>Scootaloo doesn't realize she's reached the edge
>she takes another step backward as the pink filly and the silver filly take another step closer
>her hind leg kicks at air where there should have been ground
>she falls backward and tumbles head over hooves
>the ditch isn't very deep, but a shallow creek runs through it
>she lands on her back, covered in mud
>the two fillies above her roar with laughter
>she realizes she's lying on her back with her legs splayed open
>the two of them can see everything
>with a blush and a scowl, she quickly rolls over and scrambles to her hooves
>the two fillies laugh again
"What was that?" says Diamond Tiara
"Yeah, I thought you could fly!" chimes in Silver Spoon. "Why don't you just use your wings?"
"Maybe she can get her cutie mark in gymnastics!" says Diamond Tiara
>the two of them laugh again
"Bump bump, sugar lump rump!" they cry in unison
>they perform that annoying butt-bump move they like to do
>why the hell do they do that, anyway?
>do they think that's normal?
>they look like they're into each other, Scoot thinks
>a thousand nasty insults run through her head
>she doesn't say any of them
>she just scowls at the butts of the two fillies as they walk away, still laughing
>when she can no longer hear their voices, she scrambles out of the muddy creek
>
>...
>
>Scoot tramps across the uneven ground
>the surrounding trees provide plenty of shade, but the afternoon is still hot
>the mud has dried and caked into her fur and mane
>it mixes in with her sweat and makes her feel dirty
>she can't wait to get home and take a shower
>the narrow path through the woods isn't much of a shortcut
>it's actually faster to just go through town
>however, that route would take her through the area that Spoon and Tiara usually hang out at after school
>walking past them again, still caked with mud?
>out of the question
>besides, the last thing she wants is for them to follow her and find out where she lives
>insects are buzzing around her, drawn by her sweat
>she swats at them with her tail, but they keep coming
>that's the downside of the woods, so many bugs out here
>but at least she's alone
>a little further down the path, a fast shadow suddenly passes overhead
>she looks up
>a sky blue pegasus suddenly lands in front of her
>she looks down
"Hey, kid."
>in this moment, Scoot is euphoric
>the events of the last two hours are immediately forgotten
>her idol stands on the path in front of her, chest puffed out a little, wings tucked gracefully to her sides
>shafts of late afternoon sun cut through the tree cover overhead
>it makes the sweat drops in her rainbow-colored mane sparkle
"H-hi Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo stammers
>she struggles to contain the spaghetti welling up inside of her
>Dash smiles nonchalantly
"What are you doing all the way out here, kid?" she asks. "How come you're all muddy?"
"Oh, uh..."
>Scootaloo begins stammering again
>euphoria recedes, everything comes back to her
>she looks down at her mud-caked legs in disgust
"I...uh...I was practicing jumps. I took a header into the creek."
>Dash snerks
"Yeah, I did that a few times when I was in flight school. Where's your scooter?"
>Scoot's stomach drops
>she can feel the spaghetti beginning to leak out of her
"Oh...uh, I left it. Back at the creek."
>Dash gives her an odd look
"Want me to fly back and get it for you? It'll only take a second."
"No!"
>damn, said that way too fast
>she's going to think you're a sperg now
"No, that's okay. I'll go back and get it later. I want to go home and shower first."
>that part's true enough at least
>she doesn't say anything more about it, and Rainbow doesn't press the issue
>they stand there for a few awkward seconds
>summer cicadas are buzzing all around them
"Want me to walk with you for a little bit?"
>with considerable effort, Scoot suppresses an explosion of spaghetti
"Uh, y-yeah. Sure. I mean, if you want to."
>the two of them continue down the uneven forest path
>Dash boasts casually about races she won and headers she took back when she was in flight school
>Scoot is hanging on every word but somehow doesn't hear any of it
>she glances up at Rainbow every time her eyes are turned away
>her strong, powerful body strolls confidently along the path
>her unkempt mane falls around her withers, still shimmering in the sunlight
>she probably doesn't even pay attention to it
>she just looks that cool without even trying
"How come you keep looking at me like that?"
>Dash turns her head back suddenly
>Scoot's stomach plunges
>she quickly averts her gaze
>she can still feel the older mare's eyes on her
>she reddens slightly
>Dash snerks
"What, do you like mares or something?"
>Scoot's blush deepens
>she stares at the ground like she's trying to bore holes into it
>Dash snerks again
"I don't care if you do," she says casually, and resumes walking
>Scoot trots quickly after her, still staring at the ground
>say something, you stupid filly!
"I...uh...I don't know..."
>suddenly she just blurts it out
"I like you, I guess."
>she stops dead in her tracks, realizing what she just said out loud
>she keeps staring at the ground, spaghetti oozing out of her pores
>stupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupidstupid
>finally, she can't take the silence anymore
>she risks a look up
>Dash is watching her
>she looks amused
"You like me?" she says.
>Scoot hesitates, then nods
"Like, you wanna kiss me?"
>instantly blushing again, Scoot looks away
>she tries to tunnel into the center of the earth with her mind powers
>she wishes she'd never crawled out of the mud
>maybe she should just throw herself back into the creek and live there forever
"You can if you want."
>her head jerks quickly up and she meets her idol's eyes again
>Dash is looking at her with a weird expression
>Scoot swallows
>her stomach feels like it's full of helium
>she could float away any minute
>Dash smirks and leans in towards her
>Scoot swallows again
>her eyes close involuntarily
>she feels the older pony's muzzle pressing against hers
>their lips touch
>Scoot relaxes, leaning into it
>suddenly Dash presses forward
>her tongue pushes its way into Scoot's mouth
>the sudden aggression knocks her off balance
>their lips part with a loud smack as she falls backwards over her own haunches
>for the second time that day she is lying on her back with her legs splayed open
>in front of another mare
>this time she's barely even conscious of the fact
>her chest rises and falls
>she can still feel Rainbow's tongue moving around in her mouth
>Rainbow looks down at her
"Heh."
>she smirks again
>there's a weird look in her eye
>she glances downward
"What's this?" she says
>she takes a front hoof and runs it gently up the crack between Scoot's legs
>that tiny bit of pressure is all it takes
>something inside Scootaloo bursts open
>she yelps in alarm as spasms wrack through her entire body
>fluid begins gushing out of her
>it erupts everywhere, splashing into the grass and soaking up the dust on the ground
>Rainbow's fetlock is immediately soaked
"Holy shit," says Rainbow, laughing a little.
>the wave subsides
>Scootaloo is still on her back, breathing hard
>her heart is pounding
>she looks up at Rainbow still watching her
>the blue pegasus smirks
"I've never seen anypony squirt that much!"
>the frank vulgarity makes Scootaloo blush again, but right now she's too exhausted to think much about it
>her gaze drifts away into the bushes
>cicadas and flies are still buzzing around them, oblivious
"I think I might have to start calling you 'Squirt' from now on."
>Scootaloo's head jerks back
"You can't!" she protests. "That'd be way too embarrassing!"
>Dash snickers
"Relax, nopony but us is gonna know what it means."
>before Scoot can object, Rainbow leans in and kisses her again
>her mouth tastes like sour hayburgers
>Dash pulls away
"Anyway, I gotta get going. There's gonna be a thunderstorm tonight, and I gotta help set it up."
>she flaps her wings twice, raising herself up into the air
>she turns around and gives Scootaloo one last smirk
"See you around...Squirt."
>she takes off
>in the space of half a second she's gone
>Scootaloo is still lying on her back, breathing hard
>she watches the rainbow-colored trail fade away into the afternoon sky
>
>...
>
"I'm home."
>Scoot calls out into the empty house
>there's no reply
>she wasn't expecting one
>her scooter is still lying in the entryway where she left it this morning
>she doesn't want to look at it right now
>outside, the storm clouds are beginning to gather
>the day is still hot, but it's cooling off
>the smell of impending rain is drifting in through the open door
>Scoot kicks it shut behind her
>the house is stuffy and warm, and there's dust on everything
>she doesn't feel like opening the windows, though
>she tramps up the stairs to the bathroom
>the shower feels good
>at least the hot water in here still works
>she stands under the spray a long time, rinsing the mud and sweat out of her fur
>she closes her eyes and lets the water rush over her face and through her mane
>she can suddenly taste sour hayburgers
>Scoot shuts off the water and shakes herself off
>her towel smells gross, and she doesn't like using it anymore
>it's hot enough in here that her fur will probably dry on its own
>downstairs, she fixes herself a bowl of oats to eat
>she's running low, and there's nothing else to put in them
>there isn't any school tomorrow
>she ought to go to the market
>her parents usually send her some bits to buy food at the beginning of the month, but they don't always remember
>she opens the drawer where she keeps her money
>looks like there's probably enough, but she's running low
>maybe she can ask her aunts again
>if she gets up early and catches the first train, she can probably go out to their place and be back before the market closes
>she pushes the drawer shut with her nose
>she suddenly feels exhausted
>at the top of the stairs, she catches a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror
>she got most of the mud off of her, but there's still a tiny bit in her mane
>she realizes she's too tired to wash it again
>she wonders if her aunts will say anything about it
>probably not
>they probably won't notice
>she looks at herself in the mirror a bit longer
>suddenly she can taste hayburgers again
>she wonders if she's the same way her aunts are
>into mares
>maybe she is
>what happened with Rainbow Dash kind of proves it, right?
>she looks away from the mirror and trundles off towards her room
>she doesn't really want to be like her aunts
>they're always nice to her when she visits, and they give her whatever she asks for
>but it doesn't feel like they care that much about her
>they never come to see her
>she always has to go to them
>maybe it's because the house is dirty and smells bad
>she nudges open the door to her room
>it smells bad enough in here that she has to open the window
>cool air and the smell of rain waft in from outside
>a slight breeze blows through her still-damp mane
>it feels good
>the sun has gone down, and the crickets are chirping outside
>she flops down on her mattress
>her nose wrinkles
>she had a nightmare once, and wet the bed
>she's pretty sure the straw inside is rotten from that
>but she doesn't know how to change it
>she's too embarrassed to ask her aunts for a new mattress
>so she just puts up with it
>raindrops begin to patter against the roof as she snuggles down into her blankets
"Goodnight, Mom," she mumbles into her pillow. "Goodnight, Dad."

~FIN~