Busted!

“Ugh! Where are they?!” shouted Rainbow Dash, as she frantically dug through the basket of fresh laundry.

“Where are what?” asked Twilight, poking her head around the door.

“My favourite socks! I put them in the wash last night but now they aren’t here!” The rainbow haired girl sighed and slammed her fist on the top of the washing machine as she stood up.

Pinkie Pie gasped “The washing machine must be eating all our socks! One pair at a time!”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I doubt that Pinkie Pie. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.”

Rainbow furrowed her brow. “Yeah, there’s a reasonable explanation alright; someone’s stolen my socks!”

Twilight shot her a quizzical look. “I can’t think of anyone who’d want to steal your laundry. The only reason you put them in the wash at all is because I told you to!”

Rainbow groaned “Look I said I was sorry, but there was a stone in my boot! I had to take it off!”

“You took it off in the middle of book club, after you’d been playing football for the last 2 hours!”

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“Rainbow, they reeked!”

Pinkie Pie giggled “hehee, Reek-bow Dash!”

“Shut up! Ugh, I’m going to my room. Let me know if they turn up.” And with that, she stormed out.

The next laundry day rolled around, everyone in the lodge was alerted by a wail from Rarity. “No! This is the. Worst. Possible. THING!”

Applejack and Twilight hurried downstairs and found Rarity on her knees in the laundry room. “What’s going on, Rarity?”

“The pair of socks I put in the laundry basket last night, GONE! GONE! Goooone!”

“Oh, don’t get yerself in a stew, sugarcube. I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. I’ll help ya look. Come on!” Applejack helped Rarity up and the two of them started searching the laundry room. Twilight decided to go back upstairs to her room.

A week later, Twilight was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie when Sunset Shimmer stormed in. “Alright, which one of you guys stole my socks?!” The three friends blinked in confusion.

“I thought you said it funny when Rainbow Dash lost her socks.” Said Fluttershy.

“Yeah, it was, but it’s not funny when it happens to me!”

Pinkie Pie looked around warily. “Maybe the washer really is eating socks!”

“Pinkie, I already told you, that’s impossible!” said Twilight.

“Well, have you got any better ideas, smarty pants?” growled Sunset. Twilight pondered for a moment and then faltered, unable to think of what to say.

Sunset threw her hands up and marched out. “I’d better make sure she’s okay.” Said Fluttershy, following her out. Pinkie Pie went out too, leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts.

Later that morning, Tidmouth arrived at the lodge and Twilight showed him in. They passed the laundry room door and Tidmouth looked in to see Pinkie Pie shining a desk lamp at one of the washing machines. “Not talking, huh? Well, everyone breaks at some point!” the pink girl shouted.

Twilight sighed and pulled him away. “Ignore that. We’ve been having some trouble with laundry going missing.”

“O-oh? How odd…”

The two passed Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer on the stairs. “Hey! Didn’t you see the sign on the door? No boys allowed, Tidmouth!” said Sunset, crossly.

“Oh, don’t be rude, Shimmer. I invited him over.” Retorted Twilight. “Come on, Tidmouth.”

They went up to Twilight’s room and sat on the bed together. “I don’t get it, Tidmouth. Three laundry days in a row a pair of socks has gone missing. What do you think?”

Tidmouth went wide-eyed “M-me? Why would I know anything?”

Twilight shrugged “I dunno. I thought maybe you might’ve overheard something.”

“Oh, I see… N-no I haven’t heard anything.”

Twilight sighed. “Well… nevermind.” She leant over and gave him a hug. “Oh! I almost forgot, are you going to be in the fun run next weekend?”

“Uhh… yeah, maybe.”

“Well, if you are, maybe we could run… together.”

Tidmouth chuckled shyly. “Y-yeah, okay… I’d like that.” Twilight smiled and they shared a kiss.

That weekend lots of people at the camp were getting ready to take part in the fun run. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were of course running to beat each other, whereas most of the others were just there to take part and have fun, as the name implied.

Tidmouth jogged up and stood next to Twilight, who was doing some light stretches on the start line. “Heya, Twi.”

“Oh, hey, Tidmouth!” she beamed, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “You all ready?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Good! I’m glad you decided to join me. It’s nice to have an excuse to hang out together for a while if nothing else.” Tidmouth shyly smiled and nodded in agreement.

Vice Principal Luna stepped up with a whistle. “Alright, fun-runners! On your marks… get set…” She blew her whistle, and everyone started. As expected, Rainbow Dash and Applejack sprinted off, ahead of the pack. “Pace yourselves, you two!” Luna called, but her advice fell on deaf ears.

The main pack ran along at a moderate pace, Tidmouth and Twilight took up the rear gently jogging beside one another. Twilight took a long breath and smiled. “Ahh, it is nice to be out in the fresh air, isn’t it? Such a lovely day too. …Tidmouth?” Twilight looked over her shoulder and saw Tidmouth looking down toward her shoes. “What’s the matter? Did I tread in something?” She hopped along trying to look at the sole of her trainer.

“Oh! Uh- n-no! It’s nothing. Sorry! …what were you saying?” Tidmouth said with a sheepish smile.

Twilight rolled her eyes “I was saying what a nice day it is!”

“Oh right. Y-yeah! …Though every day I hang out with you is a nice one.”

Twilight smirked and nudged him with her elbow. “Smooth! But thank you. Come on, let’s pick up the pace. We don’t want to lag behind too much.” Tidmouth nodded and the two of them increased speed.

Tidmouth and Twilight jogged over the finish line a little while later. Fluttershy wandered over carrying a couple of water bottles. “Here you go guys.”

“Oh, thanks Fluttershy!” Twilight and Tidmouth accepted the water and had a drink.

Twilight looked around at the other runners. “Where are Rainbow Dash and Applejack?”

Fluttershy sighed “Nurse’s tent. Applejack has cramps from not stretching her muscles properly and Rainbow Dash tripped over a root and sprained her ankle.”

Twilight shook her head “Those two never learn, do they?”

Rarity walked over to them. “Twilight, do you have the key for the laundry room?”

“Uh, yes it’s in my room, why? The door has been unlocked since we got here.”

“Precisely! I’m saying it should be locked. Especially with…” She leant in close and whispered, “Laundry day, coming up.”

Twilight sighed “I really don’t see how locking the door would help. If someone was going in there to steal people’s laundry, and I’m not saying they are, wouldn’t they just take the key from my room after I’ve gone to sleep?”

Rarity pondered for a moment. “You’re right, Twilight. We need to entrust the key to a neutral third-party. Somepony outside of our lodge.”

There was a moment of silence before Fluttershy raised a hand “What about Tidmouth?”

Rarity grinned widely “Yes! Of course! Tidmouth, darling, you’ll look after our key, won’t you?” Tidmouth had a slightly worried look on his face, unsure of what to say. “Don’t look so worried! All you have to do is take the key from Twilight tonight and then bring it back tomorrow morning.”

Tidmouth looked to Twilight for some sort of conformation. She rolled her eyes at the plan but despite her feeling like it was a waste of time she nodded at Tidmouth. “Uh- okay then. I’ll do it.”

Rarity squeed and gave Tidmouth a hug. “Thank you, darling! I knew we could count on you!”

Fluttershy and Rarity passed the word onto the others and that evening the 7 friends staying in Golden Oaks Lodge stood by and watched as Twilight locked the door and handed the key to Tidmouth. “Alright, Tidmouth. I’ll see you in the morning.” Tidmouth nodded and smiled bashfully at the others standing and smiling at him giving a quick wave and heading off to the lodge he was staying in.

Twilight turned and spoke to the others. “Alright, hopefully that should get you lot to relax. I’m going to turn in. Goodnight.” She briskly walked off up to her room and hopped onto her bed. She still didn’t think anyone was stealing laundry, but at least this would prove it once and for all. “If anything is missing tomorrow morning then we’ll have to assume Pinkie’s theory is correct.” She said, chuckling to herself. She picked up the large book from her bedside table and got to reading.

It was the early hours of the morning and Twilight was lightly snoozing in her bed. She was drawn from her slumber by a strange sound from downstairs. It sounded like someone tripped over the doormat. She squinted through the darkness of her room at the clock. “3am? Who’d be coming into the lodge at this time of morning?” she wondered to herself. She slid herself out of bed, popping on a pair of fluffy slippers and crept over to her door. She could hear the sound of a door being unlocked. The laundry room door. Her eyes widened. “Rainbow Dash was right! There is a sock thief! They must’ve gone over to Tidmouth’s lodge and stolen the key from his room!” Twilight steeled herself, grabbed a flashlight from her room and crept downstairs. She quietly tip-toed over to the laundry room door and threw it open, as she flicked on the torch.

There, crouched on the floor of the laundry room was Tidmouth. Beside him was the communal basket of clothes, its contents spilled over the floor. In his hands he was holding a pair of Twilight’s socks, the pair she had been wearing whilst running the previous afternoon. Twilight stared at him for a moment, very confused. “Tidmouth? What… are you doing?”