I do not own MLP or any of the references made in it

Chapter Twelve: A New Day

Scootaloo awoke the next day ready to hang out with her friends to show them the new tricks she thought of the day before. She climbed out of her bed, grabbed her scooter, and headed out the door. Unbeknownst to the orange filly she had gained her cutie mark the day before. The school filly reached the clubhouse ready to go.

"Hey girls!" she greeted before seeing the two turning around both looking depressed. "What's the matter?"

"Well yesterday while we were at lessons I got hurt pretty badly when trying to practice my specialization. I won't be able to build or maintain anything for a few days or do any potion making. Not a problem." sighed Apple Bloom before glancing over at Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle was asked by Miss Cherilee after the lessons were over to sing a solo in a school concert. She declined but was asked at least to tryout in which she said yes to."

"So when is the tryouts?" the cerise maned filly asked as she sat down looking at her friends.

"About two days from now... hey Scootaloo what's that on your flank?" Apple Bloom inquired pointing a hoof towards the cutie mark.

"Huh?" Scootaloo was confused as she turned to look at what her earth pony friend was pointing at. "It looks like a cutie mark. But when did that get there? I didn't do anything special, just rode my scooter for the first time since my wings started to molt."

"Well it looks like a scooter." Sweetie Belle commented looking at it closely. "Congratulations! Though I would have liked it if we had gotten ours at the same time."

"I'm sorry girls." the orange filly apologized her ears going flat against her head before she was hugged by both of them,

"Don't worry about it!" replied the red maned pony with a smile. "That doesn't mean you aren't one of us anymore! It just means you can help us! Besides you are still our friend, just as long as you don't start calling us blank flanks!"

"I won't, I promise." the pegasus replied giving her friends hugs. "I won't ever hurt my friends like that."

The friends laughed as they headed out to find their destiny. Scootaloo looked at her flank before smiling. She was not going to cover it up or brag about it because that would only hurt her friends. The orange filly ran off after them before flapping her wings allowing her to speed after them on her scooter. She liked being able to fly but she loved moving by her scooter even more it was more natural for her to do so.

"Why don't we go to Sugar Cube Corner first to celebrate." Sweetie Belle suggested with a smile on her face. The girls giggled as they headed off to get some ice cream sundaes. When they got there they noticed the pegasi racing through the skies. Scootaloo looked up at them her wings beating as she saw them. She really wanted to fly, that was when she saw Aurora fly overhead her large size overshadowing the entire village.

"She's huge!" said the white unicorn filly looking up at her. "Is she racing the pegasi?"

"Nah, she's giving us training maneuvers on how to avoid that large shade dragon from before." explained Rainbow Dash flying downwards. "She is almost as large as him but wiser from the way she helps out when Sky isn't around. Aurora likes to help out with explaining the cores and stuff with all of the different races. It's interesting stuff, though I really don't want to learn things. I just like to fly, though I did learn that even really boring stuff can be made interesting if you know your own study habits. Hey! I noticed that you got your cutie mark! Where are you headed kid?"

"Sugar Cube Corner, we're going to celebrate before I help the girls with getting their cutie mark." replied the orange filly as the walked into the pastry shop. "See you later Rainbow Dash!"

The blue pegasus laughed as she watched them walk into the pastry store before flying back into formation. She looked at the yellow pegasus next to her and smiled. Fluttershy was doing her best and had gotten better since she started their training. 'Well at least she isn't freaking out over creating a tornado anymore. We have tornado drills every single time Sky is around.' thought the weather pony before they heard a roar and knew that Aurora was going to attack.

"Fluttershy go down with half the ponies to drive the dragon up! Flash, Flitter, Jetstream we are going to create a cloud barrier. Make sure they are storm clouds!" ordered Rainbow Dash before looking around. "Thunderlane, take your squadron and make sure she doesn't attack the village!"

"Anything I can do to help?" asked a familiar voice, it was a light turquoise young mare with an amber and gold mane.

"Lightning Dust... help Thunderlane." said the rainbow maned pegasus looking away before she flew forward with the team she assigned to. She really didn't want to deal with Lightning Dust ever since the last time they talked. The former academy student had been learning in Ponyville since she had been near the town when the order came out. Ever since Rainbow Dash found out she had been trying to see her only when they went to their lessons.

'It's not as if I'm still mad at her it's just awkward when we try to talk.' Rainbow Dash sighed internally before shaking her head as her team began to form the cloud barrier.

"Fus!" roared the crystal dragon as the pegasus swarmed around her. The blast knocked some of them back but Rainbow Dash took note of Lightning Dust pushing Thunderlane out of the way. The turquoise pegasi spun out before correcting herself before getting the others steady. It seems like she was doing better with others, though the giant dragon might have something to do with it. The light blue pegasus managed to form a barrier to trap the crystal dragon. They surrounded the dragon with the storm clouds.

"Hmm, the strategy needs work." Aurora pointed out as she laid on the storm clouds beneath her. "If you were really going against DurgUa most of those ponies would have been either captured or killed. The storm clouds provide a barrier but you need the unicorns to cast magic on him. So if need be drive him towards the village so the unicorns can use their magic to detain him. The protection detail will make sure that no pony else will get hurt."

"Well hopeful we can get our cores before the three months are up." Flash said flying over looking at Fluttershy who nodded. "Are we stopping for today?"

"Yeah, that exercise took a lot out of me." sighed the rainbow maned weather pony as she looked around. "Good job all of you."

Rainbow Dash took off for her home in the clouds not noticing a shadow following her. When she arrived at her home the light blue pegasus settled down in her bed before looking at a picture of a younger her and a stallion both wearing a Wonderbolts uniform with bags around their necks.

"I guess I'll have to protect that dream for the two of us." she whispered then yawned, the magenta eyed pony laid down on her bed just as the shadow vanished. A mirror made of black crystals and clouds rose from the floor and a pair of magenta eyes watched her sleep.

"Tomorrow there will be no more Element of Loyalty." growled Sombra looking through the mirror his eyes narrowing as shadowy figure stood behind him. "There will only be the Bearer of Treachery and Disloyalty."

The shadowy figure began to laugh before saying. "Yeah if she doesn't fail as well. Isn't that all you're good for?"

"SILENCE!" roared the dark unicorn king glaring at the figure. "I will not be spoken to that way. I brought you out of the shadows. I can send you back."

"I must say that your choice of companions proves that you can have entertaining company." a black dragon replied looking around the black castle that was created to suit their needs. "King Sombra."

"Our army is building, DurgUa." the corrupted stallion replied as he walked down the large walls. "Those foolish ponies can try to prepare but they will fall to our will. The library was a set back."

DurgUa scoffed as he followed the shadow king down the hallway as he growled. "If it weren't for those ponies we would have gotten that library."

"No the small dragon as a fire breath that is able to send messages to Princess Celestia." Sombra revealed earning a growl from the shade dragon. "Always know the skill set from the enemy."

The black dragon looked impressed before he walked into a large doorless room. DurgUa walked into the middle of it before laying down. Sombra's horn glowed as a dark purple mist created a circle and the shade dragon slowly began to change. The dark unicorn king turned around and left the room as he thought. 'This world will be mine and no one shall control me.'

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