A Surprise At The Party
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!”
I was in the bedroom of my sky-house, reading the latest Daring Do novel. I looked up from it at the sound of the bubbly voice calling my name. I marked my place, got up, and stuck my head outside to see Pinkie Pie standing on the ground below, smiling stupidly. I sighed heavily. Knowing Pinkie Pie, this was something completely frivolous, and I had an adventurer to read about. “Yeah, Pinkie?” I asked, only thinly veiling the annoyance in my voice.
“Can you come down here? I have to tell you something.”
“Can’t you just tell me from there?”
“But it’s super-duper, extra-special important!”
I groaned. “If it’s that important, just tell me.”
Pinkie huffed. “Fine. I just wanted to tell you that I’m having a party tonight and you’re invited.”
“Okay, thanks, Pinkie. See ya there!”
Pinkie Pie bounced away gleefully. I rubbed my temple with a hoof. That crazy mare was one of my best friends, but dear Celestia, could she get tiresome!
That being said, I was looking forward to the party. Pinkie’s parties were always good, and even if I didn’t dance or play games, I usually at least got some free cupcakes out of the deal. I figured it could be worse.
I went back to my book and re-immersed myself in Daring’s most recent quest. Daring Do was the most awesome pony I knew. It only made me sad that she was just a fictional character.
A few hours later, I turned the last page of the novel, experiencing that bittersweet mixture of satisfaction and sadness that came with the end of a great story. I looked at the clock and decided that I may as well head to Sugarcube Corner for the party.
I flew out over Ponyville and landed in front of the bakery. I could hear the steady beat of Pinkie Pie’s dance music coming through the wall, so I guessed that the party had already started. I put on my coolest face and strutted through the door.
“Hey, everypony! Dashie’s here!” Pinkie Pie ran over and gripped me in an almost unbearably tight hug, followed by the rest of our friends, all muttering greetings to me.
“Pinkie,” I choked out, “I need air!”
“Oh!” Pinkie Pie giggled at her own mistake. “Whoopsie!”
“So,” I remarked, once I had regained my oxygen supply, “what’s this party for, anyway?”
“It’s for Scootaloo,” Pinkie explained. “She finally got her cutie mark.”
I looked around and sure enough, there she was. Scootaloo, who had grown into quite the young mare since her crusading days, now had something on her flank. She was across the room, however, so I couldn’t quite make out what it was.
“Alrighty, then, Dashie, I’m gonna go talk to everypony else. See ya later!” Pinkie Pie disappeared onto the dance floor.
I hung back near the edge of the room, trying my best to ooze charisma and cool. I observed the dance floor and saw Spike and Rarity dancing together. I smiled to myself. Rarity had always rejected him when he was growing up, but as he matured, and she saw he wasn’t going to let it go, she let him go out on a date with her. Sure, it had started out as pity, but now they genuinely loved each other. I even heard from Twilight that he was starting to spend more nights at the boutique than the library. To think, the little twerp that had arrived in Ponyville just a few years ago was now in a relationship with my friend. Oh well, he deserved it.
After a while, I decided it was high time I get some punch and a cupcake. I made my way over to the snack table and snatched up a chocolate one, along with a cold glass of punch. Just as I finished my snack, the guest of honor appeared at my side.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash!” she said eagerly.
“Hey, Scoots! Heard ya got your cutie mark.”
“Yeah! Wanna see?” She shoved her flank in my face, revealing a small black-and-white checkered flag upon it.
“Pretty cool. What kind of special talent earns you a cutie mark like that, anyway?”
“Well, my special talent is riding my scooter. I still can’t fly very well, so I was ridin’ my scooter around town, going fast, when all of a sudden this baby appeared.”
“Not bad, kid.”
Scootaloo cringed slightly at the word “kid”. “I’m not really a kid, anymore, Rainbow Dash. I know I’m not as old as you are, but I’m practically an adult,” she said, looking hurt.
I mentally slapped myself for doing that. “I know you’re not. You got your cutie mark now, you’re all grown up!”
The smile returned to her face. Her purple eyes locked with mine for an instant, and then looked away again. I couldn’t help but notice that she still seemed slightly uncomfortable. “Rainbow Dash, would it be okay if we talked alone?”
“Sure k-” I stopped myself. “Scoot.” I called to the host of the party. “Hey, Pinkie!”
At a speed that would have been physically impossible for any other pony, Pinkie Pie rushed over. “Yes, Rainbow?”
“Is it okay if me and Scootaloo go up to your room to talk for a few minutes?”
“Sure,” she responded. “Just watch out for Gummy, okay? He’s napping.”
“Will do, Pinkie.”
Scootaloo and I trotted up the stairs to a cotton-candy pink door with three balloons painted on it that exactly matched Pinkie’s cutie mark. I opened it and we stepped inside, closing it behind us. Just as Pinkie Pie had said, her alligator, who was borderline comatose even when he was awake, was asleep in the corner.
We walked over and sat on Pinkie’s bed, which for some reason sprayed confetti as soon as weight was placed on it. “What’d you wanna talk about, Scoot?”
Scootaloo took a deep breath. “I wanted to talk about us, Rainbow Dash. Me and you.”
“What about us?” I inquired, something in my mind telling me that I wasn’t going to like where this was going.
“Well,” Scootaloo began hesitantly, “you know I’m your biggest fan, right?”
“Yeah,” I said. It was pretty obvious.
“I think I like you more than just the way a fan likes their idol.”
I really wasn’t liking where this was going. “Then what way do you like me?”
Scootaloo looked at her hooves, avoiding my face. “I... wanna be your marefriend.”
Butterflies rose in my stomach. I sat there speechless. It wasn’t as if I was against filly-fooling. In fact, I had almost been caught eyeing Twilight’s flank more than once, but this was Scootaloo. This was the pony I’d known since she really was a filly, the pony I’d seen grow up.
Before I could think of an answer, she grabbed my face and kissed my lips. No! This was wrong! I pulled out of her grasp and looked at her. She was blushing furiously, her orange cheeks taking on the color of a sunset. “Scootaloo... I... I...”
“You said it yourself: I’m all grown up, Rainbow Dash,” she declared. “Grown-ups know what they want, and I want you.”
Furious with myself for having no answer to this statement, I searched for a way out. Then I saw it: the window. Yes, that would do very nicely.
I raced over to it, threw it open and flew out. As the night air whipped my face, I looked back to see a hurt, confused Scootaloo gazing after me. I needed to go home and think.