No Matter What I Will Always Love You
AppleBloom feverishly ran from the cutie mark crusaders clubhouse. Tears lines streaked down her face as she desperately tried to force the thoughts she considered a alien and unwelcome in her mind. The soft afternoon breeze carelessly tossed the smaller branches of the trees around as AppleBloom ran.
“No! I shouldn't even be thinking this what would ma family say?” She questioned to herself her voice cracking slightly at the unexpected emotion she was feeling. AppleBloom couldn't take it any more, Letting out a heart wrenching moan of pent up frustration she sprinted even harder desperate to reach her home before more of these perverse thoughts threatened to corrupt her flow of thought.
The wind began to pick up causing AppleBloom’s mane to be swept upwards due to the force upon it. Not willing to continue to make the final push to her home she slumped down next to a apple tree and broke down sobbing. “It ain’t true it just ain’t!” She yelled at the sky as if it was to blame for the fillies troubles. The sky responded to her cry with a crackle of thunder as if it was showing its displeasure. AppleBloom merely curled into a ball and buried her head into her tail and cried.
AppleBloom had no track of time to measure how long she lay there but to her it felt like eons had passed. Suddenly a sound broke through the howling wind. Hoofsteps. Very heavy and strong hoofsteps. AppleBloom’s ears perked up to the sound but she remained under her tail. “Sis is that you?” A deep rumbling voice sounded from above. Finally AppleBloom looked up to see the large red earth pony she knew as brother but others know as Macintosh stood above her. Upon seeing her tear stricken face now covered with grime Macintosh’s face grew from a concerned expression to a horrified one.
Without a single word he put his muzzle underneath her and lifted sliding her onto his back. AppleBloom remained silent as well content at the moment to just sit and hug his mane pouring her tears into it. What Mac was experiencing right now was what all siblings had automatically programmed into them, Even if half of them did not know about it. Mac went automatically into big sibling mode. First he had to get AppleBloom out of this weather. Two he had to get her warm and dry. Finally he had to figure out why she was out here.
Macintosh rushed back to the farm with the distraught filly. Rain was now coming down in droves upon the pair. “Pegasi had to schedule the storm tonight” Mac thought with a sigh. Looking back over his shoulder he noticed AppleBloom was not moving from her position of crying into him. Spurred by the obvious distress she was in he put all of his impressive leg power to use and ran through the gate that signified the start of the sweet apple acres farmland.
Mac reached for the door and swung it open with one hoof. AppleJack and Granny Smith had gone to bed already. Only Mac was up at this point. Slowly trudging over to the large couch in the living area he begrudgingly looked towards the large stains he left as he walked. He decided to deal with them later right now AppleBloom needed him. Very carefully he tilted his head to the side allowing AppleBloom to slide off onto the coach. She still was not talking. Mac right now was more focussed on getting the shivering filly warm. Searching he found a large blanket that Granny Smith usually used for her rocking chair. He deposited it over her carefully. She still did not react. Mac then went to light the fire. As he was doing so he couldn't help but wonder what put her in that state. The usually carefree filly was displaying an alter personality that Mac had never seen before.
After Mac had finished lighting the fire he turned back towards AppleBloom. She had stopped shivering but the gaunt look in her eyes still remained. Mac sighed again. “AJ is much better than me at this stuff but ah guess now is a good time ta learn.” He thought silently pondering on what to do.
He decided to sit opposite her on his haunches. “Anythin you wanna talk about sis?” Mac said starting simply. AppleBloom again did not react and Mac found himself stumped. “This is gonna be harder than ah expected” He thought with a grimace. “Ah thought Miss Rarity was gunna escort ya back, why ain’t she with ya?” Mac tried again. AppleBloom’s ear flicked and she scowled slightly. “Well at least shes listening ta me” Mac thought. AppleBloom continued to show a lack of movement after big Mac had spoken. “Ya know ah can’t help if you don’t talk to me” Mac said eyeing AppleBloom.
“No” Came the short and bitter response from AppleBloom.
“Alrighty then” Mac thought. “AppleBloom if there is anything ah can do ta help…”
“ How would you know what ah’m feeling?” AppleBloom said spitefully glaring at Mac.
Mac was shocked. His sister had never been angry to anyone as far as he knew. She was always the sweetest pony who went out of her way to help others. She was not this filly sitting in front of him at this moment.
The room was silent for a minute until Macintosh spoke again, his inexperience with these situations was apparent but AppleJack and Granny Smith were sleeping so it fell onto him to deal with this. “Hidin yer feelings is not a wise thing to do Bloom, Ah promise hell ah pinkie promise not to tell anyone what you tell me, Just tell me what's wrong.
Seeing she still had her head down Mac tried a different tactic. “AppleBloom” He whispered. Something in her brothers voice caused AppleBloom to look up at him ears spayed backwards.
“Ah just want ta help ya” Mac reassured her with a smile.
Suddenly something snapped inside AppleBloom and she felt the overbearing urge to launch a tirade of words at her brother, And thats exactly what she did.
“Ya know what fine. I’ll tell ya what’s wrong. All these other colts an fillies are getting into relationships an I didn’t mind! Ah was happy for them! But they got me thinkin.” AppleBloom’s speech had started slowly but was know beginning to pick up speed as she grew more distressed and thick streams of tears began rolling down her face as she locked eyes with her shocked brother. “Me an the other crusaders wanted colt friends an tonight we were gonna get some. But then ah noticed Scootaloo was jus sittin there as me an Sweetie Belle talked. Ah started ta think about her more clearly when ah saw her there. Ah thought about all the times we laughed with each other and crusaded with each other. Then ah thought more about her an how pretty she was and how all ah wanted was ta hold her close. Ya want ta know what’s troubling me Mac?” AppleBloom asked with a now streaming torrent of tears coming from her face. “Ah got feelings for Scootaloo and know you're all gonna hate me because it ain’t traditional because ah’m a fillyfooler and Scootaloo ain’t never gonna love me back!” AppleBloom finished and bawled into the sofa.
Mac just sat there trying to take it all in. He had no idea AppleBloom had feelings like that. Glancing down at the bawling filly Mac suddenly had an epiphany on what to say. “AppleBloom” Mac said his tone neutral. AppleBloom looked up expecting harsh words and being told she was disowned from the household to never return. Mac cleared his throat and said “Ya silly ya know that” With a chuckle.
“Huh what?” AppleBloom said not believing what she heard.
“Ya really think ah’d be angry at ya fer that?” Mac questioned. “Sis me and the apple family don’t care about any of that”
“Really” AppleBloom asked drying her eyes.
“Eyep, Ah know that AppleFritter is inclined that way, so is BraeBurn. AppleBloom all ah care about is finding you a proper pony ta be with”
“So ya don’t think ah’m disgusting because ah am a fillyfooler?”
“Nope and ah would prefer ya don’t use that term its insulting to yourself” Mac replied.
“Listen AppleBloom ya are a maturing filly and ah’m glad ya got these feelings and are showing them ta me, Proves your maturity.”
“But what if Scootaloo doesn't feel the same way an ah get bullied?” AppleBloom sniffed.
“Then ya weren’t meant ta be” Mac said with a shrug. “An as for bullying ya got true friends who will stay by you no matter what” Mac said with another reassuring smile. Only this time AppleBloom was not angry just relieved and enthralled by her brothers words.
“Just remember, Ya always got me or AppleJack ta talk to if ya need us” Mac smiled.
AppleBloom couldn't take it anymore she leaped at her brother with a hug as she cried only this time in happiness into his shoulder. Snuggling up to him she said…
“Thanks papa”
Mac froze. AppleBloom had never called him that before. She was to young to remember her parents and Mac was now technically the stallion of the house but he never expected that.
Mac then realized as long as he protected his sister and made her happy he didn’t mind.
“Yer welcome Bloom” He said back.
But AppleBloom was already asleep on him. The long night had worn her out. Mac chuckled and manoeuvred her onto his back. Slowly making his way up the stairs he opened AppleBloom's door and placed her in her bed.
Looking back before he closed the door he whispered “Ah will love ya now matter what Bloom” He gently closed the door and made his way into his own bed. Mac lay there happy knowing he had helped his sister and become a better brother in the process. As he slowly began to drift off his last thought was…
“Ah don’t care who ya love you’ll always have a special place in ma heart.”
