Reflection of Nightmares

Chapters

Chapter One: Nightmare's Realm
Chapter Two: Crying Reflection
Chapter Three: An Unfamiliar Place
Chapter Four: Nightmares Come Real
Chapter Five: Hiding
Chapter Six: A Pinkie Promise
Chapter Seven: Twilight's Progress
Chapter Nine: Memories
Chapter Ten: Diamond's Revelation
Chapter Eleven: Visiting Zecora
Chapter Twelve: Luna's Assessment
Chapter Thirteen: Everything is Broken
Chapter Fourteen: Broken
Chapter Fifteen: Awake
Chapter Eight: Nothing Will Ever Change That

Chapter One: Nightmare's Realm

Why does it always have to be this dark… the quivering filly thought to herself before she shook her head and sighed.

“Just take it one step at a time, Scootaloo. You’ve done this before… just one step at a time,” she said, though the sentence was meant to reassure her and help keep her nerves from destabilizing again, each word came out quieter and more unnerving than the last.

She hated feeling fear, she hated going on her own, even if it was safer. But perhaps most of all, she hated the dark and was sick and tired of seeing it. The lack of warm colored light had, of course, started to get to many ponies. It sickened them. The lack of sunlight wasn’t natural of course, it meant things couldn't grow right, if at all. It meant the lack of warmth and play, the lack of sharp vision, the lack of security. So it didn’t surprise Scootaloo at all with just how dark the long and foreboding hallway was.

Looking around and making sure nopony had followed her, as instructed, she quickly reached into her saddlebags and rummaged around nervously. “C’mon, where’s that stu- stupid thing,” she muttered, her voice cracking a bit. The silence was beyond unnerving, even if it meant she was, in fact, safer being alone, ironic but very true.

Finally, she found the object of her desire, a small and very portable lantern that could be easily lit with the tap of one’s hooves. The thing was designed in such a way to allow just enough light to leak out around the occupant in question, but not so much that one could easily be seen. Objects and inventions like that were, of course, quite illegal but were a necessity ever since she took over. They required no unicorn magic of any kind, self-powered by a portable battery.

She looked around nervously yet again and with a deep breath, she placed her front hoof over the top of the lantern and soon it slowly illuminated a small area of her surroundings. Feeling slightly better, if not much, she hooked the tiny lantern to the back of her bags and cantered onward. The light was barely enough to help her sight, but it was a damn sight better than before so she took a shuddering breath and continued onward.

Every once in a while the unnerving silence was broken up by the occasional jingle of the lantern, or her hooves. This obviously didn’t help matters, but she knew hurrying along wasn’t in her best interest. “One step at a time… slow as you can go,” she urged herself and eventually was able to make a steady pace, despite her fear.

She rounded a corner only to enter another similar looking hallway of darkness. Stopping for a moment and double checking her map, she made sure that turning right and not left was, in fact, the right direction before moving on. “One- one s- step at a time…” she stuttered.

The darkness from the precious hallway was nothing compared to the new one. While the moon was absolutely sickening to see to most ponies, it at least provided some form of light in the open entryway from earlier, now it was completely gone with only her magic lantern to light her way. It was near impossible to make out any details beyond the occasional stone column and odd pony statue which looked to have seen better days. Several had simply crumpled to dust and or broken down to rocks. Gulping and doing her best to ignore the finer details of the forbidden place, she simply tried to do her best to move onward. With each passing step, it became harder and harder to justify moving forward.

After a few more map checks and a few more turns, Scootaloo decided it was high time to take a break. Sighing to herself again, she placed her hoof over the lantern and watched its light slowly fade into nothing. She hastily took a seat on the cold and unwelcoming stone and waited, the only noise that could be heard was her breathing exercises which were meant to calm a scared little filly. They didn’t help much.

How do I even know this will work…? she thought suddenly. What she was doing seemed both crazy and a tad exciting, if not one of the riskiest things she could ever think to try. Does it matter? What other choice do you have?

She had to admit, her brain had a good point. It was getting harder and harder to stay hidden as the da- nights stretched into eternity. Even for the “free” creatures, she could sense a feeling of complete unease as time marched onward. Feelings had become bitter, dreams turned to dark thoughts of utter madness, hope but a faint ember in the ever eternal nights. But it wasn’t just herself that felt this way, she could tell practically everypony and everybody had started to succumb to the darkness, to their bitter thoughts and dark ideas. With every passing d- night, more and more would give into their new queen’s dark and sickening way of life. With every passing night, more would join her army with even more on the way.

Dreams had become particularly difficult to deal with. Shakily she reached into her bag and rummaged around until she found yet another illegal item: a dreamcatcher. Enchanted by some of the most powerful unicorns who could still think for themselves, it was their only weapon against the queen’s nightmares. Sleep obviously didn’t come easily to the young filly, or anypony for that matter, for it was a sure fire way to wake up as another of the queen’s army; it was a sure fire way to lose one’s soul. Shaking in fear at the mere thought, Scootaloo fought back tears of despair and anguish while her bitter thoughts continued to circle around in a loop of eternal darkness. Suddenly she could sense magic swirling around her as she panicked, watching sickening shadows began to envelop her little hallway.

Scootaloo bit her lip as hard as she could, desperate to chase those thoughts away. It didn’t take long for her lips to begin bleeding, which seemed to do the trick. Almost instantly all the bitter thoughts of giving up vanished, leaving her just a tiny ember of hope. She could sense a forbidden sort of magic creep away from the forbidden chamber, just as mysteriously as it had entered. Her body began to itch incessantly.

It’s getting worse, she thought with a shake of her head. It hadn’t been the first time she nearly gave into thoughts of despair, and if she didn't hurry to her destination then it would not be her last. Scootaloo then placed her catcher away and rummaged around in her bag until she found a black felt box, inside were several hoof crafted cylinders, crafted from fine wood. On either side, she could see the faint etching of a little bird, a phoenix. Feeling herself yawning, she gently placed the end of one of the cylinders into her muzzle, of all things and firmly placed her hoof on the end side, not unlike the lantern.

The effects were immediate.

She took a few deep breaths as a strange magical substance began pouring into her lungs and into her bloodstream with her nervous system putting out little signals of panic. Her fight or flight response urged her to run, to stop what she was doing and to hide, but she ignored her body’s cries for help and finished the substance until the entire thing was drained. When it was done, Scootaloo sighed and blinked in astonishment. She could feel new found energy coursing through her little body while she wings buzzed in excitement. The magic found in the strange capsules were nothing compared to a good night’s sleep, but it was the best she could do until her mission was over. She then set the capsule aside which collected alongside several other spent ones and shut the box. She shook her head and lit the lantern again before moving on. The first few steps she was forced to pause while her ears began to ring and she could feel the world began to tilt to the side with a wave of nausea hit her.

“S- stupid capsules,” she stuttered while clenching her teeth in pain.

Panting for air she took a long swig of water from her canteen while she waited out the pain. She was wide awake, sure, but that meant her other senses were just as overcharged, too. As if her whole body had just been through a fire. It took a solid five minutes before her body let up so she could continue; it was still somewhat painful, but her body was slowly growing used to the magical drug.

After checking and rechecking the map for probably the fiftieth time, she finally ended up somewhere that wasn’t just an endless series of hallways. And she wasn't alone.

“Halt young one, show me your face, prove to me that you lack the dark queen’s… grace,” the stranger said, muttering the last word with a grunt of contempt.

Scootaloo stopped in her tracks and quirked a brow, trying to squint through the darkness. Her mini lantern failing to give her many details. “Uh, do you always rhyme like that?”

“...Rhyming is how I learned to speak just like you, but I can see by your tone that your values are not askew,” she said and stepped forward. The mare that Scootaloo imagined in her head wasn’t at all how she imagined.

“You’re a zebra? But… I- I thought you’d be a unicorn!” Scootaloo exclaimed, sounding flustered and annoyed.

For a few moments, she didn’t speak and simply circled the young filly, examining her from head to hoof. The Zebra wore a dark looking cloak of some kind which shielded her body. Finally, she spoke.

“Ah, it is most fortunate that a unicorn I am not.
Too many fall to the dark queen’s magical rot.
Bane and boon, can a unicorn’s horn be,
It has the magic to set fallen ones free.
And to protect the mind, it shields,
From the thought control she wields.
But a horn’s magic shines too bright,
It can be seen, as a fire in the black of night.
Because of this, very few who possess a horn are trusted,
Leaving many with horns which are… adjusted…”

“Um, are you saying she can find other ponies by using a unicorn’s horn? Th- that she can find ones in hiding by using that?” Scootaloo asked, already feeling the answer in her gut.

She nodded. “Now I must inquire,
Why travel here, is your news dire?”

Scootaloo was about to reach into her saddlebag when she stopped dead in her tracks. “First, sh- show me your lantern,” she said, cursing under her breath at just how frightened she sounded.

“Ah, forgive me it must have slipped my mind,” she said and quickly waved her hoof over a near-identical lantern to Scootaloo’s. It slowly illuminated her face, revealing the finer details. It was then that the small filly promptly screamed. “Calm yourself, surely this proves we are aligned.”

It took all of ten seconds for Scootaloo to quiet down as she blushed. “I- I’m s- so- sorry,” she stuttered. “It’s just, um, you look kind of scary…”

The zebra sighed.

“The queen’s scouts saw through my trickery
and gave me this scar upon their victory,” she said rather bitterly.

“Oh, I’m sorry about that,” Scootaloo said rather dumbly. Though she couldn't help but notice that she hadn’t even introduced herself. “I’m Scootaloo by the way.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young Scootaloo,
Call me Zecora. But believe we have business to do?”

“Huh? Oh!” she exclaimed and hastily rummaged into her bag and found the object of her desire. It was a simple scroll that had been nicely sealed and placed inside of a metal container for safe keeping. The outside of the container had various runes and emblems adorned along the side, but none were more so prominent or important as the main symbol in the center: a shining phoenix, for just like the Phoenix could die and resurrect, so too could the sun.

Carefully the young foal took the capsule and touched it to her lantern. In an instant, the runes shone to life with the same prominent color seen in Celestia’s holy sun until the seal finally broke. Zecora smiled and retrieved the scroll from inside while Scootaloo placed the seal carefully back into her bag and waited.

Zecora hummed to herself as she carefully read the scroll over and over. Scootaloo also noticed some of the wording on the parchment would glow dimly, changing the text form the magic of the lantern to reveal something that had been previously hidden. She figured it was a nice way to conceal secrets which were sorely needed in the age of the dark queen.

Zecora continued to carefully read what had been inscribed on the note, making the occasional note on a separate parchment, but Scootaloo began to grow worried. Technically speaking there wasn’t anything wrong with getting nervous when you were alone with a strange zebra and were inside a long, dark and forbidden hallway. That was a perfectly sane thing to feel. But something about the whole situation felt off to Scootaloo. She hadn’t done many deliveries before, Zecora being the first of hopefully many to come, but the unnerving silence really wasn’t helping her stay calm. Suddenly an even stronger disquieting metamorphosis was sensed by the young filly, somehow getting even more muted. She glanced over to Zecora to make sure that she was alright, and no dark magic had gotten to her mind, though the zebra continued to read as if nothing was wrong with the world.

Easy, Scootaloo. Things are fine, she’s just translating the runes or something. Easy, she thought as she nervously glanced down to a few strange devices in her saddlebag. One probably wouldn't be of much help if they got caught, being a simple first aid kit. The second was a magically enchanted flare, meant to alert the Shining Phoenix to not come visit whatever place where the blaze would have gone off. In retrospect, Scootaloo noticed that it was only really useful for aiding the Shining Phoenix by warning them of threats in case of capture; she’d been instructed to only use it if defeat was imminent.

Kind of useless if you want to get rescued though… she thought bitterly.

The third and final item was effectively a weapon of sorts, which thankfully had gone unused in her travels. While it no doubt would be useful in case of actual emergencies, Scootaloo didn’t very much enjoy the weapon’s origin, as the Queen’s “Shadow Guard” had long ago figured a way to outfit their soldiers, namely Earth Ponies with some magic of their own. Carefully her hoof rubbed the side of the case which held a spiraling horn, what was strange about it wasn’t that it was a unicorn’s horn or even the fact that it was attached to no actual head or body. No, the strangest thing, that made Scootaloo queasy to even think about, was the lack of actual skin found on the horn. It was simply a small, spirling horn made from bone with a few strange runes attached to it.

Breaking her chain of thoughts, Zecora finally spoke again.
“This map is indeed what I’ve been after,
a way to escape from this disaster.
Though without magic to enchant the way,
I fear we’ll all be stuck here at bay.”

Scootaloo tilted her head in confusion, trying to decipher the meaning in her words. “Um, do you mean we need unicorn magic?”

She nodded. “But finding somepony we can trust
will surely lead to a bust,” she said quite bitterly.

Scootaloo looked inside her bag and motioned for Zecora to look inside at a particular item, a case of some kind. The zebra merely shook her head.

“While that is an effective way to defend,
its lack of powerful magic will surely lead to our end.”

Scootaloo shook her head and moaned. “Drat. Where’s the map lead anyway?”

Zecora smirked.

“The map is a very useful guide,
for if we can activate this mirror,” Zecora said while gesturing to something that Scootaloo hadn’t even noticed before, “we can use it to find a place to hide.”

Scootaloo blinked and looked over to the large, towering object. She supposed it was a mirror, but in the darkness, it looked like a large slab of some kind. Ignoring Zecora for a moment, she walked up to the thing and shone her lantern onto it. In the small details that she could make out, Scootaloo noted that the thing was quite ornate in design. It was nicely curved with iron metal bars bent around the sides for decoration. Five gems had been studded on both sides with a larger gem stuck in the middle at the very top. There was also a few other designs higher up that she couldn't quite see. The thing was certainly massive. Though when her lantern got near, she could just tell that it wasn’t giving off near enough magic to activate it, so she sighed.

“So this could be a way out? A way to escape that- that bitch of a queen,” Scootaloo said but not before spitting on the ground.

Zecora nodded. “Yes but-”

“A bitch is she?!” A voice said from behind, interrupting Zecora. Both ponies whipped around with their eyes widening in horror.

Before either could even comprehend who stood before them, a torrent of lavender colored magic was shot in their direction, smacking both recipients into a nearby wall. Scootaloo felt dazed, her vision blurring as the dark world around her tried to refocus itself.

Zecora acted much sooner and forced herself into a defensive stance, standing between their assailants and Scootaloo’s dizzy stature.

“- I’m afraid the queen’s servants are after its power,
if we fall here then it’s not just our world that will sour!”

The apparent leader of the ponies stepped forward into the dim light, a sickening smile plastered on her face. The pony in question was none other than Twilight Sparkle, Queen Nightmare Moon’s second in command. Her horn had been severely altered, sticking straight up in a threatening manner, it no longer looked like a soft spirling unicorn horn but more like a tool or a weapon meant for war. Just like all of the Queen’s slaves and army, her once proud cutie mark had been altered to show who she now was. A six-pointed star cast in the moon’s shadow. “Now then, I’m feeling a tad generous today. Apologize and I’ll spare you both your lives, so long as you come quietly.”

Zecora raised a strange artifact high in the air, a staff with a glowing blue gem placed on its end. Scootaloo watched the two while she clenched her teeth in pain. Scootaloo quickly reached for her bag only to sucker punched in the gut by one of Twilight’s guards. She couldn’t see just who did it, but that was how they choose to fight, in the shadows. Clenching in pain and unable to breathe, Scootaloo shakily stood up to her hooves.

Twilight snorted. “A smart pony would have stayed down, little one…”

Scootaloo gulped, eyeing her bag with a sense of defeat.

I’m going to die, aren’t I? she thought and with very little thought for her own well being, she leapt back to her bag and dug in as quickly as her little hooves would allow.

Time seemed to slow once she reached for the case of her desire and she smashed it, reaching for the boned unicorn horn. Then she felt horrid pain creeping up her spine, a knife puncturing her if she wasn’t mistaken. She screamed while the shadow guard punched and kicked where her wings connected to her spine; it was a particularly sensitive spot. Good for causing pain.

In her haste, she dropped the horn and what happened next felt like a dream or a nightmare. She was kicked to the side while Zecora seemed to be holding her own, dodging spells and even going on the offensive occasionally taking out a guard by knocking them unconscious. Scootaloo still felt dizzy, but she recognized a few of them as the Queen’s personal guard. A crazy pink mare with a long straight mane and the one who had caught more innocent ponies than any of her guard combined: Rainbow Dash. It was no secret the level of depravity the guard went in order to serve the queen so loyally.

Not knowing what to do and feeling like she could barely put up a fight, Scootaloo carefully crawled over to her bag and held onto it, clutching the thing for dear life.

“Commendable at how much punishment you zebras can take. Just join us already, I’m sure the Queen will have a good use for you. And look, your little partner’s already given up anyway,” Twilight said nonchalantly.

Zecora chuckled quite darkly at this, though Twilight merely looked on in amusement.

“You are toying with me, stop playing pretend,
show me your full strength or face your end.”

And with that, Zecora raised her staff and twirled the thing several times as if to say, bring it on.

Scootaloo looked on in shock. I- is she crazy?! she thought. Antagonizing Twilight Sparkle, the mistress of fire, the dark queen’s right hoof was quite possibly the stupidest thing you could do.

Rainbow Dash and the pink menace went to step forward, but Twilight merely shook them down which they obeyed. “There’s no winning this, Zebra. You can either die here with your friend, or surrender. Your choice,” she said rather calmly, all things considered.

Scootaloo didn’t wish to die, and she certainly didn’t want to join up with the Dark Queen. What the hay do I do?!

Zecora didn’t have anything left to say and merely held her stance, waiting, practically beginning for the mare to assault her.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Such a waste. Very well, you’ve made your decision. What of you, young one? Will you join up with our queen? Will you let eternal darkness into your heart? The promise of infinite power?” Twilight’s eyes had twitched a few times while speaking as if she were crazy.

Scootaloo gulped but did nothing.

“Of course,” Twilight said with a smirk and begin to charge up her horn. A sickening laugh from both the pink mare and Rainbow echoed around the halls while the leader’s horn, eyes, and body began to glow from dark violet to a crimson red.

For the second time that night, time began to slow from Scootaloo’s perspective as her short, simple life flashed before her very eyes. She saw her birth, playing as a younger child, making a few friends and then everything went to absolute hell. The sun stopped shining, ponies were enslaved, exiled or killed by the queen’s orders. She could see her parents… Scootaloo bit her lip but gasped upon opening them. The flash of her spell had finally gone off while Zecora smirked.

Hurdling into her face at impossible speeds was a giant orange flaming ball of magic, fit to set her pegasus body ablaze. Her vision was then filled with the back of Zecora’s staff the second she twirled it, aiming the tip so that Twilight’s spell would hit it dead on. The staff was struck, but rather than delivering a crushing blow, it merely began to glow.

“I’m quite fond of this staff you know,
and it will help me deliver the killing blow.”

Twilight’s smirk vanished as she began to shriek. “INSOLENT FOAL! YOU DARE DEFY THE DARK QUEEN IN SUCH A WAY?! YOU DARE STEAL HER MAGIC?! YOU WILL DIE IN THE MOST PAINFUL WAYS I CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE!”

Scootaloo could think to do nothing but sneak away so she could latch onto her saddlebag. She secured it around her back and went to pick up the boned horn, shocked when she finally was able to lift it without resistance.

Zecora sighed and shook her head.

“Perhaps one day I shall meet my end,
but this binding spell I’ve used on you is a godsend.”

Scootaloo gasped, noticing just now the sickening glare Twilight had been giving them, struggling to do anything aside from grunt and breathe. Zecora had trapped Twilight and her allies in place.

“Oh, I get it! You--”

Zecora scoffed, interrupting her.
“Scootaloo, hurry and strike them,
before they cause more mayhem!”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened in shock and she nodded, fumbling with the boned unicorn horn before suddenly holding it out in a tight grip. Next, she quickly donned the thing over her head while tightening a strap around the back. The horn rested just above her eyes, not unlike a real unicorn would. It felt almost sickening to her, a warm feeling seeping into her mind, a slow buzz and then a painful feeling, letting her know that the weapon was ready. She grunted and seethed in pain, pointing it directly at Twilight. Seeing this, Zecora directed her staff toward Scootaloo in an effort to aid her with her magic. Both of their spells seemed to go off at the same time.

This is for my parents you bitch, she thought and then an equally sickening spell to the one Twilight had cast just moment’s before let loose with the fury of a thousand suns. It was so blinding that Scootaloo was forced to keep her eyes shut while she screamed in pain. All sound ceased to exist for the young filly for the remainder of the explosion duration. When things finally did settle, Scootaloo still had her eyes shut tight with her teeth clenched, unaware that it was indeed safe to look again.

“The mirror has been awoken,
hurry before the link is broken!”

Zecora ran up to the mirror and held up her map while muttering to herself, She then began using her staff to enchant the various runes on the side, changing and twisting them until she was satisfied that they matched what she read.

Scootaloo blinked and looked around and gasped at the disgusting sight of three very bloodied and burned corpses. The stench wafting from them was bad enough that Scootaloo Could feel her insides gas; there was no mistaking that all three had no survived the final blow.

“Hurry through the portal, now!”

Scootaloo blinked in shock and grabbed her bag before stepping forward. When a magical rhyming zebra told you to do something without rhyming, that’s when you listened.

Before stepping in, she glanced over to Zecora with a frown. “Wh- what about you? And the rest of the Shining Phoenix?”

“I will jump in once you’re safely hidden,
for jumping in together is surely forbidden.
If my calculations are correct,
where it sends us should be perfect.
As for the Phoenix from what I’ve learned,
I’m sorry but they have already adjourned.
Sending you for something this crucial surely
means their numbers are no longer fruitful.
Rest assured, given enough time they will fall,
now please hurry and enter, get on the ball!”

No longer hesitating, Scootaloo sighed and slowly entered the shimmering blue portal. She still didn’t fully understand what was going to happen, but she figured anywhere was better than the nightmare that used to be her home. She took one last long look at Zecora before the world faded into nothing.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Two: Crying Reflection

For a moment Scootaloo could sense nothing as she seemed to float around in a dreamless state of limbo. She cracked her eyes open for a second and had to suppress a gasp on what she saw. It was two fillies who seemed to be in dazed and confused states, both rubbing their eyes. She could swear she saw a third, but really she could only confirm the existence of one Earth Pony filly and one Unicorn. She closed her eyes, pretending to play dead and waited. The filly in question walked over to what she presumed was her position.

Then she heard the unicorn filly scream so loud, it took all of her willpower in order to stay still. “Sh- she’s dead!”

The other filly snorted and then Scootaloo felt something on her chest, presumably the filly’s ear. Is she checking my pulse…? Scootaloo thought.

“Nah, she’s plum tuckered out. The thing once happened to Big Mac when he worked the farm for too long.”

The unicorn laughed embarrassingly. “Oh! Uh, I knew that…”

“What happened to the mirror, girls?”

That’s when Scootaloo cracked her eyes wide open. She knew that voice, specifically because it was her voice coming from a third filly. Taking her chance, Scootaloo quickly got up into a position behind the mirror and waited.

“What?” The other Scootaloo asked in utter confusion.

Scootaloo took the opportunity and lurched at them, tackling the bow wearing earth filly to the ground. The unicorn filly and the other Scootaloo was knocked into the clubhouse walls in a daze.

The knocked down Scootaloo shook her head and tried to focus on the assailant, but her vision was blurry. The earth pony grunted, attempting to buck her in the head, only to be tackled to the ground, Scootaloo snarled down at her like some deranged animal. The earth pony flinched and waited for an assault, but nothing came.

Scootaloo looked around, surveying her surroundings. Looking at everything and everypony like it was all alien to her.

Where the hay am I?! her thoughts going a mile a minute.

Once their eyes had adjusted, both fillies gasped at the sight before them. “Scoota--?” The earth pony tried to get out, before being interrupted by Scootaloo.

“Where am I?” She asked, her voice hoarse yet sounded oddly familiar. The earth pony gulped and tried to push her off, but to no avail while Scootaloo simply pushed back harder. “Answer me, now!”

“Hey! Get off of her, you freak!” The other Scootaloo screamed. Standing between the unicorn and Scootaloo.

Scootaloo pointed her hoof and glared at the imposter filly. “You stay put if you know what’s good for you!”

“Scoots, ar- are you okay?” The earth pony asked though she had to pant a bit as Scootaloo was not letting up one bit. “Kind of hard to speak no- now…” The filly said, her breath sounding extremely hoarse.

Probably not a good idea to knock her out… Scootaloo thought and let up a bit.

“Where am I?” Scootaloo repeated.

“Uh, th- the Crusader Clubhouse. You’re on Sweet Apple Acres farm.”

Scootaloo looked out a nearby window to confirm her state, what she saw caused her to quietly gasp.

It’s sunlight… it was the only thing she could think. Over and over it was repeated in her head. The Sun.

“Could ya get off me?”

Breaking from her thoughts, Scootaloo sighed but did no such thing. “Wh- why do you have the mirror?”

The pegasus filly looked her over for several moments before finally speaking. “Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo merely grunted before narrowing her eyes.

“Well? Are you gonna apologize for attacking us? It wasn’t very nice, you know,” The earth filly said, the others nodding to agree.

“I’m not hearing any information about that mirror,” Scootaloo said irritably.

“Okay, that does it!” The downed filly exclaimed and buckled as hard as she could, taking the signal, Scootaloo did her best to tackle the other Scootaloo looking pony to the ground, but the filly was quite fast and dodged out of the way, but not before the farm filly slipped loose.

Scootaloo scowled and backed up, narrowing her eyes suspiciously toward all of them. The other three studied her, finding the situation bizarre. Scootaloo backed up a tad feeling her bag bump into a wall. Her wing stiffened from her fresh wound as blood continued to pool around it.

The unicorn backed up a bit and shuddered in fear. “M- maybe she’s a changeling! Like at Twilight’s brother’s wedding!”

“...A What? I’m no changeling!”

“A likely story! That’s just what a changeling would say!” The other Scootaloo challenged.

“Well… maybe…” The marshmallow filly replied, feeling a tad unsure of the whole situation.

The farm filly glanced at her, shaking her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Rarity said that changelings feed on love.”

The other Scootaloo snorted. “And?”

“Well, trying to hit somepony isn’t a very good way to do that.”

She considered this and eventually nodded. “I guess not…”

“Now look, ah don’t know what’s going on but what you just did ain’t no way to treat others. And, well, frankly you both look like Scootaloo. It’s very strange, but ah guess either of you could be changelings.”

Still not letting up her guard, reluctantly Scootaloo gave a stiff nod. “I suppose.”

“So what, we just sit here not trusting one another?” The other Scootaloo asked with a snort.

“Look, you, I don’t trust anypony or anything.”

“Not even your own eyes? I’m Apple Bloom, that’s Sweetie Belle, we’re your friends. Well, we’re also Scootaloo’s friends, which there’s two of you. But you get what ah mean, right?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “I don’t know either of you, all I know is that I’m Scootaloo, and if what you’re saying is true, so is she. This will be a heck of a lot less confusing if you just tell me why that mirror is in your little clubhouse. Please.”

The other Scootaloo took a seat next to her, examining the filly, scrutinizing every inch of her. “Are you okay, by the way? You, uh, you got a bit of bl- blood on your back,” she said, stuttering a bit in fear. It wasn’t every day you saw a filly so young looking so violent. A small, yet deep wound had been cut into the filly’s side, right next to her right wing. It was bleeding quite profusely, dripping some into the clubhouse wood flooring.

“I’m fine, mirror, talk, now!”

“Look, we don’t know much about it. We were trying to get our cutie marks in… something so Scootaloo here borrowed the mirror from Twilight. But it started acting funny and glowing all orange. We heard some shouting, kind of sounded like your voice. Then a- ah guess you popped out, and that’s really all we know.”

“So you don’t even know what it is? At all?”

Three silly, adorable fillies all shook their heads. The wounded filly sighed and almost seemed to be laughing.

“Uh, alright. You don’t seem to be lying. Hmm…”

There was an equal bit of silence from both parties as they stared at one another awkwardly.

“Now would mind explaining just why you attacked us like that?”

Scootaloo ignored her and glanced out the window, seemingly staring at something. Everypony remained silent, waiting for a response. After a moment of awkward silence, the orange filly stood up and walked outside, still staring blankly at the farm’s various trees and flora. She swallowed then felt along the tree which held the clubhouse.

It’s real. It’s alive, she thought in a daze. Everything felt like a dream to her, or like waking up from a horrible nightmare only to find herself in an improbable yet beautiful dream.

“Um, gettin’ a little bit friendly with our tree th- there…” Apple Bloom muttered, a sense of dread seeping into her consciousness.

The fillies glanced at one another rather uncomfortably. There was a strange filly, who looked and sounded like Scootaloo. She had attacked all three of them, came out of Twilight’s freaky magical mirror and was bruised and bloodied. And yet she wouldn’t stop rubbing their tree like it was an old friend.

Scootaloo finally did break away from the tree and stared at the orchard, at Celestia’s gleaming sun shining over everything. A long stream of tears began to leak from her eyes. Despite the attack, the three of them couldn’t but look on in pity. A bloodied filly, crying just from the sight of a tree.

Timidly Apple Bloom approached her and took a seat. The other Scootaloo sighed and did the same, but what Sweetie Belle did surprise the lot of them. She reached out and began hugging the crying filly for all she was worth.

“Uh, Sw-Sweetie I don’t think, um…” The other Scootaloo tried to get out, but instead of pushing her away, the filly merely looked on in shock, not knowing how to respond.

Though it had been the other Scootaloo’s intent to warn her friend that perhaps this new filly wasn’t up for hugging, really it was the fact that a large part of Sweetie’s brilliant coat was now stained a deep dark blood red. Scootaloo merely gawked in confusion. When she didn’t stop, Apple Bloom nudged her side.

It feels nice… she thought, her brain sending her conflicting messages. Everything felt unreal like she really was trapped in a dream.

This can’t be a dream, right? she thought uncertainty. It was unlikely unless of course her dreamcatcher had been lost or discarded somehow. Though she doubted the dark queen would let something so wonderful go on for so long unless it was her intent to torture her… which was possible.

“Uh, I think she’s had enough huggin’. Why are ya doing that anyway?”

“Cause, she’s crying. I always feel better after a big hug from my sis, when I cry.”

Scootaloo blushed and started shoving Sweetie off of her. “I wa- was not crying!” she stuttered, her voice squeaked with just a hint of nervousness though. The other two also suspected the sudden hug may have brought on a fresh bout of pain from her wound.

Sweetie shrugged and let go. “If you say so…”

The other two fillies coughed into her their hoof, while Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle in an awkward, painful silence. When the unicorn didn’t get the hint, they coughed louder, but still no coherent response.

“Sweetie Belle…” Apple Bloom said rather slowly while pointing toward her coat.

“What? Is there something in my mane?!” She asked, feeling all around it. “Oh, Rarity will kill me!”

Scootaloo merely shook her head. “Um, I’m really sorry about attacking you three. And, uh, about your coat…”

Sweetie Belle blinked in confusion and looked down, her pupils shrinking into pinpricks. She then promptly screamed and in a fashion befitting her bigger sister’s little fits, and then she promptly passed out.

Scootaloo sighed and pressed her ear to the unicorn filly’s chest. I think the other filly said her name was Sweetie Tune? Belle? she thought, not that it mattered much to her. She was simply making sure that she was okay. She heard a nice steady beat of her heart and she nodded.

“She sh--”

“Step away from that filly, now!” a mare’s voice said, interrupting her.

Both fillies flinched while Scootaloo backed up rather quickly. Looking up her eyes suddenly shrunk to pinpricks. Her mind went blank while she tried to comprehend who the mare was. While slightly different looking, she was unmistakably Applejack, though she lacked the queen’s mark.

She watched while Applejack checked Sweetie Belle over for injuries and seemed to look confused when she found nothing. Checking her pulse over, she sighed in relief.

“Alright… ah’m not sure what’s going on here, but ah want the truth! And… why do you look like one another? And just where in sam hill did this blood come from?”

Scootaloo could only stare off into space, fear striking her heart. Urging her to run and find safety, but she was simply rooted to the ground.

“Well?!”

Scootaloo could only shake in fear, her mind unwilling to cooperate or respond. Applejack sighed then turned to face the other two fillies.

“Apple Bloom, explain. Now.”

“Um, well Scootaloo here--”

Applejack interrupted. “Which Scootaloo?” while it sounded like a silly question, Apple Bloom could tell her big sister was being deadly serious.

“Th- this one,” she said while pointing to her friend beside her. “She, um, kind of took--”

“Borrowed,” The pegasus corrected.

Grunting in irritation, Apple Bloom nodded. “She borrowed Twilight’s magic mirror, um, experiment. Before we knew what was happening, the thing lit up like crazy and all this magic exploded, or somethin’ and out popped her,” Apple Bloom said, pointing to the physically hurt Scootaloo, who still hadn’t said anything.

Applejack turned to Scootaloo and squinted her eyes. “That true?”

Scootaloo finally snapped out of her daze and quickly nodded. She didn’t have much to say to the mare though, so again she decided to remain silent.

“Well, okay. So did any of you three,” Applejack said while pointing to the three silly fillies, “do anything to Twilight’s mirror?” she asked in a calm, collective manner.

They all shook their heads. “No! Well, um…” Sweetie blushed while Applejack quirked a brow at her impatiently. “I was going to use my magic on it, but then it just started glowing and going crazy on its own. It happened before we could do anything, miss Applejack.”

She nodded in understanding. “Hmm. Oh and just Applejack is fine, Sweetie Belle. Okay, then that begs the question…” Applejack, however, trailed off and starting looking at Scootaloo before bristling her features and shaking her head. “You know what? This can wait, let me take a look at those wings of yours, sugarcube,” she said in a calm manner.

“Suga- sugarcube,” Scootaloo stuttered, her brain feeling like it was going on fire. Applejack didn’t seem to notice this and began to walk closer. Still frozen in horror, Scootaloo did nothing until the mare began touching the tops of her back. Alarm bells which had been resting deep inside of her flight or fight response starting blazing off. She could sense and see, quite clearly, just what Applejack, the queen’s knight had done to so many innocent ponies. She felt their pain, and she could see every single one she had hurt. In that instant, the happy, calm and warm breeze turned to a cold, wild wind. The warm, comforting feeling of the sun’s rays changed to the freezing embrace of the dark moon. Everything suddenly felt wrong and in that instant, Scootaloo flinched back at an impossibly fast rate. Looking up at Applejack the dark knight with wide, fearful eyes.

Applejack looked shocked before shaking her head. “Look, I know it hurts but I just need to look it over so I can patch ya up, okay?”

Scootaloo’s eyes remained in their fear induced state, still sized to deadly pinpricks. “I- I’m fine. I can p- patch myself,” she muttered quietly.

Applejack stopped moving and tilted her head in confusion. “That so?”

Scootaloo closed her eyes and tried to will away the queen’s nightmares. She knew it couldn’t possibly be real, not anymore. But it didn’t stop her from feeling fear, and feeling like she really was back in the nightmarish wasteland that had once been her home.

Is this even real? she thought but then shook her head, figuring for now it didn’t matter too much.

After a few moments of this, she gently opened her eyes and was relieved to see everything brought back to normal. Even if a calm, peaceful and happy farm wasn’t exactly normal to her anymore, it still helped her feel better.

“Here,” Scootaloo said and she gently reached into her saddlebag and quickly took out a first aid kit. Stamped on the top of the metal tin was the symbol of the Shining Phoenix; Applejack examined it in confusion but Scootaloo ignored this. She quickly started digging around for some gauze and cleaning supplies before getting to work.

There was a long, awkward silence while she cleaned up her wounds and starting patching things up as best as she could. Applejack looked somewhat impressed, but it didn’t stop the situation from feeling strange. The other fillies merely waited in silence, silently praying that they had avoided punishment.

With the final bandage in place, she put everything away and packed it secretly into her sack for later. “S- see? So I’m fine, but thanks…” she said rather unenthusiastically.

“Well beggin’ your pardon, um, Scootaloo is it?” Both Scootaloo and the other pegasus looked up at this, though it was clear she was only addressing the one who came from the magic mirror.

“...Yeah,” she finally said after another moment of thought.

“Okay, you don’t look fine. But ah suppose you did prove that you can look after yourself,” she stated. There was a quick pause before she continued, “Still, what ah need to know is, how did you get here?”

...Buck, was all she could think.

Zecora hadn’t exactly given her any instructions, just that the mirror would more than likely give her someplace to hide, so she could stay safe. She thought about it for a while then remembered back to the other Scootaloo’s story and smiled a bit.

“Um, I was messing with a mirror, just like the one up in their little clubhouse,” she said, the other fillies seemed to take offense to that but said nothing. “I think there was a misfired spell and it sort of activated and, uh, yeah,” she finished lamely.

“Okay, misfired spell from who?”

“Twilight Sparkle,” was the immediate reply, after that she simply decided to button her lip.

“Ah see. Okay… hmm. Well ah don’t really know what to do here. And ah really don’t understand how there’s two of you. Just…” Applejack trailed off, figuring that this was all Scootaloo was gonna say. “Fine. Apple Bloom, ah want you two to take this mirror back to Twilight’s place and do your best to explain what happened.”

The other Scootaloo and the farm filly glanced at one another before shrugging. They hesitated, however, when they both glanced back to their unicorn friend.

“I’ll get her cleaned up and wake her, don’t worry about Sweetie Belle.”

They nodded and began the tedious task of getting the mirror back, Apple Bloom would later wonder just how her friend even got it there in the first place. Scootaloo watched them leave and was soon left alone with the farm mare, pondering what to do.

“Well, ah reckon we better get her inside and cleaned up, give me a sec,” Applejack said and began to pick her up.

“Uh, I think I can wake her up. Hang on,” Scootaloo said suddenly and began to sift through her bag. “Let’s see… lantern? No. Case? No… here we go!”

Applejack squinted her eyes and stared at a strange looking vial that was outstretched in her hooves. “What’s dat?”

Scootaloo didn’t respond immediately and quickly uncapped it before walking over to the downed unicorn filly. “Smelling salts.”

Scootaloo gently lowered the tiny jar under Sweetie’s nose and waited while the small bits of aroma traveled up her nostrils, the effect was almost immediate. Sweetie’s eyes were blasted open while she looked around in confusion. Thinking quickly, Scootaloo pulled the salts away and capped it again.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Sweetie grunted and nodded. “Uh, y- yeah but that really stings. What was that stuff?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “I don’t really know what’s in it, but it should be harmless. Sorry, but we had to get you up.”

Applejack couldn’t make heads or tails of the strange filly as she shook her head. “Sweetie? We should probably get ya cleaned up, c’mon now.”

The filly blinked and had to resist the powerful urge to scream, instead she hopped onto her hooves and nodded. “Please, bath… blood! NOW!”

Scootaloo waited off to the side while Applejack filled a basin with warm water. She wasn’t sure what to say or do, but it gave her time to think. Occasionally she would glance up at the sun and smile, if only slightly.

It’s really there… can this be real?

Hesitantly, she got onto her hooves and discarded her saddlebag on the ground. She then walked over to a nearby apple tree and felt all around it.

Feels real.

Next, she took a big sniff, and could faintly smell fresh air and the oh so subtle aroma of apples.

Smells real.

She began to drool ever slightly at the sight of the tree’s delicious looking fruit. She even licked her lips slightly, giving them a hungry stare. It wasn’t as though you went without eating while in the military, but meals were still scarce and even if you got a decent meal, the plants and veggies found within were a shadow of their former selves; unable to flourish without the sun’s rays helping things along. Really it was a miracle they could grow things.

“Sweetie’s all clean, Scootaloo. Ah, um, you two should probably go visit Twilight. She’ll know what to do and how to send ya on back.”

Send me back…‽

Scootaloo really wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Of course they’d want to set things right; after all, it was her who told them so little of what happened. It was her who lied about it, too. She could feel the back of her wings begin to itch at the mere thought of ever going back. She resisted the urge to scratch and slowly nodded at the mare.

“Uh, okay. Right.”

Sweetie Belle came up behind her, looking a tad exhausted from the whole ordeal, but much cleaner. Applejack stood off to the side, unsure what else to say.

“Uh, you okay?” Sweetie asked her suddenly, breaking Scootaloo from her thoughts.

“What? Oh, yes. Sorry. I- I guess we’re going to Twilight’s place?”

Sweetie shrugged. “Well, yeah, but you just kept looking up at that tree there. Are you hungry?”

Scootaloo wanted to scream out a definite yes but decided for a more subtle approach. She giggled slightly. “Heh, yeah I guess it’s been a while since I last ate.”

This set off a few more alarm bells in Applejack’s head, but the mare kept her cool. “Well, here,” she said quickly and turned around and then reared up her hind legs and aiming at a nearby tree. She then bucked it forward for all she was worth and well over a dozen apples shot off their branches, showering the two fillies. “Take a few for the road.”

Scootaloo smiled and grabbed a couple, stuffing them in her bag. “Uh, t- thanks, miss Applejack.”

The mare smiled. “You can call me just Applejack, or AJ for short, youngin’. And you’re very welcome.”

Sweetie began munching on her apple quietly and then hummed with a warm smile. “Hmmm, so good! Ready?”

Scootaloo nodded and then donned her bag. The two began to canter off toward the town of Ponyville, though Applejack’s voice stopped them.

“You sure you’ll be alright?”

Scootaloo wasn't entirely sure if she meant going off on their own, or if the question was directed at her. She merely gave the best fake smile she could muster and nodded. “We’ll be fine, but thanks!”

In return, Applejack gave the most unsure stare she could muster but nodded all the same. “Alright, just come see me if you two need anything.”

As they walked, Sweetie couldn’t help but notice that Scootaloo’s frown hadn’t left her. “You okay?”

“Huh?” She blinked and looked over, Sweetie Belle looked on in concern. “Yeah, thanks. Let’s just get there. I- I guess I’m hungry,” she said and reached behind her to find an apple. Without thinking she began munching away at the thing and paused in her step. She froze and it took Sweetie Belle half a minute before she realized her new friend was no longer following.

Sweetie turned back while Scootaloo slowly swallowed her fruit. Finally, Scootaloo blinked once and then hastily and calmly devoured the apple in the span of three solid seconds.

“Wow, uh, heh, didn’t know you were that hungry.”

The sweet juices, the perfect texture on the skin and the delectable taste all combined to form something magical, something that was almost unreal.

Tastes real…

Scootaloo began shaking slightly while she did her level best to hold in her tears. Her brain wasn’t quite sure why she wanted to cry, or why she did before, but her body knew all too well. She was happy for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime ago. She bit her lip and clenched her teeth and was able to cease the small flow of tears.

Keep it together, Scoots…

Sweetie Belle sighed and walked back over to her and took a seat. Scootaloo watched in confusion and backed up a bit. “Are you sure you don’t need another hug or something? You really look like you do and--”

“I’m f-fine,” she stuttered and quickly wiped her eyes, though she could feel a horrid itch bubble up again near her wings.

“Let’s just go.”

She nodded and they continued on. When they reached the front gates, two guards stood out in front. Each was a stallion and wore an oddly colored armor. It was a mixture of Twilight Sparkle’s coat and mane color. To Scootaloo, they looked like something out a children’s book; to Sweetie Belle, they looked pretty.

“I’m just saying that lavender doesn’t really go with… halt!” The guard trailed off and immediately stopped talking to the other. “State your-- wait, didn’t you just come in through here?” he muttered while looking at the clone filly suspiciously.

Why does she have a castle…? her thoughts mulled over this before shrugging. She had to get inside.

Scootaloo slowly nodded. “Yeah, Twilight sent me back out to go grab, uh, Sweetie Belle here.”

The guard remained stoic. “I didn’t see you leave,” he said, pointing out the obvious.

She snorted. “Duh, I took the back exit. Are you gonna let us in or not?” she shot back irritably.

The guard huffed and leaned down with a scowl. “Little filly, I think you’re being awfully rude. I’m asking these questions for Princess Twilight’s protection--”

“Princess…? I…” Her voice trailed off while she shook her head, interrupting him, “Well you’re, uh… not doing a very good job!”

Sweetie gasped. “Scootaloo! That was so rude! Apologize!” Sweetie demanded, glaring at her.

Scootaloo continued to glare at the stallion, while the other guard remained silent. She turned over to Sweetie and saw the disappointed look. She took a deep breath with closed eyes. She then opened her eyes and turned back to the guard. “Sorry, can we just come inside? We really need to see Twilight--”

“Princess Twilight,” he corrected.

“Right, Princess Twilight.”

He continued to glare, but then a white fluffy thing clouded his vision. Sweetie Belle had walked up and was looking at him while smiling. “Could you please let us in? Mr. Guard? We really do need to see Princess Twilight about something. We promise to be good!”

The two guards nearly broke out in a grin from the obvious contrast between the two fillies. He sighed. “Very well, just don’t cause any trouble,” he commanded, stepping aside and allowing them to enter, he then called back to Scootaloo, “and none of that attitude with the Princess!”

Scootaloo felt lost the second they entered. A large sprawling hallway greeted them which seemed to go on forever.

Sweetie cleared her throat. “What was that about?”

“I, uh, sorry. I’m used to guards being… um, jerks,” she swiftly replied.

“What? Are they evil, where you’re from?” she asked with a small giggle.

You have no idea, she thought, but didn’t really feel up to sharing. “Just, nevermind. So how do we find- well, wait, why is Twilight a princess now, anyway?”

Sweetie blinked and reviewed all she knew on what had happened. “Twilight grew wings.”

Scootaloo looked back at her skeptically. “That’s it? She magicked wings on herself and now she’s a princess?”

“I dunno. I think there was a bit more to it than that. You can ask her though.”

“Yeah. Do you think--” tried to say, but was interrupted by a rather loud, nasally sounding voice.

“You two did what?!” the voice bellowed.

Sweetie and Scootaloo glanced at each other then started running toward it. “We gotta catch up to them!”

The throne room was plain in sight, as they burst in through it, they saw Twilight Sparkle glaring down at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Her wings were flared out; but definitely not in excitement.

“Uh, you said it was okay…” Scootaloo said meekly.

“Okay? Why would I ever say it was okay for a filly to play around with that mirror? Do you have any idea what you could have done?!” Twilight screeched, not caring that she was causing the two to shake in fear.

“Hey! Stop yelling at them, it was my fault!” Scootaloo exclaimed, calling Princess Twilight out.

Twilight’s eye twitched and she slowly turned around. “...What? You…” Her eyes widened in shock. Dozens of scenarios whizzed through her head. “Changelings, alternative dimensions, magical clones, Nightmare Moon is back seeking revenge disguised as a filly but she didn’t have time to dispose of Scootaloo-- I need to stop reading such dark stories. Changelings!”

Both fillies’ eyes enlarged to the size of dinner plates, even Scootaloo had to admit it sounded dark.

Twilight glanced at Scootaloo and then to the other Scootaloo. She shut her eyes in frustration then sighed. Instantly the doppelganger and Scootaloo were enveloped in her magic, surrounded by a lavender colored glow. As soon as it had come, it stopped. “Not changelings,” she announced. Then she rounded back on the still scared Scootaloo, glaring once more. “What did you do?!”

“I said I did it! I was messing with this mirror and then it started glowing and I fell through, uh, your mirror. Okay? It wasn’t them,” Scootaloo stated confidently.

Twilight’s features softened, but she still looked angry. “You still took it without asking.”

The other Scootaloo coughed. “You still said yes.”

“I did? When?”

“Earlier, you were reading and I asked if I could use it, you said yes.”

Twilight thought back, but could just barely remember Scootaloo being in the palace. “I suppose it’s possible.” She sighed. “Oh, Celestia, I’m sorry for yelling at you two.”

The other Scootaloo sniffed and nodded. “I’m sorry for taking it, Twilight.”

Twilight quirked a brow down at her. “I thought you just said you didn’t take it… at any rate, I forgive you, Scootaloo. But now we have a problem… or maybe two problems.”

Scootaloo walked around the mirror, examining it. “Where’d the mirror come from, anyway?”

Twilight simply shook her head in response. “It was being stored in the royal vault for who knows how long. Not even Celestia seemed to know of its presence until I found it.”

Sweetie Belle started making funny faces in it. “Can you send her back?”

I won't be going back… she thought darkly. Again her wings started to itch, this time she actually gave in and awkwardly rubbed them back and forth using one of her hooves, she felt pain on top of the itch but eventually, the feeling subsided.

Scootaloo already had the beginning of a plan to break the mirror into as many pieces as she could get away with. She just needed the right opportunity. A part of her wished to just flat out tell everything, but she barely trusted that what she saw was even real, she sure as hay wasn’t going to be trusting everypony on a whim.

I could say it now… she thought suddenly. She could and it would be so simple, but every time she glanced at Twilight, she would shudder in fear. She looked like a kind mare and it seemed like everything was on the up and up, but that’s what made her feel so unsettled.

“I’m not even sure how it works. It’s untested. Without the proper knowledge of how its magic works, I could end up sending her anywhere. Or hurting her… I think you’re stuck here for now. Which is… not great.”

Scootaloo could only blink and nod in response. The Crusaders gave each other an odd, uncomfortable look. Twilight, however, hadn’t really been paying much attention.

“Uh, don’t panic!” Twilight reassured her. “I can figure this out! But you’re gonna have to give me some time first. You said you were messing with a mirror like this? Where are you from?”

So she still wants to try and send me back? Hmm, maybe some misinformation will slow her down. The itch returned. It urged her to keep going, to do the right thing. She bit her lip and eventually blurted out her response.

“Uh, yeah. When Twilight, um, my Twilight wasn’t looking I started messing with all the gems and runes on it, you know for fun,” she said, sounding completely stupid. “It started glowing and I fell through it. Into their place. Which wasn’t… uh, where I had been before?”

“...Why in Celestia’s name would you do a thing like that? Who knows how you even configured it?! Oh, Luna, this isn’t good! Y- you could be stuck here! W- why would you do something so foalish?!”

In that instant, Twilight’s blind fury brought her back to her old world. She could see Nightmare Moon’s second in command, ready to strike with blind loyalty. Ready to kill anypony who dared disobey their queen. Scootaloo couldn’t help herself as she began to shake while she willed her body to relax.

She’s not here, she’s gone. I saw her die! Relax! Fear and pain mixed into her emotions, urging her to act, to do something like run. Instead, she could feel her back again start to feel irritated, but she didn’t move.

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed, taking calming deep breaths. “I’m sorry, but that was a very, well, not smart thing to do. I’ll do my best to get you home, but I really don’t know where to start…”

Slowly Scootaloo opened her eyes and no longer saw the dark queen’s assassin, but a kind and caring princess mare. She felt slightly better about her predicament, but the memories of what Twilight had done back in her world would still linger, warning her to stay on the defensive.

Apple Bloom suddenly stepped forward and snorted at Twilight. “Well ah do! How are there two of her? Just what does that mirror even do, Twilight?”

The librarian turned princess simply shook her head. “Well, I’ve had theories, but until she showed up, I wasn’t really sure which one could actually be feasible.”

Apple Bloom looked at her friends who merely shrugged in confusion, but Scootaloo stepped forward. “What kind of theories?”

Twilight gave Scootaloo a strange looking smile, one with extreme apprehension. “Well, first let me ask you something, is there anything different about Ponyville? Something you don’t recognize from where you come?”

She shrugged and nodded. “Sure, you’re not a princess where I’m from and you definitely don’t have a castle,” she exclaimed.

And you failed to stop Nightmare Moon and everypony is doomed, there’s that! she thought rather bitterly.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Twilight suddenly said and started bouncing up and down like an excited filly, only to stop momentarily. “Oh no… no no no. If multi-verse is correct then… oh wow. This is… I don’t know how to feel, you know?”

The four fillies glanced at one another before simultaneously smacking their hooves on their faces and slowly rubbing them down in exaggeration.

“Twi,” Apple Bloom started, “maybe you wanna let us in on the conversation? Hmm?”

Twilight giggled and blushed. “Heh, heh, right. How do I explain… well, have you fillies been taught about the stars? Our galaxy and the universe?”

Apple Bloom gave a sidelong glance and shrugged, Sweetie Belle nodded but looked unsure of herself while the other Scootaloo started to look bored already. Scootaloo, however, spoke up.

“I know a bit. I know that we live on a planet that we call Equis which sort of orbits around Celestia’s sun… but, uh, not really?”

Twilight smiled and nodded while the Crusaders looked on impressed. “Mostly correct, Equis isn’t like other planets out there and it’s fairly difficult to describe, especially when you start talking about our sun.”

Apple Bloom snorted. “But what’s that got to do with any of this?”

Twilight smirked. “Everything. But it’s gonna be a bit hard to explain if you four haven’t been taught about galaxies or the observable universe, yet.”

“Well, where I’m from Equis is part of a large galaxy filled with billions of stars. And I know you can see other galaxies out there if you look far enough with a telescope-- and I guess we just call all of it the universe.”

Twilight clapped her hooves and smiled proudly down at her. “Very good! Have you taken astronomy where you’re from?”

Scootaloo gave a hesitant smile and slowly nodded. “Uh, ju- just a bit,” she stuttered nervously.

More like I was forced into some crazy school where everypony was forced to learn about the stars and how she owned them all… she thought bitterly. She shook her head of those dark thoughts and did her best to focus on the present, however.

“With us so far, girls?” Twilight asked but immediately frowned. The other Scootaloo was lying on her back, busy blowing one of her feathers up and down in boredom. Sweetie Belle looked quite bashful and slowly shook her head, while Apple Bloom busy thinking of apples and nothing else.

“Here, I’ll try and simplify it. It’s possible that this mirror can be used to find other worlds, places different from Equestria which would be housed in their own universe, different from our own.”

The four fillies nodded in understanding, so Twilight continued. “Right, well before Scootaloo here showed up, I had assumed these worlds could be anything. They could be completely alien or maybe just barren places, devoid of life-- or maybe, other Equestria’s.”

“But, how could there be more than one Equestria, Twi? There’s only one…” Apple Bloom pointed out, feeling more confused than ever.

“I don’t have any way of proving there is; Scootaloo here is the only real evidence, but usually the simplest explanation to a problem is the correct one. Just how there’s more than one Equestria remains to be seen as I wasn’t there when the universe was made, but let’s assume there are. Multiverse theory, at least the one I’m thinking of simply proposes there is an infinite number of different universes out there, each slightly different than the last.”

Scootaloo nodded, but again the three fillies could only shrug while not seeming to get it in the least.

“Here, uh, Sweetie Belle!”

The filly perked up and bounced onto her hooves. “Yeah?!”

“What did you do this morning? When you woke up?”

“Hmm… well I ate breakfast then hugged Rarity then hugged Opal-- oh and then I hugged Rarity again because I thought I hadn’t, but she was all “yes you did already but it’s nice that you want another” and then I ended up in the clubhouse and here and yeah…” she trailed off at the end, not really sure where Twilight was going with her question.

“Okay, well imagine if you got up and didn’t do any of that, or maybe you, well, didn’t hug your sister.”

“I’d be a bad sister!”

Twilight smacked her hoof to her forehead. “Uh, maybe, but the point would be that you made a different choice. Multiverse proposes that for anypony or anything, there’s an infinite number of unique things they can choose to do, each one splitting off into their own universe.”

At that point, even Scootaloo felt a tad confused, but slowly nodded along. Thankfully the three silly fillies could only smack their hooves on their heads and sigh.

“Uh, right, too complicated. Just think of it like this: there’s an Equestria for every single choice. One where maybe you three didn’t form the Crusaders, or maybe one where I’m not a princess or maybe something as mundane as Rarity wore a pink dress instead of a purple one. Even something as insane as one of us born as a colt instead of a filly, but to the same family. For every possible choice, there’s an Equestria with it. Well, that’s the theory anyway. Or should I say theories?”

Scootaloo finally understood and was shocked to hear it. It made sense, seeing everything she had seen thus far, but it made her feel rather unsettled for reasons she couldn't quite explain. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had other responses.

“Oh cool! So there’s a world where I’m a Wonderbolt?!” the other Scootaloo asked, bouncing on her hooves over and over.

“Or I’m a famous singer?”

“Or maybe one where ah’m a pegasus?!”

Both fillies gave Apple Bloom a weird look from that while the earth pony blushed. “...What?! Flying sounds like fun!”

They all giggled at this and began going on and on about all the possibilities.

“Twilight! Could you show us some worlds?! Please?!” They all said in unison. “Please!”

The princess chuckled at their enthusiasm but slowly shook her head. “Sorry girls, but I hardly know how it works. I haven’t even activated it myself since I was still studying it until this happened. I’ll have to do some serious research and scientific study or Scootaloo may never get home.”

Let’s hope I don’t go home… Bitterness didn’t even begin to describe how she felt, but she felt somewhat better about her lies. It would slow the princess down and give her ample time to destroy the mirror.

Deep down, she wanted to say something. To fully inform the ‘princess’ so she could set things right. During the war, trust was not easily earned and it certainly wasn’t a given.

You may not be the same Twilight, but you’re still Twilight. All of you failed us… Scootaloo decided then and there that Princess Twilight was not to be trusted. It wasn’t exactly irrational to think this, after all, skepticism and mistrust had kept her alive so far. Why stop now?

The three fillies pouted and gave a unified ‘awwww’, but nodded.

“Well, I’ll have to look into this. In the meantime, I’ll have to deal with something much more dangerous,” she stated firmly.

Scootaloo looked up, raising a brow. “What?”

Twilight laughed, almost snorting. Her eyes twitched and it was apparent she was extremely nervous. “Telling your parents there’s now two of their daughter and they have to take care of both of you.”

Scootaloo raised a brow and quickly glanced over to her counterpart. To her amazement, all the other one seemed to be doing was chuckling.

“Oh crud, mom’s gonna freak, dad will probably joke about it but I bet he’d be cool with it.”

The words echoed in Scootaloo’s mind over and over as if she couldn't comprehend what she was hearing.

“Yeah, sounds like fun to me,” Twilight sarcastically replied, shaking her head. “Princess’s give me strength.”

“Aren’t you a princess too?” Apple Bloom pointed out.

Twilight smiled rather sheepishly. “Right, I seem to forget that quite a bit. Heh, well, let’s get moving. C’mon you two,” she ordered to the two Scootaloo’s, urging them to follow.

“Ah guess we’ll see you later Scoots and uh, other Scoots,” Apple Bloom said and they waved.

“Yeah see ya I- uh, are you okay?” the other Scootaloo asked, glancing at the stunned pegasus. Twilight stopped and glanced down at her and waited for a response.

Mom’s gonna freak… the words echoed in her brain, bouncing around like a sickening plague, making her feel ill to her very core. Her stomach churned and she felt as though she might throw up at any moment. She eventually shook her head and nodded.

“Are you sure? You don’t look so good,” Twilight noted.

“Y- yeah. Sorry just thinking. Let’s go see mom and dad. Uh, I guess your mom and dad,” she quickly corrected.

The other Scootaloo snorted.

“Hey, they’re your parents too… uh, sort of?” She asked, looking back at everypony as if expecting some answer.

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea, but since there’s two of you, I would think yes.”

Both fillies could do nothing but shrug and follow along, with the twin from another realm following behind, thinking to herself, while the other skipped along happily.

Mom’s gonna freak…

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Three: An Unfamiliar Place

“When I explain it was my mirror that brought this on, your parents will be ticked at me,” Twilight said, pacing the room back and forth.

Scootaloo walked forward, bringing her attention back onto her. “Uh, wasn’t it my mirror that did it? Well, I mean it wasn’t mine where I’m from, but I still did it. Why wouldn’t sh- she get mad at me?”

“I… I suppose. Let’s just all get this settled. The sooner we get it out of the way, the sooner I can find you a way back home.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were soon sent back home, with Twilight escorting them, once they were home it was time to escort Scootaloo. Now two Scootaloo’s. One was perched on her scooter, while the other Scootaloo was seated in the back of the wagon. Scootaloo looked around nervously, lost deep in her own thoughts.

Will they be different? This is so weird!

They passed Carousel Boutique and into the center of town. A familiar feeling crept into the Scootaloo’s mind as they passed by house after house.

“It’s right here!” The other Scootaloo called back to Twilight, who was busy running after them.

The two stopped in front of a rather large cottage that looked to be a mixture of Fluttershy’s place and Rainbow Dash’s cloud mansion. It was a wooden constructed building on the bottom, but the roof was made from pure clouds. It was a bizarre sight, but one that the residents of Ponyville had grown used to.

Scootaloo got out of the wagon, just as Twilight had caught up with them.

“Finally,” Twilight paused to huff in some air, “we’re here.”

Scootaloo surveyed the place while shaking her head. This is different.

“Hey, Mom! I’m home!” The other Scootaloo called out through the door. The effect was immediate. The door swung open, revealing a rather thin, yet stocky pegasus mare. She too had an orange coat and a similar colored mane and tail to Scootaloo. On each side of her flank was a picture of a few rainbow colored droplets right below a cloud. “Sweetie! I…” She trailed off and looked to Twilight, Princess Twilight, then her eyes shot back to her daughter.

“What did you do?” she said flatly.

That’s not different… The filly thought, again with a small sense of bitterness but swallowed it. For a few moments, she could sense reality essentially tearing apart at their seams, her senses unable to comprehend the impossible sight before her. Her breathing increased steadily until Twilight’s voice brought her back to reality.

Twilight chuckled. “Well, technically she didn’t do anything. Or much. We have a sort of situation and I was wondering if we could all come in and chat?”

The mare was about to lead them inside when she finally noticed the other Scootaloo standing off to the side. Her eyes whizzed back to Twilight in alarm, and Twilight raised her hoof placatingly. “Please don’t panic! There was an accident and… can we just come inside and talk?”

The mare hesitated for a long while, before her eyes relaxed and she nodded. “Okay, but I want an explanation from all of you! That includes you, Scoots.”

The other Scootaloo nodded and ran inside, quickly followed by Twilight. “I must say, you’re taking this a lot more calmly than I would have anticipated.”

Scootaloo hesitated for a long while as a sense of foreboding washed over her. Again, her mind seemed to reject the mare as reality, leaving her feeling sick to her stomach. She was looking at a literal ghost brought back to life and it sickened her.

This can’t be real.

The mare chuckled. “Of all the things my daughter has told me that’s happened with her and you and your friends, I’m sure a few of them had to be truthful.”

“Mom!” The other Scootaloo scowled, blushing slightly.

“Oh relax, I’m just teasing. I’ve seen Twilight lift a giant monster over your head with just magic. Compared to that, this almost seems sane!” she said with a chuckle. She was about to shut the door when she noticed the other one hadn’t moved. “Well c’mon, I won't bite. Uh, your name is Scootaloo, right?”

She nodded and quickly ran inside, breaking her thoughts. “Yeah…”

The door was shut and the few were ushered onto couches that were all crafted from clouds. “Good thing we’ve all got pegasus in us,” she joked.

“Heh, yeah. Um, I don’t know too much about how she came to be,” Twilight said, indicating to Scootaloo. “I just know it has to do with a mirror that I’ve been studying. But I’m afraid we don’t know much about it.”

“A mirror? She popped out of a mirror?” she said in a disbelieving voice.

“I fell into one, I was messing with it and it started glowing. I touched it and fell through onto her,” Scootaloo said while pointing to the first Scootaloo.

The mare sighed. “Maybe you better start from the beginning-- oh! Where are my manners? My name is Pale Cloud.”

Twilight smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Your daughter is very special, quite adept at learning--”

“And getting into trouble.”

Both fillies huffed, but Scootaloo stopped herself and looked away. That was weird… she thought.

The mare’s chuckled before Pale cleared her throat. “Right. Start at the beginning, girls.”

Both fillies recounted what they knew, Scootaloo doing her best to recount all the lies she had told to everypony. Pale understood their story, eventually, but wasn’t happy about it. Twilight finished for them. “And so you see, we need a place for, er, Scootaloo to stay while I try and find her a way home. Will you take care of her while I try and fix this?”

The mom grunted but nodded. “I suppose. She is my daughter, well, sort of.” Scootaloo looked at her with wide eyes for a moment, then quickly looked away; her bitterness was obvious. “Uh, I don’t mean anything by it, Sweetie. Plus if what Twilight says is true, then you have your own mom and dad out there, somewhere.”

The filly winced but said nothing. Biting her tongue quite literally wasn’t nearly as painful as hearing that come from her own mother’s voice. Again, the sickening feeling crept in as the world around her seemed to turn a touch shade darker. Without thinking she began to rub her back into the cloud cushion left and right, trying to make the irritations to go away.

“However, I’ll care for you like you were my own; I promise,” she finished with a smile. The other Scoots smiled at her mom and bumped her elbow into Scootaloo who gave a shy yet fake smile and a nod in return.

“Thanks…” She said quietly, then trailed off. Say it, she thought, but didn’t move a muscle.

“Sure. So, is there anything else? I kind of wanted to get dinner started. You’re welcome to say if you’d like?” she said, gesturing to Twilight.

“I better not. Spike gets pretty peeved if I’m not home by dark, but thank you.” She then leaned down to Scootaloo and spoke quietly. “You sure you’ll be okay? You’ve been awfully quiet since the Crusaders left.”

She quickly nodded. “Yeah, just getting used to this, uh, house! It’s different.”

“Oh! I guess I hadn’t thought of that! Is anything else different?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Yeah, you’re not a princess, uh, where I’m from. And that tree library is still there.” Sort of…

Twilight nodded, suddenly looking sad. “I… see.”

Scootaloo looked to Twilight and recognized something in her now somber appearance. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you…” she said apologetically.

She probably used to live there or something. Good going, Scoots’.

Twilight shook herself and smiled as brightly as possible. “It’s alright. Any information at all can help me, uh, find where you live. It will help narrow down a search. Well, possibly.” She then stood up and dusted herself off. “Well, I’ll let you get used to her. If you need anything, just come see me, okay?”

Scootaloo hesitated, wanting to say something, but nothing came out. So, she nodded meekly. Twilight started to canter away and heard the three walk away into the kitchen. She cast a nervous glance back at the filly then quickly darted off. She had work to do.

Pale marched up and down the couch around the two fillies. “Alright, since you both look and sound alike, we’ll need some way to tell you two apart. Scootaloo, do you have anything you can think of? Maybe the cape from your little club?”

The Crusader Scootaloo groaned. “I’ve told her a million times, it’s the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Pale patiently nodded. “Well, I’ll be right back, hang on.”

With the two alone, Pale leaned into Scootaloo, speaking rather softly. “Are you sure you’re alright? You look a bit pale, which is saying something for our coat colors,” she said, chuckling a bit.

Scootaloo blanched but quickly corrected herself.

“Oh, yeah. I guess I’m just tired. I’ll be good by tomorrow. Heh, I hope Mom isn’t too upset,” she said quietly.

The ever foreboding feelings continued to ebb into her consciousness. Even saying such a little white lie was enough to unnerve her. Despite Scootaloo’s best efforts, she really couldn’t help but grimace and slump into her seat.

She nodded and started to back away to the kitchen. “If she’s anything like me or she is me, then, yes, she’ll be pretty upset,” she stated flatly.

I wouldn’t count on it.

“By the way, you can hang your saddlebag over there,” she said while pointing to a coat rack near the door. “You haven’t taken the thing off since you got here, silly!”

Scootaloo glanced at her Phoenix bag and slowly nodded. While she didn’t want anypony to know what was inside, she knew to raise suspicions was the last thing she should do so she quickly hung it up rather carefully then came back.

“Found it!” The other Scootaloo had come back with a blue-tinted scarf, similar in style and fashion to her club’s capes. “Sweetie Belle made it for us, it was supposed to match our capes. But I never wear it. Here, try it on!”

She tossed it to her double and she wrapped it around her neck. “Uh, does it look fine?”

The other Scootaloo scoffed and waved her hoof. “Yeah, yeah. Fine. Hmm, what should we call you anyway?” Scootaloo said out loud.

“What? I’m Scootaloo…” she protested irritably.

“Yeah? So am I! I don’t know about you, but I’d get tired of saying ‘what?’ each time my name is called and it’s not for you,” she stated smugly.

She rolled her eyes and nodded. “Fine, I guess. You want me to name myself?”

Pale Cloud had come back in, balancing two glasses of water on her back. “Here you two go. How about Double Scoots?” she offered while offering them each a glass of water.

The double looked at her funny and shrugged. “Why that?”

“Cause you’re her double, it makes sense to me. Or maybe DS for short? C’mon, nicknames are cool,” she said in a tone that moms often used to try and trick their child into something.

Both fillies glanced at each other and blinked before announcing in unison, “Nah!”
Pale scoffed and looked away while Scootaloo wondered to herself about different names. All she’d been for the last several years of her life was a soldier. Sure, she wasn’t always the best at what she did, but it was all she could think of.

Wait, I think I know…

“What about Phoenix?” Scootaloo suggested.

The other Scoots shrugged at the name, but Pale’s eyes brightened considerably. “I think that sounds lovely, Phoenix,” she said with a wink.

Phoenix nodded with a slight smile. “Uh, cool. Now what?”

The mare sat on the couch between them and sighed. “Now, we wait for your father to get home. He’ll have had dinner by now and I ate something. You both want mac and cheese?”

“Sure!” Phoenix said, immediately. Hesitantly she reached out just to touch her, so she could feel Pale’s coat on her hoof.

She feels real…

Scootaloo, however, was less enthusiastic. “I guess. Don’t we have any more of those hayburgers?” she said, her mouth practically watering.

“We don’t, it’s noodles and cheese or nothing,” she said, again in that flat tone.

“Fine.”

Phoenix glanced over at Scoots’ at her as if she had grown a second head, but figured it wasn’t worth making a fuss about.

“Great, easy dinner for mom.” She stood up and walked out, leaving them alone again.

Scootaloo’s somber attitude left her almost immediately. She hopped off the couch and motioned for her double to follow. “C’mon to m- err, our room,” she corrected. “It’s not every day I get to play with myself!”

Phoenix followed her upstairs, chuckling along with her. “Uh, good point, I guess.”

“Hmm… let’s draw!”

The newly dubbed Phoenix watched Scootaloo break out crayons, markers, pencils, and sketch paper. Without warning, Scootaloo dove in and began hastily drawing out something, not even bothering to invite Phoenix to play. It wasn’t needed, she simply assumed that Phoenix did things like coloring all the time.

Hesitantly, Phoenix got down on the floor with her counterpart and took a blank sheet of paper. A very old and vague memory of doing this before surfaced, but it felt very alien to her. LIke she was suddenly visiting an old friend. Eventually, she did get a bit into the spirit of things, opting to draw over thinking about all of her problems. They doodled, sketched, giggled and played some. Phoenix hadn’t remembered the last time she had done any fun activities. Like a switch, the dark feelings from earlier had simply lifted.

Scootaloo held up a hastily scrawled out picture of Rainbow Dash. She had it in front of her face and began to talk quickly, and she couldn’t help but squirm with excitement as she spoke. “I’m Rainbow Dash! Fastest flyer in Equestria! You’re no match for me, Shadowbolt!” she roared, nearly tossing the picture into Phoenix’s face. Then she reared back with it sheepishly.

Phoenix held up a different drawing, although it looked quite similar to Scootaloo’s. It depicted Rainbow Dash, only instead of the happy smirk and bright colors, she had on a scowl and was wearing a dark outfit. “Uh F- Fool! I am the awesomer and more amazing Shadow Dash! I am an elite member of the Shadow Bolts and you don’t stand a chance against me, weakling!” Phoenix shrieked in terror and mimicking the actual Shadow Bolts. She felt silly for downgrading a serious threat, one she had encountered first hoof no less to a mere plaything, but she didn’t care. Fun was fun.

Scootaloo paused, blinking in surprise. “Wow, good villain voice.” She then struck a pose, pointing at Phoenix while discarding the paper. “But you will never stop the Element of Loyalty! Strike me with all your shadow powers, I can take them!” She then charged forward, her head hanging low, ready to strike. Phoenix raised her head and flared her wings out, discarding her picture as well. The filly’s head shoved into Phoenix and began to shove her playfully backward. Phoenix smirked and shoved her body forward, ready to strike up another villainy one-liner. However, Scootaloo was shoved so far backward that her body tumbled over and soon she was flat on her back. “Ow!” Scootaloo wailed and clenched her teeth in pain. “Ow, ow, ow.”

The playing stopped and Phoenix looked on in concern. “I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

Scootaloo turned over to her side then nodded. “Yeah, maybe not shove me so hard? Okay?”

Phoenix nodded, but both ears perked up upon hearing a mare’s voice. “Are you two playing alright? I heard some loud banging!”

Scootaloo called down before her counterpart could even blink. “Yep! We’re fine, mom!”

“Good, dinner’s ready. Come on down!” she yelled back and Phoenix shot out of the room and ran downstairs.

As she jumped down the stairs, Scootaloo caught sight of the muscle rippling underneath of Phoenix's fur. She looked down to her own and saw, while they weren’t exactly underdeveloped, they could sure use some building up. She shook her head of those thoughts then marched downstairs for dinner.

“I bet more muscle would just weigh me down,” she muttered, trying to console herself.

Scootaloo soon joined Phoenix who remained silent with a calm smile on her face. One of the fillies laid her head on the table and moaned. “Is it ready yet?” she said impatiently while looking up to her mother. She was leaning on the counter and using her mouth to stir a wooden spoon inside of a cooking pot.

The mare leaned back and snapped at her daughter. “No laying on the table, Scoots. And yes, it is.”

Scootaloo groaned again and sat back up. The sight of two bowls of cheesy noodles flipped her mood back into high spirits. She dug in without even saying a word.

Phoenix saw the bowl then smiled. “Thanks, mo- uh, I mean… I...”

Stupid! She’s not your mom! Phoenix clenched her teeth and bit her tongue ever slightly. She would do anything to stay close to her, even if she knew, deep down, she wasn’t her mother.

“I suppose you can just call me ‘mom’ as well. Makes things easier on ya. And you’re welcome. Now dig in before Scoots devours it all,” she joked.

“Ve-ry f’nny,” Scootaloo replied, her face stuffed with noodles.

“Uh, right.” While she ate, Phoenix couldn’t help but feel quite distant from the other two ponies. It wasn’t so much that the mare in front of her said to just use ‘mom’; it was how casual she had done it. Something about it bothered her deep down, so she remained quiet and ate. Part way through her dish, her emotions began to get the better of her. The bitterness of the whole thing mixed with the amazing flavors from such a rare delicacy had her at her breaking point. She bit her tongue and was quick to wipe any tears away before anypony noticed. Itchy wings returned and each time she rubbed them, she could swear she was ruining her bandage.

“I should probably walk you both to school tomorrow. I’ll have to explain this… situation to your teacher,” Pale muttered, mostly to herself.

To school…? Uh… Phoenix thought, her mind slowly shutting down from the stress of it all. She hadn’t gone to school in ages!

Scootaloo took on a sly smile. “Or… you could just send one of us.”

Her mom looked at her as if she had grown a second head. “Come again?”

Scootaloo nodded over to her counterpart. “It might freak out Miss Cheerilee if two of me shows up, don’t ya think?” she said and wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

Her mom chuckled. “Cute, but no. You both will be going, I’ll just explain things. You’re not missing school, Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo scowled and crossed her forelegs. “Rats.”

Phoenix looked at her bewildered; her bothersome thoughts now a million miles away. “You were gonna use me to get out of school?! That’s low.”

When dinner was finished the two fillies were ushered upstairs. “Go get ready for bed, if you’re lucky your father will be home before you’re sleeping. Phoenix, there should be a spare unused toothbrush in her bathroom. I doubt you had one on ya when you… fell through.”

Phoenix nodded and quickly found it. Wanting to spite Scootaloo just a little bit, she locked herself in the bathroom first, but not before sticking her tongue out and slamming the door.

“I said I was sorry!” Scootaloo called out then pouted. “Stupid school…” she muttered to herself.

It didn’t take the two long to clean up and brush their manes and tails. They re-entered Scootaloo’s room and found Pale laying out a sleeping bag along with a pillow. “I hope you don’t mind, we don’t have any spare beds. You could also sleep on the sofa downstairs, it might be comfier than the wood.”

The prospect of sleeping on anything cloud-related certainly appealed to Phoenix, but she declined. She didn’t feel like being any ruder to Scootaloo. She climbed into the sleeping bag and smiled up to the mare.

“Alright then. Scoots, you climb into bed too,” she commanded sternly.

Scootaloo, however, stood her ground. “What about dad?”

The mare frowned and looked behind her to downstairs. “I’m not sure. It is getting late. Look, I promise I’ll send him in if he’s back within twenty minutes.”

Scootaloo looked at her in a disbelieving manner, but her mother shooed her to bed.

“C’mon, in bed. I can’t control when your father gets home. I’m sorry.”

“He’s almost never home, except on the weekends!” Scootaloo complained while snuggling into her covers.

Phoenix looked away and scowled. Better than dying in a losing army…

She smirked and rolled her eyes. “It’s how jobs work, squirt. Besides, you’re always out with your friends, so you never see him.” Scootaloo pouted and looked away, knowing she was correct. “Maybe you could spend some time with him on Saturday. Heh, maybe both of you can.” She gestured to Phoenix who blushed and nodded along with her.

Scootaloo sighed and yawned. “Just… love you, mom,” she said suddenly then stretched back into her bed.

“Love you too, sweetie.” She glanced down to Phoenix, who was looking up awkwardly. “And I know your mom loves you too, Phoenix. Right, try and get some rest, you two. Good night.” She then left the room with the door slightly ajar. A candle had been lit on Scootaloo’s nightstand which was quickly blown out.

While Scootaloo felt content to lay in her bed, Phoenix just felt too weirded out to do such things. She had no choice but to lay in her sleeping bag, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to stand up and scream. Anxiety, stress, nervousness all crept in on her. She was near familiar ponies but in a very unfamiliar situation. It was so freaky that she could swear Discord was just waiting to come and take the moment for himself with a cherry on top.

“Hey, you okay?” Scootaloo asked, glancing down at her.

“Yeah… just miss my mom is all,” she answered honestly. “I mean, this isn’t bad or anything; but it’s not…” she then mumbled something, but she stopped when she noticed that it was basically gibberish.

“Oh. Sorry. I’m sure Twilight can find you a way home soon,” Scootaloo replied, hoping to cheer her up.

Phoenix smiled up at her slightly and nodded. Great…

“Until then, we’ll stick together. Cutie Mark Crusaders stick together, even if this is freakier than Discord!” Her voice rose just a bit louder than it should have, but thankfully Pale hadn’t noticed.

“That’s what I was thinking!” Phoenix said with excitement. “I guess we just think the same?”

Scootaloo blinked and shrugged. “Do you think Diamond Tiara is a dumb brat? If so, then yes.”

Phoenix chuckled. “Uh, I don’t know a Diamond Tiara.”

“Seriously? Well, consider yourself lucky, buster.”

The door suddenly creaked open. “Scootaloo, you can go see him. He just got hom--”

The filly was out of bed and zoomed out of the room before she could even blink. “-e,” she finished.“Hmm, better not see him yet. He was really tired and I didn’t have time to explain him to you, Phoenix. But you can see him in the morning. I’m sure it will help you seem less lonely.”

The filly nodded, closing her eyes while clenching her teeth.

Stop this… tell them.

“You sure you’re alright? It’s okay to be scared, you know,” she said in a soothing tone, “nopony minds. We just want to help.”

“I’m fine, but thanks, m- Pale. I’ll just get some rest,” she replied in a tone that said ‘please just let me sleep’.

“Hmm, alright, just don’t hesitate to let me know if something’s bothering you. I don’t care where you’re from, you’re still my daughter.” She looked as if she wanted to lean down to kiss her on the cheek, but thought better of it. “Uh, yeah... Sweet dreams.” She then closed the door but left it slightly ajar.

Downstairs, Phoenix could hear Scootaloo happily speaking with her father. The two voices seemed to wake up the whole house; possibly the whole neighborhood. In her bed, Phoenix lay awake listening to it all in pure shock. She felt like the unluckiest filly in the universe, envious of the luckiest downstairs. At that moment she would give anything to be the other Scootaloo. That night, her thoughts turned dark and bitter as her body moved around in turmoil.

Can’t sleep like this anyway… she thought.

Phoenix eventually got out of bed and snuck downstairs so she could grab just one thing from her bag, a dream catcher.

As she laid it out, careful to make sure it was resting just above her pillow, she continued to lay awake in bed, staring up at Luna’s moon.

I could just tell them why I can’t go back.

Her eyes fluttered several times, screaming in pain, urging for her to rest. Phoenix carefully felt around her wings while idly scratching at them. She’d been careful to lay on her side to avoid further injuries, though she half suspected that the constant itching wasn’t doing them any favors. Her eyes fluttered several times while she drifted in and out of sleep.

I could tell them… but what if they don’t listen?

She didn’t know anypony of their world, just their names. And while her mom seemed kind and caring, just like she should be, she didn’t fully believe Princess Twilight had her best interest at heart.

She whimpered in her sleep, her thoughts drifting and mulling over her predicament.

I can’t tell them. I can’t. What if I do and they don’t want me as their daughter?

The thought hadn’t fully crossed her mind until just then, but it wasn’t like Pale hadn’t dropped a big hint about.

She is my daughter, well, sort of…

She felt shame for hearing it, but even more ashamed for still wanting her as her mother. After biting her tongue again just to stop from crying, she had another thought. It was barely there as she was finally at that moment when she could pass out, but it was still quite vivid in her mind.

They could still send me back...

When Phoenix woke up, her head was aching like crazy. She felt as if she had been awake for over twenty-four hours straight. Probably due to the fact that she barely slept all night. How could she? Every time she thought of Scootaloo’s parents it filled her with so many conflicting emotions that it would nearly put her in shock. The laughing of the father would haunt her for a long time to come. Groggily she stood up and began to stretch. She looked up and found her counterpart happily snoozing on her bed.

She considered waking her but figured she’d get up on her own time. When Phoenix reached the doorknob, she paused and sighed. Something about facing Scootaloo’s parents filled her with disgust. She wanted desperately to run downstairs and hug them both. Why shouldn’t she be allowed that privilege? They were her parents after all! Her trembling hooves and tearful eyes stopped her, though. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, and despite herself, she left the room.

It was still dark in the house, and she had to squint to find her way downstairs. She looked around and didn’t find that anypony had been awake yet.

Must be nice, she thought, and continued to examine things. Before she could even so much as look at the cloud couch, however, her stomach began to rumble like wild. Her eyes darted over to the open kitchen and she smiled. “Very nice.”

After pouring herself a bowl of cereal (purposely not adding milk) and grabbing some toast, she took a seat on a cloud chair and sighed pleasantly. For a while, all that could be heard was the pleasant sound of her chewing and the occasional swallow. Her mind felt blank, which gave her a chance to relax. She didn’t have to think about the problems that she was in or weird and confusing feelings regarding the other her’s parents. It was just bliss.

“You’re up early, Pumpkin,” an energetic stallion’s voice exclaimed.

The mirror Scootaloo’s head shot up in surprise and she gawked at the stallion. He had an aqua blue coat, of all things, with a bright red mane and tail. He giggled, which made the mirror pony gawk even more as his voice was very high pitched. The filly shook her head as he walked up to her.

“Though I can’t blame ya. Your mother told me about what you three were up to. Just think! There’s another of… you upstairs, right now! It’s crazy!”

Memories came flying at the mirror pony like a ton of bricks. He thinks I’m the other Scootaloo! I forgot the scarf!

“Uh, listen I--”

He walked over to the box of cereal and interrupted before she could get anything out. “I mean, you and that club of yours have certainly shaken things up in town, but this... this is insane! I love you, sweetie, but sometimes I think your mother is holding you back,” he said, confusing her. “It’s not like such young fillies to be causing so much trouble, but that means you three are thinking outside the box! Like I’ve always said: simplicity and routine may get you somewhere, but it won't lead you somewhere special. Risk, true risk, can!” he finished with a smile and leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Phoenix shot back in such a fearful shock, her bowl of cereal nearly went everywhere. The stallion stared at her in shock as her own eyes widened in shock and she backed up a bit. “Yeah, heh. But I’m not your Scootaloo. I forgot to wear my scarf…” she said awkwardly.

He stood there frozen in mid-kiss, then straightened up and started to slowly back out of the room. His head popped back in for a moment. “This didn’t happen,” he said and left.

Phoenix’s head promptly smacked into her cereal bowl and she groaned. Several minutes later Scootaloo came downstairs, who was soon followed by her mother. Phoenix finished off her meal and stood up to put her bowl in the sink.

“Good morning, Phoenix. Since you don’t have any of your books from school, you can share with Scootaloo. Now, go and get ready. We need to get there before everypony else,” she stated firmly.

Scootaloo poured her cereal and began to angrily mutter about going to school so early. Phoenix went upstairs to comb out her mane and tail. She gave a quick sniff to her body and found no offending odors, but knew she would eventually need a bath. I guess it’s not all bad here, I’ll get a warm bath. Time seemed to slip through the cracks, and soon she was standing outside their home, with Scootaloo on the other side of her mother.

“Well, c’mon. We have some explaining to do. Hopefully, your teacher won't call the guard on us,” the mother quipped as they walked through town.

“Eh, I bet she’ll pass out or something,” Scootaloo quipped back.

“Or think it’s a prank,” Phoenix quipped as well.

Pale cleared her throat as they neared the school grounds. “Alright, enough joking. We’re going to walk in there calmly and explain the situation. Scoots, no funny business,” she demanded.

“Yeah, yeah…” she replied in a moaning tone, waving her forehoof.

They passed by the playground which was empty considering it was quite early in the morning. Pale was nervous that they had shown up almost too early, but the open doorway forced her to relax. Inside the tiny schoolhouse, they could hear a mare humming away. The place always seemed so neat and tidy with not a single ounce of chipped wood or speck of dirt. Pale smiled and entered, with Phoenix and Scootaloo following shortly behind.

Miss Cheerilee, a rather large earth pony with a stocky build, was seated at her desk. She didn’t look up but did mutter something. “The test should be… hmm…”

“Uh, Miss Cheerilee?” Pale said, gaining her attention.

The mare shot her head up and locked her eyes firmly on Pale. “Oh, yes. How can I help you?”

“Uh, we have something of an issue…” Her voice trailed off and gestured to the two Scootaloo's. Scootaloo waved while smiling and Phoenix reluctantly did the same.

Cheerilee stared in astonishment, before giving the mare a flat look. “Is this a prank?”

Pale chuckled nervously and shook her head. “No. It’s a long story, though.”

Cheerilee stood up and walked over to each Scootaloo. Her hoof reached out and traced itself along each of their backs. She examined her appendage and nodded.

“Oh dear, what happened to her wing, sweetie?”

Phoenix glanced to her bandage and shrugged. “That’s a long story, but I’m fine.”

Both mares glanced at one another not looking convinced, but Phoenix’s smile seemed to calm them down.

“If I had a bit for every foal who tried to paint themselves for a joke, I could probably buy a new house.” She chuckled and then her eyes landed on both Scootaloo's. “This is a new one, not a prank… So, you were saying something about a story?” She glanced up to Pale, who nodded.

“Yes, well…” And she started at the beginning.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Four: Nightmares Come Real

Class was very strange for everypony. The teacher couldn’t get used to the fact that there were two Scootaloo’s in her class. The other students wouldn’t stop glancing at the two, as if they were about to explode. Diamond Tiara now had another new target to bully, but that also meant it was now four on two, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, plus a dimension traveling filly, against Diamond Tiara and her lackey, Silver Spoon.

School was more than weird, it was tense.

Cheerilee had to instruct each student, as well as their guardian, upon entering her class, of Scootaloo’s situation. Some ponies responded in kind, others in confusion and a few in disgust. However, the class eventually started to drag on and things soon pushed into its usual routine. To the teacher, it was finally bliss, but to the students, it was still boredom.

“Move over,” Phoenix whispered harshly as she shoved Scootaloo’s body to the right. Both ponies had been going at it all morning. The desk wasn’t large enough to fit two ponies, but as the teacher lacked a spare desk and books, it was the only way.

“I did move over,” Scootaloo shot back, ”you move over.”

When the teacher looked at them, they each responded with a pristine smile, but once she looked away, it was back to shoving.

Apple Bloom leaned into her desk and called behind them. “How ya doin’, Scootaloo? And, uh, Phoenix?” she said, remembering the new filly’s nickname. She then felt quite odd in thinking Phoenix was the new filly in class.

Scootaloo hesitated then called back. “Uh, fine. Just not enough room on this desk.”

When Cheerilee walked away to grab some supplies the class began to talk amongst themselves.

Diamond Tiara noticed the struggling twins and smirked. “You know from here it’s like Blank Flank vision,” she taunted at them. Diamond was always seated behind the Crusaders, which had their own row.

Scootaloo ignored her, but Phoenix's eye began to twitch, and she would feel her wings began to itch yet again, but she did her level best to ignore everything.

Diamond continued. “Three blank flanks, but now there’s four of you. It’s like your affliction is multiplying.” Silver Spoon snickered in kind, but the rest of the class didn’t seem to notice.

Scootaloo growled but was easily able to ignore her. Phoenix's eye had twitched again.

“Blank-o-vision, coming to a theatre near you.”

Scootaloo almost said something, but Phoenix stood up, distracting her. She turned around while flaring out her wings and pointing to Diamond. Her glare could melt Nightmare Moon into nothing. At first, the two fillies wanted to chuckle at this, but Phoenix leaned into Diamond’s personal space to whisper.

“Shut your mouth, or I’ll shut it for you,” she threatened then casually slipped back into place.

The class remained so silent that a bit could be heard dropping. All eyes locked onto the now fuming filly, including Scootaloo’s.

Diamond was locked into a shocked expression, but it didn’t last. The pink filly flashed her teeth and growled at her. “How dare you! You pathetic excuse for a chicken!”

It took every ounce of Phoenix's willpower to not clobber Diamond Tiara right then and there.

“What is going on in here?!” Miss Cheerilee said as she suddenly returned. She looked over the fuming fillies, expecting an answer. “Well?”

“Nothing,” Phoenix said quietly. She quickly returned to her seat while Diamond smirked and did the same.

Miss Cheerilee sighed then returned to her desk as well. “This is going to be a long semester,” the teacher surmised.

The rest of class was uneventful, aside from Diamond blowing a spitball at Apple Bloom. When the bell for recess rang, Phoenix was quite relieved to get out of there. When she joined the Crusaders, they looked quite concerned.

“You okay?” Scootaloo said and motioned for her to sit next to them.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement. “So, she’s still a brat where you come from?”

Phoenix shrugged. “I don’t really, uh, know her where I’m from. I just thought she was being awfully rude.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom gasped at this. “Wow, golly a world without Diamond Tiara. I wish I could come with ya, Phoenix,” Apple Bloom said with a giggle.

Oh no you realllly don’t!

“So, anypony up for Crusading after class?” Scootaloo suddenly asked, looking at everypony.

“Uh, what does Crusading even mean?” Phoenix asked.

The three of them gasped, but then all suddenly realized that it actually made sense for Phoenix. After all, she claimed to not even know the other Crusaders.

Sweetie Belle stepped forward while the others sat around her in a semicircle. “We’re on a crusade and we won't stop until we find our special talents! We’re…”

“THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!” The three yelled in unison. The entire class stopped playing for all of two seconds in silence before everything started up again like it was normal for them to scream that.

Phoenix had her hooves clapped over her ears and held them there firmly until Scootaloo gently moved them. “So, what do you think?!”

Phoenix slowly nodded, really unsure what to think. “Uh, cool I guess.”

“That’s it? Cool, C'mon, you should want to join! I mean, you’re a blank flank too!”

Phoenix's eye twitched in irritation at this as she scowled at the words.

“Uh, not that there’s anything wrong with that! We just, you know… I guess it’s sort of a pride thing for us. We try not to show our shame,” Sweetie Belle explained. “You don’t have to join, we just thought maybe you’d like to-- uh, I mean while you’re still here!”

Phoenix softened her featured upon hearing this and slowly nodded. “I guess it can’t hurt. It’s just a little weird to hear is all.”

“Hey, how come you don’t know us two where you’re from anyway? Just how different is your, well, world?” Apple Bloom asked.

Phoenix went to reply but let out an earth-shattering yawn. Her muzzle reached wide enough to ache her jaw in several places while her eyes twitched irritably. She could actually feel her eyes grow slightly puffy, like a sudden onset of exhaustion struck.

I guess I really didn’t sleep much, she thought.

The three glanced at one another and turned back. “Didn’t sleep much?” Scootaloo asked.

Phoenix shrugged. “Not really, sorry. Uh, actually I’ll be right back. Okay?”

Sweetie shrugged. The exhausted filly waved and quickly re-entered the classroom.

Phoenix looked around and quickly found their teacher who looked busy grading papers at her desk. “Ex- excuse me, but is there a bathroom here?”

The teacher glanced up and quickly recognized her blue scarf. “Oh, yes Phoenix, it’s just around the back. Fillies on the right,” she said.

Phoenix quickly thanked her but not before silently reaching into her bag and slipping out a familiar looking black case. Even as she walked away back toward the playground, she could feel another yawn coming on. A sickening headache had also begun to creep into her skull, while the world around her seemed just a tad darker.

Stop thinking about her. She can’t find you here… stop! Phoenix thought and she quickened her pace as she ran around the class, her box tucked tightly under her right wing. Around the back, she spotted a separate building, connected to the old wooden constructed schoolhouse. It seemed a tad more modern, build from fine stone and nice white porcelain tiles on the inside. Phoenix sighed as she ducked into a toilet stall and quickly shut the door.

Even doing this was stressful. Her body was forced to take several deep breaths just to maintain her composure. Despite the nice warm sun seeping into the bathroom stall, everything around her began to feel cold and sickening. Thoughts of her dead parents and the parents she could never have begun to waver around her head. Shakily she reached for the latch on the box and quickly slipped the case open.

Mom’s gonna freak…

Phoenix counted out the number of capsules left while she quickly reached for one. The world started to be drenched in sickening shadows; dark magic seemingly out of nowhere reached for her.

I’m sure your parents love you too…

Smiling sadly, Phoenix brought one of the unspent capsules to her mouth, her body aching for it. Like a drug addict who would do anything for more, her mind was screaming for her to push the end and activate the thing.

This didn’t happen…

She whimpered as the final bits of the sickening world began to crumble around her, her hoof was millimeters away from activating the drugged capsule. Her head pounded incessantly, urging her to sleep. The world around her began to shake and move off center while her balance wavered.

She can’t find me here… she can’t!

Sweet little filly, I am everywhere! You really think you could--

Panicking her hoof finally smashed into the capsule, the effects were instant. The queen’s sickening voice vanished as if it was never there. Light flooded her vision while the horrible headache that had been pounding against her skull was nullified to a very miniscule amount. She still felt tired, but she could feel a sort of artificial second wind pulse into her nervous system. And finally, the world no longer felt off its axis as things finally righted themselves.

Phoenix's hoof slowly fell to her sides with the spent capsule rolling away out of the stall.

She can’t be here… she thought, no longer caring just how much she was crying. She even sniffled some with her body shaking. “N- no, she can- can’t be here,” she stuttered violently. She began to pound her hooves on her skull over and over, wishing to wake up from the ever-present nightmare that was Nightmare Moon.

“No…”

“Phoenix? Sweetie. Are you alright?”

Phoenix jumped out of her skin, quickly recognizing her new teacher’s voice. She shut her black case and hid it under her wing while doing her best to wipe away any tears. “Y- yeah,” she stuttered and quickly opened the stall. “Sorry I, uh…”

“Have you been crying? Honey, please tell me what’s wrong.”

“Um, I guess I just miss home,” she said automatically. It was a lie and it came out in a rather monotone and emotionless way, but it was all she could think of.

Her teacher gave a kind and caring smile. “I see. I’m sure Princess Twilight is doing everything in her power to find you a way back. If you need to talk about it, though, I’d be more than happy to listen.”

The little pegasus smiled slightly, though inside she was feeling worse than ever. She didn’t want to go home!

“S- sure, thank you Miss Cheerilee. We should get back to class, huh?”

She shook her head. “Not for another few minutes, I’ll be there but don’t be afraid to let anypony know if you feel uncomfortable,” she finished then cantered off.

Phoenix sniffled once and gathered up the spent capsule, glad that the teacher hadn’t seen it.

What am I gonna do when these are done? she thought miserably.

Addiction and the side effects that came with it were not high up on the Shining Phoenix's list of concerns when fighting a losing war. A part of her knew what it meant, but she always had something greater to worry about. Such as a magical mirror.

She slowly started walking back toward the classroom, still deep in thought. Could she really be here? Using the mirror somehow?

After several moments of thought, Phoenix finally shook her head and sighed. She figured it didn’t matter, for she was going to break the mirror even if it killed her. Only issue was she needed a way to sneak into Twilight’s castle. She slowly smirked while placing her bag back in the class.

I’ll need to be sneaky, but shouldn’t be an issue, she thought.

Back in class, the students were each given various assignments to complete, a few math problems and some language topics to work through. Phoenix glanced over and noticed that while Scootaloo wasn’t exactly breezing through them, she could at least understand most of the problems. This was not the same for Phoenix, basic math was fine, but the rest was simply an enigma. After all, schooling wasn’t high up on her priorities when you were constantly running for your life, doing secret missions and simply surviving.

Grunting in annoyance and feeling slightly ashamed, she quickly glanced over to her partner’s work and quickly copied down what she could see. A few of the problems she left blank as she ran out of time.

“Pencils down, please pass those up with your names on them,” their teacher exclaimed.

Phoenix quietly passed hers up then looked away, deep in thought.

I’m gonna need a way to get past her stupid guards. I better scout the place out tonight when everypony’s in bed. She then chuckled quietly to herself. Not like I’m getting much sleep, anyway…

“Phoenix, are you paying attention?”

She blinked and glanced around the class, feeling her cheeks blush ever slightly. Scootaloo had a history book out and was busy reading from it.

She shook her head. “Uh, s- sorry, were you saying something?”

The other students chuckled, but the teacher remained stoic. “Yes, please read from the top of page sixty-two. About the griffon uprising.”

“Uh, r- right,” she stuttered. Her eyes began to glaze over slightly, blurring the images and text. She rubbed them several times until things finally righted themselves, appearing sharp once more. Slowly, she began to read. She could at least do this since reading didn’t require too much-practiced skill, though she finished much slower than she would have liked with her vision blurring several times.

Stupid sleep… she thought. She knew why it was happening and how to prevent it, but knowing wasn’t very helpful in her current situation.

“Um, thank you, Phoenix. How about you take over, Scootaloo,” she said. The filly groaned quietly but continued where Phoenix had left off. It didn’t take a genius to notice just how much quicker the little filly was at reading than Phoenix had been, albeit in a bored and very un-enthusiastic tone. A few pages later and another set of surprise assignments eventually led the lunch bell to ring.

“Lunchtime, my little ponies! Go on and enjoy yourselves!”

Phoenix sighed in relief and quickly grabbed her bagged lunch before cantering outside. Something about the whole situation made her feel weirded out like she had been there before. She glanced down at her brown paper baggy and squinted. Written in pink ink were the words “Enjoy your day, my little Phoenix~”.

Enjoy your day, my little Scootaloo…

Phoenix's heart lurched when she finally remembered just why the bag brought back such old memories. She used to do this at school…

“Cmon, Phoenix! We’re sitting over there,” Scootaloo called out, pointing to a nearby bench. The other Crusaders followed along, but Phoenix had remained sitting, a few tears streaming down her cheeks.

Phoenix mumbled something unintelligible and slowly walked over to join them while trying her best to hold onto her emotions in a tight bundle, wiping away any stray tears.

“You okay?” Sweetie asked then dug into her lunch, biting into her sandwich.

There was a slight nod though the others didn’t look so convinced. Apple Bloom nudged her side causing Phoenix to flinch.

“You don’t seem all that okay. Uh, your face is a little damp…”

“Just… miss my home, I guess,” she lied again. It was lame sounding, but to a young filly in a class with other foals, it at least seemed believable.

Scootaloo and the others nodded, giving her kind smiles. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back before you know it! But not before you go on adventures with…”

Dear Celestia, no! she thought and frantically raised her hooves to cover her ears; she had a big enough headache already!

“THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!”

Phoenix's head began to spin, or more precisely the world began to spin. Her headache, which had been a nice and dull pain, split her head in two as the awful migraine from earlier came back with a vengeance. Her hooves began to shake, though if the Crusaders noticed, they didn’t seem to do anything about it.

“But what Crusade should we do this time?” Sweetie asked.

Three adorable but very loud little fillies began to ponder this while Phoenix nursed her headache, rubbing her hooves around her temples in tiny circles.

“Tree climbers?”

“Did that already,” Apple Bloom and Sweetie replied in unison.

“Lion tamers?”

“...Did that.”

Lions? What in the hay…

“Discord catchers?”

“Scootaloo, last time we tried that my mane turned pink for a whole month! How could y'all forget that?”

“Oh yeah… I still can’t get all that tree sap out of the clubhouse…” she replied with a shudder of fear.

Phoenix blinked in astonishment and slowly shook her head. The Crusaders continued to rant on and on about their previous “adventures” while Phoenix began to munch on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

She cut off the crust… Phoenix thought, her heart lurching slightly.

Getting tired of crying, the little filly bit her lip hard until she could taste a tad bit of blood. It was silly and a tad unsettling, but it was something she grew accustomed to while on her long and dangerous missions. She tasted a few droplets of blood and nearly blanched from the taste. The pain had helped her focus in the past so she could get the job done. Pain was generally seen as something to be avoided, but its existence wasn’t meaningless, after all, it served as a warning to avoid danger.

The little Crusaders may have gone on some crazy adventures in their past, but most were nothing compared to what she’d been through just to get by.

Though I never woke an ancient god of chaos… that’s kind of up there, she thought while swallowing the last bit of her sandwich. She wasn’t sure if she even enjoyed the Crusader's company, but she had to admit, they were an impressive bunch of fillies. Even if they were off their rockers.

By the end of her first actual day of school, Phoenix was in a miserable state. She had long since given up on trying to figure out most of her assignments, opting to instead daydream of her future plans. Everything revolving around the blasted mirror and how to rid herself of it.

What do I do when it’s gone? Just live here?

The thought was quite unsettling, to say the least. True her “parents” hadn’t been all too perturbed by her presence and seemed to love her in some small way, but she doubted that having a literal clone of her daughter live with them forever would be preferable to a temporary engagement. She didn’t want to replace anypony, no matter how badly Phoenix wanted her parents back. There was always the possibility that they could work things out, but it seemed quite slim. It wouldn’t hurt to try, she figured as she wanted to spend as much time with them as possible.

She’d given very little thought to what she’d end up doing with her life back in “The Queen’s Realm” if the queen ever fell. What would she have done had the resistance actually won? No home, no parents and no friends beyond a few older colleagues, but she never had free time to think about it, only her missions.

“Class is dismissed! Have a nice day, my little ponies!”

Phoenix slowly packed her things away and got up to leave, though her new Crusader friends were five steps ahead of her, already out the door.

“C’mon, Phoenix! We’re going to the clubhouse!”

“Uh…”

“Are you sure you’re alright, little one?”

Phoenix mouthed the words, little one, feeling alien to her. She gave the best fake smile she could muster at the time, which seemed to fail her.

“You look exhausted, Phoenix. Do you want to talk things out?”

The kind and caring attitude felt so real and so right, but deep down an immense force pushed her to stay away. She swallowed and shook her head, figuring there was no real point. “I’m fine, Miss Cheerilee, really.”

“A- alright. Just, try and have a nice, relaxing day. Alright?”

“Right, thank you,” she said, not knowing how else to respond.

She waved her off and soon Phoenix was riding in the back of a wagon of all things with Scootaloo scooting along in, what else, a scooter. She pulled them along toward the farm where the whole mess with the mirror had started. As they traveled, the wind blowing through their manes and tails didn’t offer much aid for them to converse, as such, Phoenix began to daydream.

The mission was simple: reconnaissance. To observe the enemy as close as she could and report back to The Phoenix. It seemed simple enough when she volunteered, but now she wasn’t so sure of her abilities.

Scootaloo gulped and watched the night guards, a pair of them both stationed at the front gates. The place they were guarding was huge, a sprawling castle with towers that seemed to go on forever. At the tips of each towel was a decorative molding shaped to that of an apple. Just how the castle came to be was still a huge mystery to them, but they knew that it was one of six which seemingly sprang up in various spots all over Equestria.

Truth be told, Scootaloo didn’t just volunteer for the assignment for the credit in the Shining Phoenix. No. She had a far more personal reason.

“Honesty, I’m coming for you...” Scootaloo muttered with a deep scowl.

Many of the castle’s finer details and features were difficult to make out, though it was clear the only two ways in were either flying over or through the front gate. Climbing was a bad move, as was flight since she could spot dozens of guards high up in the shadows.

To her amazement, the guards outside weren’t unicorns. It was quite the common practice for the Queen's army to use mage casters at the front line, or to guard important buildings and structures. Earth Ponies were strong when they needed to be and were quite the fighters, but often were no match against a well-trained battle mage. So, it was odd to see two Earth Ponies decked out in silver clad armor both guarding the front gates.

“Maybe Honesty trusts them more? Hmm…” she muttered to herself while rummaging through her trusty saddlebag. “Here we are!”

She had finally located the object of her desire: a small white box which was felt lined. Inside was a simple bamboo pole, roughly three hooves long. A tiny hole jutted out on either side along with a clear indication on where to load the thing.

“Zebras… such strange weapons.”

Lined alongside the pole were several darts all evenly spaced and gently packed away in the felt. Scootaloo was careful to load them into the dart gun, she also took her time to aim at the nearest guard. She knew that not only she would have one shot at this, but the second he was down, the other would come running.

“I’ll be ready…” she said, though she wasn’t all that convinced on her abilities.

Her aim was true and the strike was deadly. The first guard went down with a loud thump. Everything stood still for a moment, while Scootaloo readied her second dart. She had only glanced away from the other guard for a moment when he suddenly vanished. The sound of crickets and nocturnal animals seemed to seep into the darkness itself.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Five: Hiding

“We’re here!” Scootaloo announced. The filly glanced back and rolled her eyes. Sweetie Belle’s mane was completely frazzled, while Apple Bloom was giving her a death glare.

“Scoots! You don’t always hafta go that fast, you know!”

Her counterpart shook her head and glanced around. The memories of that mission seemed so vivid, it was as though she was back there. Waking up from such a vision was unsettling, to say the least.

“Yeah, yeah,” Scootaloo said. “Come on up, Phoenix! We’ll show ya around!”

Phoenix really didn’t have time to inspect anything in their clubhouse from earlier, but now she could plainly see that they were each insane in their own unique way.

Scootaloo had tried to initiate her by using a set of drums and some odd ritual until Phoenix carefully explained that she had a massive headache and wasn’t really in the mood to make it worse. There was also the matter of the crazy amount of parchment plastered on the walls, detailing their failed crusades and what they learned. Some of them baffled her to no end.

“So… you tried all of these? All of them?!”

The three fillies nodded their heads, looking downcast and forlorn. Phoenix inspected a few of them while silently shaking her head in bewilderment. She held up one which showed the picture of a chicken, but all she got was silence.

“Uh, well did you try, uh… researching stuff in a library?”

“We tried that plenty of times, Phoenix,” Apple Bloom muttered. “Ah guess we haven’t done it recently. Maybe Twi has some new books?”

Scootaloo groaned and smacked her head. “Ugh, reading…”

“Rainbow Dash reads all the time, Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Knowing full well the rainbow pegasus loved to read.

“To the library!” Scootaloo screamed, pointing off to the distance.

“Uh, Scoots? Library burned down, it’s in Twilight’s castle now.”

“To the castle!”

So much noise… Scootaloo’s counterpart bit her lip again through her ears perked upon hearing the words castle. She smirked. “I guess we could see how Twilight’s doing on the mirror, right?” Phoenix suggested.

“Heya, Crusaders. How was your day?” Applejack asked, appearing at their doorstep.

“Oh, hey, Applejack! It was okay, we were just gonna head over to Twilight’s an’ get some research done,” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Phoenix blinked while she examined the mare. She found a kind, caring smile about her features, but her memories of Honestly were far from kind.

“You know, ah gotta admit, yougin’, that,” the mare said while gesturing to the now unconscious guard at her hooves, “that was mighty stupid of ya.”

Scootaloo’s hooves had been encased in a strong magical field, forced to bow to Honesty in the most uncomfortable and unnatural way possible. She clenched her teeth in pain while doing her best to look at her surroundings. She was definitely in a fortress of some kind. Large stone walls and cobblestone flooring were enough to tip that bit of information off to her. She couldn’t see much from her position, but Scootaloo knew enough that she could sense several guards seated behind her.

“Ah mean, ah’ve seen some dumb ponies in my past. That rainbow pest the queen loves so much. A failure of a mail mare, but you, you my dear, really take the cake.”

The filly groaned in place but said nothing in response.

“Ah think she’s had enough bowing. Let her head up, hurry on now,” she commanded.

Suddenly the immense pressure which had been directed on her spine let up and finally, she could look around. She glanced up into the mare’s wild eyes while doing her best now to cower in fear. It wasn’t necessarily how she looked, but what Honesty represented in the queen’s arsenal. The thing she’d heard her do were nothing short of sickening.

The mare took her Stenson hat off and pretended to examine the thing before cantering forward. “Just what is your name, little filly?”

Scootaloo smirked. “Firehen.”

“Wrong!” The mare screamed, causing the filly to flinch. The crazy earth pony ran forward, stopping short of her muzzle. “Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!” she yelled and then smacked the yougin’ straight in the face. Blood broke on her skin, but her assailant didn’t seem to care. Honesty grabbed the filly from the magical imprisonment and forcefully tossed her against a nearby wall.

“You break into my fortress and have the gall to lie to me! Me!” she said, stomping her forehooves on the filly’s chest over and over. Eventually, the little pegasus began coughing up blood on the floor until the assault ceased. The mare leaned down and whispered. “Now, what is your real name and I want the truth…”

“Sco- Scootaloo,” she said truthfully. She began breathing heavily. Now free from the unicorn guard’s spell, she used her free hoof to wipe away some of the blood. “My name is Scootaloo.”

“Hmm, quite the strong little filly, Scootaloo. Shame you’re not one of us.”

“Huh?”

“A true Equestrian. An Earth Pony. Pegasi may have their place, too, ah suppose. But the true strength of an Equestrian can only be in us deemed worthy enough to connect with the planet itself.”

“Y- you’re insane.”

She chuckled at this. “Ah’m not the one that broke in here without so much as ah bit of backup, youngin’.”

“Wh- what h- happens now?” she asked, clenching her jaw and seething in more pain. She didn’t think anything was broken, but she wasn’t about to risk getting on her hooves.”

“That all depends on you, Scootaloo. Kindly follow my guards to initiation and we’ll see from there,” she muttered and waved her off like the whole thing was nothing. Scootaloo wondered just how many she had initiated in her time serving the queen.

“W- wait!” Scootaloo said, just as the guards had appeared at her sides. “Yo- you have to answer me something, please. You’re Honesty, right? Ju… just, please answer me one thing.”

The mare stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. “Ah suppose. Just make it quick.”

“I he- heard that my parents m- may have come through here. Th-ey they look a lot like me and were in our army. Do you know what happened to them?”

The mare stared down at her for a good, long while. Contemplating what to say. Scootaloo didn’t trust any of the queen’s army, but she knew that this one, in particular, could at least be trustworthy enough to let loose a nugget of truth here and there, it was in her nature, after all.

Surprisingly, the mare bowed while taking her hat off. “Are you sure you wish to know their fate?”

The filly’s heart lurched, already forming the smallest hint on what may have happened to them. Slowly, she nodded.

“Heh. Ah’m not proud of those first experiments. It took some doin’, but eventually, we figured a… cleaner way of doin’ it. But ah’m afraid there were quite a few mistakes back in the beginnin’.”

“Wh- what are you saying?!” Scootaloo asked, her voice squeaking slightly.

“You really wanna know the truth?”

“Y- yes.”

She chuckled quite darkly and leaned in, her muzzle as close as possible to the filly’s face. “We needed more strength in our army, more earth ponies. Ah can’t remember everypony we tried it on, but ah believe a mare that goes by Pale was one of the first…” Scootaloo’s eyes widened in shock, catching the mare by surprise. “Well ah’ll be. Ah guess it makes sense that her daughter got away and all, funny how you ended up back here.”

Honesty paused and watched for a reaction. “She didn’t last long, though she wasn’t helping things by struggling.”

Scootaloo stood still in shock, her mind slowly shutting down as she put the pieces together.

“Now don’t worry none, we’ve since perfected the procedure.” She leaned in and ruffled Scootaloo’s feathers. “You won't even feel ah thing.”

Scootaloo felt dizzy, like the world was spinning despite remaining so perfectly still. She teetered on her hooves, trying to remain steady. Slowly the world started to fade, but in the back of her head, she heard a massive explosion. Stone and rocks spilling everywhere. The last thing that she remembered before blacking out was the shouts of Honesty, and her guards readying their weapons for a long fight.

“Hmm, that so? Doin’ some gentle crusadin’ today?” she asked with a giggle.

Phoenix blinked and looked around in confusion. Hadn’t she just been scouting on a mission? She’d been caught and heard something horrible, a terrible fate for her mother and father. She groaned and rubbed her head in tiny circles, trying to dispel the strong illusions of her nightmares. Already she was craving the itch for another canister.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and nodded. “I guess. Ugh, I thought this would be more exciting with two of me around…” she muttered and huffed a bit in frustration.

“And how you holding up, Phoenix?” Applejack asked her, point blank.

The filly slowly shrugged. “Uh, not bad I guess. Just, um… yeah, not bad,” she said, trying to sound cool and casual.

“Uh huh. Well, ya seem fairly tired, Sugarcube. Didn’t get much sleep?”

“...Yeah, pretty much,” Phoenix muttered while looking away. The three crusaders awkwardly glanced at one another before turning to Applejack, hoping for her to make sense of Phoenix brash attitude.

“Why don’t you three get onto Twilight’s place? I wanna say somethin’ to Phoenix here.”

The Crusaders didn’t have much to argue with, so they left but not before waving to Phoenix who gave a weak nod in response.

The two sat across from one another by quite the distance, each staring off at other trees. It took a while but eventually, the mare spoke.

“Look,” she started and Phoenix looked back to her, “ah don’t know what’s different from where you’re from. And ah just sort of assumed a few things…”

The filly tilted her head in confusion, not understanding. Without warning, Applejack stood up and walked a few paces until she was right in front of her. “My name’s Applejack, it’s a pleasure to meet ya,” she said and offered her outstretched hoof. She smiled nervously down to Phoenix and waited rather patiently. “Twi explained a few things to us, she said it’s possible that you don’t even know everypony that our Scootaloo does since you tread different paths. A- ah’m ah wrong, Phoenix?”

“No, you’re not wrong,” she said truthfully. Applejack did take note when Phoenix backed up rather fearfully, however. The mare backed up herself and grabbed her hat.

“Ah don’t know you like ah know our Scootaloo. And… hmm, ah don’t know why you’re so afraid of me--”

“I’m not afraid!” she hastily interrupted, though this just raised further suspicions.

“Sugarcube, ah think you are,” she stated and then held her hoof out when the filly tried to object. “I don’t know why, and… and if you want to keep that to yourself then that’s your business. But, just please don’t be afraid to come see me or Twilight or even Miss Cheerilee if you need help. And… ah’m gonna say this from the bottom of my heart, Scootaloo,” she said, the filly’s eyes widened in shock while her ears perked. “Don’t give into yer fears, don’t keep bottled up and to yourself. Friendship, true friendship conquers all fears. So, lil’ Scootaloo, will you be my friend?”

It was like a cannon had gone off and struck her heart dead on. She didn’t feel her insomnia or the coming darkness. She didn’t see Honesty or what she had done to her parents. She wanted to say yes more than anything, but something kept pulling her back. An older memory, back when the whole of Equestria, her Equestria, had fallen.

It had been months since Canterlot fell. Scootaloo had eventually broken free from the queen’s wretched initiation school and had sought the military resistance, The Shining Phoenix. When she finally found the place, she had to admit that it was rather underwhelming. The place had an allure of a hastily constructed series of tents and a few buildings. The only good thing she could say about it was that the place was well hidden, deep within one of the darkest and most secluded forests known to pony kind: The Dread Timbers. The place was most definitely off the beaten path; Scootaloo only thanked Celestia that the Nightmare’s soldiers hadn’t reached there yet.

Despite her young age, they didn’t exactly turn her away of course, but her new list of jobs was less than satisfactory. Not that she actually wanted to be out there, going on missions and fighting crazy Nightmare Guards, but she had to admit that the prospect of doing something exciting did have an allure to it.

It was her fifth day in the compound and already she was sick of her duties. She was basically ordered to do anything and everything that the head of the command needed of her, so long as it stayed on their property. Safe from Nightmare Moon. In exchange, she got shelter, a place to sleep and food, though not a ton of food. Without the sun, growing plants had become tricky and the trees and flora that were natural to The Dread Timbers forest were largely dying and fading away into nothing.

They had various scientists (the ones that were not under Nightmare’s control) working around the clock to come up with strategies to grow food without Celestia’s shining sun to aid them. So far all they had come up with were strange artificial lights which could, at best, mimic the sun's rays. It made for some incredibly bland and stunted fruits and veggies.

“S- stupid commander,” Scootaloo muttered. She had been tasked with cleaning out various tents for the morning and making sure that everypony had fresh water and their rations for the day. This included hers, of course, but it always seemed like far too little.

“Always telling me what to do and then she j- just storms off,” she muttered and started filling another pitcher with water. “Why I oughta--”

“Hey, kid?”

Scootaloo broke out into a fake smile and whirled around, giving whoever it was a salute. “Ready to se- serve! The sun will rise again!”

To her astonishment, it wasn’t another commander but one of their soldiers. A pegasus pony who was chuckling in her direction. “Heh, that’s good to hear, miss…?”

“Scootaloo.”

“Right. How’d you like to earn some extra phoenix feathers?”

The young filly’s eyes lit up and she nodded excitedly. Bits were no longer used. The new “queen” had forbidden them since were a representation of Celestia’s might over her kingdom. But more than that, “Sun Bits” were all cursed by an extremely powerful spell and, as it turned out, The Shining Phoenix learned this the hard way by losing a few of their soldiers to the Nightmare’s curse. Lunar currency did exist, but after watching some of their comrades literally descend into madness, they weren’t about to risk using them. As such, phoenix feathers were invented. Brilliant bird shaped feathers crafted from silver.

“Yes! Y- you have a bunch?” Scootaloo asked nervously.

The mare chuckled and jingled a little baggy in her forehoof. “Sure do. Us soldiers probably get a bit more than somepony of your, well, stature,” she explained, trying not to insult her.

“Ugh, tell me about it. I think I have, uh, one so far.”

“One? Now that won't do… tell you what, Scootaloo, I need to get settled out on another mission for the Shining Phoenix, secret stuff, you understand. But I have a few chores that need doing around this place. Do everything on this list and I’ll pay ya in full, five feathers. Deal?”

“F- five? It took me two weeks to earn just one! Deal!” she practically screamed, her little wings buzzed excitedly. The mare chuckled again and dropped off a long list in front of her. “O- oh wow, thi- this is a lot of stuff…”

“Mhm, get it done in two days!”

“Two days, got it!” she said. “I’ll just… meet you back at your tent when you return?”

“Sure kid, sure,” she said rather dismissively. “Just get them done and you’ll be rollin’ in feathers.”

“Right…” she said, licking her lips. She could already taste some of the things she was gonna buy. Treats, bread, milk! Sure, some of that was allowed in her daily rations, but owning excess of it was always a plus in her book!

“F- finally done,” Scootaloo muttered while she drifted in and out of consciousness. While not needed, she crossed off the final chore of her ridiculous list and sighed. She’d been at it practically all night, but eventually, the mare’s list was conquered. “Time for my reward…”

She felt woozy on her hooves and several times she accidentally stumbled into the wrong tent, but eventually, she made it back to the same spot as the day before. She looked around for the strange mare, she didn’t see here but she hear her off in the distance. Following her voice, it started to become much clearer.

“Excellent work, private. Your rations and feathers for the week and extra for all that work you put in last night.”

“Uh, heh, right. Thank you!”

The mare whistled to herself and quickly exited the tent.

“Uh, I finished,” Scootaloo said and the pegasus froze in her tracks. “Do you have my reward?”

The mare slowly turned to face Scootaloo with a slight frown. “Scootsaloo, heh, right?”

“It- it’s erm, Scootaloo,” she replied rather nervously.

“Right, right. So you finish up the list?”

The filly smirked and tossed over the parchment, every single item checked off. “Yep, everyone! So, uh, got those feathers?”

“No. Not for you, anyway.”

“...What?” she muttered, her eyes widening in surprise. “B- but yo- you said…”

The mare simply shook her head. “Filly, you need to wise up to how things are done around here. You wanna survive and make it through this war?”

Scootaloo gritted her teeth, anger swelling up to rise above her curiosity, though she said nothing in response.

The strange mare’s wings expanded as she was about to take to the air. “The only trust yourself, it’ll get ya a lot farther.”

“I’ll tell the general on you! I- I’ll have you arrested!”

Right before flapping, she began to break down and chuckle, she even giggled a few times.

“What? What’s so funny?!”

“You don’t even know my name and I was wearing this armor anytime you saw me, you silly filly,” she said while gesturing to the Shining Phoenix standard issue white plated armor. “General, this random pegasus promised me phoenix feathers if I did chores for her, I don’t know her name or her cutie mark, but you have to find her!” she said rather mockingly. She probably went too far with how much Scootaloo began to tear up.

She sighed and shook her head. “Look, just do what the Phoenix leaders tell you and trust nopony else. This was… well, a lesson for you, filly. Do your jobs, do your missions to stay alive and trust nopony else,” she stated and then took to the skies, leaving her to sniffle to herself, confused, sad, bitter and angry.

“What do you say, sugarcube?”

Scootaloo’s entire body began to shake with obvious signs of intense sweating around her hooves. Her wings ruffled a few times, but her hooves remained rooted to the ground while her eyes continued to stare, unblinking.

“Ah, look ah understand if you’re scared and--” It took Applejack a few seconds to realize what had happened.

She was trying to reach out with her hoof, just to give the little filly a pat on the back (obviously away from her injury), but the filly ran. Not on her hooves, by but taking to the sky. She almost didn’t see the little one move, but she certainly heard something rip, like a bandage. Gasping, with the wind and dust that Phoenix had gathered up, she looked around for her but could only see a small orange dot way off in the distance. She knew for a fact that Scootaloo, their Scootaloo, lacked the ability for flight and, somehow, Phoenix could. It just piled on more evidence that Phoenix's realm, world or wherever she came from was very, very different.

The mare glanced down at the discarded and bloodied bandage on the ground and sighed heavily.

“Phoenix… what are you hiding? What are you afraid of?” AJ muttered to herself.

She sighed and went on to her daily duties on the farm, all the while a certain orange pegasus filly never leaving her thoughts alone.

Run!

That was the only thing that she could think to do. Run and hide, just run and hide. The single thought was dominate, echoing throughout her mind while her flight or fight response kicked into overdrive. Applejack had sounded so nice and so sincere like she had her best interests at heart. This was exactly why Phoenix felt it was necessary to fly as far and fast as her wings would carry her.

She flew for a few minutes until a painful strain on her injured wing caused her to gently float down until she was resting on a small cloud. Phoenix gritted her teeth and looked behind her to inspect the damage. There wasn’t too much blood, but it did itch like crazy and, already, splashes of it were soaking into her bag.

Grunting in pain, she quickly soared down to the ground below and got to work. She wasn’t paying attention to anypony or anything beyond her freshly torn wound and her first aid kit.

After a while and a few dozen calming breathes, her work eventually slowed to a crawl. Next, she wiped the excess blood from her bag (or what little that hadn’t dried) and finally collapsed on the ground. The bandaged filly glanced at her surroundings and let loose a series of laughs. Everything looked pristine while her coat shined a bright hue in Celestia’s gleaming sun. She eventually began to look to her surroundings and noticed that she was on a path which leads out of Ponyville. Godlike rays washed over everything, leading her back into town. Everything looked peaceful and majestic, alien to her. Scootaloo could hardly fathom a time when things were just like it, all of her memories tainted by a dark queen and her nightmare like realm.

The filly tried to comprehend what had happened with vivid daydreams of night’s long past popping up like some sort of virus. Everypony around her just seemed to want to help, with even the world itself inviting her to stay and live. To be happy and prosper, to be free. She could do it without a second’s thought. She’d be away from all the confusion and horrible flashbacks. Away from the so-called Elements of Harmony. Away from school. Away from missions and rules and restrictions. Away from the wretched mirror and the prospect of going back. Smiling and liking all of that very much, the filly began to walk along the path away from Ponyville.

Away from mom and dad.

Phoenix froze in her tracks while gritting her teeth. Slowly, the itching came back, the world was cast into cold darkness from which there was no escape.

“N- no… no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No!” she screamed and pounded her hoof into the dirt. Her head pounded with extreme agony. The itch to reach for another capsule grew while her vision darkened, blurring from a full day’s exhaustion and lack of sleep.

A sickening laugh echoed through the trees surrounding the pathway. She looked around as her heart rate increased with her eyes shrinking to pinpricks.

“Sh- she’s not here… she can’t be here.”

The haunting laugh only increased in volume while Scootaloo began to hastily rummage through her bag, looking for her case of capsules. The first attempt to lift the case out went quite poorly with how much her hooves shook. Already she could sense the dark queen’s presence, seeping into Equestria and heading for Ponyville. Heading for the two ponies she cared about most. She could swear a vision of the mare herself began to appear before her very eyes.

I’ll care for you like you were my own; I promise…

It all stopped. Her anguish, the dark laughing, the cold and darkening world ceased to exist. She blinked and glanced down at the case, staring it at for a good minute before tossing it back into her bag. She wanted another one, desperately, but somehow just the thought of seeing Pale again brought her back from the brink of insanity. Slowly, she stood up and began limping back into Ponyville.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Six: A Pinkie Promise

Phoenix trudged through Ponyville as slowly as she could. She never once saw Applejack or any of her other friends and she was quite thankful for that. A few ponies had stopped her in town, asking if she was alright and she shrugged them off the best she could. She could help herself and she was doing just fine. Aside from a splitting headache, and the constant nightmare-ish daydreams, things were alright. Her wings were also aching constantly, but that was to be expected from a knife wound.

By the time she had reached Twilight's castle, she was panting for air and had to take a quick break, resting on a bench. “I think I need some water or something…” she muttered.

“Young miss, are you doing okay?”

Phoenix blinked and looked around in confusion.

“Up here, miss,” the pony replied.

She glanced behind the bench and spotted the guards from earlier, the same guards which she had been so rude to before. Nervously she stood up and cantered over to the front gates.

“Uh, yeah, I need to see Twil-- Princess Twilight and stuff…”

One of the guards inspected her Cutie Mark Crusader scarf and nodded. “We’ve been instructed to allow you to pass freely so long as you have that scarf on. But… um…”

“So, I can go in?”

“Well, yes, b- but, i- it’s um…” one of the guards said rather lamely.

The pegasus on the left sighed. “What he means is, miss, you’re quite the mess. Do you need assistance?”

She grumbled something and for the first time, she actually looked the two in the face, taking in their features. Twilight’s first guard, the one on her right, was a unicorn pony with a bright white coat and a red mane and tail. The second, a pegasus, was nearly dark grey with a white-ish colored mane and tail. Both were stallions and both were giving Phoenix quite the odd stare.

“Pardon, miss?”

Grunting a bit, Phoenix looked both in the eyes and gave the most sincere smile which she could muster. “I’m gonna head on inside, okay?”

Reluctantly the two stepped aside while the pegasus slowly opened the door for her. “Very well. Welcome to the Castle of Friendship.”

She smiled at him and trudged inside, though the guards said one final thing in unison, “If you need to clean up, a bathroom is on the right.”

Blushing and nodding, she hurried off to the right, away from trained eyes. I better just do as they say, I don’t want Princess Twilight to think something is up… she thought bitterly.

She quickly found the little filly’s room and glanced around. There was crystal everywhere from the floors to the ceiling to the very stalls themselves. Marble finished off the sinks and everything, every single little detail was pristine without a single spec of dirt. Unlike herself. The mirror painted a rather grim picture of her features. She had dirt mattered in her coat in various places along with dark sweat stains. There were deep bags under her eyes, something she couldn’t do much about. Not to mention the fresh bandage on her wound. Overall, she looked quite typical and Phoenix was well used to this.

Sighing, she began to do a hasty cleanup job, washing her face in several spots and wiping herself clean from all of the matted dirt along her coat. Her face was splashed again several times and she figured that was enough.

“Looking good.. heh,” she muttered. “Time to face the music.”

She had only been traveling through the castle for a few minutes when she heard the distinct voice of Princess Twilight.

“--it didn’t make sense at first, but I was able to narrow down almost everything that we might need,” Twilight said. Phoenix entered the main room and coughed to get her attention.

“There you are!” Scootaloo said. “What took you so long?!”

“Uh, got sidetracked, s- sorry,” she stuttered. “What’s going on?”

Before Twilight could say anything, Sweetie Belle blurted out a response, “Twilight figured out how to send you home!”

Phoenix's eyes twitched in response, she stared unblinkingly. “R- really?”

“Yeah and--”

“Sweetie Belle, perhaps I should explain first?” Twilight suggested. Sweetie blushed and nodded.

“Sorry, I got excited, heh…”

“Right, to explain further, I can’t send you home just now, but thanks to Spike, I was able to locate quite a bit more information on the mirror and how it operates. Many of the ancient scrolls we found talked about its origins which, while fascinating, didn’t help matters much until we came upon this tome,” she exclaimed, levitating an ancient looking parchment just before Phoenix's eyes.

“The most important aspect on the mirror’s function has everything to do with the main gem, the largest one at the bottom,” she stated. Phoenix looked over and found what she was talking about with a quiet nod. “That gem powers everything, the others are for a multitude of functions, specifically coordinates.”

“But, uh, how would you know how to “tune” it? I mean, I think my mirror is messed up, remember?”

She smiled which shocked Phoenix down to her very core. “That shouldn’t be a problem. In addition to the notes found on the mirror, we were able to locate some unique spells, one of which should be able to lock in my mirror’s coordinates onto yours. Well, using you, anyway.”

“...Me? What do you mean?”

“Yes, the spell won't be ready for around two days, but it will home in on your magical signature and from there I can simply tune the mirror’s runes to match that of your own! The mirror should activate with a simple spark of my magic and you’ll be good to go.”

Deep in thought, the filly merely nodded in understanding with a far off look in her eye.

Better go tonight, then. I don’t see too many guards… come to think of it, the only two I’ve seen are out front. Seems like she stores the thing here in this circular room? Shouldn't be too difficult to get to. I can jack the power stone that she mentioned and break it for good measure, then I’ll--

“Phoenix, are you alright? You haven’t really said anything… um a-and I think your bandage is leaking,” Twilight said, breaking her thoughts.

“What?!”

Phoenix looked back and, sure enough, her wound had begun to bleed yet again. She groaned while watching blood pool around her feathers.

“Here, I think we have a first aid--” Twilight tried to get out, she had been reaching for the back of Phoenix's feathers when the filly flinched back in alarm.

“I’m okay! I’m fine!”

The Crusaders looked on in confusion, glancing up at Princess Twilight for any answers. Twilight chewed on her inner lip and slowly nodded.

“I just want to help, I know it hurts, but if we don’t clean that up and rebandage it then you could get an infection…”

Phoenix grunted and started to slink away. “I’ll be right back…” Twilight watched her leave, presumably to the bathroom while the mare sighed.

Phoenix practically slammed her bag on the marble counter and began rummaging around for the first aid kit. She was so sure that her patch job would be fine. Hastily she tore off the gauze and discarded it all while inspecting the wound.

“It hasn’t healed much…” she muttered, shaking her head in frustration. The filly hissed in annoyance, using alcohol rubbed onto some cloth while pushing it in deep. Next, Phoenix used a pair of scissors to cut out some gauze before getting to work, again.

“Those look like they might need stitches,” a familiar voice said behind her. She whirled around and faced the last pony she expected to see alone, Sweetie Belle.

“...What do you want?” The orange pegasus asked rather irritably.

“Uh, well I wanted to check on you. Twilight said it was a good idea and, well, she’s not wrong…” she replied awkwardly, looking everywhere but her serious wound. “Y- you just look like you need a bit more help than a first aid kit.”

The two waited in silence for a few minutes, then the pegasus scoffed. “Whatever. This will be fine,” she stated confidently while wrapping the wound in thick gauze and taping it up, again.

“I- it doesn’t… wel- well, uh…”

“What?! Spit it out!”

Sweetie flinched back in surprise before shaking her head. “It doesn’t look fine, you don't seem fine and, well, you look like you’ve had a really bad day.”

Angrily she slammed the medkit closed and packed everything away. “Maybe I did, so what? You wanna hug me or something?”

Sweetie’s face screwed up in concentration, looking like she had just been trying to solve a rather difficult puzzle, only to hit a serious roadblock. “Uh…”

The angry filly rolled her eyes and began to walk out of the bathroom; she’d had enough annoyances for one day.

“What’s it like, where you’re from, Scootaloo?”

For perhaps the fifty millionth time in one day, she froze in her tracks. “What? What do you mean?”

“Look, you’re not like our friend. I mean you look like her and talk like her, but you’re… I- I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re pretty different.”

Scootaloo chewed the inside of her mouth, trying to think of a coherent response to that. When nothing came out, the unicorn continued.

“Twilight explained it like going on different paths. She said that our Scootaloo took a different path than what you did and that’s why you don’t know us, well, where you’re from. But I wanted to know, what else is different?”

“Who cares? Twilight said she’s sending me home in two days. Why do you need to know so badly?”

“Well, we just wanted to makes sure you were okay. You seem tense and you’re always annoyed or scared or quiet… or bl- bleeding.”

Why does she care so much? Is this some kind of ploy?!

“Just, I just wanted to know how different it is over there. And maybe… maybe you’re afraid to say and that’s okay, but my big sis always tells me that bottling up things never leads to something good.”

The Phoenix soldier squinted her eyes in suspicion while the young school-aged filly gave a hesitant, albeit nervous smile back. Something in her head snapped, it was incredibly vague and could hardly be considered a vivid memory. Something from a time so long ago. She remembered absolute fear and huddling together with the nearest ponies she could find, a few fillies her age.

Suddenly Phoenix stared right into Sweetie’s eyes.

“I remember you…”

“Huh?”

“I was out at the town meeting f- for the Summer Sun Celebration and Princess Celestia was supposed to show up. I remember it getting suddenly dark and… and dreary out. That never stopped, of course,” she quickly replied.

Sweetie Belle quirked an eyebrow at her but remained silent.

“I was huddled in a corner, looking for my mom and.. and I remember being next to you,” she finally uttered, a far off look in her eyes. “You hugged me and I think I hugged back… heh, I didn’t see you after that. Well… not for long, anyway.” The filly vaguely recalled Sweetie Belle, her Sweetie Belle, being in the same school as her, after Canterlot fell.

I never saw her again after I broke out. She didn’t make it to the Shining Phoenix… I wonder what happens to the sister to the “Elements of Harmony”? she thought with a shudder and a twinge of fear. She wasn’t sure if that meant the Sweetie Belle of her realm would be better off, or worse.

“Heh, that was so long ago,” Sweetie Belle said with a shake of her head. “It was a pretty scary night.” Then she giggled and took a seat next to Phoenix. “A night that lasts forever, how silly.”

Phoenix's face screwed up for a second and she coughed, somewhere between a bitter laugh and a sneeze. “Yeah… silly,” she said in a dead, monotone voice.

“Maybe when you get back, you can come find me, uh, well your… me? Whatever and however that works. I was always shy and I doubt I made any friends if we never saw each other after that night.”

“Yeah… maybe.”

Automatically, Phoenix stood up and started to calmly walk away, though she didn't get very far. Sweetie’s magic had taken a firm hold of one of her hooves. “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital for that? They’re really nice there and stitches aren’t so bad.”

She wanted to say yes; medical treatment in a mismanaged military base was scarce and many were expected to go at their own for most situations... A little knife wound did not count for that unless it was fatal. Still, they’d easily be able to tell it was not a minor injury from flying or a stunt or something, but an honest to goodness combat wound.

They’d want to know everything… She kept having to remind herself why that couldn’t happen until the mirror was out of commission for good. They’ll just send me back if they find out what I am… what I’ve done…

“I’ll wait a day or two and see if it gets better. If not then I’ll go to the hospital, I guess and--”

“Do you promise?”

“Huh?”

Sweetie’s cheeks puffed out in a pout and she never let up on her magic. “Promise me that you’ll go to the hospital if it doesn’t get better. Pl- please?”

“Uh.. o- okay. I promise,” she said. Just saying it felt odd, she was actually making a commitment to another filly that she’d seek help? There wasn’t anything in it for Sweetie Belle, as far as she could tell, beyond making sure that another filly got treated and got better. She doesn’t even know me… she’s insane.

“No! Not like that, I mean a Pinkie Promise!”

“...What?”

“It’s a special kind of promise. Nopony can break a pinkie promise, ever. Or, well, sort of. It’s the fastest way to lose a friend at least.”

Both fillies ears flicked in random directions, where both could swear they heard the sound of a mare’s voice screaming the words forever.

Phoenix sighed and slumped onto her haunches. “Isn’t it enough that I promised already?”

The marshmallow filly would not be deterred, she crossed her hooves and pouted. “No. Now, are you my friend or not?”

“I… uh… um…” the soldier replied rather intelligently. “Uh… y- yes?” she stuttered.

“Good, now, hold out your hoof and repeat after me,” she said in the most serious tone imaginable for fillies their age. “Cross your heart,” she started while doing just that with her hoof, “hope you fly, stick a cupcake in your eye!” her chant was finished off by pretending to stick a cupcake on her left eye.

Feeling quite silly, she repeated the motions and carefully recited exactly what Sweetie Belle had said. The unicorn beamed happily and leaned in to give the pegasus a gentle nuzzle.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, right?”

Blushing, she nodded while feeling an odd, alien feeling overcome her. It tingled her body and made her feel welcome in Sweetie’s- no, in her friend’s presence. Without thinking, she nuzzled back while feeling strangely giddy.

“We better get back to Twi, c’mon!” Sweetie ran off before Phoenix could reply.

Grunting in pain, she donned her saddlebag and went to leave, but frozen and looked in the mirror. She was smiling, even if it was just barely, the reflection in the mirror was a well earned, genuine smile.

“...Oh, I don’t think he meant anything by it. Harry is such a sweetie, though I’m certain he’d apologize for scaring everypony, well, you know if he could talk.”

“T- that voice,” Phoenix muttered just under her breathe.

“Hmm?” Sweetie said.

“Is that--”

“Ah, there you are,” Twilight said, waving them over. Standing next to Twilight, in the middle of the map room, was a cream colored pegasus mare who regarded Phoenix with extreme curiosity.

“Fluttershy, I’d like you to meet Phoenix. And, Phoenix? This is our Fluttershy,” she exclaimed.

“Oh, well, uh, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Phoenix,” she replied while offering an outstretched hoof.

Her mind going blank, Phoenix reluctantly reached out to offer hers. “Uh, yeah, s- same,” she stuttered.

“How do you like it in Ponyville, uh, well, our Ponyville that is? T-Twilight was just telling me that yours might be a tad different and I just hope that’s not too scary or anything…” Fluttershy said in the softest voice that Phoenix could ever imagine coming from her, of all ponies. When she finished, she was nervously pawing at the ground leaving the filly to stare in shock.

“Uh… y- yeah, it’s different. Not by that much but… definitely different.”

She nodded with a very hesitant smile. “Well, if it ever becomes too much for you then you’re welcome to come over to my cottage over near the Everfree. It’s very peaceful there and a nice place to relax.”

“Uh, thanks?”

Twilight and even the Crusaders seemed to want to say something to the filly’s response but held their tongue. Fluttershy smiled and waved before departing, leaving Phoenix be with her thoughts. Of which she had none, her mind had simply shut down on itself. She was vaguely aware of an orange hoof waving in front of her face and other ponies calling out to her, but she didn’t respond until sometime later when a strange appendage, a claw if she wasn’t mistaken, poked her in the side of the rib. She yelped, nearly jumping out of her skin while looking around in shock.

“Told ya it would work,” a new void muttered. Her eyes landed upon a purple drake, a baby dragon to be specific.

Other Phoenix soldiers had heard tell a strong rumor about a crazed, bloodthirsty dragon that the dark Queen controlled, one with purple scales. This is where it came from…?

“You okay? You kind of spaced out on us for a while…” Spike said while rubbing the back of his head.

Phoenix simply nodded, not knowing what else to say.

Twilight gently nudged him forward. “Oh, uh, I’m Spike by the way,” he explained, offering her his right claw.

The orange filly flinched quite dramatically, but seeing as everyone was staring, she eventually gave the effort to bump his fist. "Um, Phoenix,” she replied awkwardly.

Despite this, Spike was undeterred and simply smiled at her.

“Neat name! Anyway, just wanted to make sure you were alright and stuff…” he exclaimed while waving one of his claws behind his back.

“Y- yeah, never better.” It was a bald-faced lie that nopony bought, least of all Spike, but nopony seemed to know what to say, except Twilight.

“You seem tired, maybe you three should walk her home,” Twilight suggested while gesturing to the Crusaders.

“Yeah, it’s getting late anyway,” Scootaloo replied with a quiet yawn.

Phoenix glanced over at a large stained glass window, only just noticing Luna’s moon dimly shining through the room. While everything seemed incredibly alien to her, she couldn’t deny that the large celestial object was a stark reminder of her doomed home. She felt quite disturbed at how normal and familiar the thing was compared to everything else in her new home.

“Yeah, we should get back,” Phoenix muttered.

The fillies trudged along through the darkness, occasionally chatting amongst themselves. Phoenix hadn’t spoken since the castle and seemed to be deep in thought, again.

“You know your bag is pretty neat looking, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like it,” Sweetie Belle commented while glancing at Phoenix. “Though it could use some… sprucing up?”

The bag in question had certainly seen better nights. It was nothing more than a standard issue Shining Phoenix saddlebag, though she could certainly see why the other fillies would find it special when compared to theirs. Aside from the detailed silver phoenix adorned as the clasp, it had many more compartments fitted on either side of the bags when compared to theirs.

“Um, thanks?”

“No, I mean it. My big sis works on clothing all the time. I’m sure she’d be happy to fix it up for ya!”

Sweetie even reached out for it, but Phoenix was quick and ripped it well out of her reach. “N- no thank you,” she mumbled. The other filly hesitated but quickly nodded and the issue wasn’t pushed beyond that.

They kept on trotting, though Phoenix could hear two of them muttering to one another.

“Um, so, how’s your back doin’?” Apple Bloom questioned. “Ow!”

Whipping her head back, Phoenix found both fillies were giving her very obvious nervous smiles while Apple Bloom was rubbing her side in pain. Resisting the urge to narrow her eyes suspiciously, Phoenix merely shrugged. “It’s doing fine, thanks.”

“Uh, good… good,” the farm filly said awkwardly. “Erm, ah guess this is your stop!”

“Finally, I can’t wait for dinner,” Scootaloo said her stomach grumbling for perhaps the third time in the last ten minutes.

“Right, see ya both in class tomorrow!” Apple Bloom said with a wave.

Sweetie Belle hesitated for a bit and whispered over to Phoenix. “Remember our promise…” she warned.

“Uh, r-right.” A bit of a nervous itch made its way into her voice as a fresh bout of pain pulsed, creeping through her spine.

Sweetie smiled and began to trot off. “Good, see ya both tomorrow!”

“C’mon! I think I smell dinner cooking!” Scootaloo exclaimed while practically dragging Phoenix toward the house.

“I’m coming, sheesh,” she grumbled, yanking her hoof back.

Scootaloo snorted and kicked the door open.

“Mom! Dad! We’re home!”

“Pumpkin!” Her father said happily and then grunted in pain as Scootaloo nearly tackled him to the ground in a comforting hug.

The filly in question happily bounced from hoof to hoof while talking a million words a minute about her day and what had gone on throughout all of it. Phoenix watched awkwardly from a distance, her eyes unfocused. She could remember a time when she would of acted just like that from day to day, but now just seeing somepony else do it filled her with regret. Days spent playing on her own when she could have had that much more time with her family before they were sent away.

Not wishing to stay still for long, Phoenix darted past them into the kitchen. “Uh, what ya making?” she asked Pale tentatively.

“Hmm?” the mare in question glanced behind her for just a moment before doing a double take. “What happened to you?!”

Phoenix blinked then instantly remembered the current state of her bag and her body. The filly chuckled nervously while looking away. “Um, roughhousing… and playing,” she forced out rather lamely.

Pale squinted her eyes in only a manner befitting a concerned mother and silently shook her head. “Come over to the sink,” she commanded.

Phoenix hesitated but quickly compiled when she repeated the message, albeit a tad annoyed.

Evidently, her cleanup job in the castle restroom hadn't been as thorough as Scootaloo’s mother would have liked. Pale had started by first removing her bag and setting it aside, though she glanced at the offending thing for quite a while before silently shaking her head and looking away; her bag had certainly seen better days. She took a solid five minutes to wipe off dirt, dust and other particles all in her feathers and coat. Phoenix stood stoic and silent while a mix of emotions surged through her mind. Finally, she inspected the blood around and wound and confirmed that the bandage would at least hold tight.

“And that should do it. Honestly, you could give my Scoots a run for her bits in the getting roughed up department.”

Phoenix blushed upon hearing this and looked away.

Suddenly Scootaloo and her dad popped into the kitchen. “When’s dinner?!” they both asked in unison. The stallion looking every bit as childish as her daughter, giving puppy dog like eyes in order to beg.

Pale groaned and shook her head. “Not yet. Now out you two. OUT!” she said and pushed the two out into the living room. Sighing, she returned and froze in her tracks.

Phoenix was leaning on the counter, carefully mixing her dish with a wooden spoon. The filly was carefully manipulating her feathers, rotating the spoon in soft rhythmic motions.

“I think I remember how to cook this stuff. Been a while,” Phoenix called back.

She turned around and saw Pale just looking on in shock.

“Uh, s- sorry,” she stuttered and jumped down to the floor. “I like cooking,” she admitted rather bashfully.

Pale blinked and shook her head. “No, it’s alright. Sorry, but if I saw my Scootaloo cooking food. I’d think she’d sprouted a second head!”

The filly blinked and looked away. “I guess we're kind of different, huh?”

Pale continued to stir the dish, seemingly deep in thought. “Well, how’d you learn to cook? I’m curious.”

A soft almost warm feeling of pleasure washed over the filly’s body. It was an odd and alien comfort she hadn’t felt in ages, or perhaps what felt like an eternity.

Phoenix smiled and leaned on the counter, watching her mo- watching Pale cook. “Well, I had to learn to cook. I--” she stopped herself before she said anything stupid.

She often did missions on her own, out in the wilderness. Being self-sufficient and learning to take care of one’s needs were one of the first lessons she learned in the Shining Phoenix. But, of course, Pale didn’t need to know this.

“I mean, um, my parents were always out a lot. So I just sort of learned to take care of myself,” she finished rather lamely.

“Are they like us? Your parents I mean.”

Phoenix hesitated. Were they? They certainly looked and seemed to act like them. She remembered her father always being a massive goofball and Pale being a kind and caring mother. Which seemed to pretty much fit the bill. But was that really a fair thing to compare? She had been in the new strange house for a single day and barely spoken to any of them. Really, it was like meeting a stranger that you’ve somehow known about your whole life. Things couldn’t get stranger than that.

The filly shrugged. “I guess so. S- sort of.”

The mother tilted her head but figured a simple nod was enough.

“Dinner’s almost ready. You should let them both know…” she said, pausing as the two children over in the other room started wrestling with zero disregards for the noise they were making. “Just as long as we both grab a bowl full first,” she finished with a wink.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Seven: Twilight's Progress

After an afternoon of playing and relaxing, Phoenix lay awake in her sleeping bag. Biding her time.

I have to go tonight. she thought, still wide awake.

She didn’t exactly know that much about Twilight Sparkle. Back where she was from, the resistance knew of the mare’s connection (or previous connection) with Princess Celestia and that she was a gifted student. Somepony who could do the impossible and in a timely manner, so it made sense that she figured out the blasted mirror in no time at all.

Phoenix glanced over at her counterpart and found the filly peacefully snoozing away. Perfect.

Stealth wasn’t something new to the filly since plenty if not all of her missions back with the Phoenix had required a fair amount of it. But she was often far more prepared than she currently was. There wasn’t an outpost to fill up on supplies which meant she was stuck with what she had.

Reluctantly, the filly removed her bag and started rummaging around inside. The thing made far too much noise for its own good which meant the bare essentials for her little mission were required. Her lantern was a no brainer. True, it was no longer needed as a security tool, but it would certainly come in handy with it being so dark out. She carefully dumped the contents of her bag and packed it rather light for the mission.

Heh, mission. Compared to what I’ve been through, should be a breeze.

After double checking that everypony in the house was resting, she darted out of Scootaloo’s window and glided down to the ground. Hopefully, she doesn’t wake up, she thought, glancing up at the now open window.

Looking around, she didn’t spot too many ponies out being so late out. Least this looks kind of familiar, she pondered. Gloomy nights and the lack of noise had been normal for the filly.

Shaking those thoughts aside, she hurried off in the direction of the castle, making special care not to bump into anypony or be seen.

“There we go, her castle.”

Squinting her eyes, she noted the same two guards were out in front, but that it had very little in terms of security. It took her a while, but she was able to sneak around the back and what she found was rather disappointing.

“You only have guards out front? What kind of castle is this.”

Suppose I shouldn’t complain.

Phoenix took a deep breath and flapped into the air, the backs of her wings stung as her injury ached, but she ignored this. A few flaps and she was soon perched on one of Twilight’s many balconies. While things were going fine, she suddenly realized that she hadn’t exactly thought ahead. Just how was she gonna get the jewels out of the mirror? It’s not like she had a crowbar or anything.

Worst comes to worst, I’ll smash the thing and run.

Wasn’t a very solid plan, but she knew time was of the essence. Sighing, she carefully snuck into the castle, making special care to pry open the glass doors of the balcony while gently shutting them a second later. She was in.

There was no doubt that she was now high up in the castle in a massive circular room which spiraled outwards and connected to other pathways. Lavender colored crystal was themed everywhere from the very ground she stood up and spiraling upwards to the ceiling. Though the rest of everything was rather plain despite the elaborate nature of it all. In terms of an actual castle, the place would be a poor fit for defense, but as something that was fancy to gawk it, Twilight’s home definitely had that in spades.

The place is bigger than it looks… she surmised. Now, where would she keep that stupid mirror?

The first few doors she checked on yielded nothing. A few broom closets and what she presumed to be storage spaces. She suspected that perhaps Twilight simply kept the mirror down in the main hallway, though it never hurt to be thorough.

As she got nearer to a long spiraling staircase, she started to hear familiar voices which echoed upstairs.

“... well, what has your progress been… I really think we should…”

Curious, she started following them as her mind drifted to thoughts of destroying the mirror. Really, it was all she could think of.

She ended up in a semi-circular room which overlooked what Twilight had called the Map Room, though it really looked more like a traditional throne room. Seated in each chair was none other than the six elements of harmony all discussing something. Phoenix leaned down to listen and thankfully nopony bothered to look up.

“Look, Twi, all ah’m gonna say is what I saw. Somethin’ ain’t right with her and ah kind of agree with Princess Celestia. Ah just don’t like how we’re goin’ about this!”

The farm pony finished with a huff, crossing her hooves and looking annoyed. Twilight, for her part, nodded.

“Well, darling, I don’t want to speak for all of us. I… I trust Sweetie Belle and I think she might be making some progress in getting her to open up--”

“Has she?!” Rainbow Dash asked, rudely interrupting her.

Rarity scowled. “Not yet, no. But, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” she started and Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I think if we just give the darling some more time, she might feel so inclined as to talk to one of us about all these issues. Whatever they may be.”

Phoenix couldn’t believe her own ears! They were spying on her! While the irony wasn’t lost on the filly, she couldn’t help but feel incredibly angry.

They don’t trust you. Why did you even think they would? She felt so stupid.

“Maybe she just needs a hug… or three? Three hundred?” Pinkie suggested rather cheekily.

“Already been tried with some rather disastrous results, Pinkie dear.”

Rarity patted Pinkie’s back as the mare in question seemed to deflate.

“Um, Twi- Twilight?” Fluttershy started and all eyes seemed to lock onto her. In days long gone by, this may have fazed the mare but now it merely brought on a little nervous squeak. “What do you plan on doing, exactly?”

Closing her eyes, the princess of friendship sighed. “Both Celestia and Luna have advised me not to activate the mirror until we know the full truth. While I don’t want to betray the trust of a friend, even a new one, I… I think I have to finally agree. There’s too much danger in doing it. With the possibility of an entire multiverse waiting behind that mirror,” she said while pointing off into the distance. Phoenix followed her hoof and finally found the thing waiting under a tarp.

“Anything could be waiting on the other end. If…” she sighed and took a very deep breathe, her friends waiting on her every word. “If Phoenix continues to remain in the dark about everything, then it’s likely far too dangerous to move forward. While they have advised me not to, it’s still left up to me. We’ve done all the research necessary and know how to turn it on. But, for now, that mirror will remain dormant until such time as Phoenix steps forward to talk this out.”

Phoenix could hardly believe her ears. That was it? She didn’t even have to destroy the mirror? She could just stay here and… No, she thought. The mirror was dangerous and it wasn’t a good idea to leave it be.

“Uh huh. That’s all well and good, Twi’. But what are you gonna tell her? You already claimed it would take two days to send her back,” Applejack replied.

Yeah, Phoenix thought. What about that, princess?

Again, she closed her eyes and again she sighed. “What do you want me to say, Applejack? She’s left us in a rather tough spot. I was telling the truth when I said two days, the princesses message only just arrived and… despite my rather piqued curiosity on what lays beyond the multiverse. Well, Celestia has a point. It’s dangerous, perhaps the most dangerous thing we could ever think of and that includes Discord on a bad day!”

“Are you or aren’t you gonna tell the truth? Phoenix deserves to know, about all of this. About all of us! It’s bad enough that we’re already spyin’ on her.”

It was strange. The ponies before her were some of the worst and most feared nightmare soldiers in all of Equestria. And yet, here they were, bickering over truths and dangers. There wasn’t anything outwardly dangerous about their mannerisms, appearance or even what they seemed to stand for, but Phoenix couldn’t but look on in mistrust.

I guess the feeling’s mutual…

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy looked away rather uncomfortably, while Rarity was biting her lip. “So what? We just send her home because it’s the “right thing to do”, Applejack?” Rainbow asked, her wings flaring out in annoyance. “You know she could- she could be… I dunno, evil! For all we know!”

Everypony gasped though Twilight merely sank in her seat and slowly brought her hoof over her face in exasperation.

“Seriously, Rainbow?! That’s where you go to?!”

Phoenix really wasn’t sure how to feel about that statement.

“What?! I’m the crazy one now? Let’s review what we know--”

“It’s just I really don’t think we’re being fair--”

“After all the crazy stuff we’ve seen, you think that’s so crazy? The princesses think that mirror is dangerous and we don’t know anything about her world. So far, all we know is that she’s keeping big secrets from us. Why should we be truthful and fair to her if she won't return the favor? Hmm? Case closed!”

The filly backed away slightly with fresh tears pooling around her eyes.

Applejack snorted and bucked her hoof on the crystal table. “The only thing that’s closed right now is that mind of yours, Rainbow. You’all are basin’ that theory of yours on nuffin’! All of you! The only thing we know, and I mean the only thing is she’s scared of us so it’s no wonder that she’s holdin’ stuff in!”

Twilight looked defeated but she mustered up the strength to meet her friend’s eyes. “Applejack…”

“No, Twi! You all need to hear this. Don’t y'all remember being children? At all? What did we do when we got scared? We hid. We kept stuff in, we buried secrets until they were bursting to explode. Phoenix is no different, no matter what you might think she’s done in her past. Maybe she’s not tellin’ the truth and maybe she is, but that doesn’t mean that filly doesn’t deserve the truth as much as any of us would. If you’re even considering lying to her about something so important, well frankly, you should all be ashamed of yourselves!”

Stunned, that was all everypony felt. Phoenix included.

So, lil’ Scootaloo, will you be my friend?

Though she meant everypony to hear this, Applejack’s eyes were mainly focused on Rainbow Dash. The mare in question finally looking as ashamed as she could have been.

Still, nopony said anything so Applejack stood up and dusted herself off.

“You all can keep yer secrets. Tomorrow, Ah’m telling that filly the truth, about everything. And maybe… maybe she will too.”

A few moments later, the front door to the castle slammed shut while the room was bathed in silence. A silence that Rarity was all too happy to break up.

“Well, erm, I suppose that calls our meeting to a close. No?”

Twilight gave a silent nod while looking more exhausted than she had in ages.

“M- maybe I shouldn’t have said that…” Rainbow mumbled while pawing her hooves on her throne.

Twilight rolled her eyes but Rarity stepped forward with a calm smile. “A tad on the extreme, dear. While we all understand your concern on the matter, seeing as how Phoenix is currently living with your “honorary little sister”, I believe a bit of trust on the matter will go a long way.”

Little sister? What does that even mean…?

The pegasus nodded in kind and smiled slightly.

Fluttershy walked over to Twilight and leaned in for a hug, a hug which the princess was all too keen on returning.

“I think AJ is right, Twi. We’re all being a tad harsh toward a filly that we barely even know.”

Twilight walked over to the covered mirror and gently brushed her hoof along the bottom while looking deep in thought. “No, Fluttershy, I know she’s right. I let fear cloud my better judgment. I’m sorry girls.”

Phoenix felt rather awkward as she watched the five mares tackle one another in a unified hug. The filly took a seat while trying to process all of the information before her. She really wasn’t sure what made her feel worse.

The fact that the mares had mistrusted her from the start, or the cold truth that they likely should have.

Evil huh?

Her mind started to wander…

“Got all the supplies, Schroots?”

Scootaloo closed her eyes and took a very deep breath. When she opened, there three pegasi soldiers all looking off into the distance, seemingly ignoring her.

“It’s Scoots or Scootaloo, mam,” she corrected with just the tiniest hint of annoyance.

“Noted,” she said with a casual wave of her right wing. “Now, supplies?”

Rolling her eyes, the filly stepped forward and did a quick verbal checklist of everything they had brought. The others looked through it impatiently before nodding and forcing them all to move on.

She had been paired up with some of the strictest soldiers in the entire military, or that’s what it felt like anyway. They were cold, calculating and most of all, mean. There wasn’t any other way that Scootaloo could describe them.

“...Stuck with a freakin’ filly as the scout. What a joy,” the mare mumbled, though Scoots heard her loud and clear.

Feeling brave, and perhaps a tad stupid, Scootaloo walked along ahead while narrowly missing some mud. “I do more than Scout, Spitfire. And it wouldn’t hurt to be a bit nicer, you know.”

Even as she thought back to that night, it still felt fresh in her mind. It was funny, though, she couldn’t even remember what their mission had been. Just that it had gone very, very badly.

The lot had been seated around a small campfire deep within the EverFree Forest. Entry into the place was, of course, forbidden to soldiers for fairly obvious reasons. The sole exception being missions.

Lucky us, the filly thought with a sigh.

Glancing around, the scout noticed something was a tad off with the others, Spitfire included. The mare in charge seemed to be looking off into nothing with a creepy yet dull looking smile.

Weirdo, she thought.

A sudden noise from behind made the filly jump in shock, though if the others noticed, they didn’t even respond. A quick survey of her surroundings showed nothing.

“Say, Scoots!” Spitfire suddenly said in a strained yet oddly calm sounding tone. It creeped her out.

“Y- yes, mam? What do you need?”

“I need you… to scout ahead,” she said and pointing off into a gathering of thick trees.

There was a good reason why the military had started using children. One, they were desperate for soldiers. And two, they were excellent at scouting and reconnaissance and even stealth. Difficult to spot but also easy to fit through tight spaces.

“T- through there?” she asked rather uncertainty. It seemed like a very odd request because as far as she could see, no pathways lead in that particular direction.

Spitfire barely seemed to be paying attention though, she was bunched over the fire while her muzzle twitched in several places.

“Mam?”

“What? Hurry up! I said scout, filly! Do your job or else!” she snapped and, again, pointed to the trees.

Shaking a tad in fear, Scootaloo glanced at her comrades, but they all had the same far off look in their eyes. Almost like they weren’t really even there. Sighing, she stood up and walked up to the first set of trees. She glanced back and found Spitfire, just staring at her rather menacingly. The strange noises far off in the distance made her hair stand on end.

With a very deep gulp and a squeak of fear, Scootaloo clambered up the first tree and darted on ahead, the sight of their camp and the warm inviting glow of its fire very quickly vanished from sight.

Phoenix wasn’t even sure how long she had been laying on the balcony, but the visions wouldn’t stop coming, like an awful nightmare that just wouldn’t leave.

She had been traveling on the tops of the trees for close to ten minutes but found nothing of interest to report. Really, it just seemed like more trees and absolutely no living creatures or enemies of any kind.

“What the hell is her problem…? There’s nothing here!” she whispered to herself.

“Oh, Scootaloo… Scootaloo.”

The filly blinked in confusion and slowly turned around. What she saw made her petrified in absolute fear.

Blood. Not a small amount of blood, but an abnormally large amount of crimson red gore was coated all throughout Spitfire’s coat, hooves, and wings. The mare was smiling down at Scootaloo rather sadistically, teeth barreled like a wild animal. And if that wasn’t scary enough, her eyes resembled dark slits, not unlike a cat or dragon.

Instinctively she started to back up, but knew there wasn’t anywhere she could hide.

“S- Spitfire?”

The reply was anything but kind. A dark, echoing chuckle that went on for way too long forced its way from the bloodied mare. “Call me that if you wish, little filly. The mare you call Spitfire is no longer.”

“Wh- what did you do to her?”

Another series of laughs while the mare stepped forward, inch by inch. “She did this herself. The Lunar Queen offered her blessing and she accepted, with open hooves,” she exclaimed while casually glancing down at her right hoof. She brought it up to her lips and watched as blood dripped down into the trees. “Pity those other two soldiers didn’t feel the same.”

“R- right. Um, pity. So, I’ll just be going now. I’m sure you have lots to catch up with when your, um, Queen gets here. So bye!”

The filly barely had time to react, but she was at least quick enough to dodge the mare’s insanely fast attempt at a tackle. But the mare quickly turned around and grabbed the filly in mid-air before tossing her onto the forest floor, hard.

She tumbled into the dirt and felt a sickening crunch in one of her hooves. It was painful enough to yell at the top of her lungs.

“What do you say, filly? Join the queen or die. Seems like the choice should be obvious,” the dark Spitfire said as she gracefully and casually hovered to the ground.

Thinking fast, Scootaloo mumbled a response while looking away.

“What was that? I’m afraid you’ll have to speak up.

Please let this work…

She mumbled again and the mare sighed. She walked over to the quivering filly and leaned her head down over her. “Again, if you--”

Scootaloo leaped from her spot and bashed her skull directly into Spitfire’s, hard. The mare stumbled backward in shock and that’s when Scootaloo made her real move. Using her wings to propel her high into the air, she cupped her back hooves together, forming a perfect U shape and then soared downward as fast and hard as she could.

Spitfire was still in a rather dazed state and had no time to dodge out of the way, let alone comprehending what was going on.

Scootaloo’s hooves came down onto the mare’s neck with a sickening crunch and the mare was knocked down to the ground. Scootaloo tumbled to the ground and rolled. Blood had exploded from the mare’s neck, though she could see that Spitfire was still wheezing and moaning in pain. Very much alive.

Thinking fast she dove onto the ground and quickly wrapped her front hooves around the mare’s muzzle and squeezed as hard as she could. She would suffocate the bitch. She tried struggling and gasping for air, but the filly held tight until, finally, she stopped breathing entirely. Spitfire was no more.

Scootaloo slowly limped away from the mare’s corpse while not even bothering to wipe off any blood. Shock coursed through her system, both from the pain and from what she had just done. She could hardly believe her own actions.

The memory faded away from there, she had barely remembered how she escaped from the forest with a sprained hoof.

Phoenix whimpered on the ground while replaying the vision rather vividly in her mind, over and over. Self-defense was not a crime, especially while in the army, but a mare had still been killed by her head, of all places. Rainbow Dash was more right than she knew, maybe she really was evil.

She wasn’t sure just how long she had been lying on her back, staring up at nothing. But it had to of been close to roughly ten minutes at least. The other mares had already left. The mirror was there for the taking, but Phoenix really didn’t care anymore.

After a little while longer, she stood up and left to go outside. It took her roughly fifteen minutes of flying and trudging along through Ponyville until she found home again. She snorted.

It’s her home, always has been. Not mine…

Ignoring the pain of what was probably another burst bandaid, she flew up and swiftly glided through Scootaloo’s window and gently shut it closed. She found the filly in a deep sleep, peacefully unaware of any of it.

Phoenix carefully repacked her bag and placed it aside, making special care to remove her dream catcher from the bag. Sighing, she clumsily leaned it on something behind her pillow and clambered into her sleeping bag.

Their sleeping bag, she reminded herself. You’re a mooch, remember?

The filly spent roughly an hour just laying awake in her bed, wondering just what her parents really would think of her if they knew the truth. What would they think of the little monster who had and would do anything to survive?

Whimpering a bit, she clutched her pillow and thanked whatever cosmic deities out there that her dream catcher really worked.

She had enough nightmares while awake.

Author's Note

Please consider supporting me on my Patreon. Know you never have to do that and my stories are always free.

Chapter Nine: Memories

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Chapter Ten: Diamond's Revelation

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Chapter Eleven: Visiting Zecora

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Chapter Twelve: Luna's Assessment

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Chapter Thirteen: Everything is Broken

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Chapter Fourteen: Broken

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Chapter Fifteen: Awake

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Chapter Eight: Nothing Will Ever Change That

Phoenix groaned, feeling a gentle pressure over on her stomach.

“Phoenix? It’s time to get up…”

Whoever was hovering above her was fairly patient while the filly slowly wiped her face with her hoof. She could already feel it before her eyes fluttered open: a massive headache. Likely the worst one yet.

Did I even sleep at all last night?

She couldn’t really remember.

Again, the pressure continued, and her body was pushed from left to right.

“You really need to get up, you’re late.”

That got her eyes to crack open. Something about being late and the consequences of it having been drilled into her mind from the army.

Pale looked at her in shock and concern. “Phoenix… have you been sleeping at all? I couldn’t get you to wake up. Scootaloo’s already at school and it’s nearly lunchtime.”

And that got her attention. The filly rolled over onto her back and stared up at the distraught mother with a hint of shame. “Seriously?! I’m so sorry!” She flapped her wings and stood at attention. “I- I- I didn’t mean to sleep in!”

Pale looked her over and tilted her head in various directions which made the filly a bit nervous. “Hmm. Did you sleep at all?”

Phoenix sighed while looking away. “...I don’t even know.”

The mare took a seat on Scootaloo’s bed and glanced down at her. “Has it really been that rough for you?”

“I don’t… I dunno, M- M- Pale,” she stuttered. “I’m not…” Phoenix closed her eyes as she trailed off and took a very deep breath. “I’m not used to this place. It’s weird.”

Pale nodded. “Is it a bad weird? Good weird? Scary weird?”

“N- normal weird?”

Pale giggled and gently patted her on the head. “Well, it won’t be for much longer,” she replied.

Phoenix had grown quite used to holding in her emotions, and so she simply nodded.

"Now then, how about we get you to class?" Pale said. "I'm sure a bit of normal will help counteract all this strangeness. Hmm?"

"Oh, I understand perfectly, dearie. If I was ripped away from my home, I doubt I'd be getting much sleep if any," Miss Cheerilee explained with an honest shrug.

Pale nodded while Phoenix glanced at both of them with a blush.

"Thank you for explaining, Miss Pale," Miss Cheerilee continued. "Phoenix? Lunch has just started so why don't you run along and join your classmates?"

The filly shrugged and nodded. Before she left, Pale gently patted her head, causing a warm, comforting feeling of euphoria to wash over her mind. She felt peaceful for the first time since she could remember.

“Uh, thanks,” she mumbled and quickly left to go grab her bag while the two grownups talked. It didn’t take the filly long to find the Crusaders munching away on their lunch on a separate bench from the other foals.

“There you are!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “What’s with you and sleeping? I tried shaking you awake and nothing!”

Phoenix rolled her eyes and took a seat next to Sweetie Belle while Apple Bloom sat on the other side with Scoots. “I dunno. At least I don’t have a headache or anything,” she replied without thinking.

The three fillies blinked.

“You been gettin’ headaches a ton?” Apple Bloom queried as she stuffed her face with a sandwich.

Phoenix rubbed the side of her head self-consciously and nodded, figuring there was no harm in sharing that little bit of info.

“Aww, ah’m sorry to hear that. You know when Big Mac and AJ get all roughed up, they’ll visit ol’ Zecora for ah quick fix.”

Phoenix’s eyes widened in surprise. “Uh huh… w- where does she live?”

“She comes into town a lot,” Sweetie Belle piped in.

“Yeah, but she lives in the Everfree Forest,” Scootaloo mumbled through bite-fulls of her lunch.

“The Everfree…” Phoenix glanced behind them, staring at the dense foliage of trees way off in the distance. “Why live there?”

“Ish cause she specializes in all sorts ah potions! All of the ingredients she needs ta grow in that forest.”

Phoenix nodded while glancing back at Apple Bloom. “I guess it makes sense.”

“Oh! Phoenix, wait right there! I got something for ya!”

They all watched Sweetie Belle dash off in a hurry.

“Uh, should I be worried?” Phoenix asked, while finally digging into her lunch.

“If she cooked somethin’ for ya? Yesum,” the farm filly replied with a nod.

Phoenix glanced around and noticed that a good majority of the classroom were seated over with Diamond Tiara. The brat in question was currently busy prattling on about something, every pony listening with rapt attention.

Daddy bought it for me. And blah blah blah…

Blinking in astonishment, she forced her eyes to turn away while Sweetie Belle re-joined them. Something was levitating behind her back, a bag if she wasn't mistaken. The unicorn quickly took a seat and floated the strange object over toward Phoenix.

“Surprise!”

She tilted her head in confusion. There, laying on the bench was a pristine looking saddlebag complete with a nice looking emblem of a feather on both sides.

A phoenix feather…?

“D- do you like it? Rarity helped me put it together for ya.”

Phoenix blinked in confusion. She felt around the side and noticed that the little feathers weren’t just sewn in, they were crafted from polished metal.

“Woah, where’d she find the cool looking feathers and stuff, Sweetie?” Scoots asked as the sides of the bag glistened in the sunlight.

The unicorn shrugged. “Rarity said she was saving them for a “special occasion” but never got around to using them.”

While the fillies kept chatting about Rarity’s clothing line and her process, Phoenix couldn’t help but gaze into the casted feathers with a look of pure disgust. Sure, on the surface the elegant detailing of the feathers looked finely crafted. They seemed nice, but for her, there were deeply rooted feelings about such things.

Glancing around, she felt rather nervous while the other ponies were merely talking and playing as if nothing was wrong. Then she saw him. He was a grey coated pegasus pony walking beside what appeared to be his guardian into the classroom. The colt in question coughed and sneezed quite audibly before disappearing out of sight.

Phoenix felt back to the metal feather and scowled. She could feel every pony she had ever wronged. Every living being she and her fellow Phoenix members had been forced to fight and murder just to stay alive. Shakingly, she glanced around and noticed all of the fillies and colts had vanished without a trace. She turned back to the picnic table and gasped. There was a colt just laying there, dead for the world to see. His body was covered in cuts and bruises along with several small patches of blood.

She reached out and could feel very real fur and hair on the unmoving body. He had a grey coat with a very familiar looking mane and tail.

No… this can’t be real…

Oh, how tragic…

Phoenix shut her eyes tight while her body started to shake. “Shut up…”

Suddenly the body of the colt rolled over on its own and Phoenix reared back in surprise.

“S- stop…” she whimpered.

I’m afraid he had quite the little accident. Show her… show her what happened, young one…

The sickening voice of the dark queen echoed in the fillies mind while she grabbed at her skull and tried to drown it out. She was vaguely aware of somepony shaking her body, speaking soothing words to her, but it was not but a vague sensation when compared to the strong hallucination of the dead colt.

Suddenly the colt stood up and opened his eyes. Phoenix saw them for a second before shutting her own. There had been blood etched all around them along with patches of skin and fur missing from around his muzzle.

“You let me die, Scootaloo. You failed me.”

“No…” she squeaked while on the verge of tears. “I- it w- wasn’t my--”

“YOU FAILED HIM! HIS DEATH- HIS BLOOD IS ON YOU!”

Suddenly the vision broke apart, the colt vanished and all that was left in her vision were three little fillies staring at her with great concern. One of which had just smacked her in the side of the head.

“Told ya that would work…” Scootaloo mumbled.

Phoenix slowly brought her hoof to her face and wiped away all of the stray tears that she knew were there. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had their hooves placed on her back rather awkwardly and a few of the other students were staring at her as if she had just gone nuts.

“Are you ok--”

“Excuse me,” she interrupted and shoved Sweetie to the side. Phoenix ignored their shouts of concern, grabbed her bag from the classroom and before Miss Cheerilee or the other students could even blink, she had run off past the bathrooms and out of sight.

Sweetie Belle could only blink in shock. Just what had they witnessed.

“Golly, ah don’t think ah’ve ever seen somepony freak out so much. What’s her deal?”

Scootaloo went back to munching on her lunch and shrugged. “I really couldn’t tell ya. What was she saying, anyway? Sounded like gibberish to me.”

“Rumble…?”

Apple Bloom and Scoots narrowed their eyes together while tilting their heads in confusion.

“What about him? Ah, think he’s been sick the last few days.”

“No, that’s what she said. I think she was crying about Rumble,” Sweetie clarified.

Apple Bloom scratched behind her bow, trying to figure out the little mystery. “Do… do you think somethin’ happened to, uh, Phoenix’s Rumble? Wait… how does that even work?”

Scootaloo quickly finished what remained of her meal and belched while patting her stomach satisfyingly. “Ya got me. She didn’t know us where she’s from. She didn’t even know Diamond Tiara. I’m kind of shocked she knows of anypony from our class.”

Apple Bloom nodded.

Sweetie pushed her lunch aside and stood up. “I’m gonna go see if she’s okay.”

She started walking off but Scootaloo called out other. “Wait, what about your lunch?!”

“I’m not hungry anymore,” she yelled back. There was a hint of annoyance in her voice, but Sweetie Belle walked off before they could say anything else.

She quickly cantered over to Miss Cheerilee and looked up. “Miss Cheerilee?”

“Oh, yes? What is it?”

“Did ya see where Phoenix ran off to? She was just in here.”

The teacher slowly shook her head. “No, she ran off in quite the hurry though. I- is she still not on the playground?”

“Uh, no she’s not. Hmmm, I’ll check the bathroom.”

“Alright, please let me know if you find her. She is alright I take it?”

Sweetie paled a bit and slowly shook her head. “I’m not so sure. I’ll be right back, though.”

She could sense the teacher wanting to join her, but she held off and Sweetie was able to slink away on her own.

Please be in here… She glanced into the stalls but didn’t find any hint of the filly. Grunting in annoyance, she started snooping around the back of the bathroom building only to come up empty. The school was surrounded on all sides by a light fence which any filly could easily ‘escape’ from; it was entirely possible that her friend just ran off.

“Where are you--” she stopped talking and listened in off in the distance as her ears swiveled in place.

“It- it’s not real…”

The voice was quite faint, but it was unmistakenly that of Phoenix speaking. It took her a little while, but eventually, she found Phoenix curled up behind the school auditorium. Her body was shaking and her eyes were sealed shut. Hesitantly, Sweetie Belle took a seat next to Phoenix’s bag and waited.

“What--” Sweetie tried to get out but Phoenix flinched and started whining. WIthout thinking, the unicorn started gently petting the back of her friend’s mane in gentle motions. She hated seeing her this way, but what else could she do?

The whimpering and crying was a terrifying sight for the unicorn.

“What happened to Rumble, Phoenix?”

Phoenix got really quiet and, for a while, both fillies could only hear their collective breath and the sound of wind off in the distance.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Sweetie Belle, Phoenix mumbled something and wiped away her tears.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t… I don’t know why I even care. He’s gone and it happened a long time ago.”

“G- gone where?” Sweetie asked, tilting her head very innocently.

Phoenix dared to close her eyes for just a moment but a flash of Rumble’s decrepit body passed by in her memories and she began to shake in fear again.

“Phoenix?”

“J- just gone, okay? I don’t…” she trailed off and took a few deep breaths, though she shuttered on the last one. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

The unicorn furrowed her muzzle in concentration. “I… okay. Do you wanna get back to class?” she asked and offered her hoof to her.

Hesitantly, Phoenix grabbed on and stood up while her bag fell over the side of her body. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Erm, right.”

They walked in silence with Phoenix taking the lead. She trudged along with her head down and an immense frown on her face while Sweetie hung back.

Phoenix had started to calm down, but the sudden itch returned and it made her feel rather ravenous. Food, in this case, would never be enough to sustain her.
You don’t need it… she tried to remind herself, though she couldn’t help but occasionally glance at her saddlebag rather guiltily.

The itching, the awful itching would not let up no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. Nerve ends on her body felt irritated and it took all of her remaining willpower to not break down and scratch like a wild dog.

You don’t… you…

She took one last look at her bag and sighed. Her head was getting worse and worse and she could feel the onset of sudden exhaustion. She had to do it. She had no other choice.

“Um, I gotta go use the restroom, I’ll be right back,” Phoenix mumbled and darted off in a hurry.

“...Okay,” Sweetie called back, though her voice was obviously laced with concern.

The distraught filly darted into a stall and slammed the door shut before hastily peeking into her bag and rummaging around.

“T- three left,” she said while panting for air. “Just three.”

Hesitantly, she held up a canister and revolved it in her hoof several times.

“Just three,” she said, already knowing that it was about to be two. As she forced the can up to her muzzle, she could already feel the air pressure lighten around her skull, and the hues and colors of her vision returning to a far more comfortable manner. Moaning and whimpering in pain, she pushed the canister forward and took a very deep huff.

Suddenly, everything became so much clearer. Her focus and attention were heightened to brand new levels of normalcy and Phoenix no longer felt like taking a nap or two. The headache lightened up and she finally could think with an air of efficiency that she hadn’t felt in hours.

“Two left,” she said and tossed the can in the garbage.

She thought back to what the apple filly had said about Zecora and smirked a bit. “Makes potions, huh? Will have to look into that for later,” she said and rubbed her head in tiny little circles, hoping to stave off her headaches for just a tad longer.

“Right then,” she said and grabbed her bag before rinsing her face off and darting out of the restroom to go finish her lunch.

As she neared the playground, she could already sense something was very wrong.

You’re just a flightless little chicken. Not like anypony would ever want you for anything. I mean, honestly, what kind of pegasus are you, dodo brain?!

What followed next was a round of snorts, giggles and laughs at the expense of one little filly who was now on the verge of crying her eyes out.

When Phoenix finally got into the playground, she found Diamond Tiara and her lackey bullying Scootaloo and the other Crusaders, with nopony in sight to stop her.

The pegasus had broken out in a fit of tears while her friends seemed to be trying to console her.

“S- s- shud up!” Scootaloo exclaimed through fits of tears. A few of the other students chuckled.

“What’s that? I can’t hear you. All I hear is a big flightless chicken!”

Phoenix cracked her neck and stepped forward while her eyes were narrowed on the pink filly herself. The drugged canister was now working at full capacity, pumping her system full of adrenaline and a few endorphins as well.

“Oh ho, and what’s this? Her flightless freak of a clone ready to defend her worthless counterpart.”

Phoenix quirked a brow at this and glanced back at her wings with a hint of curiosity. Sure, they were injured but would hardly consider herself flightless.

“Got nothing to say? Hmm, doesn’t surprise me. You look about as stupid as a chicken and I bet they could fly better than you.”

More laughter, though Phoenix merely cracked her neck again and closed her eyes. Deep in thought.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, bird brain! Oh, what? Can’t understand us? Figures, chickens don’t talk anyway.”

What happened next took everypony by surprise. Phoenix dropped her bag and soared high into the air then did a few twirls while stretching her wings in several places.

Diamond Tiara started stuttering in confusion while the other children merely gasped.

“Chicken huh? Funny,” she said and started hovering just above Diamond’s little tiara. “I see some chickens, a funny looking pink one and an ugly lackey chicken.”

“Y- y- you can fly?!” Diamond screamed in shock. She backed up a few paces but Phoenix merely hovered forward with ease.

“You know,” she started and suddenly grabbed at Diamond’s jewel-encrusted tiara, “there’s something a bit odd about this,” she said rather casually.

“Hey! Give that back you stupid freak!”

“Ah, that’s it,” Phoenix replied with a giggle. “These diamonds are fake. Here, let me get rid of it for ya. Free of charge!”

Phoenix flipped around and flew up to the top of the school roof and carefully placed it at the highest point. She giggled and landed near the Crusaders rather gracefully.

“There, all better! Don’t worry about that old dusty thing, Diamond. You look a little richer without it anyway.”

Suddenly the shock had started to wear off and the other students had turned on the pink filly, giggling with Phoenix like it was all some grand joke.

“Give it back! Give it back right now!” Diamond barked and pushed into Phoenix’s body with a harsh shove. “Now!”

“Buzz off!”

Phoenix then turned around bucked Diamond Tiara square in the chest. The other colts and fillies gasped as she went tumbling head first into a pile of dirt. After she landed, the little brat started to look rather dazed and out of breath. The other students remained silent but Phoenix didn’t care, she’d had enough of the brat’s crap for a whole lifetime.

“Is she… where’s she going?”

They all watched Scootaloo run off in tears. Far away from the school grounds until she was out of sight. Without thinking, Phoenix flew into the air to follow, ignoring the shouts of the Crusaders and other students.

Phoenix had been flying for close to ten minutes when her wing started to cramp rather badly. Sighing, she took a sudden emergency style landing in a dense bush just as Scootaloo had gone out of sight, again.

Moaning in pain and ignoring her bleeding injury, she darted off from the bush and started looking around. It didn’t take her very long to notice just how familiar everything looked.

“Did she run back home…?”

As it turned out, that was exactly what the filly had done. The front door had been hastily shoved open followed by the sudden cries and screams of a very distraught little filly.

Curious, Phoenix leaned up against an open window and listened in.

“S-s-s-sh-” Scootaloo tried to say but simply broke down into a fit of crying and tears.

“Shh… shhh. Calm down, little one. Deep breathes. Deep,” Pale said.

Phoenix swallowed a little with a large gulp. What did she do now? All she did was fly! She had defended them from the brat and even put her in her place. What was the big deal?!

“Y- you won’t want me! S- she can fly!”

What followed next was Scootaloo screaming and crying, muffled by Pale’s coat, presumably due to the two hugging.

“Shh, who can fly? What happened?”

“P- Phoenix,” she whimpered and went right back to crying. “I- I’m just a loser pegasus… nopony cares about a--”

Pale put a stop to it right there and shushed her by physically placing her hoof on her daughter's muzzle. Phoenix didn’t know what to think.

“I’m not hearing any of that talk, young filly. I want you to listen to me, okay?”

Scootaloo sniffed rather loudly but seemed to nod.

“B- but, she’s basically me only better. Better in every way,” she replied rather bitterly.

“Scootaloo, Phoenix isn’t you,” she reminded her. Scootaloo glanced up and her mother sighed. “You’re my Scootaloo and I love you just like you are. And I bet you bits to baked goods that Phoenix's mother, whatever universe or world or however it works, would say the exact same thing about her."

The other filly watched the two hug while bitter feeling started to bubble up, compounded by the strange drugged canister from earlier.

Buck this, she thought and swiftly took to the air while ignoring her aching wings. She didn’t care. Pain was par for the course in her life and the drugs pumping through her system helped dull the pain a little. As she flew, in a random direction, her mind started to wander.

I hate thinking about that day…

But it was no use, the memories flowed rather freely. And with nothing to distract her and nopony to talk to, they came into her vision as if they had only happened yesterday.