"Hey Gabbs, check it out!" Scootaloo yelled to her approaching friend.
The orange Pegasus rose into the air, her tiny wings buzzing as she flew forward a few feet then dropped to the ground.
"Wow Scoots! You're improving so much! Soon you'll be able to visit me in Griffonstone!" Gabby exclaimed in her usual excited tone of voice.
Ever since Gabby had first met with the Cutie Mark Crusaders she had visited often, becoming especially close to Scootaloo and making her visits to Ponyville more frequent, as Scootaloo couldn't exactly get to Griffonstone easily without flying.
"So, you wanna fly for real?" Gabby asked.
Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically, knowing what was going to happen. "Are you sure you can still carry me? We haven't done this in a while and I'm not a little filly anymore."
Gabby walked over to her, saying nothing, just grasping Scootaloo with her talons gently and taking to the sky. Scootaloo flapped her wings excitedly. They did loops, spins, and rolls through the blue sky, Gabby holding Scootaloo close and Scootaloo leaning into her warm body as wind whipped her face. Scootaloo let out a joyous yell and Gabby looked at her friend fondly. While Gabby was distracted her altitude decreased and she flew into the branches of a tall tree. As they fell Gabby held Scootaloo close, protecting her.
When she opened her wings Scootaloo was holding onto her tightly and when the pony looked up her and Gabby were nose to nose. They each looked away blushing.
"Let's, uh, go back to town..." Scootaloo suggested as she got up.
"Actually, I have some important stuff to do so I'll just go back to Griffonstone... Yea..." Gabby looked anywhere but Scootaloo's face.
"Heh... Okay. Bye Gabby!" She gave a forced smile as her friend waved back to her and flew off into the vast sky.
Back at her small home Scootaloo was pacing back and forth, thinking to herself.
Why did I blush? Why do I always feel so... good when I'm with her? Could I be? No. What would Rainbow Dash think? What would the Crusaders think? What would all of Ponyville think? What would Gabby think? It could ruin our friendship!
She shook her head to clear it. "We're just friends, she's just my friend. Nothing more." She whispered to herself.
Scootaloo collapsed on her bed, sighing and looking up at the blank ceiling. She turned onto her side and got up, exiting her house. She was going to need to talk with her friends.
Not about this though.
She trotted away to collect Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.
The three young mares called a meeting in their clubhouse which was expanded to accommodate the three growing ponies.
"So, Scoots, why'd ya' ask for this meeting to be held?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, you see, I just really needed to talk to somepony right now... And ask some questions." Scootaloo answered.
"Ask away!" Sweetie Belle responded.
"Well uh..." Scootaloo hesitated, "What does it feel like to really like someone?"
Their jaws dropped, then Sweetie Belle squealed.
"Scootaloo totally has a crush!"
"No I don't!" She yelled back, blushing.
"You do!" Apple Bloom joined in.
"Is it on Rumble? You guys always seemed close." Sweetie Belle asked.
"No, I just don't know if I have a crush on somepony and wanted to know what you thought." Scootaloo started, "I really don't think its a crush though..."
"Why's that?" Her friends inquired.
"I... I'm not a fillyfooler..."
Gabby flew back home. To say she was confused would be an understatement. All her life she was taught she had to like male griffons, there was no other way. But now, to be feeling... things... for a pony, a female one at that, made her head spin. All she knew was that this was unheard of in griffon culture, and it scared her immensely.
As she neared her nest that she shared with her parents she thought about what they might think but being a bit naive she decided to ask them.
"Ma, dad, can a female like a female?"
Both her parents looked at her wide eyed, obviously not expecting the question.
"Why in the world would you ask that?" Her mother asked.
"I just--"
"No." Her father answered, "That is not allowed, it is not tradition."
"Alright..." Gabby shrunk away.
"If I found out I had some faggot or dyke in my family I'd teach em' a lesson. Got that?" Her dad asked her, "And not a nice one."
"Yea, nice dad..." Gabby gave a forced smile, "I'm gonna go back out okay?
Without waiting for an answer she sped to Ponyville. If what she thought was true she wasn't safe in her home.
Back at the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were looking at Scootaloo quizzically.
"What do ya mean Scoots?"
"I mean... I can't like mares right!? Theres nothing wrong with that of course but... I'm not..."
"Slow down Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle told the orange Pegasus.
"It's just... IthinkIlikeGabby" She said quickly.
"What?"
"I-I think I like Gabby." She repeated, slower this time.
"Of course ya do, she's your friend!"
"I think she means she really likes Gabby." Sweetie Belle added.
Scootaloo looked away, "No... She's my friend, just my friend."
Her friends tilted their heads and looked at each other.
"I'll just go..."
And right at that moment, a griffon burst through the door of the clubhouse.
"Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, I need your help!" Then her eyes landed on the Pegasus staring wide eyed, "Hi... Scoots..."
Chapter 2: Pretty Damn Awkward
"Oh... Hi there, Gabbs. How's it... hangin'?" Scootaloo gave an awkward chuckle and smile.
"Oh, y'know amazing! Haha..." Gabby looked around.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom merely watched the uncomfortable exchange, shifting on their hooves as silence settled upon the room.
"I'm just going to go." Scootaloo's snout scrunched up as she shuffled out awkwardly.
When the door closed Apple Bloom spoke, "What the hay was that all about?"
Gabby rubbed the back of her neck, "Some... Stuff happened this morning and I realized some things and I don't want to ruin our friendship anymore then I already have."
"It couldn't have been that bad Gabby," Apple Bloom comforted.
"Yea! You and Scootaloo's friendship is really strong, I doubt some little thing will ruin it!"
"We almost kissed." The Griffon uncharacteristically deadpanned then looked to the floor.
For not the first time that day the crusaders' mouths hung open.
"You almost kissed?"
"Yea," Gabby said, blushing, then whispered, "and I think I wanted to really kiss her..."
"What was that, Gabbs?" Apple Bloom tilted her head.
"I think that I really wanted to kiss her..." She whispered just loud enough for them to hear, blushing madly.
Sweetie Belle squeed and Apple Bloom spoke, "I'm happy for you, but Scootaloo told us she ain't a filly fooler."
Gabby sighed, "I know, she probably hates me now..."
Sweetie Belle chimed in, "Maybe she does like mares and she just didn't tell us?"
"Hmm, that is a possibility, either way you gotta be honest with her."
"B-but that could ruin our entire friendship!"
"Look at it Gabby! Y'all are already dancin' around each other, I was uncomfortable just watching you two!"
Gabby pawed at the ground, "I guess it was a little bit awkward..."
"Nope, that was pretty damn awkward, Gabby." Sweetie Belle joined in.
"C'mon Gabbs, we'll be there to back you up, out of sight if you need us."
"Promise?"
Both young mares nodded enthusiastically, eager to help their friend.
They finally found Scootaloo by their old school and the other two crusaders each gave Gabby a reassuring nod before backing away as she moved forward. She sat next to the young Pegasus and curled her tail around her while the other just blushed, looking away.
"Hey, Scoots?"
"Hm?" She leaned into the warm griffon's body watching the setting sun paint the sky warm colors.
"I... I think I really like you."
Scootaloo stiffened, eyes going wide and Gabby was sure it was over, she felt Scootaloo's wings twitch.
"I've done a lot of thinking Gabby," she nuzzled her feathery neck, "and I think I like you too." She planted a peck on Gabby's jaw.
Gabby's face lit up with a blush and a smile and she pulled the Pegasus, her Pegasus, into a fierce hug.
Scootaloo giggled and returned the gesture full force, both were letting out laughs and other noises of pure, unadulterated joy. As they leaned in, mouths almost touching Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom interrupted, shouting about how happy they were for them.
"Wait, I've gotta do this officially," Gabby was back to her normal, chipper tone, "Scootaloo, will you be my marefriend?"
Scootaloo let out a resounding 'YES' before hugging Gabby again.
They spent the rest of the evening alone snuggling with each other and basking in the other's presence.
"Are we gonna tell the other's scoots?"
"We probably should, I don't think I'm going to be able to keep my hooves off you either way."
"We'll tell them tomorrow then, right now I just want to spend some time with you." She wrapped her wing around Scootaloo, nuzzling her tenderly.
Scootaloo pushed her snout against Gabby's beak, drawing her into a kiss which Gabby gladly reciprocated.
"Hey, Gabby, Scoots! How are--" The blue Pegasus paused as the new couple separated quickly, blushing furiously, "Am I interrupting something?"
Chapter 3: Just Gals Being Pals
"Hey, Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo greeted her hero shakily.
"What were you two doing?" Dash asked, ignoring the greeting.
"You- You see we were um--" Gabby started but Scootaloo interrupted, feeling like she couldn't lie to her big sister.
"Kissing! Okay, we were kissing..."
Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide, "So, are you two marefriends?"
They both nodded, moving closer together.
The blue Pegasus swooped down picking Scootaloo up with some effort, "I'm so happy for you, Scoots!
"Really?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, we're both girls, I was scared you guys wouldn't be happy with this...."
Scootaloo released herself from Rainbow Dash's arms and sat by Gabby who wrapped a wing around her. Rainbow Dash smiled fondly "You two are cute. You want some alone time?"
They nodded.
"Alright, but if she hurts you Scoots, let me know and I'll kick her griffon butt." She flew away, leaving a chuckling Pegasus and a puffed up griffon.
The new couple spend the rest of the night cuddling, kissing, and relishing in their love. Eventually, they retired to Scootaloo's home, snuggled close together in her small bed. The day after, they announced their relationship, everyone was happy for them, but they were the happiest.
