The three Cutie Mark Crusaders lay on the ground in their tree house, laughing. "That was awesome!" said Scootaloo.
"I know." agreed Sweetie, "How'd you come up with that Applebloom?" Applebloom smirked.
"It wasn't too hard." Applebloom told them.
"Well Diamond Tiara's gonna be washing that honey out of her mane forever." Scootaloo laughed.
"Yeah." Sweetie agreed. They all laughed for a while longer until their laughter died down. Suddenly Sweetie's eyes sparked with an idea. "Hey girls, why don't we have a sleepover in the clubhouse?" she asked.
"Hey. Yeah, that's a great idea!" agreed Applebloom.
"Sounds good. I'll have to ask my mom though." Scootaloo told them.
"Alright. I'll ask Rarity." said Sweetie.
"And I'll ask Applejack." Applebloom said. Just then, something clicked. "Wait. Where do you live anyways Scoots?" she asked. Sweetie's eyes widened in realization.
"Yeah. We've never actually been to your house before have we." Sweetie agreed. Scootaloo immediately became tense.
"Uh." she said, trying to think of a way out of this.
"Yeah, what's up with that?" asked Applebloom.
"Uh. Bye guys!" Scootaloo exclaimed, quickly running off.
"Wait." Applebloom called after her, "You forgot your... bag."
"We should bring it to her." suggested Sweetie.
"Yeah." agreed Applebloom, neither speaking the real reason for wanting to go after their friend.
--
Scootaloo leaned against a tree at the entrance to the Everfree forest, panting. "That was a close one." she said to herself, "If they ever found out who I really was, they'd probably never want to talk to me again." Taking one last look around, she let out a relieved sigh, and ventured off into the forest.
Behind some bushes Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom were watching their friend. "Ain't that the Everfree? What's Scoots doing going in there?" Applebloom wondered.
"I don't know, but let's keep following her." Sweetie said. They nodded, and crept into the forest after their friend. Scootaloo moved quickly and purposefully through the forest, and Applebloom, and Sweetie had to be quick to keep up with her. It seemed as though she knew the forest like the back of her hoof.
It wasn't too long before Scootaloo pushed out of the trees, and into a small clearing. At the other end was a rock face, and the entrance to a cave. Scootaloo walked to the entrance, then took one last look around to make sure nopony was watching.
She let out a sigh of relief, and then felt inside herself for the magic she knew was there. Slowly she was engulfed in green flames as she morphed. Her body grew black and chitinous, holes appeared, her wings grew to be those of an insect, and finally a horn grew out of her head.
When she was done, she looked around once more, and then walked into the cave. In the bushes Applebloom's, and Sweetie's jaws had dropped. They couldn't believe what had just happened. It was Applebloom who snapped out of it first. "Come on, let's follow her." she told Sweetie Belle.
"B-But that was a changeling." Sweetie said.
"I know, but we have to find out where the real Scootaloo is." Applebloom told her. Sweetie's eyes widened.
"You're right!" she said, "Come on, let's go." Without saying anything else Sweetie took off towards the mouth of the cave. Applebloom quickly followed.
--
Scootaloo walked through a complex series of tunnels. She knew where she was going as she traveled this root almost every day. Finally she reached the entrance she wanted, and walked in. Inside was a fairly large room that looked very regal.
There were changelings standing guard inside, and at the back was a throne. But that wasn't important. What was, was who was sitting on it. It was the changeling queen Chrysalis. "Mom, I'm home!" called Scootaloo. Chrysalis quickly rose from her throne, and walked over to her.
"Hello Scootaloo. Did you have fun?" she asked. Scootaloo embraced her in a hug.
"Yeah. It was awesome! You should have seen Diamond Tiara's face." Scootaloo told her. Chrysalis smiled.
"You have wonderful friends don't you?" she asked her daughter.
"Yeah Mom! They're great!" Scootaloo told her, "Oh yeah! That's why I came here. I wanted to ask-" Scootaloo was cut off by the voice of a guard.
"My Queen, we have found two intruders."
--
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom could feel their jaws drop once more. First they had seen Scootaloo change into a changeling, and now that changeling was giving a hug to the Queen of the changelings! And what's more the changeling seemed to be her daughter!
Applebloom put a hoof on her head to steady herself. "Ugh. This is so confusing." she said.
"You know what else is confusing?" asked a voice.
"What?" Applebloom asked.
"Why there are two foals sneaking around the throne room." the voice said. at that Sweetie, and Applebloom quickly turned their heads to see they were not alone. Behind them were two changelings.
"Come with us." the other one told them. They let out an audible gulp. This was not good. They had been caught, and there was no way out of it. They nodded, and one changeling walked forward into the throne room while they followed, and the other changeling stood behind them to make sure they didn't try anything.
"My Queen, we have found two intruders." the changeling in the front said.
--
Scootaloo quickly turned around, and saw her worst nightmare. Standing there, between two guards, were Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. "Guys!" was all she could choke out. Applebloom met her eyes with a glare. Then she turned to the queen.
"Give us our friend back!" she yelled. Chrysalis was taken aback.
"What?" she asked.
"Yeah!" agreed Sweetie, "Give us back Scootaloo." Scootaloo flinched. She knew this day would come. She just wished they didn't have to find out like this.
"Guys. I AM Scootaloo." she told them.
"No your not! Where's the real Scootaloo?!" demanded Applebloom. Scootaloo could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but held them back.
"I am the real Scootaloo. I always have been." she told her.
"No! The real Scootaloo is fun, and nice, and our friend, and, and, not a changeling!" Sweetie argued. It was getting harder for Scootaloo to hold back he tears.
"But I am fun, and nice. And I am your friend. I always have been and always will be." Scootaloo said.
"No your not. You're just a fake!" accused Applebloom. Scootaloo couldn't take it anymore. She burst into tears, and ran off, pushing past them. Applebloom felt something slip off her back, and clatter onto the floor. She looked down, and realized Scootaloo's bag had fallen off.
Right now she was staring at the blue scooter that Scootaloo always loved to ride, and suddenly she felt guilty. She turned to her friend. "Sweetie, I think we should go apologize." Applebloom told her.
"Why?" Sweetie asked, "That faker had it coming." Applebloom looked her right in the eye.
"Because, I don't think that was a faker." Applebloom admitted. Chrysalis let out a sigh.
"I was afraid this was going to happen one day. You are Scootaloo's friends, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle right?" she asked. Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened.
"You're the changeling Queen right? H-How do you know our names?" Sweetie asked nervously. Chrysalis gave a soft smile.
"Because Scootaloo talks of you often." she told them.
"R-Really?" asked Applebloom.
"All the time." she told her, "And I don't think it's my place to tell you all the details, but that really is Scootaloo. And right now she needs her two friends. Please you two, go comfort her." Applebloom, and Sweetie looked at each other.
"Do you promise to tell us what's going on?" asked Applebloom.
"Only if Scootaloo agrees. Now go, one of my guards will lead you." Chrysalis told them. They nodded, and left. When they were gone Chrysalis allowed a small frown to grace her face. "I hope all goes well." she said.
--
Scootaloo was crying into her one-of-a-kind hoofmade Rainbow Dash pillow. "I-I knew this was going to happen!" she sobbed, "They hate me now, and I'll never be friends with them again!" She continued to cry. "Now my life is ruined!" she choked out, "I'll never go crusading again, or play with my friends, or even get to go to Ponyville!"
There was a knock at the door, but Scootaloo ignored it, and kept crying. Just then she heard a familiar voice. "Uh, Scoots." Her head shot up to see her two friends standing in her doorway. Her eyes hardened. "What do you want?" she asked.
--
Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle finally made it to Scootaloo's room. They could already hear her crying through the door. "Wow, she seems really upset." Sweetie said, regretfully.
"I know. That's why we need to apologize." Applebloom said. Sweetie nodded her head, and Applebloom knocked on the door. There was no answer except for the continued crying. She decided to just open the door. When she did she was surprised. It was just like she expected Scootaloo's room to be. Pictures of Rainbow Dash were everywhere.
She shook her head. She couldn't get distracted now. She had a friend that needed their support. "Uh, Scoots." she said to get her attention. Scootaloo's head flew up, and they saw just how horrible she looked now. Her mane was ruined, and tears stained her face. She glared at them.
"What do you want?" she asked. Applebloom scrapped her hoof nervously against the floor, a habit she'd picked up from Zecora. "Um. Well we just wanted to say that we're sorry." Applebloom said.
"Y-Yeah." agreed Sweetie Belle, "We shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. We're sorry." Scootaloo's eyes softened.
"Do you really mean it?" she asked her friends.
"Yeah." said Applebloom, sticking her hoof out, "We're friends right?"
"Friends?" asked Sweetie, sticking her hoof in too. Scootaloo thought about it for a second, and smiled.
"Friends." she said, placing her hoof in.
Then they all brought their hoofs up, and cheered, "Cutie Mark Crusaders forever!"
"Wow!" exclaimed Sweetie, "You're really a princess?!"
"Yeah." admitted Scootaloo, staring down at the ground.
"That's so cool!" said Applebloom.
"R-Really?" asked Scootaloo, a small smile spreading across her face.
"Really." agreed Sweetie. Scootaloo couldn't stop herself from breaking out into a grin. She was so relieved. After she told them who she was, daughter of Chrysalis, queen of the changeling, making her a princess herself, she was worried her friends might not like her. Or worse, treat her like royalty.
Luckily neither of the scenarios seemed to be the case. "Hey, um, I wanna ask something." Applebloom said nervously.
"Sure. What is it?" asked Scootaloo.
"Um, well." she stammered, "Do... Do changelings actually eat ponies?" Scootaloo stared at her strangely for a moment before bursting out in laughter.
"Of course not!" Scootaloo told her, "Where'd you hear that?" Applebloom turned a bright red, and scraped her hoof against the floor.
"Diamond Tiara." she admitted, "She said why else would you have fangs if you didn't eat ponies." Scootaloo burst out laughing again.
"Changelings do eat meat, but no ponies, so don't worry." Scootaloo told her, "Anyways I just had the greatest idea for a prank!" Applebloom felt herself become even more red. Sweetie broke in.
"So what's the prank?" she asked. Scootaloo smirked, and motioned for them to get closer. She then told them her idea, and they burst out laughing.
"That's just mean." Applebloom managed to get out.
"Yeah, but funny." said Sweetie. Just then something sparked in Scootaloo's brain.
"Hey guys! I just got an idea!" she told them.
"What?" asked Applebloom, "Another prank?" Scootaloo shook her head.
"No. Even better!" she said, bouncing on the spot.
"Well don't keep us in suspense." said Sweetie, "Tell us!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"Are you sure you special talent isn't being a dictionary?" she asked her friend.
"No!" said Sweetie indignantly, "Are you sure your special talent isn't being a chicken?"
"No way! Rainbow Dash is no chicken, and neither am I!" said Scootaloo.
"Girls! We're getting off topic." pointed out Applebloom, "What's your idea Scoots?" Scootaloo got excited again as she remembered what she had been about to say.
"Oh yeah!" she said, "Now that you know about me, let's have a sleepover here!" Applebloom and Sweetie's eyes widened in realization.
"Are you sure that's okay?" Applebloom asked.
"Yeah!" said Scootaloo, eager to get her friends to agree, "We can do all kinds of things! I can show you the hive, and we can play pranks, and maybe even ear our cutie marks!" Applebloom, and Sweetie's eyes lit up at the notion of earning their cutie mark.
"All right. I'll go ask Applejack." said Applebloom.
"And I'll ask Rarity." said Sweetie.
"And I gotta ask my mom." said Scootaloo. There was a moment of silence before they all burst out laughing. "That's exactly how this all started." laughed Scootaloo.
"Yeah." agreed Applebloom, "Who woulda thought it would turn out like this?"
"Definitely not us." said Sweetie. Soon their laughter died down.
"Come on." Scootaloo told them, "Let's ask my mom first."
--
"Come on. Please?" asked Scootaloo with large pleading eyes. The changeling finally relished.
"Fine." she sighed.
"Yay!" they cheered.
"Alright guys, here's the plan." said Scootaloo, "We'll go to Ponyville, and split up. Once you two are done, then we'll meet up back at the clubhouse.."
"What'll you do?" asked Sweetie.
"I'm going to gather supplies." Scootaloo told her.
With that they let out a shout of, "Cutie Mark Crusaders go!" and sped off. Chrysalis gave a small smile, and shook her head.
What have I gotten myself into? She wondered.
--
Scootaloo flapped her small orange wings to gain speed as she rod her scooter towards her destination, their clubhouse. When she reached there she skidded to a halt. She laid her bike against the tree, and put her helmet next to it. Then she hopped up the stairs.
She pushed open the door to find the familiar face of her friend, Applebloom. "Hey where's Sweetie?" she asked.
"Sweetie's not here yet." Applebloom told her.
"Oh. Okay. We'll wait for her then." Scootaloo said. They didn't have to wait very long, because a minute later their friend burst in panting.
"Sorry I took so long guys." she said, "Rarity was a little hard to convince."
"That's fine." Scootaloo told her, "I only just got here myself. So you gals ready to go?"
"Yeah!" cheered Sweetie and Applebloom.
"Great." said Scootaloo, "Applebloom, did you brink the waggon?"
"It's right outside." Applebloom told her.
"Awesome! Now let's go!" she said. With that they ran outside. Scootaloo quickly put on her helmet, and attached the waggon to her scooter. "You guys ready?" she asked.
"Ready." said Applebloom.
"Alright. Hold on tight." she told them, "This is gonna be one hay of a ride."
--
Scootaloo folded her scooter back up, and placed it into her bag. She'd taken the long way around to avoid any questions on why they were headed to the Everfree. Luckily there had been no encounters with anyone. "So what should we do first?" asked Sweetie.
"Well first we should put your stuff in my room." she told them, "Then I'll show you around the hive."
"That sounds fun!" said an excited Applebloom.
"It will be." said Scootaloo, "We can play pranks, and snatch some snacks from the kitchen, and all kinds of stuff!"
"Well what are we awaiting for? Let's go!" said Applebloom.
"Yeah!" they cried out, and charged in. Just then Applebloom, and Sweetie skid to a stop.
"What's wrong guys?" asked Scootaloo. Sweetie and Applebloom could feel their cheeks grow hotter.
"Um, where's your room?" asked Applebloom.
--
Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie gave a small giggle at what was about to happen. "This is going to be hilar-" was as far as Sweetie got before a hoof was shoved in her mouth.
"Shh." Scootaloo said, peering around the pot, "She's coming." Applebloom and Sweetie looked around the pot to see that Scootaloo was right. Chrysalis was just now reentering her throne room, and was now headed for her seat. A seat under which was a whoopee cushion.
Scootaloo could barely stifle her chortles as her mother positioned herself to sit regally upon her throne. What she didn't know was that it wouldn't be quite so regal. Then, as soon as Chrysalis sat down, a loud farting noise reverberated across the chambers.
Chrysalis jumped up in surprise, and looked around. It was too much for Scootaloo, and her friends as they burst out laughing. A small smile appeared on her face as she realized what had happened. She levitated the whoopee cushion from under her chair. "I believe this belongs to you." she said.
"Run!" said Scootaloo, snatching the toy, and bolting out of the room, closely followed by her two friends. Chrysalis let out a small chuckle as she watched them run past a confused looking guard, nearly knocking him over. "I wonder what other trouble she'll get int." Chrysalis pondered, "I'm probably going to hear about it tomorrow."
--
Scootaloo and her friends were still laughing by the time they stopped. "That was hilarious." said Sweetie.
"I know right!" agreed Applebloom.
"Come on guys! We still have plenty of pranks to play." Scootaloo told them. Just then her stomach rumbled. "Eheh. Maybe we should get something to eat first." she said.
--
A female changeling stood in the kitchen. On a table next to her was a cookie jar. "Are you sure it's okay to do this?" asked Applebloom.
"Yeah." Scootaloo told her, "Besides, Mom's getting fat. Did you hear when she sat on that whoopee cushion? I thought it was going to pop!" Her two friends  giggled. It was then that the oven dinged. The mare quickly shut it off, and opened it, releasing the enticing scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
She knew how much the Queen loved chocolate chip cookies, and noticed that they were running low so she decided she'd cook some. She used her magic to levitate the tray out, and place it on the counter in front of her. Then she turned to get the cookie jar, only to find it missing. "Wha?" she said, confused.
She then turned around to find that the tray of freshly cooked cookies was missing too, leaving her even more confused. That is until she heard the giggling of fillies. She shook her head, a smile spreading across her face. "Don't eat too many before dinner!" she called out.
She didn't get a response except for more giggling. She sighed, and shook her head. "That girl." she said, "Well I guess I should start making more."
--
Scootaloo and her friends didn't stop until they reached her room. "That was awesome!" said Applebloom.
"I know." agreed Sweetie, "You really do that all the time?"
"Well not ALL of the time." Scootaloo said, taking a bite of a cookie, "You guys should really try these. They're even better than Pinkie's"
"What? No way!" said Applebloom disbelievingly. Sweetie picked one up, and brought it to her mouth, taking a bite. Suddenly her eyes lit up.
"Amazing!" she exclaimed, "They ARE better than Pinkie's" Applebloom scoffed.
"Now I know you're just pulling my leg." she said, "There is absolutely no way-" She cut off when she took a bite. Her eyes widened in surprise. "No way." she said, "They ARE better."
"Told ya." Scootaloo said.
"But how?" she asked, "Pinkie's the best!"
"Yeah, but she doesn't cook for a queen every day." Sweetie pointed out.
"I bet she'd love to know this recipe." Applebloom said.
"I don't know." Scootaloo said reluctantly, "It's an old family recipe."
"C'mon, please?" begged Applebloom, "Think about it. She could make these for us any time we wanted." Scootaloo relented.
"Fine." she agreed.
"Yay!" cried out her two friends. Soon they finished the cookies, and were just lying around.
"So what should we do now?" asked Applebloom.
"How about we-" Scootaloo started, only to get interrupted by a voice outside.
"Dinner is ready." it called.
"Well I guess it's dinner then." said Scootaloo.
