"Hey, you two!"
The two friends were close by and saw Scootaloo. They jumped up and down like a kangaroo. Cheering and happy, they eagerly threw a chess piece toward her, which bounced off her shoe. She giggled and juggled the piece of the game, expertly showing her talented aim as it went back and forth, though she did feel some shame when it went too high up and she said "Aw, that's lame."
"Hey there, Scoot! Wow, look at those!" Apple Bloom bent down until her nose was level with the skates. "Ah suppose you got these today! They're the ones you chose?"
"Yep! They're so cool, and also real bright! Now I'll be seen if I'm out in the night. Though I think the left ones are smaller than the right," she added, ending the word with a bite.
"Uh-oh, is it bad? I know that you wished to get a good set. Last week, when you missed the landing on your scooter and you hurt your wrist, you wanted something new."
She nodded and hissed. "The soreness I felt isn't quite healed just yet. I think I just thought that I would forget about the pain by the time I went over to get these skates from the shop. But it's okay, no sweat."
Sweetie Belle returned from getting the piece of the chess game they would play. "Can we please keep these close by next time? Jeeze!" Scoot laughed in her face and she held back a sneeze.
"Did you know that the Princess was looking for you?"
Sweetie turned around. "Yes, I knew."
"What did she want?"
"It has been two days after the date that this was all due." She held up the chess piece and the rest of the game, letting them see the stamp with the name "Twilight Sparkle's First Edition" in the same corner as the brand of Highest Acclaim.
"Whoa, how 'bout that? Our good friend just broke her good promise! She's setting a trend of taking and keeping from those who would lend any books, games, or toys! What a pretend!"
Sweetie Belle grinned, and she said with some pride, "It was easy! When I went all puppy-eyed, Twilight faltered and flustered and probably cried to let me borrow a game I've never tried."
"We're so proud of you!"
"Why, thanks, Scootaloo!"
"It's almost enough to give you a clue!" A week before now, she and her crew had hidden an item that Sweetie Belle knew. They made a game to see just how long it would take before Sweetie Belle broke into song that told how much she missed it, and how she'd stay strong until she found where it was all along.
"Almost, but not quite?" Sweetie Belle said.
Apple Bloom chimed in, "Sorry! Instead, why don't we all head in and snack on some bread, then play some good games?" She rubbed at her head.
"I love that idea! Let's go do that right now!" Scootaloo said while figuring out how to undo her laces. "Grr... Wow, these really are tight. Just...hmmph...how?"
"Use your teeth!" said one friend. "Just pull when you start!"
"Use your brain!" said the other. "It's easy to outsmart!"
"I'll use what I use! I'll listen to my heart!" Scootaloo argued while fighting the knot.
While the friends sat and bickered over whose way was right, Rainbow Dash was nearby observing their fight. She made mental notes of the distressing sight before turning around and taking flight. She flew back to Ponyville's library tree with a measure of haste, at least some degree, until she arrived just in time to see Applejack saying "Y'all should've listened to me!"
"AJ, hold on!" called the pegasus blur. "Is Twilight inside? Have you seen her?"
"Howdy, Rainbow. Yeah, uh, we were figuring out if the worst will occur. Head on inside and see to the plan. Ah'm headin' home to see if I can prep for the storm and to help out my gran." Applejack then waved goodbye and ran.
With a nod to her friend, Rainbow Dash waved, then turned to the door with a worried gaze. She opened the library, eager to save the world from becoming something enslaved. Her friends were all there, worried like her - Rarity had shown up with frazzled fur - and talking so loud she would almost prefer to keep the library rules like they were.
"There you are, Rainbow! Quick!" Twilight cried. "It seems that your fear was justified. Now we all need a plan to decide how we can save the countryside."
"That's why I'm here," Rainbow said to the group. "We've always been safe when we work as a troop. Now listen, you guys, if we need to dupe Scootaloo, we need to do more than just snoop..."