"Wait up, Scootaloo!" Later cried. She found herself somehow several gallops behind the filly, who was bounding alongside Mochi in the dark.

"No time!" Scootaloo shot back, turning her head only halfway past her shoulder. "The later we get there, the more chance they'll have him locked up somewhere we can't get to, and we can't afford that!"

"But do you even know where you're going?!" Later sped up, finally almost catching up to the filly.

"South," Scootaloo replied curtly. "Which I know is this way, so we don't need to stop and have a chat about it."

"The kid's got a point!" Mochi sing-songed.

"Ugh, seriously... would it really hurt to stop a moment just so we can figure out what we're going to do when we get there?"

"Oh, and I'm sure you really thought it through when you decided to ignore Turnip and follow us down here," Scootaloo snarled, not even bothering to look back.

Even Later could feel her stomach drop. "Wh-what?" she stammered.

"Oh, don't pretend that isn't exactly what you did," Scootaloo said. "It was convenient, sure, but you still weren't supposed to be there."

Later said nothing in response; what could she say?

Scootaloo continued: "I don't even care why—probably to keep hanging out with me, or something—but it was still stupid. And then you wanted us to leave Clove Hitch with the Bureau ponies, just so you could replace him and not hear this type of thing from him too?"

"That's prob'ly enough, Scootaloo," Mochi cut in. "I know you don't wanna, but we should stop for a sec."

"Ugh, fine." The filly skidded to a halt in the dirt, coming to a stop next to a particularly large fern. She glanced at Mochi, who wore a concerned expression on her face as she approached Even Later, whose head was held low, her mane covering her face. "I don't even know what use planning would have, though, since none of us have ever been there and—"

"Shh," Mochi whispered, patting Later on the back. "You're fine—don't listen to her, she's just mad."

Later looked up, a sullen expression on her face. "No, Scootaloo's totally right. I deserve it. Let's just... get on with this so we can get Clove Hitch back with you guys, and then I'll leave and find Turnip and the others."

Scootaloo sighed. "I didn't mean to imply that, I just... oh, I don't know!" She facehoofed, dragging her hooves down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Later. I was just annoyed about the whole situation, and about how you left Clove Hitch there. But it wasn't just you who left him—we all did. But it's gonna be okay. We're going to get him back now." The filly stepped forward, looking Even Later straight in the eyes. "And it'll be totally fine if you want to come with us; we'll just need to tell Turnip somehow. I'm sure the others can call Doc Zed."

"Th-thanks, Scoots," Later managed. "I'm sorry I lied to you and to everypony else."

"It's fine. It's whatever. Now we just gotta figure out how to get to the police station," Scootaloo said, nodding her head in the direction they had just been running in.

"That'll be mighty difficult if we've never been there before," Mochi remarked. "Especially if we're lookin' not to get caught... wanderin' the streets to find the place won't exactly help with that."

"We'll have to figure out some sort of disguise," Scootaloo replied. "Back in Ponyville, my friends and I would often use bushes, and then only move when ponies weren't looking. Hmm..." She eyed the plants around her in the near-pitch-darkness, sizing them up and attempting to determine how well they'd hold together once uprooted.

"Actually, I don't think that will be necessarily," Later piped up. "I meant to say this before, but I've actually been to the police station in Ferretfall before."

Scootaloo blinked. "How come?"

"Erm... let's just say I'm not the sneakiest member of our team and I miiiight have gotten us in trouble once." Later frowned, but quickly recovered. "Regardless, I totally know my way around from when we escaped. Plus it's nighttime, so they'll probably have fewer cops on duty."

"Even if they know we're out here all uncaptured-like?" Mochi asked, cocking her head.

"Hmm, good point," Later replied. "They'll probably be out in the forest here, then, searching for us."

"That's a risky bet," Scootaloo said, pacing back and forth in the dirt. "For all we know, they could be expecting that we're going to go after Clove tonight and all the cops will be patrolling the village."

"Hey, don't look at me like this was my idea," Later shot back, rolling her eyes. "I wanted to leave Clove to get saved by another group of rebels when it's more convenient, instead of sending the only pony from outside the Bureau planets into even more danger."

"But even if we do get caught, Scoots'll have us out in no time," Mochi chimed in. "That's how we got out of the South Pen."

"That was all Grey and you know it," Scootaloo said. "Whatever... we'll figure that out if it happens. No sense trying to make a plan for something we just can't plan for."

"Then what now?" Even Later asked. "Just keep going?"

"Yeah," Scootaloo said, nodding. "But you should lead the way this time—you know way more where we're going."

Later smirked. "Sure thing, Scoots," she said, walking forward. As she passed Scootaloo, she raised a hoof and tousled the filly's already-messy hair. "But here, before we go, lemme do this."

Scootaloo and Mochi eyed the mare curiously for the moment it took for her horn to light up with a light green magic, not unlike Kevin's. Although the light was dim, Scootaloo could more clearly see Even Later's green face and now-determined expression as she turned tail and, slightly to the left of where they had been running previously, she ran. Scootaloo and Mochi followed closely behind, adjusting to either side as Later did.