Or You Might Hear

Sweetie came running out of The Carousel Boutique, hastily securing her saddlebags.

"Let's move!" she shouted as she landed in Scootaloo's scooter-cart.

"SWEETIE BELLE! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" came the angry voice of her big sister from inside the house.

"Make it fast, Scoots!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" She started buzzing her wings and they were soon speeding through the empty streets of Ponyville at full speed.

The scooter came to a stop, nearly knocking the unicorn on her face from her high perch atop the crate she was sitting on.

The first drops of the afternoon rainstorm were falling around them, and they quickly pushed the scooter underneath The Clubhouse before rushing inside. Scootaloo was still out of breath as she fell on the floor and rolled onto her back, giggling.

"Told you we'd make it!" she exclaimed in exhilaration.

"Yeah, we did," answered Sweetie Belle in a deadpan voice. "Too bad you're going back out."

"Wha? Why'd I wanna go outside in the rain?"

"Because you're going to get yourself a switch."

"Oh." It took a few seconds for the information to register in the pegasus' head. "OH! You serious? Today? Right now?"

She had gotten up from her prone position and was now sitting on the floor.

"Yup. I think you've been very naughty today, and deserve some discipline."

"Dis... What did I do now?"

"Are you telling me you don't even know?" Sweetie's voice rose in disbelief.

"Yeah well... We had fun at the beach, made some bits and... "

"Well young missy, I think you're going to learn A LOT today. Now go outside and get yourself a switch, and maybe you should think about what happened today some more while you're out there."

"But... now? In the rain? But... But... It's—" The last vestiges of hope were soon crushed from the orange filly's mind, as her friend angrily pointed at the door.

"Buts are made for spanking. Move it." As the orange filly left the building, her friend couldn't stop herself from adding: "And if it's not a good one, you're gonna go get another one!"

Scootaloo shuddered as she finally came back to The Clubhouse. Her purple mane was hanging limp, glued to her face, and her tail drooped down like a sad wet rag. Maybe because the day had been so warm, or that she'd been in the sun since morning, the rain had felt like an autumn shower. The rain itself wasn't the merry summer sprinkle that always seemed to come and go, only leaving a few pearls of water on the merry spiderwebs or end up on the tips of leaves as the first rays of sun made them shine in a caleidoscope of colours. No, this was the other kind of rain. It was small and misty, and felt more like a dense fog than real rain. It got everywhere, and stayed there. Everything started smelling of old cellars and forgotten attics. It was the kind of rain only a very specific set of fungi would enjoy and appreciate. For everypony else, it mostly just sucked.

The inside of The Clubhouse was lit when she stepped inside. Sweetie had found a small oil lamp that was giving off a dull, warm light around the small space. The tiny orange filly stepped inside with a heavy heart. Her friend had told her that she'd done something very wrong, yet she had no clue what it was. It had been just a normal boring day of standing around, drinking lemonade, and swimming whenever Sweetie wasn't in enjoying herself. Well the water had been warm, and many of her classmates had been there to have fun with. At the moment she couldn't remember what warm water felt like. She thought about shaking her mane dry, but then thought again, as the priceless drawings and the Collector's Edition Wonderbolts On Tour -poster would surely get spattered and ruined. She found the unicorn seated next to the table that had already twice been the location for the orange filly's suffering. As she entered, Sweetie shut the book that she'd been reading and pushed it back into her saddlebag.

"Well you took your time."

"Y-y-yeah," the miserable pegasus replied, while her teeth clattered together, making her stutter. "I co-couldn't find a go-go-good switch and ha-had—"

"At least you brought me something. Give it here."

Scootaloo moved over to the table and placed the length of wood on it. It was a thin branch from a tree she'd barely been able to reach. She'd seen several better ones around, but all of them were so high that she would have needed to fly to reach them. Once again the pegasus mentally kicked herself for not being able to fly yet. She wondered if she'd ever learn how to get airborne for more than a few seconds.

The unicorn picked the the piece of wood up and gave it a thorough scrutiny. She frowned as she turned it over in her hooves, and set it back down.

"It's a bit on the heavy side, and way too long. The end also splits into two, which'll make it hard to wield. Are you sure this is the best you could do?"

"Yeah. I looked all over." The small pegasus' head drooped down. "P-please don't make me go look for another."

"Meh. It'll have to do. Now pick it up and go do your corner time."

"Corner time? I have to do that stuff again?"

"Well can you tell me what you did wrong today?"

"I... I tried thinking about it all the time I was outside. Was it because I called a few of the customers 'pops'? Or that I swam longer than I was supposed to?"

"It seems you still don't get it. Maybe some corner-time will make you figure it out."

Scootaloo moved over to the corner and sat down, pushing her head against the cold wall. It was even harder to sit with the switch held in her mouth, because now she had to breathe only through her nose. Also being wet and cold made her feel even more miserable. As she put her forehooves behind her back, her wet mane slipped to her back, sending cold shivers running down her back. Behind her she could hear her friend opening up a book and turning a page. For the longest time the only sound in the hut was the silent patter of droplets, falling on the roof from the boughs of the tree above, and the occasional turning of a page. The tiny clock on the wall they'd installed seemed to tick louder than usual, slicing the afternoon away a terribly long second at a time.

"Umm... Sweetie."

"No talking in the corner. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Scootaloo was almost in tears. She could feel her hindhooves going to sleep, and the switch in her mouth was slippery from her saliva. Her breathing had become shallow, as the position didn't allow her to take in deeper breaths. It even felt colder when she wasn't moving around, her wet fur and mane feeling chilly everywhere. Goosebumps kept running all over her tiny body. She also felt her nose starting to run, which made breathing even harder.

Sweetie heard the small sniffles coming from the corner, and decided it was time to move on. Once again she pushed her book back into her saddlebag, but not before taking out several other items and spreading them over the table for easier reach.

"Come here, Scootaloo," the unicorn called. Her friend got up from the corner and gave a small stretch before walking the few feet to the table. On the wooden surface several items lay spread; a coil of rope, much thicker than the string they'd used last time, a black cloth of some thick fabric, and for some reason, a first-aid kit. Sweetie took the switch from the pegasus' mouth and set it next to the other items, and then sat down on the floor.

"Scootaloo, lie down on the floor. And put your head on my lap."

"Why do I have to do that?"

"Because I say so? Haven't you learned anything about how this works?"

Without saying anything else the pegasus lowered herself on the hard floor. It was a relief from being in the corner, and laying her head on the warm lap of her friend did feel nice. Nicer than she'd imagined. She could remember her own mother holding her like that a few times, after she'd gotten hurt or had a nightmare. The unicorn started gently stroking the pegasus' purple mane, and speaking to her softly.

"Now, Scootaloo, I'm very disappointed with you about what happened today. Did your corner-time give you any ideas on what you might have done wrong?"

"Is it something to do with the money?" The pegasus felt her eyes closing as the warmth of her friend was spreading around her face and neck. "I think you got angry when we were talking about it on our way here."

"It is about the money, yes. Do you have any idea what it might be?"

The pegasus wracked her head, trying to find an answer, but after a long time, all she could do was answer in a quiet voice:

"No."

Her friend, and for today, big sister, gave a small sigh.

"Scootaloo, where do you think money comes from?"

"Well... my mom gives it to me?"

"And where does your mom get it from?"

"Work, I guess."

"Correct. She has to work almost every day and fly to several different places to get that money. That's why she's not home with you, but making sure your family has enough money. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"I also get my allowance for doing chores around the house or at my big sis' shop. If I skip a chore, I don't get my full allowance. Every bit I get on Saturdays, I've worked really hard on."

"So... you can only get money for working?"

"Usually, yes. And when you get money for work, you start to think: 'Hey, that candy costs 2 bits' and then you think 'I get two bits for doing the dishes, cleaning my room and stuff'. And you know what? The candy tastes a lot better when I eat it. Because I had to work to get it. And I even have a little piggy-bank, where I put one or two bits every week, so if I REALLY need to get something later, I can afford it."

"Wow. I didn't know you thought about it so much."

"But what about you, Scoots? You get money whenever you want, and never have to do anything for it. And you spend it on whatever, cos there's always going to be more. You don't understand what it's worth."

"I think I understand. So all the stuff I buy, the comics and stuff... I haven't really earned them?"

"Yeah. Today when you told me how you spent your money, you actually reminded me of two other ponies."

"Who?" asked the puzzled pegasus.

"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."

"WHAT?" The pegasus' eyes shot open as she lifted her head a few inches up from Sweetie's lap. "I'm NOTHING like them."

"But you kinda are. You just get whatever you want and get pampered like them. You maybe use your money on different stuff, but it's still the same."

"No... I... I'm not like them. They're just spoiled little... "

The words stuck in Scootaloo's mouth, as the pieces finally clicked in her head.

"I'M spoiled! Sweetie I'm just like them!" Her eyes were burning from the realisation and shame that came with it as her head slumped back to her friend's lap..

"Yes, I'm afraid you are." Sweetie's voice was calm, and she still kept stroking the pegasus' mane. It made the whole thing feel even worse for the orange filly. If she'd been shouted at or something, it would have been so much easier, but now she couldn't fight back, only accept what was being said to her. The tears finally came, hot and shameful, running down her cheeks.

"And there's something more," continued the unicorn. "How many glasses of lemonade did you drink today?"

"I dunno... a few?" sobbed the pegasus on the floor.

"You drank at least ten glasses of lemonade. The lemonade we worked hard making yesterday. "

"Really? I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't. And how many did you sell?"

"Umm... kinda... none?"

"And who got the lemons yesterday? And the bottles?"

"Well... you but... "

"They cost me four bits to put together. You didn't think about that?"

"N-no. I didn't. I just... you know... thought you had them lying around or something."

"So we made thirty bits today. I sold thirty glasses of lemonade, and you sold none. You drank a large chunk of our stock, and then you DARE to tell me 'today sucked cos we didn't make enough for my new helmet,' when actually you earned none of it. AND I spent all the money beforehand on the ingredients. "

"Gosh I didn't think about it like that. Do you think you should get all the bits? I mean... it's okay by me—"

"So you can just ask your mom for more bits? Without doing anything to earn them?" The white unicorn filly just shook her head. "I'm just disappointed in you, Scootaloo. It's not really about the money, or who gets what. The real problem is that I think you're spoiled and... and greedy."

"Greedy?" Scootaloo once again got up, her face twisting in anger.

"Yes, greedy..." The unicorn looked at her friend with cold eyes. "...and selfish."

The pegasus was about to start arguing, or shouting, or storm out of the hut, but those cold eyes just kept staring at her, and the words once more stuck to her mouth. Instead of the bile of anger, she only felt a cold lump in her chest. Somehow she knew that her big sister was right. Her forehooves started shaking, as she threw herself against the unicorn's lap and desperately clung onto her friends midriff. She was now crying in earnest, feeling the hot tears flowing freely down her face.
Sweetie Belle just sat there silently, gently petting the orange filly in her lap. Only when the sobs started to quiet down, she continued to speak.

"A while ago I had the same lecture from my big sister. She'd been gathering gems all day long with Spike, and I took a large box of them without permission. I was gonna make some thing for school, I don't even remember what it was. But she was so angry with me. She said that it wasn't because I took something that wasn't mine, but because I didn't know how hard they were to get. The gems I mean. She then told me that they had spent hours and hours walking, digging and finally dragging the gems back to the shop. I really felt awful when I understood how much work she did for them, and I'd just taken them for granted. I mean... she has so many of them around. I didn't think it was such a big deal. But then I understood that nothing I got was really free. Food, toys, comics, candy. Someone had to pay for them. And work to get the bits. That's the day I asked my parents if I could get an allowance to work for the stuff I got. I mean... it's great to get presents and free stuff... but that's not really how it works. "

They sat in silence, the orange pegasus still hugging the white unicorn. Scootaloo managed to collect herself enough to let go and get up to a sitting position. Her eyes were already red from all the tears, but they both knew there would be more of them coming that day.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie."

"Good. Because that means you understand that you've been a bad pony."

"I mean... all my toys, comics, the candy... even my scooter. I've never done anything to earn them. I mean, not really. I hardly even do any chores at home. I cook the dinner but leave the dishes and pans in the sink. And my room's a mess. My mom usually cleans up and does stuff in the morning, but I'm usually at school or doing stuff. And whenever she tells me to do something I try to make excuses and... I've been really selfish."

"You know, Scoots... I told you I was disappointed in you earlier?"

"Y-yeah," the pegasus said while lowering her head in shame.

"I take it back. I'm really proud of you right now."

"Sweetie?"

"Yes?" This must be what the unicorn had been waiting for the whole day to hear.

"Would you punish me for being bad? For being selfish and greedy? I think I need a really hard spanking to remember it."

Yes, it was exactly what the unicorn had been waiting for.

"Of course, Scootaloo."

"And... umm... Sweetie?"

"Huh?"

"Thanks... for... you know... being my big sister today."