The Pony Who was Once a Cat: Chapter Two
The five fillies arrived at Crystals house with Love Bug in their hooves. "I say we give her a bath!" Sweetie Belle suggested. "Don't any of ya know cats don't like water?" Apple Bloom said frustrated. "Well....some cats like it." The white unicorn filly added. "She's got a point." Scootaloo piped up. "Well...Ah guess so..." Apple Bloom gave in.
"Hey, don't I get a say in this?" Crystal added. "Because I think we should see if she likes water. "Well, how are we gonna find out if we don't put her in water?" Epic Bloom said rolling her eyes. "Oh yeah...well, the bath tub is upstairs, lets fill it up and put her in! But don't just throw her in." Crystal said taking Love Bug away from Epic Bloom. The four other fillies followed the blue unicorn upstairs, Love Bug's heart racing. Sure, she could swim, but she would hate getting her fur wet, it would feel weird. But, she couldn't talk, so she would have to be put in the bath.
They all walked into the bathroom, Crystal turning on the water to the bath tub. "Okay, so when this fills up, we need to put Red Stripe in here." She explained. They all nodded their heads in agreement. Soon, the tub was filled with clear water, and they dangled Love Bug over the tub. She wanted to say stop, but what came out was a short meow. Epic Bloom slowley lowered her in the water. She twisted and squirmed, but it was to no avail. Before she knew it, the green pegasus dropped her in. She churned through the water with her paws, wanting to get out. She splashed some water in Epic Blooms face in the process.
"Gah!" She said throwing her green and yellow hair out of the way. Crystal, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo just laughed at her. "Lets add bubbles!" Crystal said picking some soap up. Love Bug's eyes widened. What if she got soap in her eyes? She tried to get out, but it was too slippery. It would be even more slippery when they added soap to the water. Crystal pushed the pump on the soap dispenser and it went in to the water. She repeated this about ten more times. The water now had piles of bubbles everywhere. Except in one corner where Love Bug was taking shelter.
"Oh, come on! Don't you like bubbles?" Scootaloo said putting a pile of bubbles on Love Bug's head. She spat and hissed. She shook her head until the bubbles came off. "Nope." Epic Bloom replied to Scootaloo. "Well, that's just weird, even for a cat. Bubbles do no harm!" Scootaloo said rolling her eyes again. "Cats are weird like that." Sweetie Belle told her simply. "Well, we're done with this!" Crystal said scooping Love Bug/Red Stripe out of the bath tub.
"Hey! We were not done with that!" Scootaloo said trying to grab Love Bug away from the unicorn filly. The cat let out a wheeze. The fillies all went silent. Love Bug thought that would work. "Don't hurt Red Stripe! She's not a toy!" Epic Bloom scolded. As the co leader of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Scootaloo had to listen to Epic Bloom. "Ah say we try to play with her." Apple Bloom suggested after the fight. "Yeah, that's a good idea!" Sweetie Belle agreed. "Opal loves her cat toys. We could borrow some from Rarity's boutique."
"Yeah, but how do you think Opal would like you stealing her toys?" Crystal put in. "We're not 'stealing,' we're just borrowing. We'll bring them back." Sweetie Belle replied. "Well, okay. But if we get all scratched up by Opal, I blame you." The two unicorn fillies shook hooves, agreeing. Apple Bloom, Epic Bloom and Scootaloo all nodded. Meanwhile, Love Bug was soaking wet, a puddle of water forming on the floor. Her black colored coat was matted against her body, and she was shaking, suddenly cold.
"Uh, ah think Red Stripe needs a towel." Apple Bloom said pointing a hoof at Love Bug. Crystal looked at her and quickly nodded her head. "I know where the towls are. I'll get one for her, you all stay here." The blue unicorn walked out into the hall to a small closet, leaving her friends behind. Two minutes passed, and some of them got bored, including Scootaloo. Epic Bloom began to flap her small wings, which were only a little bigger than Scootaloo's. But she could still fly, being a little older, but still a filly like Crystal and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Hey, do you think you could teach me to fly a little? You got a couple lessons from Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo piped up. Epic Bloom blushed. "Well, okay. But I don't know much flying. I got my cutie mark when I preformed my first trick, kind of like when Rainbow Dash was a filly. But it was hard, it won't be like getting lessons from her, but maybe it will prepare you." The green pegusus filly replied. "Okay! Thanks! Do you think I'm old enough?" She anxiously replied. "Well, I don't know. You'll have to ask Rainbow Dash. All pegasi are different." Scootaloo sort of looked up to Epic Bloom as well as Rainbow Dash, considering she had lessons from the fastest flier in Equestria. The orange pegasus filly figured she might be able to take lessons soon too, she was only a tiny bit younger than Epic Bloom.
Crystal walked back in about a minute in a half later, Love Bug in her hooves with a small light pink towel wrapped around her body. "Aw, she looks so cute like that!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Yeah, I know right?" Crystal replied. "I agree. Well, I think we should head over to your house, Sweetie Belle, so we can 'borrow' Opal's cat toys." Epic Bloom said. The four other fillies nodded their heads in agreement. They all walked out the door of the bathroom and down the stairs. Love Bug making a single peep from the towel, it was rather comforting inside the blanket like piece of cloth. The fillies were now walking down the dirt roads of Ponyville, in direction of Rarity's boutique, also known as Carousel Boutique.
Today was Monday, usually the busiest day of the week for the business. How would other ponies react to a cat in the store? Then again, Opal did usually roam around the store, even when costumers were there. Some ponies were truly terrified of Opal though, sometimes the fluffy white cat scratched them. So Rarity had to put Opal in her room sometimes. Love Bug hoped that the other ponies wouldn't think she was like Opal. They would have to take their chances, being with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Epic Bloom and Crystal would be an adventure, and Love Bug knew that 'borrowing' Opal's cat toys wouldn't turn out very well.
All these thoughts passed the time as the five fillies approached the boutique. Sure enough, many ponies were inside the store, asking Rarity questions about prices, checking out dresses, and just looking around. Rarity looked very overwhelmed, trying to get to every pony at once. The fillies squeezed through the crowd of ponies, looking around for Rarity's room, where Opal's Cat house and toys were. "There's Rarity's room!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Is it the one with the purple door?" Crystal asked. "Yeah! Does any pony else see it?" Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Epic Bloom. They all nodded their heads.
"Okay, follow me." The white filly gestured a hoof and told them to get on the ground. They all crawled through the crowd, Love Bug stalking along as best she could, like a normal cat. "Looks like she follows us." Epic Bloom whispered. "Yeah." Crystal replied. They were just feet away from Rarity's room now, hoping the unicorn mare who hated ponies going in her room, wouldn't notice. But it looked like Rarity was too busy with a customer to notice the five fillies crawling through her store. They were now at the very front of the door. Sweetie Belle stood up on all four legs and quietly opened the door. The four other fillies crawled inside the room as Sweetie Belle made sure Rarity wasn't watching. After they were all inside, Sweetie Belle closed the door behind them.
"Phew, that was a close one." Crystal said standing up. "Yeah. Lets get some cat toys and get the heck outta here!" Epic Bloom said walking over to Opal's cat tree. Love Bug was still laying down on the floor, she was shocked. She was afraid some pony would step on her. Love Bug wondered what Twilight Sparkle was doing right now, she hoped she found the reversing spell soon. "Hey! This toy looks fun!" Epic Bloom said picking up a stick with a stuffed cloth ball, attached to the stick with yellow string. "Okay. But be careful with that, Rarity made it herself." Sweetie Belle warned her. She nodded her head and walked over to Love Bug.
"Okay, Red Stripe. You wanna play?" Epic Bloom said dangling the ball above her head. Love Bug decided to just go along with it. She grabbed the green ball between both paws and chewed on it. "She likes it!" Apple Bloom said with a smile. "Yeah! This is working! Let me try!" Scootaloo said walking over to Epic Bloom and Love Bug. She took the toy and dangled it over Love Bugs head, doing the same as Epic Bloom did. Love Bug grabbed it with her teeth. "Ha ha! Silly cat!" The orange filly said chuckling. The other fillies laughed too, but then stopped as they looked over at the cat house. "Hey, why did you guys stop--." Scootaloo was cut short as she too started at the cat house in shock.
"Oh....no....I-I'ts OPAL!" Crystal squeaked. "RUN!!" Sweetie Belle screamed. The five fillies ran out of the room, leaving Love Bug behind. Opal leaped on Love Bug, thinking she was a intruder. Love Bug easily kicked her off and caught up with Crystal, Epic Bloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Opal hot on her tail, causing chaos throughout the entire shop. Rarity tried to assure them it was alright, but they just ran around the boutique frantically. "Oh, Sweetie Belle!" the purple haired mare complained upon seeing her younger sibling. "Oh no! We gotta get outta here!" The younger sibling said to her friends. They all nodded their heads and bolted toward the door.
Epic Bloom opened it for them and let them go first. Before Sweetie Belle and her could walk out on their own, Rarity shooed them out, leaving them outside, and locking the door behind her.