Fluttershy's Project

Chapter 2

Starting to wake up, Scootaloo tried to remember where she had gone to sleep last night. She didn't hear anyone or anything moving nearby, so she thought she was alright for the moment. She'd had times before where she'd had to get out of the area quickly, or act like she hadn't been sleeping, depending on where she was.

She felt comfortable, actually, which was rather unusual. She certainly didn't feel the floorboards of the clubhouse on her back, or the bushes she'd slept under a few times.

She also abruptly realised that the hunger pangs she'd been living with for quite a while were gone. She was hungry, yes, but it was more of a "it's time for breakfast" hunger then the "it's time to pass out on the spot" type of hunger she'd been dealing with. She must have gotten something to eat last night.

She opened one eye experimentally, and started panicking when she realised she was in somepony's bedroom. Had someone caught her out alone last night? Was she going to be sent back to the orphanage?

While looking around frantically for exits, she realised that this bedroom looked familiar. Looking at the butterfly decorations on the blanket covering her, she placed where she was. Fluttershy. She was in Fluttershy's cottage.

Now she was starting to remember. She'd been wandering around Ponyville last night, looking for something to eat when suddenly Fluttershy had appeared and offered her dinner. Had she really taken Fluttershy up on her offer? Usually she tried to avoid offers like that because they'd want to know why she was out late and hungry, and that could lead to being sent back to the orphanage.

She had been really hungry, though. She didn't think she could have gone much longer without food without someone discovering her situation. And it was Fluttershy, at least.

And Fluttershy hadn't asked any questions, like why Scootaloo was so hungry, or what she was doing out after dark. She had just taken her home, and had given her dinner and a place to sleep. At that, Scootaloo remembered helping make the dinner last night, which had been enjoyable. It almost made her feel like she belonged somewhere, for once.

Still, she had to remain sensible about this. Fluttershy is an adult. Adults could never be trusted. Any adult she had ever let get too close to her had either betrayed her, or left her, which was in it's own way a form of betrayal. She'd trusted that teacher in Manehattan, and look where that had gotten her. And her parents... well, she'd prefer not to think about that right now.

But this was Fluttershy, though. Kind gentle Fluttershy, who was afraid of her own shadow. She took care of most of the animals in Ponyville with a heart twice as big as any other pony she'd met. And she'd told Scootaloo she was lonely last night.

On top of that, she was trusting. In a panic last night, she'd blurted out something about her parents expecting her home. Given the time, she doubted it would have made a difference if she had had parents, but Fluttershy had simply accepted her at her word.

In fact, Fluttershy had written her parents a note to take home explaining where she had been last night. And she'd said she wanted Scootaloo to come over again. It shouldn't take too much work to fake a reply from her parents. She did it all the time for school.

Then she could come back and stay another night, or maybe even come over every few nights. At least, until she had another regular source of food worked out. She couldn't go on the way she had been. If Fluttershy hadn't come along, she might have ended up passing out from hunger when other ponies there, and then she would have to leave town.

Usually she had errands that she ran for various ponies around town for extra bits. Delivering packages on her scooter, cutting the grass, and such. But lately, no one had needed her help, and that was one of her few sources of money. She'd ended up swiping produce and bits at the market once too often due to lack of funds.

She hadn't quite been caught, but all the vendors knew there was a thief around, and were on high alert. It wouldn't be safe for her to try to steal anything from that area for a while. And she was hardly going to steal from her friends.

Applejack would let her snag an apple or two when she was with Applebloom, but that could only go so far. And Pinkie Pies recent vacation had ruled out just showing up at one of her parties and grabbing something to eat. Pinkie already thought Scootaloo was an avid party goer anyways, given how many times she'd done just that.

She'd found out the hard way that a pony wasn't meant to live on grass alone. Chewing on it a bit help took the edge of her hunger, but it'd take spending the whole day to come close to filling her up, and it still wasn't really a substitute for a proper meal. And that one time I mowed the lawn, and ate all the lawn clippings afterwards. Bleah! I felt green all day.

So coming and visiting Flutterfly every couple nights seemed like a good plan. And she had liked feeling like part of a family last night, though she knew it could never happen. Still, maybe she could just pretend for a while?

So, she needed to invent some parents. Kind, considerate parents. Do those even exist? Parents who would have no problem with her staying over at Fluttershy's place a few times a week, anyways. She supposed she could improvise. She did have names and an address already worked out for school.

School. Right. It's a school day!

Scootaloo got out of bed real quick, thinking about that. Ponyfeathers! I'm late often enough already. Cheerilee will kill me!

With that thought, she ran on downstairs, back in a panic. There, she found Fluttershy calmly setting the table for breakfast.

"Scootaloo!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I was about to go upstairs and check on you."

"Fluttershy! What time is it? I've got to get going and get to sch-" Scootaloo blurted out, worried. Cheerilee was about ready to try to contact her parents about her tardiness, which could really cause issues.

"Calm down." Fluttershy said, nudging her over to the table. "Sit down and have some breakfast. You should be able to get to school afterwards with plenty of time."

"But I can't be late-" Scootaloo continued.

"I'll come along with you to school, and if you're late, I'll explain what happened to Cheerilee." Fluttershy told her.

Fluttershy would cover for her at school, too? She supposed she wouldn't get in trouble if she had Fluttershy there to explain why she was late. And if she thought they had enough time, Scootaloo supposed she probably did.

"Oh, all right." Scootaloo said, relaxing.

She settled down and started in on breakfast, figuring she'd better get a meal while she could. Pretty soon, she'd gone through a muffin, most of her orange juice, and was working her way through a fruit salad rapidly.

"Thank you Fluttershy," she said, mouth half full of fruit. "This is really good."

"Um... It was nothing." Fluttershy blushed. "The muffin and orange juice are from Sugarcube Corner, and fruit salad is really easy to made."

"Really?" Scootaloo said, interest perking up.

"You already have most of what you'd need for it down from last night." Fluttershy replied. "Maybe I can show you how to make it some time."

"That'd be awe-. I mean, sure, if you want to, Fluttershy." Scootaloo said. She wondered if coming over and learning how to cook things would become a common occurrence. She hoped so. Cooking under Fluttershy's supervision had been fun.

Finishing up breakfast, she started looking around the cottage. She found her saddlebags sitting in a corner where she'd flung them on the way in last night. She slung them over her back, and turned to face Fluttershy.

"Time to head to school?" she asked.

Fluttershy glanced at a clock nearby, and finished up her own breakfast.

"Looks like if we leave now, we should be able to get there in plenty of time." Fluttershy said. "There's a clock upstairs, too, by the way."

"There was?" Scootaloo said, embarrassed. How had she missed that?

"It's right above the fireplace." Fluttershy said, amused.

She ducked in the kitchen area for a moment, and retrieved a brown paper bag. Fluttershy handed it to Scootaloo with a note.

"Here's the note I promised you for your parents. And I packed you some lunch for today." Fluttershy said.

"Lunch?" Scootaloo said, feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Yes. Um... Since we won't have time to stop by your parents home before school, I didn't want you to miss eating your lunch, so I just made something quickly." Fluttershy said.

Scootaloo tucked the note and bag into her saddlebags. The two of them headed outside. Scootaloo went over to the chicken coop, and grabbed her scooter, which she'd parked next to it.

"We've got plenty of time, so let's just walk to the school." Fluttershy said. "I doubt I could keep up with your scooter."

"Really? Rainbow Dash is able to fly way faster than I can go on it." Scootaloo said, starting to walk her scooter along the path.

"And Rainbow Dash is able to fly way faster than me. But then, she's had a lot of practice. You've seen the Cake's foals?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah. Only a couple months old, and Pound Cake can already fly. I still can't manage it." Scootaloo frowned.

"Well, the likelihood is that you were able to fly at their age as well. Most foals can. But your wings are the last part of your body to develop as you grow, so after a while, they stop being able to fly until their wings eventually catch up." Fluttershy explained.

"So the fact I can't fly is normal, then? There are other pegasus's my age that can fly." Scootaloo said, frowning.

"Well, you are a little on the late side, but within the normal age range. I was around your age when I started flying as well. Rainbow Dash was one of the lucky ones, though." Fluttershy replied.

"How so?" Scootaloo asked, curious.

"Her wings started growing early. She's told me she can't even remember a time when she couldn't fly. While it isn't unknown, that's pretty rare." Fluttershy said.

"Awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"At any rate, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have no doubt you'll learn how to fly soon enough." Fluttershy said.

"If you say so." Scootaloo replied, not really believing it.

At that point, the schoolhouse came into view. Several young fillies seemed to be waiting outside for school to start. Fluttershy recognised Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle talk to each other not too far off.

"And it looks like we are here. I can see both of your friends waiting for you." Fluttershy said, pointing at them. "Why don't you go ahead and join them? Just make sure to get me a reply to that note once your parents have a chance to read it."

"Ok. Thanks Fluttershy!" Scootaloo said, and hurried over to meet them.