Snapple Pie

Chapters

First Comes Love...
Then Comes the Smack-Down
Hot and Sweaty
Meeting Apples

First Comes Love...

They were in love.

Not the wild, passionate love of youth, but the calm and knowing pillar of certainty. As their tails intertwined and they shared overt glances, they knew that they both felt the same way, and that little could change the simple fact that they were together.

The ponies they crossed paid them little heed, save for the jealous glances given to them by the lonely, or the occasional wispy smiles of the old as nostalgia coursed through worn veins.

The tree house that was their destination loomed above them, the gnarled branches swaying lightly in the mid-afternoon wind as ten thousand leaves rattled about, flashing green on the edge of their vision. A sign dangled above the doorway, proudly proclaiming the building to be the Ponyville Library, a familiar sight to the two lovebirds.

He let go of her, bounding ahead with his lanky limbs until he reached the door and opened it, allowing her in as any true gentlecolt would. Lowering her head, the young mare slid into the entrance, the bow adorning the back of her head rubbing against the wooden frame.

“Hello?” the mare asked, her voice echoing about the hollow structure until the bindings of a thousand books swallowed it up. “We’re here. And Ah think we’re on time.”

“I’m sure that she’ll be here... she’s the one that asked us to come, after all,” the stallion said as he stepped in. His eyes gently coasted across the room in search of a particular pony.

Out from the upper rooms came Twilight Sparkle, the alicorn popping her head out of a doorway to look down at the couple before grinning from ear to ear. “You’re early!” she said, stepping out with an excited bounce.

As the librarian practically tumbled down the stairs followed by a floating pile of spreadsheets and loose pages, the couple made their way to the centre of the room. Shafts of light poured out from the skylights above, illuminating wide swaths of the room while motes of dust fluttered in the disturbed air.

They settled around the table in the centre, Twilight on one side with her complement of paper and the couple opposite her, their stools jammed as close together as they could make them. “Okay,” she said as she glanced at an old wall-mounted clock. “You both know how important this is for my research into the magic of friendship, so I’ll spare you some of the more... gruesome details. All I need you to do is to tell me each other’s stories.” Across the first page of her pile, she wrote: Project Sentry Flashing .

The young mare nodded. “So I tell ya how we met ‘n’ all that, then Snails tells ya the same from his side o’ the story? Sounds simple enough.”

Twilight brushed a lock of her mane away from her eyes. “Well, it’s not quite that simple. Instead, I’d like it if you told the story of one another. Apple Bloom, you tell me what Snails did, and Snails tells me what Apple Bloom did.”

The farmfilly scowled at Twilight, then huffed and crossed her forelegs over one another. “Ah knew Applejack was sendin’ us into some sorta trouble.” She turned, facing the taller pony by her side. As she did so, her glare faded into obscurity. “Still wanna do this?”

Snail paused, a hoof slowly rising to his chin to tap it. “It’s... going to help Miss Sparkle. And I get to sit beside you for a long time and listen to your voice,” Snails replied, a suggestive smile creeping along his visage. “How about you start? Ladies first?”

Apple Bloom looked to Twilight for support and found only an eager look of anticipation. The librarian was hunched over her clipboard with pen in hoof. “Oh, al’right, fine. Ah guess Ah’ll start from somewhere in the beginnin’....’”

Ah remember it like it was yesterday.

Ya walked outta the schoolhouse with Snips by yer side. The rounder colt was bouncin’ as he went down the steps and took in deep breaths of the afternoon’s air. “Ahh, this is what freedom tastes like!” he exclaimed.

Miss Cheerilee, who was standin’ right beside me, shot Snips a quick glare before passin’ you a sheet o’ paper covered in scribbles. The line slowed fer a moment as you stared at the page and let yer eyes wander across the surface. Fer a moment, Ah saw the same look Miss Sparkle usually has when she’s about ta do somethin’ smart, then it was gone, replaced by yer usual smile.

Fer a moment, before walkin’ outta the school for the last time that year, ya looked over yer shoulder and at the pony right behind you: me.

With a nod and a quick turn about, you hopped outta the class as if yer stubby tail was on fire, dissapearin’ outta mah sight but still remainin’ close enough to listen to us. Ah watched you go, ignorin’ Miss Cheerilee as she hoofed me a slip that Ah grabbed absentmindedly.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie said, snappin’ me from mah thinkin as we both walked out. You saw me again, this time as you looked over yer short friend’s head and right at the school. “What are you going to do?” The unicorn filly broke eye contact ‘n’ looked off towards town. “It’s going to be hard to crusade this year with all the work Scootaloo and I have to do.”

“Yeah, and all the time you’re spendin’ with Feather,” Ah said, crackin’ a mean grin as she squirmed about and shoved mah shoulder. “Oh, come on, ya know Ah was just kiddin’ around. Maybe we can start early; go on a quick crusade right now? Applejack said that she won’t need me ‘til plantin’ season starts.”

She shook her head, a blush of her own splashing onto her cheeks. “No, I can’t.... We’re sorta going to go eat out tonight.”

“Oh, you ‘n’ Rarity? Or is yer family over this week?” Ah asked as the two of us began to trot together along the familiar path leadin’ t’ town. Ah caught another glimpse of you. Yer head was stooped over ‘n’ you were talkin’ ta Snips in a low whisper. He laughed.

Sweetie shook her head, mane flyin’ from side t’ side. “No, not really any of them,” she said, her forehoof climbin’ up to rub against her shin.

From afar, you watched me as Ah huffed and tried mah best to look miffed at Sweetie. “Ye’re goin’ out with Featherweight again, aren’t you?”

Before Sweetie could answer, you walked by us, a grumbling Snips half a hoof-step behind. “But Snails!” he whined. “You should come. It’s going to be fun.”

“I don’t want to,” you said, shakin’ yer head. Again you looked over yer stubby friend ‘n’ right at me, lockin’ eyes fer the briefest o’ moments before Snips screeched to a halt.

The little colt glowered at you, then huffed. “All right, fine! You can have fun on your own,” he said before beginnin’ t’ wobble away. “Try and see if any filly’s going to be nice, pfft,” he muttered under his breath.

Swipin’ a hoof t’ beat the sweat from yer brow, you looked at Snips trottin’ away and into town before sighin’, lettin’ the air whoosh outta yer lanky lungs. With that, ya scoured the schoolyard around you, reshouldered yer bags, then began headin’ off to the town as well.

“—And I thought that it would be okay, you know, since it’s public?” Sweetie Belle finished her story ‘n’ recaptured mah attention—although mah eyes did wander over your flank one last time. “Anywho, I need to see Scootaloo and then I’ll go home and wash up.” Still blushin’, the filly bit her lower lip ‘n’ stared at the sky above, a glint of sunlight catching the edge o’ her eye.

With a thump that almost made me jump outta mah hooves ‘n’ drop mah saddlebags, Scootaloo landed between us, flushed and wide-eyed from her flight. “Hey guys!”

“Scoots, you darn near gave me a heart assault,” Ah said while givin’ her the fiercest glare Ah could manage. Mah dopey grin probably didn’t help t’ make me look serious.

“Sorry, Bloom, but you’re going to watch the sky from now on, because with Rainbow’s help I’m going to be the fastest filly in Ponyville!”

Sweetie Belle giggled, the familiar ‘n’ light tones washin’ over us. “You’re not getting lessons, you’re going to be her coaching assistant.” Her giggle faded away, but her smile remained. “Scootaloo, you’re going to be picking up sweaty towels and dragging water bottles around.”

The young pegasus mumbled under her breath, “Yeah, but it’s Rainbow’s sweat.”

“Uh-huh,” Sweetie stuck her tongue out in disgust then pretended to shudder as we laughed. “All right, girls. I have to head home. Maybe we’ll see each other tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Ah said. “It’s a date.”

We said our goodbyes, hugged and finally began headin’ off on our ways home. Scootaloo took to the air, grunting as she flapped her little wings, and headed off to the homes above town.

Ah followed her from afar, mah attention soon turnin’ to all the things around me. Most of the other fillies and colts had gone off already, leavin’ the streets as bare as a tree in mid-winter. But it was summer, ‘n’ Ah was enjoyin’ the warm breezes ‘n’ feelin’ real good about mahself.

Outta the three of ya gathered there, you were the first ta catch sight o’ me.

Yer back was pressed against the railing of the little bridge, tufts of fur pokin’ out from between the guardrails that stopped you from fallin’ into the slushy water below. Right in front of you were Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the resident bullies fresh out of class.

“Hey, I was talking to you, string-bean,” the mare said, her tail whippin’ about like a lasso, snappin’ at the air as she glared at you with a mean smile. “Don’t look away from me. This is the prettiest sight you’ll ever see... better enjoy it.”

Silver Spoon was in the bridge’s centre, movin’ back and forth behind Diamond Tiara. It looked like she was really nervous with her hooves thumping on the wooden boards. “He’s not worth our time. Look at him. He’s freakishly tall and smells like goat’s milk left outside for too long.” She stopped fer a moment, just ta glare at ya.

You stared into Diamond Tiara’s face, only breakin’ yer gaze to sneak a peek towards me as Ah shifted mah route and began headin’ to you. “Stay away,” yer eyes pleaded. But Ah moved on, undaunted by those silly bullies.

“Hey! Space-eyes. I’m over here!” Diamond Tiara barked before grabbin’ yer chin and pullin’ yer head t’ face her. “Where’s your buddy, the fat one?”

You glared back at her, blinking back in surprise as she shied away for a second. “He’s not here. And he’s not my buddy.” Squirming around like a pig stuck in the mud, you pushed away from Diamond and against the rails of the bridge. The old wood creaked loudly, the sound carryin’ over the rushing waters. “Leave me alone,” you said, this time a little afraid.

“Silver Spoon. What do we do to sniveling, stinking cowards?” Diamond asked, her wickedest grin yet cuttin’ across her ugly mug.

Her friend stopped her walkin’ and looked at ya with droopy ears, then shifted her attention to the ground. “Well, usually we give them heck, push them around and act like real jerks with them.”

Diamond Tiara paused to look over her shoulder, a frown diggin’ its way across her forehead. “Yeah, that’s exactly right,” she said. “We’re going to... um. Silver, are you okay?”

“Uh-huh,” the grey filly said. “Just get on with it?”

“Okay, if you say so.” Diamond turned back to you, her smile faltering. “Should we skip right to the part where I pummel your ugly face in?”

Ah stood near the bridge, hidden from the two tyrants by the leaves of a tall willow that allowed me t’ see ya through its shimmerin’ leaves. It weren’t any of my business that you were bein’ picked on, ‘n’ Ah had better things t’ do. Ta top it off, you were givin’ me a look like ya didn’t want me ta help to begin with. Ah turned around and started trottin’ away as you watched me leave.

“Girls, come on, let’s play nice? It’s, um, not nice to hurt others, is it?” You blinked away some early tears ‘n’ shuddered as Diamond Tiara’s full attention came t’ bear. “Did I do something wrong? Again?”

“Well, for one thing you’re alive, and ugly,” she barked at you, spittle splashin’ against yer face. “Maybe we can do something about that face of yours?”

It was at that moment, as Diamond Tiara raised her hoof above yer head ‘n’ prepared herself t’ give you a good thumpin’, that ya began to give up. Snips had abandoned ya, Ah had run off to Celestia-knows-where, and now these two fillies were goin’ ta hurt ya, and for no apparent reason. Well, least you weren’t goin’ t’ embarrass yerself in front of any cute fillies, right?

“Hey! Leave ‘im alone!” Ah hollered at Diamond Tiara as mah hooves crashed down on the bridge. The entire structure shook and shivered when Ah began stompin’ towards the two fillies, tryin’ to look like Big Mac on a bad day.

You watched as Ah puffed out mah chest ‘n’ cheeks and trotted right up to Diamond Tiara, jammin’ mah face within’ a hoof-length of her own before huffin’ out all mah air in her face. “What’re ya doin’?” Ah demanded.

Diamond Tiara let a smile slip, a flash of her too-white teeth and a wisp o’ that nasty, peppermint-smellin’ breath of hers. “Well, well. Look Silver. We have two idiots for the price of one, today. How are you doing, Apple Bloom? I’ve noticed that you’re without your little gang of dimwits as well.”

Silver Spoon’s brow hopped up her forehead. “Hey, they sort of make a cute couple. Both without their friends, all alone and out of their league.”

“Outta yer league, eh? I’ll show you outside of a league!” Ah said as loud as Ah could, using the muscles that Ah got by punchin’ trees fer their apples at the farm to intimidate as best Ah could. “Leave Snails alone. He didn’t do a darn thing to ya buncha two-bit losers.”

Blinking, you took a step towards me, as if Ah was the last pony in Equestria. “Yeah, I didn’t do anything!” you said.

You walked over to mah side and stood there, a head taller than me ‘n’ tryin’ t’ look imposing.

It sorta worked.

Silver Spoon took a half-step back, not so much in fear, but more like a calculated back canter. Her hoof reached out and pressed on Diamond Tiara’s shoulder. “DT, can we just go?”

The pink filly looked over her shoulder, then back at us, bitin’ her lower lip as her choices flew past her eyes. “Fine,” she said in an undertone. Flashin’ one last glare at ya then changin’ focus ta me, she growled a warnin’: “You two won’t always be together... you’d better watch out.”

They left, side by side ‘n’ trottin’ away with their heads in the air like they owned the place. Ah was aware of ya, the brush of yer coat against mine on the narrow part of the bridge, the shallow breaths you were breathin’ as if you’d just run a marathon. Ah turned to look at ya, and you did the same, a silly smile plastered across yer face.

“Thanks,” you said. “I wasn’t expecting you to help me. It’s really nice.”

Ah shrugged, tryin’ ta ignore the blush that was warmin’ up mah face. “No problem. It was the right thing to do.”

You must’ve been wonderin’ why Ah did it. Why Ah came back and put my muzzle in trouble for a weird pony like you.

And you prob’ly didn’t notice that blush either.

Twilight nodded, the wire-rimmed glasses she had procured during the interview sliding to the tip of her muzzle before she pushed them back absently. “Very good,” she said before taking down a few more notes. “So, is that how you and Mister Snails started your romantic engagement?”

Both young ponies blushed and looked away, finding interesting things to inspect in the crevices and shadows of the library. “N-no, not really,” Snails finally answered. “It was just where we sorta met, right?” He shifted in his seat, biting his lower lip as his gaze lingered over Apple Bloom.

She swallowed and nodded. “Eeyup. Not meet-meet. ‘Cause we knew each other from school. But it’s sorta where we... met-met, if ya know what Ah mean.”

This time Twilight shook her head. “No, I don’t. But I intend to find out!” With a flourish, the unicorn set a new pile of sheets on her desk and pressed her pen near the top leftmost corner, ready to write. “I think it’s your turn, Mister Snails. Take your time and please give me all the juicy details.”

“All right. So, a few weeks after we met on the bridge...”

Author's Note

Commisioned by Piquo Pie

Edited by:
[]The Misfits](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_86hYr6EtqRWFU1X8MfKsb66trHI0o75NmvkWHdKoRI/edit?usp=drive_web)

Big thank-you to Scootareader for the help with dem accents.

Then Comes the Smack-Down

It was a few days later, and I was facing down Diamond Tiara while Silver Spoon was watching her rear. Her hoof jammed itself into my chest and poked the air out of my lungs with a squeak like that of a deflating balloon.

“Do you remember me?” the pink mare asked, grinning from ear to ear while her brow twitched down and almost climbed onto the bridge of her nose. She looked a little mad. And, truth be told, her question was a little silly.

Looking at the grassy ground below us, I called back the first memory I had of her, back during our first years in Miss Cheerilee’s class, her walking with her daddy. Her growing friendship with Silver Spoon and how she suddenly became a meany. Yup, I did remember her, very well. “Yeah, I remember you.”

She blinked at me, then looked behind her. For a moment I thought she was gazing across the wild savanna of the busy streets of Ponyville, where mares and stallions of all sizes were trotting around the markets. It was a nice day, I guess. The sun was out and the air smelled like fresh daisies and trash, but that could have been the mush pile at my hooves.

Silver Spoon tucked her head into the alleyway, her greyish body still hidden from sight. So that’s what she was looking for, I thought. “Silver,” Diamond whispered. “Come on over here, quick. If we’re fast, we can teach him a good lesson and then get going. You know, for insulting yo— us the other day.”

It was my turn to pinch my brows together as I tried to figure out what was going on. I didn’t remember insulting them in the last few days. Let alone the other day. “Did I say something silly again? I don’t think I meant to,” I said in my defense. “But my mom’s always telling me that my hoof drags itself into my mouth.” My mind froze for a moment, imagining my soaking and stinky hoof in my mouth. “Actually, if my hoof had been in my mouth, I wouldn’t have hurt your feelings,” I mused.

She thumped a hoof against my chest again. It hurt a little more this time.

As I kneeled over and tried to catch my breath (which is also a silly saying—you can’t catch a breath), I saw Silver Spoon’s eyes widen, then she looked away, setting her jaw as she gave all sorts of weird looks at the brick walls around us. “Diamond,” she said. “I don’t know if this is a good idea....”

“Oh, don’t worry. He just needs a little... adjusting. I can’t let him get away with insulting you, now can I?” Diamond Tiara’s hoof dug a furrow in the dirt not too far from where my muzzle lay, squished against the gravel road.

It’s about then that you showed up, right when I was trying to find a way outta there and wondering about how similar that track was to that left by a snail. But, those thoughts evaporated as I saw you. The sun was softly hugging your yellow coat, adding a brilliance to you that I’d never seen in any other mare before. Your eyes, though hidden by your crimson mane, were nothing but two pits of malice. A growl resonated from deep within your throat and as you lifted your head the light of day caught onto the orange of your irises.

“What in tarnation are ya doin’?” Your voice echoed into the alley, its strength diminished by the cracky, breaking tone that you suffered from.

Diamond Tiara decided to give up on me, choosing rather to stand in the middle of the corridor and stomp a hoof at the ground. “Oh, puh-lease. Did you have to come here?”

“Naw, Ah didn’t have ta, but Ah sure as apples won’t let you hurt some innocent pony just ‘cause ya can.” Your eyes shifted from Diamond Tiara and landed on my own. You blinked, trying to figure out just what had happened to me before the anger shifted away and was slowly replaced by pity. It was sorta cute, coming from you.

Silver Spoon took a few halting steps, placing herself between you and Diamond Tiara, also effectively cutting our view of one another. “DT, can we just go? We could visit my place? Or pass by the arcade? I don’t want to—”

“Come on, Silver. We can take that ugly stack of muscles on. She’s just acting tough.” Diamond Tiara’s face contorted into a cruel smear. “If she so much as touches me I’ll go off and... well, she’s going to regret it.”

“No, you don’t understand, DT, I really don’t want t—”

You slid into the shadows bold as day and huffed loud enough to cut Silver Spoon off. “Move it, Silver. Ah don’t wanna hurt nopony. Just let Snails off and never bug ‘im again. It ain’t hard ta have fun when ye’re leadin’ a decent sort o’ life.”

“Decent life?” Diamond's voice squeaked. “Who do you think I am? You’re just some ungrateful yokel that lives in a broken down barn and smashes her skull into trees for a living. You don’t know anything about proper, civilised living. Don’t you dare talk to me about decency when you and your coltfriend here have evidently not taken a bath in months!”

If you had sleeves, you would have been rolling them up.

Silver Spoon sighed, shaking her head as she walked around Diamond Tiara and deeper into the alley. “Apple Bloom,” she said over her shoulder. “Let it drop, all right? Tiara’s a little nervous an—”

“Nervous?! I’m only nervous because of her!” The pink filly pointed at you accusingly, the same hoof that had been jammed into my chest moments ago.

You took another step, the gravel crunching as your muscular legs pushed down. For my part, I decided to look at the sky. There were some birds and a few wispy clouds, all peaceful and tranquil. Even the sound of the market with the ponies calling their attention to their wares was nicer than the alley —I could hear Applejack hawking some apples still.

“Snails, get up. We can take ‘em down if we work together,” you said, eyeing them down suspiciously as you took another step.

“I can’t hit a filly.”

Three sets of eyes landed on me, wearing expressions between contempt and bewilderment... and there are lots of expressions between those two. “I-it’s true. Hurting a filly would make me feel bad.”

“Well, that’s sorta admirable, Snails, but last Ah looked you were gettin’ beat on by a filly,” you explained, waving the tip of your hoof between Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Maybe you should defend yerself a little. Ah can’t be around all the time t’ scare ‘em off.”

“Scare us off?” Diamond said. She took a few steps towards me and shoved me back down as I was trying to stand. With an oomph I crashed back down, a few stars shimmering in my sight before popping out of existence. They were rather pretty, actually. “Who do you think is afraid of you, cowpatty? You stink of apples, you-you lamekin!”

From the corner of my vision, I saw Silver Spoon heave in a breath, almost like she was trying not to sob. “Diamond, stop it. Let’s go, now.”

“Ah ain’t lettin’ nopony go nowhere!” you said.

“Try to stop me,” Diamond Tiara growled back.

I had lots of time to think.

I usually thought a lot. Still do, I guess. Sometimes things crawl along and I have time to just sit there and see. Sometimes things go by quickly, and I don’t have time to understand what it is that I’m seeing.

Like a snail tipping forwards, you began to drop down, all your weight (not that you weigh much, that’s not what I said) pushed down on your front hooves and then your muscles pumped.

In a moment, you were airborne, charging ahead with only a fearsome glower to plow through your adversary, accompanied by a high-pitched battle cry that belonged on playgrounds, not in alleyways.

Diamond Tiara tried her best, but all she did was crouch down and grimace as her eyes shut and you approached. “Silver, run!” she screamed in a raw, hoarse voice.

You collided with the force of a train meeting a brick wall. A really small train with a bow. “Don’t you dare insult mah fam’ly!”

“Oh, I’ll dare much more than that, apple-picker!” Both you and Diamond Tiara rolled back, grunting as dirt and stagnant water splashed all over the place, and you twisted in the muck trying to grab at one another. Silver Spoon screamed at the top of her lungs, closing her eyes to hide the scene.

I was contemplating closing my own eyes when a pair of blue tendrils whipped by me and wrapped themselves around both of the fillies on the ground. With a magical yank the loops rose up, levitating the pair of squabbling young mares into the air. “Tsk tsk, look at you. Such a mess. You should be ashamed.”

Standing tall and very proudly in the entrance was a white unicorn, her horn glowing that same particular shade of blue as the rings surrounding Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom. “Let me go!” the pink filly screamed.

“Lemme at ‘er!” you demanded.

The mare in the alley’s entrance stepped in, her lips curving up in disgust as she stepped around the mud. “I’ll do no such thing until you two agree with one another. In the meantime, could somepony please tell me what has caused such a... spat?”

Miss Rarity’s gaze went from the you, to Silver Spoon, then to me. Her piercing eyes narrowed and both of us gulped.

I knew, then, that you weren't really prepared for this. Your valiant rescue was not pushed along by some plan or fraught with well-thought-out contingencies. You were just trying to help a friend. My heart swelled up and I pushed myself up off of the ground, opening my mouth to speak.

Silver Spoon spoke first, pressing a hoof against your shoulder as she did so. “We’re sorry, Miss Rarity. It’s our fault, Diamond Tiara and I.” The filly cast her eyes to the ground and numbly let go of you. “W-we were trying to have fun, I guess, but i-it wasn’t the best of funs.”

“What do you mean? We didn’t start it! They did!” Diamond Tiara managed to say, swiping at the air viciously. You cringed as her flailing hoof brushed past your muzzle. “Silver Spoon is wrong, miss. They’re the mean ones.”

Arching an eyebrow up, Rarity looked to you. “Do you have anything to say for yourself, Apple Bloom? Your sister’s going to be incredibly disappointed if this is true.”

“Ah ain’t got nothin’ t’ say about these two bullies!” you said. With a huff, you folded your hooves and pouted, your lips bulging out comically.

The situation, you knew, was getting worse. Rarity was about to let them go, scot free, then she was going to talk to Applejack. It was going to be a long night at home, trying to explain the situation away.

“Um, can I say something?” I asked, my forehoof raised up as if we were still in class.

“Why, yes, of course you can, Snails. But please do so quickly; I’m afraid that if I remain here the stench will rub off on my coat. It’s ruined now.”

I blinked a few times, the gears in my head clicking too loudly for me to think until they thumped into place. “I’ve been thinking,” I began, ignoring the roll of Diamond Tiara’s eyes. “And I think I know what’s wrong, sorta. Diamond Tiara is being really mean because school is finished, and the only way she knows how to have fun is to hurt others. I think she likes the attention, but mostly the attention that Silver Spoon gives her. Meanwhile, Silver Spoon is sad because she doesn’t like hurting ponies and was probably bullied because she’s a bully. But she likes Diamond Tiara and still wants to be her friend while changing her. And Apple Bloom just doesn’t like seeing ponies get hurt for silly reasons... she’s actually really nice about that, but a little too violent to solve the problems.”

You stared at me, hardly registering that your hooves had touched the ground while your jaw tried not to drop out of its place.

The expressions worn by those around us were similar, not that I found myself able to pay them that much attention. Your eyes were on me, and for the second time I was beginning to notice just how pretty they were.

You had saved me, twice. You’d been willing to hurt yourself for me—a pony that most people ignored or thought of as silly—and you treated me like a friend, as if we had something in common. The gears were starting to turn again and somehow, the friction of them were making my face redden.

“Y-you might be right,” Silver Spoon said. “But that doesn’t excuse the fact that you’re wrong. Come on Diamond, let’s just go, please?” She pulled away from you while tugging at Diamond Tiara with her eyes.

The pink filly seemed indecisive, jerking her glances between you and the quickly retreating Silver Spoon. “I’m going to tell my Daddy on you. You’d better watch out,” she said before turning tail and galloping after her friend.

As we sighed and contemplated the quiet and peace that seemed to fill the alley, Miss Rarity decided to up and leave. “Well, that proved... interesting. Apple Bloom, I cannot find it in my heart to talk to Applejack about this... incident. Still, you were doing it for a good cause, and it would hurt me to see you punished for trying to help your coltfriend. I’ll be as accurate as I can when I tell her.” The dainty mare exited the alley as well, shuddering in relief as the smell of the passageway washed off of her.

“He’s not mah coltfriend!” you cried out after her, your voice weakening as you realised mid-sentence that it was futile.

“So, uh,” I began, trying to fill the silence. “Thanks for all that, again.” Without me telling it to, my hoof climbed up and began scratching at the nape of my neck. “I appreciate it, most ponies don’t stick their necks out for me, especially not twice.”

You shrugged off my remark, your own forehoof rubbing against your shin. “T’was nothin’...?”

“It was not nothing!” I protested, slamming at the ground and splashing in a puddle of mud. “You did a lot for me, and I have to repay you. C-could I get you lunch?”

We blinked in unison, you trying to decipher what I had said, and me trying to decipher if I had really said that.

“Uh, if you want, or something.” I swallowed hard, plagued by a thick uncertainty that came out of nowhere. You didn’t seem to be faring any better. “We could go to Sugarcube Corner?” I said, thinking fast. It was open, public, and safe. Nothing bad would happen there, right?

“Um, well, um, thank you?” you stuttered. “But, Sugarcube Corner’s... well, Ah mean.... Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo won’t be able t’ crusade tomorrow. And Ah wanted ta fix the clubhouse a lil’ bit. Maybe you could bring something there, maybe?”

My mouth felt like it had been filled with a cotton ball (something that I don’t suggest that anypony tries; the little hairs stay stuck everywhere). “Uh-kay. Sure. Thanks, and see you tomorrow?”

Blinking at each other, we both walked away on stiff limbs, our minds swimming in the same mire of confusion and questioning as we marched out of the alley and into the sunlight.

Snails smiled, remembering a particular batch of queasy nostalgia that followed the events he had discussed. Meanwhile, Twilight was putting the finishing touches to her work. “Wow, this information is rather odd. It’s going to take some time to correlate it all,” she said. “But I think I can do it.” The librarian perused her notes, her sharp eyes sliding down the page and taking in loads of information.

Apple Bloom and Snails acted like two shy foals, glancing at one another and blushing as they recalled the next few scenes of their tale. Twilight interrupted the rumination. “I noticed something. In both of your stories so far, neither one of you seems to point to feeling... in love or attracted with the other. I mean, the subtext points to you being friends, but there’s no full connection yet. Is this normal?”

Apple Bloom raised to the task of answering. “Ah think it is. At first we were friends, then we were friendlier, then we started likin’ each other and dependin’ on one another.”

“Um, it was a little different for me,” Snails admitted. He shifted in his seat and stared at the ground in thought. “I think I liked Apple bloom way before all that. I just didn’t know what to do about it.”

The alicorn nodded and hummed an off tune, then looked over to Apple Bloom. “Would you mind telling me when it actually... started, for you?”

“Ah think Ah know when it happened....”

Author's Note

Commisioned by Piquo Pie

Edited by:
[]The Misfits](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_86hYr6EtqRWFU1X8MfKsb66trHI0o75NmvkWHdKoRI/edit?usp=drive_web)

Hot and Sweaty

A stray branch whipped around the tree, slicin' through the air like a snake's hiss, tryin' to snap at the back of mah bow and tug at mah mane.

Takin’ the shortcut had been a bad idea. A really bad idea.

Sure, in autumn and winter it could shave off a couple o’ minutes and get me t’ the clubhouse in no time flat. But in spring, with all the branches ‘n’ bushes blockin’ me every which way, it was a little harder ta navigate.

Ah grumbled and pushed on, knowin’ that in a few minutes, Ah’d be outta there and at the treehouse, and that I could then start workin’ on it and preppin’ it for summer.

Ah slid under another overhanging branch, pushin’ it outta mah way before lettin’ go of it. The darned thing snapped back and smacked mah flank hard enough to make me howl and gallop forwards a ways. “Stupid forest!” Ah swore, mentally addin’ a few swears fer Scootaloo—who’d shown me the shortcut, and mahself fer taking it.

Ignorin’ mah soon-to-be butt-welt, Ah carefully dove on through the path. It only took a few moments more fer me ta see ya.

You stood on the edge of the main road, yer face twisted into a glare as ya stared into the woods and let yer ears perk ‘n’ swivel from side to side, searchin’ for somethin’. “Hello?” you eventually asked, curious and worried.

Mah heart climbed ta mah throat and mah eyes widened until they threatened to pop outta mah head. You were lookin’ for whatever it was that had screamed. The burnin’ on mah flank was a sad reminder that that was me. Now, Ah couldn’t very well go up to a colt and tell ‘im that Ah had been smacked on the behind by a stray branch, so mah more-than-embarrassed mind told me t’ pipe down and trot on.

Bird calls and the whisper of the wind finally threw you off the trail, and you shifted the bags on yer back before beginnin’ to walk again. From the edge of the lapels poked out a pair o’ familiar boxes, both of ’em covered in printed pictures o’ lollipops and cakes and the logo of Sugarcube Corner.

You were bringin’ the lunches! Ah realised with glee. And t’ top it off, Ah was gonna be the lucky filly t’ eat ’em, alone, with you, in the middle-o’-nowhere. It’s about that time when Ah began to see a flaw in mah plan.

Mah steps grew awkward on the bramble-covered forest floor, and Ah nearly tripped as mah mind raced. Had Ah been sendin’ you mixed messages? You had a dopey grin at the moment, but then again, you were always wearin’ that cute smile. And you’d brought the cakes like we’d talked about, but that was normal; we had talked about it. Ah shook mah head and banished the thoughts. There wasn’t a darned thing Ah could do ‘bout it now. And anywho, Ah wasn’t into-into you. Sure, Ah liked ya a little....

“Hello, Mister Macintosh!” you called out, settin’ mah blood t’ run cold.

A dozen metres ahead of ya was mah big brother. The lumberin’ red oaf was walkin’ along, his yoke bouncin’ on his back as he smiled and nodded t’ you. “Eeyup,” he replied.

Yer dopey grin returned in full force, splittin’ yer face across as yer long limbs made ya hop over t’ Big Macintosh. “Fine weather we’re having, eh, sir?”

“Eeyup.” Macintosh nodded, then looked up to the cloudless sky as if t’ confirm the simple truth. “Real nice day.”

Nodding, you looked up to the sky too, then back down ‘n’ to the roadway behind mah brother, where the trees thickened and the road forked. “So, Mister Macintosh, do you happen to know where the Crusader clubhouse is?” you asked, plastering a quick and easy smile on.”I’m supposed to meet Apple Bloom later for lunch, but she never gave me the directions.”

One of Big Macintosh's brows perked up while Ah slapped mah hoof against mah face. Ah was beginnin’ t’ see that ya weren’t the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes.

“Ah can show ya,” mah brother said. “But you’ll have t’ tell me more about this.”

The grin was replaced by a blank expression, then ya giggled aloud, catchin’ both me and mah brother by surprise. “Oh boy. I didn’t think it would sound that way, Mister Macintosh. I’m sorry. My mom always told me to keep my mouth shut before I put my hoof in it. Guess I should listen more.”

“Eeyup.”

“Apple Bloom helped me the other day... days. Twice now she saved me from some really mean ponies, and risked herself to do so. So I decided that I had to do something for her in return. You know, she’s one of the nicest fillies I’ve ever met, and she’s really pretty, too,” ya said, full of enthusiasm as Ah blushed ‘n’ Big Macintosh’s brow tried to hop offa his face.

As if ya hadn't dug a deep enough grave, you opened yer mouth ‘n’ carried on talkin’. “You Apples sure are nice folk. I could never have gotten out of that sticky place without Apple Bloom’s help. I mean, I was being held back by two fillies! I can’t hurt a filly. That’s all sorts of wrong. And that’s why I’m bringing her a gift.”

Ah almost stumbled over another branch when Macintosh replied to you. “Well... that’s awfully adult of you, Snails.” He turned around and pointed one of his powerful apple buckin’ limbs over to the right-most fork. “Go down that there road and keep headin’ straight. The clubhouse is gonna be to yer left.” His hoof strayed down, then touched yer shoulder, the same way he‘d touched mine so many times before.

“You be nice to Apple Bloom. If you hurt her, Ah’ll hurt you.”

You kept on smilin’, unfazed. “I’d never hurt her! She’s my special friend,” ya said with clear conviction. Mah heart skipped a beat... or three.

You and Macintosh parted, wavin’ good-byes as you both split apart from each other. Ah watched ya move on with yer two boxes on yer back fer a bit before chargin’ after ya, tryin’ ta pass ya through the forest.

In seconds, you were outta sight and outta mind. Well, mostly outta mind. Actually, Ah was sorta thinkin’ about how to thump the stupid outta yer mind before ya said somethin’ really silly. And Ah was also questioning mahself on how Ah felt about certain things.

The woods parted ahead, revealin’ the familiar clearing where the clubhouse sat. A lazy wind slipped by the building before bein’ eaten by the woods surroundin’ it. Waters lapped ‘gainst the shore of the tiny stream that weaved ‘round our cursadin’ headquarters as a bunch a ‘lil critters flirted ‘n‘ played bashfully with one another under the spring sun.

Takin’ a moment to smell the perfume-rich air, Ah began to make mah way to the house, chasin’ thoughts of silly colts away as Ah looked at all the work that needed doin’. One of the shutters was crooked and it probably needed some paintin’ done. Heck, the entire thing was covered in peelin’ strips o’ faded brown and tan paint that we’d borrowed from Fluttershy’s shed. A step from the staircase was broken in half, the plank’s end a mess of splinters pointin’ to the sky and to the sign that had once read “no colts alowed,” but that was now rockin’ on a single hinge.

Ah sighed, wiped some sweat from mah forehead, and trotted through the long grass to the front entrance. Tools we’d gotten from the barn were inside, and maybe there was some paint left in the cans still. A bit of elbow grease and some sweat ‘n’ the place would look like new!

Hummin’, Ah climbed up the steps—avoidin’ that open hole of the third one—and pushed the door open to let out a waft of stale, boiling air.

Ah forgot how much three fillies could stink up a place. Wrinkin’ mah nose ‘gainst the scent of rotten socks and melted crayons, Ah ran across the creaky floorboards and stuck mah head into the cupboard. There, Ah found a rustin’ hammer ‘n’ a bag of nails that Ah grabbed before hurryin’ outta that suffocatin’ room.

Air couldn’t get into mah lungs fast enough as Ah panted, droppin’ the hammer and sack o’ nails at mah hooves. “Whoo-wee, it’s hot in there,” Ah exclaimed before wipin’ a hoof across mah forehead again.

It took a good long while before Ah noticed you at the base of the steps, starin’ up at me with wide eyes and a grin that would’a been silly if it weren’t so... you.

“Hi, Apple Bloom. How are you?”

Your big stare swallowed me up like a starvin’ pony eatin’ apple pie, and suddenly the sun wasn’t the only thing makin’ me warm. “Oh, heyya, Snails. You brought lunch?” Ah asked.

“Yup!” You reached around and tapped one o’ yer saddlebags. “All ready to eat when you feel like it. I got Miss Pinkie Pie to make you something extra special.”

“Oh, that’s awfully thoughtful. Ah’d invite ya up here, but the steps might give. I oughta fix ‘em up real fast.” Ah looked behind me and at the rest of the buildin’. “Well, there’re a few things that Ah oughta fix....”

Your mouth opened into a little “o” and ya looked around the place, starin’ at all the holes and the flaky paint. “Yeah, I’ll say. Do you want some help?”

“Nah, Ah should be fine. Just some... stuff, to do.”

You shook yer head from side to side while yer horn glowed, pullin’ yer bags from offa yer back and droppin’ ‘em beside ya. “I can’t let a girl do all that hard work on her own,” ya said.

The thump of mah forehoof on the wooden boards resonated through the clearin’. “What’cha mean by that? Ah can’t handle mahself? Ah’ll let ya know that Ah could outwork ya any day of the week, colt. Jus’ ‘cause Ah’mma gal don’t mean Ah can’t work harder ‘n’ better than anypony else.”

“Uh, that’s not what I meant?” you said, shrinkin’ away from mah outburst. “I just don’t think it’s okay to leave you here with all this work alone. I could help you, a bit. I’m not the best, and I’m sorta clumsy, but I can still try, right?”

“Oh,” Ah said, feelin’ all sorts of stupid. Tryin’ to pretend that there wasn’t a horrid blush on mah face, Ah looked away and mumbled under mah breath. “Well, yeah, Ah guess Ah wouldn’t mind a hoof.”

“Great! Where do we start?!”

Yer enthusiasm was contagious, and soon the both of us were standin’ side by side, starin’ up at the broken shutter; you with the bag of nails danglin’ from yer mouth, and me with mah rusty ol’ hammer. “Kay, tho,” Ah began, talkin’ through the tool, “you puth the nailth in, Ah ham’mer ‘em.”

We began, you helpin’ me along as Ah told ya what t’ do in the same clipped tone Ah always heard Applejack use on me. The shutter was nailed back into place, then we found ourselves a plank for a bit of unneeded support to replace the broken step. As the sun crawled across the sky, we worked, sweatin’ beside each other and hardly speakin’ a single word ‘cept for mah muttered orders.

Soon, Ah forgot that you were even there. You’d become a shadow. Mah shadow.

When the sun made its way around and was beaming down our backs, Ah raised a hoof and called for a time out. Mah mane was stickin’ to mah head, mah bow was half-undone and speckled with fresh paint, and mah legpits stank worse than the pig stall in ruttin’ season.

You were in far worse condition.

Yer mouth was wide open and pantin’ somethin’ crazy, yer eyes were droopy, and yer constant grin was not-so-constant no more. Still, ya managed ta smile at me when Ah pressed a hoof against yer shoulder and silently led ya into the house and into the shade. The brush yer magic had been holdin’ onta dropped with a splatter on the balcony. No biggie.

“You okay, Snails?” Ah asked, tryin’ t’ mask mah concern fer reasons that Ah still hadn’t figured out.

“I’m fine!” you lied to mah face. Ah forgave you and moved around you to the entranceway.

The smell which had been likely ta kill us earlier was now gone, replaced by a fresh breeze provided by a few open windows and the forceful removal of some junk in the corners. Now, the only thing Ah could smell was yer sweat. Most mares would have wrinkled their noses and ran off, but Ah was a farm girl, and there’s nothin’ better than a bit o’ hard work ta please a lady. ‘Least, that’s what Granny always said.

Ah heard a thumpin’ behind me and turned about to see you crash to the ground, great big breaths heavin’ outta ya like the puffin’ of a steam engine. “Snails!” Ah cried, and rushed to yer side. “What’s wrong?” Ah asked, knowin’ the answer.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m fine. Just taking a rest. That’s the best thing to do when you’re tired.... Why do they call is a shutter when it’s never used to actually shut anything anyway?”

Blinkin’ at you, Ah stood up, shook my own woozy head, then looked out the door. The grassy field outside had a shimmerin’ of warmth hazin’ above it. “Didja bring any water?”

“Nope. Just juice... sorry.”

“Juice’ll do fine,” Ah said before settin’ outta the house.

Crossin’ the doorway was like stickin’ yer head in the oven. Hot, burnin’ light and a wall of humid air choked me as Ah pushed through and made my way down the refurbished ramp and to yer packs. Scoopin’ them up and turnin’ around, Ah began to make mah way back into the slightly cooler interior of the clubhouse.

It was way too warm to make it back home in one piece. We were stuck here ‘till the afternoon sun began t’ descend, and the heat died down a tad. Well, we deserved a break anyhow.

Under a box of tiny cupcakes (which Ah’ll admit were pretty darned cute) Ah found a glass bottle filled to the brim with lukewarm orange juice and a pair of cups crumpled in the bottom of the bag, both of ‘em collectin’ the bits and pieces of dust down there. A few seconds later and Ah was servin’ you a glass o’ the warm-ish liquid.

You gulped it down as if it were delicious while Ah sipped at my own cup, lettin’ the tang of the juice swish ‘round mah mouth. “Thanks,” ya finally said.

“Ya didn’t have ta push yerself this hard, ya know. Ah would’a been fine alone, and you wouldn’t be here pantin’ and on the edge of a heat stroke.”

Yer eyes met mine and you began talkin’ all excited-like.“Hmm? No! I like working like this. I mean, it’s really good to be tired because you worked hard at something. It’s a special kind of tired, or something.” You looked away, blushin’ from more than just the warmth, and began sippin’ at yer juice again. “This is really nasty.”

“Ye’re talkin’ like an Apple, ya know that? Enjoyin’ hard, manual labour like that’s not somethin’ fer everypony.” It was sorta endearin’, how you were like us but so different in yer own ways. Ya didn’t look nothin’ like an Apple—none of us are that lanky—but ya still had some o’ the good qualities that we prized so much. “Hey, Snails. How ‘bout we let go fer today? It’s only gonna get hotter and we’re almost outta paint anyhow.”

“Do you want me to come back tomorrow to help some more?” you asked, smilin’ as ya grunted back up. “I really don’t mind, and there’s nothing better for me to do tomorrow in town.”

“Oh,” Ah said. Ah hadn’t thought o’ that. “Ah was mostly thinkin’ that we’d go get ourselves somethin’ to drink over at mah place? A-ah mean, not that Ah mean anything by that, Ah’m just thirsty, is all,” Ah stammered harder than a colt trottin’ into the girl’s bathroom and runnin’ into Miss Cheerilee.

“Shucks, let’s just do things one thing at a time, a’lright? Some lemonade first, then maybe a piece or two of yer cakes, then we’ll talk.” Mah forehoof rubbed agaisnt the side o’ mah head as Ah watched ya stand up ‘n’ glance around the room, yer eyes brightenin’ up when ya saw yer saddlebags.

Ya licked yer lips before talkin’, “Maybe we could try some of those cupcakes too! Miss Pie promised that they’d be de-lish!” Yer eyes closed up tight and ya smiled ‘till yer lips were quiverin’ right below yer ears. “Plus I get to eat some with a friend, right?”

“R-right,” Ah said. Turnin’ and bendin’ over, Ah grabbed yer sacks and tossed ‘em onta mah back, the chunky boxes pressin’ down on me before Ah straightened mah back. “Are ya ready t’ go? Sun’s hot and all that, but it should be bearable to just walk on home if we keep a steady pace. Oh, ‘n’ Ah should bring back that pail of paint; the empty one.”

The door swung open with just a smidgen of yer magic and let in a gush of warm, humid air. Both of us began to heave and breathe hard at the same time until finally we moved to the door, squishing ourselves against the frame to pass at the same time. Outside, the entire world seemed quiet.

The grass had stopped its swayin’, and the bugs had gone off to hide from the light; only the crickets still chirped their little warnings. We coughed through the hazy humidity and made our way down the steps while the sun scorched our backs.

Walkin’ fast enough that our legs were flashin’ beneath us, we raced for the woods and dove into the shadows of the oaks ‘n’ pines, sighin’ as the temperature dropped noticeably. “Whoo-wee, it’s hot out here,” Ah said.

You nodded yer agreement and kept on trottin’ beside me, head tilted to the ground below. The glow from yer horn reflected off the surroundin’ trees. “You know, I should be the one carrying that bag. It’s mine after all, and it’s not nice to let a filly do all the work.”

“If Ah wanna carry the bag then Ah will. Ya helped enough and ya shouldn’t have t’ work any more.”

With a shrug ya looked past me and to the rows of apple trees we were nearin’. “Then I guess I should have left the paint pail behind?”

When you saw the weird arch of mah eyebrow, ya smiled and the glow of yer horn shifted a little. Out from behind us came a very empty paint can wrapped up in yer magic. “You said that you wanted to bring it along, right?”

Our mutual scowlin’ at each other quickly turned into a shared smile, and finally Ah gave up ‘n’ giggled. “Al’right, so Ah forgot the pail. Thanks fer bringin’ it along, now could ya put it onta mah back?”

“Nope. I would want to hurt such a delicate filly by letting her bite off more than she can chew.”

Delicate?!

“Who ya callin’ a filly?!” Ah yelled at ya.

You grinned at me. “So, you’re not a filly? Well, then you’re the prettiest colt I’ve ever seen.”

“A-ah, but....” Glarin’ fiercely at you, it took mah brain a few ticks ta get into gear. “Hey! Are ya pullin’ mah leg?”

“No, but you’re carrying my saddlebags.”

Ah was in the shade of an apple tree, one o’ the ones far off to the side of our land that we hardly ever cared for, when Ah turned ta glare at ya again. “Oh, ye’re on that still? What’s wrong, can’t have a filly do yer work for ya? Afraid that Ah’m better than you? Ya know, fer a colt that needs so much help ya sure don’t look like you appreciate it.”

That made ya blink a few times. “That’s not it! Just don’t think it’s nice to have you carry all the stuff when it should be my job!”

“Fine, you can have yer bag,” Ah said, tryin’ to sound as complacent as possible as Ah slipped ‘em offa mah back.

Suspicious, you looked between me and the bags before liftin’ ‘em into the air and levitatin’ ‘em over. “Thanks—” ya began, and that’s when Ah kicked the tree.

Both of mah hooves swung out and around as every muscle in mah body pumped and pushed mah legs until mah hooves drove into the old tree with a bang like that of a thunder-clap.

One of the apples above yer head, a juicy, red and brown Delicious that was just hangin’ there from the end of a rotten stem, plopped out of of its place in the tree.

The whistle of the apple fallin’ only made you tilt yer eyes up in time t’ see the plump fruit splatter right onto the tip o’ yer horn, sending’ gooey pieces of apple flyin’ onto yer face. Yer magic failed as ya let out a shout o’ surprise and reared onto yer hind legs.

With a clatter, the saddlebags tumbled to the ground, one o’ the boxes burstin’ apart and spreadin’ baby blue cupcake bits onto the grass.

It took a ‘lil while, but ya looked up ta glare at me with yer purée-covered muzzle. T’ say the least, it wasn’t a very effective a glare. “Huh, if ye’re not gonna pick up those bags Ah’ll carry ‘em for ya.”

You grumbled a little, but under the muck, Ah could see a smile spreadin’ before ya bent down to grab at the bags. “No, I’m good—” you began to say when the paint pail on yer back tumbled over and plopped on the ground, emptyin’ what little paint was left on the grass.

Ah jammed a hoof over mah mouth to choke out the worse o’ the giggles then turned away from you. “Come on, Slick, drink’s on you,” Ah called over mah shoulder as Ah dove into the orchard.

It had been a good day. We got some work done and the weather was just startin’ to become endurable. Even though Ah hadn’t spent time with mah old friends, Ah was beginnin’ ta make a new one. Or maybe it was gonna be more than just a friendship.

We didn’t expect it to go south so fast.

Author's Note

Commisioned by Piquo Pie

Edited by:
[]The Misfits](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_86hYr6EtqRWFU1X8MfKsb66trHI0o75NmvkWHdKoRI/edit?usp=drive_web)

Meeting Apples

“You know,” Twilight said, touching her chin with the tip of her hoof, “That’s an interesting expression, ‘going south.’ So, you two were heading towards the Apple home and, if I am not mistaken, were starting to have behavioral hints of liking one another?”

Apple Bloom blinked at the mare, shifting in her seat as she traded a quick look with Snails. “Um, yeah? Ah guess.”

“Interesting! But so far I’ve only seen hints of a relationship, not anything... conclusive. It’s as if you were becoming friends and not lovers.”

Snails nodded. “Well, yeah, that’s sorta how it works, I think. I started wanting to be her friend and then other things.”

The young scientist nodded and crossed out some of her notes before replacing them with new text. She then looked up, staring at first Apple Bloom and then Snails in turn.

I stumbled forwards, following you out of the orchard while both trying not to stare at your rear end and trying not to cry about the loss of those cupcakes I had ordered from Miss Pie. At least we still had a box left.

You stared over your shoulder at me, those big orange eyes of yours twinkling in the warm light. I swallowed and tore my attention away, looking out ahead at the farmhouse, which was quickly getting closer.

For a while, the only sound were our hooves scratching against dry grass and the giggles you occasionally let escape. “Um, Apple Bloom?” I asked, fidgeting as I followed you.

“Hmm, what’s wrong, Snails?”

“Um, well, maybe I should go home, you know, instead of bothering you and all your family and all that?” I bit my lip, wishing I could stop time and slap myself across the muzzle for being silly. Of course you didn’t want me near your house. Who would want to be my friend? Not a pretty filly like you. At least, that’s what I was thinking.

“Oh,” you said, your smile fading. “All right, if that’s what you want. But the Apple family’s hospitality is legendary, and you helped me out plenty today. So don’t feel all bummed out or shy, alright?” A fierce scowl crossed your face and you shook your hoof at me, as if I were a little colt being told, again, by mom to fess up.

We trotted on, by the pig pens and past the great big barn until we slipped into the cooler shadows. From there, I could see your home in all its glory. The windows were opened wide and welcomed the passing breeze. Granny Smith was on the patio, rocking back and forth on her creaky old chair while somepony inside was baking fresh apple pie.

“Maybe I can visit after all,” I said, trying to swallow the gush of saliva that the smells had brought on.

You perked up. “Ah, that’s great! C’mon, I’ll get Applejack to get some cups clean cups while I fetch us some apple juice from outta the cellar! It’s always sorta cold that way.”

Cold liquid sounded good, really good, in fact. We upped our pace and ran out of the shadows, my saddlebags bouncing on my back while the paint pail bounced on yours.

Granny Smith looked up, frowning and squeezing her eyes to look at us better as we approached. She stopped her rocking and cleared her throat with a hoarse cough. “Apple Bloom, that you?” she asked.

“Yep, Granny, it’s me. Snails is with me, too. He helped out with the clubhouse today, figured Ah ought to get him somthin’ t’ drink before sendin’ him off.”

“Uh-huh, I’m sure you two were workin’ real hard,” she replied, a slow, creeping smile crossing her wrinkly features. “But you ought to send the lil’ colt on home. Applejack was a-talkin’ earlier and Ah figures she’s gonna whop you good.”

You changed your stance, standing tall before your grandmother with a worried frown crossing your forehead. “What’cha mean, gimme a whop? Ah ain’t do nothin’ wrong!”

“That’s not what she thinks,” Granny Smith said, pushing herself back and rocking once more.

Huffing, you took a few steps towards the house, then paused and looked back to me. As if uncertain, you bit your lips and thumped a hoof on the ground. “Snails, can ya wait just here for a minute? Ah’mma go talk to Sis and be right back.”

“S-sure thing, Apple Bloom,” I said, nodding like a drunken woodpecker.

I watched you climb up the house’s old but sturdy steps and disappear into the shadows within, your frazzled tail the last thing I saw of you. Granny Smith chuckled under her breath and stopped rocking again. With a forehoof she waved me closer. “C’mon here, lil’ colt.”

Swallowing hard, but wanting to get out of the sun, I trotted closer to the wrinkly old mare and climbed onto the porch, welcoming the shadows as they ate me up. I walked to Granny Smith’s side and sat down, turning my eyes to the tilled land out front of the house.

“Hmm, well, aren’t you a strange specimen,” she said and I felt her eyes crawling up and down my back. “Ah can’t see why she’d bring you home. But Apple Bloom always did have interestin’ tastes. Tell me, boy, what brings ya here?”

“Um, uh. I was helping Apple Bloom and I brought her lunch to say thanks. Yesterday she helped me... a lot. Then she told me to come here?”

She shook her head, sighing as her ancient eyes closed. “No, no. Not what brought you here like that. What is it in Apple Bloom that you like so much that you’d follow her here? The Apple clan can be rather picky, I’ll have you know.”

I tilted my head to the side and thought for a bit. Why had I followed you here? I liked you, of course; I liked you a lot. But did I like-like you? I felt the blood rushing to my face and I turned away from the old mare.

That wasn’t the case, right? I mean, I thought you were one of the prettiest fillies I’d ever seen, and seeing you with sweat running down your back and your bow all undone

“Oh-hoh-hoh,” Granny Smith laughed. “Well, if yer always making such a face then I can see why the filly might be fallin’ for ya.”

I twisted around, facing her with wide eyes. “S-she likes me too?” I croaked.

Your grandmare cackled and giggled in her seat, rocking back and forth like a school filly before wiping a tear from her eyes. “My my, aren’t you young foals a hoof-full. Applejack’s goin’ to have herself some nightmares with that sister of hers.”

I didn't know what to say, and in these kinds of situations I usually said something silly that I would regret, so I kept my muzzle shut and began tracing circles on the patio's floor. My ears perked when I heard your voice from within the house.

“What'cha mean! Ah just did what I ought to have done. Them fillies deserved every ounce of that beatdown!” you said.

“Don't talk back to me, little miss,” your sister replied. “Filthy Rich came over here and told me all about it. You hurt those two fillies and Ah won't have a bully livin' under mah roof. Not now and not ever.”

“B-bully?” you repeated and I heard hooves scuffing against the wooden floor, as if you'd reeled back in shock. “Ah ain't no bully! Diamond Tiara and that silly Silver Spoon are bullies. They're nothin' but a bunch'a trouble. When I got there, they were after poor Snails, buggin' him and threatenin’ him for no good reason.”

Somepony bucked something and the rest of the chatter became unintelligible gibberish. I flinched with every bang until finally, you barged out of the house, tiny droplets of water pooling in the corner of your eyes. Swallowing hard, you looked at me and sighed. “Um, sorry, Snails. Ah don't think Ah can give you any pie today. There's um, somethin' goin' on. 'Kay?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” I said.

“Ah owe ya one. Next time ya come over Ah'll make you somethin' special, alright?” you said, turning away from me and looking towards the doorway. “Thanks for all the help and all that.”

I nodded, but you didn't see it. “Yeah, it was really fun, being with you. So, thanks. M-maybe, if you need more help, you could let me know, or something?” I took a step towards you, fighting against the choking wall that had popped into my chest. “And... and maybe we could hang out together, just because?”

I bit my lip until I tasted blood in my mouth while my cheeks flamed.

Your cheeks were also warm when you looked at me. “Yeah, Ah don't see why not,” you said before trotting back into your home.

When your tail disappeared I was finally able to breath.

That breathing was cut short as the squabble continued. Twitching with every shout, I took a step back, bowed to Granny Smith and hopped off the patio. I was a sack of mixed emotions as I galloped away from the farmhouse, ignoring the hot sun as I did so.

On the one hoof, I hadden’t gotten to spend any more time with you that day. On the other hoof, I had totally got to spend the day with you already, and to make everything better, you had sorta agreed to spend some more time with me later.

A huge grin was splitting my face apart as I ran down the well-worn road leading into Ponyville. I arrived at the arch on which SWEET APPLE ACRES was written and slowed to a halt as I looked at the path below.

A few hundred paces down, three ponies were making their way up the hill, two of them fillies I knew all too well.

Diamond Tiara was in the lead, huffing and stomping with every step as she came ever closer. One of her eyes was swollen shut by an ugly purple bruise on her pink-ish coat. It didn’t stop her from glaring at the ground.

Behind her, as always, was Silver Spoon, trotting at a softer pace beside the third pony, an older stallion whose cutie mark of three money bags was partially covered by his tight vest.

I bit my lip and stood frozen above them, shifting my weight from side-to-side, but none of them looked up to me and they all seemed to be talking to one another, their voices too far for me to hear.

Swallowing hard, I turned tail and hopped over the nearby fence and into a hay field, rushing into the stalks of wheat until I thought I was hidden. The air between the plants was humid and they tickled my nose, but I forced myself not to sneeze.

After what felt like an hour later, the three were walking by me, none of them paying any attention to the field as they trotted on by and towards your house. I heard Diamond Tiara muttering under her breath, something about “making that ugly, bow-wearing filly pay.”

With careful steps, I crawled after them, following along from across the blades of vegetation until the field ran out and I was faced with a fence. I stayed there, looking out between the wooden bars as they got closer and closer to your home.

Granny Smith got up and slowly climbed out of her chair to welcome them, specifically the older stallion that she greeted with a firm hoofshake.They chatted for a while, Diamond Tiara pacing back and forth right behind them.

The four began moving towards the house, Granny Smith taking the lead with a slow but confident shuffle before the stallion charged ahead and opened the door for her. I perked my ears, trying to listen a bit more but only hearing some of the detached conversation.

When all four were inside, I hopped over the fence and bolted behind the barn, panting as I flew over your land and raced around to the house’s side. At the last second I threw myself down and parapony-rolled under the window.

Leaning against the wooden-slat wall, I pushed myself up and let just the tip of one of my ears poke out to listen to what was going on inside.

Chairs were shuffled around as the guests sat around the family table. I heard Applejack cough into her hoof as she sat at the head of the table. “Alright, Mister Rich. Ah got yer message this mornin’ and Ah read real careful-like. You’ve been one of Sweet Apple Acres’ best customers for years, and Ah guarantee on my Papa’s name that we’ll always do the best ta serve you and your kind. Please, accept mah apologies for what Apple Bloom has done.”

“But I didn’t do it!” you protested. I heard your chair scrape back on the wooden floor as you pushed away from the table.

“Yeah, you did!” Diamond Tiara shot back, growling. “Dad, for no reason that little bully came up to me and bucked me right in the face! I told you about it already. Ask Silver Spoon, she was there the whole time.”

Applejack thumped a hoof on the table. “Apple Bloom, Ah won’t have ya mistreating friends of our family.”

“They’re not friends,” you said, voice cracking mid-sentence. “Both of them are evil, pear-eatin’ monsters!”

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack hollered.

With a tiny, little cough, Mr. Rich joined the conversation. “It seems that the relationship between our youths has become a little... strained. Now, I won’t tell you how to parent or how to be a role model, nor will I hold the Apple family to blame for the actions of one of its youngest and least mature members. Still, I think I might make exception and tell you this: please keep a reign on the young one from now on.”

“But Ah didn’t do it!” you wailed, bucking the wable before huffing in indignation.

Your outburst got their attention. “Okay then, young’un,” Granny Smith said in her quiet way. “Who did it then? Who punched the little pink one right in the eye-hole?”

“W-well, Ah sorta did that,” you admitted. “But Ah had a real good reason to do it. She was actin’ real mean-like to other ponies. And she’s nothin’ but a bully and a meanie!”

“I am not!” the other filly defended herself.

“Are too!”

I heard Granny Smith shush them, interrupting the chatter. “Apple Bloom, do you have any proof that that lil’ filly actually did any of those mean things?”

“Um, well, no?” you said, cringing back.

“See, she’s a big, fat, ugly liar!” Diamond Tiara screeched.

I stopped listening then, not only because the whole room exploded in argument, but also because somepony touched me on the shoulder and almost gave me a heart attack.

The large, strong hoof spun me around, bringing me face-to-face with Big Macintosh, who was looking at me with an arched eyebrow while chewing away at a stalk of hay. He brought his hoof back, pressing it against his lips in a sign for me to be quiet before pointing to the back of the house.

Gulping, I nodded, showing that I understood. The two of us trotted side-by-side, hardly making a peep until we were behind the old farmhouse. From there I could only just barely hear you talking in mean tones to the other ponies in the kitchen.

“So, um, Mister Macintosh, you’re probably wondering what I was doing there, huh?” I asked, rubbing a hoof against my shin.

“Eeyup,” he said, shifting the stalk from one side to another.

“Well, you see,” I said, not daring to meet his eyes. Your brother’s scary. “I was sorta helping Apple Bloom today, then when we came back there was a fight, so I left to go home, but then I saw Diamond Tiara and her bunch coming on up. I figured that it’d be trouble, and no pony likes trouble, right?”

“Nnope.”

I nodded. “Right, so I figured I should listen in and, make sure everything was okay before heading on off.... But, I don’t know.” I looked up to him, staring right into his big eyeballs.

Your brother hummed, slowly lowering himself until he stood down in front of me. He was in the sunlight still, while I was cowering in the shadows of your house. “Mmaybe you could help. Nothin’ like the truth ta set things straight.”

“You mean, like, go in there, and talk, to them, while they’re like that?” I shot off, my words coming out of me super fast.

“Eeyup,” he said, adding a slow nod for emphasis. “You could end the fightin’ and Ah’d be awful happy ‘bout that. Happy enough ta forget about trespassers, maybe.”

I swallowed, trying not to look too afraid in front of him. He was your brother, and for some reason it was important that he like me. “Okay? But, uh, how?” I asked, trying to stand a little taller. He stood up, dwarfing me with his limbs.

“Whelp, let’s start by explaining everythin’ that happened. Then we’ll find the truth of it and work things out.” He walked by me at a slow, patient pace until he reached the house’s back door, opening it with a yank. The sounds of you and those around you arguing reached us. “Go on in,” he said. “If ya want.”

“Yeah, I guess I should.” Licking my lips, I trotted to the doorway and paused, a hoof raised above the frame but refusing to budge. Then, closing my eyes, I stumbling into your home.

You were not arguing anymore, instead just tucked into the back of your seat, legs crossed over your chest while you slowly sank under the table. Your eyes were staring at the floor and you were blinking a lot, almost as if you were going to cry or something. I shook my head, knowing that you crying was impossible.

Big Macintosh cleared his throat with a deep growling cough that made everypony jump and turn to us. “‘Scuse me,” he said, “Just wanna let y’all hear him.” With a hoof, your brother tapped my shoulder.

“Who’s he?” Applejack asked as she stared right at me, frowning.

“Oh my, I know that young fellow,” said an old voice, we all turned to the far end of the table where Granny Smith sat. She was rocking back and forth in her seat, a wrinkly smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. “That’s the little Snails colt. He’s a good lad. Did he have something to say about all this, Macintosh?”

Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup.”

Then all attention was on me. Seven pairs of eyes, that’s like a bunch of single eyes, all bobbing up and down in their sockets while looking right at me. I swallowed hard and licked my lips again. “Uh, yeah, I’ve got something to say,” I said.

“What is it, lad?” Filthy Rich asked while touching his daughter on the forehead to calm her down. She fidgeted and glared up to her dad.

I shut my eyes up and looked down, breathing deep as I thought. Was this worth it? I mean, sure, I wanted to be liked, and being with you sorta did that. But I wanted-wanted to be with you, like, a lot. And I didn’t know what that meant yet. When I looked up you were staring right at me, your face filled with hope as you bit your lower lip and blushed. That did it for me. “Apple Bloom is innocent!” I declared as loud as I could.

You and your family jumped on the spot as my voice rattled around the little dining room. “She’s not guilty of the things you said she was,” I continued in a hushed tone. “I-I was with her, the other day. Well, not with-with her. She was there for me, when those two"—I pointed to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon—"were being sorta mean to me.”

Filthy Rich looked at his daughter then to Silver Spoon, another frown creasing his forehead. “DT, my darling. Do you know this colt?”

“Y-yeah, daddy. He’s a no good troublemaker too! He’s just like that Apple Bloom filly and her friends. Ask Miss Cheerilee, she’ll show you. He has terrible grades!”

“Is that true, Silver Spoon?” Filthy asked, turning to the grey filly.

“Well, uh,” Silver said, blushing as she faced the opposite wall.

Diamond scowled and tapped her on the shoulder. “Come on, Silver. Tell them the truth.”

“You don’t have to lie for her!” I blurted out. She stared at me sharply. “Friends don’t ask that you lie for them. Not real friends.”

Silver Spoon looked at you,then closed her eyes and bowed over, facing the table while her shoulders slumped. She looked like a grey sack of potatoes. “Diamond Tiara, and me, we... well.” She stopped talking and took a deep breath, then opened her eyes to look at all those looking at her. “It’s our fault. Apple Bloom didn’t do anything bad. We were playing with Snails, and I guess we went a little bit too far. And I... we were maybe being mean, a little....”

Diamond Tiara seethed, hissing as she stood up and the table and swung at Silver Spoon. Her hoof connected with the back of the filly’s head with a firm smack. A few of us gasped while you stared with wide eyes.

The grey filly bent over and touched a hoof to the back of her head, as if handling a cracked egg.

“Diamond Tiara!” Filthy Rich said, his voice snapping out like a whip. Even I jumped when he stood on the table with his forehooves and glared at his daughter. “You’re coming with me, right now!”

“B-but Daddy, she lied!” Diamond whined, false tears welling under her eyes. “It’s not my fault...”

“I will not have my own blood be humiliating and friendless. You’re coming home, right now. And if I hear so much as a squeak from you, young Miss, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life. Do you understand?”

She nodded, her pout cracking on the edges as she turned to shoot a glare at you, a burning fire flashing in her eyes until Filthy grabbed her by the collar and pushed her towards the doorway.

He turned, breathing hard as he regarded those at the table. “I’m truly, truly sorry for the pain we have caused. I do hope you will overlook this transgression. Until then, I wish you a good evening.” Spinning on the tip of his hoof, Filthy Rich trotted to the doorway, only stopping to say his goodbyes to Granny Smith.

We stared at each other before I broke it off with a quick blush. Did I make all that stuff happen? Or was it Silver Spoon’s fault? She was still looking down, her mane drawn up around her face as if to hide her tears. Her sobbing gave it away. “I-I’m going home,” she finally said to the silence as she slid out of her seat. “Sorry.”

“Silver Spoon,” you said, your crackly voice cutting through the room. “Do ya, do ya want me ta go with you, or somethin’?” you asked, lowering your tone a bit.

She shook her head and trotted out of the kitchen. A few seconds later we all heard the door snapping close.

“Whelp, that’s that,” Applejack said, staring off towards the doorway.

“That’s that?” you repeated, pushing yourself away from the table. “She lied ta you, and you believed her before believin’ me!

I took a quick step back, tail between my legs. Something told me that I really, really shouldn’t be around if your family started to fight.

Applejack huffed, then looked to the ground, as if deep in thought. All along, you glared at her, waiting. “Yer right,” Applejack finally said, snapping the tension. “Ah’m sorry, sis. Ah should’ve believed ya from the get go. And Ah was hopin’ that it was all some sorta mis’undertandin’, but I couldn’t see right from wrong. Ah’m sorry.”

I blinked back and watched with my jaw dropping as you and your sister gave each other hard hugs. With some back-patting you both forgave each other.

Awkward redness crept up my face and I licked my lips. It was nice, seeing you and your sister being so good with each other, but I didn’t belong there. I spun around, heading to the back door and past Big Macintosh, who only spared me a quick glance and a sly smile.