As Scootaloo had come to learn, there were three kinds of teachers: The personal, the polite, and the boring.
Personal teachers were the best. They took the time to get to know their students individually, and build their teaching methods around whatever helps everypony learn best. Rainbow Dash was one such teacher, as she took the time to learn how undisguised changelings fly so she would understand where Scootaloo was coming from. When she started coaching Scootaloo on flying as a pegasus, she knew exactly how to connect with the changeling.
Polite teachers were OK. They were open to new ideas and gave struggling students the help and attention they needed, but they also stuck to their teaching plan. And really, when someone has to teach a large classroom of kids all at the same time, it’s understandable why. This described Cheerilee perfectly, as she genuinely wanted everypony she taught to do well and learn, but she sometimes missed things going on in her own classroom.
And then there were the boring teachers. The ones who taught by the book, and that was it. It didn’t matter how effective this was or how engaging the students found it, they stuck to tradition. They taught in the exact same boring way their teachers had taught them. Not because such methods are better, but because that’s “just how it was done.”
Scootaloo had come to recognize that these boring teachers rarely care whether their students succeed or not. Well, at least the only boring teacher she had didn’t seem to care. And unlike Cheerilee, this teacher didn’t have the excuse of having to worry about a large classroom. He only taught Scootaloo in one on one sessions, and he still treated deviating from the lesson plan like it was utter blasphemy, regardless of how well Scootaloo could learn from it.
Needless to say, Scootaloo did not enjoy learning from this teacher.
“... which in turn is connected to the glandular system. This enables us to alternate our pheromones to those of the pony race we’re disguised as. While it’s true that ponies are mostly unaffected by them, extensive research has revealed that utilizing pheromones can have a small subconscious calming effect on ponies. This in turn results in a 6% increase in disguise efficiency…” rambled the teacher.
Scootaloo just sighed. How in Equestria did this guy manage to make shape-shifting magic sound boring? Why did this particular changeling have to be the one assigned to teach her? And why, oh why, did his lesson plan consist of hours of him talking, and only twenty minutes of actual practice?!
It was always so painful to sit through, but today was especially awful. While she was stuck sitting here as this old geezer slowly turned her brain to goo, history was being made back at the hive. The royal visitation was underway, and Scootaloo kept picking up bits of feedback.
That guy’s looking right at me! What should I do?!
Does this purple pony ever shut up?
What the buck is Goose wearing?!
Now, Scootaloo had known she’d be staying home when the visit happened, so she wasn’t too bothered by that. No, what bothered her was that her teacher, who was part of the same hive as her, was still teaching in the same boring repetitive way as if it were just another Monday. There was no way in Equestria the guy wasn’t picking up feedback himself. Did he even care that changelingkind was on the verge of entering a new age?
And could he at least acknowledge that disguise magic wasn’t going to be so important to get perfect anymore when changelings became public citizens? Was the geezer so out of touch that he couldn’t even acknowledge what he was teaching was going to be out of date soon?
“... which is why you must never let it falter. To let your disguise fail is to expose us all to the world. When you step outside that door, you hold the fate of our entire race in your hooves…” he continued.
Apparently, yes. Scootaloo pulled on her cheeks and held back a groan. Her patience was always worn thin during these sessions, but today she was just about ready to explode.
What the buck am I even doing here? This is such a waste of my time. Thorax could teach me better, and he’s still learning himself! I don’t know how much more of this I can take, thought Scootaloo.
“...So, as you can see, it is crucial that every aspect is harnessed. Next, let’s talk about the corrupted nature of our arcanic tissue,” continued the teacher.
That was the straw that broke Scootaloo’s back.
“What?! Again?! No, I am not sitting here listening to you repeat the exact same thing you’ve said every lesson for the past two years!” cried Scootaloo.
The teacher blinked in surprise. Meanwhile, all of Scootaloo’s siblings went silent.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did Scoots just mouth back the geezer? asked Uno.
Oh, this’ll be good. Where’s the popcorn? added Lynx.
Fight! Fight! Fight! cheered Twitch.
Finally, the teacher regained his wits and cleared his throat.
“Scootaloo, you know perfectly well that you cannot attempt disguise magic without understanding the theory behind…” he started.
Scootaloo didn’t let him finish.
“I do understand the theory! What do you think I am, two years old? We have a disguise academy for a reason! I wouldn’t be sitting here, listening to you, if I didn’t pass the basics first! Why are you trying to teach me things I already know?!” exclaimed Scootaloo.
The teacher put a hoof to his head and let out a sigh of disdain.
“Scootaloo, the academy exists for one purpose. It’s just like Magic Kindergarten or Flight School: it’s not about teaching a race’s unique abilities. It’s supposed to educate children on the dangers of improper magic use by any means necessary. Better for children to be traumatized by the knowledge of the dangers than let them miscast spells or fly recklessly and risk irreversible harm,” he explained.
“Yeah, and how do you think they traumatize foals in the first place? Nothing but ghost stories of changelings who made horrible mistakes? That was just lesson two. Lesson three was ‘Corruption, corruption, corruption.’ I know perfectly well how my arcanic tissue is corrupted and how that affects my magic, no thanks to you,” spat Scootaloo.
The teacher scoffed.
“Oh, and I suppose the lessons you learned as a foal are adequate? Your knowledge is simply too limited to understand the finer workings of changeling magic. You need to understand that our arcanic tissue is as fully developed as any pony’s but…” he started.
“But unlike ponies ours is improperly aligned with our nervous system, which causes it to be far more flexible, but also much more limited. It’s why we are able to utilize the magic of all three tribes, but are easily surpassed by all of them in terms of raw magical potential,” recited Scootaloo with an eyeroll.
The teacher once again blinked in surprise.
Huh. Guess Scootaloo is capable of learning a thing or two after all, commented Dove.
“Then there’s the tissue fissures in my chitin, the ‘burning’ membranes just underneath them, the five laws of focus, and blah blah blah. It’s the exact same thing I learned at the academy. The exact same thing you say again every bucking week. I get it. Now can we please stop wasting our time just sitting here repeating it and move on to the practical training? That’s the stuff that actually helps me learn,” said Scootaloo.
The teacher was lost for words for a moment, but then let out an indignant huff.
“Fine then. If you are so convinced of your capabilities, why don’t you demonstrate technique sixty-three?” he challenged.
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow.
“Sixty-three? The only reason I even know that one is because my older brother keeps teasing me about it. How the buck am I supposed to perform magic if you’ve never told me the spell matrix, or let me get any practice in first?” demanded Scootaloo.
“Everything is built upon the theory. When you fully understand it, there is nothing you cannot do. If you truly comprehend it as well as you claim, you shouldn’t need the spell matrix. If you can do it, then I will acknowledge that a change to the curriculum may be necessary. Otherwise, we shall continue with me teaching you the appropriate way. Now please form your disguise,” commanded the teacher.
Scootaloo’s anger grew even greater, but she wasn’t the only one.
What the buck? What kind of twisted logic is that?! cried Goose.
He wastes hours repeating himself just to demand something he never taught? What is with this guy? asked Beetle.
I take it back. You were right Scootaloo, that geezer is the worst teacher in the hive, said Bubbles.
Right, that’s it. If the teacher doesn’t want to play fair, then neither will the class. Pay attention Scoots, I’m sending you the spell matrix, said Uno.
Scootaloo closed her eyes as the information flowed from the hivemind into her. Of course, knowing the matrix didn’t mean she’d be able to pull it off, but at least now she had a clue what she was doing.
Thanks, Uno. Alright, here goes nothing, thought Scootaloo.
She focused her magic, and her body when up in green flames.
“And then what happened?” asked Sweetie Belle with a smile.
“Well, it turns out that I actually have a natural talent for technique sixty-three. I pulled it off on the first try,” said Scootaloo with pride.
The next morning, Scootaloo was sharing what had happened with her friends and Thorax on the way to school. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face, though she was still keeping an eye out to make sure they weren’t overheard.
“Wow. I’ve been hearing rumors about that guy for awhile now. I didn’t know teachers could be that stubborn. Did he really change the lesson plan?” asked Thorax.
“Well, it took a full three minutes for his brain to start working again. And when it did, the first thing he did was complain to my mom about my attitude. I didn’t get everything, but I did hear him stutter something about ‘a clear sign she’s being held back.’ Guess he wasn’t very popular with the adults in the hive either,” said Scootaloo with a shrug.
“Well, considerin’ what kind of teacher he was, Ah’m surprised she didn’t chew him out sooner,” commented Apple Bloom.
“Probably because of some political reason or something. Anyways, with the geezer gone I’m finally going to get some decent tutoring for my magic. Just you wait, I’m going to be pulling off awesome disguises in no time!” exclaimed Scootaloo.
“That’s great Scootaloo. By the way, what exactly is technique sixty-three?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo paused and looked at her friend with a coy smile. Thorax, on the other hoof, turned away with a blush.
“You know what, why don’t I just show you. Come on, let’s get behind that bush real quick,” said Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shared an uncertain look, but their curiosity won the day.
“Alright. Just make sure ya don’t out yourself tryin’ to show off,” said Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
“Please, like I’d ever be that careless. Now get over here before somepony notices,” said Scootaloo.
After ducking behind the bush and checking one more time for possible witnesses, Scootaloo dropped her disguise.
“All right, now check this out,” said Scootaloo.
With a green flash, Scootaloo turned into a colt version of herself. A rather cute colt version of herself, at that.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom blinked in surprise. They hadn’t seen that coming.
“Hey there, cutie. You look sweet enough to be made of chocolate,” said colt Scootaloo with a wink.
Sweetie Belle cringed.
“Wow, Scootaloo. Were you trying to use the cheesiest pickup line you could think of?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo gave her a cheeky smile.
“Of course. I figured I’d put my newfound charms to use and see if I could make you forget about your coltfriend,” said Scootaloo.
“He’s not my coltfriend,” objected Sweetie Belle with a scowl.
“Not yet at least. Though with me around, he’ll probably never be,” said Scootaloo in a very husky tone.
Sweetie Belle facehooved.
“Wow, Scoots. Ah’ve heard some mighty bad flirtin’ around town, but yours has to be the worst Ah’ve ever had the misfortune of hearin’. And ya sound more like a stallion that’s tryin’ too hard than somepony our age. Ya might look like a colt, but ya sure ain’t actin’ like one,” said Apple Bloom with a roll of her eyes.
“Really? Because it looks like my very presence is making your eyes spin. Admit it, you like what you see,” said Scootaloo while she flexed a muscle.
Apple Bloom facehooved.
Scootaloo chuckled. She was having way too much fun with this.
Unfortunately, while they were keeping an eye out for anyone coming near them, they forgot to look up. And at that moment, a certain unpopular lawyer flew right over them. He didn’t look down, but it was already too late for Scootaloo.
“Hey, Sweetie Belle! What are you doing back here… oh! Who are you?” asked Button Mash as he seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Everyone jumped, and Scootaloo paled.
Uh oh. OK, just stay calm and talk your way out of it. You just have to make him leave for a second and you can change back. This shouldn’t be too hard, thought Scootaloo.
“Hello, everypony. My name’s Scooter. I’m Scootaloo’s cousin from Cloudsdale. My parents are working in Ponyville all day, so I’m going to be a guest student,” said Scootaloo from the front of the classroom.
Despite her best efforts, she’d been unable to talk Button Mash into leaving them long enough for her to change disguises. And since the school bell had rung with Button still with them, she now had to spend the whole day as a colt, trying to convince everypony that she totally wasn’t Scootaloo.
This was going to suck.
“Scootaloo’s cousin? Scootaloo never said she had a cousin,” nodded Rumble.
“You never talk about your cousin either, Rumble,” countered Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo gave Apple Bloom a thankful nod. She was so lucky she had friends to help her, no matter how badly she messed up.
“Yeah, that’s true. But if Scooter’s here, then where’s Scootaloo?” asked Rumble.
Scootaloo took a deep breath. Time to put her untrained skills at improv disguise making to the test. Hopefully it wouldn't be too pathetic.
“That’s part of why my parents are here in the first place. Something about tutoring, I think,” said Scootaloo.
“Really? Scootaloo never told me anything about that,” noted Cheerilee.
“Well, yeah. My parents aren’t the kind of ponies who like to stick to schedules. They just look at the list of ponies they need to teach, and rush off at whichever one catchers their eye. It’s kind of annoying really, having to go all over the place because they never have the time to find someone to watch over me,” said Scootaloo.
Cheerilee raised her eyebrow, but then shook her head and smiled.
“I see. Well, we’re all glad to have you with us today, Scooter. Please take a seat,” said Cheerilee.
Scootaloo let out a sigh of relief and slowly trotted to her desk. Most of the class was giving her funny looks, but nopony said anything.
Why me, grumbled Scootaloo.
Because you got careless. I understand that you were still glowing from your recent achievement, but you should have been more vigilant, chided Blue Monarch.
Scootaloo winced.
Please tell me I’m not in serious trouble for this, thought Scootaloo.
No, but I expect you to take full responsibility for this mess and to get out of it without incident, said Blue Monarch.
Scootaloo let out another sigh, but her confidence returned.
Alright, that shouldn’t be too hard. Everything's under control. I just have to pretend to be a guy for the rest of the school day. As long as I don’t draw too much attention to myself, this should be easy. Just blend into the background so nopony remembers Scooter ever existed, thought Scootaloo.
But then, as her gaze swept the room, she noticed that Dinky Hooves was watching her closely with an especially weird look on her face.
Wait, why is Dinky looking at me like that? Thought Scootaloo.
And then Scootaloo noticed the emotional cocktail Dinky was sending her way. Not only was it tasty, but it was somewhat filling. That could mean only one thing:
Puppy love.
Hey guys, check it out! Scootaloo’s having an internal breakdown!
Wow. She’s cursing up a storm. She’s sure to get grounded for this.
Well, she is getting hit on by another filly who doesn’t know she’s a filly...
I agree. This is definitely worth flipping out over, though I wish she wasn’t using such strong language.
Pfff. I heard worst. This really isn’t that- Whoa!
Gah!
Eep!
…
Ahem. Would someone be willing to tell me where my daughter heard such a… colorful expression?
Uh oh...
Someone’s gonna get in trouble!
Shut up, Twitch!
By some miracle, the rest of the school day passed without any major incident. Many a pony looked at Scootaloo funny, and Diamond Tiara looked ready to burst into laughter every time she turned towards her for some reason, but nopony seemed interested in talking with their one-time classmate. Scootaloo thought this was odd, but she definitely wasn't complaining.
Even so, this was hooves down the worst day of school in Scootaloo’s life. She was terrified that at any moment somepony would see right through her and realize how stupid her cover story was. It was kind of embarrassing how poor a job she had done, but it wasn’t like her tutor had helped her practice.
But even more stressful was Dinky. Every time Scootaloo glanced at her, Dinky turned away with a blush. Scootaloo could feel a date invitation coming ever closer like a storm in the distance. A date she was hesitant to turn down because doing so would probably make Dinky cry. And making Dinky cry was practically a death sentence. There was a reason Diamond Tiara never teased Dinky despite her lack of a cutie mark. A bubbly reason.
And if that wasn’t enough, Scootaloo learned something new about love: when it’s directed at you, it’s very hard to ignore. The love Dinky was emanating stood out to Scootaloo like a strong perfume, and it kept drawing her attention despite her best efforts. Luckily, Cheerilee seemed reluctant to call on Scooter to answer questions for some reason, so the distraction didn’t get her in trouble.
It also helped that Scootaloo managed to bail out of recess and its pitfalls by spending it in the bathroom. Shame that the stallion’s restroom itself was rather disappointing.
I knew you were full of crap when you told me the guy’s bathroom was painted awesome colors, Uno, thought Scootaloo.
It is at the hive, and you’re never going to be able to prove otherwise, countered Uno.
Finally, the day came to an end. Not even waiting for her friends, Scootaloo dashed for the door as soon as the bell rang in a desperate bid to escape.
She only got past a single row of desks.
“Oh, hello there, Scooter! My name’s Dinky. Where are you going in such a hurry?” asked Dinky as she blocked Scootaloo’s escape route. She had a very... smitten tone.
Scootaloo winched. So much for plan A. She really hoped plan B sounded better out loud than it did in her head.
“Well, school lasted longer than I thought it would. My parents were expecting me to be back by now, and I don’t want them to worry,” said Scootaloo.
Nope. it still sounded pathetic.
“Aw, that’s a shame. You see, there's this really cool place called Sugarcube Corner, and I was hoping you’d take me out for some ice cream,” said Dinky with flutter of her eyelashes.
Scootaloo had to fight back the urge to cry. Everything was going so very, very wrong. Unfortunately, this along with the love being sent to her made it rather difficult to speak.
“Um… that’s uh… I mean…” she stuttered.
“OK, it’s decided! You go say hi to your parents, and we can meet up at Sugarcube Corner. Scootaloo’s friends can tell you where it is. See you then,” said Dinky with a smile.
Dinky turned and left, still radiating love at Scootaloo.
Scootaloo could only stand there and stare into space as the rest of class trotted out. She heard Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon giggling at her, but she was too lost in thought to care. What was she going to do?
“Well, that’s just great,” said Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo jumped and turned to see her friends looking at her with deadpan expressions. Thorax just looked worried.
“OK, I understand that you probably didn’t want to make Dinky sad, but was it really so hard to say no? It’s a single, two letter syllable. If you had said it, this whole thing would be over and done with right now,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Yeah. Aren’t ya supposed to be… ya know what? How can ya be so bad at comin’ up with excuses? Are ya just easily distracted by her looks when you're like this or somethin’?” asked Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo let out an indignant huff, before leaning in close.
“Well, sorry if my teacher for the last few years was horrible. And no, it wasn’t her looks that kept me occupied. I had to deal with Dinky giving me love all day. You know I eat that stuff, right? You try ignoring a tasty meal when it’s right under your nose,” whispered Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shook their heads, but they didn’t argue the point any further.
“So, what happens now?” asked Thorax.
Scootaloo sighed.
“Well, first thing first, I’m going to have to talk with my ‘actual parents’ so we can put together a consistent story. And then…” Scootaloo trailed off.
“And then ya have to go on a date with Dinky,” finished Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo let out another sigh.
“Well, maybe someone at the hive could fill in for you? One with more experience at faking an identity?” suggested Thorax.
“Rule of the Cloudsdale Hive, Thorax: you mess up, you clean up, unless it’s too big a mess for one changeling. Going on a date is hardly something that requires backup so… yeah. Uh… any tips, Sweetie Belle? I mean, aside from the fact that your ice cream date actually got you a coltfriend and…” asked Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle let out a frustrated groan.
“Button is not my coltfriend, Scootaloo. Do I have to let Sweetie Bot give you another reminder of that?” demanded Sweetie Belle.
“Er… no thanks. But seriously? Is there anything you can tell me?” asked Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle sighed.
“Well, I can tell you to not worry about it too much. Try and enjoy your ice cream, and if you start talking with Dinky, be polite and keep the conversation going. And why are you asking me for advice, anyway? Didn’t you advise me last time?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“It’s a lot harder to remember the details when you’re the one about to face the music,” admitted Scootaloo.
Oh great All-Mother, please spare me the horror I am about to experience, prayed Scootaloo.
Alas, no great alicorn of creation appeared before her. She did get the feeling someone was giggling at her though.
Oh, wait.
I wasn’t praying to you, Dove, thought Scootaloo.
I know. That’s why I’m giggling and not demanding you offer me proper tribute, countered Dove.
Scootaloo let out what was possibly sigh number two hundred of the day. Resigned to her fate, she stepped into Sugarcube Corner. As was to be expected, it was crowded. Ponies everywhere of all ages chatting and eating tasty treats.
Nevertheless, Scootaloo spotted Dinky easily. The unicorn filly waved at Scootaloo and beckoned her over.
Scootaloo reluctantly took a seat next to her.
“What’ll it be, you two?” asked Pinkie Pie the moment Scootaloo sat down.
“Plain vanilla ice cream for me, please,” said Dinky.
“Same here,” mumbled Scootaloo. She really wasn’t in the mood for anything fancy right then and there.
“Alrighty then! Enjoy!” said Pinkie as tossed two full ice cream bowls down in front of them before dashing off.
Dinky levitated her spoon and started eating, while Scootaloo just sat there while her nerves ran wild.
OK. We’re here, and the date’s started. Now we just sit here and eat until one of us decided to start a conversation. Ugh. Well, I’m definitely not about to start talking, so I guess I’ll just have to wait for Dinky to say something, thought Scootaloo.
Several minutes of awkward silence passed. Feeling rather foolish and embarrassed, Scootaloo forced herself to start eating her ice cream. It wasn’t bad, but it did little to calm her down.
Finally, Dinky opened her mouth to speak.
“So, how did it happen?” asked Dinky.
Scootaloo blinked in confusion. What kind of conversation starter was that?
“How did what happen?” she asked.
“How did you turn into a colt?” asked Dinky.
Scootaloo proceeded to choke on her ice cream.
“Gah… *cough*... what?! Uh… I mean… what are you talking about?” Scootaloo stammered out.
Dinky rolled her eyes.
“I know it’s you, Scootaloo. I mean really, ‘Scooter?’ Distant cousin? That was the dumbest fake identity I’ve ever heard. Were you even trying to hide it?” asked Dinky.
Despite her rising panic and disbelief, Scootaloo couldn’t help but be feel like she was being insulted. Yes, her performance that day had been somewhat lacking, but she wasn’t that pathetic!
“Hey, I’ll have you know I did put some effort into it with what little time I had. I had to be related to myself in some way to excuse my own absence, and I look way too much like myself to be anything other than a family member. Family names aren’t too uncommon, so us having similar names wouldn’t be too odd. And everypony knows I don’t have a twin brother, so it had to be a cousin, or else it would be too obvious,” argued Scootaloo.
“It was still too obvious. I’m pretty sure everypony knew it was you,” said Dinky with a shake of her head.
Scootaloo sagged at this news.
“Everypony? Even...” muttered Scootaloo.
“Yes, even Snails,” said Dinky as she ate her ice cream.
A small part of Scootaloo died that day. It died in shame at the thought that her improvised disguise was so bad that even the class dummy wasn’t fooled. The rest of Scootaloo could only stare into space in silent despair.
Ouch. She’s gonna need some cream for that, commented Beetle.
Well, to be fair it was her first time doing serious improv, something the geezer never bothered teaching her, added Lynx.
Yeah, Lynx is right. Don’t let it get to you, Scoots, said Poppy.
Scootaloo let out a sigh and tried to reclaim her bearings. She picked up her spoon and took a bite of her ice cream to try and calm…
Wait.
Scootaloo took a moment to swallow, then turned to Dinky.
“Hold on a minute, you knew who I was, but you still asked me out on a date?! Why the hay would you do that?!” demanded Scootaloo.
Dinky gave Scootaloo a sincere smile.
“Like I said, everypony knew it was you. Diamond Tiara was just waiting for the perfect time to call you out on it. But if you’re with me then Diamond Tiara’s too nervous to start something, and you don’t get bullied until you can fix this. Well, at least I figured whatever happened must be reversible, or else you would have just come clean,” explained Dinky.
Scootaloo blinked in surprise.
“Oh. Well, uh, thanks, Dinky. And yeah, I’ll be back to normal before school tomorrow. But… why a date if you just wanted to hang out?” asked Scootaloo.
And why the buck were you sending me love? Scootaloo did not ask.
Dinky’s smile turned into a smirk.
“You do realize how cute you look as a colt, right? I mean, even knowing it’s you, I can’t help but want to cuddle you. Of course, you’re not the first colt to do this to me, and I doubt you’ll be the last. But still, it was nice to act on these feelings for once without having to worry about forming an actual relationship with a stranger I just met. Besides, you know what they say about orange pegasus stallions,” said Dinky with a roll of her eyes.
Scootaloo did not know what they say about such things, but decided she probably didn’t want to. Still, that explained the puppy love in a way that didn’t make Scootaloo want to tear her mane out. The tension that had been plaguing her all day finally died down.
“That, and because any excuse to split the bill for ice cream is a good excuse,” said Dinky with a smirk as she bit into her vanilla goodness.
Scootaloo had to chuckle at that. She did feel a little guilty though at the thought that Dinky felt this was necessary.
“Yeah, OK. I can’t argue with that. And as long as you know we’re not going to start something between us, I guess it’s fine. Although, you do realized that if everypony knew it was me, a lot of ponies are going to think you have a thing for fillies turned into colts,” said Scootaloo as she bit into her own ice cream.
“Eh, I’ll just tell them the truth: It wasn’t really about love or anything. And really, the only ponies who would have a problem with that sort of thing are the ones whose opinions don’t really matter,” said Dinky with a shrug.
“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” agreed Scootaloo.
Several minutes passed while the two ate in comfortable silence. After a while though, Scootaloo felt the need to say something. Even if it wasn’t really a date, it seemed like it wouldn’t be proper to just sit there quietly. She figured this was what Sweetie Belle was talking about.
“So… uh… what’s new with you, Dinky?” asked Scootaloo.
“Nothing much. Still learning the basics of magic, still helping my mom around the house, and still don’t have my cutie mark,” said Dinky.
“Huh. Remind me again why you never joined the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” asked Scootaloo.
“Because I enjoy not being responsible for tons of property damage, and because I don’t obsess over getting my cutie mark as much as you girls do,” deadpanned Dinky.
“Oh, right. Well, we’re actually kinda getting over that,” said Scootaloo.
Now it was Dinky’s turn to choke on her ice cream.
“*Cough* What?! You three getting over your cutie marks?! Since when?!” demanded Dinky.
Since we realized that the three of us are never getting them? thought Scootaloo.
“Since mid summer. And it’s true. We really aren’t so focused with our cutie marks anymore. Apple Bloom’s still nagging us about coming up with a new name for ourselves,” said Scootaloo.
Dinky sat back in her chair and shook her head.
“Wow. I wouldn't believe it was possible, but now that I think about it that explains how you three have been able to ignore Diamond Tiara so easily lately. She just keeps getting more and more frustrated about that, you know,” said Dinky.
“Well, that’s her problem, not ours,” said Scootaloo with a shrug.
Finally, the not-really-a-date was over. Scootaloo and Dinky left on positive terms, and nothing else came of it. As soon as the coast was clear, Scootaloo turned back into her normal filly self, and hurried home.
Thank Celestia that’s done with. And nothing really bad happened either, thought Scootaloo.
Indeed. I hope you’ve learned a valuable lesson today, my little firefly, said Blue Monarch.
Yeah. And it only took you making a public fool of yourself in a way that everypony was too polite to call you out on to do it, said Dove.
Shut it, Dove. And yeah, I think I did mom. Aside for the whole ‘don’t get careless’ thing, I mean. Something about not assuming things about what other ponies think of you, right? thought Scootaloo.
I suppose that's a valid thing to learn, though I was referring to one of the more basic rules about romance, said Blue Monarch.
Which is? asked Scootaloo.
Never ask someone out on a date just because they’re pretty. You never know what dark secrets they’re hiding under their skin, said Blue Monarch with a giggle.
Scootaloo had to fight back the urge to moan. Her mother was just unbearable sometimes.
Wait, isn’t that a quote from the hive manifesto? commented Beetle.
Blue Monarch gave an awkward cough.
Well, not an exact quote. I paraphrased the bit about dating…
Ugh…
Boo!
Mom, can you do us all a favor and stop trying to be so mysterious? You’re not very good at it.
I have no idea what you’re talking about, sweetie. Also, you're grounded for that comment.
But it’s true mom!
Even if it were, you’re still grounded.
But didn’t you fail drama class as a filly, mom?
That’s just a rumor my sister started. And now you’re grounded too.
Scootaloo sighed and toned her family out. Just another day in the Cloudsdale hive.