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Chapter 4

Before either teacher or student could say anything else, the school door opened to reveal an angry Apple Bloom. Without a word, she walked with purpose right to Scootaloo.

"You've been stealin’ from my family?" she yelled right in Scootaloo's face, who shrank away from her.

"Y-yes, but I..." Scootaloo started.

"Ah don't care what your reasons were. As of right now, our friendship is through," she continued, earning a gasp from Scootaloo. "Ah can't be friends with someone who steals from other friends. Ah don't ever want to see you at the farm, or the clubhouse, ever again!"

"Apple Bloom, wait," Cheerilee said, but she simply turned and walked out, causing the door to slam behind her.

As soon as the door slammed, fresh tears came to Scootaloo's eyes. Losing Apple Bloom as a friend was one of the things that she thought would happen if she found out how she was living.

“I’m not going to cry. I...I don’t cry,” she told herself.

Despite what Scootaloo said to herself, she felt the tears fall down her cheeks and fall to the floor below. All Cheerilee could do was wrap a hoof around her shoulders and try to offer a bit of comfort.
---
The door at the Apple's home slammed shut, as Apple Bloom walked inside, still upset. Hearing the door slam, Applejack looked up from some paperwork she was going over.

"No crusading today?" she asked.

"Not if Scootaloo is there," she answered.

"Now what's this nonsense ahm hearin'?" Applejack asked. "You and Scootaloo are great friends."

"Not anymore. Not since ah found out she was stealin' from us."

"Scootaloo stole from us? Where did ya hear that?" Applejack asked.

"Scootaloo admitted it herself, while talking to Miss Cheerilee," Apple Bloom answered.

"So you're upset over a few apples being taken? It's sad that you think your friendship is worth so little."

"Huh?"

"Ahm not saying Scootaloo should be stealin', and ahm going to be talking to Scootaloo's parents later. But is it really worth breaking up the Crusaders and ending your friendship because of some apples?"

"Well...no, not really," Apple Bloom admitted. "But how can ah trust her again? She stole from the family, and..."

"What was her reason? Did you happen to get the full story?" Applejack interrupted.

"Ah...ah don't know."

"Ahm going to get the full story from Cheerilee, and work out a way for Scootaloo to work or pay for what she stole. Ah have a feeling that she feels bad about it, and will be more than happy to do it," Applejack told her. "Since she'll be paying for the apples, she just took her time paying for them rather than stealing them."

“If she agrees to it, I’ll be fine with being her friend again. But she needs to earn my trust back.” Apple Bloom answered after a bit, and Applejack gave a nod.

“You should get started on your homework,” Applejack told her.

“But it’s...” Apple Bloom started.

“No buts. Ah don’t want you rushing through it on the last night. You should get it at least started while you have the time,” Applejack interrupted.

Knowing it was impossible to argue, Apple Bloom just sighed and trudged up the stairs to get started, while Applejack put away the paperwork for later and left for the schoolhouse.

---

Applejack walked into the schoolhouse to see Cheerilee working on something at the teachers desk. Scootaloo was sitting at one of the students desks, working on what Applejack assumed was homework.

"Cheerilee?" she asked, causing both ponies to turn towards her. "Can I speak with you a moment?"

"Scootaloo, why don't you take a break and go outside," Cheerilee told Scootaloo. As she ran out, Cheerilee added, "But don't leave school grounds."

As soon as Scootaloo was outside, Cheerilee turned her attention to the orange mare.

"I guess Apple Bloom mentioned how Scootaloo stole from you," she mentioned.

"Yes. But she didn't hear the full story. That's why ahm here, to get it from you," Applejack answered.

With that, Cheerilee launched into an explanation on how Scootaloo's parents were gone, and how she's been living. As she spoke, Applejack’s expression had equal parts worry and surprise.

"Ah had no idea..." Applejack whispered.

“After her parent’s death, she was brought down to an orphanage not too far away from here. Pegasi usually have small families, so there's no need for an orphanage in Cloudsdale. She did admit that they were treated right, but almost all the staff were earth ponies. So to minimize problems, they didn’t allow pegasi to practice flight, or unicorns to practice magic,” Cheerilee continued. “Also, she was one of only a couple of pegasi, so she felt out of place. So she escaped one night on one of their scooters.”

“The same one she’s always riding?” Applejack asked

"One and the same. She's been able to keep it a secret for over 2 years, arriving a day or so before Nightmare Moon launched her invasion. She was planning to stay for a bit, but found she liked it here. So she decided to stay,” Cheerilee explained.

“Ah don’t blame her,” Applejack answered

“I have her staying with me for the weekend, but I have no idea what to do after that. She made it clear she doesn’t want to go back to the orphanage, but what option do I have? I can’t let her go back to being homeless when the weekend is up,” Cheerilee finished, her head falling into her hooves.

The two mares looked out the window at Scootaloo, who was busy swinging on one of the swings.

---

Scootaloo always loved the swings. The feeling of the wind through her mane, and the knowledge that she was going up in the air under her own power, always made her smile. It was the closest thing she had to flight.

As she was swinging, she watched Cheerilee and Applejack through the school window. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but could see their expressions and actions.

As she watched, Applejack trotted over and put a hoof around Cheerilee's shoulder. As Cheerilee turned towards Applejack, she said something to her. Cheerilee’s head shot up from the desk, looking surprised as she seemed to stammer out a reply. Whatever she was saying, however, was shortened by Applejack interrupting. They bounced a few replies back and forth a bit, but since Scootaloo couldn’t hear either of them, she soon lost interest. Instead, she just closed her eyes.

She was flying alongside Rainbow Dash, matching her move for move as they both performed dizzying and death defying aerial feats. Then they flew faster and faster, right next to each other, moving at a speed no pegasus even dared match.

Finally, they both broke the sound barrier, and a Sonic Rainboom exploded in the sky. Right next to it was Scootaloo’s own sonic boom, an orange one right next to his idol’s. As they both came to a stop near Sugarcube Corner, Rainbow Dash said, “Scootaloo, it’s time to go.”

Scootaloo’s eyes shot open, her mind snapping back into reality, as she saw Cheerilee standing in the doorway. Her flight with Rainbow Dash still fresh in her mind, she leaped off the swing and tried flapping her wings, only to fall, landing hard on the grass.

“Scootaloo, are you...?” Cheerilee started to ask, before Scootaloo stood up.

“Fine, Miss Cheerilee,” she answered, as the two of them walked in the schoolhouse

As they both picked up their respective saddlebags and headed towards Cheerilee’s place, Scootaloo allowed herself a small smile. Even though she knew it was temporary, it would be nice to live in a real house, with a warm bed and food she didn’t have to steal. It would probably be the closest thing she had to a home since she was a young filly.

She was almost sad knowing it would end so quickly.

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jdb1984

jdb1984 #1 · Oct 21st, 2012 · · ·

That last chapter took way longer than it should have. Part of the problem was that I had about half a dozen ways I could have taken it about halfway through.

One idea had Apple Bloom showing up at the scoolhouse while Scootaloo was swinging, and the two on them make up and become friends again. Another idea included more of what Cheerilee and Applejack said while Scootaloo was outside.

This chapter also had more talking than pretty much any other chapter I wrote, but I thought it was also the best way to introduce more of Scootaloo's past, which Scootaloo told Cheerilee before Applejack got there.

Anyway, hope you enjoy.

mines5