Overthrown 1.5: Scootaloo's Corruption

Scootaloo looked around to see where the noise came from. More importantly, she wondered how someone got into her house without knocking first. That was trespassing, and that was illegal since the last time she checked. So she was freaked out, and rightfully so. She slowly crawled out of bed, grabbing the nearest item she could find to defend herself with, a lamp to be more specific. She then looked around the room for the intruder, almost like a military sniper who was looking for the enemy.

"Where are you?" Scootaloo said, a hint of fear in her voice. "You're trespassing on private property right now, you know?! You better leave!"

"Then how will you get your cutie mark, Scootaloo?" The mysterious figure said, as he slowly revealed himself.

The figure was as black and tall as Princess Luna. His tail ended in a group of spikes, kind of like that of a dragon or a demon. His wings were black with red stripes at the end of them, and they lit up orange in the darkness, a power to be explained later. Unlike a majority of the alicorns in Equestria, he had three horns on his head: A black one, a grey one, and a white one. Scootaloo jumped back in shock as she looked at the demonic-looking alicorn.

"Who are you?!" Scootaloo asked, still perplexed and amazed at what she was seeing.

"I'm Moondust Bloom, and I'm a pony who wants to help," The alicorn said, as Scootaloo tilted her head in skepticism. "Oh yeah! I know all about you, Scootaloo. For example, I know that throughout your whole life, you have tried and failed to get your cutie mark."

Scootaloo was shocked at this reveal. How did he know that? How could he know that? Did he possess similar powers to Princess Luna, where he can see what ponies dream of or what their desires are? Scootaloo slowly flew up close to Moondust, with questions on her mind.

"How did you... Know that?" Scootaloo asked, with skepticism and fear in her voice. "Did someone tell you?"

"No, no," Moondust said. "I just possess a profound ability. When you spend years in an abandoned wasteland after your sister banishes you and takes your former title away, you're bound to learn these things."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked, still full of skepticism. "Who was your sister?"

"Princess Celestia," Moondust said. "I used to be a prince, you know. I was next in line for the throne. But she chose to give the throne to some student of hers and leave me out to dry. So I know how you feel, Scootaloo. All that work you put in, all that effort, only to be rejected again and again."

Moondust smiled a welcoming grin, as he continued his monologue.

"That brings me to what I'm about to offer you, my dear," Moondust said. "I want you to be head of my army in a rebellion against the ruler of Equestria! Then, I will personally make sure you get your cutie mark as soon as the task is done! You'll finally be accepted! You'll finally be loved! You will no longer be a blank flank."

All of this sounded very appealing to Scootaloo. All her life, she only wanted one thing, and that was to be accepted and get her cutie mark. This sounded like a great opportunity to get everything she ever wanted: Power, respect, a cutie mark, the whole nine yards! More importantly, she would get acceptance. But as she was thinking about the benefits, the disadvantages also came to light in her mind.

Would ponies die because of this? Was it truly who she was? Was a magical tattoo and proper friendships worth causing a bloody rebellion against royalty? What about the rest of the former Crusaders? She still had a bit of love for them, even though they broke up. Was it worth causing them pain and suffering?

"I don't know," Scootaloo said with hesitation. "Will anypony get hurt because of this?"

"Possibly," Moondust said, unphased. "But it will be worth it! You will finally get the acceptance that you deserve!"

Scootaloo was still hesitant about the offer. It sounded appealing. But it also sounded illegal and chaotic. Even worse, it could cause someone to get hurt or killed. The orange pegasus didn't know if she wanted a part in that. Moondust noticed the look of hesitation on her face and gave her an encouraging and understanding look.

"Look," Moondust said. "The rebellion starts the day after tomorrow. I want acceptance. You want acceptance. Together, we can get it. Give it a day and let me know if you're interested. If you are, come to my headquarters, located in Ponyville."

"I will," Scootaloo said.

Moondust flew away into the moonlight, as Scootaloo looked on. She knew that she now had a decision to make if she wanted to ever get her cutie mark. She just needed to figure out what the right one was, and she needed to figure it out fast.