When Scoots Met Sweetie
"Go out and play, Scootaloo." Her parents had said in no uncertain terms. "Ponyville is a lovely place to explore." They had said. "Maybe you'll make some new friends." They had encouraged in what Scootaloo assumed were optimistic tones. The young pegasus didn't really care, but considering the alternative was just sitting at home while her parents finished moving all those heavy boxes around she had decided it best to humor them.
She had just moved to Ponyville from Cloudsdale with her parents. She didn't quite understand the full reasons behind the decision but from what she'd been able to pick up on it sounded like it had something to do with school. More specifically the idea that Ponyville was more on her level, whatever that meant.
The little filly just darted about from place to place, observing the huge assortment of ponies big and small alike as they went about their daily business. Compared to Cloudsdale, Ponyville's population was a lot more diverse. Scootaloo couldn't remember seeing so many unicorns and earth ponies in the years she'd spent in Cloudsdale. And this was the first time she'd seen creatures besides ponies trotting about too.
But the young pegasus was content to be more of an observer rather than a participant. Everypony seemed nice enough there. Lots of ponies were talking and chatting about all sorts of subjects that were of no interest to Scootaloo. However, there was one feature about her that she didn't want others picking up on. For if they did they were sure to either tease her about it or take pity on her.
No, it wasn't her wings. She'd been assured that they were just fine and would start working with time. For now she was mainly content simply with the fact that they could lift her off the ground if she needed to seem taller. It was her flank, more specifically what wasn't on it. A cutie mark.
Scootaloo had noticed that back in Cloudsdale she was among the last of those in her age group not to have a cutie mark. That had caused her more than one sleepless night, not that she'd ever admit publicly to it. But all the grown-ups ever had to say in response was "It's okay, Scootaloo." and "You'll get your cutie mark when the time is right.", while many pegasus colts and fillies would taunt her with things such as "Have you ever seen a filly your age without her cutie mark?" or "Maybe your cutie mark is just invisible and you're good at being unseen." She hated every second of it.
And being in a town with so many ponies that already had their cutie marks did nothing to make her feel any better about the depressing situation. "Mom and Dad must be out of their minds. How could this be better than being a blank flank in Cloudsdale?" Scootaloo thought to herself as her grayish purple eyes watched the activity of the market place from the safety of a nearby bush. She particularly noticed two very elegant looking earth pony fillies, one wearing a diamond tiara on her head and the other wearing a pair of silver glasses. They appeared to be giggling about something or rather someone nearby.
"Can you imagine, Di, what it must be like to be her?" The glasses wearing filly asked the headgear wearing one, while gesturing to an earth pony mare with a pale, light grayish mulberry coat with a cutie mark depicting grapes and a strawberry.
The headgear wearing filly let out a haughty laugh. "I know, right? She sells all those weird drinks with funny names, yet all she can afford is that drab little cottage. I'm so glad we're not like her. The two of us, we're definitely special. Truly the best of the best."
"You're so right, Di. But at least she has a cutie mark." The glasses wearing filly commented.
"True. To think that just up until yesterday, I was one of those unfortunate cutie markless ponies," The headgear wearing filly declared. "My daddy's already promised to throw me an amazing party to celebrate it! I should probably go check on the preparations and make sure Mother isn't giving him a hard time again. She sure is hard to please."
The glasses wearing filly just nodded her head. "Your mom always seems to be in a bad mood, Di."
"Because she expects only the best in life. After all, rich ponies never settle for second best." The headgear wearing filly proudly declared, before she and the glasses wearing filly trotted off somewhere, giggling in their silly, snobbish way.
Scootaloo had been watching from the safety of her bush the whole time. What she didn't know, however, was that the bush had yet another occupant. An individual who had only recently joined but had apparently done so while Scootaloo was distracted.
"Oh, is this your bush?" A sweet sounding voice innocently questioned. "I didn't see a name on it. I'm sorry if it belonged to you."
Scootaloo nearly gasped in surprise as she spun around, finding herself snout to snout with a filly that seemed about her size and age. The filly was a unicorn with a coat the same shade of white as snow (or clouds for that matter). She had curly bangs that were a light grayish purple in color with lighter gray purplish-pink streaks, and eyes a pale, light green in color that blinked back at Scootaloo's grayish purple ones. What was most noticeable about this filly though was the fact that she did not appear to have a cutie mark either.
"W-who are you? How did you get in here?" Scootaloo defensively inquired of the newcomer.
The filly just giggled in response to the question. "My name is Sweetie Belle. I always like to come to this bush. It's fun to watch other ponies from afar. I'm sorry if I startled you just now," And then she asked. "What's your name?"
"Scootaloo. Not that it really matters," The young pegasus retorted haughtily. "You didn't startle me, Sweetie Belle. I was just watching ponies too."
"Because you also don't have a cutie mark, right?" Sweetie Belle asked point blank. "I can tell by your flank, even though Rarity says it's not polite to stare."
"Rarity? I think I've heard that name somewhere around town." Scootaloo pondered as she put a hoof to her chin.
Sweetie beamed with pride. "She's my big sister. She runs her own dress making shop that she calls Carousel Boutique. I hang out there all the time," And then she started bouncing up and down with joy. "Oh, oh! I should totally introduce you to her! She could probably design matching outfits for the both of us!"
But the tomboyish filly made a gag face. "Ew, dresses! I hate how they're always so frilly and fru-fru! I only wear them on an 'as needed' basis, especially the really itchy ones."
The unicorn's excited mood quickly faded. "Alright, alright, I guess the dresses are a bit much right now. But you should totally meet my sister. She's so amazing! I wanna be just like her when I grow up!"
"At least you have a sister though," Scootaloo commented with a forlorn look. "I'm an only child. In fact, my parents are always so busy with work I sometimes forget I have them. We actually just moved here from Cloudsdale."
Sweetie's pale, light green eyes lit up with wonder and amazement! "Really? That is so cool! I've never been to Cloudsdale! Is everything there really made of clouds?"
The pegasus filly shook her head. "That's just an old pony's tale. Cloudsdale buildings are built just like all other buildings. I don't know how they stay up though."
Sweetie decided it best to change the topic since she didn't know about pony architecture at all. "Hey, we should totally hang out! You're new to Ponyville, and there's so many new things I wanna show you!"
Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't really have anything better to do anyways. I'd probably have just spent all my time pony watching here."
"Excellent!" The unicorn filly declared and firmly took Scootaloo by the hoof. "Come on, let's get out of this bush before we're covered in thistles!"
Sweetie led Scootaloo through the center of town, ducking and weaving her way around various market stands. "Sorry about the clutter," She sincerely apologized to Scootaloo. "First thing you gotta know about Ponyville, there's always something going on. Sometimes it's just a party or whatever vendors are selling, other times it's a bigger problem."
"Bigger than ponies who make fun of other ponies?" Scootaloo questioned.
Sweetie nodded her head. "Yeah, much bigger. I'm guessing you saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Take my advice and stay away from them, they're nothing but trouble."
"Kind of got that impression from watching them make fun one of that one mare for her cutie mark. Hope I never become that mean when I get mine eventually." The pegasus filly remarked with concern.
"I feel the same way but Rarity says I'll never be that way on her watch," Sweetie responded. "And trust me, those fillies are nothing compared to what comes out of the Everfree Forest. Even grown ponies are terrified of that place, they say it's not natural."
"What's so unnatural about a forest? Sounds like a great place to search and explore." Scootaloo commented in blissful unawareness.
The unicorn filly shook her head in protest. "I've never been in there myself, I've heard stories from so many ponies. Apparently, plants grow and weather happens all by itself. And sometimes horrible monsters slip out from it and cause trouble," She shuddered with fright. "I still remember that last manticore attack. They had to call in the royal guards just to subdue it, it took days before everything went back to normal."
Scootaloo let out a gulp. Her parents probably weren't aware of such a fact when they'd made the decision to move.
Sweetie just went on talking. "They don't happen very often, though. We just mind our own business and the Everfree minds its business. A lot of times I only find out about the monster attacks after the fact because they're always stopped so quickly," Then she added. "Plus, my home's on the complete opposite side of town from the forest. So news takes longer to travel there."
"I thought you lived at Carousel Boutique with your sister?" The tomboyish filly questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Sweetie giggled. "Oh no no no, I don't actually live there. I still live with my parents. Though, considering how often they like to travel Carousel Boutique is kind of like a second home to me. I even have my own bedroom there," Then she gestured a hoof as she slowed to a halt. "Do you see that big building up ahead that looks kinda like a gazebo stacked on top of another one?"
Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"
"That's the town hall," The unicorn filly told Scootaloo. "Lots of ponies work there, including Mayor Mare. She's actually really sweet though, despite how old she looks."
"Let me guess, your parents work for the mayor and that's why you're showing me around now," Scootaloo questioned in what sounded like sudden realization. "Should've known this was a set up."
But Sweetie protested with a shake of her head. "No, my folks don't work for Mayor Mare at all. I just wanted to show you what town hall looks like, because lots of ponies use it when giving directions. They say things like 'Go to town hall and then take a left.', or 'It's straight down from town hall and then off to your right.', stuff like that."
"Sounds confusing." Scootaloo quipped.
Sweetie innocently smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. In fact, not far from here is a whole bunch of shops. I don't have a lot of bits, but there's nothing wrong with a little window shopping. Rarity does it all the time."
Window shopping was exactly what the two fillies ended up doing. Scootaloo hadn't brought any money with her (not that she received much to begin with) and Sweetie Belle insisted she was saving her money for a "special purpose".
Most of the stores only displayed general stuff like dresses or furniture. What the tomboyish filly found most odd though was a store labeled: Sofas and Quills but they appeared to currently only have sofas on display and not a single quill in sight.
A quick glance over to Sweetie Belle answered her potential question before it could get out. "Rarity always mentions how they always seem to be out of one thing or the other. Quills seem quite harder to find than sofas though."
"How does your big sister even know about this store?" Scootaloo questioned.
"She buys fainting couches from it, whatever those are," Sweetie shrugged her hooves. "She has a bit of a tendency to get overly dramatic about things."
The two fillies gazed in the windows of a few more stores after that, but no others really piqued their interest for long and they quickly moved on.
There was one store, however, that displayed something that caught the gaze of Scootaloo's wandering eyes! It was a small scooter that was about her size. And it looked like it could easily pull a fair amount of weight, like say a wagon loaded with supplies. It reminded her of those awesome cloudboards she'd seen pegasi using in Cloudsdale. She'd tried everything short of outright stealing to get her hooves on one, but her parents had rejected even her most desperate of pleas to them. "Not till you're older." was always their flat response.
But they never said anything about not getting a scooter. Now if only Scootaloo could find out the price. She turned to the unicorn that had been guiding her. "Hey, Sweetie Belle. It's totally okay if I go inside just to browse, right? The store managers won't mind, would they?"
"Yeah. Ponyville's a pretty friendly town," Sweetie Belle replied and then asked. "You thinking of buying something?"
"Can't. Didn't bring any bits with me," Scootaloo answered before she zipped inside the store, the bell ringing to signal her entrance. She came back out a short time later with a bit of a downtrodden look upon her face. "For an older model scooter it sure is expensive. It costs 400 bits, and that's just the scooter!"
But the filly with a pristine white coat extended a hoof towards her fellow filly. "Well, that's okay. Maybe you can save up your bits and buy it someday," Then an even more promising idea came to the forefront of her mind. "Or I could buy it for you as a birthday present. When's your next birthday?"
"Not for over a month, still." The tomboyish filly answered. She was surprised that she hadn't hesitated to tell Sweetie Belle that. She quickly brushed it aside. "She's just doing this as a favor, like how she's been showing me around town. It doesn't make us friends, yet." She thought, though the filly wouldn't deny in the back of her mind that she was starting to warm up ever so slightly to the idea.
"Come on," Sweetie Belle encouraged as she snapped Scootaloo out of her mental pontification. "There's one more place I need to show you! It's the absolute best place in all of Ponyville, guaranteed!"
Sweetie Belle took off at a speed faster than Scootaloo had displayed when rushing into that store to examine the price of the scooter that had so captivated her. Scootaloo, for her part, did her best to keep up. But it was hard when you didn't know your way around.
Fortunately, Sweetie never went too far ahead. Scootaloo was able to see a faint outline of the filly in sight at all times. But when Sweetie finally halted and allowed Scootaloo to catch up, the young pegasus was out of breath and panting quite audibly.
"Sorry I got so far ahead," Sweetie apologized and then gestured a hoof. "This is the place I was talking about. What do you think? It's so amazing, right?"
Scootaloo's grayish purple eyes scanned the destination in front of her. It sported a roof that looked sort of like frosting you'd see on cakes and cupcakes. Off to the left was a small, tower like structure that had a roof that could easily be mistaken for a cupcake. The windows looked warm and inviting, and the faint smell of sugary sweets wafted from the front door. Hanging just above it was a sign that clearly spelled out the name of the establishment in large, pink and blue letters: Sugarcube Corner.
Sweetie trotted up to the front door of the establishment with a big smile on her face. "It's better than any old sweet shop. They make the best desserts in all of Ponyville! No, all of Equestria! Once you've tasted the sweets here you'll never want to get them from anywhere else ever again!"
"If you say so." Scootaloo uncertainly replied and followed Sweetie Belle inside.
The inside of Sugarcube Corner was just as warm and inviting as the outside. There were plenty of tables for ponies of all ages to enjoy tasty treats, and a small counter with a cash register rested just above a display counter that showed some of the most delicious looking cakes anypony had ever seen.
As there wasn't currently a line, the two fillies went straight up to the counter. A moment later, a light orangish-yellow coated, lanky earth pony stallion with freckles on his face came trotting out. He had a light brilliant orange mane and tail with the mane bristling outwards, moderate green eyes, and a cutie mark depicting three cut carrot cakes. He looked at Sweetie Belle with a smile. "Sweetie Belle, always a pleasure to see one of my favorite customers!" Then he turned his attention to Scootaloo. "And who are you, little filly?"
"Name's Scootaloo," Scootaloo quickly answered as she not so subtly buzzed her wings in response. "And you are?"
The stallion tipped his hat. "Carrot Cake. But you can call Mr. Cake, everypony does," And with a big smile he went on speaking. "You must be new, because I never forget a face that comes through this door. I make it a habit to get to know all my customers."
"You run Sugarcube Corner all by yourself?" Scootaloo asked, suddenly impressed if that was true.
Mr. Cake laughed and playfully shook his head. "No. I'm just one pony, and one pony can't do everything on their own. My wife and I take turns working behind the counter and in the kitchen. We also have a very special helper. She's practically family to Cup Cake and I," And then he asked. "But enough chit chat, what can I do for you fillies today?"
Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo. "Go save us a table, I'll take care of the order."
"You sure? But you don't even know what I like!" Scootaloo protested.
Sweetie winked. "Relax, I've got this."
Sometime later, Sweetie joined Scootaloo at the table just as a very eager pink coated earth pony came bouncing over to them, a tray balanced ever so delicately upon her snout. She set it down, presenting two milkshakes to the fillies. "One vanilla milkshake for Sweetie Belle, and one chocolate milkshake for Scootaloo!" She declared in a chipper tone. "Sorry, can't stay and chat now, lots of tables to wait on! Bye!" And she bounced away as quickly as she had arrived.
Scootaloo was speechless, Sweetie only chuckled. "That's Pinkie Pie. She works here all the time. Apparently she's friends with everypony, even Rarity."
"Is she always so weird?" Scootaloo pondered.
"Yeah, but you get used to it. Especially when she throws amazing parties!" Sweetie declared with excitement. "I've been to a lot of them, they're a total blast!"
Scootaloo looked down at her milkshake. "How did you know I'd like a chocolate milkshake? We hardly even know each other."
"You just looked like a chocolate milkshake kind of filly. Now go ahead and drink it all up, I didn't spend all those bits so you could not enjoy it." Sweetie insisted and placed her lips around the straw attached to her milkshake.
But Scootaloo continued to stare at her milkshake, trying to process all this information. Everything was happening so fast. She didn't keep her questions to herself for very long though. "Why'd do you all of this? We only just met a few hours ago."
"Rarity always taught me it's good to be nice to other ponies, even complete strangers. Because if you're nice to them they'll be nice to you in return, I think," Sweetie admitted as she briefly removed her lips from the straw. "Besides, I've never really met a pony like you before."
"Really? This is Ponyville, there's lots of ponies my own age. And you said this is the friendliest town in all of Equestria." The pegasus filly protested.
Sweetie looked down at the ground. "Yeah, if you know ponies. But aside from the Cakes and Pinkie Pie, I don't really know many other ponies, especially not ones my age," She sighed a bit. "Rarity's always encouraging me to be more outgoing, more adventurous."
Scootaloo grinned. "You were like that when you were showing me around town and doing all these things for me. You're the first pony I've met since moving to Ponyville that's actually wanted to get to know me. Though it probably doesn't help that I've been avoiding everypony due to my blank flank." She delivered the last line with a faint blush.
"I kind of feel the same way. I can't help but feel like everypony's judging you silently when you don't have a cutie mark, even though Rarity and Mom and Dad say that's not the case," Sweetie reluctantly confessed. "I guess I just felt better knowing I wasn't the only one in town anymore."
The tomboyish filly massaged the back of her neck with a hoof. "Yeah, me too. But do you think that's enough to make us friends?"
"I'm willing to be friends if you are, Scootaloo," The young unicorn nodded optimistically. "You're going to be going to the school house soon, right?"
"Yeah. I start classes there next week." Scootaloo responded.
"Then I suppose it's best if we're friends. Cutie markless ponies like us have to stick together." Sweetie Belle declared.
Scootaloo smiled and offered a hoof to Sweetie Belle. "It feels nice to make a new friend so soon."
Sweetie grinned. "Yup. And since we're friends, you need to show me where you live so we can have sleepovers!"
"Shouldn't it be at your place instead though?" Scootaloo suggested.
"It's not much of a sleepover if it's at Carousel Boutique, Rarity never lets me stay up late," Sweetie grumbled. "Besides, I wanna know what your folks are like."
Reluctantly, Scootaloo responded. "Well, alright I guess. But fair warning, my parents are super weird."