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Chapter 1 - August 11th9,446 words
Chapter 2 - September 18th5,781 words
Chapter 3 - September 19th6,196 words
Chapter 4 - September 27th8,071 words
Chapter 5 - October 4th7,318 words
Chapter 6 - October 31st17,590 words
Chapter 7 - Into the Future...15,749 words

Chapter 3 - September 19th

“Hi Applejack! Is Apple Bloom around?”

Applejack stood up on the barn’s hay loft and glanced down at the familiar voice calling out to her. Sweetie Belle stood waving below, backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Hi there, Sweetie Belle,” Applejack waved back. “She’s out in the treehouse, as per usual.”

“Always good to check first. It’s a long walk out.” Sweetie smiled and headed for the barn door.

“Be sure to tell her she’s still got her chores to do after you three are done up there!” Applejack shouted after her before returning to her work.

Sweetie raised a quick thumbs up and then she was outside into the sunshine. It was a fine late afternoon, and Sweet Apple Acres always had an extra special glow this time of day, the kind that Sweetie liked to pause and really take in. A picturesque moment on an otherwise boring day.

She walked by the house. Parked in front was Big Mac’s work truck, one of the only privately-owned vehicles in town. Past the car was the porch where she leaned her bike, right next to the collie curled on a soft mat by the front door. She paused, as always, to give Winona a little pat on the head. The aging dog looked up, gave her hand a small lick, then went back down to sleep.

Sweetie took a long breath and headed out into the fields. There’d been no need to ask Applejack for directions. The path had been committed to memory many years before.

Eventually she got to the treehouse deep in the heart of the orchard. Built atop the largest tree on the farm, the old single room shack had seen better days. Not too long ago it had threatened to collapse entirely. But a dedicated effort from the girls, not to mention a very helpful Applejack, had given the place a new lease on life and they did their best to keep it maintained ever since. Sweetie headed up the rickety ramp without a second thought.

None of the girls could remember when their bi-weekly after school meetings really got started. They’d always been meeting like that in some sporadic fashion since middle school, when conflicting class schedules and rotating lunchtime friend groups made constant social updates difficult. Sometimes there were things that needed more time to chat about than in the few minutes between classes at the locker or in the never-long-enough lunch breaks at the bleachers. Thus, over time, it came to be that every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, off to the old clubhouse they went to properly decompress and talk and keep each other up to date on all the important and unimportant details of their lives.

Sweetie pushed the door open and tossed her bag down by the door. Despite the clubhouse’s dilapidated exterior the interior had a cozy quality that the girls took pride in, and did all they could to keep it the kind of place they could spend any number of hours relaxing in, away from the cares of the outside world. An old plush sofa was pushed against the side wall in front of her. The back wall was an old wardrobe full of sleeping bags and general camping supplies for impromptu sleepover nights, as well as a shelf crammed full of whatever books made their way there over the years. Opposite the sofa was a large table with the one modern thing in the whole clubhouse: a nice little portable tv, purchased by Sweetie Belle and graciously powered by Big Mac laying out a whole lot of extension cords through the apple trees.

At the room’s center, lying on her stomach on a large circular rug, was Apple Bloom. Her bag lay open on one of the chairs next to her. She had a notebook open in front of her, a textbook beside it, and was casually doing some homework.

“Howdy hey, friend,” Apple Bloom said, shutting her book and sitting up into a cross-legged position. She glanced at her watch. “Made it without bein’ too late at all.”

“Yes, sorry, got a little caught up leaving school. Somepony had managed to lock his bike to mine, and he took ages getting out there to get it all undone.” Sweetie set her bag down by the door and flopped into the large cushions of the old sofa they had against one wall. She looked around. “Scootaloo’s not here yet?”

“She texted, said she’s on her way. Kinda thought she’d arrive with you, actually.”

Sweetie shook her head. “I honestly hardly saw her today, just a few quick flashes in the hall. Couldn’t find her at lunch… but then, today I was at Crystal Spring’s table.”

Apple Bloom sniggered. “Bet that was a real good use of your time.”

“Hey, be nice,” Sweetie smiled and pointed to her friend. “She’s a lovely girl, she’s just a bit… chattier than most ponies are ready for.”

“She’s gonna pass out from talkin’ too quick in class one of these days, just you wait.”

“Now don’t be rude.”

“No, I’m serious. There’s a betting pool an’ everythin’. Smart money’s on Algebra, since she’s got it just before lunch.”

“Anyway,” Sweetie said with some emphasis, “I hope Scootaloo shows up soon. I tell you, something happened yesterday afternoon, something big, and I’m gonna get to the bottom of it today, you can count on it.”

At that moment, Scootaloo was hopping off her bike by the entrance of the farm and locking it to the fence. None of the girls cared much for biking right to the tree, too easy to get a flat tire out there from all the brambles, and for once Scootaloo didn’t have time to stay at the farmhouse for dinner afterward. Best to park for a speedy departure afterward.

She was heading out into the field when she felt her phone buzz. Expecting a message from Sweetie Belle on the importance of punctuality, she flipped it open and glanced at the screen. Her eyebrow rose as she saw the name that flashed across.

Spike:
[HI THERE]

Scootaloo’s thumbs moved quick.

Scootaloo:
[Hey dude]
[What’s up?]

Spike:
[HI]
[I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR]
[THAT WHAT I WAS ASKING ABOUT YESTERDAY IS WHAT I THINK IT WAS]
[TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION]

Scootaloo:
[You mean that date you asked me on :P]
[Because yeah]

Spike:
[YEAH]
[THAT’D BE THE THING]
[SO]
[YEAH]

Scootaloo:
[Yes]
[It’s a date]
[And all that implies]
[You better treat it like one]
[Because I am ;)]

Spike:
[COOL!]
[I WILL THINK OF SOMETHING BETTER TO SAY]
[BEFORE IT HAPPENS]
[NEXT TIME]

Scootaloo:
[It’s all good]
[Also]
[YOU TEXT VERY LOUDLY]

Spike:
[MY PHONE DOES THAT]
[I SWEAR]
[I’M IN TOO DEEP NOW TO CHANGE IT]
[GOTTA GO NOW, HOMEWORK]
[WILL TEXT YOU LATER]

Scootaloo:
[Peace out]

Scootaloo grinned as she shut her phone and slipped it back into her pocket.

Poor boy is scrambling here. Hope I’m not scaring him too much.

She hustled along and was soon on the ramp up to the tree. She heard her friends talking as she pushed open the door. Sweetie was seated on the floor brushing her tail, while Apple Bloom was next to her, glancing through her phone. They both looked up simultaneously.

“Finally!” Sweetie Belle wailed out. “We were feeling so abandoned.

“Lost an’ alone an’ without a clue what to do,” Apple Bloom added, much less dramatically.

“I know, I know. My aunts have been cleaning the house like crazy, I’m lucky to have gotten away at all, but rest assured…” Scootaloo said, as she hard tossed her bag to the sofa and plopped herself down on the rug to create a semi-circle with the other two. “I am here now and all is well with the world once again.”

“Are your parents back in yet?” Apple Bloom asked. The arrival of both of Scootaloo’s parents at once was a rare occasion, and everyone had been looking forward to it all month.

She shook her head. “Not yet. Mom’s due tonight, Dad tomorrow morning, assuming nothing wild happens weather-wise between now and then.”

“Well, they’d be the first to know about that,” Sweetie said. “Is everything still set for the big dinner on Sunday?”

“Yeah, they can’t wait to see you two again, it’s been… wow, like a year since all four of you have been in the same room?” Scootaloo let slip a quick frown, then shook it off. “Anyway, gonna be a fun weekend. I’m just gonna ditch school tomorrow to hang with them, let Mom call me in sick. Just go hang out downtown all day.”

“Heck yeah, doin’ it right,” Apple Boom high-fived Scootaloo.

“And I’ll grab your homework for you,” Sweetie added, getting the down low five on the rebound.

“Much obliged.” Scootaloo said.

“How long they stayin’ this time again?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Mom leaves Tuesday, Dad leaves Thursday,” Scootaloo said. “Mom’s got some big conference in Cloudsdale she’s gotta go back and get ready for, and Dad needs to head to Fillydelphia to do some reviewing of their cloud control network. After that, they’re back abroad for another six months at least. I’m not even sure where yet, somewhere overseas.”

“Cool, cool…” Apple Bloom said, her voice trailing off. The girls knew Scootaloo loved seeing her parents, and also knew they were never around nearly as long as she’d like. Not these days.

Sweetie quickly stepped in. “I’m sure it will be a great time with them.”

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Scootaloo smiled and hurried to change the subject. She stretched out her arms, her tight workout shirt stretched tight, and she let out a long breath. “Aaaah, a nice carefree day with a calm and easy afternoon. Love a good, low-key clubhouse meeting. No surprises or stress of any kind.”

“Not quite!” Sweetie rose in dynamic fashion, finger pointed to the ceiling. “My social senses have been tingling for over 24 hours. Something is amiss in this little community of ours, and you two are gonna help me figure out what it is.”

Scootaloo smirked. Apple Bloom shook her head.

“Okay, so, you get these feelings every other week, right? What are they really supposed to, like, signify again?” Scootaloo asked.

“She’s tryin’ to do the Pinkie Sense thing,” Apple Bloom responded. “But for, you know, someponies gettin’ in a breakup or somepony crushin’ on somepony else, stuff like that.”

“It’s a real thing and Pinkie even backs me up on it and I’ll thank you both for respecting it.” Sweetie’s tone was firm, but still friendly. She looked back and forth between the others.

Apple Bloom giggled. “We know, we know, it’s just more fun to tease you. So come on, whatcha got for us?”

“Hmmm…” Sweetie rubbed her chin as she paced back and forth. “It’s a strong feeling. I haven’t felt like this in a while. Gotta be somepony close. Possibly… somepony in this very room!”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo kept stone faces.

Oh yeah, I probably should’ve told them yesterday.

Sweetie’s hand shot out, her finger pointed directly at Apple Bloom’s face in a quick flash of movement that made the girl flinch.

Scootaloo snorted.

Oooooor I could let this play out a bit longer.

“Apple Bloom! You mentioned somepony crushing on somepony else! Tell us… is it you?”

“Wellllll,” Apple Bloom started, tenting her fingers in front of her chest, eyes looking up to the ceiling.

Sweetie sat down next to Scootaloo and the two inched forward with interest.

“Oooh, really? Somepony new?” Scootaloo asked.

“Sorta,” Apple Bloom said. “Like, real fresh crush, barely a week old here.”

“Well still, that’s something, and-”

“Wait,” Sweetie held up a hand, cutting Scootaloo off. “Apple Bloom, tell us early: straight crush or a crush with a future?”

Apple Bloom looked askance, head falling slightly. “...straight crush.”

Her friends groaned. Apple Bloom covered her face with her hands. Scootaloo moved next to her and leaned in for a side hug.

“Gotta stop doing this to yourself, girl,” She said. “You know it’s never gonna go anywhere.”

“It’s not like I’m getting them on purpose,” Apple Bloom said, putting out her arm to side hug Scootaloo back. “They just… happen, ya know? Sitting next to some cute girl in class long enough and bam, there it is.”

“True, true,” Sweetie slid over to the other side. “Well, who is it this time?”

“Milky Wave. I’m across from her in Bio and two rows over in Geography.”

Sweetie nodded. “Honestly, not a bad choice. That girl’s got some great hair and an actual sense of style.”

“Yeah, and is also about as committed to her boyfriend as anypony in our grade,” Scootaloo added. “Feels like her and Crystal have been together since middle school.”

“Yeah, I know, I know…” Apple Bloom flopped backward, arms spread-eagled as she stared at the ceiling. Sweetie quickly hovered a pillow over from the couch and pushed it under her fallen friend’s head. “An’ I know I gotta start lookin’ elsewhere, I just… how do you even start? I hardly know anypony who’s out at school, an’ the girls that are… well, they just don’t interest me that much. Ain’t their fault or anythin’, just… no attraction there. I can’t help it!”

“You can’t put so much pressure on yourself,” Sweetie said. She stood up and headed to the table. Right by the TV was a small milk crate, always kept well stocked with an assortment of snacks. “That doesn’t make this any easier.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo agreed. “It’s not like you can just force a relationship into existence. And like, you don’t really need one at all-”

“Okay, see, I kinda do,” Apple Bloom said. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think it’d be real nice to have a special somepony of my own, but even past that… well, I ain’t come out to my family yet, an’ that’s somethin’ that’s really startin’ to bug me. I don’t like keepin’ a big secret from them, an’ this is the biggest one I got.”

Sweetie and Scootaloo shared a knowing look. Apple Bloom had come out as gay to the both of them six months prior, which was already about six months after they’d each guessed it themselves, as had a select number of other friends. They never asked Applejack or Big Mac about it directly, but they had a hunch that Apple Bloom’s secret was only a secret to those well outside her immediate social circle.

“Apple Bloom, dear…” Sweetie started. “I think your family will, uh, not have too much trouble understanding you here.”

“Yeah. Not for nothing, Apple Bloom, but you’ve found yourself in what might genuinely be the queerest family in Ponyville,” Scootaloo added. “AJ’s been dating Rainbow Dash for like a decade now, Big Mac is doing pretty well for himself with the stallions around town ever since he started bouncing at the Branding Iron, and before she passed even Granny was talking about her, uh, experimental younger days.”

Not totally sure why Granny told us those stories, but they were fun to hear.

“That’s just it!” Apple Bloom sat up suddenly. “Right now I’m the odd girl out, just the little ‘normal’ straight kid. I can’t go an’ tell them I like girls with nothin’ to show for it! Will be like I’m just copyin’ my siblings or somethin’. I get a girlfriend, then it’s all, you know, more real, it’s got some meat to it, an’ then I can tell them.”

Scootaloo stood and headed to the couch, dropping onto one of the overstuffed cushions with one leg slung over the armrest. She nodded to Apple Bloom.

“Hey, whatever you think’s gonna work for you, we support it.”

“Oh absolutely,” Sweetie said, munching on a small bag of chips. She tossed a second bag over to Scootaloo, and a third down to Apple Bloom. “I just wish we could be more help. I’m not too good at, well, knowing what to look for, at least so far as what you’re after.”

“Yeah, that one’s on me, but thanks all the same. I figure if I just keep at it I’m bound to get lucky. Still lots of girls to get to at school, after all” Apple Bloom smirked and sighed. “Here I am pouring my little lonely lesbian heart out, and it’s Scootaloo who’s had more gay partners than me.”

“Booooooo, easy shot,” Scootaloo laughed and tossed the other couch pillow at Apple Bloom’s face. The earth pony had no hope of dodging the pitch and took the hit with grace.

“How is Rumble these days?” Sweetie asked. She sat herself down on one room’s scattered chairs. “I miss him!”

“He’s doing real good,” Scootaloo said fondly. “I was chatting with him just today at lunch, actually. Still keeping everything, you know, on the down low, but everypony’s who knows is cool with it.”

“Is he still trying to move in with his brother?” Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo nodded. “Oh yeah, he’s actually basically done with that. He said Thunderlane got the last of the court paperwork settled and helped him into his apartment around when school started. He’s still got some stuff at his Dad’s house, but like… he’s just gonna leave it, he doesn’t care. And since he’s out of that house… well, I think his life is gonna get a whole lot better.”

“Thank goodness for that. The sooner he got away from his dad…” Apple Bloom shuddered. Rumble’s father was the type who kept a firm hand and the main reason his son still stayed deep in the closet. “I’m gonna text him right now, I miss him too. We gotta start inviting him around more often.”

“He’s kinda doing his own thing right now, but yeah, give him a poke.” Scootaloo said. “You can help him with his boyfriend hunt, he can help you with your girlfriend hunt. Fair exchange.”

“Ugh, I know he’ll have better luck than me, he’s got a whole drama department he can search through.”

“He and Tender Taps do spend an awful lot of time together…” Scootaloo tilted her head, two fingers rubbing her temple. “Could be something to it.”

“If only. That would be too easy,” Sweetie said.

The three finished off their food in silence. A few buzzes from their phones distracted them, and each got busy responding to texts. Scootaloo flipped hers open to a familiar sight.

Spike:
[I AM STILL DOING HOMEWORK AND HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO SAY]
[BUT SAYING THAT COUNTS AS SOMETHING TO SAY ANYWAY, RIGHT?]

Scootaloo:
[lol]

Spike:
[I MEAN BEING TECHNICAL AND ALL]

Scootaloo:
[This is not how most guys flirt with me]
[So points for originality there]

Spike:
[WAIT]
[IS THIS FLIRTING?]
[AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT NOW?]
[SORRY]
[WAIT]
[I CAN DO BETTER]
[UH]
[HEY… GIRL… WHAT’S COOKING]

Scootaloo let out a genuine laugh, more than she meant to.

Hopeless, but in a fun way.

Scootaloo:
[A for effort buddy]
[Finish your homework, think hard over what to do next]
[You’ll get there]
[;p]

She snapped her phone shut and glanced up. The others were staring at her.

“What?”

“Hmmm…” Sweetie narrowed her eyes. “My social sense is still going off. I don’t think it’s anything to do with Apple Bloom. Anything you’d like to add, Scootaloo?”

Right, should tell them already.

“Oh yeah, Spike asked me out yesterday.”

Silence filled the room. Sweetie’s chip bag fluttered to the floor.

“What!?” Sweetie practically leapt from her seat and onto the couch, moving with an agility that impressed Scootaloo. “Spike? Spike Sparkle? Spike Sparkle the dragon? Our Spike? That Spike from down at the library?”

“That would be the one, yes, I don’t think I know any other-”

“Why are you telling us this now!?” Apple Bloom had hopped up and wedged herself onto the other side of the couch. “This is a Thing! An actual, like, Thing To Talk About! Not somethin’ to keep secret at all!”

Scootaloo suddenly found herself pinned between two very curious friends. She took a deep breath.

“First, I wasn’t keeping it secret, it just… well, it just kinda happened suddenly yesterday after school, and I’ve been busy since then, and didn’t see you guys, and just texting you wouldn’t really have been enough, so I figured I’d let you know here.”

“After letting me go through that!” Sweetie said with a small indignant huff.

“Well yeah, I love when you do all that. Good dramatic energy always gets to me.”

“Me? Dramatic? Over this?” Sweetie rested her palm on her forehead as her eyelids fluttered.

“Oooh yeah, that’s the stuff, right there.” Scootaloo nodded. “Brightens my day every time.”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and scootched back ever so slightly. “Alright, alright, I’ll take it down a notch. But please, seriously, do tell us! What did he do? Did you have any idea he liked you like that? I mean… I just didn’t see this one coming at all.”

“An’ what did you say?” Apple Bloom added in.

Scootaloo hopped off the couch and did a small lap around the couch, collecting her thoughts and then sitting herself down in Sweetie’s former chair.

“So, we just happened to run into each other in the hall near the office a little after school got out, and I was about to leave, and he called out to me, and just… asked. He was really anxious about it. I’ve kinda got the feeling that he’s never asked anypony out before.”

“Everypony’s first time is tough,” Sweetie said. “I remember when dear Spring Step asked me to the spring fling back in Freshman year. I thought he was going to faint.”

“As for knowing about Spike liking me… I dunno, maybe? It’s kinda hard to read. We’ve known him for, what… always? I guess I got so used to having him around I never really thought too hard about anything more than being regular friends with him.”

Well, maybe the thought did occur once or twice, but… what to even make of that.

The three girls considered it for a moment. While Spike had never been a core part of their friend group, he had nonetheless been present in some fairly integral parts of their lives from even before elementary school, back in the days when they had all met for the first time. Others had come and gone over the years, but he was always around in some form or another, one of a set of a few dozen names and faces that remained constant through time.

“He’s always been pretty close, true,” Sweetie agreed. “Not like a brother or anything. Maybe a close cousin?”

Scootaloo wrinkled her nose. “Thankfully, I’ve never thought of him as a relation, that might make things a bit difficult here.”

“Oh, you know what I mean.”

“Huh, Spike…” Apple Bloom scratched her chin. “I always thought he was gay.”

Sweetie rubbed her temples and took a long breath. “Apple Bloom, dear, honey, darling… we need to have a very long discussion about your gaydar, because it is just not pinging correctly. If you might recall, Spike had a large crush on my sister once upon a time.”

“Yeah, but that was just puppy love when he was like seven. I’m talking now, when he’s never seemed interested in any girls at all!” Apple Bloom countered. She gestured around the room. “Think of all the parties an’ stuff we’ve been to an’ seen him at, since middle school at least, an’ he’s never tried to hit on anypony, dance with anypony, do much of anythin’ with anypony. Always just hangin’ out with Button or Featherweight or just chillin’ with us an’ not actin’ weird or anythin’.”

“I think he may have been watching me,” Scootaloo said. “Not, like, in a creepy way or anything, I just… I dunno, I feel like I’ve caught him glancing my way an awful lot, especially lately.”

Sweetie thought back. “Hmmm… how much have we seen of him lately, anyway? He was at Diamond Tiara’s big party when he got back in August, couple hangouts at the cafe, that party at Goldenrod’s house right when school started…”

Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. “Ugh, don’t even say his name, that jackass… not my proudest night at that party, and I’m working to forget it and move past it.”

“Relax, we ain’t judgin’ you for nothin’.” Apple Bloom walked over and patted Scootaloo on her wings, giving her a reassuring smile. “We know that guy’s full of it anyway, an’ the rumors he an’ his dumb friends are tryin’ to spread ain’t worth the breath to repeat. Everypony knows that.”

Don’t I wish they did.

“You know, come to think of it,” Sweetie said, thinking back carefully. “Spike was at that party, but he left pretty early. Right around when everypony really started dancing and you and Golde- that is, you got, uh, a little involved on the dance floor. After that, I didn’t see him anywhere, and he’s the type to stand out in a crowd even when he’s off to the side of it.”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Ooooh, yeah, maybe… he got a bit of the wrong impression that night.”

“Well, he seems to have recovered from it.” Sweetie said. “So, like Apple Bloom already asked… what did you say to him?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “I said yes. He’s a nice guy, and given every dude I’ve done even a half-assed attempt at going out with since Rumble, I think I’d really like to just… have a nice evening with a nice guy. Keep things simple, ya know?”

Of course, aren’t all guys nice until, suddenly, they’re not.

She sighed and sagged in her chair. Apple Bloom and Sweetie glanced at one another.

“Look, I know the rumors going around about me, and I don’t really care about them, and certainly don’t care about the jerks spreading them, but still…” Scootaloo sighed again. “It would just be really cool to get all that shit off my wings for a night and go relax with a guy who wants to spend some time with me and who also doesn’t care about all that. Plus, I mean, it’s Spike: we’ve known him long enough to know him well enough, which means I already know he’s a chill dude who probably won’t do anything too dumb. He seems… reliable. That’s important.”

“True, true.” Sweetie nodded. A wicked grin flashed on her face. “Plus… well, he’s not too terrible to look at, now is he?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

Ooh yeah, here we go.

“He’s definitely still growin’ into his wings,” Apple Bloom said. “Tall, but not too tall, bit gangly, lean…”

“Comes from a prestigious family known all across the land…”

“Real good brain, good work ethic, good at keepin’ Button in line…”

“Used to play soccer…”

“An’ was good at it, too! So he’s athletic.”

“Rather nice smile, if a bit… toothy, for my tastes.”

“So high marks all around, but… does it all come together for a certain somepony here?”

“A very important question, Apple Bloom, very important. If only that certain somepony could weigh in and give an informed opinion on it…”

“If only, if only…”

The two leaned in expectantly and stared the pegasus down.

“Okay, okay,” Scootaloo put her hands up in submission. “I’ll say it: yes, I think he’s kinda cute.”

Like… wow, I really do, don’t I.

“Aaaayyyyyyyy!” her friends said in unison, their hands in the air.

“I can always count on your support in my personal life,” Scootaloo said. “Anyway, right now it’s just dinner next Friday. That’s assuming he makes it that far, because going by the texts I’m getting, I think he’s melting into himself over all this.”

“Awwwww, that’s adorable,” Sweetie said. “Downright endearing.”

“He’s just trying his best.”

“An’ we shall do our duty in only slightly teasin’ the livin’ daylights outta him come next week,” Apple Bloom grinned devilishly. She was already reaching for her phone.

“Oh yes,” Sweetie said. “If he thinks he’s going to take our beloved Scootaloo out to just any old fast food joint wearing that usual ratty hoodie of his, he’s got another thing coming. We shall need to properly educate him over the next few days. And furthermore-”

Scootaloo snapped her fingers and pointed at each of them. “Oh no you don’t. Both you girls are gonna keep this under your lids, and you’re gonna act good and oblivious, at least until after it happens. I’m serious here! Nopony needs to put any more pressure on him. Right now, the only one doing any Spike teasing is gonna be me, and I will be mostly merciful.”

Sweetie raised an eyebrow. “Mostly?”

“Welllllll… gotta toughen him up a little, right?” Scootaloo smiled, hands intertwined in front of her chest in as close an approximation to an innocent pose as she could manage. “...Also I was thinking of wearing my crummy jeans, too. Keep his expectations in check.”

Sweetie laughed, and then so did Apple Bloom, and once Scootaloo the joyous chorus doubled, filling the air with the sound of teenage cheer.

Guess everypony’s onboard with this. Cool.

An alarm on a phone went off. The girls moved around the room, gathering their bags and books and notes. It was finally time to get onto the other important part of their biweekly meetings: keeping everyone current on their homework. They didn’t need the best grades to keep going about the fun parts of their lives, but good ones certainly helped make everything smoother.

The sun started to set. The lights running along the tree’s ceiling, installed many years ago and mostly a lot of very nice flashlights gaffer taped into place, were snapped on, filling the room with a kind of makeshift stage lighting. As the girls lay on their stomachs with their textbooks open, tails in the air, pens and pencils in hand.

As Sweetie and Apple Bloom quietly compared Bio notes with each other, Scootaloo’s mind drifted away.

Spike… Spike Spike Spike… a senior dragon and a junior pegasi, out on the town… it could work. Why shouldn’t it?

She snuck a glance at her phone, sitting over by her bag on the sofa. It hadn’t buzzed since their earlier conversation. Scootaloo thought back to it, and what she had told the others about her feelings towards Spike over the years.

Crushes are funny things. They can come and go without any rhyme or reason, sometimes brought on by the right funny line or a good look in the right light or even something more general and ambiguous than that, a strange sense of things clicking naturally into place whenever one and the other were in the same room.

No logic, no consistency, just pure feelings right from the heart, or sometimes the gut, or maybe both at once.

Scootaloo had had many a crush over the years, most mere fleeting things. All the boys that had caught her eye, some that stayed put and others that flashed out in the next blink. Spike… where did Spike land for her? Where had he been before? Would he stick around? Could he?

Why am I always drawn to guys with nice wings…

The thought made her giggle to herself. The others could only stare and wonder.

Spike sat at the desk in his room. It was as overflowing with papers and books as it ever was, a few stacks forever threatening to teeter off and collapse to the floor below. He liked that. A busy desk was a productive one. Definitely a lesson he learned from Twilight.

Most of his homework was already done. He never needed too long to work on it, having devised a good system years before and sticking to it nearly religiously. By sundown he was functionally finished, beyond needing to review his history essay. And given that that was only a first draft, it wasn’t going to be the most involved review anyway.

Right now he just stared at his phone. It had been open to the same text conversation for the last hour. Every time his fingers reached for the buttons, hesitation hit. The words just weren’t there.

He sighed and leaned back in his seat, letting his mind drift away.

Seems to be going fine. Haven’t blown it yet. Though still plenty of time to do that… ugh, what do I even say next? Do I just start a conversation? Do I talk to her more at school? I can’t, not yet, it’s not like we’re… I mean, it’s one date and it hasn’t happened yet and who knows how it’ll go and-

“Spike! Dinner time!”

Twilight’s shout jolted Spike in his chair. He hurriedly snapped his phone shut and shoved it in his pocket as he headed for the door. No sooner had his claws brushed the knob when he felt a buzz. He yanked the phone back out and stared at the screen.

Button:
[Dude! new Galaxy Wars trailer dropped!]
[it looks so cool!!!]
[We gota go see it!!!!]

Spike sighed. He tapped a quick reply as he walked down the stairs.

Spike:
[YEAH, I SAW THE VIDEO EARLIER]
[WE WILL]
[DON’T WORRIES]

Button:
[Im gonna get opeing night ticks when they go on sale]
[u gotta be there]
[Its the law]

Spike:
[I’LL CONSULT MY CALENDAR]

Button:
[Spike]
[Don’t fight Button Law!]
[U can’t win!]

Spike snorted and shut his phone. That movie was still three months away, but Button was the type who wanted prime seats for his opening night viewing experience. Spike was less picky and tended to be perfectly content anywhere so long as his wings weren’t blocking the pony behind him.

Twilight was in the dining room, scooping salad and what appeared to be tofuloaf onto a plate for Spike. Much of the table was piled high with papers and books and various research projects still in progress, as was the case of nearly every flat surface in the living areas of the tree, but the two of them had carved out specific spots near the end where they could still sit and eat and otherwise use the room for its original purpose.

“Hello there,” Twilight smiled at Spike as she sat down. “Homework all done?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah, pretty much. Gotta revise that history essay, but I figure it can wait until the weekend.”

“That’s good. Also, I know you told me yesterday, but I need to get back to that teacher at school about those advanced spell lessons.” Twilight scribbled a small note to herself on a loose scrap of paper. “I’ll call the school tomorrow and see if I can set up an appointment next week, give the whole syllabus a once-over.”

“Thanks, Twilight.”

The two ate in relative silence. Twilight reviewed one of her many notebooks related to one of her endless projects, while Spike stared into space. After a while, Twilight glanced up at him. She studied his expression closely.

“Everything… going okay?” She asked.

Spike gulped down his food. “Uh, yeah, just… thinking about school stuff.”

Can’t start a conversation about Scootaloo, don’t think Twilight is quite the right pony to ask for advice. And… I don’t know.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Spike got the sense that she wanted to probe deeper. He was glad she didn’t. Not yet.

Why get her hopes up for something I can still screw up.

A buzz broke the moment. Twilight raised her other eyebrow.

“That sounds like a phone.”

Spike’s hand subtly went to his pocket. There weren’t a whole lot of rules living under Twilight’s roof, but phones at the dinner table were largely off limits.

Silence mode, stupid thing. Silence!

“A phone? At this table? Right now?” He said innocently.

“Evidence certainly suggests it.”

“Couldn’t be.”

Another buzz sounded off.

“An absurd fiction,” Spike said.

One more buzz.

“Your ears deceive,” he added.

Another buzz sounded off, followed by yet another.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Lucky for you I am in a very distracted mood tonight, so how about you tell Button that he can talk to you later and then keep it away until you’ve finished your plate, okay?”

“Thanks,” Spike said sheepishly. He fished out his phone and flipped it open under the table.

Button we can’t even buy tickets for another month, what are you so worried about-

His eyes widened when he saw the screen.

Scootaloo:
[Howdy hey Spike]
[So I’ll be be real busy with family stuff from tonight through middle of next week]
[Won’t be at school tomorrow]
[Gonna be mostly radio silent]
[But I’ll message you when I can]
[I am looking forward to next Friday night]
[:)]

Spike smiled to himself. He typed his response slow and easy.

Spike:
[ME TOO]
[:)]
[TAKE CARE!]

“Everything okay with him?” Twilight asked as Spike shut his phone.

“Yup, yup,” he said. “You know Button, just… really excited about some stuff coming up.”

Excited and anxious and maybe a little terrified. Should be fine. Maybe it’ll even work out?

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The Scales of Attraction - Relaxing Dragon

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