Echo of Loss

The bell above a quaint little cafe jingled softly as Sweetie Belle stepped inside, slumping down in the nearest empty seat by the window. Apple Bloom was currently away in another town for work right now, Sweetie Belle felt extra depressed because of it. The days that she was forced to endure alone felt like an eternity to her. She was so lost in thought, that she couldn't have picked up on the approaching footsteps, until they stopped beside her table.

"Can I get you something," the waitress asked.

Sweetie Belle recognized the voice and her head shot up, where she was greeted by a pony with a familiar disheveled mane.

"S-Scoots?" she panted, a rush of conflicting emotions flooding over her. Scootaloo, the friend who had left without a word all those years ago, stood before her, holding a notepad and pen. She looked different. More mature, but there was no mistaking her.

Sweetie Belle's eyes were drawn to the bruise and slight cut around Scootaloo's right eye.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo said, "It's been a while."

"That—" Sweetie Belle began, eyeing the mark again.

"It's nothing. Just a little accident. —Hey, um, what can I get for you?"

"Coffee..." Was all Sweetie Belle could think to say.

Scootaloo scribbling down the order and retreated to the back.

That's all? Sweetie thought to herself.

When Scootaloo returned with the drink, shut set it down on the table without making eye contact. Sweetie opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She really wasn't prepared for this. It's not as if she prepared some grand speech or anything, but often expected their reunion, if it were going to happen, to be under more extreme circumstances. One to where she wouldn't wouldn't have to do most of the talking.

"I... I hope you're doing okay," Scootaloo said shifting away and serving tables again. Only this time her movements were stiff and mechanical. Thanks in no small part to Sweetie Belle's watchful stare.

As the day unfolded, the cafe buzzed with activity as patrons came and gone in droves. Eventual the crowds died out, and only a few and Sweetie Belle remained rooted in their seats seat. Hours went by, and she was pretend to drink from a mug that had long been empty by this point. How long had Scootaloo been working there? Surely not long. Sweetie Belle had been through almost all of the shops in the district and not once had she seen a single sign of that pegasus anywhere.

Upon hearing Scootaloo clock out for the day, Sweetie Belle rose from her seat and made her way over ever so quietly.

"Hey, Scoots."

The pegasus jolted. She hadn’t even realized Sweetie Belle got so close. “Oh! Uh...”

"Wanna go for a walk," Sweetie said cutely, tilting her head.

The two of them stepped outside.

“It’s a nice day, don’t you think?” Sweetie belle said looking up at the sky.

Scootaloo frowned and shook her head. “Sure, I suppose. If you like feeling muggy... And... the color gray.”

Sweetie Belle glanced at her friend with a smile. “You get used to it after a while.”

Scootaloo bit her lip, unsure how to change the subject away from the stifling city. "Hey, how's Apple Bloom doing? You two still dating?"

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "Dating? What?! No! We’ve never dated. Who told you that?"

"Come on, Sweetie. Ponies talk. Words get around, you know?"

Sweetie Belle's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and she gave a strong "HMPH," and crossed her hooves. "W-well, they're wrong! I’ve never dated anyone, and I don’t know why anyone would make up something like that!"

"Okay—" Scootaloo stopped her. "It’s just... you know how Manehattan can be. All the gossip and all."

"Yeah, I know. But you shouldn’t believe everything you hear, Scoots. People love to make up stories."

Scootaloo nodded, feeling a bit unsure. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t have assumed."

Sweetie Belle gave a smile. "It's okay."

Almost out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind swept through the street, sending papers flying by and a shiver down Sweetie Belle's spine. "H-hey, uh, Scoots?" Sweetie Belle's voice was hesitant, her eyes darting away and then back to Scootaloo's face. "Do you mind if I, uh, stand a little closer? For warmth, of course."

"For warmth, huh? Sure, whatever you say." She and took a small step closer to the shorter mare. Her wings fluttering slightly as she made room for Sweetie Belle by her side.

Sweetie Belle didn't waste a single second and slid right next to Scootaloo. "Th-thanks. It's reeeeally cold out here."

"Yeah, it is," Scootaloo agreed.

As they walked, Sweetie Belle found herself inching even closer, her side pressed against Scootaloo's. Scootaloo glanced at Sweetie Belle out of the corner of her eye. "You know, if you keep scooting closer, we might as well be hugging."

Sweetie Belle's blush deepened as she took what Scootaloo said as an open invitation. She looked into Scootaloo's eyes with a shy smile. "Well, hugs are warmer," she coo'd, gently nuzzled up against the pegasi's side whilst taking in her scent. But before she could fully lose herself, Scootaloo pushed her gently away.

"I think that's enough hugging," she said.

"I just missed you, that's all~"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, could you find a less sappy way to show it?"

Sweetie Belle chuckled and gave a naughty smirk. "Alright, how about this?" She gave Scootaloo a light punch on the shoulder.

"Much better," Scootaloo laughed.

As they continued their walk to who knows where, Sweetie Belle's plan to maintain normalcy faltered as she found herself once again nuzzling Scootaloo's side. This time, Scootaloo's reaction was a bit different, pushing her away with substantially more force, Although, not enough to harm her.

"Seriously, you've gotta stop."

At this point, Scootaloo was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, as she noticed they were starting to receiving looks from strangers. Sweetie Belle tried playing it off with a giggle, plainly ignoring the boundaries that were just set moments prior. "I guess old habits die hard."

"Yah, but, just... give me some space, alright?"

"Okay~"

As Sweetie Belle kept on rubbing against acquaintance multiple times in under a minute, Scootaloo felt her patience wearing thin. And then Sweetie Belle's touch moved to her right eye, massaging gently. Scootaloo's anger flared at the continued invasion of her own personal space.

"What happened here?" Sweetie Belle asked, oblivious to Scootaloo's growing frustration.

Scootaloo's jaw clenched. "Sweetie Belle, that's enough!" she barked, pushing her away again.

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" she stammered.

But Scootaloo had had enough. Without another word, she turned on her heel and moving again. Sweetie Belle desperately tried to call her back, but Scootaloo ignored her pleas. Sweetie Belle's chest tightened with panic. The desperation turned into fear and Sweetie Belle's voice cracked with emotion. "Please, Scootaloo, don't go!"

Scootaloo could hear the snickers and whispers of the ponies around them now, and she couldn't help but wince in embarrassment. She could feel the weight of the stares, the judgmental gazes boring into her. She wanted to disappear into the pavement. Just what was this girl doing in broad daylight?

" I need you!"

The pegasus looked back with a pained expression to see the mare groveling on the ground. "Sweetie, I... I can't." Her voice seeping with regret as she turned and hurried away, desperate to escape the prying eyes

Sweetie Belle's heart sank, and she gave chase.

"I just—! I want to—! Make things right between us!" Sweetie Belle hollered between steps.

But Scootaloo's expression hardened. "They are right!"

After only a few seconds, Sweetie Belle's head was already beginning to spin. She had given up physical activities and wasn't used to exerting herself this much. Her panting came and went in short, shallow gasps as she followed Scootaloo like a shadow all the way to a hotel on the corner of town. Upon reaching the door, Scootaloo pulled a keycard from the saddlebag tied around her waist and scrambled to get the darn thing to actually work. 3 or 4 negative readings were enough to give ample time for her pursuer to squeeze her way in before the door was slammed shut.

Before Sweetie could even realize what was happening, she felt herself being grabbed roughly and got thrown down hard onto a nearby spring mattress, instantly becoming trapped a speeding blur of orange. She looked up to be met with by Scootaloo's violet eyes burning with an with electric fury. Her chest heaving with exertion and her hair stuck to her forehead from sweat. The adrenaline was still coursing through her veins. There was something primal and raw about her in that moment. Sweetie Belle swallowed hard, taking it all in. There was an undeniable allure to Scootaloo's fierceness.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she roared. Her voice was laced in venom.

Feeling the intensity of Scootaloo's emotions, Sweetie Belle's body reacted in an unexpected way. She couldn't help but feel this strange sense of arousal building within her. It was like a jolt to the system, like a slap tothe face. Certainly a stark contrast to Apple Bloom's gentle approach . In the midst of the heat and intensity, she understood something profound. No other pony could ever make her feel the way Scootaloo did. There was a complexity to her. In Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle saw kindness and compassion. Traits that endeared her to others. But there was also a ferocity that could transform her into a force to be reckoned with at the drop of a hat. It was this duality that made Scootaloo so utterly unique in her eyes.

Sweetie Belle began thrashed her legs, almost in a playful manner in an attempt to get out from under her captor, but it was no use. Scootaloo just gripped harder, effortlessly keeping her still. Was this all just a game to her? Scootaloo wondered bitterly as she did the best she could to contain the multitude of flailing limbs. Acting on pure instinct, Scootaloo raised a hoof and was ready to strike.

But then, just stopped. Sweetie Belle’s movements also ceased. That's right, she knew Scootaloo better than anyone, and if there's one thing she, it's that that Scoots would never physically harm her. It was the one thing she had over her in a fight.

"You can't do it," she mocked. "You're won't hurt me. You're not that kind of pony."

"Get... Out..." Scootaloo growled,

"No," She said firmly.

In that instance, Scootalo wrapped herself around the unicorn and tried pulling her off the bed, only to be met with loud wailing. Their argument was interrupted by a sharp knock on the wall. Likely it was a reprimand from the neighbors, who also just finishing up their day. Scootaloo ground her teeth in frustration. The last thing she needed was to get kicked out. As Sweetie Belle’s wailing steadily growing louder, Scootaloo felt a sense of urgency, expecting another knock from the corner of the room any second now. She needed to silence this girl before they attracted any more unwanted attention. With a futile attempt to cover Sweetie Belle’s mouth using her hoof, Scootaloo found herself thwarted by the relentless struggling.

With the clock ticking, Scootaloo made a split-second decision and pplanted her lips against Sweetie Belle’s, effectively silencing her. Then, just as things started to settle down, Sweeties demeanor shifted, and she began tracing her tongue along Scootaloo's lips. Scootaloo tightened them, refusing to allow Sweetie Belle access.

Scootaloo mentally beat herself down. This isn't what she wanted, it's not what she wanted at all. She had only wanted the noises to stop, to avoid being thrown out. But now, she had only succeeded in adding another layer of chaos to this already crazy situation.

Sweetie Belle for one seemed to interpret the kiss as something more genuine. Her mouth curled into a playful little smile as she continued to tease, persistently trying to part Scootaloo's lips with her tongue. As Sweetie Belle's arms wrapped around her in a tight grip, Scootaloo felt a surge of panic rise within. She released her grip and tried to raise herself from the bed, trying to pull away, but Sweetie Belle only held on even more.

"S-stop it," Scootaloo grunted through gritted teeth.

But Sweetie ignored Scootaloo's distress. Her actions were running on pure euphoria and nothing Scootaloo could say would have gotten through to her. Sweetie moved to explore Scootaloo's body further and received and an extremely powerful shove in return that sent the unicorn spiraling off the bed and onto the ground below. Scootaloo zipped from the bed and grabbed Sweetie at the base of her neck wither her teeth, lunging her out the door before slamming it back shut. She pressed her back o the door and locked it twice.

Furious pounding of hooves against the wood echoed. Scootaloo squeezed her eyes shut and plugged her ears with her hooves, trying to drown out the sound. She couldn't deal with this right now. Not after everything that had happened. The sound of other doors opening in the hall barely registered with Scootaloo at first. She was too focused on blocking out Sweetie Belle's voice. But soon, the murmur of other ponies' voices cut through.

"What's all this racket?"

"Hey, keep it down out there!"

"Some of us are trying to sleep!"

Scootaloo could hear Sweetie Belle's voice half-heartedly trying to explain herself to the irritated ponies in the hallway.

"Well, take it somewhere else, will ya?" a gruff voice said. "Some of us got work in the morning."

"Yeah, beat it, kid," said another mare.

The chorus of complaints and arguments slowly drowned out Sweetie Belle's timid voice. Scootaloo could feel the weight of the tension in the hallway through the door. She pressed her hooves harder against her ears, willing it all to go away. Gradually, the noise in the hallway began to subside. The other ponies, satisfied that the commotion was over, returned to their rooms, and the hallway fell silent once more. Scootaloo cautiously lowered her hooves from her ears, straining to hear any sign of Sweetie Belle.

Nothing.

As she sat there, leaning against the door, Scootaloo couldn't shake the image of Sweetie Belle's hurt and confused face from her mind.