Scootaloo expected to see Gilda preparing to pounce, but the griffon’s eyes were wide, and she was slowly backing away. “P-Pleasure,” Braeburn stuttered, returning the changeling’s bow. “W-What can I do for you?”

“I think the question at hoof is what we can do for you,” Chrysalis replied. “To put it simply, my hive is fighting for survival, and our situation will only become direr as Nightmare Moon’s dominion expands. Apple Bloom tells us that your village plans to attack Canterlot with the help of Zecora and her potion.”

“Y-Yes,” Braeburn stammered.

“I admire your courage, but I do not see such a battle ending with your victory,” Chrysalis continued. “Equestria has been at peace for so long, there are few of you who remember the ways of war. While your intentions are noble, you ponies do not have an army or a military leader. I can offer you both.”

“And what’s the catch, huh?” Gilda asked, her voice slightly squeakier than usual. “You get the throne? Or do they have to be your slaves?”

Chrysalis stared at the griffon for a moment before continuing. “I ask that you allow us to live among you as equals,” she said. “We may have fought in the past, but it is clear to me now that our hive cannot flourish without your love and friendship for each other. It is equally clear to me that you need our help if your mission is to have any chance of success. My drones are good workers and resistant to harsh elements. We can help you retake and rebuild your home.”

“W-Well, I guess that seems fair,” Braeburn said. “My deputies and I don’t know much about soldierin’, but we’re all ready to do our best.”

“Ah, we come to my second condition,” Chrysalis said. “I and my army are willing to help, and Apple Bloom and I have come up with a good plan, but you ponies need a strong military leader to carry it out. Unless you appoint a pony familiar with the ways of war to lead you into battle, I cannot risk my hive on this endeavor.”

“Let me guess, you’re the one to do it?” Gilda asked.

Chrysalis shook her head. “This is their homeland, and they should be led by one of their own. Fortunately, I’m told there is a pony here with the skill and experience necessary to lead and train an army.”

Chrysalis’s gaze turned to Scootaloo, and the orange pegasus suddenly felt her stomach turn to ice. “M-Me?”

“You saw General Dash in action, and you’ve been trainin’ recruits at the Nest,” Apple Bloom said. “Not to mention you’re a great flier and fighter.”

“Uh-uh,” Gilda said. “We’re on a very important mission, and she’s coming back with me.”

“Scootaloo, you’re the only pony I know who can make this work,” Apple Bloom said. “Nightmare Moon is only going to get stronger the longer we wait, and believe me when I say we don’t have much time before she comes for us.”

Scootaloo looked at the faces around her. “I dunno,” she said.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Gilda demanded. “Colonel Glade ordered us to bring the potion back to the Nest.”

“You are beginning to try my patience, griffon,” Chrysalis growled. Her drones bared their teeth and hissed. “Your kind have no part in this battle.”

“My kind were slaughtered five years ago in the biggest military disaster in history!” Gilda yelled. “Where were you? Hiding in a hole somewhere?”

“You want to talk about hidin’ in holes?” Apple Bloom asked. “What about you? We’ve been tryin’ to get you griffons to help us for years, but all you do is hide in the Nest and wait for Nightmare Moon to come wipe you out!”

“You ponies had your chance,” Gilda replied. “General Dash was a hundred times the pony any of you will ever be, and even she couldn’t take her down. This whole plan of yours is just one big death wish if you ask me.”

“We didn’t,” Chrysalis said. “We asked Scootaloo.”

Apple Bloom ignored Gilda’s protests and turned to Scootaloo. “I’m askin’ you as a friend,” she said. “I spent six months trackin’ down the Griffon’s Nest when I heard you were there just so I could find you. We need a leader, somepony who knows how to fight. Will you help us?”

The note on the knife flashed through Scootaloo’s mind. “So what you said about an old friend waiting here for me… that was just to get me to come here?”

Apple Bloom cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Scootaloo had to take a deep breath before she could finish her thought. “Did either or you actually want to see me just ‘cause we’re friends?”

“Of course,” Sweetie Belle said. “I practically begged her to get you to come here when she told me you were still alive.”

“And we’ll still be friends no matter what I choose, right?”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged glances. “Scootaloo, we need your help.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Of course we’ll still be friends,” Apple Bloom sighed, “but unless we have a strong leader, we might not live long enough for that to matter.”

“And I cannot commit my subjects to this war without a strong pony army beside me,” Chrysalis added. “It is only fair.”

“Seems to me it’s the only solution,” Braeburn said. “Unless you know of somepony else who can lead an army against Nightmare Moon.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “I… I need to think about it.” Without waiting for a reply, she opened her wings and took off, letting the warm night breeze carry her in to the sky. She quickly found a soft cloud and curled up, letting the wind carry her toward the distant torches set atop New Appleloosa’s clock tower. Looking down, she could see Chrysalis and her drones returning to the jungle while Apple Bloom and Braeburn made their way toward the town. Gilda and Zecora stood talking to each other for a moment before entering the hut with Sweetie Belle.

For a while, Scootaloo just let herself drift through the sky while thoughts collided and buzzed through her head. She didn’t want to disobey orders, not after everything the Nest had done for her, but Apple Bloom’s words wouldn’t leave her mind. The earth pony knew Nightmare Moon better than anypony alive, and if she said time was short, how could Scootaloo doubt her?

“Hey.” Scootaloo looked up and saw Gilda landing beside her with a small bag strapped to her side. “I got the potion.”

“That’s good,” Scootaloo said.

“I think we should spend the night in New Appleloosa and set out in the morning,” Gilda continued. “We’ll make our way back to the Trottingham shelter and see if we can’t get some food there. After that, it’s a straight shot to the Nest, assuming Nightmare Moon doesn’t come after us again. What do you think, Scoots? Scoots?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Sounds great.”

Gilda stared at her for a moment. “You’re still thinking about what they said, aren’t you?” she asked. Scootaloo nodded. “Come on, Scoots. You know how that’ll end. Besides, orders are orders.”

“You heard what Apple Bloom said. Nightmare Moon’s getting stronger every day.”

“It doesn’t matter, now that we have this,” Gilda replied, gesturing toward the bag she carried. “One dart, and she’s as good as dead.”

“So why not do it now?” Scootaloo asked. “We can catch her off-guard. I know Canterlot pretty well, and—”

“Yeah, so did Dash,” Gilda replied. “I already tried that once, and I don’t feel like trying it again.”

“And you think waiting for her to come to us is better?” Scootaloo asked.

“This isn’t our fight, Scoots.”

“No, but it is mine.”

“You think a bunch of parasitic shapeshifters and a ragtag pony army can stop her when Celestia’s Royal Army and Dash’s rebellion failed?” Gilda demanded. “You were there when she destroyed your home. You were there when Dash fell. What makes you think this time will be any different?”

The griffon and pegasus stared at each other for a while. Try as she might, Scootaloo couldn’t come up with an answer. “I don’t know,” she said at last, “but I have to believe it will be.” Gilda rolled her eyes and started to walk away. “I’m not asking you to stay,” Scootaloo called after her. “Like I said, this isn’t your fight, and I don’t blame you if you want to go back to the Nest, but the way I see it, we’ll have to fight her again one day, whether we like it or not. We can wait for her to come after us when she’s good and ready, or we can strike her now when she doesn’t expect it.”

Gilda stopped and turned around. “You know, you sounded a lot like Dash just now.” Scootaloo didn’t answer. “Just tell me this, Scoots. Are you willing to risk your life on this plan? ‘Cause if Nightmare Moon doesn’t go down, you will.”

“I am.”

Gilda let out a long sigh. “You’re crazy, Scoots. You know that, right?”

“I’d have to be to try and train a bunch of recruits twice my size.”

Gilda smirked. “I get it. You just don’t want to go back to those idiots.” She let out another sigh. “Well, Scoots, I’ve always admired your guts. Can’t say I think it’s a good idea, but I hope everything works out.”

Scootaloo blinked. “Really?”

“What, did you think I’d wish you bad luck?” Gilda asked.

“No, it’s just….” Scootaloo smiled. “What about you? I could use your help.”

“Orders are orders, Scoots,” Gilda said. “The colonel sent me to get the potion and bring it back, so that’s what I’m going to do. Best to have a fallback if things don’t turn out.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Travel safely. You won’t have a dragon to help you out this time.”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “If I did, I’d leave it here. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”