Free Spellbound Fireflies by bats Page B

marefriend into a deep and yearning kiss.  They held each other close in the dark library, exchanging silent promises and unvoiced fulfillment.  Every second of contact was a thousand screams of ‘yes’, and every ‘yes’ was answered with relief and joy.
    When at last they broke apart, gradually surrendering to sleep as they laid tangled in each other’s limbs, both mares were thinking about the fastest ways to collect Rainbow’s belongings in the morning.

VI: Complications

    Chapter 6
    Complications

    A gentle knocking drew Cheerilee’s attention to the classroom door; the smiling face of Twilight greeted her through the small window.  She glanced up at the wall clock and smirked.   ‘Punctual to a fault.’   “Alright class, time to go home!”
    The squeaks of sliding chairs on wood filled the room, a babble of voices transforming the space into merry dissonance.  The teacher stepped quickly to Scootaloo’s chair and leaned in close.  “Hang back a minute, Scootaloo.”  At the filly’s expression, she smiled warmly.  “Nothing bad, don’t worry.”  She glanced meaningfully at the door, drawing Scootaloo’s attention to Twilight.  The unicorn stood aside to let the rush of foals past.  She had a tentative vulnerability in her expression and body language that made Scootaloo want to giggle, so she busied herself with straightening her desk.
    Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom got to the door and hesitated, glancing questioningly between Twilight, Cheerilee, and their third confederate.  Twilight bent down and whispered to the two fillies, a small pouch of bits floating out of her saddlebag.  Grins spread across their faces and they bolted from the room, money in tow.
    Free of classmates, Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow at her teacher and tutor.  Cheerilee smiled at Twilight.  “I’m glad you could come down, Ms. Sparkle.”
    Giggling, the unicorn said, “Twilight’s fine.”
    Scootaloo scratched at her neck.  “Uh…what’s goin’ on?”
    Smirking, Cheerilee sat on her haunches next to Scootaloo’s desk and beckoned Twilight with a hoof.  “Well, Scootaloo, Twilight told me she’s been tutoring you for about a month now and she wanted us to have a meeting to discuss your progress and see how you’re feeling about things now.”
    Twilight sat next to the earth pony and nodded gently.  “Don’t worry, Scootaloo.  I won’t keep you from your friends or your flying lessons for very long.”  She turned to Cheerilee.  “How are things going?”
    Smiling, Cheerilee flashed a conspiratorial wink at Scootaloo and trotted over to her desk.  “I think the best way to answer that is to give Scootaloo a sneak peek at her last math test before everypony else gets theirs back.”  She brought the sheet of paper back in her mouth and set it down on the filly’s desk.
    Scootaloo’s eyes went wide.  Bright red ink boldly proclaimed her score across the top.  “I got a B plus?!”  She pumped a hoof in triumph, practically vibrating in her seat.  Cheerilee and Twilight exchanged delighted grins.
    Cheerilee lifted the test back in her teeth and carried it to her desk.  “Your math scores have improved considerably in the last month.”  She eyed Twilight, directing her statements to both of them.  “You still need to work on fractions; that’s your weakest area at the moment.”
    Twilight nodded, clearing her throat gently.  “How about everything else?”
    Sitting back with the group, Cheerilee said, “Well, Scootaloo will have to fill us both in.  Math was the only subject I had real concerns with, and she’s really turned that around.”  She smiled proudly at the filly.  “So how have you been feeling about other subjects, Scootaloo?  Has getting the reading assignments earlier been helpful?”
    She shrugged.  “I guess.  It still takes a long time; I just have a chance to read everything.  I mean, sometimes I had trouble