Apple Boom was gaping. No, gaping doesn't really describe it. A more proper term would be slack-jawed so bad that you might as well out up a big neon sign (Probably flashing) saying "Flies, come right on in. Ah'm giving y'all the personal welcome!" The cause of this was what was right in front of the young filly, or rather to be more accurate, whom. There they were, both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who as you might guess should in no way have normally breached the sacred sanctum that was the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse, but yet there they were.

Apple Bloom rubbed her eyes, she had to be dreaming. But there they still were, standing in front of her. It was a impossible situation, straight out of the young filly's darkest nightmares, but it somehow it had been made possible.

"Well, are you going to keep staring at us or just say something?" Silver asked, with a frustrated expression on her face as she adjusted her glasses and tapped one of her hooves in annoyance.

"...Ah'm trying to decide whether Ah've been cursed by Discord or not." Apple Bloom replied in a equally annoyed tone. "It's the only rational explanation for why you two idjits are here smack-dab in front of mah."

"Ah didn't know ya could be "Rational"." Diamond Tiara repiled in a mocking version of Apple Bloom's southern accent. (In hindsight, Apple Bloom would later grumblily admit it was a pretty spot on imitation.)

"Ya want mah to give ya a black eye? Bet that would just RUIN your properly primmed appearance. Tartarus, bet Ah could punch ya hard enough to knock that damn tiara off your head." Apple Bloom replied dryly, quite annoyed by her style of speech being mocked, to which Diamond could only huff and hold her head high and reply "Try me, Blank-Flank." in a challenging tone.

"Believe mah, Ah'm sorely tempted..." Apple Bloom muttered before she have Diamond and Silver suspicious looks as if she expected them to try something funny. "Enough games. Now what is it you two really want?"

"Don't you believe us? We said we want to help you with your little "situation" between your two lovey-dovey friends." Diamond Tiara replied in a innocent tone, which Apple Bloom didn't believe for a minute.

"Naw, you just wanna go ahead and mess it up further don't ya? Letting you in on this is like letting a skunk into a perfume store. In the end, it'll all stink." Apple Bloom retorted and Diamond waved a hoof dismissively.

"Oh, can it with your countryisims, you couldn't fake handwriting-Yes, we heard all of that-and you know it." Diamond remarked and Apple Bloom had to admit she had a point as her face fell. It was a well known fact amongst the rest of her class that her handwriting wasn't the best, to put it delicately.

Diamond smirked, victory had been achieved.

"Now, unlike YOU, I can fake one's handwriting well enough." She stated smugly, and Apple Bloom once again raised a eyebrow in suspicion.

"Now how do ya know how to do THAT?" She asked in a interrogatory manner and Diamond looked shifty for a moment before she answered.

"...I learned it by watching yo-Someponies, okay!?! Now, don't ask me any further on this okay?" Diamond sputtered out while Apple Bloom filed this away for later. "Oh, Ah'm so telling this to Ms. Cheerilee later..." She noted not particularly caring if she got called a tattletale or something like that by Diamond later on before letting out a long resigned sigh.

"Okay, so how do we do this?"

Diamond Tiara smirked once again. Apple Bloom was really beginning to hate that.

"You just leave the fake love letters to me, and you just find someplace for a romantic dinner. Silver will help." Diamond said, featuring to her best (And possibly only) friend. "With her help, even you can't possibly mess this up right?"

Scratch that, Apple Bloom was really beginning to hate Diamond in general.

Golden Oaks Library

Scootaloo, with more then a bit of trepidation, entered Ponyville's local library. Just because neither Spike not Twilight was home, it didn't mean Scootaloo wasn't nervous. Being seen in here, just by one pony, it could seriously undermine her coolness! And Scootaloo sure as Tartarus didn't want to lose anymore of that then she had already, no sir!

The young filly then took a few deep calming breathes as part of a calming exercise that Rainbow had said would help her get ready for each flying lesson or when she was nervous about something in general. "Relax, Scoots, nothing to be afraid of right? Rainbow reads the Daring Do series, which are books she tells me that Princess Twilight loans her so you can borrow a book from here as well too right without losing too much of your coolness right?"

But then Scootaloo had another thought strike her.

"But none of the Daring Do books are about pick-up lines right?" She muttered to herself sarcastically as she searched through the Golden Oaks' many books until she found one that suited her needs, with it being titled "Pick-up lines and you, how to get your crush".

Scootaloo sighed to herself. "Here goes nothing..." She mused as she read the first one.

"You're the apple of my eye, mind if I take a bite?" She read off the page

Sccotaloo sighed, that might have worked if her target was Apple Bloom... And the line wasn't so creepy. And so she read another at random, hoping this one was better then the last. It wasn't.

"If U and I are put together, what does that equal?" Scootaloo read before she groaned to herself, another stupid one. Not for the first time, she wondered what the heck she was doing. She was a tomcolt for Celestia'a sake, supposed to be doing kick-flank tricks on her scooter and playing pranks, not reciting goofy pick-up lines in hopes of getting her crush!

"Stuff upper lip, as the Trottingham types like Pipsqueak and Written Script like to say. Best to keep going." Scootaloo reminded herself even as the front door opened allowing another pony to enter. Scootaloo shut the book rapidly when she saw who it was. It was none other then the object of Scootaloo's affections, Sweetie Belle herself!

"H-Hey, what are you doing here S-Sweetie?" Scootaloo stuttered out nervously.

"Grabbing a book on romance for Rarity, yeah, that's it!" Sweetie lied, and Scootaloo raised a eyebrow in suspicion.

"Why would your big sis need a book on romance? She's got plenty from what I kn-hear!" Scootaloo said, quickly correcting herself. She doubted Rarity would like to know she'd had a peek at her private stash, and Scootaloo was in no way letting it get back to get she'd had a little peek!

"I-I don't k-know okay? More is always better, I guess..." Sweetie stammered out in equal nervousness and embarrassment.

"Listen, I gotta get going. Scooter tricks to practice and perfect to be as awesome as Rainbow Dash, ya know!" Scootaloo lied, a noticeable blush on her face as she raced back out the front door thinking to herself "Phew, that was close!" not noticing Sweetie going for the exact same book as she had a few minutes earlier...

Later...

Elsewhere, Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom had wandered into Sugarcube Corner, which after a bit (Okay, a lot) of disagreement with each other, they'd chosen as the perfect spot for Scootaloo and Sweetie's upcoming Hearts and Hooves day date, even if those two didn't know it yet. Still, one problem remained. One very pink problem.

"Aw come on Pinkie, can't ya just let us have the shop for a few days?" Apple Bloom pleaded, but the party loving mare known as Pinkie Pie shook her head in a rapid "No" manner.

"Sorry girls, but Mr. and Mrs. Cake specifically asked me to keep a eye on the shop and babysit the kids while they're in a trip to Neighra Falls for their honeymoon." Pinkie repiled before taking on a serious face, well as serious as you could get from her. "And I am a responsible mare."

"It's for love, can't you understand that?" Silver added in, and Pinkie seemed to be wavering so Apple Bloom closed in for the kill, so to speak.

"Plus, we'll let you have first sips of the cider this season and Ah know how much ya love that." She added, throwing in the puppy dog eyes look that only fillies could pull off for good measure.

At last, Pinkie sighed before taking Apple Bloom's hoof and shaking it with a cry of "It's a deal! I'll just take the kids to my house and watch them there for the next few days!"

A few minutes later, Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom were high-fiving as they exited the sweet shop.

"Didn't know you could be so good at making deals, Bloom." Silver complimented, no mockery in her tone whatsoever.

"Yeah, well don't expect me to do that again. This is for Sweetie and Scootaloo, ya jerk."

"Right back at ya, Mud-Roller." Silver responded.

Apple Bloom growled.

"What'd you call mah?" She snapped, and pretty soon, a exchange of name calling began.

"Under-educated idiot!"

"High-Class Bitch!"

"Mud-Pony!"

"Suck-up!"

"Moron!"

"Idjit!"

With each insult, both fillies faces' drew closer to each other and finally they met in a colliding of lips and tongues. Finally, after a good few seconds of kissing, the two had to pull away, gasping for precious air even as they looked at each other in new lights.

"Want... Want to do that again?" Silver breathed out.

Apple Bloom nodded and Silver pulled her into some nearby bushes and soon the sounds of passionate giggling and moaning came from within.

For the record, Apple Bloom would later decide she didn't hate Diamond quite so much anymore...

The Hay Burger

Meanwhile across town, Rarity and Rainbow were having lunch and discussing the status of their still ongoing bet. However, at one point Rainbow accidently let slip about her little talk with Scootaloo. At this, Rarity have the pegasus a very distinct look.

"You do realize by helping out Scootaloo with her problems you've excluded yourself from the bet right? It's in the rules we set up, you know that right Darling?" Rarity inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, but now I can't lose any bits to you if Sweetie confesses first!" Rainbow smirked, forelegs crossed as she leaned back in her chair. Upon realizing this to be true, Rarity let out a most un-ladylike curse.

"Damn."

Later that week...

It was time. It was Hearts and Hooves day and all of Apple Bloom's plans concocted with Silver and Diamond's help were about to be set into motion. Scootaloo was walking through Ponyville when suddenly a paper airplane hit her on the side of her head.

"What the...?" She growled and unfolded it. To her shock, it was a invite to a romantic dinner at Sugarcube Corner by Sweetie Belle.

"I... I don't believe it! She likes me back!" Scootaloo mentally squealed to herself and dashed off in the direction of the sweet shop as fast as her little legs could carry her.

At Rarity's boutique, Sweetie Belle had received a similar letter and was feeling exactly the same emotions of surprise and joy, before she too ran out the door while Rarity looked on in happiness.

"Go get her, dearie..." She thought to herself.

Author's Notes:

Well, it's all come down to this. It's make or break time for Apple Bloom's plan. Will Scootaloo and Sweetie confess their feelings, and if so, who will do it first? Find out next time!