//------------------------------//
// Say It With a "Boop!" 
// Story: Say It With a "Boop!" 
// by Teyeson Bee 
//------------------------------//

	BBBBRRRRRRRRRINNNNNNNG!

The sound of a school bell echos through the halls of Canterlot High as all the students rush to their first class. One of those students is Pipsqueak, a short but happy-go-lucky senior, who's on his way to his History Class with Miss Cheerilee. Pipsqueak, or Pips for short (no pun intended), moved to CHS a while back from England, and since then had made many new friends. Three of which were the Canterlot High Crusaders, a small social group of students who just like to have fun and hang out. Before, there were only three members, hardworking farm girl Apple Bloom, elegant singer Sweetie Belle, and tomboy roughhouse Scootaloo, but they asked Pips to join to try and draw in the opposite sex more. Pips joined right away, and had been friends with the CHC ever since.

As he entered Miss Cheerilee's room, Pips immediately traveled back to his seat. A waving hand that belonged to Apple Bloom, along with a smiling face, signaled him to the right spot. "Howdy, Pips!" Apple Bloom greeting happily as Pips sat down. "How was yer weekend?"

"Not bad I suppose," Pips responded with a smile. "Nothing big happened, but then again, I didn't mind so much." Apple Bloom chuckled slightly as Miss Cheerilee entered. Immediately, the class settled down.

"Good morning, students," she said in her usual cheerful voice. "I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are ready to get back in the swing of things. But before we get started, I have an announcement." She then walked to the classroom door and opened it, allowing a new figure to step inside. She was at least 4' 3", had straight brown hair that came down to her shoulders, and wore a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, a pink tiara, a matching dress, and a big smile. Pips, nor anyone had ever seen her before. As she stopped at the front of the class, Miss Cheerilee looked out to the students and said, "Class, this is Zipporwhill. She moved all the way from Spain, where her father's side originated, and will be joining the senior class. So let's make her feel welcome!" The class let out a quiet applause for the new girl as Zipporwhill bowed courteously.

"Hola," she greeted with a big smile. "I really hope I can get along with all of you!"

"Alright, Zipporwhill," Miss Cheerilee continued. "We'll have to assign you somebody to show you around. Let's see..." She started to look around at the students, trying to pick out the best candidate. In a few seconds, her eyes stopped at, who else?

"Pipsqueak?" Pips shot to attention. "Would you mind showing Zipporwhill around to her different classes?" Pips looked toward Zipporwhill, who continued smiling, and even waved a bit. He then looked at Apple Bloom beside him, who gave him a small shrug.

"Sure, Miss Cheerilee," Pips responded. He was always willing to help out a new student.

"Wonderful!" Miss Cheerilee said. "Zipporwhill, you can sit anywhere you'd like." Zipporwhill didn't waste any time in hastily walking back to a seat in the second row and sitting. As soon as she did, Miss Cheerilee turned back to the class. "Alright students, let's start where we left off back at..." As she continued to speak, Pipsqueak pulled out his book, and couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. He looked to his left towards Zipporwhill, and as soon as his eyes met hers, she zipped her head back towards the front, a small blush appearing on her face. At that point, Pips paid it no mind and went back to his book, but that was just the beginning for the short senior.





After class, Pips met Zipporwhill outside the room as the other students departed. He held out a hand, and she shook it. "Welcome to CHS, Zipporwhill. I'm Pipsqueak."

"I know," she responded happily. "It's nice to meet you! I'm just so happy happy happy to be here! You know, things are so much different here than in Spain! That's where my papi was born!" As she spoke, Pips couldn't help but notice that she was quite the enthusiastic chatterbox. It was kinda funny. 

"C'mon," he said as he started walking. "We can talk more as I show you around." Zipporwhill nodded and followed. Pips led her around the school, showing her all the rooms and everything in between. As Pips showed her around the school, he noticed that Zipporwhill didn't lose her smile for a second. Pips had never met someone so...quirky. She was also quite talkative when she got going. Granted, he WAS able to get a few sentences in, like telling where he was born and how he was once the foreign student, which Zipporwhill found very interesting. And as she talked to him, she didn't make one remark on his shortness. No one could resist a good short joke when talking to Pips, but she didn't mention it once, which was quite the surprise to Pips. He liked it.

It wasn't long before the tour had concluded, and they were back to where they started, and just in time for Zipporwhill's next class. "I guess that's it," Pips concluded. "If you have any more questions at all, you know where to find me. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Zipporwhill, and again, welcome to CHS."

"Thanks!" Zipporwhill giggled. "I'll see you around then!" Pips nodded in agreement as he prepared to leave for lunch. But before he could, something then happened that not even Pips could've ever planned for. 




In one swift motion, Zipporwhill reached her hand out, and...poked Pips right on the nose. And if that wasn't enough, as she did it, she just smiled as wildly as ever and said, "Boop!"

Pips flinched a bit as her finger pressed onto his nose, and was held there for a good second. And then, after she did it, she just waved and hurried off down the hall, like nothing had happened, leaving Pipsqueak just standing there. He looked in different directions with the greatest expression of confusion, opening and closing his mouth, trying to find the right response. Finally, something did come out.

"What just happened?"





"Are these supposed to be fries?" Scootaloo asked as she stared intently at her lunch, the other two Crusaders sitting across from her. "I don't think they're quite...ripe yet. They look more like undercooked potato sticks."

"HEY!" Apple Bloom snapped. "My Granny Smith's fries aren't THAT bad!"

"I don't know, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle remarked, poking her own food. "I think Granny Smith should just stick to apples." As Apple Bloom huffed and mumbled under her breath, the girls noticed that Pipsqueak was just getting out of the lunch line. Scootaloo waved for his attention, and he went over and sat next to her.

"Pips!" Apple Bloom said. "Do YOU think my Granny Smith's fries look alright?"

"Or do they look like they might wiggle away?" Scootaloo snickered, making Apple Bloom scowl. They turned back to Pips, only to notice that he looked rather dazed. As if he was distracted in thought.

"Hey Pips!" 

The mention of his name snapped Pipsqueak back into reality, but he still looked confused. "What's wrong?" Sweetie asked.

"Well..." Pips started, stumbling over his words, trying to find the right ones, "Something...bizarre happened last period. I...can't really explain why, but...you girls know that there's a new student right? Zipporwhill?" The others nodded. "Well, I was asked to show her around the school. Seemed basic enough. She seemed like a nice girl. Very peppy and enthusiastic."

"Then what's up?" Scootaloo asked.

"I had just finished the tour," Pips continued, "and we were bidding farewell until later. And then...she did something that I just can't understand." The others leaned in with anticipation for the reveal. "With a big smile on her face...she...booped me on my nose. Then she left as if nothing happened." An awkward silence surrounded the table as Pips looked at his now-just-as-confused-as-he-was friends. They were looking at him as if he had just spoken in complete gibberish. After a few seconds, Apple Bloom broke the silence.

"Ah'm sorry, Pips," she said, clearing out her ear with her finger, "Ah think my ears are goin' bad. Did you just say that she...booped you on the nose? What in tarnation is booping?"

"That's what she said when she touched my nose," Pips answered.

"Hold it! Time out! Everyone off the field!" Scootaloo interrupted. "You mean she poked you on the nose and just said the word, 'Boop'? What does that even mean?"

"I don't know!" Pips said scratching his head. "I have no idea what happened, or even why it happened!"

"What did you say?" Sweetie chimed in.

"I DIDN'T!" Pips responded. "I was too stunned. I mean...what DO you say when someone does that? It's the first time that's happened to me! What am I supposed to think the next time we're together?"

"Maybe you're thinkin' too hard about this," Apple Bloom said as every head turned to her. "Ah mean, maybe that's her own special way of pointing out that yer her new friend. I mean, we all have our weird customs if y'all think about it."

"Good point," Scootaloo responded with a thoughtful look. "It's kinda like you keeping apple seeds in your pockets for good luck!" The thoughtful look was suddenly replaced by a snickering grin as the others tried to contain their laughter.

"Hey! Don't mock mah family traditions!" Apple Bloom scolded. Scootaloo stuck out her tongue playfully as Apple Bloom turned back to Pips. "Nevermind. The point is that ah say just let it slide. It's over done with. No more worrying about it."

"You sure?" Pips asked.

"Positive!" Apple Bloom responded confidently. "Ah betcha her finger never touches your nose again!"




Apple Bloom couldn't have been more wrong.





For the next few days or so, whenever Zipporwhill and Pips were together, it was almost like clockwork. Every time they finished a conversation and one of them was about to leave, she would boop him on the nose. Pips tried to just pass it off as a sign of friendship, but then he noticed something as the days went on. Zipporwhill did it to only him. He had seen her hang out with others, and even called them friends, but her fingers did not touch their noses. Whenever she was around Pips however, BOOP! It was really bad when the two were assigned to be partners in Mr. Timeturner's science class. It was like the movie Groundhog's Day for Pips. Every day he would meet Zipporwhill, they would work on the project, talk as if nothing was bothering either of them, and then at the end of class, BOOP! By the beginning of the next week, Pips was just as confused as ever and knew he needed to get to the bottom of things. So at lunch that day, Pips went to, who else? 

"It's been going on for over a week guys!" Pips explained to his three crusading friends. "I tried to just adapt, but it's just so weird! I don't know how to react when she does it!"

"And she hasn't done it to anyone else?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Not a soul!" Pips responded. "And there's nothing leading to it. She's as cheerful and pleasant to me as ever. She hasn't even made a joke about my size, which kind of surprises me now that I think about it, and she hasn't shown any signs of annoyance around me. She just does it out of the blue, and I. Don't. Know. Why!"

"Well, of course the answer is obvious!" Scootaloo calmly stated. "She's absolutely crazy!" 

"We will keep thinking, but that is a good backup thought," Sweetie said bluntly as she turned her attention back to Pips. "Would you have any thought of why she is doing this to you? Any at all?"

Pips scratched his head lightly as he thought hard. "I can't think of anything! I mean, it's not natural for someone to touch another person's nose while saying an onomatopoeia that doesn't even make any sense! That's something that someone would do to a pet, but not to a-"

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Scootaloo suddenly snapped, making everyone else jump. "You just made me think. What if she's doing this as a way of teasing your size!" Everyone cocked their heads in confusion.

"How do ya figure?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well think about it," Scootaloo replied. "Pips, you said that she hasn't made fun of your size yet right?" Pips nodded. "What if this is her way of teasing you about it. I mean, she's probably thinks your size is 'cute', and so she treats you like a puppy!"

Pips hadn't thought of that. The more that he considered it, the more it made sense. Everyone he had met, friend or no, had teased him about his height at least once. For the most part, he knew they were just kidding, and it didn't bother him, like when the Crusaders did it. And he thought that he had heard every height line in the book, like "Don't get short with me," or, "I guess good things come in small packages," but he had never had someone poke him in the nose like a dog before. Yes, the more he considered the idea, the more it kind of annoyed him. Saying something about his height is one thing, but treating him like a small animal is something completely different.

"If ah were you Pips," Apple Bloom said, bringing his attention back to her, "I would just straight up ask her. You've been in the dark for too long, and it's time for you to get some real answers!"

Truer words couldn't have been spoken. It was high time for Pips to do what he should've done in the first place; ask. "You're absolutely right!" Pips said as he stood with the look of determination in his eyes. "I'm going to go find her right now and get to the bottom of this once and for all!" And with that, Pips walked off to where he knew Zipporwhill would be; at her locker.





As he walked, Pips went over in his head how he would ask her. He told himself repeatedly to be firm, but kind. Don't scare her, but don't take no for an answer. Pips never was the most assertive student at CHS, mostly due to no one taking him seriously with his size, but now was as good time as any to bring out the big guns. He went over what he was going to say over and over until he finally reached her locker. As he expected, she was there, getting books out and heading to her next class. Before she could leave however, Pips was able to get her attention. She smiled widely when she saw him approach.

"Hola, Pips!" she happily greeted.

"Hey, Zipporwhill," Pips replied calmly. "Look...I need to ask you something-"

"Hey, can it wait?" Zipporwhill interrupted hastily. "I have to get to my next class. I'll talk to you later ok?" She then smiled and started to stretch her finger out towards Pips' nose. Pips was prepared though. Before it could touch him, he reached and grasped Zipporwhill's hand tightly, not so tight that it would hurt her, but tight enough that it would get her attention. Zipporwhill's smiled faded a bit as Pips lowered her hand.

"That's what I wanted to talk about," Pips continued. "Zipporwhill, why do you poke, or in this case, boop, me on my nose?" At that moment, Zipporwhill's eyes grew wide and a small blush formed on her face, as if Pips just asked her an embarrassing question. Her eyes stared to dart in all different directions as she refused to look at Pips for the first time. In fact, it was the first time that Pips saw any other expression on her besides happy.

"Uh..." Zipporwhill stammered, "w-w-why do you ask? It's j-just a thing I do to new friends!"

"Well, I don't see you doing it to others," Pips calmly stated, making Zipporwhill blush even more. "Am I really your only new friend?"

"Well...no..."

"Then why do you do it?" Zipporwhill didn't answer as she looked around some more. It was a good thing she didn't gamble, because Zipporwhill had a terrible poker face. It was obvious that she was hiding something. "Some of my friends seem to think that you do it as a way of teasing me about my height." Pips continued. "Is that true? Cause I have been through many different methods before, but that one is the weirdest-"

"Why would I tease you?!" Zipporwhill suddenly snapped. "You're a great guy!" As soon as she said that, her blush grew even more. So much so that her head looked like a beet. She closed her mouth again and turned away, this time not even facing Pips anymore. This did not answer Pips' question.

"Well if you're not doing it to tease me," Pips said more sternly, but still keeping his cool, "why do you do it?"

"No reason," Zipporwhill answered quickly without even turning around. "I just feel like it."

"There's more to it than that," Pips retorted. "You boop me on my nose every time you leave me. That's not just for no reason. You have a reason. Now what is it?"

"It's nothing!" Zipporwhill replied, a hint of freakout in her voice.

"It's NOT nothing!" Pips answered, raising his voice slightly. "Why do you do it?"

"No reason!"

"Stop saying that! Why do you do it?"

"Pips, please!"

"No!" Pips practically snapped. "The question has been eating away at me for the past few days, and I am not leaving this spot, and neither are you, until I get an answer! Now why do you do it? Why do you boop me on my nose? WHY?!"




"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU, OK?!"




There was no measure of the awkwardness that filled the hallway as those last few words echoed in front of a now frozen Pips. He stood there, mind completely blank, with no words able to escape his mouth. Zipporwhill was no different. When she turned to shout those words, she looked annoyed and drained by Pips barrage of the question. After she said it though, her face changed drastically. It now showed a shocked expression. An expression that said, "Did I just say that?" The few students that were walking though the area couldn't help but stop and look at the two, confused or shocked by what was just said. A few more minutes of awkward silence passed before Zipporwhill snapped back into reality. She looked around at the other students, and then to Pips, still with his empty expression. Then, as Pips started to regain his own reality, Zipporwhill's eyes started to tear up, and before anyone could react, she slammed her locker shut and ran off in the opposite direction, her head down with embarrassment. That was when Pip's mind started to boot back up, but what could be thought of at that point? He was prepared for many answers to the question, but that? That was DEFINITELY not one of them.





"She...likes you?"

It was only natural for the CHC to react the exact same way when Pips told them everything that had happened at the end of the day. They were just as surprised as he was. And as they walked home together, they couldn't stop trying to comprehend what he told them.

"So, she's been booping you in the nose all this time cause she likes you?" Apple Bloom asked again. Pips couldn't lie; It was starting to get a little annoying.

"For the fifth time, and I have been counting," Pips grumbled, "yes! How many times do I have to say it?"

"Sorry, Pips," Sweetie said. "We're just as freaked out about this as you are. I've heard of many different ways of someone to say 'I like you,' but THAT is not one of them."

"I still say she's crazy," Scootaloo mumbled, resulting in Apple Bloom and Sweetie glaring at her. As they started to lecture her on proper sentences used in a conversation, Pips just continued to stare at the ground, blanking everything else out. Ever since Zipporwhill had told him that she liked him, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. He couldn't focus on any of his remaining classes because of it. So many thoughts racing around in his head. So many questions. So many feelings. He didn't know how to address it all.

"Am ah right, Pips?" Apple Bloom interjected, making Pips snap back to the others. He stammered a bit before just nodding yes, but apparently, that didn't seem to fool the CHC. They knew a distracted friend when they saw one. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," Pips said softly. "My mind has been trying to wrap around it since she told me, but I don't know how to approach it."

"What do you mean?" Sweetie asked.

The friends decided to stop and sit on a local park bench as Pips explained his predicament. "You see, I've been having strange thoughts ever since I heard those words from her mouth. Thoughts about what my first feeling was afterwards." The other three nodded as they listened intently. "When she said the phrase, 'Because I like you,' I would've thought my first feeling was confusion or befuddlement, but it wasn't. I was...something unexpected." The three leaned in with eager ears as Pips finished.

"I felt...happy."

The CHC leaned back as they looked at each other confusingly. "You felt happy?" Sweetie said perplexed. "Why would you-" Suddenly, a thought clicked on in Sweetie Belle's head and her face changed from confusion to a big smile. Everyone else looked at her, a bit worried of what she just thought of.

"Pips, do you like her too?"

Everyone's face perked up at the sound of that one phrase, especially Pips. In fact,  a huge blush had appeared on his face. He could feel his face getting hotter and hotter. He was about to dismiss the idea, but his thoughts beat him to it. Was it possible? Did he like her too? Did he like her peppy attitude that went along with that beautiful smile that brightened anyone's mood? Did he like her silky brown hair and those cute, thick-rimmed glasses? Did he like her optimism, her humor, her energy, her...he may have just answered his own questions. The more he thought about her, and how happy he really felt when she admitted her feelings towards him, the more he came to realize the truth. He really DID like her as well. And apparently, as he thought about all of this, his face gave his thoughts away to the others, as Pips' thoughts were cut off by a squealing Sweetie Belle.

"You DO like her too!" she happily squeaked. "That is SOOOOOO adorable!"

"Pipsqueak ya charmin' devil," Apple Bloom teased as she nudged Pips in the arm. "Ya got yerself a lil' filly clingin' onto ya! Don' miss yer chance! I say go for it!" Pips blushed some more as he rubbed his arm embarrassingly. He had never had a girl admit that she had a crush on him, so he wasn't really sure what he should do. But a chance like this were very slim to happen again. It was time to put it into motion.

"You really think I should?" Pips asked his friends. They, in turn, nodded a big fat yes to him. "Alright!" he said with a newly found confidence. "I'll talk to her tomorrow and, well, get to know her better!" The others patted him on the back as they continued back towards their homes. 



 

The next day, Pips walked into Miss Cheerilee's class like he was on top of the world. Although, he WAS still a bit nervous about talking to Zipporwhill about it, since they kind of left yesterday on an awkward note, but he was sure that once they started talking, they could get back on the right track and really spend some quality time together. Pips patiently waited as the wave of students walked in, and then, sure enough, Zipporwhill came in. As she walked back through the rows of desks, Pips started preparing himself mentally for what to say. When he felt that he was ready, he waved his hand and called out, "Oy, Zipporwhill! Over here!" Zipporwhill's head turned at the mention of her name, and her eyes darted across the room until they stumbled upon Pips with his hand raised and pointing to the empty desk next to him. But then, Pips noticed that she wasn't smiling at all. Normally, as soon as she saw Pips, Zipporwhill would light up like a lantern and sit next to him, but this time, she just looked...sad. And to make matters worse, she completely ignored his invitation and sat over on the other side of the room, as if she didn't even know him. Pips' smile faded as he lowered his hand. What was all that about? Why did she ignore him?

At first, Pips thought that she just had other things on her mind and decided to wait. After class, he went up to her to try and talk, but before he could get a chance, she walked away from him, even though it was clear that she saw him. Every time after that was the same. Pips tried to talk to her multiple times, but every time, she just walked away with a frown. Pips was starting to get worried. He thought that she liked him. Why was she avoiding him? He didn't know why, but he needed to get to the bottom of it.

That afternoon at lunch, Pips explained his predicament to the CHC, and they were just as confused as he was.

"Ah thought she said she liked you," Apple Bloom pondered. "Why would she be avoiding you?"

"I don't know," Pips responded. "It was as if...she was embarrassed to be seen with me."

Scootaloo pondered for a minuted before speaking up. "I have a theory!" she announced with a raised finger. 

"Does it have anything to do with her being crazy?" Pips asked bluntly. Scootaloo pouted a bit as she lowered her defeated finger.

"I might have a theory," Sweetie said after a few more minutes of thinking. "A REAL theory. What if, and follow me a bit on this one, what if she IS embarrassed to be around you?" The others looked at her with looks of both shock and confusion. Sweetie noticed this and continued. "Not THAT kind of embarrassed. What if she was embarrassed yesterday, and she doesn't want to face another embarrassment?" The others' expressions didn't change. Sweetie sighed as she leaned on the table. "Think of it this way. She has a crush on Pips right?" Everyone nodded. "And her subtle (quote on quote subtle) way of expressing that was booping Pips on the nose right?" Another nod. "Well isn't it obvious? She was forced out of her comfort zone and she feels embarrassed by just shouting out the truth. She doesn't know yet that Pips likes her back. She doesn't want to face him and feel the embarrassment of rejection!"

The others leaned back in amazement. "That's really well thought out, Sweetie!" Scootaloo said in awe. "You should be a psychiatrist!"

"Psychologist!" Sweetie sighed. "Psychiatrists are doctors that treat mental disorders."

"That's what I said!" Scootaloo chuckled.

"We're getting off topic people!" Pips chimed in as he turned his attention back to Sweetie. "Ok, so she doesn't want to feel the pain of rejection. But I don't want to reject her! How do I make her see that I DO like her back?"

"Maybe you can try a different approach!" Apple Bloom said. "Try and make it as obvious as possible! Make it so that she won't be able to make any other conclusion than the fact that you like her too!" Pips thought for a second. It was a simple plan, but it just might work. He knew of three different times during the rest of the day where he had the chance to talk to Zipporwhill, so he would have to be quick and smart with what he said and did.

"Thanks, guys!" Pips said as he stood up. "I'm going to go look for her right now! See you later." And with a wave, Pips was off. The others sighed as they leaned on the table, exhausted from all this helping.

"We make a good team," Scootaloo said as she rested her hands behind her head. "We should start charging for our psychiatry sessions."

"PSYCHOLOGY!" shouted the other two.





If it was said that the advice given to Pips was a complete success, and he was able to talk to Zipporwhill each of the three times, it would be a lie. It was close to the end of the day, and Pips was completely drained. He had his three chances, and he failed each time. He had tried EVERYTHING he could. First, he tried being increasingly polite and kind to Zipporwhill. Then, he tried being swab and elegant, like 007. His last attempt involved going all Prince Charming on Zipporwhill, coming up to her with some flowers he, well, took from the school's garden (no one was around and no one would miss them) and talking as if he was being possessed by Shakespeare. Each attempt ended just like the last one. Nope, Nada, and a big, fat Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. Each time, Zipporwhill just looked the other way and left without a single word. Nothing he was doing was helping. Pips had never felt so defeated before, and he only had himself to blame. If only he had never pushed her to admit her feelings. If only he had just went with the flow, things would be ok. But now, he was living in a fear that at some point, Zipporwhill would give up and move on. He explained his sorrows to the CHC as they filled up their backpacks for home.

"Ah'm awful sorry, Pips," Apple Bloom said as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Ah wish there was somethin' we can do."

"Do you want us to talk to her for you?" Sweetie offered.

"What's the point?" Pips said, he face pointed at the ground. "I've tried everything. It's just not enough. I'm drained. I can't think of any other way of making it obvious that I like her."

"We can't give up now, buddy!" Sweetie said. "There has to be something you haven't tried. C'mon think! What is the ONE thing that will make it clear, beyond the shadow of a doubt, and you like her? Think!" Pips tried, but as said before, his mind was drained! All he could think of was how he messed up. He just couldn't let it go. His curiosity had to get the better of him, and he had to push her out of her comfort zone and into the embarrassment zone! He was fine with the nose booping. It was her own way, and he had to-

Suddenly, something clicked inside Pips' mind. It was as if someone had just kicked on the emergency power to his brain. It all became clear. The answer was right in front of him, and he didn't even realize it!

"Oh. My. Gosh," Pips said with a lifting smile. "I'm a bloody idiot!"

"What?" the three asked.

"It was so obvious!"

"What?"

"It has to work. It just HAS to!"

"WHAT!?!"

"Sorry girls," Pips hastily said as he grabbed the rest of his stuff and slammed his locker door, "but I gotta hurry! I can still catch her before she leaves! See you later!" And with that, he was gone, leaving three very confused girls in the dust.

Scootaloo turned to the others with a blunt look. "I still think she's-"

"We know," the others sighed.





Down by the front doors to the school, Zipporwhill was busy packing up her own backpack from her locker. As she stuffed her books in, she sighed heavily, a sad frown pasted on her face. She was thinking about you-know-who, but she thought that maybe it was time to move on. She finished up and slammed her door shut. As she turned to leave though, she jumped a little, as she was staring face-to-face with Pipsqueak. The two stood there as the awkward meter started to ascend. Zipporwhill's first thought was to just continue on to the door, but Pips was staring at her, as if he was trying to focus only on her. Her eyes darted everywhere as she avoided eye contact with him. None of them said anything. And then, just as Zipporwhill decided to just go around him...




"Boop!"




Zipporwhill flinched a bit as Pips' finger touched her nose. She looked at him, at first taken aback, and saw that a small smile had appeared on his face. Then, after was seemed like a minute, Zipporwhill started to giggle. That in turn, made Pips start to chuckle. They stood there for a few seconds, just laughing, when, "Boop!" Zipporwhill poked Pips' nose back. Their giggles and chuckles then turned into complete laughter. It was as if the sad side of the day never happened, and they were meeting for the first time. It would've appeared that Zipporwhill got the message. It was definitely obvious enough. After their laughter died down. Pips pointed towards the doors and said kindly, "You want to walk home together? It would give us a good chance to catch up."

Zipporwhill giggled again and said, "I'd like that." 

And with that, the two boopers walked out of the school together, talking and laughing, signaling that something new and great had started between them.

What they didn't know though, was that the CHC were watching from behind the corner, and they saw the whole thing. After Pips and Zipporwhill had left, Sweetie and Apple Bloom couldn't hold it back anymore. They looked at each other and practically squealed, "AWWWWWWWW!"

Scoots just looked towards the door and mumbled, "Ok, I take it back. They're BOTH crazy."





The End