It wasn't exactly a short walk to the wilderness from New Pegasus, it would at least take a few weeks to get to the edge of the Wilderness and then get to the Dayrunners through a wild area of Equestria.

As we neared the Wilderness, according to my map we still had another three days trek before we reached the tribe and had stopped for the night.

"Thank you," Arc said with a smile as I gave her some food and something called Opal Fuse that Rain had given me and I sat down next to Schooner. "So, what's so important about Stable 13?"

"Stable 13 wasn't really a standard Stable," I said as I started eating. "We gave a couple of Stables to the Ministries, and Stable 13 was given to the Ministry of Arcane Science under Twilight Sparkle. Her former student Starlight Glimmer was in charge, and in part it was meant to test a spell that would allow you to get a mare pregnant using the DNA of a pony of either gender."

"So, two mares could have a child together?" Arc asked, her ears perking up a little. "That's, actually not a bad idea, I guess it worked if there are inhabitants who survived."

"Yeah, it and Stable 27 were the ones that worked on it," I said as I scratched behind Schooner's ears. "But Twilight was up to something else with it, I don't know the exact details, but she brought in a lot of specialty equipment for the Stable, stuff that we didn't use anywhere else."

"I see," Arc said. "So, you don't know huh?"

"Yeah, sorry," I said rubbing the back of my head. "She kept the whole thing a big secret, maybe we'll find out when we reach the Dayrunners."

She nodded and we kept eating in silence before going to bed.

We traveled for a few more days until we reached the Dayrunner tribe that was built on the crest of a large hill in the middle of the wilderness. I noticed the same NCR flag that I had seen in Junction Town flying above the village as we approached the gate.

Two ponies dressed in NCR military fatigues looked at us closely but let us through without issue. Before we left Sterling Silver had sent word here that we were on our way, so it was time for my first look at tribal society in the Wasteland.

It, actually was pretty ordinary, the ponies were dressed in strange lightweight armor and had markings on their bodies, but I could recognize a lot of the basic ideas. Ponies still lived, made friendships, fell in love... the only difference was how their culture was.

Things didn't always have to change I guess.

"The General is waiting for you inside," one of the guards said gesturing to a makeshift hut and we entered.

Inside dressed in an NCR uniform was a dark blue Unicorn mare with a short black mane and curled tail that I swear reminded me of Rarity's. She looked up at us with blue eyes and a smile.

"Welcome to the Dayrunners you two," she said with a slight accent before offering both of us a hoof. "I'm General Midnight Sparkle, Ambassador Sterling Silver said you wanted to talk with Cipher?"

"Yeah, we have a data file that was captured from the Enclave," I said and raised my foreleg to show my PipBuck.

"I see," she said and looked at me for a long moment. "Well right now Cipher is in Stable 13 helping untangle some computer systems. You can either wait for her to return or head there, its up to you."

I paused a long moment, I had a feeling that I was going to have to go there eventually anyway, maybe I should just get it over with. There was a weird feeling I had, like there was something waiting for me in that Stable, something that I was destined to find.

Midnight Sparkle, I knew the name from Ruby's book, she was a Ranger Colonel who had fought in the war with the Crimson Empire. more importantly, she was a direct descendant of Twilight Sparkle, probably the only one along with her daughter.

She was ultimately a good pony, and I trusted her.

"Okay, we'll go to Stable 13," I said and looked at Arc Light. "If you're okay with that I mean."

"Hey, no problem, can't be much worse than 66," she said with a shrug.

Schooner barked happily, that was good enough for me, I guess we were all going to Stable 13.

"Alright, just let me get some things together and we can go, meet me at the gate in an hour," Midnight said and we exited the house.

"Its amazing how many different ways ponies have survived," Arc commented as we looked around the village.

"Yeah, Stables, Settlements, Tribes, we're a resilient species," I said with a smile as I watched two foals run by, playing a game with a ball. "Some things will certainly never change, no matter how bad it gets."

"Yeah," Arc said with a sigh. "I hope the ponies in Stable 66 are still okay."

"I'm sure they are," I said with a reassuring smile. "So is Caramel, you'll see them again someday."

"Thanks Scootaloo, I hope you're right," Arc said looking at her hooves.

"Me too Arc..." I said, looking up at the sky for a long moment. "Me too."

Midnight met up with us at the gate an hour later with her gear and we started off towards Stable 13.

"So, there are ponies still living in Stable 13?" I asked curiously, I knew Midnight had been born there but I didn't think there were still ponies there.

"Oh sure," Midnight said as she lead us into the forest along a well beaten path. "The Dayrunners were founded by ponies that tried to make it into Stable 13 after it was closed so we hold it in high regard. Both Tribals and dwellers call it home still."

"So its still functional?" Arc asked and Midnight nodded. "Well, I'm glad that some Stables out there didn't fail."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy, but we've made it," Midnight said. "The NCR has been helping as well, Cipher is one of the ponies they sent here and she's acclimated to life here well enough."

We walked on in silence for awhile longer as the terrain got a little rockier. This area had become really overgrown in the 211+ years since I had come here to check out Stable 13, but I could recognize the basic area.

We stopped in front of a large cave entrance that lead further inside. Midnight turned and looked at me for a long moment, which made me pause. What was it she was going to ask me?

"Scootaloo," she said with a long pause. "There are things in Stable 13 that won't be easy for you to learn, things that are... secret to the rest of Equestria because of their nature, and what the Enclave would do with it. You both have to promise me that you won't tell anypony in Equestria until the Enclave is out of the way."

"We promise," I said and looked at Arc Light who paused a moment before nodding.

"What is it?" Arc asked curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough," Midnight said as we walked into the cave.

After a minute we came face to face with the large gear shaped door of Stable 13. Midnight input a code into the console, and after a moment it started to open with a screech.

It was time to see what was waiting for me in Stable 13.

This was the first time I had ever been in a Stable that was actually being lived in. Sure I had visited them before the war, but they had always been under construction and Stable 26 had been empty for a few years.

Stable 13 still had ponies living in it, either dressed like the ponies from the Dayrunners or in Stable 13's jumpsuits. A few said hi but for the most part they just kept working around the Stable while we went past and down the stairs.

When we reached the main server room for Stable 13 a Unicorn pony dressed in a jumpsuit looked up at us. She was colored a light green with a white mane with green streaks in it and smiled when we came in.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Cipher?" I asked and she nodded. "Rain Runner said you might be able to help us decrypt some files we took from the Enclave in New Pegasus. Can you help?"

"Hmm, Enclave huh? I've never tried to crack their encryptions before," Cipher said and gestured to the terminal she was working on. "Do you mind uploading it?"

"Sure, no problem," I said as I hooked a cord from my PipBuck into the terminal and uploaded the files. "How long do you think it'll take?"

"I'm not sure," Cipher admitted. "Like I said I've never tried to decrypt Enclave files before, what's on these?"

"Its, genealogical records," I said, getting a look from Cipher. "Its a long story, but I'd appreciate it if you could decrypt it. Whenever you have a chance I mean."

"I should be able to get on this tomorrow," Cipher said as she examined the files. "What do you want this for anyway?"

"They, might give me answers on any family I have out there," I said, adjusting my hat a little and looking down. "It would mean a lot to me if you could help."

"Its okay Cipher," Midnight said.

"Alright, I'll get on it as soon as I can," Cipher said with a smile. "I'm glad to help, you'll just have to give me enough time, okay?"

"Okay, we can wait," I said with a nod before we headed back out and into the atrium.

Out of curiosity I checked out the radio on my PipBuck, I wasn't surprised to find NCR Radio though there was also another radio station called Crystal City Radio. Out of curiosity I switched over to it and listened in as the voice of a stallion came over my earbuds.

"Hey Crystal Wasteland, this is Voice with a new report on the ongoing situation with the Changelings," the voice of a stallion said over my earbuds. "The Crystal Crusaders have returned from their recent encounters with the Queen's forces with an unexpected report. It seems that there's been something of a coup in the Changeling forces with the second in command General Arachne taking power. Mayor Vanilla Cream has said that the Changeling threat is being taken very seriously, and assures us all that they will be dealt with as soon as possible."

That had been the second time that I had heard about the Changelings in the Crystal Wasteland. It wasn't a lot to go on, but it was starting to worry me, what if they moved south? Would we have to fight the Changelings here too?

"Hey, isn't that the orchard?" Arc asked curiously as she looked through the door into the Stable's orchard.

"Oh yeah..." Midnight said as we went inside, she looked at me. "Scootaloo, I'm not sure if you're ready for this but..."

Before she could finish the sentence as we walked into the orchard I saw what looked like a rough headstone. That was strange to me, Stables were supposed to burn the corpses, why would they bury one?

As I looked closer however, my heart fell when I saw something familiar on it. It was a cloud with a tri-colored lightning bolt coming out of it, and under that was a name and words.

"Scootaloo, what's wrong?" Arc Light asked me as she walked up next to me, tears were starting to well up in my eyes.

RAINBOW DASH
BELOVED MOTHER AND HERO
MAY YOU NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

I looked up at the ceiling of the room that I had been given in Stable 13 as I thought things over, it was a few hours later and Arc Light had gone to look around the Stable. I hadn't really had much faith that Rainbow Dash was out there somewhere, Rainbow was a lot of things, but immortal wasn't one of them.

Even so, it hit me hard, especially because the last thing I remembered was her face. I didn't know for sure, but maybe that meant she had saved my life back then.

I'd never get to thank her... I'd never get to tell her just how much our time together meant to me. Rainbow Dash was dead, and even with everything that was happening... that hurt me more than anything else.

I never felt more alone in the world than I did right that moment as I just laid there crying. My friends, my family... now my big sister, they were all dead and no force in Equestria was ever going to bring them back.

What was I going to do now? Was there even any point to living? Equestria would probably be better off without a pony like me. I don't know how many lives had been lost in my desire to save lives... and I wasn't even sure if it was worth it anymore.

The door to the room opened and I looked up to see Arc Light looking at me worriedly.

"Scootaloo, are you okay?"

"Honestly? I don't know," I admitted as I sat up as Schooner jumped onto the bed next to me and I petted him gently. "I'm sorry, I just... it just hit me that I'll never see Rainbow Dash again. She was always there when I needed her most growing up, and... I just feel alone all of a sudden."

"I understand Scootaloo," Arc said with an understanding smile. "You and I really aren't that different, we both lost the ponies we care about... I'm sorry about Rainbow. I promise that I'll do everything I can to help you get through this."

"Thank you Arc," I said and hugged her gently. "I don't know what I'd do without a friend like you."

"Go crazy maybe?" Arc suggested with a grin.

I smiled a little at that, Arc was a good pony deep down, that much was clear to me. I still had ponies that cared about me, Arc Light and I had already become friends despite everything that had happened. It meant a lot to me that she cared enough about me to comfort me even after what happened to her home.

I just hoped that would never change.

"Come on, I've got a surprise for you, something that might help you feel a lot better," Arc said, which surprised me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Trust me, you'll see soon enough," she said with a smile and took my hoof, pulling me out of the room.

As we walked through Stable I got a few new looks from the inhabitants as I followed Arc Light. Based on some of the signs, I suspected we were heading for the infirmary.

We reached the Infirmary and opened the door. I looked around inside, the only pony was a white Unicorn pony with a mane with shades of blue, pink, and yellow, dressed in a Stable 13 jumpsuit with a lab coat over it.

"Hey Doc, here's the pony I told you about," Arc said.

"Yeah, I'm Scootaloo," I said, offering a hoof to the doctor who's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"Spectrum Flash," she said with a smile and shook my hoof. "And I'm happy to finally get to meet you Scootaloo, my family has been waiting for you for a long time."

"Your, family?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's why I was coming to find you in the first place Scootaloo," Arc said. "Spectrum is Rainbow Dash's last living descendant."

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash never gave up on you Scootaloo," Spectrum said. "She knew that the pod would be opened someday and hoped that you'd make it to Stable 13, so she passed down things to give you when you arrived. I'm sorry that Rainbow herself couldn't be here to see you, but she loved you very much."

"So she did save me after all..." I said sadly. "I owe her my life, I just wish there was some way I could see her one last time."

"There are a few things she left behind for you," Spectrum said. "I know its not the same thing as seeing her, but she thought they'd help you at least. When you're ready, I'll let you see them."

"Thank you Spectrum," I said with a small smile. "This means more to me than you know."

"You're welcome," Spectrum said. "Just let me know when you're ready and I'll give you access to them, okay?"

"Okay, sounds good," I said with a smile as we headed back out of the infirmary.

I wasn't alone in the world, I had my friends, and I had Spectrum... I'd never truly be alone again.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Scootaloo?" Arc asked, it was a couple of days later and we were looking at Rainbow Dash's grave again. "We can wait a bit longer if you want."

"No, I'm ready," I said with a sigh as I stood next to the grave and looked at it for a long moment. "I just, want a chance to say some things before I do this."

"Okay, I'll leave you two alone," Arc said and stepped back.

I looked at the grave for a long moment, I was going to cry again and I knew it, but I had to say something. Even if it was only to Rainbow Dash's grave, these were things that I felt like I should say to her.

I just wished that I could tell it to her in person.

"Hey Rainbow Dash... yeah, I finally made it here after 211 years. There's so much I wish I could tell you, before we met I had a husband, and a daughter, I left them behind when I was exiled by the Enclave sadly, and I don't even know what happened to them. I've been trying to fin any surviving family I might have in Equestria, but I haven't had much luck yet."

I paused for a long moment and looked behind me back at Arc Light.

"I've made a new friend, her name is Arc Light and she's from Stable 66. She, actually punched me when we first met, kind of a strange way to meet, but we've gotten closer. I've been trying to help her find a friend that was kidnapped by the Enclave but we haven't had much luck, but we're still going to try."

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling for a long moment as I thought about what I had to say next.

"You saved my life Rainbow... if you hadn't found me I probably would've died in that forest or best case scenario at your shack. I wish I could see you one last time, your family seems nice, Spectrum is a good pony, you'd be proud of her, she reminds me a lot of you actually. She's loyal, brave, smart, and she wants to help ponies."

I took one final look at the gravestone and smiled.

"I hope I make you proud Rainbow Dash, you were the best big sister I ever could've asked for, I hope wherever you are, you're smiling down on me. Maybe someday we'll see each other again, until then, I'll do everything I can to stay awesome and be the best pony I can be, just like you taught me."

I placed a flower that I had gotten from the forest outside and set it on the ground and went to meet with Arc.

It was time to find out what Rainbow Dash left behind for me.

"So, are you sure you're ready for this Scootaloo?" Spectrum asked, we were in her quarters at the moment. "This might not be easy for you."

"I'm ready," I said as I took a seat behind the terminal in her quarters. "At least I hope so."

She nodded and put in the tape that she said had Rainbow Dash's last message on it. There was a moment before the green tinted image of Rainbow Dash appeared on the screen, she was older than I remembered and dressed in the jumpsuit of a Stable 13 Dweller, but it was definitely her.

"Hey Scootaloo, I hope this message finds you well, I know that odds are by the time you come to Stable 13, I'll be long gone so I wanted to leave behind these messages for you. I had wanted to bring you back to Stable 13 to begin with and hope that you could be healed, but your condition was too severe. I put you in the safest place that I could and hoped that it would do the job. The stasis chamber was specially made so that it would heal you at the same time, it was still experimental, but if you're here then it worked."

I smiled a little at that, even to the end Rainbow Dash was the spirit of loyalty. She had put me above even herself, she had put Equestria above herself.

I just wished that the Enclave could understand that.

"I don't know what you're going through now, but I know you're going to make it. You were always the best part of my life Scootaloo, you grew up to be a great pony. I've seen the results of Stable-Tec's work, I don't know if all the Stables had these... experiments you created, but I'm sure you had good reasons to do it. I'll probably never know what they are, but you should never beat yourself up for it. You gave ponies a chance to survive, and that's what matters, if you ever doubt yourself for any of your actions, remember that."

I was surprised by that, but she had spent the rest of her life in a Stable so it made sense that she knew more about it than anypony else. I may have saved Rainbow's life with Stable 13, and since she had the access information it must've been easy for her to get in here.

But Rainbow still had one more thing to say.

"I know your memories became distorted because of the memory orb process, but there's something I wanted to give you. In addition to these recordings, I asked the Overmare Starlight Glimmer to create several Memory Orbs of some of the times we had together, it should help with your memories."

"I hope that whatever world you find yourself in is better than the one I left. You're the most awesome pony I've ever known Scootaloo, this is your chance to be the hero I know you can be."

"Now get out there and be the best pony you can be."

The recording finished and I looked at Spectrum. "Thank you... that helps a lot but... how am I supposed to access Memory Orbs?"

"Don't worry Scootaloo, we already thought of that," Spectrum said and takes out a strange piece of headgear. "A Recollector was left behind in the Stable, are you okay with this?"

"Yeah, I am," I said as I took the Recollector, I needed to see what it was that Rainbow left behind for me as she gave me an orb. "As ready as I'll ever be."

I put it on and connected with the Memory Orb and the whole world went white around me.

I nearly gasped in surprise when I saw the ground so far below me, I was flying, I was actually flying! I mean I wasn't controlling my body since I was re-living Rainbow Dash's memories, but still, it was one of the most amazing sensations I've ever felt!

"Rainbow Dash!" A voice called up to my host and I looked down to see, myself when I was just a filly, but it was me.

"Hey squirt!" My host said and few down to land next to the younger me. "Did you have a good time the other day with my parents?"

"Yeah, I had fun, they're really nice," the younger me said with a sad smile. "I just wish I had a family like that sometimes, you know?"

"I know what you mean, Scootaloo," my host said as she hugged the younger version of me softly. "What about your foster parents?"

"They're okay I guess, but its not the same," the younger me said as she hugged my host tightly, burying her muzzle in her chest as she started to cry. "You and your family are the best thing that ever happened to me I just wish that... you know..."

"We could be your family for real?" My host asked as she stroked the younger me's mane gently. "Its okay Scootaloo, I understand. I promise that I'll do everything I can to help you."

"Really?" She asked as she looked up at me.

"Really," My host answered and nuzzled her gently. "You're the best little sister I could ask for Scootaloo, I promise that whatever happens, I'll always be there for you."

Young me smiled and let go. "Thanks Rainbow, I feel a lot better," she said and picked up her scooter and rode off.

My host watched her go thoughtfully as if she was coming up with a plan. Whatever Rainbow Dash was going to do next was something that was fuzzy for some reason, but I knew this was what she wanted me to see.

"I'm going to make sure that you're happy Scootaloo," she said to herself with a confident tone in her voice. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure that I can."

She took off again and flew off towards Cloudsdale, and with that the world went white again.

As I entered the second memory, I blinked a little when I realized that I was in a familiar place again. I was in Rainbow Dash's parents' house, I had visited it enough times that I recognized it even after all these years.

"Rainbow, I couldn't be prouder of you for what you're doing," a familiar voice said as my host turned around to see her dad Bow Hot Hoof looking at her with a big smile. "I know she's going to be happy."

"Yeah," my host said with a smile. "Its been a long few months, but Twilight's been a great help in getting it done. What matters now is that she gets to be happy, and this is the best chance of it happening."

She paused for a long moment as she thought about this. "Dad... I'm not even sure if I'm ready for this... can I take on this big a responsibility?"

"Rainbow, I've got a lot of faith in you, so does your mom," her dad said with a smile as he placed a hoof on my host's shoulder. "The fact that you're so willing to help out Scootaloo means that you're going to do fine. Besides, you've got us and your friends backing you up, you'll be okay."

My host smiled and hugged him gently. That had helped her a lot at least, I could feel the boost in confidence that it gave her. "Thanks Dad, that means a lot to me."

I honestly had no idea exactly what they were talking about. I was starting to wish that I had never tried to have my memories messed with because it had done nothing but give me more trouble than before.

Why had I forgotten so much? Whatever had happened here was likely one of the most important days in my life, but I couldn't remember what happened. Rainbow Dash must've realized this, so she wanted to give me the ability to remember it like she did.

"We're home!" A mare's voice said as Windy Willows came in with the younger me running up and hugging my host.

"Hey squirt, did you two have fun?" My host asked with a smile as she ruffled young me's mane.

"Yep, we went all over Cloudsdale, it was so cool!" Young me said excitedly. "Thank you so much, all of you."

"Anything for you," Windy said with a smile as they all hugged the young me. "But there's something else that Rainbow has for you. Rainbow?"

"What is it?" Young me asked, looking at my host curiously. "Is it a present? I'll bet its something awesome."

"You're right, it is," my host said and took some papers out and gave them over to young me. "Read them and you'll see."

"Lets see..." Young me said as she started to read the words before her eyes went wide. "These are... adoption papers?"

"That's right Scootaloo," my host said as she wrapped her wings around young me. "I've been working to get this for months... so I could adopt you as my daughter."

I was stunned, Rainbow Dash had adopted me? This was really the most important thing that she had wanted me to see?

Now it all was coming flooding back to me, when I was just a filly she had adopted me to give me a chance to be happy. She had sacrificed a lot to take care of me, and it had been why she wound up not going on that mission with the Wonderbolts to take on the Gem Pirates.

I had lost my parents growing up, Rainbow Dash had become the mom I had always needed, and her parents loved me unconditionally as their granddaughter. It had been the happiest years of my life leading up to the war.

They were my family, my real family... and I had forgotten about them just because of a stupid spell.

"Thank you," young me said crying as my host and her parents hugged her. "Thank you so much, all of you."

"You're welcome Scootaloo," my host said.

"Welcome to the family Scootaloo," Bow Hot Hoof said with a smile. "We're glad to have you."

"I'm glad to be part, thank you," young me said through her tears and hugged them more.

I smiled to myself and the world turned to white once again. I had finally gotten a chance to see my family once more, that was better than anything else I could've asked for.

I just wasn't sure I wanted to see what was going to happen next.

When I connected with the third Memory Orb I found myself in a cloud house again, but this one was Rainbow Dash's in Ponyville. She was packing up her things as she got ready to leave.

"You're really going aren't you?" A voice said from behind my host, she turned to see me again, but this time I was older, I had to be at least 18. "You're going to fight the Zebras."

"I'm sorry Scootaloo, but this is something I have to do," my host said as she turned away, starting to cry a little. "Its something that I have to do, for Equestria."

"Then I'll go with you!" Younger me shouted, trying not to cry. "Equestria needs ponies to help with the war, I can fight too!"

My heart sank at that, I never had even gotten the chance to do that. Not long after this I went to a recruiting station to join the army, but as soon as they found out that I was flightless I was rejected.

They said that a handicapped pony could never serve in battle. Once again, my stupid wings had gotten in the way of what I needed to do. But still, that drove me to make Stable-Tec with my friends.

I had helped Equestria in my own way, back then that was all the world could ask of me wasn't it?

"Scootaloo, your place isn't in battle," my host said as she just cried more as she walked over to young me and hugged her gently. "We don't just need soldiers, we need ponies that can stay behind and help on the homefront. Keep doing what you do best Scootaloo, be with your friends and help ponies. That's the most we can ask of you, promise me that you'll do that."

"I promise," young me said with a weak smile as she hugged Rainbow Dash. "Just, stay safe out there okay? I don't want to lose you..."

"I promise," my host said sadly as she hugged young me. "I love you Scootaloo, you're the best daughter I could've asked for."

"I love you too mom..." Young me said. "I'm going to be the best pony I can be, and I'll do everything I can to make sure that Equestria is safe. I promise you."

"I know you will, I believe in you," my host said as she slipped on her saddlebags. "I'll come home as often as I can."

"I just wish you didn't have to go now..." Young me said sadly.

"Me too Scootaloo... me too," Rainbow said as she gave young me one more hug before heading out the door.

As she started to fly off, she was still crying.

I could feel her regret, even if she believed that this was the right thing to do, she still wished that she could've stayed with me.

I wished she could too... maybe then things would've gone differently.

But I didn't have much time to dwell on that as the world around me turned white again as the memory orb ended.

When I connected to the fourth memory orb, I found myself once again in the air. This time however there was a strange green glow to the ground below me and the sky was covered with clouds.

That meant that this memory was after the megaspells went off, and as I saw the dying forest below me, I knew exactly where she was. There was only one place she could be going to now.

As she flew over the forest she looked down to see a familiar orange and purple colored pony. She froze for a moment and flew down.

"Scootaloo!" She said rushing over to my unconscious body and cradling it in her forelegs. "Come on squirt, wake up, please don't die on me..."

"Rainbow... Dash?" I said weakly as my eyes opened and I looked up at my host weekly. "You made it..."

"That's right Scootaloo, I'm here, you're going to be okay, I promise," my host said, briefly looking back to her by now mostly empty bags.

"Good, bye Rainbow Dash..." I said weekly. "Thank you... for being my big sister. Please, don't..."

She closed her eyes, she was still breathing, but she didn't look like she was going to wake up again. I could feel my host start to cry more, she knew that if she didn't act fast she'd lose me forever.

She gathered my unconscious form up onto her back and flew off as fast as she could. She checked on me every so often as she headed north, but was starting to realize that I wasn't going to make it to her intended destination.

She changed direction until she reached the storage facility that I had woken up in. I remembered now that this was a Ministry of Awesome facility that had been kept under wraps, it was probably how the Enclave had never found me.

She set me into the pod and looked down at my body sadly.

"I'm sorry Scootaloo... I wish I could've spent more time with you," she said crying more. "This is your only chance to make it out of this alive... I promise someday, you will wake up... and Equestria will be better for it."

She watched the pod close up and placed her hoof on the glass.

"Good bye Scootaloo, be safe, and hope you wake up in a better world than the one you left."

She flew off towards the north again, and to Stable 13.

The final memory orb wasn't a normal one, it was something I recognized as a Black Opal, which meant it had been made with a recollector instead of like with the normal Memory Orb making process.

We were in a set of quarters in Stable 13, instead of being from Rainbow Dash's perspective, but I was at least in a mare's body (I couldn't imagine being in a Stallion's body, thank Celestia).

Rainbow Dash was seated in a chair across from me, she looked a lot older than she had before and was dressed in the Stable 13 jumpsuit. She gave my host a reassuring smile as she leaned back.

"Mom, are you sure about this?" My host asked, I was in Rainbow Dash's daughter's body then.

"Yeah, I'm sure Iris," Rainbow said with a smile. "This is something that I want to leave for your older sister, if she ever comes here."

"Okay," my host said with a nod. "Just don't make it too weird, okay?"

Rainbow nodded and cleared her throat before she began to speak. "Scootaloo, I know this is a lot for you to take in, but I wanted to leave these messages for you. There are so many things I should've told you, things that I wanted to say, but I knew that you wouldn't understand until your memories were restored."

She paused for a long moment as if she was trying to figure out what to say next. It was as if what she had to say was hurting her, I could feel the sadness in my host as she watched her mother speak.

"You were always one of the strongest ponies I ever knew, if I had gone though half the things you did I'd have gone insane a long time ago. You're brave, you stayed strong no matter what, and for that I couldn't be prouder than I am now. I know you made mistakes, but you did a lot of good too. I have faith that whatever kind of world you wake up to, you'll be able to find a way to survive."
She smiles and closes her eyes.

"I wish I could see you again but I'm old... I've seen and done a lot of things in my life, but my daughters are most important to me. I wish you could meet Iris, something tells me you two would get along great, but you probably have your own family now."

I looked around a little, there were pictures on the wall that I could see of Rainbow Dash with a young filly with a yellow coat and rainbow mane. I smiled a little to myself as I saw another picture of me and Rainbow Dash when I was just a filly.

She never forgot me.

"Good bye Scootaloo, stay strong and help Equestria, I know you're going to do great things."

She closed her eyes and smiled as the world around me turned white again.

"Look who's finally awake," Spectrum said as I looked up at her after I finished the Black Opal. "Did that help you any?"

"A little," I said rubbing my head, I felt the most rested I had been since I first arrived in the Wasteland. "I just, wish that she could've told me herself."

"Don't worry Scootaloo, I understand," Spectrum said with a smile. "I'm just glad that I was able to give you these messages, and I have more."
She took out several holotapes that had Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on them and gave them to me.

"Thank you," I said a bit surprised but I put them away anyway.

"She recorded a bunch of these for you, motherly advice and everything in case you ever needed it or just wanted to hear her voice," Spectrum said with a smile.

"Thank you," I said and hugged Spectrum tightly. "I'm glad I got to meet you."

"Me too Scootaloo, just don't tell anypony I'm here," Spectrum said and I nodded in understanding, if the Enclave knew she existed they'd try and use her.

"I promise I won't," I said with a smile and a nod. "I hope someday you'll be able to leave the Stable."

"Me too," Spectrum said, and we just shared a hug for awhile.

It was good to know she was out there somewhere.

A couple more days passed before we were called rather unexpectedly to the main server room where Cipher had been working. The green and white Unicorn looked up at me with a tired smile.

"Did you find anything?" I asked as Arc Light and Midnight came in behind me.

"I did, and I've got some good news," Cipher said. "I decrypted the files and I've been working with another pony to sift through all of it, but I found exactly what you wanted, come take a look."

I walked over next to her and was surprised to find that there was a whole family tree starting from me and Sky Walker, going all the way down through the generations. Most of them had deceased next to them, though strangely there was one that was still encrypted, but there was three names that caught my attention

"Her current status is unknown in the files, but Midnight here was able to shed some light on this," Cipher added and Midnight nodded.

"During the war we met with a pony from the Crystal Wasteland who said she had found and adopted a Pegasus filly named Serenity after a battle with the Enclave Remnant," Midnight said. "And the military records of her parents do say that they served in the Crystal Wasteland under General Marigold before she died."

"Well that's great!" Arc said. "You found your family Scootaloo, now what are you going to do?"

"Well, I'd like to meet her," I said. "So, the Crystal Wasteland?"

"Yeah, there's a bit of a tricky thing there," Midnight said with a sigh. "We're supposed to keep anypony from going much farther north than here because of the Changeling situation. I'm sorry Scootaloo, but until that's over, you can't go there."

My heart fell with that, but I didn't have much of a choice, I just had to hope that they won't last much longer.

A few more weeks passed, we helped around the Stable and the village before the news finally came that we had been waiting for.

The Changelings had been defeated by a group called the Crystal Crusaders, ponies that had banded together in order to save the Crystal Wasteland from the Changeling invasion and had stopped the General in charge of their forces.

Another two weeks passed before we were finally granted permission to go. We started gathering up our food and dressed warmly as Midnight came to our house.

"You'll be accompanying a caravan that we're sending north to establish trade with Crystal City," Midnight told me. "The pony you're looking for is their mayor, she should be able to help you out, I hope."

"Thank you Midnight," I said as we shook hooves. "You've been a great help, I just wish there was some way we could repay you."

"Just do your best out there, and if you ever run into the Enclave, get them good for me," Midnight said with a grin.

"We will," I said with a smile as I looked at Arc and Schooner. "Are we ready to go?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Arc said with a nod, and with that we left the Village and started north.

I put in the first of the holotapes Rainbow Dash had left for me, and started to listen.

"Hey Scootaloo, I'm here to give you the best advice I can about life. I knew from when you were a foal that you were destined for great things in the future, who knows maybe someday you'll be even more awesome than I am. No, you're already more awesome than I am, you're stronger than I ever could be Scootaloo. Stay strong, and keep us close to your heart, and you will change the world."

LEVEL UP!

Perk Received: Hunter of the Past.
Details: Your quest to learn more about your family and the past has given you a better understanding of the world around you. You gain an extra point in perception and intelligence.