The Fillycaust

Sweetie Belle paced back and forth in the small tent glancing periodically at her sleeping sister lying on the cot.

Everypony says she’s going to be fine Sweetie Belle. She tried to reassure herself.

Rarity was one of the only family members Sweetie Belle had left. Although Rarity never actually confirmed it, she sometimes made remarks that implied their Earth Pony father had been killed sometime during the takeover, and since Sweetie Belle hadn’t seen him or her mother in months she guessed they were probably dead.

It was hard back then. At first it almost drove her insane wondering every waking second if her parents were alive or not, and once she finally accepted the fact that they were most likely dead she had been overcome with terrible grief and depression. Only recently, before Twilight had shown up on their doorstep, had Sweetie Belle started to begin feeling better and normal again. And then, as if someone was playing a cruel joke on her, Rarity, her only remaining family member, stayed behind in the desert to be killed by those monsters making that all to familiar pain surface once more.

Sweetie Belle sighed, “Everypony says she’s going to be fine Sweetie Belle.” she repeated out loud. “There’s nothing to worry about, she’s just sleeping.”

The sound of the canvas entrance flap opening startled Sweetie Belle. She quickly turned around and gasped at who had entered.

Standing in front of her was one of her best friends, and fellow Cutie Mark Crusader, Scootaloo. The little orange pegasus filly had the same look of awe on her face, as if she couldn’t really believe what she was seeing.

Sweetie Belle broke the silence. “Scootaloo!” she cried with joy. She jumped forward and embraced her friend.

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo laughed. “It really is you!”

Sweetie Belle let go of Scootaloo and smiled. “I’m so happy to see you! How’d you know I was here?”

“I ran into Twilight Sparkle!” Scootaloo explained. “Well... Actually I kinda rode my scooter into her... Anyway, she seemed to be in a big hurry to a meeting or something, but she had enough time to tell me that you and your sister were here and point me in your guys’s direction!” Scootaloo noticed Rarity sleeping on the cot behind Sweetie Belle. “What’s with her? It’s like one two o’clock in the afternoon.”

Sweetie Belle told Scootaloo about her journey through the harsh desert and how Rarity stayed behind to let Twilight, Spike, and herself escape from the bounty hunters.

“Whoa!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “You’re sister’s actually pretty cool Sweetie Belle! That was really brave of her! So how did she get back?”

“Rainbow Dash rescued her and brought her back along with a Earth Pony named Braeburn.”

“Leave it to Rainbow Dash to save the day!” Scootaloo said proudly. “So how’s Braeburn?”

Sweetie Belle hadn’t expected Scootaloo to ask about him. “Why do you know him?”

“Well duh, he’s in Rainbow Dash’s squad! I know all the ponies in her squad! There’s Braeburn, Silverwood, and Soarin! Soarin used to be a Wonderbolt!”

“I... I have some bad news.” Sweetie Belle said softly. She hated the idea of breaking the news to her friend, but she knew Scootaloo would only pressure her with more questions and eventually force her to tell anyway. Plus it was only a matter of time before she found out.

“What?” Scootaloo asked. Her smile faded instantly and her happiness changed to concern.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath. “Braeburn and Silverwood didn’t make it.” She told her friend.

Scootaloo stared blankly for a few moments and then laughed. “Good one Sweetie Belle! You almost got me! Those four are the best there are they couldn’t...” she stopped chuckling when she saw that Sweetie Belle was completely serious. “Did they really?” she asked softly.

Sweetie Belle shook her head yes.

“I mean... I didn’t know them all that well...” Scootaloo admitted. “But, that’s so weird I just saw them like two days ago... I guess that would explain why I didn’t see Rainbow Dash last night. She’s okay right? She isn’t hurt is she?”

“She’s fine I think.” Sweetie Belle answered. “But I have some other bad news too.”

“Oh no.” Scootaloo moaned. “What now?”

“Well...” Sweetie Belle started trying to think of the best way to say it. “Before we left Ponyville Twilight came over to Carousel Boutique and had a long talk with Rarity.”

“Yeah and?”

“I overheard them talking about how Applebloom and her big sister Applejack had been taken to a Canter Camp.”

“What!” Scootaloo said in shock. “Well somepony has to rescue them!”

“I know!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

“Oh man this is bad.” Scootaloo said looking down at her hooves. “I’ve heard terrible things about the Canter Camps. Do you know which one it was?”

“No I didn’t hear them say.” Sweetie Belle admitted.

“Maybe we can try to convince Rainbow Dash to help.” Scootaloo suggested.

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I guess that’s a start. Do you have any idea where we can find her?”

“Hmm.” Scootaloo muttered thinking. “She might be at the courthouse, she gets missions and stuff from Princess Luna there.”

“Alight, let’s go!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

The two fillies galloped out of the tent and toward the center of Appaloosa. It was astonishing just how many ponies there were in the town. When Sweetie Belle arrived in the early morning there was almost nopony to be seen, but now the dusty dirt roads were filled with Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns alike.

They darted through the crowd but when they reached the courthouse they found a sign on the front door that read, SESSION IN PROGRESS, NO UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY.

“I guess we’ll have to look somewhere else.” Sweetie Belle said turning to her friend.

“No way!” Scootaloo laughed. “When that sign’s on the door it means they’re having a meeting, if they’re having a meeting then Rainbow Dash is in there. She’s the leader of her squad which means she has to attend.”

“Well we can’t just barge in there if they’re having a meeting.”

“No, but we can sneak in. I know a secret way.”

“Really?” Sweetie Belle asked wide eyed.

“Sure! I’ve snuck in on meetings there loads of times!” Scootaloo bragged. “Follow me!”

The orange filly darted down a small alleyway between the left side of the courthouse and its neighboring building. Sweetie Belle hesitantly followed.

“In here!” Scootaloo whispered pointing at a missing plank in the side of the courthouse’s wooden wall.

The two fillies squeezed into the hole and army crawled in what was apparently the foundation of the building. As they inched there way farther into the darkness they heard voices above them arguing. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle ran into Scootaloo who had abruptly stopped.

“Ouch!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“Shh.” Scootaloo hushed. “Listen.”

The voices were now directly above them and Sweetie Belle looked up to see tiny rays of light protruding from the cracks in the floorboards above.

“Look,” said one of the voices. “You do realize Princess Luna could have thrown you in prison for siding with Celestia in the first place!”

“And I thank Princess Luna for trusting me enough not to.” answered the unmistakable voice of Twilight. “But there needs to be something done about the ponies Canter Camps!”

“AND WHAT COULD WE POSSIBLY DO?” questioned Luna in her Royal Canterlot Voice.

“We need to send a rescue team to Hoofschwitz.” Twilight proclaimed.

Everypony above them began to chatter in disapproval.

“It would be a suicide mission!” somepony scoffed. “Plus how do we know you aren’t trying to lead us into an ambush?”

“I’m on your side now!” Twilight insisted. “My friends have been sent there! I’ll go myself!”

“I DO NOT THINK SO TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!” Luna yelled. “I’M LETTING YOU STAY IN APPALOOSA, NOT BECOME THE GENERAL OF IT! I DO NOT TRUST YOU ENOUGH TO GO THROUGH WITH YOUR PLAN!!!”

“But Prin-”

“I HAVE MADE UP MY MIND!!! WHAT DO THE REST OF YOU SAY?”

Ponies who were spread throughout the room began to speak up.

“I agree with Luna.”

“I too side with Luna.”

“We just can’t throw away lives for a hopeless cause, I’m with Luna.”

Ten or so other ponies agreed similarly. Then Sweetie Belle heard Rainbow Dash’s voice speak up. “Look Twilight, if you are really serious about this then help us stop Celestia by helping around Appaloosa. Even I’m still wary about completely trusting you.”

“But Rainbow Dash!” Twilight protested. “Pinkie Pie and Applejack are there! They’re our friends!”

“I hate to say this Twilight, but you could’ve probably done more for them working with Celestia than with us.”

Twilight Sparkle was silent.

“WELL PUT YOUNG PEGASUS!!!” Luna exclaimed. “IT IS SETTLED! COURT DISMISSED!”

Scootaloo tugged on Sweetie Belle’s ear signifying it was time to leave. The two fillies crawled out from under the floorboards and stood back in the alleyway.

“I can’t believe it!” Scootaloo cried in rage. “Even Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to help them! What’s with those ponies?”

“What do we do now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo thought for a moment. “I say we go help them ourselves!” she decided.

“What?”

“Sweetie Belle listen,” Scootaloo said. She placed her hoof on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder. “This is our best friend, Applebloom. Are we just going to sit here and let her die in a Canter Camp?”

The thought of the little yellow Earth Pony being killed stabbed at Sweetie Belle’s heart, but what could Scootaloo and her do about it. “What makes you think we can do anything?”

“Well first off Celestia’s followers are looking for Earth Ponies.” Scootaloo raised her wings up and tapped on Sweetie Belle’s horn with her hoof.

“But those bounty hunters attacked us even though Rarity, Twilight, and I are all unicorns.”

“Yeah, but you were going to Appaloosa. We could pose as leaving to help Celestia!”

“I don’t think that will work Scoots.” Sweetie Belle said shaking her head. “Plus do you even know where that Hoofschwitz place they were talking about is?”

Scootaloo smiled. “Well no, but I know how we can find out! Rainbow Dash has maps of Equestria in her tent, they have the locations of all the Canter Camps I’m pretty sure.”

“Okay so we get to the Canter Camp and then what? Do you think they’ll just let us in?”

“Well we have two options I think. We can either sneak in or pose as one of the guard’s foals.”

“Do they let the Canter Camp guard’s foals into the Canter Camp?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “I don’t know but we could act all innocent and stuff like we got lost. I think we can pull it off.”

“I still don’t know Scootaloo, we tried being Cutie Mark Crusader secret agents before and it didn’t really work out.”

Scootaloo laughed. “Yeah I remember that! But in all seriousness hear me out. I have a really good plan.”

“What would that be?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“We write a letter to everypony in Appaloosa explaining exactly what we did.”

“Why on Equestria would we do that?”

“Think about it! They would have to send a rescue party to retrieve us!”

“Why would we want ponies in Appaloosa to take us back?”

“Because dumb dumb,” Scootaloo bonked Sweetie Belle on the head with her hoof. “Think about all the ponies who would insist to go looking for us! Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity! If they’re the ones that find us, then we can guilt trick them into helping us rescue Applebloom along with Pinkie Pie and Applejack!”

“Scootaloo your a genius!” Sweeite Belle laughed. “How did you come up with that?”

Scootaloo blushed. “I don’t know, but it is a pretty good plan isn’t it?”

“Definitely! Let’s get to it!”

Twilight Sparkle laid in her bed unable to go to sleep. It was a combination of rage at the fact that Luna wouldn’t help the ponies in the Canter Camp and guilt and sorrow at the deaths of Braeburn and Silverwood that fueled her insomnia.

She replayed the memories of the bounty hunter attack in her head over and over again. She was sure it wasn’t her fault that Braeburn and Silverwood had died, but she still felt guilty all the same.

At least Rarity is okay. Twilight thought. She felt terrible to admit it, but she was happy that it was Braeburn and Silverwood who had died. Not because she actually wanted them dead, it was just because of the fact that she didn’t know Braeburn that well and had never even met Silverwood. Twilight knew she would feel a great deal worse if it were Rarity that had died.

Twilight turned and looked at the clock. It was four thirty in the morning. I really need to get some sleep. She thought. She wriggled trying to get comfortable under the sheets.

“Can you just go to bed Twilight?” Spike said drearily. The baby dragon had to share the same bed with her and had obviously been woken up by Twilight’s movements.

“I’m sorry Spike, I just have a lot on my mind.”

Spike grunted something that Twilight couldn’t make out before pulling the sheets back over his head. After only a few minutes he was snoring.

How can he fall asleep that easily? Twilight wondered. Especially after everything that’s happened...

Twilight’s ears perked up as she heard the sound of an argument from outside the tent.

“No I will not!” somepony said. “It’s too obvious! It’s her idea!”

“No Twilight would never do that!” another pony shouted back.

Are they talking about me? Twilight wondered staring wide eyed at the entrance to the tent.

The flaps were pulled back and Rainbow Dash stormed in followed by Rarity.

“You!” Rainbow Dash growled angrily pointing at Twilight. “This is your doing isn’t it?”

“Dash please calm down!” Rarity pleaded.

Twilight was so confused. What was Rainbow Dash accusing her of and when did Rarity regain consciousness?

Spike woke up. “Can you just let us sleep?” he complained.

Rainbow Dash ignored him. “So this is your plan?” Rainbow Dash questioned angrily holding up a piece of paper. “This is how you’re going to get us to go to Hoofschwitz? You’re sick you know that?”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight cried.

“See she doesn’t know anything!” Rarity exclaimed. “We have to stop accusing ponies, Rainbow Dash, and act! My sister is out there in the desert as we speak!”

Sweetie Belle is in the desert? Twilight could have sworn that’s what Rarity just said. But what would drive Sweetie Belle to go back into the desert? “Will somepony please explain what the hay is going on?”

“You know damn well what’s going on!” Rainbow Dash snapped.

“No she doesn’t Dash!” Rarity turned to Twilight. “Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stole one of Dash’s maps and some of her food. They also wrote this.” Rarity snatched the piece of paper from Rainbow Dash and with her mouth and tossed it to Twilight.

She looked down at the paper and began to read.

Dear Rainbow Dash,

Sorry about taking your map and food, but we really need it for where we’re going. Sweetie Belle and I have decided to go rescue Applebloom from the Canter Camp she’s in. We would’ve asked you to go too, but figured you’d never allow it. Sorry that I had to tell you all this in a letter. Oh and by the way Sweetie Belle says hi to Rarity and wants you to tell her not to worry.

You’re number one fan,

Scootaloo (and Sweetie Belle too I guess)

“You can’t be serious.” Twilight said reading the letter over again. “They didn’t really...”

“They did though Twilight!” Rarity exclaimed on the verge of tears. “We need to do something! My baby sister is going to get herself killed!”

“I thought those two were smarter than that!” Twilight said shaking her head. “Do they really think they can rescue Applebloom by themselves?”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Well are you ready Twilight...” she said in an irritated tone.

“For?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “We’re going to have to go get those dumb fillies and you know it. We can’t bring this up with Luna, she’ll think you’re behind it all and won’t allow anypony to go after them out of fear of a trap.”

“So what makes you think any different from Luna?” Twilight questioned.

“Well... Nothing, but I’m not going to sit around while Scootaloo is out there trying to get herself killed.” Rainbow Dash paused hating to admit her true feelings. “Look I’m really fond of the kid okay, I don’t want to lose her.”
 “Just like I’m not going to lose Sweetie Belle!” Rarity agreed.

Twilight nodded.

“I’ll go too guys!” Spike butted in.

Twilight shook her head. “No Spike, you need to stay here. I’m not going to put you in danger too.”

“But won’t somepony question me about you guys not being here?” Spike asked.

“He has a point.” Rainbow Dash admitted.

“Well, can’t you just go get Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle by yourself Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked. She really didn’t want to put any more lives in danger than she had to. “I mean you are one of the fastest flyers in Equestria. We would only slow you down.”

Rainbow Dash looked down at her hooves. “Okay look, there’s a reason why squads around here have at least one unicorn in them. Sure, us Pegasi can fight other Pegasi pretty well, but against trained Unicorns and their magical attacks we can’t really do that much unless we have the element of surprise. I almost didn’t make it back myself when retrieving Rarity and Braeburn. I know I’m pretty cocky most of the time, but this isn’t something I can just charge into. Those two fillies have a better chance if we play it smart.”

“So can I go?” Spike asked.

Twilight took a deep breath in. She knew this decision could very well cost the life of Spike in the future, and she didn’t to add anymore blood on her hooves. It was, by no means, an easy decision to make, but she realized it wasn’t entirely her decision either, Spike was old enough to think for himself. “You have to promise me, Spike, that you will not do anything stupid.”

“I won’t!” Spike promised.

“And you have to promise that if anything happens to us then you’ll come straight back here.”

Spike hesitated. Twilight knew that the baby dragon didn’t agree with leaving his friends behind when they were in danger, but she needed all the comfort she could get ensuring that Spike would be as safe as possible on the journey. “I promise...” he finally agreed reluctantly.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Rainbow Dash. “Let’s go get those featherbrained fillies back.”