1 - A Dream and a Nightmare
She opened her eyes to crimson. Her hooves deep in mud. Her horn deep in white turned red. Blood and rain pouring down from the sky, while tears pour from eyes.
“The pain has stopped,” wisperd the little filly. Tears of pain stop, free to retreat from the white form.
“Rarity?”
Only blood pouring as a reply.
“Rarity!?” she cried. With relief, is charity. From charity, the price of relief. And Tears of pain are renewed.
“what happened?,” asked a new comer.
The filly turned to Luna and to all that she loved. Each of the bodies laid silent, covered in mud and their blood; all but Luna.
“It hurt; so much. I had to stop the pain. So I gave it away.” said the crying filly.
“This has to stop,” said Luna, walking near to Sweetly.
“It has. My head no longer hurts.”
“No Sweetie. This is too much. You must wake up!”
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“Sweetie! Time to get up!”
“Owww!” Sweetie cried. ”Rarity, not so loud. My head still hurts.”
Sweetie glows lightly. A lift and push, off of the bed. “Owww, Rarity!”
“Well I could not make the bed while you were still in it,” said Rarity, as the covers glow. “Now get up. Your friends are outside waiting. Your head does not hurt that bad.” Rarity eyes drow to the bed. ”I remember when my magic was starting to really grow it. I used to be such a drama queen -- just like you.”
“Oh, it hurts! Mommy, can I stay home. I want to die in my own bad. Give me this one thing!”, Rarity mimicking herself.
“But Rarity, it really hurts,” Sweetie poured, but she turns to find Rarity missing.
“No one ever listings,” she says quietly.
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5 Mins Later
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“Hi Sweetie!” cried two laud, out of tune voices.
“Hi Emu, Hi Bloom.” replied Sweetie.
“what’s a Emu, Sweetie?” asked Scootaloo.
“A bird,” she smiles.
“Cool. How big are its wings?”
“About as big as yours.”
Scootaloo pauses. “can it fly?”
Sweetie trying not to laugh,“AppleBloom, did you finish all your chores?”
“Sweetie!” exclaimed Scootaloo.
“Oww! When will ponies stop yelling?” said Sweetie.
“I still need to do a few chores after school.” Applebloom looks to Sweetie. ”You sure you are okay to help? Flower Power, who sits behind Silver Spoon, said her’s only lasted for two days.” Looking down at her hoof she continues,”I bet changelings don’t get them headaches.” Applebloom smiled. “Maybe you should ask Queen christen, if she can turn you into a Changeling.”
“Chrysalis; not christen,” creatited Sweetie, before pausing. “On the other hoof, i bet she names all the changelings. Names like Love and War, Scar, efflorescence --.” Reminded of Applebloom, she turns to her. “If Scootaloo can put up with Rainbow kicking her off Ghastly Gorge, I think I can put up with a bad headache.”
“Rainbow said she learned by jumping off Cloudsdale --” Scootaloo mind returns to the ground,” -- but it is not scheduled to be over water; so I have to stick with the Gorge.” ”Sweetie, we should keep a eye on Scootaloo; don’t want Rainbow killing her.”
Scootaloo’s body --broke not by Rainbow, but herself -- flashes Sweeties mind. “Well, I will when Dash stops yelling every time she kicks you off”, replied Sweetie, as the others rush the schoolhouse.
*Bell Ring*
“Oww! Now I know the world hates me.” Sweetie drifts to her studies.
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12 Hours later
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Walls of trees, make a maize few set out to overcome. Three warorers stand before their prize; their fort.
“Well, that was a bust.” Scootaloo kicks the tree. ”Looks like we are not getting our cutie mark in Mud Wrestling”.
“At less Foal Free Press is doing an article on us again,” said Applebloom.
“Yes, and Featherweight even gave us some bits. So what’s next?” Sweetie asked.
Clouds form in Scootaloo’s heart. “sorry, but I got to training. Rainbow won’t be happy if I am late.”
“I got to make dinner. The last thing anyone needs is to taste my sisters cooking,” said Applebloom, shivering.
A look of being made bare, befell Sweetie. “I don’t want to ‘get in my sisters way’, so I will just stay here till you get back Scoot.”
“Don’t tear anymore holes in my blanket. You sis loves her work, but the look she gave me last time was...” Scootaloo voice faded, as the distens grew.
Sweetie laid down in her thinking spot. She hopped to find relief in sleep. The blood dripping from her horn; ignored.
The filly opened her eyes. Before her stands three monuments.
The 1st, a monument to her fear -- fresh vomit.
The 2nd, a monument of her goal. A mare, forged by Odin's hand.
The 3rd, a trial. A gap so wide, it can’t be jumped.
The filly refuses to look at the mare for mercy. Lose rocks fall as she approaches the cliff. Only rocks and dirt to cushion her fall.
'Last time, there was water,' she thinks, almost taking a step back. 'Where did the river go?'
‘Last time.’ She lets go of a forgoing breath. ‘This is the last time.’ Her body relaxes.
The filly waits -- with wings free -- for an act of kindness. Pain arrives; freeing her from the ground, but not up. Her eyes open, fear returns.
The wings that should be raising her, only quickening her fall. Her eyes look to the cliff, looking for the mercy she had forbid herself. No flash of a rainbow. This was the last time.
She loses it. Her wings flap like the lags of a drowning filly. Fear turns to madness. Madness readying her to kiss the ground.
Two hoofs push on her chest. Her eyes turn to a rainbow beside her. In Rainbow’s eyes, the filly found peace. Fear past away; the madness stayed. Both Scootaloo and Rainbow made the ground their target. Neater trying to slow down, or change course. Tears flow up, as she leans into Rainbow Dash.
Like a rock into the lake; the ground gave way for the pegasi.
“Scootaloo,” said Rainbow. “You said you don’t like mushy stuff: you liar.”
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Scootaloo opens her eyes; finding not blue, but yellow. She is back in the clubhouse. Applebloom standing on her chest. Her own head nuzzled into Applebloom’s neck.
“Get off!” Scootaloo yells, with a light blush.
“About time you woke up,” said Applebloom. “You been rolling around on the floor for a good few minutes. I had to hold you down to keep you still. There was no way I could a word in, with all your screaming.”
“I was not screaming! --” Scootaloo posed for a moment,“-- It was a war cry.” “I was fighting off 20 Dragons!”
“What’s that coming out of your eyes?”, Applebloom said with a smirk. “Tears of joy?”
“No!” Scootaloo replied. “I was dreaming I got dragon blood in my eyes.”
Applebloom smiled, but refrained from tarnishing Scootaloo’s pride. “If we don’t move our plots, we will be late to Sweetie’s.”
Scootaloo’s eyes met Applebloom. In them Applebloom could see a honesty she never before seen outside of her sister. Her smile faded. She readied herself for what was coming.
“Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked.
“Yes?”
“You are still standing on my chest.”
