New Discoveries - Chapter 14

       Scootaloo and Apple Bloom galloped from the library to Sugar Cube Corner, hoping that Pinkie Pie would be able to help them locate Scott.  When they walked through the doors, just like before, they were immediately greeted by the hyperactive pink pony.
       "Hi again!" she said, a wide smile on her face, "Did you come back to have more of my super delicious cupcakes?"
       "Not today, Pinkie," said Scootaloo, an unsure look on her face.  She wasn't fully used to Pinkie's mannerisms yet; in fact, they sort of scared the little filly.  "We came here because we need to talk to you about something rather important."
       Pinkie raised an eyebrow at the two fillies before her.  She recalled that Rarity had wanted to talk to her about "something important" just yesterday.  Eventually, Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Let me guess, you want to talk somewhere private, right?"
       The two fillies exchanged unsure looks at one another.  It was almost like the pink party pony was reading their minds.  A little shaken at the question, the two of them simply nodded their heads at her.
       Because it was another slow day, Pinkie led the two fillies into the kitchen to talk.  She had a feeling that they were here to talk about the same thing Rarity had wanted to talk about yesterday.  However, because she "Pinkie Promised" not to say anything, she didn't bring it up.
       When they were alone, Apple Bloom asked, "Ah know this is gonna sound a bit strange, but, Pinkie, what do ya know about a pony named 'Scott?'"
       Without thinking, Pinkie said, "What is with everypony, lately?  It seems everypony is trying to find 'Scott'.  What's the big deal with this pony, seriously?"
       Scootaloo and Apple Bloom gave each other surprised glances.  By what Pinkie had said, it was pretty evident that somepony else was on the search for Scott as well.  They didn't need to think hard to know that it was probably Rarity who had approached the pink pony already.
       Just to be sure, Apple Bloom asked, "Wait, who else asked about Scott?"
       Pinkie's face turned into a look worry.  She turned her back on them and said, "Nopony else."
       "Come on, Pinkie," said Scootaloo, "You can tell us!  We 'Pinkie Promise' we'll..."
       "But I already 'Pinkie Promised' that I wouldn't say anything!" blurted the party pony, "Therefore, I'm not saying anything."
       With that, she pretended to lock her lips with an imaginary lock and threw away the imaginary key.  Then, she crossed her arms and let out a hmph, keen on keeping her promise not to say anything about anypony.
       Letting out a sigh, Scootaloo said, "Do you know anything about 'Scott,' or not?"
       Not saying a word, Pinkie Pie just shook her head back and forth, her poofy mane following suit as she did.  Knowing that they weren't going to get any more out of her, the two fillies just sighed and left the bakery, defeated looks on their faces.

---

       The two fillies had found themselves sitting in Ponyville's park on a picnic bench that was nearby.  As they sat, they still had defeated looks on their faces.  They had hoped that Pinkie Pie would have talked a little bit more about Scott, but it seemed Rarity had gotten to her first, making her promise not to talk to anypony about it.
       While they sat, Scootaloo had a look on her face; a look that showed that she had something on her mind and that she was concentrating all her thoughts on that one thing.  She was staring down at the table, her eyes shifting back and forth, lost in whatever thought she was having.  Apple Bloom had noticed this but chose not to say anything about it.  Having watched her friend, sitting in the same position for nearly ten minutes straight, she decided to try and snap her out of whatever trance she was in.
       "Are ya gonna tell me what's on yer mind or do ah have ta beg?" asked Apple Bloom, finally snapping Scootaloo out of her thoughts.
       "Oh, sorry," she said, a small smile coming across her face, "I was just thinking, that's all."
       "Ah know.  You've been 'thinkin'' for the past ten minutes," said Apple Bloom, "Now, for the million-bit question: what were ya 'thinkin'' 'bout?"
       "I was just thinking about the whole situation so far, and from what I've gathered, none of it makes any sense," explained the Pegasus filly, "There's not one thing that seems right about all of this."
       "Whadaya mean?" asked the yellow filly.
       "Think about it for a moment.  Rarity went to Pinkie Pie to ask about Scott, right?"
       "Yeah..."
       "Rarity is Sweetie Belle's sister!  Why doesn't Rarity already know everything about Scott by now?  Sweetie Belle should have told her everything about him!"
       Apple Bloom thought about it for a moment.  Scootaloo did have a valid point.
       "Now ask yourself this," continued the orange filly, "When we were talking with her earlier, it didn't seem like she wanted to talk about him at all, right?"
       "Umm, what does that have to do with anything?" asked Apple Bloom.
       "I don't know about you, but if I had a crush on somepony, whether I was sure I liked him or not, I definitely would want to talk about it and tell everypony about him."
       "Ah guess you're right, but that doesn't really..."
       "The whole thing seems way too suspicious," interrupted Scootaloo, waving her small arms in the air, "Why is she so resistant to introduce him to anypony, including her own sister?  Why is it that she's trying her best to avoid talking about him every time he's brought up?  I don't know about you, but something doesn't add up."
       "So, what are ya sayin'?" asked a confused Apple Bloom.
       "What I'm saying is that Sweetie Belle is up to something but the question is what!  She's hiding something, something she doesn't want anypony to know."
       There was a moment of silence between the two of them.  Scootaloo kept pondering on the thoughts while Apple Bloom rested her head on the table.  She saw the logic in what Scootaloo was saying, but she couldn't find a motive to support it.  However, she decided to let Scootaloo handle the whole "Sweetie-Belle-is-up-to-something" thing and not interfere with it.
       "So," she said for lack of anything else to say, "Have ya figured out where ya recall the name 'Scott' from yet?"
       "Not yet," mumbled Scootaloo, "I know I've heard it somewhere, but I just can't remember where.  Grrah!  It's going to grind at my mind until Sweetie Belle introduces us to him, or until we find him ourselves, whichever comes first!"
       "How are we gonna find him ourselves?" asked yellow filly, "The only possible lead we had was Pinkie Pie, and she's been sworn to silence by Rarity, and Twilight isn't goin' to have the Princess help us unless we tell her who we need to look for and why!"
       "I don't see why we couldn't tell Twilight about him in the first place," argued the orange filly, "She's bound to find out about it anyway."
       "Think about it," said Apple Bloom, "Too many ponies already know about it as it is: Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack!   The more ponies who know about it, the worse it's gonna get!  Besides, we can't keep 'Pinkie Promising' everypony not to tell anypony about it!  It's gonna arouse suspicion!"
       Knowing what Apple Bloom was saying was true, Scootaloo let out a defeated sigh and said, "Still, there's got to be a reason she's keeping him a secret from everypony, just like there's got to be a reason why I know the name."
       "Well, there's no point in wastin' our time on it now," said Apple Bloom, "The only option we have is to wait until Rarity lets Sweetie Belle out of 'house arrest' and introduces us to him. Only then will we be able to get to the bottom of all this!"
       "I guess you're right," said Scootaloo, her voice deflated.
       Knowing there was nothing else they could do at this point, the two fillies let out defeated sighs and, eventually, left the park and headed towards their homes.  Like Apple Bloom had said, all they could do now was wait.