The Filly with the Purest Heart

It had been about twenty minutes since the Cutie Mark Crusaders have left their clubhouse. They have decided to go about the treasure hunt that Scootaloo suggested earlier in the day. It was only about a thirty minute trot from the clubhouse to Fluttershy’s home, the destination for the special adventure.

“We will be there soon, just a bit further.” said Scootaloo as she was keeping pace with her two friends on her ever-reliable scooter.

“It’s almost like that the scooter is part of ya’ name or somethin’.” said Applebloom with a raised eyebrow towards her friend.

“I love this thing, sure, it would make more sense to just go the way on hoof, but using my scooter makes any kind of trip far more enjoyable.” said Scootaloo proudly as she jumped in the air and did a kick flip with her prized possession.

“So, any idea where we are to even begin once we get there?” asked Sweetie Belle towards Scootaloo, as the three fillies approached their destination, the home being within their sights now.

“Yeah, we let Fluttershy know we are there first, then we ask her if she wants to help us, if she is not there, we will have to look by ourselves.” said Scootaloo.

“I see, but wouldn’t it be wrong to be on her property if she is not home?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“I mean, sheesh, fine... If she is not there, then we can come back tomorrow I guess.” said Scootaloo as she had a slight sad expression about her.

“Oh cheer up Scoots, I cannot imagine why she would not be takin’ care of her animals, she does that all of the time anyway.” said Applebloom with enthusiasm.

“See, that is the right attitude to have, right Sweetie Belle?” asked Scootaloo with a teasing fashion towards Sweetie.

“Yeah, I bet.” said Sweetie Belle dismissively.

The three friends had finally arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, and with a quick haste, made their way to the front door.

The sun was starting to head down towards the west of the horizon as mid-day approached over a rocky wasteland. There were dead trees, with no traceable sign of leaves, adorning the barren landscape. Skulls of cows and crows could be found buried in the sand here and there, and a few tumbleweed would ever so often blow across to and fro. A series of mountains surround the wasteland on the northern and eastern sides of the landscape, but otherwise it was a wide open rocky field.

Two pony-like figures, each appearing to be at least adult in size, were slowly trotting along the wasteland. The two figures were within ten feet of each other, with the larger of the cloaked travelers slightly in the front. The smaller one, which was a little behind, would occasionally glance around up in the air, then down at the ground, and finally proceed to look left, right, and behind itself every five or so minutes. The smaller figure appeared to have a hastened breath of sorts, as if paranoid about something that had yet to occurred.

The larger figure would turn around every so often as well to look at it’s smaller companion, before turning to focus on the terrain in front of it.

“You sure seem antsy today, it’s not like any one will be following us, ya know.” said the larger of the two hooded creatures, with a somewhat deeper masculine voice.

“Picking on me for being careful, go ahead then, laugh at me, but at least I will be ready should any royal guard ponies be in the vicinity.” said the smaller figure with a raspy, yet feminine voice.

The two hooded figures continued their trek through the wastelands, before coming to a small basin at the foot of one of the many mountains that dotted the northern side of the area. They trotted slowly towards the lake that was at the bottom of the waterfall, which itself was coming from a cave on the side of the larger mountain above them.

“Now this is okay, a good break for a while, before we get to the Eastern Pines at least.” said the smaller figure as it removed it’s cloak and walked towards the larger figure as it still left it’s cloak on.

“For someone so paranoid, Graceful Sky, you sure seem willing to let yourself be exposed by removing your cloak so quickly.” cautioned the larger pony to the smaller one, as it turned out to be a female Pegasus, with a dark blue coat, and a two-toned orange and black mane, along with a tail that had the same colors as the mane.

“Hey, I doubt anypony would be around here, besides, I need to cool off my wings, come and join me, it will be fun!” said the pegasus mare as she jumped into the air, but only slightly so, before slowly flying by her larger friend. Her cutie mark of white cloud with a bright sun over it particularly seemed to shine bright in the afternoon weather.

“I guess, why not?” said the larger figure to itself as the cloak was thrown off of it’s body. A larger stallion, with a long brown mane, a black jacket of sorts on his upper body was what revealed himself after discarding the cloak. He had black leg bands around his two hind legs, as well as a pare of glasses in front of his blue eyes. His cutie mark, resembling an infinity loop sign surrounded by four colored shapes, basked in the sun as he followed his comrade towards the lake at the mountainside.

“Too bad you are an Earth Pony, if you could fly like me, you would not need to trot quickly to keep me in your sights.” said the pegasus, as her dark pink eyes looked down at her stallion friend with a teasing, yet playful gaze.

“Oh, I don’t wanna hear it right now, let’s just enjoy this afternoon, before we have to head to the Eastern Pines.” said the stallion as he adjusted his glasses, before giving a wink back to his friend as he ran below her at a similar pace.

Graceful Sky landed on the edge of the lake as her friend appeared right behind her. She turned around to look at him, with a relaxed look on her face.

“Hey Lateralus, do you think that stone is still near the Everfree where we left it last month?” asked Graceful Sky as she slowly dipped herself into the water. She shuddered a bit as she quickly adjusted to the slight chill the lake had at this time of day.

“I dunno’ Sky, but should it have moved in location since our initial interaction with it just a month prior, then we will surely have no trouble finding it none the less.” said Lateralus as he removed his glasses and placed them on the ground, a few feet away from the shore of the lake.

“Oh gosh, we left our hoods behind, what if we cannot find them?” asked Graceful Sky as she lowered her head underwater, before quickly raising back up again, with a silly look directed at her colt friend.

“Who cares, I know exactly where we left them, so let’s get a little relaxation going, and then we can head towards our destination.” said Lateralus as he looked at Graceful Sky with a slight joyous expression.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had finished up their crossword puzzles and had since went back down to the living room, where they had gotten lunch for the day. After finishing, the two friends decided to simply lounge around on the couch as they continued to spark up on things that occupied their minds.

“So Tiara, is that situation concerning those silly blank flanks still pestering you, like I said, don’t let is get to you, we will confront them tomorrow about it.” said Silver Spoon with a tone of assurance towards her friend.

“Only if you are over that cold, I don’t want you showing up to school sick.” said Diamond with a little worry in her tone.

“I am already feeling better, besides, if anyone can get to the bottom of what those stupid crusaders are up to, it’s the two of us when we are together!” exclaimed Silver Spoon with a gentle smile towards her friend.

“Sounds right to me, um.. Look, it is starting to get late, I am going to head home for now, but I will see you tomorrow, right?” asked Diamond as she got off of the couch and proceeded to walk towards the door that led out of Silver Spoon’s mansion.

“Sure, see you tomorrow Tia’!” proclaimed Silver Spoon with a chipper demeanor as the two friends decided to depart from each other for the day.

On her way back towards the Rich Estates, Diamond Tiara could still sense some remnants of Applebloom’s words audible in her head. She tried to shake them out, but for some reason, this only made those damned words louder and more prevalent.

“Trying to befriend me, probably so she can strike me at my most vulnerable, that sounds like her alright, a stupid, clumsy, farm pony!” yelped Diamond Tiara to herself as quite as she could muster. She had approached the gate that led to her father’s mansion. She sighed with relief and looked forward to laying in her own bed for the rest of the day.

“Me and Spoony will get to the bottom of this tomorrow, nothing to fear at all Diamond.” said the filly to herself as she opened the gate and trotted towards the mansion’s front door.

The knocking on her door made Fluttershy wince back in fear for a slight second, before regaining her composure a moment later. She was not expecting any visitors for the day, though she was excited that perhaps somepony was willing to stop by for a bit.

Outside of the door, Scootaloo had finished her diligent knocking and was waiting for a response from the other side of the door. Either a audible acknowledgement from Fluttershy, or a physical one of her opening the door would do.

“Maybe she is not home right now, it’s like I said Scootaloo, we will have to try again later.” said Sweetie Belle as she stood to the right of her pegasus friend.

“Wait a minute, I hear it but it’s faint, can you hear it?” asked Applebloom with curiosity as she trotted over and stood beside Scootaloo opposite the side Sweetie Belle was on.

“No, I don’t... Wait I do now.” said Scootaloo with joy as the three fillies backed away from the door with anticipation. They knew that if they were in close proximity of the door when it opened, then the owner of the house would be very startled. Fluttershy was very jumpy over things, even if those said things were relatively harmless.

The door creaked open and Scootaloo could make out an eye looking over the three friends. The door then opened some more, and out from the cottage came Fluttershy with an inviting look etched across her face.

“Oh girls, it is you, what brings you here today.” asked Fluttershy with her usual soft, but pleasant voice.

“We have something to ask you Fluttershy, we would like your help with something.” said Scootaloo with an excited tone.

“What would that be?” asked a perplexed Fluttershy.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Treasure Hunters Yay!” yelled all three fillies simultaneously, as the sudden outburst caused Fluttershy to jump back with a startled expression.

“Oh my...” whispered Fluttershy to herself as her pet bunny, Angel, hopped over to her side. He had a confused look upon his face as he patted his foot and stared at his caretaker with an annoyed expression.

“Oh sorry about that Fluttershy, we are just excited about this whole thing.” said Sweetie Belle with an apologetic tone.

“Yeah, we did not mean to startle you or anything.” said Applebloom.

“We just want you to help us look for some treasure around the Everfree, it is an idea I came up with to get our cutie marks, what do you think?” asked Scootaloo with joy.

“I see.” muttered Fluttershy to herself as Angel hopped in place with an excited expression on his face.

“Aww, it looks like Angel wants to help us, please, can you help us too?” asked Scootaloo as she gave her best attempt to look adorable to the Element of Kindness.

“The things I get myself involved with, huh?” asked the yellow pegasus to herself quietly as she began to weigh her options on the matter.

“Well then, not in the Everfree, but we can walk around my cottage, I am sure we will find something interesting around.” said Fluttershy with a nod as she turned around and signaled for the three fillies to follow her. Angel hopped along right behind her, and Scootaloo followed.

“Come on girls, this is gonna be great!” said Scootaloo who was happy to finally begin her treasure hunt, something she has been wanting to do ever since she read about the adventures of Daring Do.

Elsewhere, the two ponies that had taken a break in the lake by the mountainside, had finished drying up and had donned their hoods once again.

“That jewel, we need to find it soon Graceful Sky, the longer we are separated from it, the more depressed I feel.” said Lateralus to the pegasus that was trotting beside him.

“Don’t worry, we will secure it, and then the real mayhem can begin.” said Graceful Sky as the hood around her face covered her eyes. A wicked smile could still be seen across her face none the less.

“Not mayhem, but order.” said the stallion with a jubilant tone as the two ponies trotted away from the lake and further into the wasteland.