Daring Scoots

The sleepy town of Ponyville was just beginning to stir. Ponies opened their windows to enjoy the gentle spring breeze, which carried the delightful aroma of pine, grass shoots, and apple blossoms all the way from Sweet Apple Acres. Birds chirped in the magnolia trees overhead, interrupted only by the faint sounds of Ponyville’s residents going about their early morning business.

This idyll was shattered immediately as Scootaloo tore through the town by scooter, wings buzzing furiously. She let out a boisterous “Whoa!” as she swerved to narrowly avoid a cart of pastries, and hollered “Hey!” as she tore past an irate family of beavers, nearly running them over.

“Sorry!” she called back, but there was no stopping now, not when she was so close to her destination. Flapping as fast as she could towards Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo made a hairpin turn onto the beaten dirt path to the CMC clubhouse. Intent on attempting at least one super awesome trick before she arrived, Scootaloo gave a tremendous flap of her wings and pushed off the ground. She swung her scooter over her head in midair, then performed a backflip while simultaneously knocking the back wheel with her hoof to send the deck swinging around for 360 degrees of rotation. Her leap carried her over the thick tree root blocking the dirt path, before she landed with only the slightest flutter of her wings for balance.

“Haha, yes!” exclaimed Scootaloo triumphantly. That was a little stunt she called the Dragon Whip, and it had taken months to perfect. The clubhouse in sight, Scootaloo allowed herself to decelerate before screeching to a halt directly in front of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who were both profoundly impressed at Scootaloo’s latest display of acrobatic agility.

“Holy moly, Scootaloo, that was the spunkiest scooter trick I’ve ever seen anypony do in my whole entire life!” Apple Bloom burst out immediately.

Still breathing hard but rather pleased with herself, Scootaloo shot back, “Oh yeah? How many other ponies do you know that trick on scooters?”

“Eh…” Apple Bloom scrunched her brow. “None, but if there were any, I bet you’d be the best. I ain’t never seen anything so impressive.”

“Or so audacious,” added Sweetie Belle. “You could have seriously wiped out on that one.”

Scootaloo gave a fearless laugh. “Yeah, right! If Rainbow Dash isn’t afraid to push herself to her limits, then neither am I!” She tried to flash an indomitable smile, but wound up looking squinty instead. Apple Bloom stifled a laugh.

“Riiiight. So anyways, what do you Crusaders want to do today?” Apple Bloom inquired of her friends.

“What?” asked Sweetie Belle. “I thought you had something in mind. That’s why we all met here, remember?”

“We always meet here,” countered Apple Bloom. “And anyways, I’m sick and tired of always havin’ to come up with all the brilliant Crusading ideas.” She crossed her forelegs and sat with a pout.

“Well, I say we check out what’s happening in Ponyville,” suggested Scootaloo sagaciously. “Lately, there’s been all sorts of hubbub with monster attacks, magic duels, and reigns of chaos, like, every week.”

“Actually,” said Sweetie Belle, “I was wondering if you noticed that life has become a lot more exciting and dangerous since Twilight came to town. Plus our sisters go on a lot more perilous missions. But yeah, somepony in Ponyville might need our help.”

“Well, it sounds like it’s settled then.” Apple Bloom, the natural leader, sat up with a determined countenance. “Let’s head ‘em up and move em’ out.”

And with that, the three fillies galloped back up to Ponyville, each yearning for a Cutie Mark of their own.