"Scootaloo? Are you alright?"

She suddenly snapped out of her trance, unaware that the classroom was already released a few minutes ago. Usually, she would be the first one outside with her two friends, but something odd was within her. Lately, she's been depressed and insecure, and whenever her teacher asked what was wrong, Scootaloo would just say "nothing." Which was exactly what the young pegasus was doing right now.

"Nothing."

Her teacher, Cheerilee, shook her head, but didn't push her. Instead, she said what she always said. "Okay, if anything is wrong, just tell me. For now, get some fresh air." As she turned away, Cheerilee muttered,"This is the eleventh day straight. I wonder what is bothering her...?"

Meanwhile, Scootaloo ambled outside to the playground, where her two friends, yellow earth pony Apple Bloom and white unicorn Sweetie Bell, were waiting. She took her time, obviously unwilling to hang out like they usually do.

"Scoots?" Apple Bloom started. "This is the first time you've ever been out since you've stayed in!"

Sweetie Bell jumped in. "Yeah! What's up?"

Their pegasus friend didn't answer. The only response was the sound of her hooves shuffling the ground.

"Aw, c'mon! We're your best friends! If it's a secret, we'll Pinkie Pie promise until we break it! Right Apple Bloom?"

"Right! What's botherin' ya, Scootaloo?"

She still stood there, not letting a sound out of her mouth.Really, though, she was thinking about it. Can she tell her friends? Can she trust them? They've been friends ever since they have met, and they definitely look like they could be trusted. But can she take the chance? Who knows, they might slip it out on accident. Or, even worse, blab it out to the entire school, maybe the world. No, this is the deepest, darkest secret she had. She can't risk it traveling around Ponyville. It wasn't even their business, anyway.

For the first time, Scootaloo spoke to her friends. "Just...JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Pushing her friends aside roughly, she ran away, sobbing, not caring about anything in the world. She needed a place to be alone, to let her feelings free with no trouble, where nopony is there.

She just wanted to be by herself.

As she ran away, Apple Bloom took a look at Sweetie Bell, stunned. "Do ya think we've overdone it? Or did we hit a spot?"

Her friend shook her head. "The thing I want to know is if we follow her or not."

They stared each other. Their friend was traumatized, and she also mentioned it - she wanted nopony near her. If they find Scootaloo, will she just run away again? It seemed best to leave her alone where she will get better. Maybe she'll get over it and the three will take on the world together again. Maybe she'll forget it eventually and whatever happened would be left behind. Maybe she was crying for no reason at all and tried to worry the two. Maybe -

No. Whatever happened must have really gotten Scoots hard and loud. Why else would their best friend be suddenly bursting out with tears and trying to run away from them? Nopony cries that sudden unless the worst possible thing has happened. The orange filly almost never cries, especially not in public. If she does, which right now was the first time ever, then it was bad. No, over-the-top bad.

It was settled. Whether she likes it or not, they are going after her. They aren't leaving their poor friend sobbing her heart out when she has two fillies determined to do anything to help.

~*~

Scootaloo wedged herself into a large tree trunk with a hole, only just big enough to fit around her waist. It was fine, though - at least she had a place to fit and hide at the same time. She really needed to have time alone, to sob until the end of time, to try to get over just one tiny thing that she was over exaggerating about.

Or so as she thought.

After only three minutes, she stopped crying, now only sniffling, though it was the only sound she made. After a few more minutes, she started to think. Was it really a good choice leaving herself here? Now it felt...lonely. No pat on the back, no assuring words, not even one thing joining her pity party. Heck, Scoots doesn't even know where she is or how she got here. How is she going to get back and find her friends? How will they ever find her? Will she be stuck here, with nopony to tell her secret to except for the tree trunk? Now she really wished she had considered talking about what happened to her. Just thinking about it for half a second makes her want to cry all over again. She did just that.

"Scootaloo? We know you're in there."

The purple-eyed filly looked up, suddenly recognizing the two voices immediately. The one with the southern accent and the one with a high pitched squeaky speak. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell. They actually found her. It's probably been, what, twenty minutes?

"Guys!" she shouted with glee. Oh, how happy she was to see the two! So happy, she slipped out of the tree trunk with no struggle at all and embraced her best friends.

"Oh guys! I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before! It was bothering me so much and I never worked up the courage to tell anyone! I promise I'll tell you, right now! No questions asked!"

"Eh heh," Sweetie Bell chuckled nervously,"that's great and all but..."

"...can ya stop huggin' us so we can...BREATH?" Apple Bloom finished off, gasping for air.

Scootaloo let go. "Sorry, I just-"

"No apologies, Scoots. Just tell us what's been bothering you," Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell said at the exact same time.

She hesitated. She knew she had to take it off her chest, but what matters more is if the two can keep a secret. Can she trust them? Telling a trusted adult would be fine, but the rest of the options wouldn't. She stared into both of the fillies' eyes. In them was interest, but also of seriousness and assurance. They swear that they wouldn't do anything to uncover the truth to anyone but otherwise.

"Okay."

~*~

"Just who I wanted to see," Miss Wild, the unicorn in charge of the Big Hearts and Care Orphanage, said, as Scootaloo Weatherwings entered the office.

Scootaloo looked around, trying to find a seat, but only found the ones Miss Mossy Wild was sitting on and the one next to her. Her guardian gestured her to sit on the chair next to her, and the orange pegasus did so. She waited patiently for directions.

Miss Wild smiled. "Weatherwings, how would you like it if I gave you an autographed Wonderbolts poster?" She took it out and laid it in front of the young filly's eyes. "I've decided to especially give it to you, and you only."

Scootaloo looked totally speechless. "You would do that?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course - if you can catch it!"

The orange pony reached out for the poster, only for Miss Wild to pull it away teasingly. The younger one laughed, playing with her carer for the treasure, when she suddenly felt an awkward touch.

"Um... Miss?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"Why...why did you put your hoof... between my legs?"

Miss Wild smiled, inside, though, not in a good way. "It's just fine, little one. This is normal!"

"But you put your hoof in my-"

"I know, sweetheart, but like I said, it is perfectly normal. Ponies do this when they love each other! But I think it's best if we keep it a secret. You do love me, right?"

Scootaloo slowly nodded, able to look away from the disturbing scene with the hoof and private part, but couldn't stop thinking about it. She did love her - she took her in the orphanage when nopony else did, and treated her like her own. But it felt so...wrong. As if Miss Wild was lying. As if all she wanted to do was get a bit...dirty.

"So do you Pinkie promise not to tell?"

"I...I guess so."

~*~

The two say there, drinking in every word, paying every bit of their attention, showing all they can that they care. They never interrupted, and after Scootaloo was done, they made faces of disgust.

"No offense, Scoots," Apple Bloom said,"but your nanny has some problem, doing that to you."

Sweetie nodded. "She's right. You can't let this Mossy Wild get away with it! We have to do something!"

But the purple maned filly was completely unsure. "But the only one to tell is Rainbow Dash! Besides, what if she thinks I'm lying? Miss Wild is my guardian!"

"This ain't any lyin' matter! These things are always serious! No matter what happens, Ah'm sure Rainbow will believe ya!"

"So what do I do?"

Sweetie Bell popped up. "Rarity said something about being assertive, which means standing up for yourself without being mean, but polite. Maybe if this Wild mare tries to do it again, you can say 'no'."

Right after that was said, a unicorn with a red mane and tail came out of the bushes. "Hey, Scoots!" he said cheerfully. "I heard your voice all the way over here, so I thought school was over."

She blinked. They've been here for over half an hour! "C'mon, guys! We have to go!"

But the unicorn stopped her. "Hey, why bother walking when I can teleport you all to school? It's faster, and you won't have waste your energy."

Scootaloo shrugged. "Sure I guess-"

She was interrupted by the yellow earth pony who tugged her away. "Do ya even know this pony?" A.B. whispered.

The orange filly responded,"Sorta. His name is Blaze, and just moved in a block away. I've met him only once."

Apple bloom shook her head. "Your emotions really took over your brain." Then, turning around to Blaze, said,"Ah think we can walk from here, Mister Blaze. Thank you anyways."

"Aw, c'mon, it's not danger-"

"Ah said," the southern pony repeated,"Ah think we can walk from here, Mister Blaze, but thank you anyways!"

Blaze flinched, obviously a bit taken aback from Apple Bloom's tone, but shook it away. "I understand," he said. "Okay, make it safely back, kids!"

"Bye!"

As the trio walked away, Scootaloo looked at her friend quizzically. "Why did you turn down the offer?"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Just once is barely enough, Scoots! What did you think about acceptin' his offer?"

The orange pegasus sighed. "Your right. Sorry I was so stupid."

"Well, at least ya know what bein' assertive means, right Sweetie Bell?"

The white unicorn nodded. "She put on the perfect demonstration."

Scootaloo looked ahead. Now that she has seen it, she is going to do it. Miss Wild will not get away with this this time. She will also tell her trusted idol, Rainbow Dash as soon as she can. No, even sooner. Then all of the problems will be dealt with, and she will worry about it no more.

At least, she hopes so.

~*~

"So you're gonna have fun with Wild in the park? Cool!" Rainbow Dash commented as she flew in front of the orphanage, with Scootaloo on her back. "Pick you up tomorrow, 'kay squirt?" The younger pony just nodded as her idol flew back to the sky, wondering why on Equestria she didn't tell Rainbow Dash about the incident.

"Weatherwings!" she heard a shout. "How I was waiting for so long! Are you ready to go to the park? Let's go!"

Okay, thought Scootaloo, exactly like we practiced. Be assertive like Apple Bloom was with Blaze. The young pegasus took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but nothing came out of it.

"Come now, Weatherwings, we don't want to wait until it's dark, do we?"

Strike one. Scootaloo tried again, focusing all of her might on the sexual exploitation. She opened her mouth, but still nothing came out.

"Come on, my little pony, let's go!" Miss Wild said cheerfully still, but a hint of impatience was mixed along.

Strike two. It was now or never. "N-n-n..."

"So now we are buzzing like bees?"

"No."

"So we are not."

"No, I won't go with you."

The smile immediately vanished from Mossy Wild's face. "Is this about last week?"

"Yeah."

"But Weatherwings," she chuckled nervously,"you Pinkie promised."

"I will not go with you."

"Come on, now, it was only a tiny incident. It didn't even hurt for sure. Let us not make a big deal out of it, alright?"

"No." Scoots held her ground.

"Now let's just-"

"No."

"-not make a big deal- "

"No!"

"-about this."

"No no no NO NO!" Scootaloo shouted.

A pegasus flew overhead, she noticed because of it's shadow. "Scoots? Wild? What're you two still standing there for? I heard you two a mile away, I thought you were going to the park...?"

The purple eyed pegasus looked up at Rainbow Dash. "I need to talk to you about something."

~*~

"...so we talked. Rainbow Dash believed me, got mad at Mossy Wild but not at me, and she called the police. You can't imagine how relieved I was, guys!"

"Woohoo!" the trio cheered. "Hooray for Scootaloo!"

"Ah don't think Ah can imagine it, Scoots! Neither can Sweets!"

"Being assertive does help a bunch, doesn't it?" Sweetie Bell said.

The orange filly looked at the path in front of them. They can finally get back to having big plans in a bigger world, with nothing standing in the way. She kept on thinking. Would have this been possible if her two amazing pals didn't come around and helped her? Would things been different without the assurance of a companion? Would things never been a happy ending?

All of the good things happened because of her friends. Without them, Scootaloo would've never been assertive.

She smiled. "I think the real solution has been the magic of friendship."

Author's Note

Never be afraid to stand up for yourself, no matter what.