Appleblooms...well blooming
Applebloom opened a blurry eye and surveyed her room glumly. She scooted back onto the crux of her bed so that she was sitting. Liberated from her sleep; she took out a quill and a small book from behind the end table that was next to her.
With the dream still lucid in her mind she scrawled a few paragraphs onto a blank page.
Year 654, 5Th day of Aerodon
I had another one of those dreams. Me and Sweetie were at some big event and she confessed to me, again. It's always the same, isn't it? We find that we don't want to be apart, she kisses me, and we live happily ever after. The same sappy shenaningans keep plagueing my mind each and every night. I know that we will never acutally be in any of those sappy situations, but is it so wrong for a filly to dream... probably. It would be jus my luck. Big sis always tells me that I'm too precocioos for my own good. Who woulda guessed that it would be in the love department? I hear Big Brother coming, so I'll write more tonight.
~ABL~
Satisfied that she made no spelling errors this time, she hid the book back in it's proper place. Bic Mac lumbered into the room and eyed her sister suspiciously.
"Who were yah talking tah, Applebloom?"
The filly in question eyed the room nervously.
"Uhm, ah was just talking to...my pillow, yeah, mah pillow." She stared anxiously at her brother.
Big Mac knew she was lying. That was one thing AJ and her had always had in common. He didn't pursue the point, though. He knew that if she had to resort to lying, then it must not be any of his business.
"Alright. Granny says breakfast is ready." With that her slowly trotted back downstairs.
Applebloom darted out of her head and rapidly started to brush her mane.
"Ah hayfries. Ahm gonna be late for school at this rate." She drew another frustrated breath as she clambered down the stairs while she adjusted her bow.
~~~
Applebloom sat across from the other two crusaders outside of their tree-house later that afternoon. Scootaloo was just recount for the umpteenth time how she almost got her cutie mark in wing painting.
"And I almost had the last gem on the wing when-"
"She flapped her wing and it got all over Rainbow Dash..." The other two chided at the same time.
Scootaloo narrowed her eyes at them.
"You two are just mad cause I got to hang out with the Rainbow Dash!"
The other two traded glances.
"No offense, Scoots," Sweetie Bell said, "but we just wanted to get on with the meeting."
Scoots continued her glare, but she waved her hoof signaling them to continue.
"Anyway,"Sweetie continued, "I asked Miss Bonbon and she said that we can use her kitchen for the day so we can get our Sweets making Cutie Mark."
"I still don't understand, Sweetie bell," Scootaloo interupted."I thought we already tried this."
"We only made a few kinds of sweets but if you look a Twist, Bonbon, and even Mr. and Mrs. Cake; all their Cutie Marks were in different kinds of sweets, so maybe we haven't found our special candy that we are good at."
Scootaloo mulled this over for a moment. "Maybe you have something. What do you think Applebloom?'
Applebloom blinked at her name and blushed. She had no idea what they were talking about. She was to busy staring at Sweetie Bell's mane, the way each induviual loop seemed to accentuate her face, or how the colors seemed to make her eyes sparkle.
Applebloom shook her head. She was getting off track again. She looked over at her confused compatriots and simply nodded.
"Alrighty then, Operation Sweet Express is a-go!"Sweetie Bell exclaimed.
"I think it should be called Operation Awesomely Good Sweetness." Scootaloo complained.
"Sweet Express sounds better."
"It doesn't sound as awesome, it sounds boring. I like mine better."
The two of them argued as they proceeded to walk towards town. Applebloom took this opportunity to drift off again into her thoughts.
~~~
Oh, Sweetie Bell....Oh Applebloom
Applebloom was greeted by a pair of confused eyes that met hers. She then realized that she was almost about to kiss a door. She backed up and grinned sheepishly towards her friends.
"Are you feeling alright?" Sweetie Bell cautiously asked.
I always feel good when your around...
She snapped to attention, "Uhm, yeah. Just peachy!"
"Alright Apple," Scootaloo said. With that Scoots knocked on the door loudly.
After a few moments, a tall mint colored mare answered. "Oh, how may I help you?"
The three of them looked at her puzzled." Did you get the wrong address, Sweetie Bell?" Applebloom said.
"No, this is where I met Miss Bonbon yesterday..."
"You here for Bonbon, I take it." The Unicorn smiled. "Just wait a moment..."
The trio did not have to wait long before the mare returned with another one, this one a cream colored mare with a purple and cream colored mane turned just like Sweetie Bell's.
"Oh Dear. you were completely right, Lyra," Bonbon said. "I am so sorry, please do come in.'
The group all into the two story house, where the CMC was greeted to the smell of butterscotch. I took all their strength not to lift off the ground and follow the scent into the next room.
It turned out that Bonbon was making a new vanilla and lime hard candy for Princess Cadences wedding.
"I really thought that it was so nice of Rarity to invite Lyra, and when I heard that she was going to be one of Cadences Bridesmares; I simply had to try my hoof at making something to fit the occasion." Bonbon finished her statement will a light wink in Lyra's direction.
The CMC looked at the display quizzically, but did not press the issued. At least not until they were left alone.
"What was that," Scootaloo whispered.
"I did really know, but something tells me that they are more than just friends. Maybe they're Marefriends" Applebloom responded.
The other two gasped at the accusation.
"Applebloom!" Scootaloo yelled in a hushed tone."You know that's not a nice thing to say. Beside you don't know that they just are really good friends."
"Well," Applebloom returned, "do you remember when Big Macintosh and Miss Cheerilee got that look in their eyes when we gave them that potion."
The other two fillies pondered for a moment on the memory.
"Those two seemed to have the same look, didn't they? And besides, wouldn't it be just the sweetest thing the two best friends, who have spent their whole lives together became a couple. It's just like..." Appleblooms face fell.
"Just like what," Sweetie Bells asked, after a few moments.
"I-it's nothing." Applebloom turned to not show that she was about to tear up. Just like we could be...
She turned back to her friends, but was puzzled when she saw their expressions. It had looked like somepony had taken and put their heads in ice cold water.
Did I just say that out loud or something!
She panicked mentally, but decided to ask her friends anyway.
"Did I say something or...?" She looked at the two fillies.
After a moment, Scootaloo raised her hoof and pointed it limply towards Appleblooms tail.
"What, did I get some candy in my tail or somethin-"
As she looked, she froze, shocked at what she saw. There on her side was a Cutie Mark. Not a picture of one, or a painted one. An honest to goodness Cutie Mark. From a cursory glance, it appeared to be a heart that was made out of a red delicious, which matched her mane perfectly. It was perfect in all but one aspect. Half of it was gone.
"What the buck?"
Fleeting Violet
Applebloom was wandering through the playground hunting down a familiar marshmallow-colored filly. As she rounded the back of the school, she spotted Sweetie Bell hiding among the bushes with her little tail the only indicator she was there, a set of binoculars perched on her snout. Sweetie Bell put down the binoculars and scribbled notes on a scrap of paper.
"Hiya, Sweetie Bell! Whatcha up to? Trying to get your cutie mark in Spy-".
Sweetie Bell yanked Applebloom into the brush and placed a hoof over her mouth. "Shh," Sweetie commanded, "I'm watching Scootaloo." Applebloom sat on her haunches and picked up the binoculars. When she put them to the front of her, Scootaloo's mane appeared in the sights. From what Applebloom could gather, Scootaloo was doing something that really made her nervous, because her wings were twitching erratically each time she turned her head. "What do you reckon she's doin' all by her lonesome?" Sweetie Bell took the binoculars. "I have been sitting here every day this week, and right around this time each day; Featherweight and her take off into ponyville to do Celestia knows what."
"What's so bad about tha,"Applebloom asked, "My Sis and Big Mac always go into town together when they need ta do errands."
"That's not the point,"Sweetie Bell said.
"Then what's the matter?"
"Well...haven't you noticed that she always has a goofy grin during our meetings?"
"Yeah."
"And she hasn't been with us during alot of our crusades this week?"
"Yeah."
"And remember how she was at my place asking about dress advice from my Big Sis?"
"Yeah."
"And remember how she-"
"Oh for Celestia's sake, get on wit it,"Applebloom chided.
"Right, sorry. Anyway; I think that her and Featherweight..."
"Uh-huh."
"...might be trying to get her her cutie Mark before us."
Applebloom gasped at the accusation.
"Sweetie Bell, listen to yurself. Scootaloo would never do that to us..."
When Applebloom noticed the tears gathering in Sweetie's eyes, she wrapped her in a deep hug." I-i know that she wouldn't Applebloom, but...but what if we are wrong about her and she does get her Cutie Mark. She might turn into Diamond Tiara, or worse!" The tears where unrelenting by this point, and Sweetie was shaking uncontrollably. Applebloom pulled back from the hug and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I swear, on my Cutie Mark, she will never be anything like Diamond Tiara. And if you still don't believe me; we can follow her and see what she really is up tah." Sweetie Bell cracked a small smile at this, and was beginning to settle down. "Alright, let me just get my things from class, and we'll be off," Applebloom concluded; then she left the bush, leaving Sweetie to continue in her observations.
~~~~
Scootaloo looked back towards the school for what seemed like the millionth time. 'What is taking that colt so long.' It was then that she spotted Featherweight exiting, just as Applebloom was entering. Within a second, Featherweight was next to her. "Sorry about that, they needed a review on the new Daring Do comic strips." "No, it's fine," Scootaloo waved him off, " It's been forever since I got to stand in one place for hours. Hmm, now that I think about it, that happened yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day-" "Alright alright," Featherweight blushed at the criticism, "I'll tell them next time do deal with it themselves." "That's what you said last time," Scootaloo shot him a look. He returned the favor by taking a picture of her expression. "That's going in the album," Featherweight said slyly. Scootaloo blushed wildly at the comment. "C-can we just go, please?" "Sure thing." Featherweight continued smiling while they walked towards town.
Meanwhile, Appleblooom and Sweetie Bell were following closely behind, careful not to be spotted. They wrote down down everything the two did in great detail. Their first stop was at the Cakes for some snacks. Pinkie pie had also given a letter to Scootaloo, which must have been important, because she immediately grabbed Featherweight and dashed out the door. Their next stop was at Twilight's tree, where they got a semi-large bag from Spike, in return for the note. They then went to Lyra and Bonbon's for some bags and some more discussion. Featherweight also recieved a small present from Lyra, which he hid in the bag Spike gave them while Scootaloo wasn't looking. Their last stop was at Rarity's boutique, which was fortunate for the two would-be 'spies' because they could eavesdrop on the conversation.
After a few moments struggling to get into Sweetie's room through the window, they creaked the door open to inspect the situation. Featherweight was in the dressing room doing something, and Scootaloo was taliking to Rarity in an ecstatic manner. "...and then, he took down this big Pegasus bully without even breaking a sweat." "That sounds most exciting dear," Rarity said. "Yeah, it was...Thanks again Rarity, it really was all your had work that got us this far." "Think nothing of it, Dearie; it was a lot of fun and frankly, as long as you're not going through my diary," Sweetie Blushed at the comment, "then I am more than happy to help." Well, it really did help, and I also wanted to tell you that the event is going to happen this evening near Celestia's fountain." "Thank you Dearie, and I'll be sure to tell all the girls when I get the opportunity." "Okay, well gotta go." Featherweight exited the dressing room with yet another bag in tow, and the two left the boutique. "Alright Sweetie Bell, you can come out now, " Rarity called. The two 'Spies' jumped at their being found out and quickly came out of the room. "Now, what were you two doing." "
"Well," Sweetie started,"we were making sure that Scootaloo was, um, ah..."
"Doing that thing she said she asked us tah do!," Applebloom lied.
"Yeah, and we wanted to know if there was anything we could do now to help, but we don't want her to know." Sweetie quickly followed up.
"Sure you are...," Rarity frowned.
Rarity paused," Now, look, I know that you two are just looking out for your friend, but you just need to give her space this one time, okay?"
"NO, that's not okay!" Sweetie yelled suddenly, tears threatening to break free from her eyes. " I don't want to lose Scootaloo, and she won't like us any more if she gets her C-cutie Mark..."
Sweetie Bell was on the floor crying what little tears she had left. "Oh, is that was this is?" Rarity knelt down beside her sister and brushed her hair softly. "It's okay, she's not trying to get her Cutie Mark silly filly; she's just helping Featherweight with a project...and I think you should come see it with me." Sweetie Bell looked up at her sister wtih hopeful eyes. "A-are you sure she is still gonna be our friends." Applebloom took this time to jump into the conversation. "Of course; it's like I always say; 'The Cutie Mark Crusaders are crusaders for life.'" She then flashed a goofy grin, which made Sweetie Bell grin a little more. "Alright, then I guess it's settled; we'll go with you to this...what did you say it was again?" "Oh well, it's just aaAHHH, look at the time! We're going to be late!" Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were then picked up by Rarity"s magic as she ran out the door and into the center of town.
~~~
When the three ponies got to the statue, a large stage could be seen placed in front of it, with a dozen or so sets of benches set out in front of it. The show, it seem was only moments from happening, so the two fillies took a seat in the back row while Rarity rushed off to get the rest of her friends. While the two waited, some more ponies arrived, including Scootaloo. She immediately ran up to the to fillies and hugged them both. "I have been looking for you guys all over," Scootaloo said as she let go of them. "Uh, yeah about that we were kinda...tied up." "Oh, well I'm glad you guys made it. Have you seen your sister, Sweetie Bell." Sweetie noddded her head. "Yeah, she'll be here soon." "OK great... and guys," the three fillies locked eyes, "I am really glad we're friends." With that, she turned and ran up to the stage to meet with all the other ponies backstage. "Well...what the hay was that last part suppos'd to mean?" "It means that she deosn't want to be friends..." "No. It. Ain't. Yah hear me Sweetie?" Sweetie nodded. Suddenly, they noticed that the lights had dimmed and the show began. Up on the stage, a dark figure stood alone while the music hummed softly in the background.The pony the took a second before he was whisked into the air by one of his hooves. Then the lights came on, revealing the it was none other than Featherweight, dressed up as the comic book character, Spider Colt. The artifiicial webbing, coupled with his buzzing wings made him move throughout the stage in a seamless motion. The two fillies watched in amazement as he darted around, beating up all the bad ponies in a choreographed dance that matched the tune perfectly. It dawned on the two filly's just what had been going on the entire time. Scootaloo wasn't trying to get her Cutie Mark, she was just helping Featherweight with his play. Applebloom looked over to Sweetie Bell.
"....Man, I feel like a foal."
Sweetie sniffled, "Yeah, me too.."
"This is one amazing performance, though"
Scootaloo had just made her entrance dressed as Marey Jane Watson. Her acting wasn't the most stunning, but Raritys' dress was, as usual, flawless.
"I'm sorta glad I saw this all the way through, though,"Sweetie Bell whispered.
"Why's that," Applebloom replied
"Well, I realized how much fun we can have together, you know, the two of us alone. It's made me think of just how special you really are"
Sweetie Bell leaned in closer as Spider Colt was facing his archnemesis, The Pink Giggler; played by none other than Pinkie Pie.
Applebloom was needless to say a little nervous with the sudden conversation turn.
"I-I'm rightly flattered but uh-"
"No, I think it's about time I really told you why I've been so emotional all day."
Sweeties face became stern.
"I think I like you."
Applebloom felt as if a lead weight was being bounced around in her stomach by a hoard of butterflies.
"And I really want to show you just how much..."
The fillies' faces were merely inches from each other as the final romantic scene was playing out.
Marey Jane leaned in for the kiss to her savior...
Sweetie Bell wrapped her hooves around Applebloom...
Spider Colt liffted her up...
And in one blissful moment, everything made sense as the two fillies connected lips and hearts...
-FLASH-
Suddenly, the lights seemed to get a whole lot brighter. Sweetie Bell and Applebloom opened their eyes and were met by an interesting sight. It had seemed that the play was over and Scootaloo was giving a quick round of applause to her two friends for support that they give her every day. The look on everyponies face was a mix between shock and joy, with Rarity being the front-runner in sappy faces. Applebloom could have been for Apple Acres largest apple with the amount of blush that had invaded her complexion. Sweetie Bell on the other hoof had simply fainted from joy... and also embarrassment.
~~~~~
They show was being taken down as everypony in the show said their goodbyes. Scootaloo ran up to Applebloom and a still shocked Sweetie Bell, who was being carried by Rarity. "So, is this what you were hidin' Scoots." "Yeah, I was kinda embarrassed about the whole playing the 'damsel who kisses the hero at the end' bit...Maybe they could've gotten you for it, seein' how you don't really mind the attention." "Hey," Applebloom blushed, "It twasn't my choice."
"But you still liked it, huh?"
Applebloom blushed and stared at the ground.
"mrmph hmmhih..."
"What was that?"
"Ah' said that I hrmph hrm..."
"Didn't quite catch that."
"Ah said I. Liked. It. Okay!"
"Yeah, I'm good with that," a voice said.
Applebloom spun around, only to be met by a familiar pair of smiling lips.
Sweetie Bell had regained consciousness at just that moment, and was relishing in the return feelings. Applebloom's shocked expression was soon changed to a blissful giddiness. Scootaloo looked on at her friends antics with a friendly happiness. The only pony who was still confused was Rarity, who took the silence to issue a complaint. "What about you and Featherweight, Scootaloo?" Scootaloo looked at Rarity with a dumbfound expression. "What do you mean by that, Rarity?"
"Well, aren't you two seeing each other?"
"In the play we were, yes."
"No, I mean... OOHHHH."
"What, Rarity?"
Rarity motioned Scootaloo to come closer and whispered in her ear.
At first, Scootaloo wore a shocked expression, but that was soon replaced by one of clandestine sneakiness.
After a moment more of whispering, Scootaloo whisked off towards Featherweight, who was just leaving the costume room in the back of the stage. From what Applebloom could gather, it was pretty interesting. At first, it seemed like a normal conversation. Then, Scootaloo leaned forward and planted a kiss. His beat red face could be seen, even in the pale light of Luna's moon. After a bit more discussion, she came back; this time with a present in tow. "Wow, you were totally right Rarity, he did have a crush on me." "If there is one thing I know,"Rarity exclaimed, "it's colts. Now sisters on the other hand, those are apparently a different story." She looked back at the filly who had now taken to glomping a defenseless Applebloom to the ground in a shower of affection. "All I know is that Applejack are definitely going to be spending alot more time at the spa together.The four of the laughed as they all headed home. On the way, Rarity asked what the present was Scootaloo received. "Oh, let's see here..." She opened the box to find that it was a stack of pictures and a letter of Featherweights affection. "Oh that's very sweet,"Rarity commented. "Yeah, it is...waitaminute... WHAT THE HAY! Sweetie Bell, were you stalking me!?" "Oh, it's a long story," Applebloom exclaimed while Scootaloo gave Sweetie the death glare. "I got time,"Scootaloo grumbled. "Well, yah see Sweetie Bell had...."
THATS ALL FOLKS
