The Hardest Years

by MailleMaker

Super Sleepover

"Cutie Mark Crusaders! Super Sleepover!" yelled Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle.

The trio fell on their sleeping bags giggling.

"That never gets old," giggled Sweetie Belle.

"Nope, it never does," agreed Apple Bloom. "So," she said turning to Scootaloo, "how do ya feel about your mom marryin Skeeter?'

"Well, I'm not really sure. Even though Skeeter is my dad, but he was never there for me when I was growing up; so my feelings about mom marrying him are rather mixed. I never thought about having a dad live with mom and I so it will be different for a while," admitted Scootaloo.

"Do you think that you guys will get along with him very well?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"I don't want to talk about it," said Scootaloo with a bit of force.

Surprised, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle just looked at Scootaloo in shock.

"Are ya okay Scootaloo?" asked Apple Bloom hesitantly.

"Yes! No? I don't know," wailed Scootaloo before bursting into tears. "I-I just don't know how I feel about it."

Sweetie Belle, always the peacemaker, tried to comfort her friend with a hug. "It's okay Scootaloo, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. We can change the subject if you'd like."

"So Scootaloo, when is your next scooter contest?" asked Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo immediately brightened before responding, "It's in a month and I'm super stoked about it! After Rainbow Dash got me a new scooter for my thirteenth birthday and my wings finally grew more, I've been winning more competitions. Do you guys think you'll be able to make it?'

"I'm not sure yet Scootaloo," admitted Sweetie Belle. "We start high school just a few weeks before and we'll probably have a bunch of school work."

"Oh," said Scootaloo, deflating slightly.

"Ah might be able to make it," said Apple Bloom trying to keep Scootaloo from crying again. "Ah'm actually not going to high school this year." After receiving puzzled looks from her friends, Apple Bloom hurriedly continued, "Because Ah'm a teenager now, Ah have a lot more chores on the farm so Ah'll be home schooled from now on. That doesn't mean Ah won't see ya'll, but Ah just won't be going to the same school as ya'll."

"So you're not going to the high school?" asked Sweetie Belle sadly.

"Um, no Ah'm not," said Apple Bloom with a small shake of her head. "Ah'll be doing the same curriculum as ya'll and Ah'll actually be going into the high school on Tuesday's and Thursday's for any tests or quizzes so Ah will see you every few days. And ya'll know that ya'll can always come over and help with our Algebra homework Ah know we'll have."

"Oh, that's not too bad," said Scootaloo. "We'll sure miss you though."

"I know I'll miss you a lot Apple Bloom," said Sweetie Belle sadly.

"It's okay Sweetie Belle, ya know you're always welcome to come over for the day," said Apple Bloom, and adding under her breath, "and the night."

Sweetie Belle blushed slightly before turning to Scootaloo. "Have you told your mom about you and 'you know who' yet?"

"Um, not yet. We had a fight the other day and I'm not sure how we stand right now as a couple," said Scootaloo with a little frown. "He said I was fat."

"So did ya'll hear about the 'Back to School' party Diamond Tiara is throwing next week?" asked Apple Bloom, completely changing the subject.

"I heard from Silver Spoon that Diamond Tiara said that she's going to have cider at the party so I'm not sure if I'm going to go," said Sweetie Belle disapprovingly.

"I'll probably still go," said Scootaloo. "Diamond Tiara likes to tell things that aren't exactly truthful. From what I've heard, the 'cider' is going to be hot apple juice with spices. Not any of the other stuff," said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes at the fact that Diamond Tiara would say that there would be real cider. Everypony knew how strict her parents were.

"Yeah, you're most likely right Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle after thinking it over for a minute.

"My mom would probably freak out it there were going to be cider," said Scootaloo, "since it was cider at that party she attended that caused her and Skeeter to, uh, you know. Cider was the only reason she got pregnant with me."

"Ah never thought about it but Ah guess your right Scootaloo," said Apple Bloom. "So Rainbow Dash told you how she got pregnant with you?"

"Well, she told me what she remembered. Mom said that cider can impair your common sense. Especially if you've never had it before like she did at that party," explained Scootaloo.

"BigMac drinks cider all the time, how come he never loses his common sense?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Well, he is so big and he's probably been drinking it for years to there's a chance that he's built up a tolerance," said Scootaloo, trying to remember what her mom had told her about the effects of cider.

"That makes sense Ah guess," said Apple Bloom with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hey Sweetie Bel-" she stopped after seeing their unicorn friend fast asleep. "Well, Ah guess we'd better hit the hay too," said Apple Bloom grinning.

Soon, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were snuggling and Scootaloo was snoring in her sleeping bag. At least, she was until a nightmare caused her to wake up gasping. In her dream, Rainbow Dash and Skeeter were yelling at her for some unapparent reason and kept saying that they were going to leave her and raise a little blue colt that was peeking out from between Skeeter's legs. Scootaloo reached up to her face and found tears were streaming down her face. What's wrong with me? Do they thing I'm "fat" too? Am I not enough? Do they want to start over with a baby of their own?

"Scootaloo, what's troubling you," said a kindly voice from behind her.

Scootaloo jumped and quickly looked behind her to see Princess Luna looking at her with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm not sure, I had this terribly nightmare where mo-mom said tha-" a hiccuping sob prevented Scootaloo from continuing.

"To be honest Scootaloo, you are still in a dream. Just in a different setting," said Princess Luna as she settled down next to the little pegasus. "Nightmares feed off negative thoughts. Is it possible that your jealous of Skeeter marrying your mother?"

"No!" replied Scootaloo, shocked that the princess would even mention something like that. "At least, I don't think I am."

"Then, why the nightmare?"

"I'm not sure. Could you please leave so I can think about things? Or, at least wake me up?" asked Scootaloo, closing her eyes.

"I will go if you wish me too. Just do your best to remain true to yourself," said the princess as she left Scootaloo's dream.

Scootaloo cracked her eyes open to see her friends tangled in each others limbs and the moon shining brightly from behind the curtains. After pulling her Wonder Bolt hoodie, a gift from her mom, tighter around her, Scootaloo thought to herself, I'm not jealous am I?

Author's Note:

Another chapter in the same day! A first!
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and, per usual, I'm always accepting suggestions for my storyline!
See ya around!