Me: Hello everypony! :D Wanna know what day it is? IT'S SCOOTALOVE'S 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! YAY!

Dark Chocolate: LET'S CELEBRATE!

Indigo: YES!

*ME, DC, AND INDIGO DANCE LIKE IDIOTS WHILE PAINT STROKE, A BLUE PONY WITH A REDDISH-BROWN MANE IS THE DJ, AW YEAH*

Amethyst 0: Thanks a lot. Yeah, about the chapter length...I tend to make my chapters pretty short. ^^;

Flutter Night: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HER...SHE NEEDS MORE DOUGHNUTS.

Digi-fanCapp: They'll get worse, believe me.

Crimzon Bannah: Darkness is magic.

Legonick26: Thank you!

ShiningShadow1965: Uh...you can interpret it that way if you want.

mooneyboys: Yes indeed. I have taught you well.

Brony114: YAAAAY. ;D

Also, I do not own Paint Stroke (my friend wanted me to put her in here xD).

Chapter 20: Scootaliar

Scootaloo woke up, her head spinning from drowsiness. Her purple eyes were drooping and the room seemed blurred to the max. "Ugh..."

However, she abruptly remembered her disturbing dream, and her eyes snapped open. She crawled out of her sleeping bag and did a few stretches to loosen up her tired body. Scoots glanced to the side, but Sunny was gone - which she was glad of. She didn't think she could face her at the moment anyway.

The pegasus lingered in the room, thinking about the confusing dream. Luna had warned her that if she didn't talk to Sunny Shine, she would be the laughing-stock of her school, because of this stupid rumor Sunny must had told Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She had no choice but to speak with her. But, what could she even tell Sunny? That if she listened to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, she would get laughed at from every student at the school and lose the little friends she had because Princess Luna showed her in a dream? No way. That would be absurd. She would have to make it seem like she didn't know what was going to happen...

Maybe she could tell Sunny to avoid them? ...No - nopony could avoid Diamond Tiara anyway. She wouldn't give up until she had whatever she was trying to get out of Sunny, so that was definitely out.

The young pony kept thinking, her eyes narrowed as she thought and thought. She had to come up with a good way of telling Sunny not to tell snobby Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon this "rumor" and them not getting suspicious - or else she would become a laughing-stock.

Not going to school? No. They would probably just face her on the day after. Acting like she doesn't know what they're talking about? No...they would just keeping trying to pry it out of her. Lying? No...wait - yes! If Sunny lied, then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would believe her, and - and, if she told them a really good lie, they might just drop it! It was perfect!

Scootaloo rubbed her hooves together, smiling deviously. She would have to think of a lie. But first she needed the details out of Sunny.

Scootaloo tip-toed into the living room, instantly spotting Sunny on the couch. She was sitting and gazing off into the distance, looking extremely guilty.

Scoots trotted over to where Sunny was sitting and said loudly, "Hey, Sunny."

The filly didn't seem to notice her, so she repeated it. "Hey, SUNNY!"

"Oh!" The filly glanced up at her. "Hi, Scootaloo. I - I was just thinking about something, so I didn't notice you, sorry."

"That's fine..." she answered. She continued to stare at Sunny, though she seemed uncomfortable with this. There was guilt in her blue eyes - heavy guilt.

Scoots coughed. "Um...so, Sunny...I saw you with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon the other day."

"Y - you did?!" Sunny Shine's eyes widened in disbelief and she scrambled off the couch frantically. "You...didn't hear anything we said, r - right?"

"Well...yeah. I did," Scootaloo replied uncomfortably.

The yellow pegasus gulped. "How much did you hear?" she whispered, frowning.

"Not much. I only heard the part before you ran away," said Scootaloo.

"So...you know," Sunny said quietly. Her eyes were clouded with sadness and regret. "I'm sorry. I - I didn't mean to spy on you! I'm just sorry for everything." She buried her face in her hooves, whimpering.

It took a while for her to process this. Then, she realized what she meant and gasped in shock.

"Wait...what?" Scootaloo exclaimed. "You spied on me?!"

"Y - yeah...you knew, right?" Sunny looked up and tilted her head in puzzlement.

"No..." the orange pony stated. "But now I do."

"Oh..." Sunny muttered. She shifted her hooves awkwardly. "I'm sorry again."

"I - it's fine, okay? But why did you even do it?" Scootaloo asked, her head spinning.

The pegasus stayed silent for a moment that seemed like an eternity.

"...It's hard to explain," she finally choked out. "It just slipped out, I swear...And now Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are going to think you like Dark Chocolate now, even though you don't." She hung her head even lower

The ponies stayed silent for a few minutes, until Scootaloo finally spoke up.

"...How much did you tell them?" she asked softly.

"I...I was just getting into the part where you and DC went to that chocolate shop," said Sunny, raising her head a little.

"The chocolate shop, huh?" Scootaloo turned away for a moment, thinking. She needed a good lie that would fit in with the part. Maybe...just maybe -

Scootaloo's eyes lit up. Yes! It was the perfect plan.

She turned back to Sunny and grinned. "I have an awesome plan," she told her excitedly. "It's gonna work for sure!"

Sunny Shine looked confused for a second, then softly smiled. "Really?" she said. "Tell me, please!"

"Okay, so since Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon will obviously try to get the rest out of you, you have to lie to them!" Scootaloo explained.

Sunny gasped, then shook her head. "What if they don't believe me, though?" she fretted.

"Don't worry, this is so going to work," Scoots responded confidently. "All you gotta say is that we went into the shop, and then I got mad at Dark Chocolate and left. Then they'll think that we're not into each other that way! It's great!"

"Uh - I'm not so sure about that, Scoots," Sunny said uncertainly. "What if it doesn't work?..."

"I said, don't worry! You trust me, don't you?" The orange filly looked into Sunny's eyes, her eyes pleading.

"...Yeah. I do," she answered, her face grim.

"Great." Scootaloo grabbed her bag and scooter and headed out the door. "C'mon, Sunny! I wanna get to school early today."

"I'm coming." Sunny snatched her bag and ran out the door, following Scootaloo. But her eyes were still clouded.

It was going to work for sure!

Right?

Hehe, now things are getting awesome. Also, this chapter might not be so good because I sort of rushed. :P Anyway, happy anniversary everypony! /)