Sacrifices

Chapters

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter FIve (Pre-Rewrite)

Chapter One

SACRIFICES – CHAPTER ONE

There was something about flying at night which Swift loved, even if the armour she was wearing chafed in just about all the places she wouldn't want. The peace and quiet was a wonderful thing and the fact that her fur was just about dark enough that most ponies couldn't see her was a bonus. She was en route from Ponyville to Canterlot after delivering a vital message to the Guard commander in Dodge Junction and l was flying a response back to Commander Heart. All in all, life was good.

When she joined the Guard , Swift had not expected to be doing courier runs again but, as one of the fastest Pegasi in the Guard's Canterlot detachment she had found that courier runs were a regular part of her duties. She had landed in a wood a few miles outside of Ponyville to drink some water and readjust a leading feather which was starting to irritate her. She was half way through the water in the bottle and was just preening herself when she heard something, somepony shouting “No, Daddy, I'm sorry”.

Swift glanced around, listening for any other noises, her irritating feather forgotten. She moved through the trees as quietly as a barding-clad pegasus could frowning as she heard shouting coming from a shack. She was still approaching slowly when she heard a shriek from within. The adrenaline running through hers system increased as she galloped the remaining distance and smashed the door of the shack open with her front hooves.

She took in the scene immediately, anger bubbling up inside as she saw a Pegasus stallion standing over a very young filly. The stallion was standing on one of the filly's wings, hence the screaming from the obviously terrified filly. As the stallion turned to look at Swift his jaw dropped “Who the buck are you?”. Swift just answered by shoulder charging him into a wall to get him away from the filly. She heard a snap as one of the stallion's ribs broke due to the force of a fully-armoured guardspony smashing into him. She backed off a step, mostly because of the wave of alcohol fumes coming from him, then the stallion threw a punch at her face. Swift pulled her head back, taking the punch on her eye, glad she was still wearing her helmet as the stallion yelled as pain from his hoof joined the pain from his chest.

Wanting to get the fight over so she could deal with the still screaming filly, Swift turned then bucked the stallion in the crotch. He screamed, a few octaves higher than he had before. Swift just looked at him. “Needless to say, you're under arrest for foal abuse and striking a Guard officer. I'd cuff you myself but I need to get this filly to hospital but there will be a squad of Guard here soon”. It was not an ideal solution but she was on a package run, she didn't have the normal equipment with her for dealing with criminals.

The stallion smiled, despite the agony coming from his groin. “I'll just run”.

Swift looked down and nodded. “It's a pity you broke your ankle trying to escape”. A stomp on his ankle provided a snapping noise and another yell from the stallion. Swift just shrugged. “Don't go anywhere”.

She turned and ran to the filly. It was obvious that at least a couple of bones in her right wing had been broken and it looked like she had been struck by the stallion. Swift looked down and wondered for a second why the filly looked afraid until she realised something. “Oh silly me”. She took her helmet off and smiled, the filly seemed to calm down. “Now, little one. I'm going to get you some help but...”. The thought occurred to her that she was slower with her barding on and the flight was likely to be painful without the armour on her front hooves. “Just stay there and I'll take off my armour”. After taking off her armour she rooted in her saddlebags before pulling out a standard issue 'flare'. She didn't understand how it worked but it gave off a powerful surge of magical energy. Trained Unicorns could track it if she triggered it but she was about five hours away from being late in Canterlot, she couldn't turn it on and wait here. That left her with another option.

She turned on the 'flare' and pulled a blanket out of her saddlebags. “I know this may hurt but I'm going to have to fly fast and I don't want you getting cold”. She carefully lifted the filly and wrapped her in the blanket. There was a yelp as she moved the filly's injured wing. “I know it's hurting little one but I can get you to a doctor a lot quicker this way”.

She put the saddlebags back on and turned back to the stallion. “You're lucky that's all I did to you”. Then stepped outside and took off. She would have flown back to Ponyville but she knew where the nearest hospital in Canterlot was and she knew the doctors there, Ponyville was too much of a unknown quantity for her liking. She flew until she was high enough to see the lights of Canterlot in the distance, then looked down at the filly and smiled. “I've got you, everything is going to be okay!”.

She flew as fast as she could to the guard post outside of Canterlot then landed in front of a confused Earth Pony. “Private Swift Wind, I triggered a flare between here and Ponyville. I want the son of a... I want the suspect there arrested for foal abuse”. She nodded at the filly in her hooves. “I need to get her to a hospital”. Without another word she took off and flew into the city.

Two Hours Later

The filly had been in the OR for a hour and a half and Swift was still pacing from one end of the waiting room to the other waiting for an update. She was about to turn for another pass when she saw the main doors open and her commanding officer step in.

Commander Iron Heart took one look at the Private before speaking. “Private, you will come to attention when an officer enters the room”.

Swift snapped to attention before she remembered the message she was supposed to bring to him. She glanced at the saddlebags. He walked over so that he was face to face with her. “You are out of uniform and wasn't there a message you were supposed to bring to me?”.
Swift didn't know what to say. He was right on every point and she really didn't have an excuse. “I'm sorry sir, I stopped for a water stop and there was a filly being abused and I needed to..”

He stopped her with a smile. “One of the guards at the post informed me that one of my pegasi had flown into town like a horde of dragons were snapping at her mane. I guessed that you might have a reason to have not reported. I sent a squad to the place where the flare was. They found a stallion with a broken hoof who claims that a pegasus bitch broke his rib then broke his leg”. Iron Heart nodded. “And it looks like he got in a hoof of his own”. He pointed at her eye which had been feeling a little puffy since she arrived in Canterlot. “You'll have a shiner tomorrow. Obviously you stood on his hoof while defending yourself from him. At ease, Private”.

Swift relaxed a little then trotted over to her saddlebags before pulling out the message and handing it to Iron Heart. “When I bucked in the door to the shack he was standing on the filly's wing. I'm guessing it's broken and it looked like he had beaten her beforehoof”. She frowned. “I think I lost control. He got me so angry”.

Iron Heart laughed. “That's understandable. What isn't is being out of uniform on duty. I'll have to put it in your record”.

Swift nodded, knowing that her odds of getting her dream posting to the elite Royal Guard would take a hit with anything negative on her record. “I understand”.

Iron Heart nodded as he walked to the door, then turned before leaving. “You've got the rest of the night off, Private. The patrol I sent has gathered your uniform. I'll expect you back at the barracks at the start of your shift tomorrow”.

Swift turned and nearly took flight as she saw a doctor behind her. “She's out of the Operating Room and in a recovery room. Her wing is going to take some time to heal and I've made a record of her injuries for Commander Iron Heart's office”.

Swift smiled, feeling like the weight of Equestria had been lifted off her shoulders. “Thank Celestia. Can I see her”.

“For a few minutes. She's still very weak but the prognosis is good. She's in room 4”.
Swift almost galloped the short distance to the room then looked inside. The filly glanced at her and backed away, whimpering. Swift stepped inside. “It's alright, little one. I'm the pony who helped you. Remember?”.

The filly looked closer as Swift bent over her to look at her wing. It had a bandage on it and there was another bandage above her eye. “I remember you. Thank you”.

“It's alright kid”. Swift sat in a chair next to the bed, looking giving the filly a closer examination.

The filly stared at her, then frowned as she saw something. “What happened to your eye?”.

Swift looked at the mirror on the wall, she would indeed have a black eye by the next morning. “The so”. She winced. “The pony who hurt you”.
The filly looked down. “My daddy”.

Swift was glad for her training allowing her to keep a calm expression whilst thoughts of how she was going to kill the stallion ran through her head. “Well, he hit me while I was stopping him”. She smiled, “He forgot that big tough guard ponies like I wear metal helmets”. The filly giggled as Swift leaned a little closer to her and tapped herself on the forehead before grinning as the filly laughed. “And we have thick heads anyway. He won't hurt you again”.

Swift turned as the door opened and the doctor looked in. “She should get some sleep, she's been through a lot”.

Swift nodded. “I'll be back in the morning before work”. She looked at the filly. “What's your name anyway, little one”.

The filly smiled. “I'm Scootaloo”.

Swift bowed theatrically. “I'm Swift Wind, happy to be at your service”.

Author's Note

The first chapter of the fic I was not planning to write. this will be more conventional than the last one I wrote.

Edited with the assistance of PiercingSight and given another go-over.

Chapter Two

SACRIFICES – CHAPTER TWO

Four Days Later

Swift blushed, a little embarrassed that her squad leader, Straight Arrow, had noticed that she kept on volunteering for patrols near the hospital.

“Still worried about the kid?”. Swift looked at Arrow and nodded.

“She would have been killed if I hadn't landed where I did. I guess I feel responsible for her”.

Arrow smiled, her tail swishing as she put a hoof on Swifts shoulder. “How often are you looking in on her?”.

Swift smiled. “I time my patrols so that my break happens when I'm close enough to stop in for a minute or two”.

“What's going to happen to her, Scootaloo is it?”.

Swift frowned. “Yes, she's most likely going to go to a orphanage until foster parents are arranged. I guess it's the best thing but she's been through a lot for somepony that small”.

“Have you considered fostering her?”.

Swift smiled. “I've considered it but I'm living in guard housing. Would she want to live in a small apartment like that, I don't even know if Foal Protective Services would let a single mare in a dangerous line of work foster her”.

Arrow smiled. “You know Brass Flanks, he looks after my brood. I think he would probably look after Scootaloo as well while we're at work” She hugged Swift. “What harm is it going to do if you ask. Just don't tell her, Scootaloo, in case it doesn't come through. You should be able to move to off-base accommodation if that application for the Royal Guard comes through”.

Swifts face fell. “It's not going to happen, you need a faultless record to stand a hope in Tartarus of getting into Celestia's personal guard. I got a dis-commendation for being out of uniform when I flew Scootaloo in”.

Arrow grinned. “You know something, apparently Iron Heart forgot to put the dis commendation in your record. I think old Iron Balls may have a heart after all”.

Swift was more than glad that Arrow had ordered her to take some paperwork to the castle with the added bit of information that “FPS is just across the road if you feel the need to go there. I would go in your best uniform if I was you”.

The paperwork had been handed in and Swift had crossed the road, feeling more nervous than her first morning at boot camp. She knew that Guard aren't supposed to get emotionally involved in cases but she had grown to like Scootaloo after the time she had spent with her in the hospital.

She took her helmet off as she stepped into reception, looking around as she tried to work out if she was doing the right thing. A silver furred Unicorn looked over at her and smiled. “Can I help you, officer”.

Swift smiled, the queasy feeling in her stomach increasing by the second. “I'd like to enquire about fostering a foal”.

The Unicorn nodded. “Is there a specific foal”. She smiled. “You can relax, Officer”.

Swift hadn't even noticed she was at attention, she relaxed with a slight smile as she handed the Unicorn a bundle of paperwork. “Her name is Scootaloo. She was assaulted by her father and the paperwork we could find suggests that her mother died in childbirth”. She glanced down and forced her hooves to stop fidgeting. “I would like to foster her”.

The Unicorn motioned for Swift to sit. “Why would you want to take care of Scootaloo”.

Swift looked at the Unicorn. “I guess there are probably better ponies to look after her but I, I don't know how to put this. My mother keeps telling me that there are some ponies who want foals, I thought I didn't but Scootaloo makes me feel like I want to help her, to protect her”. Swift looked down again. “Her father did horrible things to her and I want to be the pony she can rely on not to hurt her”.

The unicorn nodded. “I think I understand”. I will need to ask you some questions to determine your suitability for fostering”.

The questions had taken four hours. Four hours where Swift had been convinced on five separate occasions that she had blown it. Three of those occasions had left her crying like a filly herself. Regardless, at the end of the inquisition Swift had been given probational custody of Scootaloo, on the proviso that the filly agreed with the idea.

It was decided that, if Scootaloo was willing, Swift would be able to take her out of hospital and bring her to FPS that evening to sign the final paperwork. All that left was three hours of patrolling while her fears gnawed at her like a hungry Timberwolf.

As soon as her shift was over Swift flew faster than she could ever remember back to the hospital. The nurse at reception grinned as she asked to see Scootaloo, something which intrigued her but didn't stop her gallop down the hall to Scootaloo's door.

She stepped inside and grinned. “Hey, little one”.

Scootaloo grinned and sat up. “Hey, Swift. Did you bring me anything?”.

Swift laughed, she had brought a colouring in book and a stuffed dragon and apparently Scootaloo was starting to expect something. “No but I have news. You're getting out of here tonight”.

Scootaloo backed up, fear plastered across her face. “I'm not going back there, am I?”.

Swift walked over and sat on the bed. “No, you'll never see him again. I have a question for you. I've made some enquiries and if you want to, but only if you want to. I'm not trying to force you to but I want you to live with me”. She smiled as Scootaloo grinned. “Listen to me, this is important. I need you to think about this. You know how I'm with the Guard”. Scootaloo nodded. “What you don't know is that I live in a small apartment. The thing is that if you don't want me to do that I'll quit the guard, fly away. I want you to think about if you want me to take care of you but I really want you to think about if I should stay in the guard, okay”.

Scootaloo moved over to Swift and hugged her. “I want to stay with you”. Swift smiled as she hugged her back “If you're not in the guard what would happen to the next little foal you were supposed to help like you helped me?”. Swift kept quiet, enjoying the feelings she was feeling. Scootaloo shook her head. “I don't want you to stop being a guardspony but I want to live with you”. She looked up and frowned. “Why are you crying?”.

Swift looked down and nuzzled Scootaloo's face. “It's happy tears, little one”. She sighed. “I better tell the doctors that we're ready to go”.

It took twenty long minutes to finish off the paperwork and for Scootaloo to be released. Scootaloo insisted on walking out of the hospital so Swift led her by hand. “We have to go to Foal Protection Services to make sure that you can stay with me, okay. Then we'll go and get something to eat”.

Scootaloo nodded then yelped as five pegasi landed in front of them. Straight Arrow, leading most of her unit tried to look deadly serious before smiling. “Who's the squirt, Swift?”.

Swift looked down at Scootaloo, who was hiding behind her leg. “It's alright, little one”. She lifted Scootaloo up into her hooves and pointed at the ponies in turn. This is Silver Spear, Copper, Straight Arrow, Diamond Hoof and Black Fire. They are the ponies who keep me safe so that I can keep you safe”.

Black Fire looked away, something suddenly in his eyes that he felt like he had to hide. “Oh sweet Celestia's furry fetlocks, don't do this to me Swift. I'm supposed to be hard-flank of this unit”. Copper seemed to have the same thing in his eyes.

Swift laughed as she hugged Straight Arrow. “What are you guys doing here?”.

Arrow grinned. “We wanted to see what kind of filly had brought out any kind of maternal instincts in you. Where are you going now?”.

“We're going to FPS to make everything definite and then I think we'll go and get something to eat”.

Arrow nodded. “So, a couple of hours then”.

Swift frowned. “Yes, at least”.

Arrow smiled before turning to the rest of her unit. “Okay, my little ponies. You know what to do”. As a unit they took off, heading back to base.

Scootaloo looked at them as the disappeared over the hospital. “What was that about?”.

“I have no idea”.

By the time Scootaloo and Swift had finished the questioning and paperwork and ate hay burgers and fries Scootaloo was almost exhausted and Swift had to carry her most of the way home. She opened the door to her apartment and frowned as she saw Straight Arrow sitting on the couch. It took her a moment to realise, There isn't a couch in my apartment. “Arrow, what's going on?”.

She grinned. “I used that spare key you gave me so that me and the guys could make some alterations while you were out with the squirt”. She pointed to her bedroom. “There's a bed for the squirt and I've moved your weights and all that into the store room. We moved the desk that passes for a office into here”. She motioned across the room to where the desk was. “We also cleaned up”. She walked over to Swift and tickled Scootaloo. “You do realize that you will be living with a pony who we're convinced is part pig”. Scootaloo was too busy giggling to bother defending Swift's honour.

Swift looked around, unsure of what to say. “Thank you. Where are the guys?”.

“They're in the Watering Hole. Apparently Black Fire was worried he might have to show he was not an emotionless rock again”.

Scootaloo yawned as she turned and buried her head in Swifts fur. Swift smiled. “I think I had better put her to bed”. She hugged Arrow. “Thank you for all of this. Tell Foamy to put a round for all of you on my tab”. She smiled as she looked down at Scootaloo who had fallen asleep. “And tell him I'll be in tomorrow to pay off my tab. I've got more important things to worry about now”.

Arrow smiled. “We paid off the tab before I came back up here. What else was I going to do for my best wing-pony”. She backed away from the two ponies. “Brass Flanks says that he'll look after the squirt when you're working. By the way, I checked and you're due three weeks leave. I'll drop in when you need to come back to work. I'll probably be back before then to see the squirt though”. She walked out and shut the door behind her.

Swift walked over to her bedroom and noted there was a second, smaller bed next to her own. “Oh, you guys”. She walked over to the small bed and put Scootaloo in before making sure she was comfortable. Swift kissed Scootaloo on the forehead before smiling. “Good night, little one”.

Author's Note

Yes, I know it's much more difficult to foster someone but hey, it's talking ponies. Realism has the day off.

Chapter Three

SACRIFICES – CHAPTER THREE

As she flew down the alley, Swift was certain that Silver Spear was heading to the opposite end of the alley. The unicorn she was in pursuit of was a low-grade hoodlum who was suspected of bringing illegal goods into Canterlot. Straight Arrow's squad had broken up a deal and the three ponies involved had ran. Due to her location relative to the three criminals she had teamed up with Silver to take down the unicorn in question. All in all it was looking to be a textbook arrest.

Swift frowned as the unicorn dived into a warehouse through a door so small that she had to land and step inside, watching for any movement. She was about to take off again when something hit her hard from the side. She felt a burst of sharp pain as something tore the barding off her side then slashed at her side. Biting back a shriek as her wing was torn into, Swift got a look at her assailant, it was a Griffon, and a fairly big one at that. She was in a whole heap of trouble.

She cried out again as the Griffon rolled her onto her back and slashed at her face. The pain from the right hand side of her face was fairly appalling. She guessed that her eye was intact but she was bleeding pretty bad and it was getting hard to focus on anything, she just wanted to sleep. The only thing keeping her conscious was a little orange and purple bundle of energy waiting for her. “I'm sorry Scootaloo”. She then slipped into unconsciousness.

Scootaloo was sitting in Brass Flank's apartment with Straight Arrow's colts eating sandwiches. She was looking forward to the time when she would be picked up, all she knew was it was apparently two years exactly since Swift agreed to look after her and there was a surprise planned for that night.

When there was a knocking on the door Brass walked to the door and checked the peep-hole before he opened it Brass sighed, he knew that when a Guards pony arrived at the door in full armour it was never good news. His very special somestallion had been lost while serving with the Guard and he hoped that one of the foals in his care wouldn't have the same fate that night. The look on the stallion's face was enough to tell him that something bad had happened. “We had better speak outside”.

He stepped into the corridor and away from the door before asking. “What happened?”.

The stallion frowned. “It's Swift, there's been an incident”.

Scootaloo was almost apoplectic with terror when Brass carried her to the hospital. The stallion's warning that Scootaloo might want to be there was greeted by Brass asking his neigbour to look after Arrow's colts then flying to the hospital, carrying Scootaloo in his arms.

Upon arriving at the hospital Brass noted there was four armoured guards in reception who ushered the pair into the Intensive Care Unit. Outside Straight Arrow, Copper and Black Fire were waiting.

“What in Celestia's name happened. No-one told me there was a wild Griffon in Canterlot”. Arrow was not in a good mood.

“The Intel we got was completely BUBAR, that's what happened”. Black Fire looked past Straight Arrow and nodded.

Arrow turned and winced as she saw Scootaloo, looking completely terrified. She walked over and smiled. “Hey squirt. Come here”. She picked Scootaloo up and sat down on a seat. “I know you're scared but Swift is going to be okay. She got hurt stopping some bad ponies but we stopped them.

Scootaloo looked down, not sure either to cry or not. “How bad is she?”.

Arrow looked around, smiling as Black Fire sat down next to them. “Listen to me Scootaloo. Swift is just going to have to take it easy for a while. She was asking about you as they were bringing her here”. Arrow nodded, knowing it was a lie but guessing it was for the best.

Despite his lie, Scootaloo was crying into Arrow's mane as Arrow patted her on the back. “When, when can I see her?”.

Arrow smiled. “As soon as the doctors have finished a check on her”. She looked up as a doctor came out of the ICU. “How is she?”.

The doctor smiled as he saw Scootaloo, “Ah, Scootaloo. I treated you a couple of years ago. Swift is hurt but she'll be alright in time but I have to ask that only Scootaloo and one of you goes in to see her”.

Arrow nodded. “Okay, Copper, Fire, I need you to go to Swifts apartment. There is a letter on the bedside cabinet. I need you to bring that here along with a letter that is on the desk in my office at headquarters. There's no need for this night to be a complete loss for the squirt”.

Scootaloo was still crying when Arrow brought her into the room. Swift was attached to all sorts of diagnostic machinery and most of her body seemed, to the filly, to be covered in bandages. There was something wrong about one of her wings and one side of her muzzle was covered in a bandage.

Swift smiled as she saw Scootaloo. “Hey, Scootaloo, I'm sorry you have to see me like this”.

“What happened to you?”. Scootaloo's voice was quiet. “Who did this to you”.

Swift sighed. “You know the rules, all you need to know is that I stop bad ponies. This time I ran into a bad pony that even I couldn't handle on my own”. She grinned as Scootaloo looked like she was going to cry again. “You know me, this isn't going to stop me. I'm as tough as a mule and twice as stubborn”. She glanced to Arrow who reluctantly let Scootaloo onto the bed. Swift smiled as she beckoned for the filly to come closer. “If you stay to this side it won't hurt me”. She didn't add the 'as much', She gave Scootaloo a one hooved hug as she sat her down beside her.

Swift looked at Arrow then smiled at Scootaloo, seeing the filly had calmed down a bit. “There's something I wanted to tell you at home but I guess this will do. It's exactly two years since I found you and I know you've been scared about being sent back to where I found you”. The nightmares had been less frequent recently but Scootaloo was still having them on occasion. “Well, I contacted Foal Protection Services and they agreed that I could do something else”.

Swift smiled, despite the pain. “As of this morning I adopted you. They can't take you away from me and it means that I'm not just your carer any more. I'm your mother, if you want me to”.

Scootaloo looked up at her and smiled. “You're my mother now”. Forgetting her mothers somewhat sore state, Scootaloo started jumping up and down on the bed.

Arrow picked her off the bed and smiled. “Remember squirt, your momma's all dinged up now. Remember when you fell over and skinned your knee”. Scootaloo nodded. “It's just like that only it's going to take longer for her to get completely healed”. She smiled as she heard running in the corridor outside. She opened the door and took the two envelopes from Copper. “Thanks guys, you may as well stay here. You'll want to hear the news”.

Copper smiled as he waved at Scootaloo. “I hate to break this to you Sarge, but we all know about Swift adopting the squirt”.

Arrow glared at Copper. “That's not what I'm talking about”. She turned to Swift and pulled a official letter out of one of the envelopes. “This is date yesterday. Blah, de, blah. Meritorious service, blah de blah, oh, here we are. Private Swift Wind, you are hereby approved for transfer to Celestia's Royal Guard. You are to report to Commander Shining Armour this coming Monday morning for advanced training”.

Arrow's eyes widened as she realised a flaw in the plan. “Oh, heck”.

Chapter Four

SACRIFICES – CHAPTER FOUR

After three months recovering from her injuries, Swift had been a little surprised that she had still been allowed into the Royal Guard. She had discovered on her first day that the white stallion she had seen a few times while she was undergoing physiotherapy to regain the strength in her injured wing was her CO, Shining Armour.

She had been so surprised that she had momentarily forget to come to attention when first reporting to him. Armour had smiled and told her to sit, then asked her questions about her recovery from the injuries she had suffered. “It's not very often I hear that someone who has been approved for the Royal Guard had gotten herself injured on the night she received the orders”.

Swift nodded. “It was a very large griffon, and he had the drop on me”.

Armour looked at one of the files on his desk. “I've read the file on the incident and heard from Straight Arrow about what happened”. He smiled. “I was a little surprised that you didn't take the offer of a honourable discharge”.

Swift shook her head. “I discussed it with Scootaloo and she said that I had wanted the transfer for so long I shouldn't turn it down”.

Armour nodded, smiling. “And Scootaloo is?”.

Swift smiled, pride in her daughter rising to the surface. “My daughter. She's been rooting for me to get better all the time I was in physio. I was only glad my mother moved from Manehattan to look after her while I was in hospital”.

Armour smiled, remembering the little orange furred pegasus shouting at her mother to fly when Swift was too exhausted to flap her damaged wing any more. “I saw her on a couple of occasions when I went to see how you were doing. I spoke to her at one point, she was sitting on a seat outside of the room reading. I was expecting her to be reading Daring-Do, but 'The Art Of War', that's unusual”.

Swift grinned. “I adopted Scootaloo when she was one year old. I managed to save her from her her father, he was beating her and I was on a message run and I had landed near to the shack they were living in. I stopped him from killing her then became her foster mother. Later, actually the day I was injured, I officially adopted her. One night after I first brought her home Scoots wanted me to read her a story to put her to sleep. All the books I had were about military history and tactics so I had to read her something from one of them. She likes normal children's books but sometimes I'll find her reading one of my books”.

Armour laughed. “She's a chip of the old block. Does she want to be in he service when she grows up?”.

Swift guffawed, surprising Armour “Oh, no, she's got some crazy idea that she wants to be a Wonderbolt!”.

Armour laughed. “That bunch of glory-hounds. They claim to be a elite unit but all they do is air displays and occasionally deal with dragon incursions”. He looked at Swift and smiled as he passed her a file. “Onto business, I've got an assignment for you. I know you're still on light duties for a few weeks but I've had word from on high that the Princess herself wants a pegasus squadron for certain activities where a flight team like the Wonderbolts are a bit too high-profile”. He handed Swift a bulging file. “These are a list of possible candidates and we'll send suitable pegasi as they come through basic training”.

Celestia's bright idea soon bore fruit. Iron Heart was dragged kicking and screaming out of retirement to drum the candidates into a elite strike force and he did so, glad to be back to his old ways as a old-fashioned drill instructor.

Despite a 70% drop out rate a small, elite unit was formed. Everypony involved assumed that Iron Heart would be placed in command but word came down from Celestia herself that the candidate for leading the unit was Swift, even if she had not put her name forward for it.

This caused a problem, a promotion was a promotion and the unit was as much her brainchild as Celestia's but it would mean that she would be away from Scootaloo for months at a time. Swift decided she had to explain everything to Scootaloo, they were a team and she didn't want to make the decision alone. She sat Scootaloo on her knee and explained about the promotion.

“That's good, momma. Why are you sad?”.

Swift looked down at her daughter and smiled. “If I take the promotion I'll have to be away from Canterlot for a long time. A few months at a time”.

Scootaloo looked down as Swift could see a lot of questions arising in her mind. “What will happen to me, do I go with you?”.

Swift smiled and shook her head. “No, your grandma has said she'll look after you while I'm away”. She leaned in and whispered into Scootaloo's ear. “And I know she spoils you rotten when I'm not there”. That brought a slight smile to the filly's face. “I promise I'll write you as often as I can. Every couple of days unless I'm on operations”.

Scootaloo nodded. “When will I have to move?”.

Swift sighed, she knew that living with her grandmother would mean Scootaloo moving to Ponyville, where her mother was now living. “I've been given a week off before I'm due to fly out to where the main training base is”. She smiled. “I've got to make sure it's built properly. Captain Armour has said that he'll make sure that any letters you write”. She ruffled her daughters mane. “Get straight to me so you'll have to write as well. I know I promised that I would never leave you when I adopted you but this is not what I expected. Understand this Scoots, I still love you and I always, always will”.

Swift decided to cut to the chase. “You know that you and I are a team so I'm leaving this up to you. Do I take the promotion even with everything that goes with it”.

Scootaloo looked up at her mother and nodded. “You take it. I'll stay with grandma”.

If there was one thing that Swift hated about her job, it was being away from Scoots on Hearth's Warming Eve. She was in the north of Equestria with a team investigating reports that something bad was happening. The team was bedded down in a hotel in the first one-horse town inside the snow fields, waiting out a blizzard to end. The rest of her team were downstairs killing time but Swift just wanted to get some sleep.

As soon as she closed her eyes, finally giving in to sleep, she opened them again and looked around. She was in a field of short grass under a night sky. Swift frowned. “I'm dreaming”.

“Indeed you are, Captain”. The voice was coming from behind her.

Swift turned and smiled before bowing. “Princess Luna, this is a surprise”.

Luna smiled as she trotted closer to Swift. “It is Hearth's Warming Eve, and Celestia and I believe that, after all your work for Equestria you deserve a present”. She smiled and stepped aside as a little orange and purple furball ran up and jumped into Swifts hooves.

Scootaloo didn't completely understand how her mother was in a dream with her but, at that point she didn't care one bit. “Princess Luna came to me and told me I had to go to sleep and I couldn't so she cast a spell on me and now I'm here with you and I don't know how and”.

Swift put her hoof to her daughter's mouth, then kissed her on the forehead. “Breath, little one”. She smiled as she glanced over at Princess Luna, who was trying to maintain a stoic, royal expression. “Thank you, how long is this for?”.

Luna smiled. “It is not a problem, Captain. I helped Scootaloo with some nightmares a few months ago. I fear I cannot link the two dreams for too long. Enjoy being with your daughter while you can”. With that, she disappeared.

Swift smiled as she rolled onto her back so that Scootaloo was sitting on her chest. “What do you want to Scoots?. It looks like it's going to be a lovely night”.

Chapter Five

SACRIFICES – PART FIVE

One year later, two weeks after the coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle

Scootaloo was having a good day. Diamond Tiara was on holiday and school had seemed to fly by. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had travelled to their clubhouse and made plans, Applebloom had suggested pig wrangling and since their was a shortage of practical plans they had decided to give it a try. None of the trio were aware that they were being watched from above.

Rainbow Dash was crossing Ponyville on her way from work, setting up a rainstorm for the next morning, when she passed high over Sweet Apple Acres. Dash frowned when she saw somepony with a blonde mane and dark grey fur lying on a cloud, watching the ground with great interest. She flew over, keeping behind the strange pony until she was close by her. “What exactly are you doing?”. She asked. “I'm guessing Applejack wouldn't be happy about any old pony spying on her”.

The pony looked at her and frowned. “Quieten down. I'm not spying on Applejack”. Still watching the ground, she motioned for Dash to come closer.

Dash flew closer, then landed on the cloud as she lay down on the cloud and looked down. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were moving from their clubhouse to the main barn. She looked at the pony, still not recognising her. “So, if you're not watching Applejack then why are you watching the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”. She looked at the pony, around her neck were dog tags and a locket. Dash smiled as she realized she had seen a identical locket in Scootaloo's room at home, hanging from a mirror. Dash smiled. “You're Scoots's mother”.

The pony looked at Dash and nodded. “Captain Swift Wind”. She looked down and frowned as she saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders approaching a pig pen. “What are they doing?”.

Dash glanced down then looked at Swift. “Why aren't you down there with Scoots instead of watching her from up here?”.

Swift sighed before answering. “My squad and I only arrived from places you're not cleared to know about five hours ago. We fly back over the border before midnight. I know how rough it is for Scootaloo when I'm here on leave, it would be worse knowing I'm only here for the day”. She glanced down where the Crusaders were trying to corner the pig.

Swift smiled. “I wanted to thank you for reuniting Princess Luna with Princess Celestia. I was stuck out of country last Hearth's Warming Eve and Princess Luna somehow linked my dream and Scootaloo's so that we could spend some time together”. She looked away from Dash for a moment before looking back. “The hardest thing about my work is that it takes me away from Scootaloo for so long”. She sighed. “It's good to know she had friends in those two reprobates and, I guess, you”.

Dash grinned. “She's a good kid”.

Swift looked over at Dash. “Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.

Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.

Swift smiled. “Mostly, a lot about how you are helping her to learn to fly. When I was last in town I had to go and have a medical in Canterlot so I took Scootaloo. The doctors looked her over think she'll have big enough wings to fly after her next growth spurt. I just hope I don't miss it if I'm out of the country”.

Dash glanced at Swift, unsure of how to ask the question which was on her mind. “I know that you're a soldier, even I worked that one out, but why do you spend so much time away from Scoots”.

Swift looked at Dash and nodded. “You know that I adopted Scootaloo”. Dash nodded. “It was only blind luck that I found her. She was being hurt by her father when I heard her screaming because I had landed nearby on a courier run back from Dodge Junction for a water break. I rescued her and got her to a hospital in Canterlot. Within three days I had decided to foster her but I wanted her to know what would happen if I did. I told her that if she agreed to live with me I would quit the guard, fly away from the job as soon as my contract was over”.

Swift smiled, a proud smile on her face. “She asked me one thing. What happens to the next foal who needs help from me if I'm not in the guard any more. She told me not to quit the guard. The way Scoots sees it, I'm only protecting a lot more foals by doing what I'm doing” She looked down at the Crusaders, now covered in mud and no closer to wrangling the pig. She looked at Dash and laughed. “I don't suppose you could go down and stop them before they hurt themselves. Just don't tell her I'm here”.

Dash smiled. “On it!” then flew down to stop the Crusaders.

Swift looked down, watching as Dash started to tell the fillies off, then grinned as she pushed herself off the cloud, heading so that she would come up behind the Crusaders. She motioned for Dash to keep quiet as she landed behind the three fillies, listening as Scootaloo looked at Dash. At least she assumed it was Scootaloo, all three fillies were covered in mood from head to hoof. “We aren't doing anything wrong”.

Dash frowned. “I don't know about that squirt. I'm guessing your mother wouldn't be happy about this”. Dash smiled as she pointed behind Scootaloo. “I've got an idea. Why don't you ask her yourself”.

Scootaloo gave her a blank look, then turned around and grinned. “Momma”. She ran to Swift and jumped into her hooves, hugging her and covering her in mud as well. “What are you doing here, momma?”.

Swift smiled as she hugged her daughter. “I had to come back her for the day and I wasn't miss a chance to be with you for a few hours”.

Dash grinned as she walked over to Swift and Scootaloo. “I hate to say it, Captain but you're probably going to need a shower before you go back on duty”.

Swift looked at the cyan pegasus, a look of pure malice on her face. “Oh, that's the smugness I was expecting from the self-proclaimed 'best flyer in Equestria”. She smiled as she looked just past Dash. “Girls”.

Dash looked around, just in time to be pony-piled by Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. “Aw, come on guys. This isn't fair”. She looked down as the two fillies got off her. “I'm covered”.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom fell back to behind Swift and smiled. Dash was just getting not so much angry as peeved. “I am so going to get you for this”. Her planned revenge was stopped by a pegasus landing next to Swift and Scootaloo, then taking a few steps backward as she caught a whiff of the assembled ponies.

Swift nodded and the pegasus made her report. “Captain, there's been a change of plan”. She smiled as she noted that the Captain had apparently decided to inform her daughter of her presence. “More than one change of plan. The payload has been delivered from Canterlot but we encountered an unknown variable”.

Swift grinned. “What unknown variable, Ice?”.

The pegasus smiled. “Pinkie Pie”.

As it turned out the bearer of the element of laughter had worked out what was happening when all the strange pegasuses started popping up in town and had requisitioned Sugarcube Corner for a 'Scootaloo's Mother Is In Town' party. Pinkie was running the party in her normally understated manner when Dash, Swift and the Crusaders arrived, having washed themselves off at Sweet Apple Acres. The room was full of military pegasi, rather surprised to be at a party instead of having a spot of cider fuelled r&r at the local watering hole.

Swift stepped inside and looked down at Scootaloo. “Why don't you go and get something to eat while I speak to Ice Heart”. She walked across to the pegasus who had delivered the news concerning the party, followed by Dash. “What did you mean by 'the payload',

The pegasus snapped to attention, and pointed to a large wrapped object behind the counter. “We, the unit and I, suspected that you would not be able to maintain the plan to keep away from your daughter so we bought her something”. She looked at the package. “I noted on my last leave that your daughter was spending a lot of time fixing her scooter so we decided to buy her a replacement”.

Ice Hearts report was interrupted by three reprobates shouting “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MILITARY TACTICIANS, YAY!”

Ice looked at Swift and Dash and they all laughed their heads off. Ice looked across at the Crusaders who seemed to be working out something involving ways of attacking something represented by a apple cupcake using forces represented by apple fritters. “I think I should go speak to them before they declare war on Dodge Junction”. She walked over to the fillies to cries of “Icy” from the Crusaders.

Swift laughed as 'Icy' frowned, then looked at Dash. “She broke the jaw of the last pony who called her Icy. She's a top-class intelligence gathering asset but my daughter can run rings around her”.

Dash nodded. “I've seen her in town before”.

Swift smiled as Icy sat at the table with the Crusaders. “She comes from here. Her leaves are generally timed to be at different times to mine since she takes over as CO in my absence. She tends to look in on Scootaloo when she's in town”. Swift turned to Dash and smiled .“Rainbow Dash, you have exceeded my every expectation of you. I'm proud that you are like a big sister to my daughter, Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.

Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.

Swift smiled. “Yes. Of course, there is one thing. If you are my daughter's honorary big sister does that make you my honorary daughter?”.

Dash nodded, unsure of the answer to that question. Swift smiled. “I can't think of many better ponies for that post”.

More hugs and a few tears were interrupted as the door opened. Swift turned and bowed as Twilight Sparkle walked up to her. “You don't need to do that. I've just been in Canterlot and have some important news for you from Princess Celestia”.

Swift looked down and grimaced before snapping to attention. “I can have my team north of the border in five hours. I'll go and tell Scootaloo I won't be able to put her to bed tonight”.

Twilight smiled. “It's not that. After my coronation I was told by Princesses Celestia and Luna that I would need a unit of Royal Guard for my personal protection. After much consideration Princess Celestia suggested you to lead the unit”. She managed to keep a straight face as she saw that it appeared the Swift hadn't worked out the full implications of the offer. “Of course, the unit would be based out of Ponyville”.

Swift looked at Twilight and grinned. “Ice Heart would make for a fine CO for the unit, I was planning to suggest a second unit for her to command”. She smiled as the thought occurred to her, “I can be with Scootaloo”.

She turned and looked at Twilight before deciding to hay with protocols and hugging the Princess. “Thank you. I should be able to start the job in four weeks, I'm due in changeling territory tomorrow”.

Twilight smiled as she returned the hug. “Celestia says that if you accepted the job you would be immediately transferred to the new post. It means that you wouldn't get two weeks leave but you would be able to see Scootaloo every day”. She grinned at Rainbow Dash as she heard Swift crying while still hugging her.

Swift with a little effort Swift managed to get her emotions under something like control. “I'm sorry, your highness, I'm not normally so sappy. I would like to accept the offer”.

Twilight laughed. “Understood, Captain. Don't you think you should tell Scootaloo and your mother”.

Swift disentangled herself from the princess and shouted in her finest parade ground bellow, “Scootaloo, come here honey”.

“Mum, we're plaining the invasion of Dodge Junction”.

“That's nice, honey but I've got news”.

Scootaloo came walking over, bowing to the princess. “What is it, Mom?”.

Swift smiled as she picked Scootaloo up in her hooves. “The Princess has just made me an offer. She wants somepony to run her personal guard. It means I'll be assigned to Ponyville”.

Scootaloo looked at her mother and grinned. “Does that mean you'll be here next week”.

Swift nodded. “Yes, why?”.

Scootaloo smiled. “It's bring your parent to school day and I think seeing you will scare Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon”.

Swift grinned as she pondered her plan for that day. “Well, those two asses may have cutie marks but you, my little pony, can call in air support. They won't know what hit them”.

Author's Note

That's that for this story. This is a massively altered version of the original chapter five (the original follows) Thanks to Kenshinryuu for giving me the Bring Your Parent To School day idea.

Chapter Six

SACRIFICES

Chapter Six

"There has been a disturbance in the Force".

"I know, sister, I sensed it from my nap".

Celestia frowned. "I haven't sensed a disturbance in the UHF* like it since the rainboom incident. The fact that it seems to have originated in Ponyville is either disturbing or..".

Luna smiled, a possibiliy occuring to her. "Something quite wonderful. I would guess that one way or another Twilight will contact us. Especially since the head of her guard unit is here at the moment".

Swift smiled as she looked across the map. Thanks in no small part to the actions of the former Element Bearers, under the protection of a team of guards-ponies which she led, more of the kingdoms around Equestria were at peace. All in all, it was a good time for Equestria.

She was standing in the royal palace in Canterlot, attending one of the quarterly meetings between the captains of the four Royal Protection units. Captain Iron Heart of the Solar Guard, Captain Shadow Wing of the Lunar Guard and Captain Shining Armour of the Crystal Empire Guard had listened to her report on the situation in Ponyville and it's surrounding area. Things were going well, since she had accepted the position shortly after the defeat of Tirek there had only been a bug-bear attack to deal with, and her guard had spent most of that day keeping curious locals away from the fight. The fact that all three princesses were in town at the time had led to a few sleepless nights beforehand.

At the request of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the members of her 'Friendship Guard' (the name had been settled on after a disagreement. The fact that the other name, the 'Twilight Guard', had been ruled out as a little egomaniacal) had been set up to work undercover. Swift's background in covert operations had been some help and to the best of her knowledge, no-pony in Ponyville, outside of the guard and Princess Twilight herself were sure exactly how many guards-ponies were under Swift's control. Regardless, as the most recently appointed Guard Commander, she had been expected to bring supplies for the meeting.

After Shining Armour had explained exactly what 'supplies' meant Swift had requisitioned the best cider she could get from Sweet Apple Acres and selected items from Sugarcube Corner before bringing them to Canterlot. Now, after a couple of hours of sharing intelligence and tactical data most of the cider had been drunk and tongues had been loosened to the point where she discovered that some of the Solar Guard Royal Protection Detailhad taken to using the codename "QHT" when wanting to not be too obvious who they were talking about. After another drink the fact that it stood for "Queen Horseytime" became apparent. Swift had been a little surprised since she had assumed that her detail was the only one to come out with strange code-names for the ruling foursome (the current designation for Twilight being "Starbutt").

Shining Armour and Shadow Wing were hoof-wrestling while Swift was taking note of the current status of the Changeling Hives since her finest covert asset, private Shift was from one of the less hostile Hives. Being the only commander willing to take a fully-trained changeling on after the Canterlot invasion had raised a few eye-brows but after helping her get the King of one of the hives to Canterlot he was persona non-grata among his own people. After taking command of Twilight's protection detail, Swift had convinced Princess Celestia to allow Shift to join the guard, on the proviso that he was assigned to Ponyville. On the day of the wedding Shift had opted to change to his native form just before the wedding ceremony, freaking out most of the young ponies he had been in charge of protecting while undercover as Miss Cheerilee's teaching assistant. Since there was, in effect seven high priority targets in Ponyville as well as assorted family members the Guard unit was assigned to various locations across the town, quietly watching for threats. Shift was tasked with watching the sisters, both biological and otherwise, of three of the Bearers.

Swift had finished reading the intelligence on the current activities of Queen Chrysalis when one of Celestia's guard entered the chamber. “Captain Wind, the Princesses request your presence in the throne room”.

Swift galloped to the throne room before slowing to a fast trot as she approached the royal thrones. She bowed before speaking. “You wished to speak to me, your highnesses”.

Luna glanced at Celestia before placing a scroll on the ground. “There has been an incident in Ponyville, concerning your daughter”.

Swift winced. Some of the stories about the things she had done whilst attempting to gain her Cutie Mark had shocked (and occasionally appalled) her. If the situation was so bad that a emergency message had been sent via dragon breath to the Princesses then she didn't even want to think about what had happened. “I'm sure that Sergeant Noble Heart can deal with whatever has happened”.

Luna nodded gravely. “After due consideration my sister and I believe you should return to Ponyville immediately. I believe you should deal with the repercussions of what has happened as quickly as possible”.

Swift bowed again. “I understand. I can be back in Ponyville within three hours. If you can send a message to princess Twilight I'll set off immediately”.

“That will not be necessary, my sister will accompany you to Ponyville. She can teleport you there much faster than you would get there flying Captain.” Celestia glanced at Luna who nodded with a slight smile on her face.

Swift looked at Luna, a slight uneasy feeling rising in her gut that the few time she had been teleported over short distances had left her feeling sick to the stomach. Long-distance teleportation might leave her wanting to be physically sick. She looked as Luna stepped down from her throne and stood beside her. “I am ready to go now, your highness”.

Luna smiled. “Then we shall leave. Prepare yourself, this may be a little disconcerting”. With a bright flash of light Swift felt herself move in a way that ponies really shouldn't then stop suddenly in the middle of Ponyville.

Fighting back the urge to regurgitate in front of royalty, Swift took a moment to put herself back together (difficult when she felt like part of her was still somewhere over Winsome Falls) before looking around. She didn't see any obvious signs of a major incident but there was a lot of noise coming from Sugarcube Corner. “Your highness, I'll head for the castle and find out what is going on”.

Luna smiled. “Captain, I believe your answers await over yonder”. She pointed at Sugarcube Corner. “I shall accompany you”.

Swift walked to the door and opened it, to be greeted by the sight of a multitude of foals and fillies, as well as several adults. She spotted her daughter in a corner with her fellow Crusaders and made a bee-line for them. “Scootaloo, darling. What have you done now?”

Scootaloo looked down and frowned. “I, we, well”. She glanced at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. “Shall we?”. Her fellow Crusaders nodded and moved their tales to reveal their flanks.

Swift was caught between laughing and crying as she saw that the Crusaders each had a shield shaped Cutie Mark, similar but different to each others. Scootaloo's had a wing shape inside the shield. She glanced back at Princess Luna, not entirely surprised that the lunar diarch seemed to be less surprised than she was. Swift had heard talk amongst the other guards-ponies that the Princess had a interesting sense of humour. Somewhat less concerned about the end of Equestria being nigh, Swift pulled her daughter into a hug. “Congratulations, how did it happen”.

A few minutes later Swift had flown herself and Scootaloo to the roof of the Friendship Castle where they could talk in peace. “So, Diamond Tiara is less of a bi.. bully than she was and the three of you found out that your special talent is helping other ponies find theirs. That makes some sense after what you did in Apple-Loosa with Trouble-shoes. I am so proud of you, little one. You've managed to do one of the two things you most wanted and, after all the trouble you and your friends had getting your Cutie Marks, I don't think you'll have too much trouble flying”. She pulled Scootaloo into a wing-hug. “After this the sky's the limit”.

* Universal Harmonic Force.

Author's Note

Something which sprung to mind after watching a recent episode of MLP. I made a couple of minor changes later on.

Chapter FIve (Pre-Rewrite)

SACRIFICES – PART FIVE

One year later, two weeks after the coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle

Scootaloo woke up suddenly, aware that somepony was in the room with her. She backed away, aware that the pony in question was definitely not Rainbow Dash, who had kindly let her sleep over with her. She backed away, noting that Dash was in her bedroom where it sounded like a massive fight was happening. The figure moved closer, into the moonlight from the window, picking her up and placing a hoof over her mouth.

In her bedroom, Dash was struggling like a madpony, shouting for her assailants to let her go. Whoever the ponies were,, they were all wearing balaclavas, two of them were holding on to her arms and another was sitting on her legs. A fourth walked over and placed a funny smelling rag over her face and Dash suddenly felt really sleepy.

Dash woke up with what looked like a hood over her head and immediately started to try and stand up. Her first efforts made it readily apparent that she was tied to a chair. She smiled, after the changeling invasion certain steps were taken by Shining Armour. Each of the Element bearers were given lessons in what to do in a situation like this. Dash had been angry at the time because it was eating into flying practice time but she had been instructed at the same time as Pinkie and when she took the whole thing surprisingly seriously (for Pinkie) Dash decided she didn't want to look bad. Pinkie had later told her that she thought being able to escape from being tied up might be useful if they were captured again or, as she put it, in “Pinkie's happy time”. The thought still disturbed Dash.

She thought back at what the EIB agent had told her and tried to examine the knot that was being used on her, then the hood was pulled off her head. The room was illuminated by one light above her which shone down brightly on her but left the rest of the room in deep shadow. She could see three figures, all in balaclavas, one of them had just removed the hood. “Where am I, who are you?”. She gasped as she remembered who was in the guest bedroom when she was captured. She shouted “Scootaloo, Scootaloo!” then looked around, trying to calm herself down. Her captors looked like they knew what they were doing. “Where is she you bitch”.
The pegasus in front of her nodded and laughed. “The filly is alive, for now. How long that remains true is up to you, Rainbow Dash”. The pegasus walked to a table and looked at a file before turning back. “Rainbow Dash, bearer of the Element of Harmony, weather control officer and wannabe Wonderbolt”. Some laughter came from other figures in the shadows. “I hate to tell you this but the Wonderbolts were among the first targets we hit. You'll have to find another group to want to join”.

Dash looked at the pegasus like she had grown a third wing. “The Wonderbolts can't be gone”. Knowing that the situation could be a lot worse than just a kidnapping, Dash focussed more on working out how to get out of the knot her hooves were tied with. It seemed to be one of the types she was taught about but it was one of the tougher ones to get out of, it could take some time.

The pegasus looked Dash over before, Dash guessed, smiling. “My masters forces have taken Ponyville and are outside of Canterlot as I speak. My master believes you know weaknesses in Canterlot's defences. Tell me them and I will let the filly live. She will be a handy slave in the new regime”.

Dash looked at the Pegasus and spat at her feet. “I'm not telling you or your master anything. Scootaloo doesn't know anything either, she's just a kid”.

The pegasus nodded. “What she is is useful for now. The incursions at the library”. She walked back to the file, “Sweet Apple Acres, the bakery and”. She paused. “The bearer of the element of generosity works in a boutique, unexpected. They were indoctrinated easily with the right amount of physical duress”. Turning back to Dash the pegasus appeared to frown. “You, on the other hoof were always expected to be a problem. Our best psychoanalysts suggested that you would never give us the information we wanted, no matter what we did to you. The filly is therefore useful for us to give you further impetus to cooperate”. She turned to a balaclava clad pegasus stallion. Go to the next room and beat the filly until he cooperates. We need her alive for now, what condition she is in is unimportant”.

Dash could feel herself starting to panic, fear was being quickly replaced by anger as the stallion left the room. “Leave her alone, you mother-bucker. She's just a kid” She looked around as she felt the rope loosen on her hooves. “Scootaloo, RUN!”. Dash winced as she pulled her hooves out of the knot, then fell forward, bucking as hard as she could with her back hooves and glad she had been held on a wooden chair. She may not have had "Bucky McGillycuddy" and "Kicks McGee" to help her but her anger meant that her kick broke the chair cleanly. Not even bothering to untie her back hooves, Dash looked at the doorway in front of her and flew out into a larger room.

She glanced around as more pegasi ran towards her. “Come on, I'll kill all of you. Scootaloo!”. Dash's adrenaline was racing through her veins as a stallion came close. Dash turned and kicked him in the face, smiling as he fell clutching his muzzle. A mare approaching took to two hooved kick to the midriff then a hoof-chop to the back of the neck.

Dash looked behind her as the talkative pegasus stepped into the room. “Hold her down, for Celestia's sake”.

Dash smiled as she charged her, bringing to the ground and punching her in the face before she stopped. “No, Scoots”. She looked around as more pegasi came in from several directions, then looked down at the pegasus she was on top of. “Where's Scootaloo. If any of your goons have hurt her I'll kill you first”.

The pegasus spat a muzzle full of blood then motioned for the other pegasi to stop. “She's in the first room on the left side of this room. She's safe”.

Dash looked at the pegasus and punched her again, knocking her silly. “I'll find that out for myself”. She took off, acutely aware that her back hooves were still tied together. Watching the other pegasi she flew to the door the talkative pegasus had mentioned and threw the door open. “SCOOTALOO!”.

It took a split second for Dash to register what she saw. A older looking Pegasus standing over Scootaloo. At that point she was pony-piled by what felt like the whole population of Cloudsdale. She was left at the bottom of a pile of pugnacious pegasi keeping her from getting further into the room. “I'll kill you, I'll kill all of you. Scootaloo!”.

The older pegasus walked closer to her, a frown on her face as she knelt down, out of reach of the still fighting mad Dash. “This is disturbing. The finest military squad in Equestria and one wannabe Wonderbolt treats you like minimum-wage mall ponies”. She smiled. “They have disappointed me, you on the other hand, Miss Dash, have not”.

To call Dash confused was a understatement. She looked at the pegasus as she tried to get free again from the big stallion sitting on her back. “Who are you, what happened to Scootaloo?”.

“Come here Scootaloo”. The filly ran out, apparently none the worse for wear and slurping on a juice box. Dash was now even more confused.

“Just what the hay is going on here?”. She glanced at the half-dozen ponies keeping her on the ground as she felt somepony cutting the ropes around her back hooves. “Let me up and I won't kill anypony until somepony explains what is happening”. The older pegasus nodded and Dash felt the big stallion get off her back and the other ponies let go. Dash stood up as she looked the older stallion in the eyes. “Who are you ponies”.

The older pegasus looked down at Scootaloo and smiled. “Scootaloo, go and play with Ice Heart. I need to speak to miss Dash”. Scootaloo ran off into the room Dash had escaped from as the older pegasus looked Dash over. “I guess you deserve an explanation”.

“You think!”.

A slight smile crossed the older pegasus's muzzle. “I wanted to find out about you. I wanted to see what kind of pony would dare to want to be my daughter's big sister”.

Dash's jaw dropped. “What, you're Scoot's mother. But she's”.

Swift smiled. “My tour isn't due to finish for five weeks but my team and I were ordered to bring a ambassador from the changelings back to Canterlot. Princess Celestia told me I had two days with my daughter before we have to go back on duty”.

Dash looked at Swift with frank astonishment on her face. “So you broke into my house, abducted me and Scoots. Did she know about this?”.

Swift smiled as Scootaloo came running back, followed by a mare with a bloodied muzzle that Dash thought she recognised. “No. I sent Ice Heart”, motioning to the mare. “To get Scootaloo since Ice Heart has family in Ponyville. She tends to visit my daughter when she's here on leave”.

Dash could feel a migraine coming on. “But why do all this?”.

Swift smiled as she picked up Scootaloo. “Firstly, I wanted to see how good you were. Secondly, I wanted to see how much you would stick up for my daughter if push came to shove. Third, I wanted to see how my troops worked in interrogation situations. I think Ice Heart may have gone a little over the top”. Scootaloo giggled. “She was told not to use the torture card unless you seemed not to be caring what happened to my daughter”.

“So this was all some sort of crazy test. The invasion of Equestria, the attacks on my friends. It was all fake”. Dash was a little less angry, although the urge to hit Swift was still pretty strong.

“I did have some of my troops go to the other Element bearers, although that was to ensure they were ready”.

Dash looked a little confused. “Ready for what?”.

Swift grinned as she glanced at Scootaloo. “A party”.

The party was at Sugarcube Corner and Pinkie was running the party with her normally understated manner. Dash was still unhappy about the way she had been treated. Swift walked over to her and smiled. “Can we speak outside”.

Dash nodded and stepped outside while Swift stood looking in the doorway, watching her daughter. “What is it”.

Swift smiled. “I wanted to thank you for reuniting Princess Luna with Princess Celestia. I was stuck in the far north last Hearth's Warming Eve and Princess Luna somehow linked my dream and Scootaloo's so that we could spend some time together”. She looked away from Dash for a moment before looking back. “The hardest thing about my work is that it takes me away from Scootaloo for so long”. She sighed. “It's good to know she had friends in those two reprobates”.

Her reminiscing was interrupted by three reprobates shouting “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MILITARY TACTICIANS, YAY!”

Swift looked at Dash and they both laughed their heads off. Swift glanced inside as the implications for peace with Equestria's neighbours sunk in. “Rainbow Dash, you have exceeded my every expectation of you. I'm proud that you are like a big sister to my daughter, Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.

Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.

Swift smiled. “Mostly, a lot about how you are helping her to learn to fly. When I was last in town I had to go and have a medical in Canterlot so I took Scootaloo. The doctors think she'll have big enough wings to fly after her next growth spurt. I just hope I don't miss it if I'm out of the country”.

Swift turned and bowed as as Twilight Sparkle landed. “You don't need to do that. I've just been in Canterlot and have some important news for you from Princess Celestia”.

Swift looked down and grimaced before snapping to attention. “I can have my team north of the border in five hours. I'll go and tell Scootaloo I won't be able to put her to bed tonight”.

Swift looked at Twilight and grinned. “Ice Heart would make for a fine CO for the unit, even if some rainbow haired glory-hound broke her nose. I was planning to suggest a second unit for her to command and I can be with Scootaloo”.

She turned and looked at Twilight before deciding to hay with protocols and hugging her. “Thank you. I should be able to start the job in four weeks, I'm due in changeling territory tomorrow”.

Swift with a little effort Swift managed to get her emotions under something like control. “I'm sorry, your highness, I'm not normally so sappy. I would like to accept the offer”.

Twilight laughed. “Understood, Captain. Don't you think you should tell Scootaloo and your mother”.

Swift stuck her head inside the door and shouted in her finest parade ground shout, “Scootaloo, come here honey”.

“Mum, we're plaining the invasion of Dodge Junction”.

“That's nice, honey but I've got news”.

Scootaloo came walking out of Suglarcube Corner. “What is it, Mom?”.

Swift smiled as she picked Scootaloo up in her hooves. “The Princess has just made me an offer. She wants somepony to run her personal guard. It means I'll be assigned to Ponyville”.

Scootaloo looked at her mother and grinned. “Does that mean you'll be here next week”.

Swift nodded. “Yes, why?”.

Scootaloo smiled. “It's bring your parent to school day and I think seeing you will scare Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon”.

Swift grinned as she pondered her plan for that day. “Well, those two asses may have cutie marks but you, my little pony, can call in air support. They won't know what hit them”.

Author's Note

This is the original version of chapter five. Cytotoxin made valid points about this version and I prefer the rewrite but here's the original.