The good news is that there were no more unwelcome guests underground, the bad news was however that their unexpected delay gave royalty enough time to return to the castle and for the guards to return to their posts. Shining had rebuffed the shield and shrank it to where it was only covering palace grounds. A controversial decision to say the least but it was done.

"Well just great!" Rarity complained, "Now they will most certainly come down here and we will be captured and, who knows what else!"

"You're right." Twilight went into thinking, "They will come down but they won't come down in large numbers."

"What are you insisting we take them on?" Rarity panicked.

"You got any other ideas?" Spike barked.

"Well...I...erm....no." Rarity lowered her head. She had no choice to but to go along with this, the idea of capture was far more terrifying.

Twilight paced about to find a nook in the tunnel to which they could hide. She motioned them into a small slot that would give them both the ability to see who entered yet hide them from their predators. Their first test came. Two guards armed with bayonets came trotting through the sewage.

"I don't gather why anypony would cower in a place of this nature." One of the guards huffed.

"I'd much rather be on hoof-patrol right now." The other complained.

Twilight moved into position, the guards heard the motion.

"Did you hear that?" The torch bearing guard mentioned.

Both were on high alert and in defensive positions. They slowly made their way down, now inspecting each slot for hidden attackers - Just what Twilight wanted. Spike slithered to the ceiling just above their place and waited patiently for the guards to walk under him. When they did so he let out a shot of ember which startled the guards causing them to look up.

This of course would be a fatal mistake. One guard suddenly felt a horn stab through his chin and jaw. An unbearable pain shot through his head disabling him just enough for Twilight to buck him violently. Rarity then took this opportunity to magic his spear from his clutches and snap it in half,. The other guard lunged for Rarity and tackled her to the ground.

"Ew! You brute, get off me this instant!" Rarity squirmed but to no avail. Much to her appreciation, a set of claws dug briskly into the guards eyes causing him to scream in agony. Twilight grabbed the guard by the tail and dragged him to a deep point in the sewage. There his head was held down until it no longer moved.

They had thought the duo was finished, however the first guard had risen to his hooves and bucked Twilight into the wall. Spike was also tossed roughly, a sickening crack could be heard as the dragon slammed into the ground.

Rarity was cornered. She darted around to her now disabled friends. As she contemplated her demise a flash of memories blast through her conscience: Her sister had seen enough horror in her little life. Rarity could not bear to think what the filly would do if she were to be alone.

In this moment Rarity got to her forehooves and recalled watching Scootaloo's aggressive antics. She didn't think about it, her subconsciousness was directing the blows to the guards face, both accurate and damaging. Her back-hooves came into play as well as the royal guard was stumbling from the initial assault, he was bucked in his side. He did not attempt to move again.

The blood was rushing through the unicorn, a sensation she had never felt before, However, instead of scaring her, it propelled her, an inhuman burst of careless offense. The next guard her galloped to his fallen comrades was met with an equally swift hoof to the face. While in mid-air Rarity then pivoted to allow her hind hooves to kick the guard sending him back.

A spear then pierced his neck and another set of hooves met his face as he was pinned to his back by a very angry lavender unicorn. The finishing touches came in the form of driving the other end of the broken spear through the gaurd's chest. Ending him.

The three decided they could not keep this up and made their way towards the entrance to the upper levels of the castle.

__________________________

Rainbow Dash let out a yawn, more of boredom than anything. It had been well over an hour since the explosion and as far as their mission was concerned, nothing happened.

"I do hope Twilight and the others are okay," Fluttershy sighed.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure those jerks are having way more fun than we are!" The cyan pegasus pouted.

"I just hope the crusaders made it home alright." The yellow pegasus sighed again.

"I'm sure she did." Rainbow Dash said. She caught her self and corrected it: "I mean, they did. They not she."

"Something wrong Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy looked concerned.

"No." Rainbow lied, "Other than being bored!"

"You're worried about her aren't you?"

"Well...I guess. But I can't think about that now! I have a some ass to kick."

Fluttershy was initially put off by the comment but understood when she saw that six pegasai, dawning blue and gold uniforms were soaring in defensive formation above.

"Two against six, you ready Shy?" Rainbow tensed up and prepared for attack. Fluttershy on the other hand trembled in fear and hid.

"Well forget you then!" Rainbow hissed as she blasted into the air and went after the squadron. Initially they did not seem to notice her presence, though the certainly did when a Sonic Rainbow exploded a little too close for comfort. Soarin' was the first to respond as the others continued to their destination. He caught Rainbow off guard and kicked her violently sending her spiraling into a nearby building. He then soared down and slammed her in the stomach the force nearly breaking the brick wall behind her.

"You piece of shit." Rainbow Dash spat as blood trickled out of her nose. "You're dead."

With that, the wonderbolt was grabbed by the mane and slammed into the wall, splitting his head open. Rainbow was sent to the ground now in the same fashion she had been pinned to the building. A crowd of ponies watched in horror as the fight continued. Rainbow mustered up the strength she had and lead Soarin' on a obstacle course of sorts, passing between market stalls and outdoor dining tables. Her aim was to trick her attacker into slamming into something to give her some time to finish him off. She found that opportunity in the form of the statue in the Canterlot Gardens. She accelerated as much as she possibly could to get distance, she then dove under and over the statue zipping behind Soarin' just as he struggled to align himself to follow her course.

The next thing the wonderbolt felt was her hind hooves being snapped in a violent force of a irritated pegasus. She then pinned him to the ground and gave him all she was worth, Hoof after ruthless hoof pummeled the face with the hind hooves bombarding the torso. She then remembered something she wished not to. She dealt a powerful blow to disorient the pegasus and then took to dislocating his wings. She bit into them as the pulled on them in the similar way she had done to her daughter. This time though, the cries to stop were not heeded. The adrenaline and rage coursing through her being prohibited her hearing those words.

Just as she was about to fully snap the wings off she was rushed from the side and into some bushes. Spitfire then began attacking Rainbow in the same one-two manner than Rainbow had dealt on Soarin'. Spirfire was relentless and was not willing to be knocked off like Soarin' had been.

"You think you can just fuck with us like that you little whore?" The pegasus spat.

Rainbow said nothing, nor could she really considering the pummeling to her face.

Rainbow struggled to get free but it was no use. Her mind went into thinking of her new-found daughter Scootaloo. What she had been through, most of which was Rainbow's own doing. She though how the filly didn't deserve to lose her. Not after all that had been done to her.

Scootaloo was never going to be an orphan again.

Spitfire retreated some, she was preparing to send one fatal, final blow to the cyan mare who was tangled in shrubbery, blood covering her face, the only thing showing were her eyes, her angry, hating eyes. As Spitfire came charging down at an impressive speed Rainbow dodged it. As Spitfire slammed through the bushes to the ground, Rainbow grabbed her tail with her mouth and pulled. The differing forces at the speed she was going caused the tail to tear from the flank. Rainbow wasted no time and got her own clearance above the grimacing pegaus who assumed Rainbow was all but dead. She was fatally mistaken as a pair of hooves barraged into her at the speed of light. They did not stop, the punching continued until the wonderbolt was not recognizable.

Rainbow Dash lie on the ground next to the deceased wonderbolt. Beyond taxed and tired. Every breath was painful and she was wheezing and coughing sporadically. It was much relief to see Fluttershy land beside her and come to her aid.

She knew she was going to be alright.

_______________________________

Scootaloo remained in the clubhouse. She had woken up now but didn't bother leaving the small wooden treehouse. She didn't want to. It reminded her far too much of happier times. When she and her friends would laugh, play and conspire. She remembered harsh times as well. Playing and plotting here was one thing, living here was another. Hiding it from everypony who loved her, braving the cold and the damp nights to keep her reputation in check. All silly things to her now. The pegasus peered out the front window over the trees and into Sweet Apple Acres. She could see the desolate, depressing condition of the place from there. The dead trees, the shanty home, the crumbling barn, all was an opaque and glaring reminder that things were far from alright.

Apple Bloom needed her. Scootaloo pushed open the door slowly, as if expecting an attack if she charged out blindly. She made her way down to the scooter, propped up on the tree with the purple helmet beside it. It had been too long since she had given this scooter a ride, longer still since a wagon carrying her two best friends was haphazardly barreling through Ponyville.

Soon, she was scooting, the wheels seemed stuck at first from being idle for so long but they eventually began turning as they had before. The pegasus shifted her body to increase her speed as the air around her began to whiz by and push through her mane. She left the helmet behind, as if to fulfill some kind of internal desire to be reckless, fearless, and accepting the reality that grave injury could come her way if she didn't do it right the first time. It felt good, it felt liberating to fly past the citizens of this quiet village, to see the homes and shops be but a blur and the horizon before her motivation.

She met a ramp,. Well, more of a tipped cart courtesy of a pony fleeing the oncoming filly. The scooter did as it was silently commanded and scaled the side and sent the filly into the air. She lifted her hind hooves and held on to the handlebars. The world around her slowed down and time retreated pace. The crisp breeze flowing through her mane as it was sent forwards, up, down and everywhere else. A smile crept across her face, her eyes were wide with pride and joy.

After all she had been through her friends still loved her.

Despite all the retched things done to her, she loved her mother as well. Just filling that void in her life was enough to compensate.

The ponies that cared for her the most needed her help, they were about to confront the most oppressive dictator in Equestria's history.

And by Luna's grace she was going to do whatever she could to help them, if not for the grand philosophical aim of bringing true peace to the world, to bring her mother home, to make amends, to finally have a place called home with the mare who brought her into this world, to finally be genuinely loved and wanted.

To be home.

She landed gracefully, skidding to a stop and whipping her newly produced bangs from her face. She had some things to attend to before she went back.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom left the barn and were passing the schoolhouse. They sat and looked at the red building for a moment. A collective sigh between the two as they realized they would be returning there. Their stare was cut short as they head buzzing, a plume of kicked up dirt was coming towards them. Scootaloo stopped in front of them.

"Hey girls." She saw the look on Apple Bloom's face. The pegasus dismounted her scooter and gave the filly a hug,

"Hey Scoots." Sweetie Belle replied meekly. "Sorry about what I said earlier..."

"No, you were right." Scootaloo released Apple Bloom and returned to her scooter. "I've been a wuss this whole time and if I'm going to save my mom than I need to snap out of it and be me again."

"Yeah that---what? Scootaloo! You can't go back to Canterlot!" Sweetie's mouth fell open. Her friend was clearly insane.

"To hell I can't!" Scootaloo said triumphantly, "Nopony is going to stop me. I am going to make my mother proud and I am going to come home the Scootaloo you knew and loved."

"But Scootaloo, They said-" Sweetie protested.

"Who cares what they said girls? There's no way they can take on Canterlot on their own!"

"And we three are supposed to help...how?" Apple Bloom asked.

"We'll find out when we get there." Scootaloo answered. "We never stopped trying to get our cutie marks, we never gave up when some angry mares tried to put us down, and I for one am not about to back down now!"

Scootaloo was smiling at herself, those words were brave and edgy, bold and fearless. They were Scootaloo. Though given the look on her friends faces her smile turned upside down. She soon heard why,

"You sure about that you little runt?" The hot breath of a wonderbolt brushed across her back mane. Keeping her facade in line the filly spun around and glared daggers at this unwelcome mare.

"And who the hay are you?" Scootaloo hissed. She answered her own question in her mind when she recognized the uniforms of the four ponies who were before her. The Wonderbolts.

"You got quite the potty mouth. I wouldn't expect less from the useless daughter of a wanna-be." The wonderbolt spat, The other four snickered.

"Don't you talk about my mother that way you bitch!" Scootaloo lunged at the mare only to be smacked down. Hard.

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were beyond scared.

Bleeding and trembling with rage the Wonderbolt towered over Scootaloo who still lie on the ground.

"You wanna say that again you little shit?" the mare heckled, "I'll end your pathetic little flank here and now!"

Scootaloo said nothing as the other three Wonderbolts cackled at the crippled filly.

Scootaloo turned to her friends and mouthed the word "run."

The two stood there, too scared to move.

"What was that you little fucker?" The Wonderbolt leaned in muzzle to muzzle with the orange pegasus.

She was met with a sharp bite to the muzzle. Scootaloo snapped her sharp teeth onto the mare. Her wincing giving Scootaloo enough time to get up and haul flank with her friends back into Sweet Apple Acres with the pissed mares in pursuit.

Apple Bloom scrambled to get the door to the homestead open slamming it behind her frantic friends. They bounded down to the cellar and hid behind some rusty cider tanks. Each not making a sound, sans Sweetie Belle who was crying softly.

"Shhhh! They'll hear us!" Apple Bloom shushed the unicorn. Scootaloo came over to where Sweetie was cowering and embraced her.

The sound of a window busting open startled the trio whose trembling became tremor. It was only a matter of time before they were found.

Apple Bloom remembered the lone window into the cellar was usually unlocked and was accesable by some crates situated nearby. Without a word she made her way to them and pushed the window open. Sweetie Belle refused to move. Fearing they were being coaxed.

"Come on Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo tugged on the filly's tail but to no use.

"No!" Sweetie Belle bawled. "I don't wanna run anymore!"

"You're being stupid!" Scootaloo hissed. "We need to go now!"

Scootaloo had not heard the mares behind her, nor did she see them until it was too late. A poweful hoof slammed into her face sending her into a wall and slid to the floor. Sweetie Belle was now hysterical as she was swooshed from her cowering spot and now in the clutches of a pissed off mare. From what Scoots could hear, Apple Bloom had suffered a similar fate.

"Now that's no way to talk to your friends." The mare said as she looked down at Scootaloo. The stubborn filly had given her more than enough trouble. "Try and bit me again and I'll knock your teeth straight from your filthy muzzle got it?" She sent a poerful kick into Scootaloo's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

Satisfied the filly wasn't going to be trouble, Scootaloo was also snatched up and they were blaring up and over Pontville at speeds Scootaloo had never seen before. All the more terrifying.

"What are you gonna do ta us!" Apple Bloom cried.

"Oh don't worry." The wonderbolt cooed, "The Princess has some lovely plans laid out for trators like you,."

_____________________________

The dissemblance of four guards and the death of two Wonderbolts was already a puncture in the morale of the citizens of Canterlot, even more worrying to the monarchy. Celestia sat in her throne room and had just received word the bodies of Soarin' and Spitfire were found and that they were in fact dead.

"Who do you suppose is behind this?" A worried Cadence asked.

"I cannot be sure." Celestia said, "They know our tactics, they know our defenses; here's to hopping the other four Wonderbolts have completed their mission and return soon."

"What mission? They left Canterlot?" Cadence panicked.

"As I said." Celesita sighed. "I am not sure who is behind this, but that does not mean I do not have my suspiscions."

The alicorn looked out the window over the walls of the castle where the tower of smoke from earlier was still stretching into the sky. The sun was now slowly resting, an orange and pink hue cast throughout the sky.

"This will end soon." The Princess said. "And I will not take pleasure in any of it."

Shining Armor barged into the throne room. "Your Highness!"

"What is it Shining?" Celestia asked.

"Bad news. Six more of my men are dead. They were apparently trapped in one of the towers in the south wing and were burned alive."

Celesita's eyes grew wide. The southern wing of the castle was where Twilight once studied.

"What do you suppose we do? My generals are demanding we engage the threat full on. We sent a diplomat to Cloudsdale for support."

Celestia paced the throne room, contemplating what to do. She came to the realization she had to say it before it was too late.

"Shinning." Celesita sighed.

"Yes your majesty." Shining asked.

"I'm afraid I do know who is behind this horrific attack on our fair empire. I feel you may be the only pony capable of ending this before I have to commence regrettable actions to defend our kingdom..."

"Who?" Shining's eyes went wide. He had not heard of Twilight's banishment and anything leading to it.

"I am afraid it is my most faithful student." Celestia faced Shining, "Twilight Sparkle is responsible for these atrocities, she believes that my sister and I represent tyranny and oppression and will stop at nothing until I myself am gone."

"T....Twilly? No! There must be some mistake!" Shining was beyond stunned.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you before this became an issue, you could've saver her from herself."

"M-Maybe there is still a chance! I'll do whatever it takes to stop her!"

"I would much prefer that over what I would have to do. Order your men to stand down and return to the grounds, we are going to surround the city." Celestia sighed.

With that Shining was off with two guards in tow.

__________________________________

Twilight, Spike, and Rarity emerged from the wreckage of the tower. Indeed it was quite a feat. Good olf fashioned maneuvering and some occasional fire of hooves to the face resulted in the entrapment of ten gaurds. The tower was set ablaze and Rarity expelled a good sum of magic to keep the door shut as the embers overcame their adverseries.

They hurried back ti to the castle grounds to see two dead Wondebolts before them.

"Well it looks like Rainbow and Fluttershy got their part done." Rarity panned.

"There they are!" Twilight called, Rainbow and Fluttershy glided over to them.

"Thank goodness you're all okay!" Fluttershy said, "We saw the fire and were worried!"

"We're fine...for now." Twilight answered. "We need to get into the castle."

"But how? I can't be the only one who saw a ton of guards coming out just now. She's got a billion of them!" Rainbow waved her hooves for emphasis.

"Nah, Canterlot's troop strength is roughly One hundred fifty-thousand, ninety-eight." Twilight corrected. "Still, we've run into more than I had expected. We need to hurry."

They made their way through the maze of shrubbery leading out to the street towards the city proper. Twilight and company were moving at impressive speed considering their various injuries. That progress was stopped abruptly.

"HALT!" Barked the lone troop with his spear at the ready. "You are under arrest by order of the Princess!"

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow Dash laughed, "You want what army?"

As if to answer the whole of Canterlot's army now surrounded them. Stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Well shoot, I guess it's that one." Rainbow glared at their provocateur.

The tropps charged in, ready to kill the five of them. Twilight and Spike held their own on one side with hooves whist Rarity had acrewd some magical prowess throughout this journey and was maintaining a shield around Herself and Fluttershy whist firing beams of magic at her approaching hostiles. Rainbow Dash was busying her hooves with hoof to hoof combat with the troops who found it impossible to spear her given her speed. It was a dicey, rapid mix of her pinning and knocking them out and them damn near ending her. Regardless, they were holding their own but they could not do it for long. As five went down, another hundred seemed to flow in from over the horizon.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Rarity panted, "Twilight dear I think your estimate is straying a bit."

"No kidding?" Spike exhaled, "We can't keep this up Twilight!"

Twilight began getting tired, they just kept coming it was as if they were somehow being re-spawned.

Then, a sign of hope. Well...first the carcass of Canterlot's diplomat to Cloudsdale went flying into the window. Then, above was a mass of armored and armed pegasus. Warriors of Cloudsdale. Some provisions were sent Dash's way from above.

"Aw yeah!" Dash hollered as the armada of pegasus began dive-bombing and sending a torrent of arrows down at the dumbfounded guards who now began to flee. Mostly trampling themselves and others. All except Fluttershy and Rainbow hurried into Rarity's shield as it deflected the scattering guards. As time crept on, it became thin enough in volume for Twilight to contemplate their next move.

As the cobblestone streets exploded into granular forms and the soldier were split, squished, and sent flying and flailing into buildings and each other in a comical display of failure, Rarity and the others moved back towards the castle at Twilight;s command.

"We need to get the Elements!" Twilight hollered over the sounds of screaming and battle cries.

"Why?" Spike asked.

"If we expect to finish off Celestia, we sure as hell are going to need my magic to do it!"

They were confident with the troops distracted the remainder would be covering the Princess. Thus they went into the chamber, through the window of course, to where Spike last saw the Elements being stored. Bounding down the hall they made it to the door to which to their surprise was open, to their dismay, nothing was within.

"Shit!" Rainbow Dash grimaced. "Now we have to--"

"Twiliy!"

The five turned to see Shining and Cadence.

"What....what are you doing Twily?" Shining asked.

Twilight was unable to speak. Something about her brother's sense of fear gripped at her throat. Rainbow was somewhat impatient and answered on her behalf.

"We are here because we're tired of being Celestia's tools that's what!" The cyan pegasys proclaimed.

Shining was silent for a moment. "After all she's done for you... This is how you repay her."

Those words set off the unicorn. "After all she has done for me?! She attempted to withhold me from discovering what a horrible alicorn she is, she did not want the most powerful unicorn in Equestria to find out her filthy little scheme. Therefore she stripped me of my magic and banished me from my home!"

"You knew that literature was forbidden Twilight. You should have just handed it over." Shining insisted.

"What so we could all live in a world with false magic that that tyrant could control at will? Do with us what she wishes? To live ina world where we are controlled socially by some mark on a flank? To let us all live a lie? I don't think so! You of all ponies to attack me instead of defend me, you're my brother!"

Shining stiffened his pose. He was emotionally struck but had to do the deed if it came to it. "You have two options Twilight. The first is for you to surrender and let this all pass on, or, I will have to do the unthinkable. I don't want to do that Twilight, but I am not turning my back on the Princess who has given us peace for millennia! If ignorance is what drives Equestria than ignorance is strength!"

Twilight stood, honestly contemplating this. She was tired, tattered and sore. She knew her friends were too. She could return to Ponyville, the Princess could erase their memories with some exotic spell, in the mind's eye of the lavender unicorn, this sounded pleasant, and preferable. She turned to her friends and looked for any indication of what they wanted, they looked hat her with a hint of disbelief. But also of willingness to resign as well. They all had their scars, some fresh, they all wanted nothing more than to return to their broing, simple lives in Ponyville.

"Five seconds." Shining announced.

Twilight closed her eyes as the last few months moved by. Apple Bloom's assault, Spike's attack, The tremultuous lives of the crusaders, and their trials in the wilderness. All the pain, heartache, and the bitter taste of betrayl. She opened her eyes, the words that followed carried a tone of outright determination.

"No."

Shining let out a sigh. "Okay Twilight, you give me no choice."

The fillies had had about enough of their predicament. They finally saw Canterlot come into view.

"Well you little shit, you wanted to go to Canterlot?" Scootaloo's captor howled, "Here you are!"

"Fuck you." Scootaloo hissed.

"Ooh, I figured you had learned to keep that potty mouth of yours in check the last time we spoke." He shifted the filly in one hoof and used the free one to strike the filly bluntly in the face, a squeal of pain resulted.

"When my mom finds me, you're dead meat!" Scootaloo shrieked.

"Oh, Rainbow Crash?" The wonderbolt cackled, "Fat chance! We'll waste that bitch and then do you in the same way! The only reason you;re still wasting precious air is because we were instructed not to kill you. Keep running your fucking mouth and I'll have no regrets going a-wall."

Scootaloo glanced to her friends. Apple Bloom was sniffling, eyes shut and Sweetie Belle was stil hysterical though her voice was beyond gone.

"What the hell happened?" The lead wonderbolt gasped as they came upon the Canterlot Castle grounds, seeing the demolished tower and the dead troops littering the streets.

"Looks like things got ugly." Sweetie's captor replied.

"Doesn't matter they tower these little shits go in is still intact so let's get this job over with. This filly is just askin' to die."

They glided down into the tower and passed the guards but still did not release their captives. They went up the agonizing flight of stairs spiraling to a dark and secluded room with barred windows and a door that locked from the outside. The three were tossed inside - Scootaloo was practically body slammed - and the door was slammed shut. Slowly, the laughing and chatter faded away.

Sweetie Belle was beyond crying. It seemed that she had exhausted the abilaty to do so and could only look at her two friends who were beaten and berated. Neither of them said a thing as they slowly got up and observed their surroundings. There wasn't much here save for a lone cot and a sanitation bucket. The whole circular room was made of exposed bricks with the cone shaped roof above.

Scootaloo made her way to the window to see what she could see. The sight was beyond encouraging: dead pegasus and Canterlot guards everywhere. The tower across from them was but rubble, fire, and smoke.

She looked down at her hooves. As the adrenaline began to subside, she began to trembled.

"I'm sorry girls." She croaked. "I'm.....so sorry."

None of the fillies responded. Apple Bloom was asleep and Sweetie Belle was in a state of total hopelessness. Never had the crusaders felt so mortal.

"It's not your fault," Sweetie Belle stammered. "Come here."

Scootaloo knew what she was being invited to, Sweetie Belle would cradle and embrace her. Make her feel better. But that wasn't the 'old Scootaloo'. She wasn't about to turn back now. What remaining stamana and willpower she had compelled her to resist.

"No," Scootaloo said.

Sweetie finally looked up and toward her friend. "Why? Why can't-"

"I said NO!" Scootaloo screamed. Her lip quivering, holding back tears. She couldn't cry, she wouldn't; That wasn't what she did.

Sweetie Belle walked up to Scootaloo and tried to put her hooves around her. Sweetie Belle wanted somepony to hold on to.

Scootaloo pushed the filly back. "I don't want it!" She barked.

"I do!" Sweetie Belle cried. "I don't want to be alone..." The filly began sobbing. "I...want..." The filly could not finish her sentence. She let emotion take hold.

Scootaloo galloped to the door and began bucking and hitting it with her hooves. She did not stop. Her hooves blistered and began bleeding from the sheer force she was applying. Splinters shot into her hooves though she persisted until her hooves refused to lift anymore.

"I hate her." Scootaloo growled.

"Who? I'm sorry okay!" Sweetie Belle sobbed.

"Not you, Twilight!" Scootaloo barked, "That stupid bookworm had to get in troube and your stupid suster had to drag us along!"

Much to her surprise, Scootaloo was pinned to the door by a very upset unicorn.

"Don't you DARE call my sister stupid!"

"Pfft why not? Are they looking for us right now? No! They sent us back to Ponyville so they didn't have to deal with us, they don't care about us. They never have!"

"Scootaloo shut up!" Sweetie Belle hissed. "They do too care about us! Who expected us to be foalnapped by the Wonderbolts!"

Scootaloo slumped to the floor and let her composure slip. She cried. She wanted her mother, she wanted to go home, she wanted to stop yelling at her friends, she just wanted her life back. The fact that they were so close, only to be snatched up, attacked, and caged was more than she could accept.

The once livid unicorn calmed herself down and sat beside her. Sweetie leaned onto her friends shoulder and she was met wirh a comforting hoof around her. They cried it out for some time before Scootaloo spoke up again.

"We have to do something. We can't just sit in here and rot!"

"What are we going to do Scootaloo? We're stuck! What if they're out there? You heard them, they'd kill us!"

"I don't know about you but I think we're dead either way."

Sweetie Belle looked towards Apple Bloom who was asleep.

"How are we getting out of here?" Sweetie Belle asked aloud.

Scootaloo wiped her eyes and took initiative. She looked around the room for anything that could permit their escape. She found it. Only problem was, it was going to take some impossible feat to get there. A piece of the roof seemed to have a weak point, nonviolently next to a beam they could walk on. Issue was, they were down low and it was high up. Scootaloo's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I know how we're getting out of here." She proudly declared, but it's going to require some teamwork to make it happen. You with my Belle?"

Sweetie Belle smiled. She liked seeing her friend in her normal state. "Let's do this!"

Author's Notes:

Chapter was split because 13k words in one chapter is ridiculous.