Camping is Magic
By: 41Naf Redips
Chapter One:
Recruitment Drive
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or other story related elements. This is not for profit.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were now rushing their way towards the beautiful cottage home of the pegasus known as Fluttershy. She was a shy, quiet and unassuming mare who took care of all the animals found in edges of the Everfree Forest and ones from all around Ponyville. Previously, she watched over the trio of girls when Sweetie Belle's older sister Rarity couldn't watch them because of a big order of dresses she had to make over night. The girls were a handful for the neurotic mare, but her courage to save them from a cockatrice, a creature who turned ponies into stone, prevailed.
"Oh, hello, girls" said Fluttershy. "What brings you here? Not here to be Cutie Mark Crusader Vetrinarians again? Angel hasn't really forgotten that" she asked, as Angel the bunny made a saking fist motion towards them. Angel the bunny was a very angry bunny rabbit most days.
"No, we learned our lesson after we tried the triple bybass surgery, we just want to ask you something" said Applebloom.
"What is it?"
AB, SB and Scoot all took a deep breath and spoke together.
"WEDON''"
Fluttershy's mane was now standing on edge from hearing the trio's request. Angel was planted firm to a wall looking like a fuzzy pancake. The animals were all spooked and hid for cover.
After popping her ears back, Fluttershy, blushing, gave a reply;
"I...I was at the top of your list?"
"Of course, you're the nicest pony I know!" SB said
"You even got a death glare for bad animals, thats so tough and cool!" said Scoot
"If there was anyone who could lead us through a trek in the Ever Free Forest, it'd be you!" said AB.
It felt like a twenty seconds before anyone moved. Fluttershy's face was glowing more red by the second until she quickly corralled all three and gave them a gigantic hug.
"You three are just the sweetest fillies I've ever seen!"
"So I take it we can count you in?" AB asked.
"Yes!"
One down. Three to go. Scootaloo was pleased by the outcome, but like a worm at the Apple family ranch, the worm of doubt was digging itself out. Cheerilee is going to find out their lie and will likely just call her father and other parents. And with them, the less chance of them doing something to get their cutie marks. Another semester as "blank flanks".
Back at Sugar Cube corner, two young unicorn colts named Snips and Snails, were watching their teacher trot up and down the room waiting for their classmates to return.
"Hey, Snails" asked the stout greenish blue unicorn.
"Yeah, Snips?" asked the lanky yellow unicorn.
"If those girls don't drum up four non-parent volunteers, we might get stuck with boring old grownups like Berry Punch coming on the trip"
"Uugh, she's so booooring"
"Yeah. But if they don't come, that's what will happen. We gotta distract Cheerilee, make sure she doesn't leave the building"
"How? She's really smart and... well, we marched a giant star bear thingie through town"
Snips furrowed his brow. "Hmmm. Listen close, I got a plan"
The three were now making their way to the town library, home to the unicorn Twilight Sparkle and her dragon, Spike. Twilight was the personal student to the most powerful pony in all Equestria, Princess Celestia. She was the one who raises the sun and takes personal responsibility of all the land.
They opened the door to see Twilight using her magic to rotate every book in the library and putting them on shelves. You could not tell where the books started and the library began.
"Hi Twilight!" shouted SB, causing Twilight to lose focus and almost drop three heavy books on Spike.
"Oh cool, I didn't drop any books! Sorry Spike"
"S'allright Twi" said the dragon, catching his breath after almost being squashed. "Hi Bloom, Belle and Scoots, what's up?"
"Hey, Spike. I like your scales today, they're really shiney" said AB. SB nudged her to ask Twilight the question. "Oh, right... Uh, would you like to join us, Cheerlie and the rest of the class on a trip to the Ever Free forest for Summer Ascension?"
"Summer Ascension? I remember mine, instead of reading book I had, I read every book I had backwards" TS said with a hearty chuckle. "I would like to but I might get people who want to take on some books"
"Pleeeee" started the trio.
"Well if Spike takes all the management"
"Aaaaaaasssseeeee"
"Ok, ok, don't hurt yourselves. I'll go, hopefully I won't get petrifiyed by a cockatrice again"
Another one down. Now for the next two, the CMC knew they would be harder to be buttered up.
"Remember the plan, Snails?"
"Yuppers"
"Good" said Snips. "Get to work then"
Snails went up to the duo's teacher.
"Miss Cheerilee?"
"Yes, Snails?"
"Can you tell me the story of your first summer ascension?"
"Oh, its barely a story worth mentioning, but if you'd like to hear it" she started. Snips was then tapped on the shoulder by his classmate, the ever sour Diamond Tiara.
"Hey, Snoops, did Cheerlie say if she was going to cancel the trip or not?"
"It's Snips, and no, she didn't. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle haven't come back with four other ponies to be volunteers so Cheerlie might cancel the trip if they don't come back soon"
"Don't be stupid, Miss Cheerlie wouldn't cancel the trip on us, she'll probably just get our parents to help chaperone"
"And that's better? If we get our parents, we won't be able to do anything we want up on the trip!"
DT ponderd this statement, and quickly replied. "What can I do to help?"
"Just find a way to distract Miss Cheerilee and she won't notice how long the others have been gone" DT nodded in agreement and called her best friend, the grey pony named Silver Spoon, over to help. Soon the two fillies got more and more foals to join in on Snips and Snails' plan of distracting Cheerlie any way they could.
"I love it when a plan comes together" said Snips, triumphantly.
The Cutie Mark Crusader were now about to enter the Carousel Boutique where SB's sister Rarity worked and lived, making dresses and acessories for everypony. She was one of Ponyville's greatest designers and had many connections to the elite fashion world of Canterlot.
Sweetie Belle tried to open the door, only to find it locked. She tried knocking on the door. Rarity's voice popped out, exclaming she was coming. She unlocked the door to see the trio.
"Hi girls, sorry if I look unkempt today, I was up very late working on new designs" the unkemptness she spoke of was just a few loose strands of mane. SB wasn't suprised at this.
"No, no, you look great every day, Rarity" said Scootaloo.
"Aww, thank you darling"
"We were wondering..." started Apple Bloom. "If you would like to come with us and our class to the camping trip in the Ever Free Forest for the weekend of Summer Ascension"
Rarity was silent, and then walked backwards into the store, relocking the door. "Sorry girls, I'm head screeee to a screee tunnel, I've lost scree connection"
"Please, Sis. Remember the fun we had at the Sister Hooves Social? You were so happy to be covered in mud and we acted like for real sisters for once"
"Oh, you do not play that card with me, missy" Rarity said, sticking her head out of a window. "We both know I love you very much and-"
"Ok, don't go. I know there's other mares to have fun with"
"Oh no, I'm going to that campout, whether you like it or not!" Rarity said, determined than ever to prove her sister wrong.
"Ok, ok, if you insist" SB said, trying her hardest to hide a smile. With Rarity's insistance, the trio only had one more pony to ask and Scoot knew from the minute they started who to ask.
"She may be a drama queen, but I love her" said SB when the girls were riding away from the store.
"Who we gonna ask now?" inquired AB
"Like you gotta ask?" said Scoot from the front of the scooter-pulled wagon. "I know Rainbow Dash's weather management schedule like the back of my hand, we gotta get her!"
It felt like five minutes of driving, but Scootaloo had an iron will. near the centre of town, the CMC saw Rainbow Dash stomping on the clouds, one after another, to make the rainfall occur right on schedule. This was a harrowing job, but RD wanted herself to do all the work on the rainfall order.
"Rainbow Dash! Hey, Rainbow Dash!" They all screamed.
RD heard their ruckus and flew towards them.
"Well, hello miss president of my fan-club. What brings you here?"
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, I would be really honored if you got to lead us on a trip to the ever free forest on a camp out for the summer ascension before you rock and are so awesome and-"
"Long story short, Rainbow Dash, we would like it if you helped chaperone the trip Miss Cheerlie planned this weekend" AB said, translating Scoot's hero worship jibber jabber.
"Well, sure. I totally rocked at the EFF when me and my friends fought Nightmare Moon waaay back. You won't have any problems with any monsters around"
Scootaloo was so happy her hero could come with them. Now that they had the four volunteers needed, they told RD the same instructions they told the other three and made their way back to Sugar Cube Corner.
After the long trip back, the three were about to enter until the store owner, Mr Cakes, came up from behind being dragged by his pegasus son, Pound Cake and flattened Scootaloo. Again. Pinkie Pie bounced over the thee girls.
"I'll help you Mr. Cake!" shouted Pinkie Pie.
When they finally stepped in, Cheerlie was finishing off a lecture of some sort.
"And that's how you callibrate a-" She sees the trio enter the store. "Oh, hello girls. I take the smiles on your faces that you found me four volunteers?"
"Oh yes, Miss Cheerilee" said AB.
"We got Fluttershy and Twilight" started SB
"And Rarity and Rainbow Dash" finished Scoot
"That's wonderful! Everypony, the trip is back on! I'll have to go talk to them now" and on that note, she was gone.
After that everypony went out of the store and Scootaloo rode along back home to give the flyers to her father. If he signed them, she was as good as gold to join the trip. She didn't want to think of the alternatives.
She entered her house to see both her parents there. Her mother must have come back from her buisness trip in Apple-Loosa, she thought. She could be gone for more than two weeks at a time.
"Hiya, pumpkin" said her mother, while giving her a giant hug. Her mother's name was Soaryn and she was a pegasus buissness woman who worked with Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara's father. "Your father told me of what happened in the dojo the other day"
Scootaloo loosened her hug. "Yeah... I'm really sorry, it was-"
"No need to explain, your dad filled me in. And I agree with him, no more dangerous stunts for the rest of summer"
"Yes, mom. How was your trip?"
Her mother told her about the trip and Scootaloo was just happy to have her mother back for a few more weeks. With her, she wasn't as strict as Speedster would be, and she would do abit of spoiling while she was home.
"Sweetie" said Speedster. "I read the flyers, It sounds like your teacher has everything under control. I'll let you go, just on our condition. Alright?"
"Thankyouthankouthankyou!" Scoot said while hopping up and down
"What? I don't get a hug? What happened to the pecking order?" Speedster joked with his dry sense of humor.
Scoot gave him a huge hug, for both letting her go with her friends and just for being all together for the time being.
A/N: I guess I based Scoot's father on my Uncle, who has a very dry sense of humor and could be really stern to my hyperactive cousin. I also made my oc characters based on Phineas and Ferb from the prologue on deviantart; .com/#/d4qzjs1.