It was just another ordinary day in Ponyville Elementary. The students were all seated in their classroom, and their teacher, a light magenta coated mare with a light pink and dark pink-striped mane and tail combed neatly with a flower petal-like pattern at the tips of each stripe, was standing at the front of the class, speaking to the students about the lessons of the day.

Today, she was going over the creatures of the Everfree Forest. The reason why, of course, was to ensure the students' safety, should they ever grow curious about the fauna. She was hoping that it would keep them from wandering in the forest... especially after the forest's recently rumored creature that mysteriously showed up several months ago. It was a creature only heard of in legends and old folklore that preyed on the living, and conquered countless opponents either for fame or glory in Gryphonia. These creatures, ever since Princess Celestia's and Princess Luna's rise to the throne, were said to have been banished to distant worlds in high hopes of keeping the ponies of Equestria safe.

Apparently, one was never banished. And several months ago, a wandering mare, once fascinated by the legends of the creature, came back to town with a panicked look on her face. She claimed that she saw the monster kill a manticore with its bare "hands". The mayor questioned if the creature may have been a minotaur, or a gryphon. She shook her head and, with certainty in her voice, gave them the most disturbing news they've heard in years.

The creature was a human... and this human was a monster.

From the far corner of the classroom, there was a pegasus filly who was halfheartedly listening to the lesson, and staring out of the window. The filly had an orange coat with a short light purple mane that was ragged in appearance, and appeared to be messy, and rarely combed at all. Her purple eyes were focused on the teacher, yet her head was turned towards the window so she could get a greater view of the outside... where she saw several of the other pegasi flying around the town to either move clouds or head somewhere to avoid the busy streets. As she watched the pegasi fly, however, she couldn't help but notice that small tears were starting to cloud her vision.

"What's the matter, Scootaloo? Can't wait to get out there and fly with the other pegasi?" a snooty filly's voice asked from behind her. She squinted her eyes in frustration when her mind was brought back to reality, as the snooty voice, which belonged to a bright lavender coated earth pony filly with bright blue eyes, a purple mane and tail that had a white stripe, and a silver tiara that rested on her scalp, continued. "Oh, that's right... you can't, can you?"

From beside her, a gray coated earth pony filly with violet eyes, a silver mane and tail, and a white pearly necklace snickered at her friend's rude gesture before speaking with her in unison. "Blank-Flank!"

Scootaloo groaned before tuning the bullies out again. While doing so, however, she noticed a gray coated pegasus mare with a blonde mane and tail whose yellow eyes were angled in opposite directions; her left eye up, and her right eye down. She smiled at a similarly colored unicorn filly who was waving at her before flying to the filly and scooping her up in a warm hug.

Suddenly, Scootaloo's desk started to get more wet as more tears started to fall from Scootaloo's eyes. Then, without warning, she dropped her head on her forelegs and started crying... which caught the attention of her two nearby friends; a white unicorn filly with a light purple mane and a yellow earth pony filly with a red mane and pink bow tie.

In unison, the two of them signaled the teacher and said, "Miss Cheerilee! Scootaloo's hurt!"

Scootaloo's ears perked up at the sudden use of her name, followed by the teacher's concerned voice calling her in response. "Scootaloo? What's wrong?"

After taking a few deep breaths, Scootaloo mumbled, "It's... i-it's nothing, Miss Cheerilee... I'm... I'm f-fine..."

Cheerilee stood there silently for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "Class, we're going to play the quiet game! Sweetie Belle, I want you to be the one to start for us. In the meantime, Scootaloo, please come with me."

Scootaloo let out a long, drawn-out sigh before nodding her head and stepping out of her seat, while her unicorn friend, Sweetie Belle, stepped towards the center of the front of the classroom. As Scootaloo and Cheerilee passed her, however, she couldn't help but feel worried about her pegasus friend.

Outside the class, Scootaloo stood next to the wall while Cheerilee silently closed the door before turning to Scootaloo with a worried look on her face. "Scootaloo... this is the third time this week that you've had an outburst like this. Please... tell me what's troubling you, so that I can help! If not me, then why don't your parents do anything to help?"

The word "parents" caused Scootaloo to wince... which Cheerilee took notice of right away. "What's... what's wrong with your parents, Scootaloo? Surely... surely they treat you well, don't they?"

Scootaloo's tears continued to fall down her cheeks, and onto the dirt road, while she herself remained silent. Finally, after taking a few deep breaths, she looked away from the school and whispered. "The Changeling Invasion."

Cheerilee tilted her head in confusion before inching her ears closer to Scootaloo. "I beg your pardon?"

Scootaloo cleared her throat and repeated herself. "The Changeling Invasion."

That statement caused Cheerilee to tilt her head in even more confusion. "Scootaloo, that was two months ago! Are you worried that something like that will happen again?" Scootaloo shook her head. "Do... you have nightmares about that incident?" This time, Scootaloo tilted her head and opened her mouth to speak.

"W-well... kinda-sorta... but... it's not just nightmares about that incident... it's... it's about w-what happened... during that incident."

Cheerilee nervously looked around before sitting next to Scootaloo and wrapping her left forehoof over her shoulders. "What happened?"

Scootaloo coughed a few times before speaking once more. "My... my daddy was a member of the Royal Guard... and... and my mother was a nurse. They... they were both in the castle when the wedding took place... and... and..." She took a deep breath while trying to regain her composure, as the tears continued to assault her eyes. "They were some of the first few... who died during the raid."

She closed her eyes and buried them in her hooves while, through her sobbing, she was able to hear Cheerilee's shocked gasp. For a few more seconds, she continued to cry. Then, right as soon as she opened her eyes, she noticed a pair of magenta hooves wrapped around her in a hug. When she looked up, she noticed Cheerilee was also crying, now.

"That's awful, Scootaloo! Why... why didn't you say anything?! Somepony could've helped you!"

"NO!" Scootaloo screamed before pulling herself out of Cheerilee's grasp; much to Cheerilee's confusion. "S-sorry, Miss Cheerilee, but... I... I don't want to risk getting adopted, and taken away from Ponyville. I... I don't want to be taken away from my friends!"

Cheerilee just stood there for a second, until a long, drawn-out sigh escaped her lips. "Well... does anypony else know about this?"

Scootaloo bit her lips in thought, before nodding her head. "Y-yes, ma'am... the mayor was the first to know, and... she's been helping me with the funding, while managing to keep the media out of it. My friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also know... and they were the first ones I actually told. They've... they've also been very supportive. Apple Bloom brought me a few apples from her family's farm, while Sweetie Belle brought me a few blankets for in case I get cold in the night. I still live in my parents' old house, but... even with the bits that the mayor passes to me, it's still only a matter of time, before the next bills are brought up. Eventually, I won't have enough to pay... and then, I'll probably live with a friend of mine in the Everfree Forest."

That statement caused Cheerilee's eyes to widen. Before she could respond to that, however, the bell to the school rang; catching her off guard, and causing her to turn around at the stampede of students that, for some odd reason, were instantly at the door ready to leave. Cheerilee turned back to Scootaloo... only to notice that she disappeared with the large crowd of students. With a sigh, she turned back towards the school building and stepped inside to tidy up the place for the next day.

Hiding behind a light post, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the two fillies that teased Scootaloo earlier, were peeking their heads out at Scootaloo and her two friends, as they walked inside a peculiar building that had the shape of several different sweets stacked together. On the sign over the entrance, it read "Sugarcube Corner".

Diamond Tiara looked at Silver Spoon with a sly grin and said, "Did you hear what she said, Sil? She doesn't have any parents to get onto us!"

Silver, on the other hoof, had an uneasy expression on her face this time. "Um... Di... don't you think that one might be... I don't know... a little too far?"

Diamond merely smirked at her friend before countering, "What's this? Silver Spoon is going soft, all of a sudden?"

Silver, in response, shook her head and glared at her friend. "N-no! I was just... trying to say that it isn't something that we should do!"

Diamond hummed to herself before shrugging her shoulders. "Eh, you're right."

"I... am?" Silver suddenly had a confused expression on her face... which turned to shock once Diamond Tiara lifted an egg from her saddlebag.

"Yeah... I think this is something that you should do on your own! Y'know... something that you can do to prove that you didn't go soft!"

Silver stood there speechlessly for a few seconds before hesitantly taking the egg from Diamond Tiara and nodding her head. "I'll... be right back."

Diamond nodded her head and smiled almost innocently. "I'll be waiting!" With that, Silver Spoon tucked the egg in her saddlebag before walking towards the sugarcoated building.

Once inside the building, Silver Spoon looked left and right in high hopes that she could find the trio of fillies that she and her friend often made fun of. Then, after skimming through the many different heads on the tables, she noticed Scootaloo between her friends, Sweetie Belle and the earth pony, Apple Bloom. Clearing her throat, she told herself, "You can do this, Silver Spoon... you've got this..." Then she slowly approached the pegasus who, at that point, had her right foreleg on the table balancing her head up, while the other two were gently patting her back with concerned looks on their faces.

"And... and now that she knows... I'm... I'm scared, girls! I... I don't want to leave you both! And... and I already know what Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon will do if they figure it out!"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and weakly smiled at Scootaloo. "Oh, come on, Scoots! I know that they may be bullies and all, but... I honestly can't see them going that low!"

Diamond stopped moving when she heard that statement. She then looked at her saddle bag with a hint of guilt starting to build up in her chest.

Apple Bloom nodded her head in agreement before adding, "An' if they do, then Ah'll be sure ta tell Applejack! An' since she's friends with Twilight, Ah'm sure she'll send a letter ta Princess Celestia on the matter!"

Silver Spoon's heart rate jumped at that statement. "They have the ability to get the Princesses involved?!" she thought to herself before backing up slowly... only to bump into an unoccupied chair, and causing it to fall... which caught the attention of just about everypony.

Nervously, Silver Spoon looked around at the prying eyes before picking the chair back up and turning around to leave... until...

"Silver Spoon? What're you doing here?" Sweetie Belle asked with, what sounded like, a small hint of anger in her confused voice.

Silver sighed before turning back around to face the three fillies. "Um... h-hey. I... was wondering if... you'd mind if I sat with you?"

The three fillies eyed the fourth curiously before looking at Scootaloo, who looked at her friends nervously. Then, after closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she looked at Silver Spoon and replied, "As long as you don't try anything funny, then... sure."

Silver nodded her head before walking up to the table where they sat. As she did, she noticed that the countless eyes were no longer focused on her anymore... which gave her a slight hint of relief.

When she made it to the table, she took a seat on the opposite end, and looked at Scootaloo and her friends, who all stared at her curiously and somewhat cautiously. "Um... so, listen, I..." Silver began, only for Apple Bloom to interrupt her.

"Ah ain't gotta be a psychic ta know what yer up to, Silver Spoon. Ya try anything ta hurt Scootaloo, an' Ah swear Ah'll permanently attach those glasses to yer eyes!"

Silver Spoon's eyes widened at that statement, and her jaw dropped when she saw the hateful glare that Apple Bloom was now giving her. She knew the Apple Family was known to be honest, so hearing those words had a lot more meaning than if it were anypony else who would've said it. With that in mind, she sunk into her seat and placed her saddle bag beside her left leg below the cushioned seat.

"I... understand." Silver gulped before nodding her head nervously.

"Good... then now that that's outta the way, what the hay are ya doin' here, anyways?" Then she looked both ways and added, "An' now that Ah mention it... where's Diamond Tiara at? Ain't y'all, like, bosom buddies, er somethin'?!"

Silver sighed before nodding her head. "Y-yeah... but... I've come to... warn you about something, Scootaloo." She turned to Scootaloo, who in turn, looked back at her.

"You... wanted to warn me about something? Like what?"

Silver slowly took her glasses off and placed them on the table. Then, with a saddened expression across her purple eyes, she said, "Diamond Tiara and I... kinda know about the predicament that you're in." Scootaloo's eyes widened and she gasped, but before she, or any of the other two could reply, Silver raised her right hoof up and added, "But to add to your statement that you had about what we'd do... you were kinda... halfway right."

The trio tilted their heads in confusion before watching Silver reach into her saddlebag. Then, when she pulled an egg out of it, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glared daggers at her before scooting closer to Scootaloo to block her from the incoming projectile.

"What the hay do ya think yer doin'?!" Apple Bloom growled through clenched teeth.

Silver Spoon didn't reply verbally. Instead, she looked at the egg in her hoof, then at Scootaloo between the two enraged fillies that were blocking her. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Silver stretched her hoof forward and said, "Here... please, make it quick."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stared at the egg with confused looks on their faces. Regardless, they didn't move away from Scootaloo's side, in case she was trying to trick them to get a clear shot at Scootaloo. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, stared at the egg confusedly before reaching out and taking it from Silver's outstretched hoof.

Seeing that Scootaloo had the egg now, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle moved from in front of their friend and eyed both, the egg and Silver Spoon curiously... and now, confusion was in place of their anger. "Huh?"

Scootaloo shook the egg near her ear... and was able to hear the sound of sloshing inside the shell. The egg was, without a doubt, rotten. "You... brought a rotten egg in here to egg Scootaloo, didn't you?" Sweetie Belle asked confusedly.

Silver Spoon sighed before shaking her head. "No... it was Diamond Tiara's idea originally. Then... after I tried to back out, she told me to do it!"

"And... you agreed to do it?" Sweetie asked, to which Diamond shrugged her shoulders in response.

"I took the egg... but didn't tell her I'd do it. All I said was that I'll be back." Then she closed her eyes and looked down. "You see... while she will try to take advantage of your situation... I don't really want anything to do with it. And after hearing about what happened... now I'm starting to regret putting that kind of pressure on you to begin with!"

The three fillies looked at her with mixed expressions. Scootaloo looked saddened at Silver Spoon, while Sweetie Belle still looked confused. Apple Bloom, on the other hoof, still glared at Silver Spoon, and asked, "So ya expect us ta believe that?! After all ya did ta us, y'all think that y'all can just apologize an' we'd just forgive ya like that?!" Then Apple Bloom took the egg from Scootaloo and forcibly placed it in Silver's right hoof... much to all of their confusion. Before Silver Spoon could ask what she was doing, though, Apple Bloom already clarified her actions. "If y'all really mean what y'all said, then Ah want you ta egg yerself!"

Apple Bloom then scooted away from Scootaloo while Sweetie Belle froze in place... unsure of what was going to happen. Silver Spoon stared at Scootaloo and the egg with a nervous expression. Her heart rate began to build up, and her hooves began to shake. Then... tears began to fall from her eyes, while she slowly and shakily stretched her foreleg on the table... which caused Apple Bloom's eyes to widen at the expression Silver was showing. It was an expression that, thanks to being the sister of the Element of Honesty, she was able to understand right away... Silver Spoon was sincere.

After closing her eyes, Silver Spoon let another tear fall from her eyes before saying, "Okay." Then, with all her might, she lifted her hoof up in an attempt to jam the rotten egg on her forehead... only for a trio of hooves to block her foreleg from lifting up more than an inch. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the three fillies sitting on the seat opposite of her were staring at her with warm smiles on their faces.

Scootaloo was the first to speak up. "Looks like you mean what you're saying..."

Sweetie Belle added, "...and for that..."

Apple Bloom concluded for her, "...we forgive you."

Silver Spoon's eyes widened at that statement, while her forelegs started to tremble. Then, with tears now flowing from her eyes, she looked down and, for the first time in a long time, began to bawl in a downpour of sorrow. "A-after... after all t-that I... that I d-did to you t-three... y-you... you forgive me?!"

She continued to cry for a few more seconds. Then her muscles tensed up when she felt three pairs of hooves wrap around her in a group hug. She didn't even have to open her eyes to know that the three that she has, for as long as she could remember, been nothing but a bully to, were hugging her. The four of them just continued the hug for about a minute, without another word to say.

After the drama from earlier, they chose to talk casually to one another. As it turned out, Silver Spoon was mostly sympathetic to Scootaloo because, surprisingly, she was an orphan when she was a foal. Having been adopted by a rich couple who moved to Ponyville from Canterlot, she was only able to hang around "upper class" ponies and their fillies... which limited her social network to being only one pony... Diamond Tiara. And even she was a burden to be around for Silver Spoon... though she never really admitted it to anypony else before her three new friends.

"Gosh, Sil... if Ah'd have known that y'all was only doin' what y'all was forced ta do, Ah wouldn't have threatened y'all like that." She pointed at Silver Spoon's glasses that still rested on the table.

Silver lightly chuckled before shaking her head. "After hearing what the three of you, and your sisters and idol have done for Equestria... I'm starting to feel like I actually deserve that."

The four fillies giggled, until a pink mare with a darker pink fluffy mane and tail stepped up to their table with a tray that held four milkshakes on all four corners; two banana flavored, one chocolate, and one vanilla. When she placed it on the table, Silver Spoon looked at her cutie mark and gasped... this mare was one of the six heroes that her new friends just got done talking about... Pinkie Pie.

"Um... Miss Pinkie Pie?" Silver asked, which caused the pink mare to look at her; revealing her eyes to be a deep blue color.

"Yes, Miss Silver Spoon? What can I do for you?"

Silver sat there silently, trying to figure out just how she knew who she was. Regardless, she asked, "Um... I was just wondering... is it true that you and your friends saved the Crystal Empire a month ago?"

Pinkie closed her eyes and giggled in her right hoof before shaking her head. "Well, actually it was mostly Spike, the dragon that lives in the library... but we all took our part in it, if that's what you're wondering!"

Silver smiled warmly at Pinkie before nodding her head. "W-well... if it means anything, thank you all for saving us from danger!"

Pinkie nodded her head and winked. "Just doing what I can to keep everypony's smiles on!" Then she placed a small present on the ground and opened it up... revealing that the box was empty. After that, she placed her back hooves in the box and, somehow, tucked herself in the box that was obviously too small for her to fit in, and lifted the top of the gift over her head. Then, she fell inside the box, while the lid landed on the top. Shortly afterwards, the box blew up in a pile of confetti that disappeared in the air, leaving nothing behind.

Silver just stared at the spot where Pinkie was before shakily lifting her right hoof at the empty area and asking, "Um... h-how did she..."

Sweetie Belle merely shrugged before replying, "Eh, it's best not to ask. It's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie."

"And... is that normal?" Silver hesitantly asked.

Sweetie merely shrugged her shoulders before replying, "If by 'normal', you mean normal in Pinkie Pie standards, then I'll have to say... pretty much, yeah." She nodded her head in finality, before noticing that there were two banana flavored milkshakes.

Scootaloo noticed it also, and smiled. "Hey, Sil! You never told us you like banana flavor!"

"Is... is that bad?" Silver asked hesitantly after looking from where Pinkie was back to Scootaloo.

Scootaloo chuckled before shaking her head. "As a matter of fact, I happen to be a huge fan of banana shakes!" As she said that, she took her shake from the tray, which predictably, was one of the banana shakes. Apple Bloom took the chocolate one while Sweetie Belle took the vanilla one.

Silver Spoon took the last banana shake from the tray and began to sip on the straw... only for the tray to be lifted by a pink hoof that was stretched out... from inside the napkin dispenser, which was on the end of the table where the wall was at. Then Pinkie's voice called out from inside the napkin dispenser, "Thank you!" before she pulled the tray inside the napkin dispenser... without even a little resistance.

"I... have no comment on that one." Silver stated, while Apple Bloom chuckled.

"Y'all would be the first if ya did." Then the four fillies chuckled before returning to their conversation and their milkshakes. They continued to do so for another thirty minutes.

From outside Sugarcube Corner, Diamond Tiara glared at Silver Spoon through a set of binoculars. "Unbelievable! Silver Spoon, you traitor! You'd rather be with... with those Blank Flanks?!"

She groaned before shaking her head and turning to leave. As she did, though, she bumped into a taller stallion with a dark blue coat, a brown mane, and was wearing a black jacket and a black boina hat. Below his chin, he had a think streak of brown stubble that lowered from the sides of his mane to below his chin.

"Oi! Watch where you're going, you little rat!"

Diamond's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Ugh... Little Rat?! Look who's talking, you big buffoon!" As she turned to walk past him, though, another stallion dressed similarly with a light blue coat and no facial hair blocked her path. "Hey! Do you know who I am?!"

The light blue stallion snickered before picking her up by her lower legs and holding her upside-down and face-to-face with the dark blue stallion. "Don't ya know who we are, kid?" He asked before tilting his head to the right... revealing a thin scar tattoo on the left side of his neck... which Diamond recognized right away.

The dark blue stallion chuckled before nodding his head. "That's right, kid... we're the Scars. We don't take gut from ponies... we take lives."

A dark purple stallion stepped up from another bush and snickered. "That's right, little filly... and so far, ya just crossed a line ya never shoulda crossed! Ya know what that means?"

The dark blue stallion with the stubble chuckled before nodding his head. "It's time to say good-bye to ya tongue, girl. Can't talk smack then, huh?!" He reached into his jacket's pocket and began digging through, what sounded like, a pile of change among other metal objects.

Little did any of them know that there was an all-too-familiar egg on a collision course for the dark blue stallion. When it landed, the light blue one's grip on Diamond Tiara faded, giving her a chance to escape. Before doing so, she looked to her left, only to find Scootaloo standing there with a glare on her face.

Scootaloo looked at Diamond and shouted, "What are you waiting for, Diamond?! RUN!"

With a quick nod, Diamond Tiara jumped over the light blue stallion's arms, which tried to grab her again, and screamed at the top of her lungs, which caught the attention of several other ponies around the area, and even alerted a few guards from the distance. Then Diamond began running towards the guards, while the gang glared at her and took a few steps towards her... only for their leader to turn towards Scootaloo, who quickly jammed her helmet over her head and took off on her scooter towards the Everfree Forest. "This way, boys! We can get that other one later!" With a nod, the other two joined their boss, and followed him while he chased Scootaloo across the road, and through the Everfree Forest's entrance. When the guards and the few brave ponies that joined them made it to the border, they quickly stopped moving with nervous looks on their faces. With the rumors of the monster running loose in the woods, not even the guards would dare venture into that place!

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon stood there with fear in their hearts. As the tears fell from their eyes, the trio embraced in a group hug, while two ponies walked up to them also with saddened expressions. One was an orange earth pony mare with a blonde mane and a stetson hat on her head. The other was a unicorn mare with a white coat and a neatly combed purple mane and tail. They said nothing, but the unicorn wrapped her forehooves over Sweetie Belle, while the earth pony wrapped her arms around Apple Bloom.

Regardless of the way how the guards stayed, though, there was one pony who went in after the pegasus filly... and that pony was a cyan coated pegasus mare with a rainbow colored mane and tail.

From deep inside the Everfree Forest, Scootaloo used her wings to give her scooter a boost in speed. As she did, though, the sounds of hoof steps and cursing stallions still remained steadily audible. It was clear these stallions weren't going to stop for anything less than blood.

"Oi! Get back here, ya little shit! I ain't gonna hurt ya!"

That statement only made Scootaloo's wings speed up. As they did, she smiled in relief when she heard the sound of their hoof steps getting more quieter. Her relief, however, was short-lived when the front-left wheel of her scooter hit a loose rock, and caused her to tumble and fall. Letting out a panicky cry, she rolled on the ground several times before her back rammed into a tree surrounded by bushes. Quietly, she hid beneath the bushes in high hopes that she wouldn't be spotted.

Mere seconds after she looked out of the bushes, she noticed the trio of stallions run up to where her scooter lied and stopped in their tracks. At first, she thought they would just continue to run off, but then another sight caught Scootaloo by surprise... there were a few droplets of blood that trailed from her scooter up to the bush she was hiding in... and all three pairs of eyes were now looking right at her with menacing grins on their faces. Scootaloo tried to move back, but winced in pain when she felt pain in her back-right hoof. Looking at it, her eyes widened when she saw a thick cut that went from right below her flank to the center of the back of her leg. And when she tried to move that leg, she noticed that it wouldn't even move... it was broken inside and out!

With a wide grin, the purple stallion removed his hat; revealing a horn that was hidden beneath it. When it glowed, it glowed red. The red glow soon encased Scootaloo, and before she could even react, she was lifted off the ground, and in the air helplessly. The blood from her leg continued to ooze out, though.

"Aw... would ya look at that? Somepony just got a boo-boo!" the purple stallion mocked, while the other two walked up to her with fake frowns on their faces.

The dark blue one shook his head. "Y'know what we do ta little fillies that try to put up a fight?" Then his frown turned into a glare while he sat on his flank, lifted both forehooves, and cracked the tips of them in a threatening way. "We make 'em suffer before we kill 'em!"

Scootaloo tried to move away, but was unable to, due to the magic grasp that the purple stallion had around her. Then the dark blue stallion raised his right forehoof in the air, and was about to strike at her, when a tomboyish female's voice called out from behind them.

"HEY! WHAT THE BUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" the cyan coated mare with the rainbow mane and tail roared as she crouched down in a threatening manner with her wings spread out. From a distance, one would assume her purple eyes were actually blood red at that point.

The dark blue stallion glared at the rainbow maned mare and smirked. "Well well well... if it isn't the famous 'Rainbow Dash'... I had a feeling you would be the one who'd show up here during this... incident."

Rainbow Dash spat on the ground between them before retorting, "Mortar and Pestle... I thought the two of you flank-heads went to the Canterlot Dungeons after what you tried to do to Fancy Pants and his daughter!"

The dark blue stallion, Mortar, chuckled at Rainbow Dash before shaking his head. "Ah, and I haven't forgotten about them, either! Hay, I even saw one of them in that little hangout place that this wench was in!"

That statement caused Rainbow Dash to glare at him before taking a few steps forwards... but before she could even take off, the aura around Scootaloo tightened, and caused her to scream in pain... which made Rainbow Dash stop in place and back up out of fear for Scootaloo's safety. "That's close enough!" Mortar said. "Now, then... I see that you've got a lot of feelings for this little one here, so I'll tell you what! I'll let you both live, but in exchange, I get the opportunity to take a pair of one of your wings with me!'

A horrified look on both Rainbow's and Scootaloo's faces was all that he got for an answer, while he started cackling like a psychopath. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR BUCKING MIND?! THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Rainbow shouted as she folded her wings back quickly.

"Oh? Well, if you don't choose, then I will! I'll take this little filly's wings!" He quickly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black switch blade. When he clicked the button on the side, the blade slid out of the handle with a click. The blade itself was around three inches long, but considering what it was going to be used for, it was more than enough to be considered a threat. Then he raised it forward, which caused Rainbow Dash's eyes to widen, before her instincts took over. In the blink of an eye, she was flying up to them at full speed with a look of pure hatred in her eyes.

Then... the unexpected happened. Mortar grinned wickedly and bent his right forearm closer to his chest, before slicing backwards, and towards the rainbow blur that flew his way. Shortly after his swing, a pained yelp was heard, followed by a red streak that fell from below the rainbow-colored blur. Then, the blur slowed down drastically, and Rainbow Dash fell to the ground after rolling several times with her hooves over her chest, which now had a thick red gash that trailed diagonally across it in a straight line. While she was still breathing, she was also bleeding heavily, which caused Scootaloo's eyes to widen out of sheer panic. "R-Rainbow Dash!" She squealed.

Mortar sighed before shaking his head with his demented grin still on his face. "Ah, well! Could've been easier for ya if she didn't interfere! Looks like I haves ta kill all of ya!" Then he laughed once more, before sheathing his switch blade in his jacket once more. "But first, I said I'd make you suffer!" Then he turned to the unicorn and said, "Bloody Mess! You may now stop your spell for a little while!"

The unicorn, Bloody Mess, did as instructed. In doing so, of course, Scootaloo fell to the ground and yelped in pain as the injury from her leg took its toll, and caused her to stumble to the ground on her back. Then, with fear in her eyes, she saw Mortar lift his right forearm up and grin menacingly at her. Then, he swung forward, which caused her to close both eyes and bring her forehooves in front of her face... but the punch never came.

Slowly she opened her eyes... but as soon as she let her guard down, Mortar's right forehoof collided into her unguarded face, which sent her flying a couple meters onto the ground with a thin trail of blood from her mouth and nose left behind. She coughed up blood, saliva, and tears, as the overwhelming pain caused her ears to ring. Slowly looking up, she saw Pestle, the light blue stallion, walk up to her and lift her up by the back of her neck with his teeth... which was painful enough, to say the least.

Mortar walked up to his friend and grinned. "Nice! I always wanted a punching bag!" Then he sat on his flank and raised his forehooves in the air, while Scootaloo feebly tried to block his incoming attacks. Unfortunately for her, though, he was far more stronger than he looked, as each punch he made was strong enough to make Scootaloo's attempts at blocking only make more parts of her body injured.

Then, after the twentieth punch, Mortar raised his right foreleg up and jabbed her in the jaw, which sent her flying out of Pestle's mouth, and back in front of the tree she was hiding in previously.

Mortar was starting to breathe heavily out of exhaustion before grinning at the trembling, bruised, bloodied-up filly who was trying to crawl away with every ounce of life she had left. "Alright... I guess play time's over, now!" He turned to his left and noticed that Rainbow Dash was still there, but her eyes were covered in tears, as she tried to crawl up to Scootaloo. "Pestle! Bloody! Restrain the little one, and hold her wings in place!"

The two goons nodded their heads while Rainbow Dash tried even harder to stop them from their intentions... but due to the distance that she and them had apart, she knew that she was unable to... and with how much blood she was losing, she doubted that she would even be able to do anything, anyways.

Pestle stretched Scootaloo's wings out while Bloody Mess used his magic to hold her body still. Then Mortar stood over her with his menacing grin on his face, and his switchblade once more in his right hoof. After lifting the blade over his head, he chuckled. "I'll give you a countdown, so you know exactly when to expect your wings to go!"

He cleared his throat and began. "Ten... nine... eight... five... three... one..." He chuckled, before slinging his forearm downwards... and right into an unexpected obstacle.

From the bush, a tan, bulging arm was stretched out, with five appendages at the tip of the hand, similar to a minotaur. The difference, however, was that there was less fur on it. On the hand, a large fur gauntlet with a metal brace on the wrist was covering it, but the upper half of the arm was visible... and the arm itself belonged to a creature that must've been three times as strong as a minotaur, but perhaps as tall as one, if not a little taller.

The shoulder that the arm belonged to started to rise up... and eventually, it even started lifting Mortar himself up several feet in the air, until it stopped... and from the bushes, emerged a huge muscular bipedal male that was dressed like, and toned enough to be, a barbarian.

He wore a harness over his chest that held a metal plate in the center of two large metal shoulder pads that appeared to be made out of the scales of a hydra, with teeth that appeared to belong to a manticore. Over his head, he wore the skull of a boar, with the area around the eye sockets serving as the only source of this creature's face that was visible... his sky blue eyes. Below the skull helm, his gray beard was able to be seen clearly, as it flowed with the wind. Length-wise, it appeared to lower just above the chest piece despite possibly being slightly tangled in the helm over it, with seven braids on the tip of his beard. He also had gray shoulder-length hair that parted at the center of his scalp, with a long ponytail that rose above the rest of his hair and lowered midway down the back of his head. Around his waist, he wore a thick metal belt with wolf pelts cushioning his flesh from the metal. Inside the belt, he wore fur-lined undergarments that lowered halfway down his thighs. On his feet, he wore fur boots with metal braces around his ankles. On his back hung two massive swords that appeared to be made out of the fangs of a hydra, attached to dark steel.

As he lifted Mortar up higher, the other two backed away from the behemoth that towered over them by well over five times their height, if not six. Mortar, at this point, had a surprised expression on his face, along with a hint of shock. There was no doubt about it... this was the human that appeared several months ago!

The human growled at Mortar before pulling his switchblade and placing it in his teeth with his right hand. Then, without even putting any effort into it, he bent the tip of the blade and tossed it over his shoulder before throwing Mortar towards his friends; causing him to stumble and fall.

The human, at that point, no longer focused on the three stallions, but rather, looked down at Scootaloo's trembling form and frowned, before lowering his left knee to the ground, and reaching towards her with his right hand.

Meanwhile, Mortar was standing up again, and glared at the human. Then he reached down and picked up a thick branch, galloped up to the human, and bashed the human in the back of the head hard enough to break the branch... which the human didn't even appear slightly injured by. Mortar's pupils shrunk into pinpricks when he figured that fact out. Slowly, the human stood back up and turned around, before drawing his left sword from the back of his harness. At that point, the other two stallions already ran away, while Mortar was too stunned to move. Then the human raised the sword in the air and tossed it on the ground beside Mortar.

Mortar's eyes widened at the human's offer... he must've been offering him a chance to strike him down! With that in mind, Mortar turned around, lowered his mouth, and gripped the sword. Then, when he tried to lift it up, he gasped when he realized the sword was so heavy, he couldn't even make it budge. Turning around, he yelped when he saw the human was now standing right in front of him with a menacing grin on his face. Then the human gripped the lower half of the handle while Mortar's grip remained on the sword. Slowly, the human lifted the sword... along with Mortar, who's jaw was too paralyzed to release the grip of the sword's handle. Then the human raised his right hand over his shoulder and drew his other sword from his harness with ease. The human then trailed the sword below Mortar's lower legs until the blade was directly in front of his throat, which bulged at the gulp he made due to the close proximity to the deadly weapon he was at. Slowly, the human crossed his chest with his right wrist, directing the blade further away from Mortar's neck, until he was as far away as possible.

Realizing that this was his cue to leave, Mortar took that chance, released his grip from the sword's handle, and backed away from the human's reach. Then... the human took a couple steps forward, clinked both of the swords' blades together, and let out a roar capable of making a dragon leave a brown trail where it once sat. Finally, Mortar had enough and bolted as far away from the human as he could with cries of fear coming out of his mouth.

After Mortar and his crew were no longer in sight, the human growled once more before standing upright once more, and sheathing his swords back on the back of his harness. Then he turned back towards Scootaloo who, despite the swelling and bruising all over her body, was still staring wide-eyed at him with a look of sheer terror. He lowered his left knee back onto the ground and reached his right hand towards Scootaloo, who flinched at the close proximity of his finger. Then, she felt his finger reach her scalp... followed by his second... then third, and finally... his fourth. He appeared to be... gently petting her, which caused her eyes to open again out of confusion... only to quickly flinch again when she saw his other hand reaching down towards her. Finally, she felt the ground no longer below her.

When she opened her eyes, she was able to get a clear view of his lower jaw, and the long white beard that adorned it. Her breathing intensified when her brain started functioning once more, and a realization hit her. This was the human! The monster! The biggest predator in the Everfree Forest! So, then...

"W-why... are you... p-protecting... us?" She weakly stuttered to the human. Then her eyes widened even more when he looked back down at her... and replied.

"You were in danger." His voice, despite the bestial roar that she hard earlier, was a low-pitched, gruff voice that, if put in a vocal band, would be a perfect bass voice.

Her breathing was more relaxed when his words sunk through... yet her fear remained. "B-but... you're a carnivore, aren't you?"

Yet again, he surprised her... by chuckling. Then he shook his head and replied, "No... my people were always considered omnivores... and we only eat the meat of animals. Not ponies, or any other sentient being."

"S-so... you don't eat ponies?!" Scootaloo was able to finally calm down a lot more when he shook his head in response. Then, her fears were brought back once she noticed Rainbow Dash lying on the ground barely moving. "Oh, no! Rainbow Dash!"

She tried struggling out of the human's arms... but to no avail. The human, however, turned towards the said pony and walked up to her. Then he lowered himself to her level and hummed to himself before reaching into a small pouch that was conveniently hidden behind his waistcoat. After a few moments of digging through the pouch, he pulled out a long strand of, what appeared to be, linen, and wrapped it around Rainbow Dash's bleeding wound. At this point, she was unconscious, which only made Scootaloo's fear rise up. "Oh, no! Please, Rainbow Dash! Please!"

Without warning, both the mare and the filly were lifted up, and cradled in the human's arms. "Do not worry. I will take you both to your town... where is it?"

Scootaloo turned her head towards where her scooter's tire marks were, and pointed at it. "F-follow that trail! It's just straight that way!"

The human nodded his head and, without a moment to spare, made a mad dash towards the direction Scootaloo pointed out. Despite his massive size, however, he was clearly going speeds that even the ponies could have trouble keeping up with.

From the border of the Everfree Forest, five mares were gathered in front of the large crowd... the five mares that were the town's greatest heroes; Twilight Sparkle, the lavender unicorn with a purple and pink-striped mane, Pinkie Pie, the pink earth pony with the puffy curly dark pink mane, Rarity, the white unicorn with the neatly combed purple mane, Applejack, the orange earth pony with the blonde mane and stetson hat, and Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus with the long pink mane. The five mares looked towards the Everfree Forest with stern looks on their faces. Then they heard the sound of hoof steps.

Suddenly, from the shadows of the Everfree Forest, the three stallions ran out of the forest... and literally jumped into the steel cage that the guards of the humble little town of Ponyville had for the criminals' transportation. The looks on their faces were nothing short of terrified.

Confused, and still downright angry, Twilight walked up to the cage and demanded, "Where are they? What have you done to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo?!"

Mortar lightly chuckled before shaking his head. "N-none of your concern now, bitch! T-they are as good as dead now, anyways! T-the monster saw to that!" Then he once again started chuckling like a psychopath, while the guards beside the cage glared at him and strapped Bloody's horn with a magic nullification ring... and cuffed all of their hooves together.

"Let's get these three psychopaths back to their cells in the dungeons!"

"No..." Twilight began, before glaring daggers at them. "If what they said is true... then I want them taken to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna immediately! If anything... I want them in Tartarus, and I'm sure the princesses will, too!"

The guards looked at the unicorn with worry in their eyes before nodding their heads quickly. Then they lowered their heads to lift the bars on the sides of the large cage that was used to lift it up... but before they could even reach the bars, their ears perked up at the not-too-distant sound of earth-shaking steps. When they turned towards the source of the sounds, their eyes widened and their jaws dropped at the sight before them. Following the guards' eyesight, soon the rest of the town did the same, while a large line of guards stood in a line and lifted their spears at the behemoth that was walking out of the shadows of the border of the Everfree Forest... the human.

"HALT! THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH, FOUL BEAST!" one of the guards shouted with, what appeared to be, hesitation in his voice.

The human stopped moving right when the light hovered over his face. Then he gently lowered his left knee to the ground and slowly placed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo on the ground in front of him; the latter now starting to doze off, as the injuries were starting to get to her.

The guards quickly lowered their spears and stood to the side while Twilight and her friends, with the addition of Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara, all rushed to their friends' aid with worried expressions on their faces. When they looked up at the human, however, they backed away, taken aback when he started speaking to them.

"These two need a healer... did you manage to capture the other three?"

There was a moment of silence, before Twilight slowly raised her hoof towards the cage, where the three stallions had extremely panicked expressions on their faces. Then the human stood back up and looked at them... which was followed by a low growl. "Good..." He quickly drew his right sword and pointed it towards the cage while the guards near him pointed their spears at him nervously. "Because if I see them again, I won't hesitate to strike them where they stand." With that, he sheathed his sword back on his harness and turned to leave.

Quickly, a pair of fully grown ponies dressed in white doctors' gowns rushed to the unconscious form of Scootaloo, while another pair followed suit, and rushed to Rainbow Dash. Both were soon lifted on a pair of stretchers, and were rushed towards Ponyville Hospital.

As Scootaloo's vision began to blur, the last thing she could remember seeing was the human walking back into the Everfree Forest with a few guards blocking the road so he couldn't enter. "T-thank... you..." she muttered before darkness took her consciousness away.

...

*BEEP*

...

*BEEP*

...

"She's regaining consciousness!"

...

*BEEP*

...

"It's a miracle! She's... she's waking up!"

...

*BEEP*

...

*BEEP*

...

"Hang in there, Scoots... everything's going to be okay, now!"

...

"R... Rainbow... D-Dash?!"

Slowly, Scootaloo's eyes opened back up. Standing at the foot of her bed was none other than her life-long idol, Rainbow Dash, who appeared to have tears falling from her eyes. It appeared that her eyes were also red from the constant crying she must've done.

"R-Rainbow Dash? What... w-what happened?!"

Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes with her right forearm before quickly flying up to the filly and giving her a warm hug... which Scootaloo returned without hesitation. "You... you've been in a coma, Scoots... f-for a month, now!"

Scootaloo's eyes widened at that statement. "A MONTH?!" Then she looked to her left and, sure enough, there were several IVs attached to her body, and following the tubes, she was able to notice several different drip chambers attached to multiple poles with several different chemicals in each. Her eyes widened even more when she saw a certain red chamber that had blood for a transfusion... though it wasn't the blood that surprised her... it was the name on the package. "Rainbow Dash... y-you donated blood to me?! B-but... how?!"

Rainbow chuckled before replying, "Funny thing, really! Can you guess who's blood type is, like, the exact same as mine?"

Scootaloo slowly smiled widely at the news. "W-wait... so, like... we have the same blood type?!"

Rainbow flew up in the air with a wide smile before nodding her head. "Yeah! We're, like, practically sisters, now!"

"AWESOME!" Scootaloo threw her arms in the air, and her wings began flapping wildly, despite being covered in a pillow.

Then she turned to the door as it began to open; revealing a light brown stallion with a brown mane and a doctor's coat on his chest. He smiled when he noticed Scootaloo awake. "Ah! It looks like you're awake, Miss Scootaloo! You've... been out for quite a long time! Most of the town has been worried about you this past month... especially four certain fillies that were always at our doorstep! Would you like to see them real quick?"

Scootaloo smiled even wider before nodding her head... but she froze in place at the word "four". "Um... four?"

The doctor nodded his head before looking out the door, and motioning a hoof inside. Then, mere seconds later, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Silver Spoon ran in the room with wide smiles on their faces. "SCOOTALOO! YOU'RE OKAY!" They cried in unison before embracing Scootaloo in a tear-filled group hug. Then, when they broke from the hug, Scootaloo looked towards the doorway, and her smile was instantly dropped when she saw the fourth guest... Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara looked at the floor, and tried avoiding eye contact the whole time that Scootaloo was looking at her. Then she slowly trotted towards Scootaloo while the other three fillies backed up to give them room. Finally, when she was within reach, Diamond looked up at Scootaloo and pulled her into a hug, while tears instantly poured from the former bully's eyes... much to Scootaloo's shock. Regardless, though, she returned the hug, while Diamond's muscles tensed up at the foreign contact.

"I... I'm... I'm s-sorry, S-Scootaloo! If... if I w-weren't there to p-prank you... y-you... you wouldn't have been... s-sent into the Everfree Forest like that!" Then she continued to bawl in front of the others, despite her upper-class personality. Even Rainbow Dash was surprised that Diamond Tiara was acting this way... but needless to say, she was touched by the change, and gave a weak smile... followed by everypony else in the room.

Scootaloo gently patted Diamond's back and replied, "It's okay, Di... I forgive you."

"B-but... but you shouldn't, though! A-after all I did to you-"

"You didn't intend on those guys trying to kill me, did you?" Scootaloo's words caused Diamond's muscles to tense up again, but she shook her head quickly and broke from the hug; revealing her shocked expression.

"N-NO! I would never go that low in life!"

Scootaloo then raised an amused eyebrow before adding, "And yet you planned on egging me after figuring out that I've been an orphan for a few months?" Diamond winced at that statement and looked away, before Scootaloo chuckled and added, "Which, by the way, I also forgive you for!"

Diamond remained speechless, until more tears fell from her eyes. "I... t-thank you, Scootaloo..."

Scootaloo tilted her head out of confusion. "Um... what're you thanking me for?"

"W-well... you saved my life from those goons! If you didn't throw that egg, then... then I would've been killed... or worse!"

Scootaloo shook her head and smiled. "Well hey, if you didn't try to get Silver Spoon to egg me, then how would I have been able to save you?"

Diamond was about to answer, when she froze for a moment. "That's... a good question, actually!"

Rainbow Dash chuckled before flying up to the two and saying, "Looks to me like the two of you clicked like a natural team before you even realized it!"

Apple Bloom nodded her head. "Exactly! Jus' like the time y'all did yer first Sonic Rainboom, an' helped mah sister an' the others get their Cutie Marks!"

Diamond nodded her head and smiled. "That must mean one thing..." Then she stretched her right hoof towards Scootaloo and asked, "Do you think we can put the whole bullying nonsense aside, and be friends? It's... it's the least I could do..."

Scootaloo looked at the others with a sly grin on her face, who in turn, nodded their heads with smiles on their faces. Then, when Scootaloo looked back at Diamond Tiara, she raised her right hoof and said, "As long as you don't make fun of us, anymore... then yeah! We could be friends!"

Diamond chuckled before nodding her head. "Though don't think I won't tease you occasionally... but this time, it'll be all in good fun."

"That, we can agree on!" With that, the two shook hooves, and pulled each other in for another hug... all while the fillies, the pegasus, and the doctor had warm smiles on their faces.

Then the doctor had to cut in. "If you want to leave now, we'll need to run a few tests... and if all is normal, you will be escorted out by a wheelchair."

An hour passed by quickly for the group of five friends, due to the large number of things they had to say. Scootaloo ended up telling them about the human she met in the Everfree Forest. Needless to say, they were shocked when they discovered that it was him who saved both her, and Rainbow Dash, and not their original assumption that Rainbow Dash saved her, but ended up fainting in the middle of the human's cave.

When they were finally out of the entrance to the hospital, the group started walking back into the main part of town... but before they could take more than a few steps, Scootaloo gasped. "My scooter! I left it back in the..."

Before anypony could respond to her, the sound of screams could be heard towards the direction to the Everfree Forest. Without hesitation, the group headed that way.

From the borders of the Everfree Forest, several guards held their spears up, and aimed them towards the human, who merely stood there unamused. He didn't say anything, and he didn't appear to have any intentions on turning around.

Soon, though, his unamused expression changed, and a smile formed on his partially hidden mouth, as the group of five fillies and the rainbow-maned pegasus pony came into view.

Scootaloo was the one in the front, while the others stopped in place next to Rainbow Dash with worried looks on their faces.

When she ran past the guards, Scootaloo jumped up at the human with a smile on her face, as she shouted, "It's you!"

The human caught her and gently ruffled her mane before chuckling... much to the guards' surprise. Seeing that he wasn't a threat to their safety, they lowered their spears, but kept a watchful eye on him.

"It honors me to see you well, little one. I'm sure your parents are joyful."

Scootaloo's smile quickly faded before she shook her head. "Um... n-no, sir... they... they are no longer around, unfortunately."

The human raised an eyebrow in his mask before tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"They... they died a few months ago... three now, I think."

Silence filled the air, until the human spoke up once more. "I'm sorry."

Scootaloo shook her head before replying, "It's okay... it's not your fault."

More silence filled the air, until one of the guards decided to speak up. "So... you're able to understand us?!"

The human looked at the guard, who sunk down at just the sight of the human looking at him, and nodded his head. "Indeed... as was I the one who sent those criminals out of the Everfree Forest... and rescued this little one, and the one over there." He pointed at Rainbow Dash, who still continued to stare at the human with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

Then the guards nodded their heads. "Well, then... with the gratitude of all of Ponyville, and Equestria, we thank you for rescuing this filly, and the Element of Loyalty, herself!"

The human nodded his head, but said nothing.

"Do... do you have a name, sir?" Scootaloo asked.

The human looked at her and smiled. "My people called me 'Thunder'. I was once a barbarian of the Frozen North... but that was thousands of years ago."

"But... I thought that the human race died out thousands of years ago!"

Thunder nodded his head and replied, "That is because they did... but due to your princesses' 'Preservation Spell', one human would remain walking on these lands, after the fall of the Crystal Empire... I just happened to be the lucky one. The rest of my people were wiped out in Sombra's Reign. Only I was left... and I can assure you, I was one of the few who fought the armies of darkness, while the princesses went after Sombra himself."

"So... you mean to tell me that... you're the mysterious armor-clad warrior who wiped out an army set for Everfree Village?!" one of the guards asked, while the word "Village" caught the ears of several of the other guards.

Thunder nodded his head and replied, "Indeed, it was I... and even though I stopped them from reaching the village, a few months after then, Princess Luna was afflicted by the same curse that corrupted Sombra before his time to rule... and the results were catastrophic for the village, because both princesses were drawn to battle... a battle I was unable to take place in. Regardless of my pleas, Princess Celestia still sensed her sister in Nightmare Moon... and for the most part, so did I."

"But in the end, she had to use the Elements of Harmony to stop her..." the first guard concluded.

Thunder nodded his head. "Indeed." Then he turned to Scootaloo, then back at Rainbow Dash, who was now closer to them... along with the other fillies. "Now, then... about your housing situation..."

The guards looked between the human and filly, then at Rainbow Dash, who was about to open her mouth to speak. "Miss Rainbow Dash. Though we know how much you mean to the filly, and how much she means to you, we're afraid she can't move in with you."

"W-WHAT?! WHY NOT?!" Rainbow protested.

The guard sighed before replying, "W-well... I hate to break it to you, but... since her flying is impaired, she wouldn't be able to fly back up if she were to fall down a loose cloud! Add to that the fact that your home is a one-bedroom home, there wouldn't be a place for her to sleep!"

"She could sleep in my bed, though! I'm cool with sleeping on the couch!"

"And for the first reason?"

"But... but..." Then Rainbow sighed before looking down with a disheartened expression on her face.

Scootaloo suddenly started to look worried. "Um... b-but I'll be able to still live in my parents' home... right?"

The guards shook their heads and replied, "We're sorry, Scootaloo... but it's against the law for a filly to be living in a house all by herself. You'll have to be taken to an orphanage."

The rest of the fillies began to protest, until Scootaloo cleared her throat, which caught everypony's attention. "W-what if... what if Thunder agrees to move into Ponyville?"

That statement caused the guards to look at Thunder nervously, possibly hoping that he doesn't agree. To their relief, he shook his head and sighed.

After gently placing Scootaloo on the ground, he knelt to her level and said, "I'm sorry, Scootaloo... but I must deny your request."

"B-but... but why, though?!" She asked, as tears poured down her eyes again.

Thunder gently wiped the tears from her cheeks before replying, "Because I am needed in the Everfree Forest. For countless centuries, I have made it my home, and have protected those outside of it from the horrors deep within. If I were to leave, then those horrors would overrun Ponyville within a week... and to add to that, I would never be accepted into your community. I'm sorry... but it's not an option for me to leave the Everfree Forest."

Scootaloo slowly nodded her head and sniffled. "I... I... I understand."

Thunder nodded his head and weakly smiled. "Thank you for offering, though. I am not lying when I say that you are the first to do so."

Finally, after a long moment of silence, Scootaloo dried her tears and had a determined look on her face. "Alright, then! I've decided..." she turned towards the guards and asked, "Is it alright if I move in with Thunder?"

The entirety of the crowd gasped, while Thunder raised an eyebrow out of confusion. "N-no, it isn't! It's-"

"I have a zebra friend named Zecora who lives in the Everfree Forest, so obviously living in there isn't a crime! And if Thunder agrees to it, then you can't say there isn't enough room, when, as he said, his home is the Everfree Forest! If there isn't enough room for a filly to live in a forest, then it isn't even a forest, is it?!"

The guards remained speechless, while Scootaloo smiled and looked up at Thunder, who continued to look at her confusedly. "That is... if it's okay with you, Mr. Thunder?"

Thunder thought for a moment, before tilting his head. "You... do realize what you're asking, don't you?"

Scootaloo nodded her head.

"And you remember that I'm an omnivore, correct? As in, I have to eat vegetables and meat."

Again, she nodded her head.

"Will that not disturb you?"

Scootaloo shook her head before adding, "I've seen a mare feed fish to a bear, so I'm familiar with that kind of stuff!"

Thunder thought for a moment, before turning to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash... if you are able to help her get home and back, then I will accept."

Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash with big, hopeful eyes, while the guards rubbed the backs of their heads nervously. Without much time to think, Rainbow Dash chuckled before replying, "Are you kidding?! Why would I not be there to help my friend?! Count me in!"

Scootaloo then looked up at Thunder, who was scratching the back of his head, lost in thought. Then, after a few more seconds, he shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head before replying, "Very well, then. My home is your home, little one."

At that statement, Scootaloo jumped for joy and squealed in joy as she jumped into Thunder's arms once more, and wrapped her hooves around his neck... much to his confusion. "Does... does this mean that I can call you 'Dad', now?"

Thunder hummed at that statement before shrugging his shoulders. "You can call me what you wish, though I must inform you that I have no experience in being a father... so you may have to help me with that."

"Of course, Dad! Anything for you!"

The guards then cleared their throats, which caused the human and the filly to look at them. "While we don't have any laws that state against that idea... how will we know that she'll be safe?"

Thunder merely stood up tall and bent down to where they could see his face towering over them. "Because I'll be there."

That statement caused both guards to gulp nervously before nodding their heads. "V-very well, then! Please do have a safe trip! H-hope to see you again soon!" And with that, the guards ran back towards the town, leaving the group of fillies, the pegasus, and the human there.

Silence was all that remained... until the ponies started to snicker... then, they all burst into laughter, while the human raised an amused, yet confused, eyebrow at the laughing ponies, before lightly chuckling himself.

After reaching the last step of the large stone pathway, the entire group stood in awe at the sight before them... a huge cave was rested beneath the Castle of the Two Sisters... and beneath the cave, rested a tall, crystalline tree with, what appeared to be, six holes in it. "Whoa! What is that?!" Rainbow Dash asked as they moved past it.

Thunder turned towards the tree and replied, "That... is the Tree of Harmony. It is where the Elements of Harmony originated from. It would be wise to remember that, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow nodded her head before turning back towards Thunder, who was walking towards a small arched doorway that rested on the opposite end of the tree from the large stairway that led outside.

After stepping through it, they were surrounded by a dark, narrow hallway. Despite the darkness, however, they all managed to walk through, until they saw a distant light. When they stepped out, though... everything seemed too bizarre to be true.

From outside the arched doorway, a huge cave was around them... but it didn't even look like a cave. The walls around it glowed naturally, and looked exactly like how the sky looked... and the clouds even moved! Below their feet and hooves, there was thin grass that covered a single large hill with two apple trees that rested on both ends of a smooth stone pathway. At the end of the pathway, a huge, two-story wooden house rested on the top of the hill. If there was a single word for the entire place, it would be "Tranquility".

"Wow... and you live here?!" Scootaloo asked in amazement.

Thunder shook his head and smiled. "No... we live here. Welcome home, my daughter."

Scootaloo couldn't hold back the tears anymore. After sniffling a few times, she embraced Thunder in a warm hug, while the group continued to stare at the bizarre atmosphere. Then, for most of the day, Thunder showed them around his house which, surprisingly, was a far more peaceful atmosphere than what they assumed he would live in... despite the occasional weapon that hung on the wall, or the predator-hide rugs.

Despite those minor details, Scootaloo couldn't be happier to be there. For one thing, she had a new place to call home, that wasn't even too far from Ponyville! And then there was the fact that she would always see her idol, Rainbow Dash every day, and her friends, both old and new, would more than likely visit with her.

But the biggest thing that made her happy was this... no matter how odd it may seem to others, the infamous "Monster of the Everfree Forest" was now her father... and she couldn't be any more happier.

One Month Later...

From inside Ponyville Elementary, Scootaloo smiled and looked out of the window with a wide grin on her face. Then from beside her, Diamond Tiara asked, "So, Scoots! Will your dad be okay with a sleepover this weekend?"

Scootaloo chuckled before turning to the filly, while also noticing that her other friends were also looking at her with anticipation. Then, with a nervous chuckle, she scratched the back of her head. "Um... we'll see! I've gotta ask him permission, first!"

Then the school bell rang, which made the students quickly stampede out of the building, with Miss Cheerilee happily waving good-bye to her students.

Outside the schoolhouse, Rainbow Dash stood there, waiting for Scootaloo to show up with a smile. When she made it, she asked, "So, Scoots! Ya ready for another flight back home?"

Scootaloo chuckled before leaping into Rainbow Dash's forelegs. "You know it!"

"Alright, then! Hang on tight!" And like that, the two pegasi vanished from the schoolyard in a rainbow and purple blur, leaving a group of impressed fillies waving at the two.

Dear, Princess Celestia...

My name is Scootaloo! I've always been a huge fan of Rainbow Dash since I was just a little foal!

The two made it back to the cave, and was quickly greeted by Thunder, who chuckled at the jumpy filly. "Well, I take it you had a good day at school?" he asked.

Scootaloo nodded her head and replied, "Yes, sir! Already, my friends want a sleepover this weekend! Do you think it'll be alright?"

Thunder chuckled before shrugging his shoulders. "I've protected a whole town from the monsters of the Everfree Forest! Of course I can handle it!"

Scootaloo squealed with joy before jumping into Thunder's arms and wrapping her hooves over his neck and replied, "Thank you! You're the best dad ever!"

Today, I wanted to write to you about what I've learned a month ago!

That day, I learned that, no matter how different somepony may look, deep inside, they could very well be a caring individual... like my new dad! He says you know him already... Mr. Thunder?

Anyways, I'm doing wonderful here! He's taking good care of me, and has kept me safe from any trouble! In fact, my former enemies became my best friends, and changed their ways for good... and it all started with something as simple as an attempt to egg me with a rotten egg! And that's why I'd like to conclude this letter with this...

No matter what problems we may face... in the end, they all may very well serve a greater purpose!

Yours truly, Scootaloo.

Author's Notes:

---

Figured I'd throw this quick little one-shot story for y'alls enjoyment! Please let me know if you would like to see more "Thunder", or not!

(Who knows? Maybe I could ship him with Rainbow Dash, and call it "Thunder" and "Lightning"! Get it?! Rainbow Dash's cutie mark is a rainbow lightning bolt? Yeah, I know I suck at puns... or in other words, Punder and Writening! (I should REALLY stop writing jokes while half-asleep. x_x ))

Anyways, all joking aside, please feel free to leave a like if you enjoyed, comment if you did/didn't, and let me know what I could do to improve, or what you liked/disliked about anything! Any and all comments are appreciated (as long as they aren't strictly meant to be insulting, of course)!