One or the Other

by Blind Alley

Chapter 17 - Nothing to Wear

I thumped my fist on Scootaloo's door.

I wasn't having the best morning. I only had some old spare clothes at Big Mac's and they didn't fit right. The pants were too tight and my shirt wouldn't button up all the way. I wore a white t-shirt under it that made it even tighter, but at least it'd stop anypony from getting a good look down my shirt. I hadn't slept great either so I was tired, uncomfortable, more than a little cranky about all of it, and now Scoots was playing hooky on us!

It might not have been fair to jump to conclusions. Scoots wasn't always the best about keeping track of time, after all. Plus her crazy sleep schedule with her weather job and all that. It was way more likely that she'd just overslept than it was that she'd run out on us. Sure, she'd done it once already, but I had no proof she wasn't planning to come back like she said she was. But when I'd shown up at the Boutique right on time and Scoots hadn't even showed up late, well, that raised my suspicions.

I thumped the door again. “Scootaloo! Getchyer tail outta bed already!”

The latch clicked and the door opened just a crack, just enough for me to see one purple eye peeking out.

“Uh, hey, Apple Bloom. What's up?”

“We said ten and it's near on eleven, that's what's up. Where the hay you been?”

The door edged just a little more closed. “Sorry, I, er, can't come.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You care ta explain that?”

“I, uh, it's--”

Something was wrong with this picture. Since when did Scootaloo hide behind doors? And what was with all the stammering? “What's goin' on here? Why're y'all hidin'?”

“Hiding? I'm not--” I raised an eyebrow. “Okay… I'm hiding.”

“No y'ain't. Y'all're comin' over to the boutique right now if I hafta drag you there myself!”

“I can't! I'm-- I'm--” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “I don't have anything to wear.”

Now I was really getting peeved. “Oh, well, excuuuse me. I didn't realize I was already at Rarity's house.”

“Huh? No! Not like that! I mean it, uhh… what's what word that means you're not making a metaphor?”

I paused a second to think. In hindsight, I should've brought Sweetie along. She's lots better with words. “Figurative?”

“Yeah, that. I mean it figuratively. I can't wear any of my shirts. I'm sorta… half naked right now?”

“Oh. Oh!” Don't think about it, don't think about it. “Somethin' happened to yer clothes?” Don't think about it.

“Sorta. Hang on a sec.”

The door shut and I could just make out the sound of her hurrying away up the stairs. Whatever she was doing didn't take long because it wasn't even a minute before I heard her coming back.

“Here.” She cracked open the door again and pushed out a plain envelope. “Take this to Fluttershy so she can get me what I need. Just don't open it, okay? I'll explain everything later.” I took the envelope but she didn't let go. “Pinkie Promise you won't read it.”

“Only if you Pinkie Promise to explain this all to Sweetie 'n me. Today.” I could just about hear her cringing. “I'm waitin'.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. Your turn.”

“Cross my heart and hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. Now leggo.”

She finally let me take the letter. I stuck it in my front pocket and dusted off my hands.

“I'm gonna hafta swing by Sweetie first, let her know what's up before she starts worryin'. She's a mite jumpy right now.” I paused mid turn and shot a look back at what tiny bit of Scoots I could see. “Y'know, I could just grab a shirt from her place.”

“I can't wear shirts without wing holes, remember?”

“Oh, right. I'll get this 'round ta Fluttershy quick as I can. Don't think yer getting' out of the talk we're all havin' today.”

“I know, I know, just…” the door inched all but shut, “don't read it.”

The latch clicked and a bolt thunked into place. I looked down at the letter sticking out of my pocket. Just what in Tartarus had Scoots so worked up now?

---

Sweetie and I made our way through town at a brisk walk. When I'd gotten back to the Boutique, she'd insisted on coming with me right away. I gave her the quick version of what Scoots'd told me while she found her shoes and then followed me out into town.

“So, she messed up her laundry?”

“Best I can figure. What're the odds, anyhow? Probably the one time a month she washes any clothes, and she goes 'n ruins 'em. If that's even all it really is.” I cast a look over my shoulder and slowed down just enough to let her catch up. “You didn't hafta come along, y'know.”

“Scootaloo needs our help!”

“It's just deliverin' a letter. You coulda gone ahead and taken it easy.”

She shook her head hard. “If I spent one more minute alone in that place… I don't care how awkward things are right now, I'd rather hang out with you. Or Scootaloo!” she added quickly. “I mean, I would have gone to keep her company, but you know she hates anypony seeing her undressed.”

I couldn't really say that Sweetie was wrong about that, but… “Y'ever think there's somethin' weird about that?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Um, not really? Sure, she's a little touchy about privacy and her looks but--”

“She ain't though. She shows off her--” I paused while we swerved around a group of fillies and lowered my voice a little more once we were clear of them. “She shows off her rump every chance she gets.”

“Oh, thank Celestia,” she sighed, “it's not just me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Trust me, it definitely ain't you.”

“Like the way she hovers just right there?”

“Heh, or how she bends over ta pick stuff up? Yeah, I noticed. Used to really mess with my head sumthin' awful.”

She swallowed and glanced around. We were passing the outskirts of town now, well past the main traffic. Not that there was much going on during a Sunday morning. She kept it down to a whisper anyway.

“Do you think she was flirting with us this whole time?”

I almost tripped over my own feet. Images of Scootaloo posing, leaning, bending, hugging, and hovering all rolled through my head like one of those fancy magic image spells. In hindsight, there was a LOT of it to remember. “I, uh, yeah. Yeah, reckon she probably was. But it's weird. I mean, remember the beach trip? She wouldn't wear a swimsuit. Just kept on wearing the same ol' top and shorts. Wouldn't even get in the water! She used ta like swimmin'! Remember when we helped out Terramar? She loved it!”

“That was kinda weird, but maybe she… I don't know. I'm pretty sure she slept in her clothes the other night.”

“Ya think so?”

“Yeah. It's weird.” We started over the little bridge in front of Fluttershy's cottage. “Well, if it's because of everything else then maybe it will all come out today.” I winced at her choice of words. Stepping up to Fluttershy's door was a good excuse to drop the topic. “You think she's home?”

I thumped on the door. Chirps and squawks answered alongside a muffled “Oh my”. A few moments later the door creaked open to reveal Fluttershy in a flowing sunflower yellow blouse and the loose, slightly worn out jeans she wore whenever she was planning to do some gardening.

“Oh! Good morning!” Her voice warmed up fast despite her surprise. “I wasn't expecting to see you girls today. Oh, but where's Scootaloo?”

“That's sorta why we're here.” I pulled the letter out of my pocket and held it out. “She won't leave her house and she won't say why. Asked us ta give ya this letter. Made me Pinkie Promise not to read it.”

Fluttershy's face fell into a worried frown. “Oh my, that doesn't sound like her. I'd better read this right away.” Sweetie and I waited while she opened and unfolded the letter and started to read. If I wasn't worried before, the look on her face would have clinched it. “Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear!”

“What? What's goin' on!?” I asked.

“Is something wrong?” Sweetie added. “She's our friend, you know! We've got a right to know!”

Fluttershy was years older than us but she shrank back like she was the teenager. “Oh, oh dear, I can't say. P-please don't be mad! I-I just can't.”

I planted my hands on my hips. “Weren't there a friendship lesson about not keepin' secrets that're hurtin' yer friends?”

Fluttershy cringed. “Y-yes. But I really can't tell you. Especially since, um, I don't think I need to. She'll… she'll have to tell you, because…” she skimmed the letter again, “I don't think there's anything else to be done.”

“About what?”

“Please, it's a very personal matter for her.” She reached out and put a hand on both of our shoulders. “You're going to want to be mad but… she's going to need you right now. And she deserves to tell you herself.”

Sweetie and I exchanged worried looks. “Fluttershy, what's wrong with Scootaloo?”

“Is it sumthin' serious?”

She shook her head. “It's not like that, I promise. Just give me a moment to grab a couple of things and I'll come with you back to her place, okay?”

Sweetie and I shared a look while Fluttershy went back inside. Sweetie was biting her lip, ears folded back tight, worried as could be.

This day was just getting worse by the minute.