"I'm freaking out!" Scootaloo screamed, flailing her hooves in air, before groaning and slamming her face onto the table.
Having finished her first day of training, Scootaloo was now sitting at a table at Sugarcube Corner, trying with all her might to enjoy a triple swirl Strawberry milkshake. Finding out that she was now stuck in a team with the idiot Rumble for the rest of boot camp, had been a far less than perfect ending to what could have been a brilliant day. Thus, she needed something strong and high in sugar to drown out her sorrows.
Right now was 'free time', so she'd decided to fly back to Ponyville, hopefully miles away from any more jerks looking to spoil her day. She knew the milkshake alone would never quite compensate for the unholy injustice of being placed in a team with Rumble, but trying never hurt anypony.
But that wasn't the only reason she was here.
"Oh come on, Scoots. It can't be that bad...Can it?" Sweetie Belle said, still somewhat ignorant of the true severity of the situation.
True to her word, Scootaloo was primarily here to meet up with some close friends.
"Ah'm with Sweetie on this one Scootaloo. Yer jus' overreactin'." Apple Bloom said frankly.
"How can you say that? Don't you realise that this jeopardises my success? He'll ruin everything!" Scootaloo panicked, burying her head in her hooves, "I'm doomed. Doomed!"
"Oh my..." Sweetie Belle gasped, her eyes showing genuine concern.
Apple Bloom just rolled her eyes.
"Stop being such a scardy-filly! Fer Pete's sake, Scootaloo. Y'all manage to get into the Juniour Wonderbolt Academy, show off your amazin' skills, and yer tellin' me... you're scared of a colt?" Apple Bloom scoffed, chuckling a little whilst shaking her head at the end.
"I'm not scared!" Scootaloo cried indignantly, trying hide the blush of embarrassment that glowed on her cheeks, "I'm just...highly concerned is all. And I'd certainly appreciate it if my friends started showing a little more as well."
While Sweetie looked genuinely hurt, Apple Bloom simply nodded her head before downing her drink.
"Sorry Scoots, yer right." Apple Bloom said apologetically, "But it's just real puzzelin', how you've got yerself in a tizzy over this. Give it a day or two and Ah'm sure everythin' will be right and dandy."
"Mhm." Sweetie hummed, nodding her head in agreement.
"Yeah...dandy." Scootaloo mumbled, slouching down in her seat.
Though she greatly appreciated the encouragement, she couldn't see any hope. Or maybe she just didn't want to right now.
She raised her head and took a couple more sips of her milkshake, resting her head on her front hooves. She gazed into her drink before looking up at her friends.
Sweetie Belle was looking out the window, lost in thought, as she sung her legs to and fro under her chair. The sun light shone on her through the window, giving her white coat a glow as well as gracefully highlighting the beautiful colours of her mane, which cascaded down over her shoulders. Her eyes were a gleaming, pearly green marked boldly by a perfect application of black eyeliner.
Why did every angle have to bring out the best in her?
Sweetie had grown up to be kind, caring and stunningly gorgeous.
Apple Bloom on the other hand...
AB always had an opinion and she was never afraid to share it, taking her sisters' lessons on 'honesty' a bit too far. She was a bit blunt and outspoken but Scootaloo didn't mind it too much. She was a dear friend and always willing to help. She was also hard working and strong. Though her personality could be a bit overpowering bordering on sassy, Scootaloo knew that she didn't mean it that way, and that her friend always has her best interests had heart.
But she was happy and a joy to be around. Apple Bloom wasn't mean at all, and was quite friendly and chipper at the best of times.
Either way she looked at it, she had the best friends in the world, and there was no reason why she should be so gloomy with them here. They deserved better, and for what it's worth, she did too. Today was going to end 'a good day' no matter what.
Scootaloo raised her head from off the table and smiled, trying to look more attentive and sociable.
Apple Bloom noticed this and was quick to point it out.
"Alright, what are you thinkin'?" She asked, chuckling at her friends quick mood change.
"Nothing I just..." Scootaloo sighed, "Well, I'm just glad to be with you guys, and I shouldn't ruin this just because of some dumb colt."
Sweetie Belle smiled sweetly.
"That's more like it!" She exclaimed clapping her hooves together.
"We are pretty great, aren't we?" Apple Bloom stated smugly.
"Apple Bloom..."
"Oh, I know." AB chuckled, "I'm just teasin' ya."
"But speakin' o' 'dumb colts'..." Apple Bloom trailed off, turning to look at the entrance. "Where is that good fer nothin'-"
She was cut off by the clang of a bell, as the door to Sugarcube Corner opened and a burly stallion walked in, wearing a scarf around his neck, his brown mane, windswept, tousled and untidy. He stood there, briefly scanning the room with his chocolate brown eyes, before they fixed on their gaze on the girls' table. He breathed a sigh of relief and trotted up to the table, smiling.
"Hello girls, sorry I'm late." The white and brown spotted stallion said, breathing heavily as he brushed down his mane and adjusted his scarf, "It's a mite windy out there."
He spoke in a soft, cheery and polite, Trottingham accent, as he smiled sweetly.
Scootaloo's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she gaped up at the familiar stallion.
"Hey there, Hunk." Apple Bloom said to him, wiggling her eyebrows cheekily. "Take a seat."
He smiled and sat down, draping a hoof over Apple Bloom's shoulder as she leaned into him, sighing quietly in content.
"Hiya Pipsqueak!" Sweeteie Belle gleamed.
Honestly, the name couldn't have been more ironic.
Scootaloo still sat, starring at the colt, amazed at friends' nonchalant behaviour.
To be fair, she hadn't really seen him after they'd left school. In which time, ponies would grow up and mature, but not all of them came like Pipsqueak.
Puberty had hit him like a nuke.
He wasn't as tall as Big Macintosh, but he was fairly burly. He was also very sweet, making him more of a lovable, hug-able giant.
Pip caught her expression and chuckled knowingly.
"It's been a while, Scootaloo." Was his only remark. A short and simple sentence, yet he'd still managed to 'say it all'.
Despite the immediate shock of seeing 'Pipsqueak mark 2', she nodded, content with his remark; taking it as a prompt to further inquire into her friends' current lives.
"So enough about me. How have you guys been?"
"Well, as side from the obvious," Apple Bloom said, glancing towards Pipsqueak momentarily before she proceeded, "Ah've been just fine. And by 'I', Ah mean the family as well. The farm's still holdin' up, AJ's fine last time Ah checked, an' Granny's still got a kick or two left in her. I swear, the only thing that'll kill her is boredom. She's a firecracker, always on the go. But she's old... even if she herself hasn't come to realise that."
Apple Bloom sighed heavily and shook her head.
"That's the way she's always been I suppose."
Scootaloo nodded her head.
"The usual then?"
"Eeyup."
"What about Pip?"
Pipsqueak seemed to become more alert with the mention of his name.
"Who, Hunk-wonder here?" apple Bloom laughed, winking up at her coltfriend while jabbing him playfully in the stomach with her elbow. "He's great! He helps out on the farm, an' Big Mac's been more than obliged to take 'im under his wing...figuratively speaking. He likes hiking an' goin' out on adventures, an' him bein' all 'easy on the eyes' is never a bad thing. He's the whole package really."
She then gave him a light kiss on the cheek, before sitting back down, blushing.
Pipsqueak wore a smile so smug, it could have rivalled Rumble's.
Scootaloo giggled at the couple's antics.
The way that Apple Bloom had spoken about Pipsqueak made him sound like a trophy, and that kiss...
Trust Apple Bloom to turn everything into a bragging competition.
Of course, that hadn't been the real reason for her very blatant show of affection, but there was still that gloating aspect to it.
Apple Bloom always had been mischievous at heart.
"D'awwww!" Sweetie Belle mused, "They're so cute! Aren't they cute?"
Scootaloo suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Sweetie naturally had a very bubbly personality. She was so gung-ho and happy about...well, everything.
"So what about you, Sweetie?" She asked attentively, hoping to move the conversation along.
"Great!" She squealed excitedly. "I've been helping out at the school recently, holding after-school music clubs, cutie mark clubs that sort of thing. Helping fillies and colts who were just like us! As side from that, I just try and keep busy, look into hobbies and magic studies that sort of thing. Hey, don't gimme that look! I know I'm no Princess Twilight Sparkle, but I still have a horn. And if I'm gonna have magic, I might as well put some time and effort into learning to make good use of it. Also, it's super fun!"
"Awesome. At the very least you guys are actually being productive." Scootaloo commented.
Seeing this as a good moment to join the conversation, Pip spoke up.
"Right, well, now you know about all of us down here, how's life treating you up there? Bloom mentioned something about an academy..." He trailed off, prompting her to 'fill him in'.
"Oh right..." Scootaloo mumbled, her ears falling to the side of her head. "That."
"Crumbs...not going too well then?"
"Not exactly." She replied, her voice dripping with uncertainty.
"How so?" Pip asked, moving the conversation along at a steady pace.
"Well, it started out great! It was going to be an awesome first day; a chance to fly with Rainbow Dash and show off my stuff. I was even made Lead Pony of my squad!"
"I don't see anything wrong with that." Pipsqueak mused, chuckling.
"Just wait it gets better." She scoffed sarcastically. "Next, I find out my technician and Ground support rep. is Featherweight."
"Well, the lad can be a bit awkward at times, but he's a good friend. A nice all-around guy..."
"That's not the problem, Pipsqueak." Scootaloo said, cutting him off before he could continue. "Featherweight knows his stuff and is a brilliant asset to the team. It's my Wing Pony."
"What's wrong with your Wing Pony?"
"He's arrogant, big-headed and a complete idiot! He thinks he can fly fast and that that will solve everything. I'm betting he isn't the type to take orders easily, unless he's trying to make himself look great!"
"Who is he?"
Scootaloo sighed.
"Rumble." She growled the single word out, as if it was venomous and evil, which wouldn't have been too far off the bat in her mind. "I didn't even recognise him! He was flyin' around the course like a complete, know-it-all, hot shot! No consideration for others at all. Like, I remember him being a bit of a dork in school, but I never knew he'd grow up to be like this!"
"Aahh." Pipsqueak chimed. Then he smiled. "Well then, you have nothing to worry about!"
"Excuse me?" Scootaloo huffed indignantly.
"Trust me, he's a good friend...or mate, buddy, pony...anyway, he's got a couple rough edges. He'll take a couple knocks, and once his pride is gone, he'll become humble and teachable, you'll see. Once his arrogance is aside, he'll become great and a real team player. He just has that 'champion syndrome'."
"And what makes you so sure?" She scrutinised dubiously.
"Easy." Pipsqueak said, wearing a cheeky grin. "Because he's just like you."