Scootaloo coughed in a cloud of dirt and dust as she lifted a bucket full of pebbles and rocks and wove her way through the work site. Stallions and mares of all shapes and sizes paid little mind to her as they struck the stony walls with picks and hammers or piled debris into buckets like the one Scootaloo carried. Their underground home had more than tripled in size since the Ponyville refugees had arrived, but more survivors continued to make their way to Hoofington from the surface, and they expected more would continue to come as other options dwindled.

Everypony knew the excavation was necessary. This room in particular was scheduled to be fitted with a sunlamp in a few days, and another team was preparing soil and surviving plants for the underground garden. Twilight estimated this garden would provide food for a third of the survivors once it reached maximum production, and Scootaloo’s stomach couldn’t argue with that. However, her innate claustrophobia and constant soreness could.

Scootaloo left the room and pressed herself against the wall of the tunnel to avoid the constant stream of ponies coming her way. She made it to a t-intersection where a cart was waiting and emptied the contents of her bucket. A stallion at the front of the cart pushed himself to his hooves and began moving, making way for the next cart in line.

The sound of approaching hoofbeats and quiet “Excuse me”s managed to draw Scootaloo’s attention. Mine Shaft was coming her way. “You there. Pegasus,” he said. The ponies around her backed away a foot or two. “Scootaloo, right?”

“Um, yeah.” The orange filly set her bucket on the ground and looked up at him.

“The council wants to see you,” Mine Shaft said. A colt stepped around him, picked up Scootaloo’s bucket, and walked toward the excavation site. “Come along.”

Scootaloo wasn’t sure what to think. On the one hoof, she didn’t want to be in the mines, but on the other, she was a little worried what the council might want with her. The council, made up of Hoofington’s political leaders and a few ponies from Ponyville, were in charge of just about everything, and she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to draw their attention.

“Don’t be so nervous,” Mine Shaft said as the two made their way toward the council chamber. “You’re not in trouble—or if you are, it has nothing to do with mining,” he added quickly. The two came to another fork. “Take this passage left until you reach the kitchens, then turn right.”

Scootaloo nodded but said nothing. It was a lot less noisy, dirty, and stuffy here, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She reached the kitchen and turned right just before a familiar voice called her name.

“Scootaloo! Wait up!” She turned to see a rainbow-maned pegasus coming toward her. “What’re you doing here?”

“Um, the council wanted to see me,” Scootaloo answered.

“Really? That’s weird. They called me off patrol for the same reason.” Rainbow Dash turned the corner and began walking toward the council chamber, and Scootaloo followed just behind her. “So, how’s life in the mines?” Rainbow Dash asked after a moment. “Looks like you’ve been working hard today.”

“It’s okay, I guess,” Scootaloo answered.

“Doesn’t sound like it. I’d hate to be cooped up underground all day.” The two reached a pair of wooden doors flanked by a pair of sentries. “Then again, I’m out in the cold all the time, so I guess it evens out, huh?”

Scootaloo secretly wondered how Dash could sound so energetic as the doors swung open. “Anyways, somepony said they had a new recruit for me,” Dash continued, though in a lower voice, as they entered the council chamber. “Guess there were some pegasi in that group of refugees that came in—”

“Thank you for coming.” Rainbow Dash fell silent as Hoofington’s mayor spoke. “If it’s not too much trouble, we’d like to keep this short so we can all get back to work.”

The two pegasi sat in the center of the room and looked at the ponies sitting in a half-circle around them. Some chairs were empty, and the only faces Scootaloo recognized were those of Hoofington’s mayor and Twilight Sparkle, both of whom looked like they hadn’t slept in days. At Twilight’s side sat Spike, wearing a strange mechanical contraption that resembled wings. Scootaloo had seen him using it to fly over crowds in the tunnels while delivering messages.

“As you know, Miss Dash,” the mayor began, “your department has been requesting additional horsepower for quite some time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Dash said. “I saw a few pegasi in the group that—”

“It will take us some time to determine where to assign them,” the mayor interrupted. Dash’s mouth snapped shut. “However, the newcomers do give us the flexibility to amend some policies that many have viewed as controversial.”

Both Scootaloo and Dash blinked. “Meaning?” Dash said.

“What she’s saying is with more adult ponies to work in the mines, we’ve decided to pull the fillies and colts out,” Twilight answered.

“Well, it’s about time!” Dash said.

“That does not mean they will be free from responsibility,” the mayor interrupted with a raised voice. “Miss Dash, we are charging you with the training of this filly. Miss Sparkle and your fellow Ponyvillians recommend you very highly, and I am confident you will—”

“Wait,” Dash said. “Training her for what?”

“To join your squad,” the mayor replied. “You will be given access to—”

“My squad?” Dash repeated. “We’re recon and sentries! You want to send a filly against those Shadowbolts?”

“Dash, please,” Twilight said.

“And you agreed to this?” Dash snapped, shooting the unicorn a withering glare. “You thought I’d want to personally train her to go up against Nightmare Moon’s cronies?”

“Miss Dash, that is quite enough,” the mayor said.

“No, it isn’t,” Dash replied. “Look, I get that everypony needs to pitch in, but she’s a filly, for Celestia’s sake! She can’t even fly yet!”

“That’s why we’re assigning her to you now,” Twilight said. “It’ll take time for her to learn to fly, and you’re the best flier we have.”

“Well, why don’t you just send Spike out there while you’re at it?” Dash demanded. “He’s got wings now. What’s his excuse?”

“That’s enough!” the mayor shouted. “Miss Dash, you will hold your tongue.”

Dash sat down and ground her teeth, still glaring at Twilight. The mayor cleared her throat. “Miss Scootaloo, do you have anything you’d like to say?”

Scootaloo looked from Dash’s frown to Twilight’s weariness. “No, ma’am.”

“Very well.” The mayor handed some papers to a guard, who delivered them to Rainbow Dash. Dash stuffed them into her saddle bags and resumed glaring at Twilight. “Miss Dash, you will be given access to the dining chamber between meals to teach Miss Scootaloo. I expect we will shortly have a few more pegasi to fill the holes in your patrols. Any questions?”

“Not for you, ma’am,” Dash muttered.

“Good. You’re dismissed.”