A Simple Misunderstanding
A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic One-Shot Fanfiction by Ponyswamp
The wind whipped through my mane as I giggled and ran through the streets of Ponyville with my best friends. As per the usual, I was in front of them. I expected this much, of course. I mean, I'm Scootaloo, second to none! Well, there's Rainbow Dash, of course, but second to no filly or colt!
Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't be this excited to get to our destination. But today is more than an average school day. We'd all just attended a ceremony at town hall to commemorate our graduation, and Pinkie Pie had promised a party like no other to celebrate.
I grinned back at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, who were only just keeping up with me. Despite this fact, silly grins plastered their faces. Applebloom gestured forward with her muzzle, and I turned just in time to adjust my course so that I didn't collide violently with the fence surrounding the schoolyard. Still laughing, the three of us ran to the door.
Panting after the bout of physical exertion, the three of us entered the school to a cacophony of happy noises from all the fillies and colts who had assembled here. And Pinkie Pie, of course. As I walk to the punch bowl, I wonder how many sessions of Twilight Time I had to have before my grammar got this impressive. Cacophony? A chuckle escapes my lips as I try to think of a time I'd use that word back in those days.
Applebloom trotted over to me and also grabbed a cup. “What's got you chucklin'?”
I shrug my shoulders and sip my punch. “Thinking about Twilight Time.”
She laughed a good, hearty laugh. “Ah remember those. Didn't you threaten to stop coming when she suggested you hoof through the dictionary and thesaurus?”
I joined in on her laughter, putting on a posh accent. “Ah yes, I do recall the events occurring in that manner. Although I did, in fact, peruse those volumes after the fact. They were excessively informative, and I am currently positive my vocabulary has improved significantly since then.”
Applebloom lightly punched my shoulder. “Alright, Flankspeare, Ah'm gonna go talk to Cheerilee. Ah need to mention a few things.”
I waved her off, still smiling as I began to lean on the wall, in a pose than looked relaxed and cool at the same time. That was pretty accurate. My hoof raised to bring another sip to my lips, but a sudden splash from my cup stopped me. A cry came forth from my mouth, and I glared at the slice of cake currently inhabiting my punch.
A giggle came from the crowd of ponies that took up most of the party, and I glared at the only fillies I knew who'd still do something like that.
Diamond Tiara stifled her laughs. “What? Just because I think it's funny doesn't mean I did it!”
I put my cup on the table and growled lowly. Intent on giving her a piece of my mind, I opened my mouth. My breath slowed though, and I sighed. “I think I'll go see Cheerilee with Applebloom.”
Walking away from the chuckling filly, I turned the corner to Cheerilee's office on the recent addition to the schoolhouse. Suddenly, Applebloom came around the corner at the same moment I did, and our foreheads collided.
We both reeled back, groaning and holding our heads. Almost simultaneously, we shook our heads violently and blushed at each other. “Sorry,” we said in unison.
A moment passed, and I coughed. Applebloom blinked. “Oh, um, yeah, Miss Cheerilee's not here. Apparently Pinkie Pie's in charge.”
We spared a glance at the giant pinata Pinkie brought in moments ago.
“Yeah, no complaints there.”
~~~
The next day, a groan escaped my lips as I quite literally rolled out of bed. “Ugh, never again. I don't wanna see chocolate for a few years now.”
Looking at the utterly disheveled state of my mane, I decided to give it the old pegasus wash. Stretching my wings, I flew out the door, aiming at a cloud. In flying through it, my mane, tail and coat became coated with a layer of water. Performing a few aerial tricks, I dried myself off rather quickly. Giving myself a once over, I nodded at my appearance. As awesome as ever.
Landing back at my house, I grabbed my scooter. Despite being able to fly now, I still got a rush from my scooter. Plus, based on the scooter cutie mark I got a few years back, I definitely get a pass on riding it as opposed to flying.
I set my wings to fluttering at extreme speeds, and I was off, speeding down the streets of Ponyville. A thought crossed my mind, only now realizing that not only had I neglected to eat breakfast, but school was over. Still pressing on quickly, I decided to stop at the local market for a quick bite to eat. After that, well, I suppose I could go to the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse. That's probably where Sweetie Belle and Applebloom would be.
Seeing the restaurant ahead, I decided against a traditional stop, and instead pushed myself into the air with my wings, doing several midair flips. Following that, I stabilized myself in the air and landed hooves first in front of a table out front at full stop. Awesome.
Looking around, I saw a few stares, and some murmuring. Grinning, I did a little bow. Noticing that there was a distinct lack of stallions in attendance, I chuckled. “Ladies.”
The waitress walked up to me and handed me a menu. Giving it a once over, I handed it back. “I'll take the grass platter. Hold the hay fries.” She nodded, and walked back into the kitchen hurriedly.
The murmuring became all too common around the restaurant. I looked up. “Hey, come on, it's not like it was the first time I've done that! What about last Wednesday?” The murmuring stopped for a moment, then resumed with a vengeance.
I scratched my head as the grass platter came. I placed a few bits in the waitress' hoof, and started to eat. The murmuring wouldn't stop. Another protest almost left my face, but a familiar face in the crowd stopped me.
Diamond Tiara.
She grinned and walked up to me. “So, Scoots, what are your plans for today?”
I chewed intentionally slowly, swallowing with the speed of a snail going up a wall. “I'm off to the clubhouse.”
Diamond Tiara smiled evilly as the murmuring grew louder. “Ah, off to the Apple family farm, then?” The murmuring became more intense.
My hoof violently contacted the table. “Alright, what's with you ponies? What, is what I do suddenly under public scrutiny?”
The murmuring evolved to full blown private conversations as Diamond Tiara grinned wider. “But of course! Something of this magnitude has the whole town talking!”
I glared intently at her. “What. Did. You. Do.”
“Only told everypony about what you did at the party yesterday.”
I leaned closer, flexing my wings in an intimidating gesture. She didn't even flinch. “What. Did. You. Tell. Them.”
Her evil grin was as wide as her entire face. “Oh, you know, about the little peck you and Applebloom shared.”
Flinching slightly, I leaned closer, my glare becoming a full blown scowl. “What.”
She didn't stop smiling. “You remember, from when you walked around the corner to sneak a private kiss with her?”
As I sat there for a few moments, I confirmed that I paid the waitress for my meal by checking my wallet. I then grabbed my scooter, spinning off and flying off towards Sweet Apple Acres as fast as I could. A quick glance behind me confirmed what I had hoped. Indeed, my grass platter was now coating Diamond Tiara completely after I knocked it over with my scooter.
~~~
Although it was under a minute's trip to get to Sweet Apple Acres, it felt like much longer. Stopping abruptly at the door to the Apple family's home, I knocked quickly.
Applejack answered, looking stern. I looked her in the eye, gulping. “I need to see Applebloom.”
Her right eyebrow went up. “Oh?”
Nodding, I continued. “There's some nasty things being said, and I need to see if she's okay.”
One of Applejack's hooves went to the door's handle. “Scootaloo, let me tell ya somethin' that'll help you fer the rest a' yer days.”
I gulped again, suddenly scared. “Y-yes?”
She leaned down and got right in my face. I had grown over the years, but she still stood taller than me. “Big Mac, Granny Smith, and myself did all we could to raise Applebloom the best we could. Now Ah don't know how you were raised, but in this house we don't do that sorta thing.”
Applejack's scowl was stern and firm. “So you don't come back 'round these parts. And if I ever, ever catch you with Applebloom again, Ah'll personally intervene.”
The door slammed.
~~~
“And that's why I came here.”
Princess Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully, and glanced at Rainbow Dash. “What do you think?”
My idol looked at me. “Hey, squirt, it's cool if you're gay.”
I stomped. “But I'm not! That's part of the problem!”
Twilight nodded. “Indeed.” She sat there for a while, just thinking.
Rainbow shifted in her crystalline chair. “So Applejack just slammed the door?”
“Violently!”
Twilight piped up. “She's very traditional. Most ponies are still learning to accept people who are attracted to the same gender, but the Apples are very old fashioned. It'll be a miracle if they don't secretly scorn homosexual couples, let alone allow one of their own to be in one.”
“But I'm not gay!”
She sighed. “Rumors are a powerful thing, Scootaloo. While we know that, Applejack will have her mind set on this.”
I sighed right back and sat on the floor. “So what now? Do I just stop interacting with Applebloom over this? Can't we just be friends?”
Rainbow Dash stood up, flexing her wings. “I'll get Rarity and Pinkie Pie. The three of us will be able to crush this rumor in no time!”
Twilight nodded and smiled nervously. “And I'll get Fluttershy and go talk to Applejack about this. Once she sees the truth, I'm sure this will all blow over.”
I smiled and wiped away a tear I didn't know was there. “Th-thank you.”
“Princess of Friendship, remember?”
Rainbow Dash opened a window and chuckled. “Awesome, remember?”
~~~
The whole incident died off in under two hours. The private conversations soon became murmurs again, and Filthy Rich took Diamond Tiara home for a serious chat. Although, one thing bothers me still.
I wallowed in my home all day, hiding from the world outside. Rainbow Dash came by periodically to update me on the situation every now and then, and on the last trip she brought Pinkie Pie back for a little pick me up.
But there wasn't a word from Princess Twilight.
I looked out the window at the setting sun, sighing. It was still before noon when Twilight went to get Fluttershy and go talk to Applejack. Deciding to forgo dinner, citing Pinkie Pie's visit/impromptu party, I decided to go to bed.
Sighing heavily as I pulled the covers over my head, I lied there, just listening to the sounds of the night. The owls in the distance. The breeze flowing by slowly. The soft chirping of crickets in the grass below my cloud home. The periodic tapping of pebbles against my window. The soothing sound of...
Wait, back up a little.
I stood from my bed looking at the window. After a moment, another pebble hit it lightly. Then another moments after. Then another.
Walking to the window, I waited a moment, then opened it just after a pebble hit it, so as to avoid taking one in the face. Glancing down, I saw the silhouette of Applebloom on the ground below me. Curious, I fluttered out the window and down to her.
The slight grin I had on my face as I descended dissolved as I saw her face, distraught and wet with recent tears. And old tears.
I spoke first. “Did Applejack...”
She put up a hoof to stop me, and I complied. We stood there for a moment, then another. We stood for a long while before she spoke.
“Ah started the rumor.”
I was taken aback. “W-what? Why?”
She blushed furiously, then leaned in and pressed her lips to mine.
The kiss was brief, but furious on her part. She pulled away and somehow managed to blush more. “Ah just.... Ah mean that... Ah...”
There was but a moment of hesitation before she bolted away, saying nothing more, leaving me in the field alone, as confused as ever.
There was a moment where I wanted to follow her, to do something. To know more.
But I stood there for a long while. Then I sat down. I sat there all night, just thinking.
And thinking.
~~~
Fourteen Years Later...
The crowd roared. They were impressed beyond belief at the trick I had just accomplished. I gave them a passing remark, something that they'd probably put in a book later. Following that, I left the stadium. There was only a need to do the trick and show up for the award ceremony. Which, of course, I'd be at. I'm awesome, of course I'll get first place!
I took a detour from the path to the locker rooms at the insistence of the fowl mistress that was hunger. There was a food court this way, I saw it before.
Licking my lips at the sight of food, I walked to the only open stall. “One hayburger, please.”
The gray stallion looked up. “Oh, hey, you're Scootaloo! Nice tricks!”
I blushed a little. “Hey, wasn't anything!”
He started assembling a hayburger. “Wasn't anything? How many flips did you do in that last jump?”
“Forty-seven. Not including the wing powered ones.”
He nodded. “Exactly.” His hayburger went into a bag. “Two bits, please.”
I tossed him the required bits, and took the burger. “Have a nice day!”
The gray stallion nodded and smiled. “You too!”
Taking the hayburger to a nearby table, I sat down and bit into it. Nothing quite like a Manehattan burger. My eyes wandered around the room. No screaming fans or anything, so I continued.
As I ate, a couple sat down at the table next to me. I thought nothing of it, not stopping.
One of them, a mare, spoke up to the other. “So, you have to start working on the big skyscraper downtown? Won't it be dangerous?”
The other one, who I now realized was another mare, replied. “Yeah, but don't you fret! There's no danger!”
I bit into one of the last pieces of the burger, relishing it's ability to fill me up as the first mare replied. “All right, just be careful.”
The second mare chuckled. “Sure as can be! Now, you wanted the dandelion sandwich?”
I finished my burger and crumbled up the bag as the first mare nodded. “Yes, and hold the hay fries. I'm only a little peckish.”
I stood and started walking to the trashcan at the same moment the second mare stood. We collided, our foreheads slamming into one another. We reeled, moaning and holding our heads.
Shaking it off, I looked back at the mare. She had fallen, and I extended a hoof to her. She looked at me, froze for a moment, and took it. I pulled her up.
“Applebloom,” I said.
She nodded. “Scootaloo.”
We lingered for a moment, before nodding almost imperceptibly in unison and moving on.
Neither of us looked back.
