Rainbow Dash was panicking. The air smelled of smoke,  burnt plastic, and oddly enough, gasoline. The cries of three fillies split the air as Dash circled the clubhouse. As the cyan Pegasus drew close to the flaming clubhouse, she poked her head through the window, trying to get a better handle on the scene.

           The famous fillies, an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, and (gulp) a Pegasus, cowered directly beneath the window. Their eyes watered from smoke, and their cries for help became choked and turned into coughs.

     Rainbow Dash had an idea in a second. She flew around to the door. Not wanting to waste time with doorknobs, she rammed against the door. As it thudded  to the floor, Rainbow extended her wings and crouched low. She felt the three fillies climbing onto her back and positioning themselves between her wing joints, at which point she flapped her wings into a hover. Rainbow's heart pounded in her chest at the thought of what she was about to do. Thrusting out her rear hooves, she hammered them into the back wall, hearing it split. Another kick and she was flung backwards, falling, losing her hold on the fillies somewhere between the air and the ground.

         There was no time to embrace her adopted sister. Not with the rising flames in the old wooden structure. Scanning the skies, Rainbow spotted the unmistakable pale green of Lightning Dust's coat. Not bothering to wonder what her former frenemy was doing in Ponyville, Rainbow soared into the sky and only had to look at Dust and then at the fire. Dash and Dust began the hunt for a fresh rain cloud.

"Here!" called Applejack, and a worn, braided lasso went flying. Dust caught the tan-coloured rope in her jaws and used it to secure a moisture filled cloud. When she had a good grip on it, Dash assisted her friend/foe in the somewhat challenging task of returning the cloud to the scorching clubhouse. Once inside, the two Pegasi proceeded to beat the tar (or rather, water) out of the cloud from every possible angle.

   Once the flames were demolished, the cloud evaporated into thin air. Rainbow Dash tackled Scootaloo, pulling her into a tight hug before looking around with accusing eyes.

      "What in the name of Princess Celestia happened here?"

Sweetie Belle, a small Unicorn who was still perfecting her magic skills, was looking awkwardly at her older sister Rarity, a Unicorn who was known as the beauty queen of Ponyville. "Well, I guess we kind of....caused the fire..?"

     Rarity waved this away. "Dear me, Sweetie, there is no other explanation, is there? But you needn't look so worried, darling. You don't think your rather clever sister knows that accidents happen?"

        "Apple Bloom, y'all are lookin' fretful too. But we know it was an accident." The orange farm pony was struggling to keep her brown Stetson hat from falling over her face  as she started at her younger sister with concerned eyes.

   "Well, Ah, uh...... Ah don't think that's what Sweetie Belle meant, uh... sis...."

  Rainbow turned to her own sister, whose eyes were squinched shut, leaking tears. When she opened her eyes, Scootaloo was looking Rainbow full in the face, and her words triggered a memory of a certain camping trip.

    "I'm so, so sorry, Rainbow Dash!  I just wanted to contribute an idea for our cutie marks, so I suggested firefighters! So we poured gasoline all over the clubhouse and tried to put the fire out with watering cans, but it got too big for us to handle and, well, I guess you know the rest."

Rainbow was half listening, mostly spaced out as she remembered the trip that has changed her life, both of their lives.

I'm so, so sorry, Rainbow Dash! I just wanted you to hang out with me and see how cool I was so you would take me under your wing, teach me everything you know and become like, my big sister! But then you started telling those spooky stories, and I got scared! I thought I heard the Headless Horse, so I ran out here by myself, and, well, I guess you know the rest.

    Rainbow Dash hit the earth, hard, still a bit dazed as she processed Scootaloo's words.

      "Whooooooaaaaaaa. Serious de ja vu moment there. " She burst out  laughing. Scootaloo, who had realized what she said, remembered that one, special night and started laughing too.

       "What in the- why are y'all laughin up a storm about this fire? This ain't funny, RD!" Applejack was none too pleased about Dash's reaction.

     Rainbow broke off her laughter uneasily and raised her brow at AJ. "I never told you what went down that last night of the camping trip, did I?" She frowned at her friend shook her head. "Remind me to tell you someday. Then you'll understand.  But, either way Scoot, how could you think that lighting your clubhouse on fire, that lighting anything on fire for that matter, was a good plan?!"

      "I don't know, sis. I really don't. I guess I'm kind of a loser, huh?" Scootaloo gave a sheepish smile, but looked as though someone had stuck her with a needle.

"Hey!" RD snapped sharply. "Only a loser  calls herself a loser!"

   "Huh?" Scoot was already confused after all that had happened, and her sister's random babbling wasn't helping. Rainbow rolled her eyes.

"Look, Scoot. I would  never think of you as a loser. I won't deny that was an incredibly stupid move on your part, though." Rainbow extended a wing to her daughter, who appeared to be involved in an intense staring contest with the grass. Scootaloo  nodded in response. "Yeah, we were pretty dumb, no pony's denying that."  Apple Bloom opened her mouth in protest, but Applejack quickly quieted her sister with a single orange hoof.

          "Quiet, lil' missy. Scootaloo said 'we' and she's absolutely right! 'Least she has the decency to admit her wrongdoing!" Apple Bloom had no response for this. Rarity had been quiet after Scootaloo's little "outburst".  Rainbow Dash couldn't even look her sister in the eye. This made Scootaloo nervous.

     At last, the cyan mare spoke, in a surprisingly calm tone , hoping her silent anger wasn't showing through. "Scootaloo, we're going home. And you're headed directly to your bedroom the minute we finish eating."

   "Yeah, okay, I guess I deserve that." Scoot said with a sigh, as she perched herself atop Rainbow's back. You deserve a lot more than being sent to your frickin room, kid Rainbow thought as she propelled herself into the air.

.                                                                                                                                                    

         So here she was, sitting at the kitchen table. Scoot had been in her room for about 3 hours, and Rainbow now hated herself for not doing anything earlier. But if there was one thing Rainbow had learned over the years, it was that she thought better in motion. Scootaloo's  room was right above the kitchen, so she didn't want to risk flying in the low-ceilinged room. But she could pace.

        And pace she did, thoughts flashing through her mind. Think Rainbow Dash! Is this what your Father would have wanted?                 Wow......... I'm stupid. Of course he would! Celestia knows I know how she feels right know. Didn't I manage to set the Cloudosseum on fire? Heh, I never DID figure out how a giant mass of water vapor caught fire, did I? Whup, getting off topic here.

     Rainbow and her mindless babbling were bringing her no closer to her decision. But no matter what her head was telling her, she knew in her heart that a time out, even a 3 hour one, was really not going to cut it. Scoots had nearly killed herself, and she had to pay. It was then, Rainbow knew she would have to do one thing, one thing she has always refused, worried it would wreck her relationship with Scootaloo,

          Rainbow Dash would have to inflict pain upon her child.

Next Chapter: Two for Torture (edited) Estimated time remaining: 15 Minutes