It was sunrise.
Three figures sat on a thick branch sticking out of one of many tall trees in the forest that they were at the edge of. Admiring the changing color of the sky, the small pegasus in the center stared in awe of how beautiful the view was with trees and animals around.
"I never knew...Everything could look so...so alive!" A slight breeze went by, and her short light purple hair and tail moved with it. She unfolded her orange wings and closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the wind beneath her feathered appendages.
"I'm glad you enjoy it, Scootaloo." The one who spoke sat on the right of Scootaloo. Her long, light pink hair and tail also swayed with the wind. She unfolded her wings as well, but not to their full length or else she would invade the others' personal space.
"Yeah. It feels good to just get away from everything for a while," the other pegasus said as she also let the wind blow around her wings. Her rainbow hair and tail also swayed, just like the others. When they noticed that it was the official start of morning, they all folded their wings, put hoodies over themselves, and hopped to the ground.
"Hey, Fluttershy? Do we have another drill scheduled today?" The rainbow haired pegasus asked the pink haired one.
"I think so, but not until noon."
"Hey, Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy?" Scootaloo suddenly asked. "What's on the other side of the forest?" The other two pegasi looked at the forest.
"Huh...I don't really know." Rainbow Dash's mouth formed into a mischievous grin. "Want to find out?"
"Dash! That's forbidden, and you know that!" Fluttershy whisper-yelled.
"But how else would we know what's there? Even if you asked the animals to come closer to this side of the forest, I doubt that they're the only things there!" Rainbow Dash countered.
"We just can't!" Fluttershy continued. "They can punish us for it! Nobody wants that..." They all shuddered at the thought of the public punishment that one of their former friends received.
"Alright, fine." Rainbow Dash didn't say anything else about the topic.
"I guess we should go back, then," Scootaloo suggested.
"Well, we still have about six hours or something, so why don't we stay here?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Well, there's no harm in staying for a few hours, I guess, but we have to keep our wings hidden and stay together, okay?" Fluttershy said.
"Okay, mom!" Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash mocked. After a good laugh, they all wandered around the edge of the forest together.
"It seems alright so far. No animals at all," Rarity stated as she tried to avoid all of the branches, dirt, and leaves that she could.
"Yeah, there's really nothing here to worry about. Oh! Maybe we needed to check deeper into the forest!" Pinkie Pie suggested.
"Why in tarnation would we do that, Pinkie Pie? There are dangerous creatures out there and you know that!" Applejack scolded her.
"But that's the point! Princess Celestia told us, the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, to check if it's all safe and stuff! It wouldn't make sense to build things over here if we're living right next to the forest animals!" Pinkie argued.
"She has a point," Twilight agreed. "While it does make sense to send us to check the area out as a precaution, she could've easily sent a few of her royal guards to do it since they know how to fight. I think we might be missing something..." The purple horned unicorn was left to ponder about the topic silently.
"What about you, Mr. Guard?" Pinkie asked. "Don't you want to go deeper into the forest?"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Pie, but I cannot lead you all into unsafe areas of the forest. It is forbidden," he responded.
"Awww," Pinkie Pie pouted.
"Anyway, we've reached the other end of the safe area. Our work here is done." The guard led everyone back to where they started and left to go update Princess Celestia on the progress. The Mane 4 walked back into Ponyville and decided to all go to Sugarcube Corner.
"I can't believe we didn't go explore the rest of the forest! I mean, it was a safe zone, right?" Pinkie Pie complained.
"Well, the area surrounding the safe zone has a larger chance of being safe, but you can never be too sure," Twilight explained.
Applejack spoke up. "Well, either way, we aren't going in there again unless we need to. Ah'd rather stay out of trouble." Eventually, the conversation had changed subject, Pinkie Pie got some cookies that were baked the day before, and they all ate.
Apple Bloom ran out of Sugarcube Corner, her red hair and tail flicking behind her because of her speed. "Hurry up, Sweetie Belle!"
Sweetie Belle's lilac and light pink tail and hair were being slightly moved by the small wind the snow white horned unicorn could make while running. "I'm trying!" The two children ran all the way to Sweet Apple Acres and into a tree house. Sweetie Belle gasped as she tried to speak. "Why'd you...just run...off like...like that?" she asked.
Apple Bloom straightened her bow and looked at Sweetie Belle. "Didn't you hear what our sisters and their friends were talking about? A safe spot in the forest! We can go and explore and get our cutie marks!" Apple Bloom looked at her thigh. "Right there!" She pointed to the center of her thigh. "It'll be for finding a new critter or discovering new rocks or anything, really!"
Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom skeptically. "Are you sure it's safe? Maybe it's only safe for them because they have the elements to protect them."
"Don't worry! We'll be fine! And if we see something, we'll just run back to Ponyville. If they said it was safe, they probably meant for everyone," Apple Bloom reassured her. Sweetie Belle thought about it, and it seemed to make sense. What's the worst that could happen?
"Okay, but we shouldn't be out for too long. I need to help Rarity make another small dress since her child size manikin didn't come in yet."
"Sure thing, it'll be quick." With that, the two crusaders set off for the Everfree Forest.
"Hey, it's about time to go," Rainbow Dash announced, judging that the time was about 11:00.
"Okay, then. Come on, Scootaloo," Fluttershy whispered. Good thing Scootaloo had amazing hearing.
"Alright, but I need to put this bunny back with it's family. I'll catch up."
"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked.
"Yeah, we don't want anything bad happening to you."
"Don't worry. Besides, I don't want anything happening to you guys either. I'll be fine," Scootaloo reassured them.
"Alright," Rainbow Dash said, "but if you aren't back in a half an hour, we're going to look for you, and don't take your hoodie off!" Dash ruffled Scootaloo's hair and flew off with Fluttershy after they took their own hoodies off.
"Where to put you..." Scootaloo said as she wandered into the woods.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were oblivious to the fact that they had wandered out of the safe zone a while ago. They kept walking deeper into the forest, and eventually noticed the change in scenery. The safe zone looked peaceful, but empty. Where they were now felt like every animal was watching them; it felt like they were intruding.
"Uh...Apple Bloom?"
"I've noticed, too, Sweetie Belle. Maybe we should head ba-" They froze when they heard the crunching of leaves get louder...
...and closer to them.
The two crusaders panicked and ran behind a tree as the crunching stopped.
"Hello?" the mysterious voice asked. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle peeked at the tan skinned girl with a long, purple tail and short hair in front of them and were instantly relieved. It was just a girl!
"Oh, thank Celestia!" Apple Bloom sighed as she and Sweetie Belle revealed themselves. "We thought you were some type of wild animal or something!" The girl's eyes widened and she froze. The bunny that she was holding got out of her grip and hopped of to Celestia knows where. The awkwardness of the situation made the two crusaders uncomfortable, so Sweetie Belle tried to start a conversation.
"So...um...What's your name?" The one with the white horn on her head asked. They're not pegasi...Horse feathers! What do I do? THEY AREN'T PEGASI! They're the ones that are connected with the earth and can use magic, right? Okay, I'll have to be careful. I don't know how powerful they are. If I act mean, they won't want to talk to me...but that could increase my chance of danger. Then again, if they attack, I can attack them twice as hard.
Scootaloo scowled. "None of your business." She crossed her arms and tried not to let her wings unfold under her orange hoodie.
"Geez, it was just a question," Apple Bloom commented.
"Well, why don't you leave me alone then?" Scootaloo said.
Sweetie Belle looked to a ticked off Apple Bloom and then back to Scootaloo. "Can you at least tell us how to get out of here? We got lost after leaving the safe zone, and we just need to know which way Ponyville is."
Scootaloo became confused. Ponyville? What are they talking about? Don't they have Unicornia and Earth? Either way, I have no idea where this 'Ponyville' is, so I guess I could point them in any random direction. Scootaloo looked up at the sky thoughtfully. Actually, that'd be mean and potentially dangerous, and even I'm not that cruel to my enemies. Besides, they haven't done anything harmful. I might as well tell them the truth.
"I don't know where this 'Ponyville' is. Sorry." Scootaloo noticed that she had fifteen minutes before Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy came looking for her. "I need to get going, though. Bye." She turned around and started walking to her side of the forest.
"Wait!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle called as they walked towards Scootaloo, causing her to stop.
"What?"
"We still need to find our way back!" Sweetie Belle told the pegasus.
"Oh well, that's your problem."
"But we need to get to our sisters!" Apple Bloom mentioned. "Please help us!"
Scootaloo was taken aback by their reason. They have sisters? Maybe they're honorary, like Dash and I. People are only allowed to have one child after all. "Well, I don't know where your family is or anything concerning you two for that matter. Leave me alone already!"
"We can't!" Sweetie Belle argued.
"Yeah! You're the only other person in the Everfree that we've found, and Zecora's hut is nowhere along the path we took!" Apple Bloom explained.
Scootaloo had only ten minutes before Dash and Fluttershy looked for her, and she didn't want them to worry or find her with strange people with no wings and a horn. "Look. I don't know anything, and your way out is probably different from where I have to go! So leave me alone!" Her wings fidgeted under her hoodie, but thankfully, the others didn't notice. I need to calm down. If they were sent by someone, there's no doubt that they'd want to see my powers. If I made it obvious that I had wings, they'd tie me up and it'd be all over. "I'm leaving!" Scootaloo shoved Apple Bloom into a bush and ran away when Sweetie Belle was distracted trying to help her friend.
"I guess we can't get out of here," Sweetie Belle pouted.
"You never know! Maybe our sisters are looking for us right now!" Apple Bloom tried to sound hopeful, but even she had her doubts.
Scootaloo flew as fast as her wings would let her. She wasn't the best flier like Rainbow Dash, but she was considerably faster than Fluttershy. She decided to tell her adoptive sisters of her encounter the next morning at the edge of the forest so she could guarantee that nobody would be eavesdropping. It'd just be her and her sisters. After seven minutes, Scootaloo reached the giant cloud kingdom:
Pegasopolis.
She flew to a small cloud house that only had two rooms: a bathroom and a bedroom. "There was no need for anything but the bare minimum, unless you're talking about weapons and power" was a very common saying that every pegasus lived by in Pegasopolis, and they were no exception. The rules were that you could live with whomever you wanted, but you shouldn't use any of the clouds for furniture since it was unnecessary to eat on a table with any utensils. All clouds that were found were used for the expansion of the kingdom and if you were guilty of using them for any other reason without proper permission from King Thunder himself, you would be sentenced to life in prison or death. Speaking of being guilty, if you lied about anything to anyone that had a higher rank than you, you could be put to death or banished to...well, nobody really knew, but they never came back or communicated with anyone from the kingdom. That is what happened to the three pegasi's friend.
"Hey, Scootaloo. What took you so long?" Rainbow Dash greeted.
Scootaloo took off her hoodie and tied it around her waist. "Um...I need to talk to you guys about something..."
"What is it?" Fluttershy asked.
The ten year old looked behind her at the open door cautiously. "I need to tell you tomorrow. In the morning." Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding. A few moments of silence went by before they all heard a loud siren go off in the distance.
"Time for the drill," Rainbow Dash said.
The three pegasi flew to different areas of the kingdom. It was split up into different regions: Archers, Healers, Knights, Assassins, and Spies. Archers use bows and arrows obviously, but they also learn how to use the resources around them to make makeshift bows and arrows should the archer's break. Healers were basically doctors who also knew how to fight. They had their own supplies when they had to battle abroad, but they normally had to use the resources around them to help someone. Knights wielded swords, sometimes shields, and very rarely hidden blades. They learn to summon weapons with archers and assassins at a very early age so that it'd become a second nature to them to know how to summon their swords. Assassins blended in with their surroundings and wielded all sorts of weapons. There were swords, daggers, hidden blades, bombs, bows and arrows, and many other things, but not many people wanted to be an assassin because they had to train 24/7 and were required to have immense power in order to summon all of their weapons on command. And then there were spies. They were just like assassins, but they hid in plain sight. They were the most casually dressed when on missions and never traveled in a group of more than three. Scootaloo was training to be a knight like Rainbow Dash was, but Fluttershy decided to be a healer. They all did know the basics of their respective groups, but they secretly learned how to summon bows, arrows, and hidden blades.
Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were standing in a very organized crowd of knights and knights in training. Facing them was a black haired, white winged thirty year old man with light blue armor on.
His voice boomed, "Stance!" In perfect synchronization, every knight got into the same fighting stance. Not one person moved out of place. "Draw!" Rainbow Dash held her hand up and a dark aura formed above it. The aura then faded away to reveal a thin but powerful red bladed sword with a golden handle. It landed in Dash's grasp. By now, everyone had done this same process, but had different swords. Scootaloo's was a thin, purple bladed sword with a golden handle. Everyone was now back in a fighting stance. "Opponent!" Dash turned to her left and faced a girl her age with dark purple wings and orange hair. She had a brown bladed sword with a sliver handle. Scootaloo turned to her right and faced an adult with grey wings and silver hair. He had a black handled white bladed sword. Other pegasi that wore armor flew to different spots of the arena they were in.
"Fight!"
Rainbow Dash let her opponent attack first. Dash blocked the attack and countered by spinning her sword to disarm the opponent and pinned the girl down with her sword.
"Rainbow Dash wins!" one of the armed pegasi announced.
"That was fast," Rainbow Dash commented.
Scootaloo had more trouble dealing with her opponent, however. She blocked every one of his attacks, but couldn't land a single blow on him. They both had the same level of power, it seemed. Unexpectedly, while Scootaloo blocked one of his attacks, the opponent kicked her in the side and almost pinned her down. She got up at the last second, rolled under him, and stopped her sword right next to his stomach. One move and she'd strike.
"Scootaloo wins!"
Scootaloo's sword dispersed as she flew over to the side where the winners of the battles were and watched the other fights.
"Snowflake wins!"
"Cloudkicker wins!"
"Rumble wins!"
"Lightning Dust wins!"
Once all of the fights were over, the defeated ponies were escorted elsewhere for intense training and the victors got to go back home.