Scootaloo the Fugitive

by Kaidan

20. A Wild Story Arc Appears!

"It was a sunny day in Ponyville. . . no that's a horrible way to start my essay." Scootaloo picked the pen back up in her mouth and crossed out the sentence. "Applejack was heading to the market. Suddenly there was an explosion!"

Scootaloo crumpled up the paper and threw it at the overflowing waste bin. If the assignment weren't due in thirty minutes, it might be a little easier to finish. She was expected to write an essay about a 'normal' day in Ponyville. Unfortunately, Scootaloo couldn't recall having a normal day in Ponyville yet.

Sighing, she settled for an elaborate lie about how she spent a whole day being an outstanding citizen. Scootaloo wrote about how the Cutie Mark Crusaders had gone crusading and nopony got covered in tree sap. Next came some bits of fiction and fantasy to pad the word count. She hastily wrote a bit on the end where Dash taught her how to do a sonic rainboom.

"Finally!" Scootaloo stuffed the paper into her saddlebag and headed out into the living room. School would be starting soon, so she grabbed her scooter and helmet.

Dash lay sprawled out on a cloud sofa snoring and with a leg hanging off. Winter was fast approaching and the hardest part for the weather team was cooling down the air and storing up enough rain clouds for the snow.

Scootaloo put her helmet on and grasped the scooter in her teeth. Despite being able to fly, it was still exhilarating to do stunts on it. It had the same feeling of speed as flying, but with the added element of being on the ground with the other ponies. After all, what pony doesn't like having a crowd?

She landed below the house and zoomed towards the school. It had been awhile since Scootaloo had used the scooter, and her more powerful wings were able to propel her nearly twice as fast. An added benefit was being able to use the smallest bumps in the rode as a launch ramp. It was easy to hide where riding ended and flying began, enabling her to soar for hundreds of feet in a single jump.

Arriving at school she saw that several of the students were outside still. She pulled up and went over to Applebloom and Sweetie. "Hey, what's going on?"

"A new student moved into town, everypony is over there talking to her." Sweetie gestured over towards the crowd.

"Neat, did you go say hi yet?"

"No. . . She is hanging out with them." Sweetie pointed over to Diamond and Silver Spoon. "And she has her cutie mark, so I don't see that ending well." The orange filly had a light blue mane and a grey streak through her hair. Her cutie mark was a tornado.

"Come on, she's a pegasus! She can't be that bad."

Scootaloo headed over towards the crowd to introduce herself. It took her a second to head around the gathered ponies and push past Snips and Snails. "Hi I'm Scootaloo, what's your name?"

The new pegasus glanced over at Diamond Tiara. "This must be the chicken you were talking about who can't fly? Nice scooter chicken."

Scootaloo could feel her temper flaring and fought to keep a level head. "I could beat you in a race anytime, anywhere."

"It'd hardly be fair with me flying and you on that plank with wheels." The filly stepped forward. "I'm Gale Storm, my father owns the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation. And you're not worth my time, chicken."

Scootaloo took a deep breath. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Diamond and Silver smiling. It looked like the rich kids had a new member of their insufferable entourage. Had it not been for the two snobby ponies smiling, she might have controlled her temper. "No. Pony. Calls. Me. Chicken."

"And what are you going to do about it? You blank flanks are hardly worth my time." Gale turned to address Diamond. "Come on, let's get to class."

Well past her breaking point, Scootaloo leapt right after the fillies had turned their backs. With a familiar sharp pain in her rump, she felt her tail being held fast in somepony's mouth. Turning around she saw Sweetie and Applebloom, once again preventing her from doing something she'd regret.

"Ah reckon once she gets ta know them, she won't be wantin' to hang around with 'em anymore." Applebloom smiled and spit out a few strands of pink hair.

She tossed the scooter against the wall of the school. "Why does every pony I meet have to be such a jerk?" Scootaloo looked back at the other crusaders. "Well, almost everypony. It's like they just keep showing up to antagonize me until I learn some lame lesson about friendship. That could really drive somepony mad!"

Sweetie and Applebloom shared a knowing glance, recalling a certain purple mare and a 'want it need it' spell. "Ah reckon it could."

"Thanks, by the way. I guess I'll just have to wait until after school to show her who the better flier is."

Sweetie glanced away nervously. "Well. . . you weren't here when she was showing off. She's pretty good." She looked back to Scootaloo and quickly added, "but not as good as you and Dash!"

"We'll see. Dash is training me for the Best Young Flier's competition coming up in Canterlot. Once I get my routine down, I'll mention it to this Gale, and then I'll win first place. We'll see who is a chicken then!"

"That's. . . one of the more reasonable things ya have suggested. Ah might even get Twilight's help to come watch ya compete."

Sweetie heard the bell ring. "We better get seated for class, I can't wait to share my fifteen page essay on a normal day in Ponyville."

In perfect unison, the other two crusaders facehoofed.

---

School couldn't get out fast enough. At lunch, Applebloom had agreed to take Scootaloo's scooter to the club house. The pegasus filly ran over several stunts in her mind to impress the new student. At the very least, she wouldn't be caught dead walking or riding instead of flying again.

Sweetie had cautioned her against putting so much weight in the opinions of others. According to her, it was 'a source of un-ending frustration for Rarity.' Scootaloo didn't see the correlation between proving she was the better flier, and a mare that cared so much about her physical appearance.

The bell finally rang, the entire lesson before it had passed in one ear and out the other ear of Scootaloo. Just as she was about to leave and fly off in the most impressive fashion, a voice beckoned her back.

"Scootaloo, can I have a word with you?" Cheerilee took a seat behind her desk and waited for her to walk over.

"What is it Miss Cheerilee?" Scootaloo stayed standing as the classroom emptied out.

Once the other fillies had cleared out, the teacher returned her glance to the student. "Scootaloo. . . Your grades have been suffering lately, and I can't help but notice you don't pay attention in class. Some days you even look exhausted from your practice flying. I need you to tell me if there is anything I can do to help. Otherwise, if you don't study and improve your grades, I'll have to assign you a tutor and extra schoolwork."

Scootaloo took a moment to compose herself and close her gaping mouth. "How bad can it be? I wrote the essay like you asked."

"Yes." Cheerilee pulled out the essay. "Let me read a small excerpt: 'Then the raggedy doctor climbed back into the smoking TARDIS, before vanishing to save Equestria from the gryphon armies. . .' "

Sweat started to bead on Scootaloo's brow. "Ok, so I may have exaggerated a little. Dinky keeps telling me these stories, and I couldn't think of anything else to make it two pages long!"

"Indeed. What about this? 'That was when the timberwolf attacked me, nearly tearing my head off. After thrashing free from the barn, I lead him to his demise at the hands of a fearsome grizzly bear.'"

Scootaloo chuckled nervously. "Come on, at least that part is true!" She pointed to her flank, only to notice the scars had faded completely under her coat of orange hair. "Ugh. It's not like I have had many normal days in Ponyville! I've barely been here a month and nearly been killed twice!"

"I know Scootaloo. And that's why I want to do anything I can to help. You've made great strides learning, considering you started school late. I can't shake the feeling though that you're not taking this seriously and things like this don't help." Cheerilee handed over the paper to her. "Go out, relax, and just write about something normal. Not heroic, not a sonic rainboom, just a day with the crusaders or a trip to the library."

"Alright." Scootaloo stuffed the essay into her saddlebag. "I'll try harder." She walked out without taking her eyes off the floor.

Sweetie was waiting outside. "What's the matter?"

"Cheerilee said my grades are too low. If I don't do better I'll have to get a tutor and extra homework."

"That's horrible." Sweetie walked alongside her out of the school. "I bet I can help you with the homework today, and get those grades fixed right up."

"Thanks Sweetie. I think I'm just going to go relax with Dash today. I need to do something 'normal' and re-write the essay. Maybe I can write one about taking a nap on a cloud."

Sweetie wanted to point out writing two pages about not doing anything and napping wasn't what Cheerilee had in mind. She could see Scootaloo was in a bad mood from the new filly unexpectedly calling her out, and the news that her grades had been suffering. "I have a better idea, why don't we go to Sugarcube Corner first? I'll buy you a cupcake and then you can go take that nap with Dash."

Scootaloo smiled over to her. "I'd like that."

---

Author's Note:

I'm planting plot seeds like it's going out of style! Which ones will grow, and which ones will be eaten by the pigeons?

Next time on Scootaloo the Fugitive: 50k word count bonus! Scootaloo tries to have a 'normal' day with Dash. When it turns out to be 'too normal', the duo find themselves at the Ponyville prank shop. Not even Pinkie will be able to resist pranking of that magnitude.

Comments

[temerarii pulsat]

mwahahaha! pranks by the dozens try painting applejacks apples then picking and superglueing them back onto the tree imagine applejacks reaction when she tries to pick them oh and paint needs to be water dissolveable cant ruin a good apple Holo the Wise Wolf would be pissed

[Kaidan]

2205015 That's how I end up losing sleep every night. There's always one more chapter of something being posted.
2204936 One of my favorite pranks is this: The Rain-bow Incident. Oh and that ending

I'm thinking of an Archer style rampage where everypony gets pranked, and then I'll strike up a little unfriendly rivalry leading up to the best young flier's competition. Which reminds me, that Timberwolf that's been stalking Scootaloo is still out there, waiting. . .

[Cold Spike]

Well...I have never seen a chapter end like that . MOAR!

[Blagdaross]

"Suddenly, there was a huge explosion!" Yes, Scootaloo would write like Michael Bay. (Bray?)

[Kaidan]

2207286 So many comments
Perhaps Scootaloo is Michael Bray's sole surviving child? And if I had a red shirt cutie mark, I'd be afraid I was going to die at any moment. I gave him a name though, so he's safe. . . for now. And I am leaving the chapters short now.

2205567 What would their ship be called anyway? Sweetaloo? Let's hope that "get a cupcake" isn't insinuating anything.

And now I'm off to write a chapter in which every single pony I can think of gets pranked.

[Blagdaross]

2207316 I just binge read as soon as I found this story... so much Scootaloo

[Cold Spike]

I didn't mean with shipping lol. They are kids after all, I guess you can do romance but you can't really do adult romance and still call it an Everyone story. 2207316

[Siras-chi]

2207316

Scoota-Bell

[Prince Regal Prism]

2207316 Oh no... If he has a red-shirt as a Cutie Mark...

*GASP* Does this mean he is apart of Star Trek?!

[Silver_Cloud123]

God, dat pokemon reference.
...
...
Ya done good, son.

[LightyChaser and friends]

Wait what? Fifteen pages?! Really Sweetie Belle?

[Indigo Tornado]

WHY U HAVE TO MAKE POKEMON TITLE REFERENCE.facehoof