What a Foal Always Needs

"Hey Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo!"  Applebloom calls her fellow crusaders after school, who come to her quickly.

"What's going on Applebloom?"  Scootaloo is the first to respond.

"Ah just wanted to take a trip down memory lane.  Ah sort of miss makin' potions with Zecora before w'started Twilight Time.  And I miss the beauty of the trail on the way to Zecora's and back home."

"But isn't the forest dangerous?" Sweetie Belle asks.

"Yes.  But Ah think Ah've noticed a pattern there though.  It won't be nearly as dangerous if w'just follow the trail."

"Well, Applebloom does have a point.  Maybe."

"That's more like it, Scootaloo!"

Sweetie Belle just sigh.  "Fine, go into the forest where you risk getting destroyed."

"If you come with us, none of us won't be alone since we have each other."

"Okay, fine."

"Besides, who knows what the Apples will need to make an apple related treat?"

Suddenly, Applejack comes to the crusaders.  "Oh, Ah'm so glad Ah found you three.  We're about to start makin' a special apple pie and one of the ingredients we need is in and only in the Everfree Forest.  Would you three get those while I get the apples and everything else needed to make it?"

"What'd I tell ya, crusaders?  We'll do it, Applejack!"

"Ah hope y'all will make it okay."

"Just worry about your pie.  We'll get the ingredient.  Tree sap, right?"

"Oh, it's no ordinary tree sap, Sweetie Belle.  This here tree sap is the kind that is only safe when applied to a very special pie."

"Oh, I get it!  It's zap sap."

"Promise me that y'only go for the zap sap.  Okay?"

"Y'have our word!"

At the Everfree Forest, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom all have crates to put the sap in.

"I'm so glad you and Applejack wanted us to come here.  I actually kind of miss this place."

"Miss this place?  Scootaloo, what about when we almost encountered a cockatrice?"

"Exactly what I mean!"

"Hey, Scootaloo.  Ah think you're right.  Once y'visit it enough times, the Everfree Forest actually looks kinda cool."

"Sweetie Belle, can get those sap leaves?"

"Hold on, now.  Let's see if I could get a good grip on these."  Sweetie Belle concentrates on removing the leaves off of the trees.  But because they're stuck to not only each other, but the tree itself, she struggles, causing a branch to break off when her levitation becomes successful, only for it to close off when the branch breaks, surprising the crusaders.

"Great, we got the sap.  But how do we take it without the addition of this branch?"

"Who knows?  We may have an extra stick for makin' s'mores."

"Only if Applejack's alright with us doing that."

"Ah'm sure she will be, Sweetie Belle.  There's nothin' like bringin' in an extra tool to make things easier."

"I guess your right."

"Of course Ah am.  Now let's get this sappy stick to Applejack's!"  Applebloom and Sweetie Belle start to head out with the stick of sap in one of the crates until Applebloom notices Scootaloo not following them.  "Scoots, y'comin'?"

"I-I'll catch you two later.  I didn't get that much view of the forest."  Applebloom may not realize it, but there's some quiet rustling in a bush that Scootaloo notices.  It's coming from right on the other side of the trail of the forest.

"Okay.  Meet us on the way over before you run out of energy running from monsters."  Sweetie Belle chuckles as she hears the rustling, thinking it's nothing more than a rodent.  And just like that, Scootaloo is all alone in the forest.

"Okay, now to find what's causing all that rustling across."  Scootaloo inches closer to the rustling bushes.  Right as she was about to touch the bushes, she notices something behind it.  Something like a faded red with blonde on top.  At first, the shape is unrecognizable through the bush.  But Scootaloo removes the front of the bush to reveal a young pegasus.  A colt to be exact.  "Uh, hey there."  The colt doesn't respond.  "What're you doing out here?"

The more Scootaloo thinks about it, the more she realizes this colt is really young, years younger than even Pipsqueak.  The next thing she notices is a foul stench around the bush.  Looking closer, the colt's hooves are trapped in a what looks like a long since congealed tan puddle.  Now Scootaloo's head is a mess of questions.  How did he get here?  Why is he here?  Why is he stuck in a solid puddle?  How long has he been here?  What should she do?  Should she leave him and come back with her friends?  Who'd she even tell?  This hasn't happened before, so none of her friends know about him.  Does she take him into the Ponyville Daycare Center?  That's a stupid thought in the first place.  Not only will he potentially get shots everywhere on him, but there's too much paperwork to handle.  Go to Sweetie Apple Acres with him?  That won't work.  He might be accepted as an apple, despite not being an earth pony, having to do chores only earth ponies can do.  She has only one choice.

As her thoughts complete, she notices that the colt has started crying from her out loud question earlier.  His mane is a huge mess, his pupils are slightly faded and he even has quite a few cuts, especially on his face, his lip area covered in tan.  That's the final straw.  Scootaloo gets behind the bush, getting the reaction she expected.  Fear.  The colt attempts to back away from the filly, only to be picked up onto her back.  She may need the elbow grease of pull the colt out, but her voice is calm anyway.  "There's nothing to worry about.  I won't hurt you."

Scootaloo comes out of the bush with the colt still on her back, racing out of the Everfree Forest.