Spellbound Fireflies Read Online Free PDF Page B

fair?”
    Frowning and nodding appreciatively, Scootaloo said, “Alright, shoot.”
    “Do y’all have a crush on anypony an’ who d’ya think’s the cutest colt in class?” Apple Bloom giggled, a tinge of pink coloring her cheeks. “I Pinkie Promise it’ll stay between us if’n y’all do, too.”
    Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged a wide-eyed glance. They turned to Apple Bloom and nodded mutely. The three mimed the promise’s hoof motions together before Apple Bloom gushed, “I got a crush on Rumble.” Her muzzle burned red as she bounced in her seat. “He’s such a cute colt, an’ he ain’t got his cutie mark neither!” She giggled and clapped her forehooves together.
    Sweetie Belle smiled warmly. “Rumble’s a great choice! He’s really nice.”
    “Yeah, he is,” Scootaloo agreed, “You gonna ask him to be your special somepony, Apple Bloom?”
    The filly flinched, her blush darkening to match her brother’s coat. “I couldn’t do that!” she cried. “What if he said no? I’d be too embarrassed. I wouldn’t be able to show my face at school ever again!”
    Frowning, Scootaloo placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “It wouldn’t be that bad, AB. Nopony would laugh at you about it. They’d all forgot it happened a week later, even if Rumble told his friends.”
    Sweetie Belle nodded, her hoof settling on the other shoulder. “And I know if somepony I wasn’t interest in asked me on a date, I wouldn’t go around telling everypony about it and hurting their feelings. Rumble’s a nice colt; he wouldn’t do somethin’ mean like that.”
    She gave her friends a tentative smile. “Thanks girls. But I couldn’t say anythin’ to him; I’d be too nervous. So how ‘bout you, Scoots? Who d’ya have a crush on?”
    Scootaloo pulled her hoof away and bit her lip. She shrunk down in her sitting position. “I…don’t, really.”
    “Aw, c’mon Scoots!” Apple Bloom chimed, the color already gone from her cheeks. “There’s gotta be somepony that caught yer eye!”
    She shifted on her haunches, casting her eyes down. “Not really. I mean, Rumble’s nice and so’s Featherweight, but I haven’t thought about, like, goin’ on dates with them…I haven’t thought about that at all.” Her eyes wavered; she felt like a little foal.
    Apple Bloom frowned. “I don’t believe it; c’mon Scoots we Pinkie Promised not ta tell. We won’t make fun of ya.”
    “I believe her,” Sweetie Belle said gently, Scootaloo lifting her head at the tone. “I believe her, ‘cause I haven’t thought about it either. A lot of the colts at school are nice, but I just haven’t felt like that towards any of ‘em.”
    Apple Bloom’s eyes were wide and her jaw was slack. “You mean neither of you’ve thought about dates or if somepony was cute?” Scootaloo shook her head. A frown creased Sweetie Belle’s muzzle and she opened her mouth, but quickly snapped it shut and shook her head as well. “Well, alright then…I guess it’s your turn now, Scoots.”
    The game petered out after a handful of questions and dares apiece and devolved into idle conversation and laughter. When the flame of the lantern began to gutter from a lack of oil, they rolled out their sleeping bags and curled up to sleep. After getting comfortable, Scootaloo groaned and scooched her way out of the bag and ran through her fifty wing-jacks and stretches. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle bit their lips to keep from chuckling. Scootaloo hurried through the routine and to her relief found it easier than the previous evening. Once finished, she snuggled back into her bag next to her friends, and they talked in whispered giggles into the night.

    A skittering squeak roused Scootaloo to wakefulness. She perked her head up and peered through the inky night towards the door. A lone branch from a neighboring tree rattled against the door frame in the wind, its bare ends dragging along the boards of the clubhouse. The filly rolled her