Apple Bloom was running down Mane Street in the direction of her home. She knew that when she would arrive home, she would be in a heap of trouble for missing curfew.
She had spent the day crusading with her two friends, this time they had attempted to gain tree climber cutie marks, but instead of reaching the top of the tree, they had been climbing they instead fell into a puddle of tree sap.
She was thankful that she had washed all the tree sap off, which caused her to be late, as the sticky substance would’ve only slowed her down.
With cold wind rushing against her red mane, she suddenly stopped almost causing her to trip over as the nearby sound of screaming reached her ears.
Her orange eyes widened as she realised who the screaming was coming from, “SWEETIE BELLE!” Apple Bloom shouted, instantly turning towards the direction of the shrieking.
She knew that she could be overreacting, Sweetie Belle was similar to Fluttershy in that she could be scared of her own shadow at times, however, this time felt different, Sweetie Belle sounded like she was in pain.
Apple Bloom managed to track the screams down to an alley, which was unusual for her cautious unicorn friend.
At first, she was hesitant to enter the alleyway but upon hearing Sweetie Belle’s pleas for help, she entered the darkness.
Her heart froze as she saw her friend lying on the ground in a pool of what appeared to be blood.
“Sweetie Belle!” she yelled, quickly rushing to the unicorn’s filly’s side. Apple Bloom stared in horror at the various wounds sporting the once beautiful unicorn.
Her horn had been snapped in half causing a green fluid to seep from the jagged remains. She appeared to be clutching her stomach, where blood was trying to force its way past the white hoof, staining it crimson.
She had slashes on her flanks in the shape of an X along with several other slashes and bruises covering her body.
Sweetie Belle weakly lifted her hoof, pointing towards her before whispering, “Behind you...”
Before Apple Bloom could even register what she had said, She felt a sharp blow to the head before being thrown to the ground. Whipping her head around, she gasped as she saw Scootaloo standing there, with a menacing grin, her face covered in blood, she was holding a baseball bat that had blood stained into the light-coloured wood.
"Scootaloo, what are yah doing!" Apple Bloom screamed at the psychotic filly.
Apple Bloom could only watch in horror as her so-called friend laughed. Now angry, Apple Bloom lunged at the deranged pegasus and successfully tackled her to the ground, Still laughing, Scootaloo pulled out a knife before plunging the blade into Apple Bloom's flank. She then bucked her in the face before making them both roll over so that Apple Bloom was now lying on her back with Scootaloo on top. She began to apply pressure to Apple Bloom's throat, slowly strangling her.
Choking Apple Bloom could do nothing but pitifully beat her hoof against her former friend. As she was about to black out, she saw Scootaloo suddenly get blasted away. Gasping for breath, she looked over towards Sweetie Belle, who was leaning against the wall, her broken horn emitting green sparks.
Slowly getting to her hooves, Apple Bloom stared in disbelief as Scootaloo ran away from the scene, Apple Bloom was tempted to give chase, however, she knew that she had to get help fast.
***
Twilight was lying in bed reading one last chapter before switching the lights off and going to bed when she heard the sound of frantic knocking and muffled shouting coming from her front door. She was about to shout for Spike to answer the door, however upon seeing him fast asleep, Twilight didn't have the heart to wake him. Slowly, getting out of bed, she grumbled as she was wondering, what was so important that she had to stop her late-night reading.
Opening the door, she gasped in shock as she saw Apple Bloom attempting to hold up an unconscious Sweetie Belle. Twilight's heart stopped as she realized with horror that both fillies were covered in blood, she knew that something had gone terribly wrong.
Instantly snapping into action, Twilight summoned a first aid kit and shouted for Spike, not caring if she had interrupted his beauty sleep.
“What happened?” Twilight asked as she examined their injuries and grabbing the first aid kit from Spike who looked shocked.
“It was, Scootaloo, She went crazy and attacked us!” Apple Bloom sobbed while clutching her bleeding flank, before collapsing to the floor.
Twilight, her eyes widening, knew that she wouldn’t be able to heal these injuries, herself so she summoned all of her strength and teleported the group to Ponyville General Hospital.
The doctors and staff, who were in the lobby looked stunned as Twilight and the injured fillies seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
“We need help!” Twilight shouted as the doctors and nurses immediately snapped into action.
Two nurses, wheeled gurneys into the lobby and placed the two fillies onto them before rushing them into the Emergency Room.
Twilight then looked to Spike and told him, “I need you to go and get Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash.”
Before rushing off to complete his task, Spike asked, “What are we going to do about Scootaloo?”
Twilight sighed, “As much as it pains me to say this, right now Scootaloo is… Scootaloo is a criminal so we have to tell the guards.”
“Doesn’t that mean that they’ll arrest her?”
Twilight nodded sadly, “Yes, It's… It's for her own good.”
With that, Spike went off to find Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow. Twilight on the other hoof stayed behind to tell the doctors to inform the Royal Guards about Scootaloo.
***
Scootaloo was scootering back to the clubhouse after losing Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. She hated having to lie to her friends about where she had actually been sleeping during the long, cold nights, but, she knew that if they were to find out then she could be sent back to the Orphanage, A place that Scootaloo vowed to never go back to.
Scootaloo suddenly stopped as she came face to face with a Royal Guard, his golden armour, shimmering in the moonlight.
Sensing danger, Scootaloo began to turn around, when she heard the guard shout, “HALT!”
Scootaloo ignored this command and began to scooter away at full speed. Using her wings to increase her speed, she began to make distance between her and the chasing guard.
She then began to head into town, so that she could lose him in the alleyways when she turned onto Main Street, where she found the road completely blocked by Royal Guards.
Scootaloo was in the process of looking for an escape route when she heard the distinct sound of a pegasus landing.
Turning around, she saw Rainbow Dash standing there with her wings flared in a threatening manner. Her face showing a mixture of anger, disappointment and sadness.
“Stop, Scootaloo. It’s over,” Rainbow said in a strict tone.
“Rainbow Dash, what’s going on?” she asked nervously as a guard approached, holding a pair of hoof cuffs while another guard was holding a pair of wing cuffs.
Rainbow Dash looked at her fan with sadness as she said, “You're going to have to come with us, please don’t make things difficult.”
“But I don’t want to,” Scootaloo said as she looked around desperately for a way out.
“Please Scoots, If you don’t comply then the guards will have to chain you up,” Rainbow pleaded, not wanting to see her honorary sister be treated like some common criminal.
Scootaloo looked around and realised that there was no escape, sighing in defeat, she exclaimed, “Fine.”
As soon as she jumped off her Scooter, the guards quickly rushed forward and pounced onto the little filly and started to secure her hooves in cuffs.
“Wait no, take them off! Rainbow tell them!” Scootaloo begged as she began to pull at the cuffs that chained her hooves and wings.
“Hey! She’s surrendering why are you cuffing her, She’s just a filly.” Rainbow demanded.
The guards ignored her instead saying, “Miss Scootaloo you are under arrest for attempted murder.”
Scootaloo’s eyes contracted in shock and fear, “WHAT! But I didn’t do anything wrong, please you have to believe me!” Scootaloo shouted, she had thought that the guards were only chasing her because she was an orphan, not because they had thought she had tried to kill somepony.
One of the guards who was getting frustrated with Scootaloo’s resistance, threatened, If you don’t shut up then I’ll muzzle you!”
However, Scootallo ignored him and looked towards Rainbow, who was staring horrified at the situation, “You have to tell them, I’m innocent!”
Rainbow sighed sadly, “I’m sorry, Scoots.”
Scootaloo her eyes widening with shock as she realised what Rainbow was saying, “You were supposed to be my sister! You're supposed to be the element of loya- Mmmmph!” Scootaloo yelled but was cut off as a black muzzle was forced over her snout, completely silencing any noise that she made.
Scootaloo glared daggers at Rainbow Dash, who could only mutter an apology as Scootaloo was led away.
***
Rainbow entered the hospital room and collapsed onto a seat with tears running down her face.
Twilight noticed Rainbow’s sadness and asked, “What happened?”
Rainbow could only stammer while trying to hold back her sobs, “They got her, She tried to run but they got her. It was horrible watching her get chained up and that angry look that she gave me.”
Twilight merely nodded as she looked back at the two fillies that lay in the hospital beds.
Sweetie Belle was still unconscious with Rarity stroking her mane while muttering nursery rhymes under her breath. Apple Bloom was awake but was in shock from the ordeal and was staring at the wall with tears rolling down her cheeks. Applejack held onto her hoof while glaring at the window all the while whispering darkly under her breath.
Meanwhile, back at the dingy Royal Guard station, all that could be heard was the sobbing coming from one of the cells, Inside a lonely pegasus filly sat in the fetal position, crying into her knees.
And inside of a mansion on the outskirts of town, an earth pony filly was laughing in glee…
