It's Worth It

Scootaloos eyes blinked open. She sat up. "Where am I?,"she asked, muttering to herself. Looking around she realized she had slept in a bush. Again. Sighing, she quickly got up. "Ah man, I'm gonna be late..."  Deciding against swiping an apple or two to eat like she had done last night, Scootaloo just hopped on her scooter and rushed to school, where she found Cherilee waiting for her.

"Ah, there you are Scootaloo, class just started."

"Sorry, Miss Cherilee! Won't happen again!"

"Scootaloo. That's the third time this week. And its only Thursday. Are you alright? Your not usualy late."

"I'm fine Miss Cherilee. I really am."

Sighing, Cheeilee gave her her drill and Scootaloo got to work. She was extra careful to be the best student ever until lunch break. When lunch came, she sat with her friends , Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

Stomache growling, she regretted her desision on not grabbing the apples. Applebloom had noticed that her friend had no lunch, meanwhile Sweetie Belle was gobbling hers down.

"You seem hungry. Where's your lunch?"

"I ate a huge breakfest. I'm not hungry"

"You seem hungry. You should eat," Applebloom handed her an apple.

"Thanks."

"No problem"

Looking embarrassed Sweetie Belle added, "Sorry I have nothing to give you. I already ate."

Scootaloo was about to reply when Diamomd Tiara and Silverspoon walked up.

"Aww, look at the little blank flanks enjoying their lunch," Diamon Tiara smirked.  "But Scoots, you never seem to have a lunch. Why not?"

"Its none of you beeswax, Diamond Tiara! Now you leave Scootaloo alone," said Sweetie Belle as calmy as she could.

"Whatever," she said before walking away, Silverspoon at her tail.

The crusaders continued talking about things such as ways to get there cutie marks, when Applebloom suddenly face hoofed.

"What is it?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo asked at the same time.

"Ah forgot to tell you," she exclaimed, angerly. "Somepony has been stealig apples at night a few at a time because they're to cheap to pay for them!"

Suddenly Scootaloo felt sick. Concerend for their friend, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gave each other a look.

After a moment or two Applebloom finaly asked,"Are y'all alright?"

"You don't look so good all the sudden," Sweetie Belle added, "Maybe we should get Miss Cherilee."

Scootaloo was quick to reassues her friends, "No, I'm fine. Just a stomache ache."

Just as her friends where about to reply. Cherilee called her students back. Lunch break was over. Sighing, but also a little realived, Scootaloo took her seat. She wouldn't get another chance to talk to her friends today.  Cherilee never let the Cutie Mark Crusaders sit together, on account of how disruptive they could be, and both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had plans after school. With nothing left to do but her schoolwork, Scootaloo prepared for a boring 3 more hours of school.

…………………………………………………………………………

Applejack had gathered her friends in the park. She explained the stolen apples and said she think she knew how to catch the thief.

"So will y'all help me?"

"I don't know, Applejack," Fluttershy stammered quietly, "I'm not really good at catching thieves."

"And I still think you should contact the Ponyville gaurds," Twilight added, giving her opinion, "Something might go wrong if you try and take matters into your own hooves."

Looking down, Pinkie gave her reasons, "I'd love to help. Nopony steals from my friend! But I promised Mrs Cake I would bake cupcakes for her party tonight."

Rarity looked down at her hooves. "I'd help but.. I have too make a dress for Bon-Bon tonight. She's throwing a fundraiser to help homeless fillies."

Sighing, Aplejack was defeated. "So nopony will help me? Maybe Twilights right."

Twilight couldn't resist jokingly adding "Of course I'm right, silly! Its mathmatically impossible for me to be incor-"

"I never said I wouldn't help you! What's the plan?" Rainbow Dash would let nopony mess with her friends.

"The thief always strikes sometime between sundown and midnignt, in the same part of the farm .Ah think if we hold a stakeout we can catch them by surprise," Applejack explained.

"Sounds good to me."

"Great. Come to my house around 3:30 this afternoon."

"That early?"

"The sun goes down early this time of year."

"Ugh. Fiiinnne."

…………………………………………………………………

Later, at the end of the school day, just as Scootaloo was about to leave Cherilee asked to talk to her.

"Yes, Miss Cherilee?"

"Scootaloo, I'm worried about you. I think I should talk to your parents."

"Umm... Ok... I'll tell them to come in and talk to you... Can I go now?"

Sighing, Cherilee released her student, wondering why she was acting so weird, and even more, why she had never met her parents.

Walking to the market, Scootaloo kept her eyes open for a target. She spotted  a pony who she didn't reconize but it looked like he had a lot of money so she casually walked up to him and took a few bits from his bag when he wasn't looking. She didn't take much, just a little. She may of been a theif, but she only stole when it was for survival. Even then, she never took from the poor, or took too much from one pony. She might be living on the streets, but she had her honor. Sighing at what she was about to do, but knowing the bits she had weren't enough she started her walk slowly to Sweet Apple Acres, taking the back path nopony ever used. Looking at the sky, she confirmed that it would be past sunset when she got there.

…………………………………………………………

When she arrived at the farm she went to her usual spot. She liked the spot, it had a quick escape route. Feeling extra guilty and cautious, she reached up to grab an apple when suddenly she heard Applejack shouting, "I see the thief!" Dropping the apple, she ran. She caught a glimpse of another mare, but couldn't see who it was in the dark. She was afraid. If she was cought, everypony would hate her. She couldn't run for long. Her hooves ached, she was running almost as fast as Rainbow Dash when she flew. The thought made her smile. Her smile quickly faded, when she risked a look back and found that Rainbow Dash was the second mare. And she was gaining on Scootaloo. Knowing she was toast, Scootaloo ran for Ghastly Gorge and in an instant, jumped. Crieing as she fell, she knew that at least she wouldn't have to face life anymore. Closing her eyes, she decided she wanted to be happy when she died and started thinking happy thoughts. She hit something furry. Opening her eyes she saw that Rainbow Dash had caught her.

"Scootaloo! What the hay was that for?!?"