice, "she's not dead. I see her, up in the sky." "Dinky-" "Not dead." "Yer freakin' me out. Please, this ain't the Dinky Ah met a couple months ago." Apple Bloom put a hoof on Dinky's shoulder. Dinky snapped back to reality, "I'm sorry. It's just, I always see my mom, which makes me think-" "Hey, it's okay," Apple Bloom thought about parents, "y'know, Ah never had parents. Applejack said she got angry at me 'cause they passed away after Ah was born," she chuckled at the memories of stories, "what Ah'm gettin' at is, it's better to have once loved then to have never loved at all. Mah older brother told me that." "Wow, words to live by, I guess." The door flew open. An orange pegasus flew in and crashed into the wall. She got up with a spinning head, "oh man, that one needs work." Sweetie Belle followed after, "so cute." Apple Bloom trotted to Sweetie Belle, "what took ya so long?" "Blankie problems." "Ya got a blankie?" "Well... that's not the point! Where's all the stuff you were going to bring?" "It's all outside, didn't you see it? Or y'all lovestruck?" Apple Bloom developed a wide smile. Sweetie Belle's face started to redden for about the fiftieth time, "I don't like Scootaloo like that!" "Ah never mentioned Scootaloo, Ah asked if yer lovestruck, y'know, Button." "Who? Whatever, let's just load the wagon." The four fillies walked out to pack the wagon full of supplies. Apple Bloom moved closer to Dinky and said, "ya don't have to help us load the wagon, the three of us got it." "Whenever the three of you touch anything, it explodes, so I think I'll help." Apple Bloom chuckled, "well yer one of us now, so you'll be blowin' things up too." Scootaloo yelled at them, "hurry up you two, Sweetie Belle and I aren't doing all the damn packing!" Apple Bloom yelled back, "we're comin!" She then said to Dinky, "she's seriously gotta cut down on her shoutin'," they both watched her drop something, she cursed, "and her swearin'." Sweetie Belle paced back and forth, "okay, we've got food and water in case something bad happens, clothes in case it gets cold, first aid for-" Scootaloo cut her off, "you've said this a thousand times in a matter of thirty minutes, we'll be okay," she went back to tying down their cargo. "But what if-" "We'll be fine." While those two argued, Apple Bloom and Dinky sat next to each other, "y'know, ya don't have ta go with if ya don't want to," Apple Bloom said in a considerate voice, "Ah'll understand." "No, I wanna go, this is a choice I'm making." "Good, Ah was really hopin' you'd come with. In case ya haven't noticed, those two get on my nerves," she stood up, "Ah'm gonna go make sure everything's set." Dinky sat there, thinking about what is to come, "what do ya mean ya forgot the extra pair of skis?!" Her ears perked up. Scootaloo shrugged, "guess I'm used to it being just us. Guess Dinky can't go now." Sweetie Belle shook her head, "she can have my skis, I'll just ride on the scooter with you." "Yuck! What're you gonna do, hold the back of my neck again?" "That's exactly what I'll do!" she said as she got on the scooter and held on to Scootaloo. Apple Bloom looked around, "oh shoot! Ah forgot the crusader cloaks. Dinky! Can ya go and get 'em?" she nodded and went up the ramp and into the clubhouse. The moment she walked in, she found the cloaks on a table. She walked over and grabbed them. When she turned around, she dropped the cloaks and nearly screamed. The reason why she didn't scream was because it was her mother. She silently went in for a hug. The apparition felt so real to her, as if she was there with her. "You're making a good choice going with them Dinky. A terrible fate will come upon them, you'll be the one who saves them from it." Dinky retreated, she was confused, "how will I do that? These are the first friends I've ever had. How will I even know when this 'terrible fate' will happen? Ditzy started to disappear, "you'll see it. I love you and I miss you." "Wait don't go!" In mid sentence, she was gone. Dinky let out a sigh and said, "I miss you too." She grabbed the cloaks and walked out the door. When she was outside, Scootaloo asked, "who were you talking to?!" "Like you care!" She said back. She walked down and gave a cloak to each crusader. The three had theirs, but there was one more Dinky held, "whose is this?" Scootaloo rolled her eyes as Dinky asked that question. Apple Bloom smacked Scootaloo in the back of her head and replied to Dinky, "it's yers." Dinky was shocked. She has been a crusader for technically less than a day, and she already has her own cape. She tied it on and said gratefully, "wow, thanks." "Not a problem. Get yer skis on, yer headgear too." When she finally did that, Scootaloo asked, "is everypony ready?" The fillies between the supplies and the scooter nodded their heads. Sweetie Belle tightened her grip and said softly, "always." "Then let's go!" Scootaloo started flapping her wings, and they rode off. When they reached the entrance to the Everfree Forest, Scootaloo said, "okay, do you three really wanna do this?" Apple Bloom replied, "yeah, we do. Why ya askin'? Are ya chicken?" She took a deep breath, "SCOOTA-" Scootaloo raised a hoof, "don't start that again unless you want me to jam my hoof so far down your throat, you'll wish a breathing tube is all you needed afterwards!" "Alright, Ah get it, just go already." Scootaloo started her wings, then they went into the forest. They rode on the trail. "We're at least five miles away by now!" Scootaloo sounded excited. They rode out of the forest and were met by a cliff. Scootaloo turned the scooter around, but it was stuck, "get unstuck!" She kicked the dirt under it. Then the ground beneath them gave away and they fell. They all screamed in terror as they plummeted helplessly to the ground.
Odd HappeningsDinky awoke on top of Scootaloo. Eyes half opened, she heard rushing water. She saw a river, she did feel kind of wet. She slowly got up, "we're alive! Ha ha! I can't believe it!" "How?" Scootaloo asked as she got up, "we plummeted who knows how many feet, and into a rushing rapid!" "Why ae you questioning it? We're alive!" "What point is there for me? Nopony would care if I die." She looked at Scootaloo in annoyance. She heard a voice, "your friends are on the other side..." Dinky looked around. She thought about the river, maybe this is what the voice is talking about. She shouted, "APPLE BLOOM!!! SWEETIE BELLE!!!" She waited a moment before she heard Apple Bloom. "We're fine, but it sounds like yer on the other side of the river!!" She shouted. "That's because we are!! We'll find a way to you!!" "We?!!" "Scootaloo!! Okay, enough shouting, we might attract an animal!!" Scootaloo stared at Dinky, "we're going to them? How did they even get there? It's dark out. Are you gonna teleport us there?" She asked sarcastically. "No. Are you gonna fly us to them?!" Scootaloo sat in defeat, "that's what I thought. Now get up, or I'm leaving your self-sorry flank behind." Scootaloo got up, "fine, let's just go already." She looked at the wagon, which still had most of its baggage, "we should at least take this." Apple Bloom cradled Sweetie Belle. "Ya don't have ta worry, Ah'll keep ya safe. Ah can only imagine how Applejack feels about our disappearance. Probably worse then you right now." "I'm not afraid of the creatures of the night," she paused to get out of Apple Bloom's grip, "what if something happens to them on their way here? I don't know what I'd do if Scootaloo..." She started to tear up. Apple Bloom cradled her again, "hey, hey, it's okay. Dinky is smart and Scootaloo is tough. Why do ya get so glassy-eyed 'bout Scootaloo?" Sweetie stuttered, "do... do I have... to answer that?" "Seeing as this is a common occurrence, yes!" "Well, I have a crush on her." "On Scootaloo?" she asked, surprised. "Well I just met Dinky so..." "An' how long did ya have this crush?" "Why don't we start a fire? It's starting to get cold," Sweetie said, quick to change the subject. "We can't do that, Ah would expect ya ta know that, seeing as ya went over the list a supplies a million times. We could try huddlin' ta keep warm." Sweetie blushed, "you mean cuddling?! "Not necessarily-" "But basically!" "Ah'm tryin' ta keep us alive, but yer bein' too much of a spas ta agree with me! Don't think of it as cuddlin', but as tryin' ta stay alive." Sweetie Belle nodded her head, and held Apple Bloom, she held her back, "I guess this isn't bad, it's better than freezing." Scootaloo and Dinky came to a way to cross the river, a fallen tree that looked sturdy enough to hold their weight. Scootaloo started to cross, "well, let's go." "Are you nuts?! We are right over a river, what happens if one of us falls?" "What happened to your hot shot personality?" "Our luck ran out when we survived that fall-" "Then we better hurry, or else something'll happen to Sweetie and Bloom!" Dinky fell silent, "Apple Bloom has always made you sound awesome, but to me, you shouldn't even be here." She turned around to cross the river. "Wait," she stopped, "you go, I'll stay with the wagon." "Just levitate the wagon," Scootaloo commanded. "And you think it's that easy?!" Dinky scowled, "I'd like to see you do something useful, dodo." Scootaloo shot her a death glare, "I'm not gonna say it again, levitate the damn wagon over the river!" "I can't!" Dinky blurted. Scootaloo asked aggressively, "what do you mean?!" "I don't know how to levitate objects, I can barely turn invisible without passing out!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes and muttered, "and you thought you had the right to tell me off, skank?" She started speaking louder, "what are we gonna do with the wagon?" Dinky sat down, "I'll stay here and make sure nothing happens, you go get them." Scootaloo crossed the log, but looked back, "turn left!" She nodded and went in the given direction. Dinky sat in silence. That changed after a voice said, "your cape is messed up." She looked in the direction of the voice to see her mother. She got up and gave a silent hug to the apparition, "how are you dead? You feel so real." Ditzy got out of her grip and carried the wagon to the other side of the river. She put the wagon down gently and blew a kiss in Dinky's direction, "I love you too," she mumbled, about to shed a tear. "COME ON!!!" She looked up and saw Apple Bloom about to pull the wagon, "we gotta get back to the two!!" Dinky quickly crossed the river and got to Apple Bloom. They walked back to the makeshift campsite. A minute passed by, Dinky asked, "how'd you get there so quickly, when it's taking us longer to get back?" "'Cause Ah ran after hearing you bein' left alone. It was a far run, but the farm life has made me a little more endurent," she looked at Dinky, "aw man, yer cloak is ruined." A few more minutes went by, "Alright, Dinky, we should be there... by... now." Dinky caught up to Apple Bloom, "what's... wrong..." What they saw shocked them; Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were kissing. A few minutes earlier... Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle continued huddling. Sweetie Belle looked up and pushed Apple Bloom away. "Hi Scootaloo!" "Hey Sweetie Belle, Dinky fell back." Apple Bloom got up and ran full sprint in the direction Scootaloo came from. Scootaloo sat down next to Sweetie Belle, "why the hell were you two hugging?" "We were huddling for survival purposes." "Yeah, okay." "I swear! Apple Bloom isn't my very special somepony anyway." "Then who is?" Sweetie Belle clopped her hooves together repeatedly, "well, she's-" "She? Oh man, this sounds interesting." "She is! Yes, she is lives in Ponyville, she's in Cheerilee's class, and she really is a total hottie." Scootaloo rubbed her face, "enough with the mystery! Who is she Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie looked up at Scootaloo. She leaned over and kissed the clueless pegasus. Scootaloo froze, she had no idea what to do. Sweetie pulled back, "it's you." Scootaloo took a step back, then ran back to the river cross, shoving Apple Bloom and Dinky out of the way. They watched her run. Dinky shook her head. Apple Bloom called for her to come back. Dinky turned over to Sweetie Belle. She tapped Apple Bloom on the shoulder and gave a point in her direction. Apple Bloom walked over to Sweetie Belle, "ya alright?" "I'm so stupid," she said, holding back any tears she felt coming up, "what was I thinking?" She turned to Apple Bloom, "what if she doesn't want us to be friends anymore?" "Don't be like that, Scootaloo is the type a pony who forgets that mushy love stuff. Remember that date Rainbow Da-" "But a date Rainbow Dash went on doesn't affect Scootaloo in any real way." "By the time she comes back, it'll be forgive and forget, it's best to leave her alone, Ah doubt anything could seriously hurt her, Ah'm a fast runner." Dinky rummaged through the wagon, "look, I found a lantern, and a few sleeping bags!" She got the lantern out, turned it on, and laid the sleeping bags out, "I don't know about you two, but I'm getting some sleep." She got in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle, "it'll be okay. Tomorrow, it'll be like nothin' happened," she said, while cozying up in her sleeping bag and shutting her eyes, "be sure to turn the lantern off when ya go ta bed." Sweetie Belle got in her sleeping bag, but didn't sleep. She stared in the direction Scootaloo went in. Scootaloo walked along the edge of the river, kicking in any rocks in front of her. While walking, she stepped on false ground, which gave away, causing her to fall. She let out a shriek just as she was gonna fall into the river. She stopped falling, she looked at the river she was just about to land in. She thought it was getting farther and farther. She ended up back on land, something was pulling on her tail, "alright, who's..." she looked at who her savior was to see no one, "hello?!! Somepony?!" She looked around, no one appeared, "weird." She got up and walked to their mini camp. When she got back, she saw Sweetie Belle was wide awake. She moved with light steps and moved her sleeping bag to Sweetie, "can't sleep?" She quickly turned over, "Scootaloo!!" "Quiet," she looked at the sleeping fillies, "an animal might hear you." She walked over to the lantern and turned it off, then walked back to her bag. She got in it and scooted closer to Sweetie Belle. "Wait, what are you-" She was cut off by Scootaloo wrapping a foreleg around her chest. "I... like you too. I'm sorry for running off like that, it was just... sudden, that's all." Sweetie Belle wrapped her forelegs around Scootaloo's shoulders, "I'm really glad we share these feelings," she felt drool land on her foreleg, "good night, Scootaloo." Scootaloo's eyes shot open. She had no idea why, it's still dark. What she saw would have made her scream, but, she couldn't. She couldn't move either. She looked around, but could not escape what she saw; Dinky was well awake, and talking to her mother, her dead mother. She couldn't do anything but eavesdrop on them. Ditzy said to Dinky, "you know, I caught your friend right before she fell into the river. She could have been killed." "Mom, I had nothing to do with-" "You've gotta stop your cousin from doing that kind of thing." "Cousin?" "Her father was my brother, he was a soldier. He disappeared when a war neared its end." Ditzy started to vanish, "you must make sure you keep Scootaloo alive, she's your only other family left." She went away completely. Scootaloo closed her eyes just before Dinky looked in her direction. A few, long minutes went by before she heard Dinky shift in her sleeping bag. Scootaloo regained movement during those minutes. She nearly woke up Sweetie Belle, but decided she could at least get some sleep. She had a lot of difficulty falling back into slumber after forcing her eyes closed. She got startled when something brushed her. She opened her eyes and saw Sweetie was nuzzling her again. She still felt weird getting touched like that, but she knew it was a feeling she would have to get used to. She whispered to herself, "tomorrow, when we set off on our grand adventure, I'll make sure nothing happens to you Sweetie Belle. No matter what."
