School may have let out for the weekend, but for Cheerilee there were still some things that needed to be cleared up before she could call it a day. One of these involved talking to Scootaloo's aunts, for the filly's behavior had become quite a concern in the school yard.

And so it was that Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty, were currently seated in the empty classroom, talking to Cheerilee. Cheerilee tried her best to keep a straight face. "I'm sorry I have to talk to you like this," She apologized to the mares. "Normally, I'd be consulting Scootaloo's parents about her behavior. But it's my understanding she's in your care for the week?"

Aunt Holiday nodded. "It's a busy time of year for them, Scootaloo's let Lofty and I know that in no uncertain terms. So then, what did you want to discuss with us, Cheerilee?"

With a sigh, Cheerilee looked at the couple and informed them. "Scootaloo has been... acting up in and out of class lately."

"What do you mean by 'acting up'?" Auntie Lofty asked. "She's still a filly, a growing one at that. And you know, fillies will be fillies."

"The thing is, her behavior's not normal. Scootaloo's usually a sweet filly, if a bit rough around the edges," Cheerilee explained. "But lately, she's been on edge. She always wants to eat by herself, she complains whenever I call on her, and more than once I've caught her falling asleep during class. To make matters worse, today she got into a fight on the playground."

Holiday and Lofty both gasped! Holiday then exclaimed! "Oh dear! I thought Scootaloo was raised to be better than that! What did she do?!"

"Well, it wasn't anything too serious, I was able to break it up before it could escalate," Cheerilee informed the two. "However, she threw a punch at Snips and Snails, just because they made a remark about the fact that she can't fly yet. And she was about to do the same to Featherweight when he snickered. I had to give her detention because of that fight."

"Not saying what Scootaloo did was right or anything, but you know how sensitive she is about her wings," Lofty commented. "Holiday and I usually try not to bring it up often. The doctors say there's nothing wrong with her wings that they can determine, everything seems fine and she's probably just a late bloomer. But I know it pains her when so many of her fellow pegasi are already flying circles and doing tricks, and she can barely lift herself off the ground."

"Believe me, I'm well aware of how Scootaloo feels about her wings. And I made sure Snips and Snails apologized for teasing Scootaloo about them," Cheerilee replied with a sigh. "But Scootaloo's never let that bother her so much before. She acts tough, but even she never picks fights, not even when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were always teasing her. Apparently, this has been going on for some time if what her parents told me is true. They're starting to get worried, and so am I . This is very unusual behavior from Scootaloo."

Holiday and Lofty were silent for a few moments, as the information slowly sank in. When Cheerilee had called them to discuss Scootaloo's behavior, they hadn't expected the problem to have such a long history. At last, Holiday broke the silence as she told Cheerilee. "Well, we'll do our best to get Scootaloo's behavior under control by the time she comes back to school on Monday. With any luck, maybe she'll feel comfortable enough to tell us what this is all about. If worse come to worse, I may have to sign her up for some of those etiquette lessons sponsored by my travel agency."

"Holiday, dear, you know those lessons are very strict," Lofty commented with concern. "Are you sure that's really necessary to get Scootaloo under control?"

"It's more of a last ditch effort if nothing else works," Holiday replied to Lofty. "But we can discuss Scootaloo's punishment later," Turning to Cheerilee, Holiday asked. "So, where is she now? I hope she's not getting into more trouble."

"I told her to stay in the schoolyard, she's probably on the playground." Cheerilee informed Holiday.

Holiday got up from the desk she'd been sitting in, and shook Cheerilee's hoof. "Thank you, Cheerilee. Lofty and I will take it from here."

Lofty reluctantly nodded. "Hopefully, a week with her aunts is just what Scootaloo needs to learn her lesson." She thought to herself. And the bulky pegasus mare followed her lovely wife, as the two of them went to get their niece.

Sure enough, Scootaloo was on the playground, sitting in one of the swings and looking down at the ground. She still noticed her aunts approaching her though, and she could tell by the frowns on their faces that they were anything but pleased. "Hey Aunt Holiday, hey Auntie Lofty." She reluctantly greeted, trying to force a smile.

"Scootaloo," Holiday sighed. "You're coming home with us this instant, young mare. And effective immediately, you're grounded for the entire week you're in our care. So that means no Cutie Mark Crusaders activities, no hanging with your friends, and no visits to Rainbow Dash or her parents. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Aunt Holiday." Scootaloo reluctantly replied, as she got off the swing and accepted Holiday's hoof. Aunt Holiday was not a pony you wanted to get on the bad side of. A lesson Scootaloo had learned the hard way (last time she'd angered her Aunt Holiday, she'd been enrolled in an entire week of dance classes. Though that had been sweetened a little when she ended up in the same class as Apple Bloom).

Holiday and Lofty led Scootaloo across town to her home. Since her parents were away, Holiday and Lofty had been tasked with foalsitting and house sitting, as they often were assigned when Scootaloo was in their care (whenever that wasn't the case, they'd be at Holiday's cottage near the town windmill). Immediately, they instructed Scootaloo to go to her room, and stay there while the two adults debated what sort of punishment to give their niece.

Scootaloo obeyed, but only after a stern glare from Aunt Holiday silenced any will she had to protest,

Once Scootaloo was in her room and the door locked tight, Holiday and Lofty sat at the kitchen table downstairs to begin a rather difficult conversation. How to properly punish their niece so that her bad behavior at school (and possibly at home) would cease.

"Maybe just the grounding will be enough?" Lofty suggested to Holiday. "An entire week with none of the activities she likes to do, or the ponies she likes to hang out with, seems like it would easily straighten her out."

Holiday shook her head. "I'd like to believe that, my dear. But this isn't an isolated incident. If it's gotten to the point where Scootaloo's picking fights, the punishment needs to be strong enough for her to understand the gravity of her actions and how wrong they are. A simple grounding isn't going to suffice, we did that the last time she acted up in our care. But the punishment can't be too harsh either, Scootaloo's a good filly. And we need something that'll let her know we still love her, even though we don't approve of her behavior right now."

"Perhaps we could make her write sentences about how sorry she is, and how violence is wrong?" Lofty proposed. "It always worked for me whenever I did bad things as a filly."

But Holiday only sighed and replied. "She already got detention for the fight, and I'm sure Cheerilee made her right sentences on the blackboard. We need something she hasn't already been subjected to," Holiday then reluctantly added. "Maybe I should just go ahead and sign Scootaloo up for those etiquette lessons after all? Her manners could definitely use some improvement, especially her table manners."

"She barely tolerated the dance lessons you signed her up for, Holiday," Lofty protested. "And you said those etiquette lessons would only be a last ditch resort!"

"Well, if you have a better idea, my darling Lofty, I'd sure like to hear it." Holiday commented, putting her hooves on her hips. She loved her wife with all her heart, but sometimes Holiday felt that Lofty had a little bit too big of a heart. Lofty hated being the bad guy (or girl in this case).

Lofty flinched! She hadn't been expecting her wife to put her on the spot like this! "Come on, Lofty! Think! Use that brain of yours!" She thought to herself, and started to rack her brain for possible punishments.

"I'm waiting." Holiday remarked, tapping one of her back hoofs on the kitchen floor.

"Just give me a moment, please!" Lofty pleaded, then went back to her brainstorming. All of a sudden, she got an idea. It was an unconventional idea to be sure. But to Lofty at least, there was a chance it could work. "Holiday, you know how Scootaloo's been having some..." She paused and coughed into a hoof. "'Issues' with wetting the bed recently, right?"

Holiday nodded ever so slowly. "Ah yes, it's gotten to the point where she needs to wear 'protection' so she doesn't stain the sheets. She is getting a little bit better though, now that we've cut out all liquids before bed. What does that have to do with how we're going to punish her?"

"Well," Lofty continued, tapping a hoof to her chin. "You have to admit, it was pretty foalish of Scootaloo to pick fights over her wings, right?"

"Not sure if 'foalish' is how I'd describe it." Holiday commented, but suspected nothing.

"So, if she's going to act like a foal, we should treat her like one. One who needs some tough love at that," Lofty explained to her special somepony. "It'll only be for the week, and only while she's here in the house. But I think once she gets the message that her immaturity means she's gonna be treated the same age as she chooses to act like, she'll hopefully start changing her ways."

Holiday wasn't entirely convinced. "Are you sure that's a good idea, dear?" She asked Lofty. "What if treating her like a foal only makes her behavior worse? Or what if she grows to hate us because we decide to treat her in such a fashion?"

"Well, that's why we're gonna lay down a few ground rules first," Lofty told Holiday. "She'll still have a little bit of her independence, and we don't have to go over the top with things. But, there will be diapers involved, and diaper changing too probably."

Holiday quickly protested. "Out of the question, we're not taking away Scootaloo's bathroom privileges! Diapering her is one thing, but expecting her to use her diapers is another!"

"Fine, she can still use the bathroom. Truth be told, I wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea of changing diapers myself," Lofty commented with a chuckle. "But, she is gonna need to ask for permission whenever she wants to use the bathroom. She'll just be a little bit older of a foal than she would be otherwise, probably about the same as a potty training three year old."

"And you're sure nopony else will see her like this?" Holiday asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't want ponies to think she's incontinent, or getting the wrong idea about her."

"Relax, we'll make sure to keep her away from any windows. And keep her hidden if guests come over," Lofty reassured her special somepony. "And if it really makes you feel better, we don't have to do it for the whole week if Scootaloo's really uncomfortable with it. How does that sound?"

For several moments, Holiday didn't reply. Even with the new "limitations" Lofty had set on the treatment, Holiday wasn't entirely sure she was comfortable with the idea of diapering her niece and treating her like a three year old foal. But at the same time, the earth pony mare had to admit it seemed better than her idea of etiquette lessons (which would last a lot longer than a week). At last, with a sigh, she reluctantly said to Lofty. "Alright, I suppose we can give your idea a try. But just so we're clear, the instant Scootaloo says she wants us to stop, we stop! Got it?!"

Lofty nodded. "Got it. Now then, dear, let's get everything ready. And then we'll inform Scootaloo of our decision. I have to admit, it'll be interesting to see her all padded up again during the day after all these years." Lofty grabbed some paper and wrote down some things she'd need, "Diapers: check, pacifiers: check, foal pajamas: check, baby food: check, crib… well, no need for that." She thought with a smile.