The sun was beginning to set right as the Cutie Mark Crusaders had finished drafting tentative plans for the rest of the month, making sure to have at least one attempt at getting Scootaloo’s cutie mark for each day within a month’s time. That’s all the time they had left- a month, 4 weeks, and 30 days. No matter how they looked at it, it just seemed like so little time, but Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were both confident that it could be done.
Scootaloo’s spirits had been raised, a small smile evident on her face as they tacked up their plans on the clubhouse wall. They had set up the best month she could dream of, and yet she knew the outcome would still be bitter sweet. No matter what they planned, nor what they did, none would change the outcome after the month’s passing. So much to do and little time to do it, and they still had to get through a few barriers first.
Sweetie Belle had suggested a few sleepovers at both her and Applebloom’s places, though the three fillies would all need permission first. It was a simple task for Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, but Scootaloo felt she’d have a little difficulty; mostly due to the fact she still didn’t feel well enough to even speak to her parents at the moment. Supplies they would need for some of their plans may have been difficult to obtain, but when had that ever stopped the three determined crusaders?
Scootaloo reached into the bag of fruit tarts, grabbing the last tart to slowly munch on it. She was glad that Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had insisted on her eating the whole bag; she was rather ravenous from not eating much for the past few days. Her ear twitched as Apple Bloom spoke.
“Aw, shoot- the sun’s goin’ down. We should probably start headin’ home.” The girls sighed. “Scoot, why don’t ya’ let Sweetie and Ah walk ya home- that way we don’t miss out on a minute of you still bein’ here.”
“Oh, I like that idea!” Sweetie Belle squeaked with a little bounce.
“Sure, I guess,” Scootaloo sighed, head starting to hang low.
“Aw, cheer up, Scoot. We’re goin’ make the best of this, don’t ya worry.” Applebloom smiled at Scootaloo.
“I know, I know,” Scootaloo replied, getting up to get her saddle bag. The girls grabbed their stuff and left the club house. They weaved their way through the apple orchard, heading straight through town, refining a few of their plans- as well as coming up with a few more.
Their chatter slowly quieted as they approached Scootaloo’s house with only a few lights on within. They stood on the doorstep in silence. Applebloom moved over to Scootaloo before giving her a strong hug. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Scoots.”
“Yeah…” Scootaloo replied in a low voice, before turning to receive a hug from Sweetie Belle. “Thanks.” Both girls turned and walked away from the house. They stopped once they hit the main road, and gave Scootaloo a little wave. They watched as Scootaloo waved back before sighing and turning towards. They walked away as they heard Scootaloo open and shut the door.
“Hey Sweetie Belle,” Applebloom whispered, beginning their trek through town. “Do you think Rarity would mind if you’re a little late?”
Sweetie Belle thought for a moment. “She might start getting all dramatic about it, but I don’t think she’d mind too much. Why?
“Ah think we need to see a certain pegasus,” Apple Bloom replied, doubling her speed and passing the street she would have normally turned off to head home.
Sweetie Belle joined her to keep her pace. “Wait, Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom gave her a look that seemed to say “are you serious,” and soon enough it clicked. “Oh…. Oohhhh.” They both raced off to where they figured they’d find Rainbow Dash. Sweetie Belle giggled, finally catching on to Apple Bloom’s plan.
~~~~~
Scootaloo closed the door behind her and began heading towards her room. Suddenly a movement from the living room indicated that she wasn’t alone.
“Scootaloo, where have you been? I was starting to get worried.” Scootaloo’s mother approached her, taking her into her arms for a hug. Scootaloo wiggled out of the embrace, turning away from her. “Come on Scootaloo, talk to me,” her mother said softly, yet sternly.
Scootaloo sighed. “I was out with my friends, just lost track of time.”
“Scootaloo, you know I don’t like it when you’re out late by yourself,” Her mom tried to reason while nuzzling her daughter’s hair. Scootaloo moved her head away from her mother’s muzzle. “I wasn’t alone, my friends walked me here.”
“Well then, let’s reheat you some dinner-I made one of your favorites, spaghetti and hay-balls.” She smiled as Scootaloo’s ears flicked up a bit. They walked further into the house. Scootaloo deposited her saddlebags by the door to her room while her mother entered the kitchen, levitating some of the wrapped left overs out of the refrigerator and over to the stove.
Scootaloo seated herself at the table and waited for her mother to finish warming up her meal. Soon a steaming hot plate of spaghetti was levitated in front of her and placed down gently next to a glass of water and a fork. Scootaloo began eating as her mother sat herself down with a glass of carrot juice and a book.
Halfway through her plate, Scootaloo stopped eating and looked up at her mother. “Mom, would it be alright if, well, for the next couple of weekends, I slept over with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom?”
Her mother glanced up to her daughter as she mulled it over. “Which house would you be staying at?”
“I think we’re going to alternate between each place.. We haven’t decided whose place we’re going to be at this weekend.” Scootaloo informed.
“I see. And are their parents okay with these sleepovers?” her mother inquired.
Scootaloo shrugged. “Not sure yet, they still need to ask them.”
Scootaloo’s mother took a sip of her carrot juice. She watched as Scootaloo shifted in her seat, waiting in anticipation for her mother’s reply. She smiled as she sat her glass down. “Alright, I’ll let you, but only if they say it’s okay. And you need to start your packing- I want to see progress of that done in your room each weekend. Can we agree to those terms?”
Scootaloo groaned slightly at the mentioning of packing, it was the one thing she dreaded. She nodded and fluttered her wings a bit at how easy it was to get her mother to agree. She began eating her meal again, glad that this hurdle had been passed.
~~~~~~~
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle stopped right under the large cloud house in which a certain rainbow maned pegasus resided. They both squinted, checking for any sign of somepony inside. “Well, ah hope she’s in.” Applebloom tilted her head slightly, as if the new angle would give her a better view.
Applebloom took in a deep breath before calling out, “Rainbow Dash!” They waited and listened but nothing could be heard from the floating house.
Sweetie Belle shook her head before sucking in a large amount of air before bellowing out, “RAINBOW DASH!!’ Applebloom jumped in surprise at how loud her shout was, she swore she could outmatch Luna’s royal Canterlot voice.
A crash could be heard from inside the floating house, followed by the sound of a door opening moments later. Rainbow Dash glanced around a bit before spotting the two fillies on the ground. Leaping off her cloudy porch, Rainbow Dash glided down to meet the two crusaders.
“Um, hey girls. Isn’t it a bit late for you two to be out?” Rainbow Dash asked inquisitively, slightly confused by the late visit.
“Um, yeah. Well, we have somethin’ to talk to you about.” Applebloom kicked up a bit of dust off the ground with her front hoof.
Rainbow looked at the two girls. Both had their ears pulled back as if something was bothering them. She didn’t mind listening to the crusaders, though they sometimes got a little too loud for her taste. She then noticed the absence of the third- The one that would normally have made her presence very well known. “Wait, where’s Scootaloo?”
“Well, that’s kinda what we want to talk about,” Sweetie answered softly.
~~~~~~
Right as Scootaloo finished her meal, the door swung open for the second time that night. At the door was her father, panting slightly from his commute from Cloudsdale. His wings hung low on his sides, too tired to keep them tucked. He trudged into the house, placing his briefcase down on the floor. Scootaloo gave him a slight glare, and feelings of betrayal resurfaced within her; though it was eased a bit from seeing her father so tired. ‘It must have been one of those days,’ she thought.
“Oh, welcome home, honey!” Scootaloo’s mother was quick to get off her chair and over to her husband, giving him a gentle kiss. “Would you like something to eat?” He nodded, sending her retreating to the kitchen to serve up a small portion of food.
As her father drew closer to the table, Scootaloo could see a few hairs out of place in his mane, and his eyes seemed like they could barely stay open for any longer. He came up to her and tried to plant a small kiss on her head, but Scootaloo lowered her head out of his way. His tired eyes seemed to have enough energy to show his surprise, and he sighed before moving into his seat.
Feeling that she didn’t want to be around anymore, Scootaloo jumped off her chair and headed for her room. “Scoot…” she heard her father call out to her, but she chose to ignore him before picking up her bags and disappearing into her room.
~~~~~~
Sweetie Belle finally made it to Carousel Boutique, trying hard to make her entrance as quiet as possible.
“SWEETIE BELLE!”
Rarity rushed into the room. “Where in Equestria have you been?! I was worried sick!”
Sweetie Belle looked up at Rarity with large watery eyes, her lower lip trembling. She tried to keep herself from crying all the way home. She ran over to her sister, launching herself into a hug and burying her face in Rarity’s chest.
“My… Sweetie Belle, what ever is the matter?” Rarity’s voice softened in concern. She wrapped one hoof around her little sister and began stroking her sister’s mane in the other.
Sweetie Belle began to sob and shake in Rarity’s embrace, feeling her sister’s grasp tighten around her comfortably. “It… it… Scootaloo… She’s moving,” she managed to get out.
“Oh, oh, my poor dear..” Rarity nuzzled her sister’s mane. “I’m so sorry to hear that.. Here, I’ll make you some hot cocoa, and you can tell me all about it,” she soothed.
Sweetie Belle sniffled as she looked up at her sister. “Okay…” Sweetie said with a nod. “Can it have marshmallows in it too?”
“Of course.” Rarity got up with along with Sweetie Belle before heading over to the kitchen. “I should make us something quick for dinner while I’m at it.”
~~~~~~
Applebloom walked into the farm yard right as Applejack was heading out to look for her. “There you are, Applebloom. We’ve been waitin’ for you so we can start dinner. You know how much an appetite yer brother gets from workin’. “
“Yeah, I know..” Apple Bloom hung her head. Applejack noticed the gloomy tone her sister had in her voice as she continued to make her way to the farm house.
“Whoa there, Sugarcube, what seems to be the problem?” Applejack placed a concerned hoof on her sister’s shoulder.
Applebloom exhaled with a slight shudder. Sitting down, she looked up at her older sister. “Well, you see, Scootaloo is gonna be movin’ soon to Fillydelphia..” Tears began to form in her eyes.
“Oh.” Applejack moved closer to Apple Bloom and wrapped her up in a hug, “I’m sorry to hear that.” They held each other for a moment. Applejack looked down at Apple Bloom and whipped some of her tears away. “We should get inside before Granny sends out the cavalry fer us.” Apple Bloom nodded and they both got up to head inside to the smell of home cooked meal.