Shadowbolts

Scootaloo grabbed her boots and pulled them on. She grabbed her goggles and brace and walked into Everfree Forest. She trotted as she secured the brace on her left wing and strapped on her goggles. As she walked onto base camp, she locked the brace on her wing. Another pegasus walked along with her. He was about the same age as her and was missing a wing. It had been replaced with a fake metal one. Scootaloo knew they would both have to go to Shadowbolts Training Camp together and learn how to control the special wing pieces they had given them.

They walked into the arena and were greeted by a pegasus that had a scarred wing and was missing feathers. They stood with the other disabled recruits and waited for instructions. As the instructor entered, Scootaloo push her goggles up onto her forehead.

"Greetings, young recruits! I will teach you to use your new wings and become a Shadowbolt. Remember this is a high honor. If you don't take your training seriously, you will be thrown out of the academy."

All of the recruits stood up straight as the instructor paced in front of them. He pointed at the boy without a wing.

"You. Go and fly. Let's see how well you know your wings."

The boy walked out and started to run around the edge of the arena he flicked his head up and lifted off the ground. He reached the top of the arena that was closed off by a canopy of chains. He glanced along the top and his metal wing snagged on the chains. He hung there helpless. Scootaloo crouched down in a takeoff position and the instructor nodded at her. She took off and tried to stabilize her wing as she gained altitude. When she reached him she unlatched his wing and grabbed his hoof. She pulled out the wing and latched it back onto his back. She let go of his hoof and he fell about fifty feet before he regained control of his wing. They both dove down to the ground and landed back in their places in line.

The instructor turned towards Scootaloo.

"Good job." He turned to all the recruits and said, "Help your fellow Shadowbolts, but have no mercy against the enemy. That would show disloyalty and you would be killed either by the enemy or by us."

Scootaloo readjusted her wing brace and watched as the other recruits tested their wings. Many could not even lift off the ground. The ones that could didn't even come close to where the chain canopy started. Scootaloo knew that no one came close to her and the boy's flying ability.

After training, the boy came over to Scootaloo.

"Thanks for saving my flank back there."

Scootaloo stared ahead and said, "I'm just following the book."

"Well, thanks anyway. I'm Scar Wing."

"Scootaloo. I'm guessing you were born into becoming a Shadowbolt."

Scar Wing gave a nod and said, "And I'm pretty sure you weren't."

Her pink mane and orange coat stood out against the Shadowbolt-born initiates black and blue manes and coats.

"I stand out. So what?"

"Well, in the arena it was a pretty big deal. You outflew every one of those recruits."

She kept walking as Scar Wing trotted by her side.

"Where are you staying?"

Scootaloo replied, "A shack just inside Shadowbolt territory line. You?"

"I ain't really got a place to stay."

"You can hang at my place. Help your fellow Shadowbolts."

"You are the nicest person I have met."

Scootaloo swung towards Scar Wing and said ferociously, "I'm not nice! I'm just trying not to make enemies with my team!"

They turned onto a path and went into a mane salon.

Scootaloo went to the front and said to the unicorn working, "You know what I want so make it quick. I've got places to be."

The unicorn went and came back with a bottle of black dye. She styled Scootaloo's mane and tail with one black stripe. Then she left and went next door. She walked in and talked to the pony working. She came back with earrings and tall, black boots. She pierced Scootaloo's ears with a stud and hoop on each. Scootaloo threw her a bag of bits and walked out without saying a word. Scar Wing started to ask a question.

Scootaloo chimed in, "New place, new look."

They walked along a path that lead outside of Shadowbolt property. They stopped at the shack where Scootaloo lived and went in. The shack was bigger than Scar Wing had thought.

"I noticed that you don't have you Cutie Mark."

Scootaloo looked up and said, "Why would that matter?"

"'Cause I don't have mine either."

Scar Wing lifted his armor off his hip to reveal his light blue coat and black tail.

"Why did you even become a Shadowbolt."

"I lost one of my only true friend during the Great Pony War. She was a pegasus just like me. She was the one who made me believe I could actually accomplish something."

A tear rolled down Scootaloo's cheek.

"I used to be part of a group that was devoted to finding our destiny and gain our Cutie Mark. After the war, we all lost someone special to us. My other two friends lost their sisters. We decided to go to a life of solitude and forget. We became the bad guys."

"Oh," said Scar Wing regretting asking the question.

"And we knew if we didn't become the bad guys we would have become slaves like the pony and unicorn we saw working."

"Where are you friends, then?"

"Sweetie Bell, a unicorn, now uses dark magic and is creating portals to ban enemiesin and is a spy. Apple Bloom, a pony, is tending to Everfree Forest by keeping the plants alive and also has become a spy."

"How do you know all this?"

"What is this, an interrogation!" Scootaloo shouted, "I know all of this because the are my friends and I don't have to worry battling them. We're on the same side."

She shoved a bowl of soup towards him.

"Dig in."

They both ate in silence. Once they were done, Scootaloo walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Scar Wing asked.

"That depends. Are you coming or not?"

Scootaloo took off and flew towards the unicorn base towards the edge of the Everfree Forest. Scar Wing took off after her. They quickly arrived at the base and were greeted by two armored unicorn guards.

One of them said, "Who goes there!"

"We are from the Shadowbolt base."

"Enter."

As they stepped in they saw Sweetie Belle. She had on dark purple and black armor with a diamond crest. Her mane and tail were straight and she had dyed the pink parts of her mane and tail black and left the purple. Her horn had been tattooed with a band of purple.

"Hello, Scootaloo."

"Hello, Sweetie Belle. This is Scar Wing. He's in the disabled Shadowbolts group with me."

"Hello, Scar Wing."

Scar Wing smiled as another unicorn approached Sweetie Belle.

"This is Stormcloud. He is my partner for when we open portals. We'll open one to the pony base and don't fight me because I know that's where you two are going next."

Their horns flickered as the portal opened.

"Thanks, Sweetie Belle."

"I'll see you later, Scootaloo."

They arrived at the pony base and were greeted by Apple Bloom. She had dyed her mane black and green, but did leave strips of pink. Her hair wasn't in a bow, but was pinned up by leaves. Her armor was lined with green and had a leaf crest.

"What brings you to my part of the forest?"

"I would like you to meet Scar Wing. He is in the disabled Shadowbolts group with me."

"Yes, indeed. And this is Thorn. He has been assigned to me. I get to watch over him while he learns to control plants."

"I'll be seeing you around, Apple Bloom."

"Same with you, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo took off, Scar Wing on her tail. They flew over the treetops until they arrived at rather pegasus base. They returned to the shack and fell asleep. They were quickly awoken by the sound of thundering hooves between nearby trees. They both quickly put on their armor and prosthetics. They arrived at the arena as the first recruit took off. She was dragging a barrel with a rope tied around it. Inside the barrel was another pegasus.

The instructor said, "Today's lesson is all about trust. You must trust your partner to round you safely around the arena five times. If you decide not to trust them, you will be leaving your training and will become an outcast."

They stared at each other.

"Scootaloo and Scar Wing are next. Scootaloo, you're going in the barrel."

"But I won't be able to lift the barrel!"

"Scootaloo is going in the barrel and that will be the last I hear of it!"

Scootaloo heart began to pound. She just figured out how much she didn't trust Scar Wing.

"Are you ready, Scootaloo?"

With a lump in her throat she answered, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Scootaloo climbed in the barrel. She started to shake and put a hoof outside, wanting to step out. She pulled her hoof back in and closed her eyes. Scar Wing started to lift off the ground and within moments the were several feet in the air. She wanted to leap out and fly off but even if she did she wouldn't make it very far without her wing brace.

Scootaloo took off her wing brace and climbed in the barrel. Scootaloo crawled in and closed her eyes. Scar Wing started to lift off the ground and within moments the were several feet in the air. She wanted to leap out and fly off but even if she did she wouldn't make it very far without her wing brace. Scootaloo held her breath as Scar Wing picked up speed. Scar wing looked back and slowed his pace. When he turned his head back around, he crashed into the chain canopy. His hooves were caught and he knew that no one would help them because it was supposed to be a team effort. He pulled a knife out of his saddlebag. He started to saw at the chains. Scootaloo popped her head out of the barrel and saw Scar Wing trying to release his hooves. She climbed on top of the barrel and clung to the chains. Scootaloo out her hooves around the rope and started to climb. She got to the top and secured her bottom hooves between a hole on the canopy. She helped Scar Wing to untangle his hooves. When his hooves were out, Scootaloo slid back down the rope and stood atop the barrel.

"Kid, you've got guts. More guts than I've seen in a long time. Maybe I should move you to advanced training or just send you right out to the field."

"Actually, I would prefer staying here for a while. I'm still getting used to my wing brace."

"Suit yourself."

He turned to Scar Wing and said, "You have crashed into those chains so many times you should be dating them and not Scootaloo."

"Wait, what! We aren't dating!"

"I just assumed since you live together and you are always by each other's side."

Scar Wing rolled his eyes and galloped out of the arena.

Scar Wing caught up with Scootaloo just outside the market.

"Look, Scootaloo. You shouldn't be mad at me. It's not like that's what I told everyone," said Scar Wing, "I doubt they even know my name."

Scootaloo slowed her pace to let Scar Wing catch up.

"I know you didn't. I'm just scared that this could ruin my chances to end up in higher command than soldier. I want to be the general. Not second best. It's what Rainbow Dash would of wanted."

Scar Wing was going to ask who Rainbow Dash was, but decided not to.

"Just to see her one more time. That's all I'm asking for."

Scootaloo started to cry very hard. She started to run blindly and then started flying. She brushed along the treetops. Others looked up and saw her sweeping the leaves off of their branches. She had escaped the boundaries of the pegasus base and was leaving the Everfree Forest. She hit a branch and fell just outside the trees. Along the horizon she could see the remnants of her past. She weaved through the fallen walls and torn furniture. She came upon a stream. The bridge had collapsed and only the base was left. She closed her eyes and turned her head towards the sky. She imagined Rainbow Dash laying on a cloud and herself buzzing around on her scooter.

She opened her eyes and said, "Rainbow Dash! When did y-"

Scootaloo realized that she had been imagining and jumped across the stream. She moved the rubble to find an upright stone. She pulled out a chisel and very neatly carved Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo cried and hugged the headstone.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Scar Wing was scanning the ground below.

"Scootaloo!"

She gazed up at the sky, still hugging Rainbow Dash's headstone. She quickly picked a flower and laid it in front of the grave. She flew up into the sky and rounded Scar Wing.

"Why did you take off like that?"

Scootaloo stared at him and turned away. They both flew back to the shack and went inside. Scootaloo started to cry again.

"Hey, I know what it's like. I lost my brother in the Great Pony War. I visit his grave every morning while you're still sleeping. Believe me, mourning doesn't help. You need to make a change that would make them proud."

Late at night, Scootaloo and Scar Wing left the Everfree Forest. They went out into an open area and took off their armor. Scootaloo washed the dye out of her mane and tail and took out her piercing. She dug around until she found her scooter. She rolled it around and then hopped on. She beaconed Scar Wing to join her. He hopped on the back and the rod around, laughing. Scootaloo stopped the scooter and they both stepped off. They stared into each other's eyes and inched closer to each other.

"Thank you, Scar Wing. You helped me see the light."

Scootaloo pulled him closer as they kissed.