//------------------------------// // part 1 // Story: Tell me Why // by Derec mc coy //------------------------------// “Scootaloo? Are you there?” Applebloom walked through Ponyville Square, looking for her pegasus friend. She has been looking for her for the whole morning. Applebloom decided to go to her other friend, Sweetie belle. Ponyville’s own fashionista opened the door of the carousel boutique. “Well, hello darling. How are you?” “I’m fine,” Applebloom responded with her heavy accent. “Is Sweetie belle home?” “Well, yes. She’s in her room, upstairs.” Rarity stepped back, and let Applebloom enter. “Is there something wrong sweetie? You seem kind of worried.” “Well,” Applebloom responded. “I’ve been looking for Scootaloo for like, the whole morning, but I can’t find her.” “And she isn’t home?” Rarity asked. “No, she’s nowhere!” Applebloom walked to the stairs. “I actually hoped Sweetie Belle knows something” “Oh, well. I’m sure there is nothing to worry about.” Rarity smiled. Applebloom turned around with a concerned look on her face. “I hope so too” She hopped upstairs, as fast as she could, but right before she left Rarity behind, she turned around one last time “Rarity?” she asked. Rarity was about to continue her work, but looked up and turned to the little filly. “Yes sweetie?” “Do you have any Idea where she could be?” Applebloom asked. “I’m afraid I don’t have the slightest idea.” Rarity said. Applebloom put her head down “Oh, okay…” and she hopped on the last steps of the stair. “Hmm… maybe I should ask Rainbow Dash. Perhaps she saw Scootaloo.” Rarity mumbled. And she turned back to the dress she was working on. “Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom entered the bedroom. Sweetie Belle looked up from her drawing. “Oh, hey Applebloom.” And she put away her crayons. She took a close look at her friend. “What’s wrong?” “I can’t find Scootaloo. I looked everywhere, but she’s just gone. I looked at her house, the market, even school!” Applebloom said, while she waved her hooves to make it look more dramatic. “Calm down,” Sweetie Belle said. “Maybe she’s hanging out with Rainbow Dash. She does that a lot lately.” “No!” Applebloom exclaimed. “She would come over for….” Applebloom started to blush. “For what?” Sweetie Belle asked. “To… hang out?” Applebloom said with doubt in her voice. “Are you… lying?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Wh.. what? No! Of course not!” Applebloom started to blush again. Sweetie Belle started to smirk “What did you plan? A prank?” She smiled brightly. Applebloom looked around “N…no…” “Yes it is. You wanted to prank me. I knew it!” Sweetie Belle hopped around from joy. “That’s why I wasn’t invited!” “O… okay, you’ve got me.” Applebloom forced a smile. “As long as she believes that…” she mumbled Sweetie Belle stopped jumping. “What was that?” “Nothing,” Applebloom said. “You wanna help look for Scootaloo? I’m a bit worried.” “Sure,” Sweetie Belle said. All of a sudden, she gasped, like she had a great idea “Maybe we could become detectives and get our detective cutie mark!” “We already tried that.” Applebloom said, with a monotone voice. “Oh, right. Forgot that.” Sweetie Belle smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. Now, what are we waiting for? C’mon, let’s find her!” Applebloom yelled, and she ran outside. Sweetie Belle looked a bit surprised. “Okay. But I have to tell Rarity first. She would be worried if I disappear all of a sudden” “Quick then.” Applebloom said. “Okay,” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Why are you so impatient?” Applebloom was almost jumping up and down. “I’m not! I’m just a bit worried.” “You almost shake out of your coat. Please. Calm down. Scootaloo will be fine.” Sweetie Belle said a bit annoyed. “Oh, what if she had an accident with her scooter, or…. she fell of a stairway, or…. caught by ninja ponies!” Applebloom exclaimed. “Ninja ponies? Really?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Please. Why all those thoughts suddenly?” “I don’t know! I just really need to pee!” Applebloom ran to the toilet as fast as she could. “Of course you have.” Sweetie Belle said. She cleaned up her crayons, and walked downstairs to her elder sister. “Hello sweetie,” Rarity said when she noticed her younger sister. “Did Applebloom find you?” “Yes. She’s in the bathroom now. She’s overreacting a bit.” Sweetie Belle said. “I noticed she acts a bit off. And it is strange that Applebloom can’t find Scootaloo.” Rarity said. “Please. She’s just hanging out somewhere… nothing strange.” Sweetie Belle said. “I suppose you’re right” Rarity said. “Just, if it turns out to be serious, let me, or somepony else, know. Understood?” “Okay” Sweetie Belle answered. “Is it okay if I help Applebloom look for Scootaloo?” “Of course it is,” Rarity smiled “Be careful.” “Always,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. At that moment, Applebloom walked in the room. “Sweetie Belle, are you ready?” Sweetie Belle gave her big sister a quick hug “I’m ready.” and she left the boutique with her earth pony friend. ***** “Tell me!” a pink Earth Pony filly yelled. She grabbed the light and shone it on an orange colored Pegasus. “Never.” Scootaloo was tight down on a chair. Diamond Tiara slammed on the table in front of her. “You will tell me!” “NO” Scootaloo yelled. Tiara sighed. “You do realize, nopony will find you? Only I know you’re here. And nopony… can hear you…” Tiara sounded a bit threatening. “I can keep you here as long as I want. So if you ever want to see the daylight again, you better work along.” “No…” Scootaloo whispered. “After all those years you bullied, I won’t tell you this… I won’t give you this pleasure…” “Pleasure?” Tiara yelled. “Do you think I do this for my pleasure? No. I do this for revenge, to restore my honor you broke!” “By kidnap me and threat me?” Scootaloo yelled. “To make me tell lies? Yes, that’s how you get respect and honor!” she tried to escape, but the ropes were too tight. “LIES?” Tiara grabbed a brown folder. She threw it on the table, and a few pictures slide out. “You think I make this all up?” she grabbed a picture and showed it to her hostage. “Is this a lie?” “It’s just a picture of me and Applebloom. Nothing more.” Scootaloo said. “Just you and… oh, please. Don’t make me laugh.” Diamond Tiara said. “Look at it. Does this look like you two are ‘playing’.” She picked another picture. “This is beyond friendship…” Scootaloo blushed a bit. “What do you mean.” “Just admit you and Applebloom are in love!” Tiara yelled. “What?” Scootaloo blushed. But her orange coat, and the darkness of the room hidden the red colour. “That’s just plain nonsense.” “Oh yeah?” She showed a picture of Scootaloo hugging. “Just nonsense?” “Okay, we hug. So what? That doesn’t prove anything.” Scootaloo said. She stared at Diamond Tiara with an angry look. “And even if it Is true… who should care?” Diamond Tiara smirked. “Everypony.” Scootaloo cocked her eyebrow. “Why?” “Just imagine. To fillies, loving eachother… I could write the best article ever. I would get my place as director back.” Diamond Tiara. “Think about all the recognition. This isn’t only good for my career. Also for you. If you tell me the truth… you will be a symbol of strong independency. Of rebellion. And I will become a great journalist. The best Ponyville ever had. I will become director!” “Is that what you really think?” Scootaloo asked. “Yes. I’m sure I’ll become the director” Diamond Tiara said. “I mean, about the whole ‘symbol of independency’ thing. You think I get respected because I lo… if I love Applebloom?” Scootaloo asked. “That, or you get bullied for the rest of your life.” Diamond Tiara smirked. She grabbed an audio recorder and hold the microphone close to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo. Do you love Applebloom?” ***** “Come on Sweetie Belle. Hurry!” Applebloom ran across Ponyville square. “Calm down Applebloom.” The little unicorn panted. She trotted behind her friend, but she could barely follow. “There is no time to calm down!” Applebloom exclaimed. “We need to find her!” Sweetie Belle finally caught up with her friend. “Applebloom. Wait.” Applebloom stopped and turned to her friend. “What?” she asked a bit annoyed.” “Why are you so worried about Scootaloo? I know she’s a good friend, but still. She’s just gone for the morning.” Applebloom sighed. “Just…” “And don’t tell me you were about to do some crusading without me.” Sweetie Belle said. “What’s wrong?” “Fine. I think I can trust you…” “THINK???” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “Seriously? How long have we know each other? And you still doubt you can trust me?” “It’s …” Applebloom looked around. “Follow me to our tree house… I’ll explain everything there.” ***** ~~~Two weeks earlier~~~ “Applebloom. What are you doing?” an orange Pegasus filly asked. “I’m trying to make up a new dance move. Our performance from the talent show a little while ago, needs a ‘restyling’,” Applebloom answered. “But it just won’t work.” She tried to spin around on one hoof, but fell down on her flank. “See?” Scootaloo smiled genially. “I see what you do wrong.” She balanced on front hoofs hoof. “See, when you spin around, you push yourself of with your other hoof, and you keep your head up. At that way, you keep in balance.” And she performed the little trick. “Like this?” Applebloom tried again, but she fell on her head this time. Scootaloo sighed. “Here, let me help you,” She wrapped her front hooves around her friend. “Balance on your front hooves.” She said. Applebloom tryed to balance, but almost lost it. Scootaloo prevented her from falling by holding her tight. “And now, spin.” She let her friend go. Applebloom pushed herself around. “Good,” Scootaloo said. “Push again.” Applebloom did what she asked, and spun faster, and faster. “I … I did it!” she exclaimed. “Scootaloo, look. I’m spinning!” “I see,” Scootaloo smiled. Applebloom pushed herself for one last time. “Euhm… Scootaloo? How do you stop?” she started to lose control. “I’m gonna fall!” “Nope.” Scootaloo jumped closer to Applebloom, and caught her, right before she fell. “Thanks,” Applebloom said, eyes shaking. “You’re welcome, but could you please get off of me?” Scootaloo asked. Applebloom shook her head and found herself on top of her friend. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She proceeded to stand up, but slipped away in her dizziness, and fell with her tummy, straight on Scootaloo’s. “I… I’m sorry….” She stared in her eyes and didn’t know what to say. “I…” Scootaloo pushed Applebloom off her. “It’s okay. I’m still one piece.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “Oh, I need to go. Rainbow Dash is going to teach me how to fly.” She stood up, and ran to the door. “See ya later?” “Yeah. That’s fine….” Applebloom said weakly. Scootaloo jumped on her scooter, and put her helmet on her head. “Bye” “B.. bye” Applebloom said softly. And she watched how her friend disappeared in the distance.