“Okay class, settle down!” Ms. Cheerilee’s soothing voice rang throughout the small school house. Everyone had finished taking their pens out, and were scribbling the warm up down from board. Everyone except, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Reck, now in the 8th grade.
“I can’t read the board from all the way back here!” Sweetie Belle said gently, craning her white neck, and tying her pink and soft purple hair back in a pony tail to see passed Feather Weight. He had grown quite a bit since 4th grade.
“Well don’t complain to us, complain to him,” Scootaloo blew her purple mane out of her orange face, and jerked a finger at Reck. His silver cheeks turned a bit red, as he ran a hand through his thick orange mane. He turned to look at Apple Bloom, whose yellow coat and burgundy hair glistened in the light of the classroom window.
Gosh, she’s pretty… Reck thought.
He snapped back to reality as there was a sharp tap on his desk. He looked up at his teacher, her light purple mane in a tight bun. “Would you like to answer number four on the warm up for us Reck? Or do we have to move the Crusaders even further back?”
*___________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
*ringadingding motherbuckers*
The bell signaling the dismissal of school rang, and the Crusaders were leaving with the rest of the class. “I have to get going guys, Dash wants to meet up at Sugar Cube corner to give me a couple of flying pointers,” Scootaloo said, as she tied her mane into a ponytail, and took her bright red helmet out of her bag. She gracefully mounted her scooter. Scoots shifted her bag so she could have room to flex her wings.
“Rarity’s shop is on the way over there, do you mind dropping me off?” Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo hopefully.
“Naw, I don’t mind, hop on,” Sweetie hopped on the scooter in front of Scootaloo. “See you two later,” said Scoots and Sweetie Belle in unison, and they rode off, leaving Apple Bloom and Reck standing in front of the schoolhouse. He noticed how close his hand was to hers. It twitched in desperation, as if saying, Just take her hand, noob! She already knows you like her!. “Ehh,” he found himself saying out loud.
“What’s the matter, sugar cube?” Apple Bloom stood back a bit to look at her friend.
Oh my gosh, dat accent, he thought. “Er, nothing. Lemme walk you home?” Apple Bloom nodded and gave Reck a small smile. He smiled back, and led the way down the road. It was a 30 minute walk to Sweet Apple Acres. Just enough time to talk... Just enough time to tell her what he wanted to tell her…
Apple Bloom chewed her lip. She stayed close at Reck’s left side, and shoved her hands in her bright yellow hoodie's pockets. It was rather cold, not so windy, just cold. She and Reck walked on for about twenty-five minutes, when they saw the gazebo. “Oh gosh, ‘ah remember when we were jus’ lil' fillies. Remember meetin’ there in the gazebo?” Apple Bloom looked up at Reck, hoping he’d remember.
“Oh boy, do I…” he responded. And he did...
*sickass flashback transition*
“Mommy, why did we have to leave Manehattin? I liked it there. This place sucks.” Little Reck complained, as he was sat with his mom in the park.
“Because Daddy was the only reason we were there-”
Reck cut her off, “Daddy’s gone now. So we have to live in this place…” Reck said, as his mom blinked back tears.
“Yes Recky. Daddy’s gone. But this place isn’t so bad,” she said with a pained grin. She sucked it up, and put on a happy face for her son, “There are some fillies over there, playing by the gazebo. Why don’t you go play with them?” she said, as she looked at her son’s arm. Blank. No Cutie Mark. “They seem blank Recky, at least try to make some friends-”
He cut his mom off once more, “But they’re GIRLS!” he said loudly. *I'm not about to play with a bunch of girls...*
“So?” she asked her son. “Girls are icky!” he yelled in desperation, causing a couple of people passing by to stare
"I’m a girl, Recky.” Reck's mom said, putting a hand on his shoulder, “Mommy is a girl Recky-”
He cut her off for the last time, “Okay, okay, fine,” he said with a groan.
She watched proudly as her son walked up to the three girls. They seemed taken with him…
“Howdy, ‘ah’m Apple Bloom! This is Sweetie Belle, and Scotaloo. Can you keep a secret?” asked one of the fillies after he introduced himself. Reck nodded shyly. This filly was kinda pretty. “We’re part of a secret society, trying ta’h earn our Cutie Marks! Do you have yer’s?” Reck shook his head at the yellow fillies question. “Perfect! Ye’re in!” exclaimed Apple Bloom, as she pulled off the red cape she was wearing and draped it around his shoulders. “Welcome to the CMC-!” she said excitedly. She then proceeded to nod at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and they jumped in the air, shouting in unison, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, MEMBER RECRUITERS!! YAAY!!"
*back to the present, (Pokemon Battle Theme)*
"Yeah, I remember..." Reck said, with a weak smile. He looked around to see that he had slowly started making his way to the gazebo.
"Oh! Uhm, Reck, can we head over there real quick? It'll only take a sec'. I wanna rest up a bit before we continue walkin'." Apple Bloom asked eagerly, she did look a bit tired.
"Oh, yeah, sure. Let's go," Reck answered. Apple Bloom led the way to the gazebo, and sat down on the small step. The streets rang with silence. The only sound heard was the chirping of birds, huddled up in their nests, keeping each other warm.
"You okay, sugar cube?" Reck had sat down to Apple Bloom's right, and put his face in his hands.
Before he could stop himself he found himself saying, "No. No, I'm not okay,". Reck looked up at the girl he so desperately admired. The girl of his dreams, the one he thought about day and night. It was time to tell her. But he couldn't muster the words. Action... he thought, Action is what needs to be taken...
A minute or two passed. "Can 'ah help in any way?" Apple Bloom asked, the concern clear in her voice. Reck had a crazy thought.
"Yeah... Don't move," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. He looked up at Apple Bloom, and she looked back. He lifted a hand and lightly tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She blushed furiously.
"Uhm... 'Ah... Er, what're you-" He cut her off. He pressed his lips against hers, releasing four years of waiting. Four years of wanting, and four years of desire... He poured his heart out her, and to his surprise, she kissed him back. *sproinggg!* Reck felt as his wings shot up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring his wings, not wanting to breaking the passionate embrace, but bringing him closer.
He didn't know what to do, Whoa... I didn't think I'd get this far... He hugged her waist, not too low, but just in the middle, and pulled her even closer. He took a chance with pulling her closer than ever. Then gently, still sitting down, Reck broke the embrace.
He pulled her away and looked Apple Bloom in the eye. "I have something to say-" he began, but now it was Apple Bloom's turn to cut him off.
She hugged him around the middle, and nuzzled his chest, "I love you, Reck," Apple Bloom felt his heart rate increase times ten.
He hugged her back, burying his nose in her hair and said in a muffled voice, "I love you too, Apple Bloom." They sat in each other's arms for what seemed like the best lifetime.
Reck once again broke the embrace, suddenly remembering to check his watch. They stood up together, and he took grasp of her hand. He looked at her, and said with a smile on his face, "Now, lemme walk you home."
