Scootaloo was sad when you had to leave, but she understood that you couldn’t stay the entire night. She was grateful though that you were there to help her explain what had happened. Her parents weren’t mad at her, just scared.

“It was stupid of me. I should have listened to my friends, but I didn’t. I’m sorry.” Scootaloo had said, scared that they were going to lock her up and never let her outside again. Her parents were just thankful that she was alive and okay. They knew she learned her lesson and you could see that. However, when they pulled you aside, you started to think they were going to come after you with the police or a lawsuit for endangering their daughter like that. It was the opposite, however and you were shocked when Scootaloo’s mother hugged you and said how grateful they were that their daughter had such an amazing friend to look out for her. You were a little embarrassed and tried to tell them that it was nothing and that anyone would have done the same, but they wouldn’t hear a word of it.

“Her unicorn friend told me you were off, like a bolt of lightning the second she hit the water.” Scootaloo’s father had said, shaking your hoof. “I owe you a debt of gratitude that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay. Thank you.”

Scootaloo made you and Sweetie Belle promise that you wouldn’t tell anyone what happened and begged her parents to do the same. Nurse Redheart told you there was doctor-patient confidentiality, so she couldn’t tell anyone if she wanted to. You were happy, even if you didn’t know what she meant.

When you finally made it home, your mother was waiting for you. She was angry that you were so late in coming home, but when you got inside and explained everything that happened, she could only look at you fondly and smile. “You’re father would be so proud of you.” she said.

You let out a long yawn and decide it’s time to go to bed. Turning out the lights and covering up, you don’t as much fall asleep as pass out.

The next morning, your muscles ache all over and you still want to sleep, but your mother is calling you.

“It’s time for breakfast!”

Forcing yourself out of bed, you make your way down the stairs and join your mother at the table.
You really don’t talk about anything but thank her for the breakfast before you leave and make your way for the schoolhouse. On the way, you meet up with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle was telling Apple Bloom what had happened. You really weren’t listening to what they were saying since you were there, but instead focused on Scootaloo. She hadn’t said anything or even looked at you since you arrived. “How are you feeling?” You ask her.

She turns to you and gives you a cold glare. “I’m fine.” she said before huffing off. You wanted to chase after her, but decided against it.

“Is she okay?” Apple Bloom asks.

You shake your head. “I hope so.”

Ms. Cheerilee was just about to start class when you, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle walked in. She looked at you three annoyed that you were late and opened her mouth to say something. She stopped however and stared at you. “I’ll let it slide this time, okay?” She says with a smile. You begin to wonder how the news of this was spreading and if it was going to stop, for Scootaloo’s sake.

“Uh, thanks.” You say as you sit down at your seat.

“Okay class! Today we’re going to be doing math that’s a bit harder, so get your notebooks out.” Ms. Cheerilee said, trying to make math sound exciting. As you reach under your seat to grab the notebook you stashed there, you feel a hoof connect with your temple. “Ow! Who-” Scootaloo was looking down at you, both literally and figuratively. She still wore that scowl she had before. “ScootaOW!” you begin to say as her hoof connects with your head again. Bolting up, you look at her, hurting physically and emotionally. “What did I do?” You ask. She doesn’t say anything, but continues to stare at you. Sitting down you wonder what you did to deserve this kind of treatment. Scootaloo kept up the barrage of kicks to your back all through class, even after Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle asked her to stop and Ms. Cheerilee told her to stop. When the class ends, Scootaloo runs for the door. You run after her and manage to block the doorway. “Scootaloo, please! Just tell me what’s going on!” You plead. Scootaloo looks at you, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

“Sco-HUMPH!” Scootaloo had punched you in the chest, knocking the wind out of you, causing you to crumple to the floor. She jumps over you and bolts out the door.

“What is WRONG with her?!?” Apple Bloom asks as she helps you to your feet.

“It looked like she was going to cry.” Sweetie Belle says with a twinge of sadness in her voice. Taking deep breaths you look at the two fillies.

“I’ll… I’ll see you two later.” you gasp out. “I’ve got something I need to take care of.”

You run out the door before giving Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle a chance to ask you anything. One of your friends was mad at you and you needed to set it right. “What do I do to make her stop hating me?” You ask yourself as you wander the streets of Ponyville. “She just ran off before…” A light goes off and you figure it out. “Her scooter!” You yell before galloping off to the lake.

Standing at the water’s edge, you relive those moments in which you thought your friend was dead and that you were to blame. Taking a breath, you dive into the lake and begin making your way to the spot where Scootaloo fell. Taking one final gulp of air you let yourself sink down.

I’ve got a minute of air in me, maybe a minute and a half at most, you think as the water starts to get darker and darker. Seeing anything in this was near impossible. How you found Scootaloo in the first place was a miracle, but finding her scooter was going to be impossible. You touch bottom finally and squint in the darkness. Groping around, all you can feel is seaweed. You hurry back to the surface, relishing the taste of fresh air. You don’t give yourself much time to rest, taking in another deep breath and going down again.

You repeated this process for hours until your lungs ached from the strain. You almost give up as the sun goes down, but convince yourself to take one more dive. You feel yourself land on something as you hit bottom. You grab it and swim for surface thinking “This better not be another stick…”

Breaching the surface, you look at what you’re holding your teeth and almost drop it as you smile. You had found her scooter.

Maybe she’ll stop hating me if I give her this… Or at least kick me less you think as you surface

Getting it to the shore was a whole new challenge, however and you almost let go of it out of exhaustion multiple times. But you hold on and collapse on the shore with it. “I…I…I did it…” you pant out. Opening your eyes, you find Scootaloo looking down at you.

“Why did you do that?” She asked with a scowl.

You get to your hooves, only to have your knees buckle out from under you. “I thought… I thought you were mad at me for something. I wanted to make it up to you.” Scootaloo didn’t smile or thank you, like you thought she would. Her face didn’t change, but her eyes began to tear up. “Why are you doing this to me?” she asks. You get to your hooves again and start to panic.

“What? What did I do? What am I doing wrong?” you ask frantically, hoping to find some way to please her.

Her tears started flow more freely. “I-It’s not what y-you’re doing wrong. I-It’s what y-y-you’re doing right.”

You let your mouth go agape and you shake your head. “What are you talking about?” you ask, puzzled.
Scootaloo stands there and doesn’t say anything for a long time. Then she finally breaks down.

“You’re so kind and nice to me! You’re so selfless and cute and wonderful and every time I think of you, it makes me feel so weird! And I’ve never felt this way before!” she yells in between sobs “You’re the one doing this to me and all I want to do is hit you and make it stop!”

Without warning she starts pounding on your shoulders as she cries. Instead of running from it, you stand there and take it, letting her vent all of what she’s feeling. She hits you for a minute straight until a hoof connects with your face and busts open your lip. Pain shoots through your entire face, make your eyes well up with tears. She looks at her bloody hoof and your equally bloody lip before crying even louder.

“I’M SORRY!” she cries “I’M SO, SO SORRY!”

You wrap your hooves around her and embrace her like you did after the incident with the lake and in the hospital. She simply cries into your chest and you let her, ready to comfort the filly for as long as it takes. Her tears stopped eventually, but you remained silent for what felt like hours. Risking it, you ask her.

“Do you feel better now?”

Scootaloo shakes her head. “No…I don’t know.” you hold her tighter and watch the sun go down.

“I’m sorry. For everything.” Scootaloo says “I’m sorry for risking my life stupidly like that… I’m sorry for hitting you… And I’m sorry for being such a crybaby.”

“Scootaloo, you’re the strongest pony I know. And you just proved it.”

“What do you mean by that?” Scootaloo asks, wiping away her tears.

“My mom tells me that the greatest sign of strength is admitting weakness. You’re strong, Scootaloo. You’re great and you’re talented. Don’t let anybody tell you differently,” you say with a smile.

Scootaloo blushes heavily and looks you in the eyes. You didn’t expect it when she placed her lips on yours and kissed you, which sent a shock through your whole body.

Scootaloo pulled back from the kiss and smiled.

“Now I feel better.”