Sweetie Belle returned the hug, delicate hooves circling her middle and resting gently on her back just above her wings. A toneless buzzing entered her thoughts, warm and comforting, threatening to reduce her to stammering sputters. She shut her eyes tight, wishing desperately to have an answer, something to make Sweetie Belle smile at her.
Her eyes snapped open and she grinned broadly, pulling away from the hug to catch Sweetie’s gaze. A flash of a frown creased the unicorn’s muzzle before her expression evened out into curious neutrality. Scootaloo’s grin widened. “What if I ask Twilight if she can tutor you in magic? You said Rarity and your parents don’t really have time, right?”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “Y-yeah, I mean, they’ve all shown me a little, but…”
“A lot of my tutoring is just reading practice and fillin’ out homework stuff; Twilight could totally tutor both of us at the same time! We’d get to hang out way more often that way!” Sweetie Belle’s face brightened. “I’ll ask her today, alright? I’m sure she’ll say yes; Twilight’s totally awesome.”
“Th-That’d be great, Scoots,” Sweetie stammered, a blossom of pink on her cheeks. “I-I’d love it if you did that.” The pegasus scratched the back of her neck, sure her face was matching her friend’s in rosiness. “…I do miss Apple Bloom, too.”
Scootaloo’s smile fell a little as she turned to survey the empty schoolyard. “…Yeah, I do, too. It has only been two weeks since she an’ Rumble started going on dates, though.” She flashed a confident smirk at Sweetie Belle. “Give her a little time. She’ll come around again; things are probably just new and exciting for her.”
Sweetie nodded gently, looking at the ground. “I hope you’re right. Thanks, Scoots.” She pulled her friend into another hug, whispering, “Thanks for listening to me.”
“N-no sweat,” she muttered, trying to hide the waver in her voice, “You’ve been there to listen to me; least I could do is be there for you.”
The pleased smile on Sweetie’s face drove warmth to the tips of Scootaloo’s hooves. Sweetie Belle chimed, “I’ll see ya tomorrow then, Scoots,” and trotted out of the yard. Scootaloo watched her go, swallowing to clear the dryness from her throat. She shook her head, double-checked the front wheel on her scooter, and headed out towards the park. Her thoughts, filled with images of her crush, drifted towards the conversation she was about to have. Her smile gradually fell, replaced by a wobbly frown, as she entered the park’s path and spotted Rainbow and Twilight talking together. Scootaloo stopped in front of the pair, a nervousness keeping her eyes from meeting either of them. She propped her scooter next to the bench and smiled tentatively.
Rainbow winked at her marefriend before grinning at the filly. “Alright, Squirt, today’s the big day.”
“Huh?” Scootaloo’s wings fidgeted; did Rainbow Dash somehow know she needed to talk to them?
“Time for a speed test!” She flipped her mane out of her eyes with a hoof, smirking at Scootaloo. “Dependin’ on how ya do, we might be ready for long distance hovering. Ready?”
“Heck yeah!” Apprehension shoved to the back of her mind, Scootaloo leapt towards their patch of grass, but skidded to a stop. She turned back to Twilight, a sheepish grin on her muzzle. “Almost forgot, can I ask a favor, Twilight?”
Quirking a brow, Twilight said, “Sure, Scootaloo. What is it?”
“See, Sweetie Belle’s been telling me that she’s not getting a lot of magic training, ‘cause her parents and her sister are always so busy. I was thinkin’ that maybe while you’re tutoring me you could tutor her in magic?”
Twilight rubbed her chin as she sat at the bench and took off her saddlebag. “…Hmm…It shouldn’t
Her eyes snapped open and she grinned broadly, pulling away from the hug to catch Sweetie’s gaze. A flash of a frown creased the unicorn’s muzzle before her expression evened out into curious neutrality. Scootaloo’s grin widened. “What if I ask Twilight if she can tutor you in magic? You said Rarity and your parents don’t really have time, right?”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “Y-yeah, I mean, they’ve all shown me a little, but…”
“A lot of my tutoring is just reading practice and fillin’ out homework stuff; Twilight could totally tutor both of us at the same time! We’d get to hang out way more often that way!” Sweetie Belle’s face brightened. “I’ll ask her today, alright? I’m sure she’ll say yes; Twilight’s totally awesome.”
“Th-That’d be great, Scoots,” Sweetie stammered, a blossom of pink on her cheeks. “I-I’d love it if you did that.” The pegasus scratched the back of her neck, sure her face was matching her friend’s in rosiness. “…I do miss Apple Bloom, too.”
Scootaloo’s smile fell a little as she turned to survey the empty schoolyard. “…Yeah, I do, too. It has only been two weeks since she an’ Rumble started going on dates, though.” She flashed a confident smirk at Sweetie Belle. “Give her a little time. She’ll come around again; things are probably just new and exciting for her.”
Sweetie nodded gently, looking at the ground. “I hope you’re right. Thanks, Scoots.” She pulled her friend into another hug, whispering, “Thanks for listening to me.”
“N-no sweat,” she muttered, trying to hide the waver in her voice, “You’ve been there to listen to me; least I could do is be there for you.”
The pleased smile on Sweetie’s face drove warmth to the tips of Scootaloo’s hooves. Sweetie Belle chimed, “I’ll see ya tomorrow then, Scoots,” and trotted out of the yard. Scootaloo watched her go, swallowing to clear the dryness from her throat. She shook her head, double-checked the front wheel on her scooter, and headed out towards the park. Her thoughts, filled with images of her crush, drifted towards the conversation she was about to have. Her smile gradually fell, replaced by a wobbly frown, as she entered the park’s path and spotted Rainbow and Twilight talking together. Scootaloo stopped in front of the pair, a nervousness keeping her eyes from meeting either of them. She propped her scooter next to the bench and smiled tentatively.
Rainbow winked at her marefriend before grinning at the filly. “Alright, Squirt, today’s the big day.”
“Huh?” Scootaloo’s wings fidgeted; did Rainbow Dash somehow know she needed to talk to them?
“Time for a speed test!” She flipped her mane out of her eyes with a hoof, smirking at Scootaloo. “Dependin’ on how ya do, we might be ready for long distance hovering. Ready?”
“Heck yeah!” Apprehension shoved to the back of her mind, Scootaloo leapt towards their patch of grass, but skidded to a stop. She turned back to Twilight, a sheepish grin on her muzzle. “Almost forgot, can I ask a favor, Twilight?”
Quirking a brow, Twilight said, “Sure, Scootaloo. What is it?”
“See, Sweetie Belle’s been telling me that she’s not getting a lot of magic training, ‘cause her parents and her sister are always so busy. I was thinkin’ that maybe while you’re tutoring me you could tutor her in magic?”
Twilight rubbed her chin as she sat at the bench and took off her saddlebag. “…Hmm…It shouldn’t
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