A Lealdade Dela...

A series of pants echoed through a dark forest as an orange pegasus filly with a purple mane and tail ran through, trying to find the way out. She was in a forest, that contained tall black trees with thick sharp branches, grey bushes, and a pale dirt road. There were no animals, no other ponies, just a grey monochromatic forest with a threatening atmosphere. The only light came from the blood-red moon as it shined upon the miserable place.

Scootaloo turned left and right, but the wide tree-filled area never seemed to end. It seemed it was stretching, preventing her from escaping. Wanting to keep her in this grim environment forever. The pegasus could hear dragging hooves following her at a rapid pace.

It was there. And it wasn't far behind her. She glanced behind her, only to squeal in fear, turn back around, and run faster.

Scootaloo began to panic as she realized she had no way to leave the place. Tears formed in her eyes and were pushed backward by the passing force. Her whimpers bounced about the strange place.

"No...I don't to be here!... I don't want..."

Scootaloo suddenly stopped when she noticed the noise of the creature following her had vanished. She whipped her head around, only to find nothing. She then looked left and right, desperately trying to find the exit. She needed to run, but her hooves wouldn't move, staying planted on the ground out of fear. Scootaloo then crouched down and allowed her body to curl up, protecting her from whatever might harm her. She was so focused on her fear, she didn't notice the scraping and hoof steps coming up behind her.

The filly yelped and curled up tighter as her ears perked up to something hard falling behind her with a loud thump. She waited for a sound, a feeling, a sense to let her know the creature was still there. Nothing. Moments passed and Scootaloo heard and sensed nothing. Slowly her body uncurled herself and she turned around to see whatever was behind her.

Eyes went wide in horror as she saw what it was. Who it was.

Bloody and limp, her soulless eyes staring through her. The body was broken and bloody and her mouth agape in shock. Still, she remained unmoving and lifeless.

Her mouth opened to scream, but choked gasps were all she could make.

Scootaloo woke with a gasp of fear, shooting into a sitting position and eyes violently looking around her surroundings. She noticed reality and covered her mouth in shock with one hoof, the other continuing to try to protect herself from something. She quietly cried in her room as memories of the nightmare flooded her mind. The never-ending trees, the feeling of dread, and the colorful rotting corpse of her dear idol and older sister.

This was the fifth time she had a nightmare involving the decaying body.

She remembered so clearly the torn and ripped sky blue fur, her wings so bent bone stuck out, and lastly, her beautiful mane and tail covered in mud all sitting and soaking in a pool of crimson blood.

Scootaloo remembered the events. The terrible and sudden rainy storm, and the finding of the rainbow mare, and many other ponies. No one had expected the snowstorm later that day, every pony barely making it to their own home. But Rainbow Dash, with the other pegasi, had attempted to take care of the sudden weather change. Nopony had expected it to cost their own lives. It was all just a hideous permanent image in her screaming mind.

"No!.." She whispered, her body growing heavy with each rich and heaving breath. The filly attempted to think of the events as much as she could, not wanting to suffer the pain that came with remembering the painful events. She attempted to move onto a different memory, only going back to when Dash took her under her wing and became her honorary big sister. When Rainbow Dash had done the legendary sonic rainboom, causing colors to bounce about in the sky. Rainbow told her she didn't need to fly to have a purpose when the mare herself could do amazing feats and tricks in the sky.

The orange pegasus began to shake violently as more pleasant memories of the brash speedster pegasus filled her mind. When Rainbow had praised her for the tricks and talent that she and her friends had performed in the Equestria Games. Watching the mare fly and perform amazing stunts alongside her dream team. Rainbow Dash is there by her side, being the Element of Loyalty. She started to remember parts of the mare, that was never forgotten.

Her energetic rose-colored eyes, her brash and confident attitude, that trademark cocky grin, her friendship with herself and the others.

And her undying loyalty. It was her one defying trait. It was what made her a very dear friend and a very true sister.

Scootaloo bent over and buried her snout in her blanket, letting out a wavering scream. While she was on her soft and pleasant bed, she was surrounded by darkness, with the only light coming from the stars through her window. She now sat up, tears staining her fur cheeks, as she recalled more memories. Rainbow's funeral was held in light and gentle rain, which was oddly hours after her death, hours after she was found. She had now been deceased for two months and a half. The filly's wings shuttered as she traced back to another memory.

She remembered Rainbow Dash's pet, Tank. Fluttershy had agreed to take care of him after his owner's death. The turtle had refused to eat or come out of his shell in any way. He had died despite Fluttershy's desperate attempts to get him to stay.

The orange pony began to sob quietly in her darkroom, she continued to wish and pray for another chance at seeing the pony who truly looked out for her. But Scootaloo knew the cruel truth behind her very desires. Rainbow Dash was dead. She had been dead for two months moving on to three. The same rainbow-maned mare that stuck by her side since that fateful camping trip.

She was true, loyal, and now dead.

Fatigue and exhaustion came and dragged Scootaloo into the empty black void of her mind. No dreams, only darkness.

Rainbow Dash's death had affected the Elements of Harmony in their ways. With Applejack not bucking apples as she used to, occasionally looking up in the sky for a cyan pegasus slacking in her job. Rarity had sobbed and mourned, and now she's not as cheery making designs and stitching clothing anymore. Pinkie Pie had tried to cheer all of them up, without feeling the pain herself. Twilight blamed herself for what happened and fell into a cycle of self-loathing. Fluttershy had occasionally been seen crying and seemed to distance herself in her home.

It had affected all of them in their ways. Scootaloo had noticed but was too tired to change how she had been to her friends. The filly seemed to push her friends away and distance herself from others.

She trotted through the forest. It was a very dangerous place to go in, but Scootaloo felt it was the only place where she could get her to wish granted. She also had an idea to visit Zecora, a zebra sorcerous that Ponyville befriended, maybe she had a certain spell to bring Rainbow Dash back to life. It was a crazy plan, but Scootaloo would take the risks. She didn't ask her friends to accompany her, she knew they would tell her and try to comfort her, and she also knew she was just as terrified of the unstable magic of the forest around her. Still, she was scared and even a little nostalgic, and now she still felt very uneasy. But that didn't deter her from her journey, she still had hope and she was still determined. She had thought maybe the walk would get her mind off of her grief-ridden thoughts. Maybe notice some harmless, funny words to use referring to the Everfree, animals, and interesting, if not deadly, plants.

However she wouldn't have noticed any animals or interesting plants to distract her anyway, the idea had failed. The memories of the mare had now become a sort of obsession, repeating over in her thoughts like a broken record everywhere she went. The unique rainbow mane of the mare. The rasp of her voice. Her bright and big and beautiful wings. The tricks she pulled in the sky. Her sonic rainboom. Her sister-like relationship with Scootaloo.

Her loyalty.

She recalled Dash's corpse, remembering perfectly where the wounds and damage were. The mare had small and very little cuts and bruises scattered all over her legs and a cut on her left cheek. A huge gash ran down her stomach and curled toward her back, it was stretched open just a bit. Whatever animal had broken the mares left wing, making her unable to fly away. They were too late when they found her near the woods, she had died from the sadistic wounds.

She had seen part of the corpse, she wasn't the one to find it, but she had seen it while helping to search for the weather ponies, along with her best friends. She couldn't help but stare at the unsettling sight. Her world had shattered when she understood the sight before her eyes. They hadn't noticed her at first, but when they heard her sobs, she was dragged away by Rarity and Applejack, who couldn't look anymore, along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, so she couldn't see any more of the gruesome image. But it was too late, she had seen most of it, and it was now imprinted on her brain.

The odd thing was that when Scootaloo asked her, Fluttershy, hesitant at first and wanting to forget, said she couldn't match them to any animal she knew. A shiver went down her spine at that fact.

Another very odd thing was that it was a violent, unplanned storm during the middle of summer.

The blood on the mare's hooves showed she had tried to fight for life in vain but eventually succumbed. Scootaloo began to feel a bitter feeling. Strong and very, very bitter. She soon realized it wasn't directed to anyone other than her. The harsh resentment and strong bitterness she felt. Her self-loathing was unlike anything before, and it was growing in her very soul. But she could do nothing, it was an illusion and not in reality. And her head was a pit filled with discorded thoughts during the day and ghastly nightmares in the night.

It was a prison cell, reality coming to free her for only a few moments, before being forced into the torturing alcoves of her psyche. Lately, Scootaloo found herself dragging her body around to continue her daily tasks, and she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and savor the sweet dreams and the presence she had but now lost. Wishing this was a dream, a figment of her imagination and not reality. Her wishes were never fulfilled.

She knew Rainbow couldn't come back, even if the rainbow-maned mare wanted to. Rainbow Dash always liked to win, whether they were games or competitions, and now, she had won the game of life. Reaching to the end and being greeted by the grim reaper. The orange filly and the others continued to mourn for the grim reward the blue pegasus received at the end of this twisted game. The darkness continued to surround her in deep grief. It spread around her like water, drowning her in a pool of hate, exhaustion, and resentment. But Scootaloo didn't fight, she was far too tired. Emotionally and physically.

She didn't go to her friends for help. And she couldn't bring herself to go to any of the Elements, because she knew they felt it too, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. She noticed they had meetings and still hung out, but they weren't the same without the boastful mare sharing her pride. It wasn't the same in anything anymore.

The mare cared for and believed in Scootaloo. She encouraged her to keep trying, to never give up on something the filly found important. She trailed off in her thoughts. The darkness of grief and regret seemed to surround her and threatened to crush her in its cold embrace. Nothing was joyful and cheery, no matter how many times her friends or the older mares tried to cheer her up. She knew they cared but without Rainbow there to speak certain words, or to ruffle her mane, or even wrap her warm wing around her in an embrace, she felt as if all her goals were pathetic and more unreachable than ever. To encourage her to keep trying at her goals. To believe in herself.

Scootaloo would give anything to have that hope again. To be able to reach the mare of loyalty and to never let her go. The darkness was getting closer. She continued to doubt herself each day. Telling herself that she will never fly, telling herself Rainbow was never coming back, but that changed when the idea to ask Zecora for a nearly impossible favor, but she knew the resider of the forest could most likely do it, she had done many incredible things before.

Rainbow will come back, Scootaloo was sure of that. After the spell, she and Rainbow and all of their friends will be happy.

The darkness reached out for her, having the intent of trapping her in its harsh pool of doubt and guilt.

A growl met her ears, footsteps and the sound of twigs snapping under the weight of a creature brought her attention. She looked towards the source of the noise, and her heartbeat was violent out of fear. It was as if the darkness and grief have manifested themselves into a vicious beast, a timberwolf, and its glowing green eyes seemed to stare into her as it glared at the young pony. It slowly, menacingly moved towards its frozen prey. Scootaloo's fight or flight response only decided on one thing. Flee.

Pushing her exhaustion aside, she began to run. There wasn't a destination, just a goal. A goal to get away from the pain, the sadness, the madness. Away from her memories, and away from the rapidly gaining monster behind her. She began to sob out loud now, as the darkness and creature of the Everfree continued to follow her like a deadly disease. It was inescapable, following her where ever she went, no matter how many turns she made, seeming to laugh and mock the pathetic pony. But the worst thing about it was that Scootaloo knew it was there. Her heart pounded faster as she still heard the savage noises of the animal, she ran faster. She only wished she had brought her scooter with her this time.

She knew about reality. About all of the self-hatred, she would put on herself. The constant berating she made at her reflection. The horrible nightmares all being something other than her own mind's twisted creation. Her hooves carried her like the wind, surprisingly faster than her pursuer, but not fast enough to shake it off her tail.

Anything in the world made no sense, yet everything in her warped psyche did no matter how unfair or twisted it appeared.

The pony wasn't paying attention to a wide hole in the ground. She had traveled miles from what she originally planned. Traveled past where other ponies would have normally gone at this time of day if they ever even went at all. She tripped and stumbled, her scream cut off as her body hit the harsh ground below after many seconds. A loud crack rang through and echoed throughout the alcove. Pain seared throughout her back as white flashed her vision. Her cry became an ugly moan as she now lay on her side. The timberwolf that chased her skidded to a halt and stared at its lost prey. It looked tempted to jump down there and finish the job, but something kept it from doing that very action, something emanating from the alcove that it seemed to fear or be cautious of.

Its cowardly side had won. With a snort, the wolf turned away and looked for other unfortunate creatures to attack and stalk.

Scootaloo could do nothing but lie where she landed, her pants slowly lost speed until they became shaky steady breaths. Darkness was the last thing she knew as she slipped into mind-numbing unconsciousness.

Sobs echoed in the wide library of Twilight Sparkle's castle of friendship. As the purple alicorn sobbed quietly hugging Fluttershy for an attempt for comfort, Scootaloo watched from a distance. The orange filly had come by to ask Twilight for any way to bring the mare back only to find her in the library clinging onto the yellow pegasus, crying her heart out. It was later revealed, that twilight was deep in grief, and was looking for some spell to bring the deceased speedster back, something Scootaloo had wanted. Something she had changed her mind about asking after seeing this. The purple princess had broken down, hugging the Element of Kindness for comfort. Scootaloo saw the uncertainly on the pink maned mares face, from that she saw that Fluttershy didn't know if it was working, she was too deep in grief.

It had been only six days since Dash's death. She felt pain in her heart every time she traced back to that fact. The purple alicorn's body shook violently with each heaving sob that escaped her. Scootaloo soon left after doing nothing but watching this sad display, unable to watch anymore.

It hurt the young pony to see and hear her friends like this. But Scootaloo felt she could do nothing. She felt useless.

A simple blink and the purple mare and the wondrous library were gone, the Sugar Cube Corner bakery replaced the scenery. The Elements of Harmony sat with her around the round wooden table in silence. Applejacks head was tilted down, her hat covering her eyes. Rarity had her head rested on the table, she had tears building up in her eyes. Twilight's mane was a bit disheveled and she looked exhausted. Fluttershy had tears brimming in her eyes as well and her body shook with sadness. Lastly, Pinkie Pie's hair was straight, her smile upside down.

All of them had forlorn expressions printed on their faces. And Scootaloo was watching from the window outside.

It had been four days since Rainbow's death. There was nothing sweet about this fact.

A blink and the sight before her was once again replaced by another. It was cold. She was in a seat among many others. Sad mutters and sobbing were what she heard. The rainbow mare's funeral was colorless and empty.

It was warm, but Scootaloo felt cold.

Scootaloo shivered. Many ponies came. The Mane Six, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the weather team, the Wonderbolts, and many others.

It had been one day since Rainbow's death. And it was anything but awesome.

The ground cracked and broke beneath her, swallowing Scootaloo into its mass of pain and darkness.

And she opened her eyes.

She was awake.

She was in pain. Her wing hurt unbearably. She was alive, but she was in deep pain. She slowly tried to sit up, but only cause more pain to her wing. She winced and cried out in immense pain. She took a look at her wing.

Blood.

Bone.

Her wing was broken and was now bleeding heavily. A pool of blood was around and underneath her, painting her fur and parts of her mane crimson. In agony, she looked around her. There was only blood-soaked mud and rocks that scraped her hooves lightly. A very faint blue light was shone faintly at her. She felt drawn to it, in a way. She then snapped out of her trance. She looked over herself. The wide hole she tumbled down was there, but only stars filled the sky.

The night was here, stars looking like tiny holes in the dark-colored sky.

She attempted to stand, but only fell back down, giving out sounds of agony. When she stopped she looked above once more and called out. She coughed but managed to speak, her voice cracking due to her dry throat.

"H-hello?... Is anypony out there? Sweetie Belle... Apple Bloom?...Anyone?"

No response, nothing. Only stars, and only silence. She began to cry at her situation. She was scared, hungry, and thirsty. Not to mention her now broken wing. Her sobs echoed within the cavern, with nobody to hear it. She didn't want this. She wanted to be in her soft bed. In her sister's embrace. Not inside a deep cave with uncomfortable dry dirt and rocks. Hours are what it took and felt like for the filly before she reached and grasped the dirt, moving her hooves underneath her.

She had no choice, if she couldn't fly, or ask anyone to help her, she'll have to go through the tunnel. Shakily, slowly, she stood up and began to limp and stumbled towards the gentle blue light that awaited her. Her loud and shaky pants echoed throughout the tunnel. The light came closer and closer, her hooves carrying her heavy body. She felt weak. Fragile.

Like glass.

Not even halfway she almost collapsed in utter exhaustion. But she steadied herself and continued. In her head, she was almost there, and she wasn't going to stop now. She was so far from the light. She silently sobbed as her thoughts became a tornado.

Great, now look what you did Scootaloo! Of course you just HAD to go and make it even worse didn't you?! Shut. Up. What are you going to cry? You should you deserve it. Leave me alone! Be Quiet! Isn't this what caused Rainbows death? Your ignorance? Stop...Please! Of course it's true! If you hadn't been so ignorant and selfish, maybe you could've helped Rainbow! Maybe if you knew how to fly you could've prevented this! Shut up! Shut UP! But of course you just HAD to be so pitiful and useless! Maybe if you did know how to fly... Please... You can't fight the truth... Stop it! Rainbow would still be alive... I'm begging you! If it wasn't for your inability to do what you were made to do!

"SHUT UP!"

Scootaloo's scream echoed within the cave. Silence met her ears as her hollow echo faded moments later. Nobody was talking. Not anymore. She sighed and continued to walk. She was almost there. At least, she thought so as the blue light was now brighter than before.

Minutes passed by. Nothing but bright blue light, and dirt, and rocks.

Again nobody spoke, only her stumbling steps and her panting breaths of exhaustion and occasional moans and cry's of pain were what met her ears. No words of self-doubt or hatred in her head. At least not now. She continued even more exhausted than before. But she was so close. Almost there, and she couldn't bring herself to stop. Also, the ground beneath her was getting mushier and wetter. Softer.

She was closer, she could hear and now feel the sound of rushing water underneath her hooves. Just a few more steps.

She could see a wide hole before her, and beyond it was the bright blue light. Closer and closer she was, until finally...

She made it.

Her eyes widened in shock and awe as she came into a cave. A cave with a huge tree growing inside it, its roots spread throughout the clearing. Water surrounded the cave floor, pure and clear. Without another thought, she slid down her tunnel and she stumbled onto the soothingly cool water that waited before her. She leaned forward to gulp the water she craved only to cry out in pain and fall into the pool. Cool water surrounded her in a comforting embrace. She froze for a minute, in shock. But then she took gulp fulls of water, then she relaxed her muscles and embraced the soft enjoyable sensation. It wasn't deep she stood in the water, which kept her head high above the water.

Her red dried blood mixed with the crystal fluid, spreading and reaching for the sides of the cavern as if someone had dipped a paintbrush with red paint present on it. Her fur and wings became soaked.

She was in bliss, glad to have followed the mysterious light into this soothing sensation. She slowly opened her eyes as she was reminded about the thing that leads her there. There in the tree covered in roots and the heart of the tree trunk what something that glowed blue. She painfully forced herself out of the comfort and climbed slowly, hesitantly to the object.

Orange hooves reached out for the roots and pushed and moved them out of the way. It was deep, and it almost swallowed her, causing more pain to her wing. She grasped something, something round, and smooth, and cold. She jerked it, but it was latched tightly and something almost seemed to gently pull it away. Scootaloo felt a jolt of stubbornness and not long after; desperateness. She thought that if this thing had led her to this peaceful alcove, maybe it could get her out. Stabilizing her hoves in the roots that seemed from the tree and were scattered all over the cavern, she pulled it with all her might. She didn't want to stay.

She had no food, and while the water was good, she didn't want to somehow drown or be swept away to a waterfall, like before. Trauma gripped her features, and tears filled her eyes as she pulled with all of her muscle and all of her body weight, and there was nothing but pain in the wing from stretching her forelegs and tensing her muscles, the tears fell down her cheeks. But then, something fell, making Scootaloo go off balance and making her, along with the item tumble down the base. It was that glowing light, now and item. It fell into the water with a tiny splash and illuminated the liquid, making it glow within the cave. She had no choice as her body moved down without her will and pulled her back into its seductive engulfment.

She opened her eyes and groaned, which was muffled by the water, bubbles came out instead. She opened her eyes and moved to stand, ignoring the searing pain it caused her. She then looked around, and quickly found the object. Trying not to make anymore suffering to herself, she carefully walked over to the object, attempting to not add pain to her wing.

Finally, she grasped it. And stared at it.

It was a beautifully decorated antique pocket watch. It had a tiny button in the middle of two notches. She turned it over. Both of its hands were on the number twelve, the number like the others being perfectly imprinted onto the face. A glass cover protected the delicate face of the dimming object. The pocket watch was snow-white, with black vines that had tiny roses growing off of them.

She admired the lovely artifact, before realizing its light was fading and the darkness was engulfing her. She didn't mind the dark, but she didn't like it when she couldn't see in a place she knew nothing about. In a panic she pressed one of the notches, thinking they would brighten the little night light. The pocket watch glowed brighter.

And brighter.

Her ears twitched as she heard what sounded like quick heavy footsteps make their way to her behind her.

The watch was becoming warm when she was quickly engulfed in the light before she could do anything.

Darkness surrounded the cave once more. No sane creature was there anymore, but a deep growl echoed in the cave. The growl of a beast...

She opened her eyes in shock. She was falling.

The sound of ticking met her ears as she continued to fall.

Deeper and deeper into a deep black pit. Her ears focused on the ticking. She looked around her.

There were clocks. Grandfather clocks, small clocks, alarm clocks, every single clock she could see and know of in the round, organized rows around her. There were even old ones she couldn't remember the names of, and some she had never seen before.

And they were all white, devoid of color, contrasting against the black emptiness that surrounded her.

Her tail swayed as she continued to fall farther and deeper. The space around her almost seemed to get smaller for a while, threatening to smother her with the clocks, their ticking being louder due to their now increased range. The surroundings seemed to go still before the "walls" began widening once more. Everything was so dull and so unsettling.

Wait, was...was she dead?

That thought was interrupted when she saw a bright white light waiting to swallow her small form.

Its light reflected off of the pegasuses terrified and confused purple eyes.

Then everything was white as the light consumed the filly whole.

The Timeline has been reset...