The Belle and Bloom Show

We decided to law low the next day and hang out in the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle said she was stopped frequently by ponies asking what we were going to do next, asking her if she would sing certain songs, asking her for dates, asking for her autograph, etc.

“It’s insane!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “I never got this kind of attention from the Filly-Tonix.”

“Not many in town knew you were in it, and the ones who did couldn’t tell you all apart,” said Scootaloo. “And they looked and sounded like the Filly-Tones and the Chilly Fillies.”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “Yes, all filly bands and colt bands are too similar. But we had Silver Serenade! Can you name the lead singers from those other bands?”

“True…” I agreed. I for one couldn’t name them, and if I hadn’t followed the Filly-Tonix so closely, I wouldn’t have been able to tell which songs were performed by which band. “Silver also hogged the spotlight. Even when you got to sing solos you were never seen as a vocalist, just one of the dancers singing.” I offered an apologetic smile.

“It was in Silver’s contract to be the center of attention. She carried that persona off stage too. She was a little older than us. She did insane antics for attention, she partied hard, and slept with just about any pony.”

Surprised, I shot Sweetie Belle a questioning look. “I’m surprised they kept her around.”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “She probably slept with the producers.”

“What?” Silver Serenade's whole image was to just look sexy, but not be into that stuff like those other pop stars.

“Yeah,”said Sweetie Belle. “We always thought so. I mean it’s not like we hung out or anything. She got her own hotel rooms to herself. The rest of us had to share.”

“So you like never hung out with her? Ever?” asked Scootaloo.

Sweetie shook her head slowly. “To her we were just the help. We were there to make her look good. She really didn’t like me because she had to share some of the spotlight.”

“But you had only a few solos and the duet!” Scootaloo protested. “It wasn’t that much.”

“Maybe she felt threatened?” I suggested. “Sweetie is quite good.”

Sweetie Belle blushed a little. “In skill we were probably equal. I think it threatened her image she was trying to sell. Literally everything you know about her was written by the studio. She didn’t grow up in Upper Manehatten and attend the best singing academies. She didn’t hang out with celebrities or in high class bars on the weekends; she does now, but that’s not where she grew up. Heck, Silver Serenade is not even her real name.”

“What is her real name?” I asked. This was the juicy behind the scenes stuff I loved to get from Sweetie Belle. Sweetie never revealed much of what happened behind the scenes while touring with them, but every so often she’d tell us about some backstage drama.

“I don’t know. She never told us. In fact, she never told us much.” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “One time she came to rehearsal pretty blitzed and let a few things slip.

“Such as…” Scootaloo made a beckoning gesture with her foreleg.

“Well… when we were in Manehatten we asked her for some great places to go; we knew that Silver had grown up there, because she kept telling anyone who’d listen she did. And she’d blow us off, and say we weren’t cool enough to get into those places. Well, one day she came in pretty messed up, and so we asked her again. She blew us off again, but we pressed her, and she finally admitted to not being from Manehatten. ‘No one wants to hear about some nobody from some little hick town who made it big.’’’ Sweetie Belle sighed. “We didn’t get much more out of her, but that was the most about her real self she ever talked about. Whoever she was is lost to the character Silver Serenade.”

“You know what’s funny?” I said; it wasn’t really a question. “Sweetie… you’re actually more like her image than she is.”

“What?” said Scootaloo with disbelief.

“She’s from Ponyville. A town where Princess Twilight lives; she’s the sister of a well-known fashion designer and an Element of Harmony. Silver gets to hang out with celebrities, you got to hang out with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and Princess Twilight.”

Sweetie Belle grinned and laughed out loud. “If she had known any of that, she’d hate me even more. She’d be super jealous I had such easy connections to royalty.”

“She didn’t know who you were,” asked Scootaloo. “Heck random ponies in Las Pegasus knew of me. It was a bit strange actually.”

Sweetie Belle laughed even harder. “You-you think she took time to get to know any of us? She couldn’t bothered to know us. We were nothing to her; Silver got a dancer fired because she thought she was too fat.”

“That’s horrible,” I said agast. I regretted ever having any fantasies of her. She sounded like a horrible pony, and what’s worse was how she was used to manipulate every pony into thinking she was this classy and humble singer who worked hard to get where she was. But the pony behind the curtain was someone else completely. It felt cheap. I felt cheap for believing it.

“One thing, I still don’t understand…” I said. “How did you get to be a backup singer and even get some solos?”

“TS,” Sweetie Belle said simply. “Most of the producers were jerks to us dancers. He was nice, and so I asked him. Well, I convinced him I was a good enough singer, and he put my name in and pulled some strings for me.”

“Maybe a little too nice,” I muttered under my breath.

“Okay maybe he was little hoofsy with us and liked to swat our rumps, but he was the only one who was nice to me. He’s a jerk. I know. I’ve seen him reduce fillies to sobbing heaps, but he got me my shot at singing on stage, and he wants to sign me to a label; he said I could have creative control.”

Scootaloo frowned. “I don’t know… it sounds a little too good to be true. And I don't think he should be touching you like that.”

“Look—ugh. You guys don’t get it. That’s just the way it is in this business.” Sweetie Belle’s voice sounded frustrated, but I was glad Scootaloo was having similar concerns as me.

“Can we talk about something else? We need to plan our next show; we only have a week to get it ready.”

I knew there was no point in continuing to talk about TS; it would just upset Sweetie Belle. There were things in show business I just didn’t understand, and I was beginning to think I was better off not knowing. I was still in this for Sweetie, and that’s where I wanted to focus.

I was hoping my song would’ve been ready, but I was still stuck on the first verse. But I had an idea for a song in the next show. I heard it last summer, and really liked its message. “I have a song I’d like to sing, but I don’t have any idea what kind of routine to fit it to.”

“Which song?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Road Less Traveled,” I said. “It’s got a great message for young fillies, and older ones too.”

“Hmm, I don’t think I know it,” Sweetie Belle said.

“It’s a country song… kinda. It’s more pop.”

“Okay. I’ll have to hear it. But we already did a country style act…”

“That was old frontier stuff,” I said quickly. “This is modern. You’ll see what I mean by pop when you hear it.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Well, that’s better than what I got… which is nothing.”

The rest of the afternoon divulged into idle talk of the town, reminiscing of the days of being Cutie Mark Crusaders, and catching up on gossip.

“Well, I should get back,” said Sweetie Belle as she stood up. “I promised to spend some time with Rarity. Oh!” Sweetie exclaimed as she made her way to the door. “That song again, what was it called?”

“Road Less traveled,” I told her.

“Right,” she nodded. “I’ll give it a listen, see if Mom has it in her collection. It might be a bit too new, but she’s big on music with a message. Then we can start planning our routine!”

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Well, I need to go too,” said Scootaloo. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She got up and left the club house.

It was a good thing they were leaving; I was starting to feel groggy. It had started very suddenly while we were talking. It would subside for a little and then come back really strong. There was also this irritating itchiness all over my body.

I cursed under my breath as I made my way into the house. The last thing I needed was to get sick. But I didn’t feel sick, but something wasn’t right. The more I thought about it the more frustrated I became.

At Dinner Applejack and Mac said they finally fixed the plough, and they were planning on turning an old hay field over the next day to plant more apple trees. It sounded like a lot of work, but I was surprised when AJ let me off the hook; I just had my normal chores, and then I was to keep making great music with Sweetie Belle.

“Ya really mean it, sis?” It was enough to distract me from my current irritation.

“Yep,” said Applejack.

Eyup?” Mac asked.

“Yeah. I think our Apple Bloom needs to explore other things in life than just farm work. She’s got something good going don’t you think, brother?”

“Eyup.”

I couldn’t believe my luck. I guess AJ really liked Rawhide.

“Speaking of making music,” said Applejack, looking up from her plate. “What are y’all doing next?”

I shrugged. “Sweetie is going to listen to a song I suggested tonight. But we don’t know yet.”

“And you and Sweetie?” Applejacked asked with a wry smile.

I rolled my eyes. Every chance she got to bring it up she took full advantage of.

Applejack continued, “Ya gotta tell her some time soon, I reckon. All of that time alone together, singing, dancing, it sounds pretty romantic.”

“Romance?” asked Mac.

“Apple Bloom has got herself a crush, brother, and it’s our job to guide her… and mostly tease her.”

Mac was silent for a second, but his coy smile spoke volumes. “Eyup.”

I sighed. I really regretted AJ finding out some times. So far she’s been more of a pain than any help; not that I needed any. I knew how I was going to talk to her.

“Ah, don’t worry, Sugarcube. We’re just having a little fun,” said Applejack, rubbing my back.

I hated that tone. I wasn’t a little filly anymore! She didn’t need to talk down to me. “Well could you please stop! It’s so annoying hearing all of your unfunny jokes about it, and teasin' me! You said you’d respect my privacy, but you're so quick to bring it up!” I violently pushed my chair back and stormed out.

I marched up the stairs, and flung myself onto my bed. I felt the annoying itch start again, except this time it was down there; it suddenly all made sense to me. "Great.”

I laid there for a while, just mulling things over, and being irritated at nothing in particular. Stupid Applejack and her jokes. Stupid Talent Scout and his just everything! Stupid jerk!

After a while there was a soft knock on my door. “What?” I said, not bothering to get up.

Applejack stuck her head through the doorway. “Can I come in?”

I sat up, and looked at her. She looked tired and apprehensive. I felt a twinge of guilt for snapping at her like that. “Yeah.”

She took a seat at the edge of my bed. “I-I’m sorry,” she said. “I did it again.” She shook her head. “I didn’t realize how much I was annoying you. You’re right, I should keep my nose out of your feelings for Sweetie Belle unless you ask for advice.”

“I’m sorry, Sis, for snapping at you. I’m—”

“No need to apologize. It’s my fault. I get carried away. I think it’s so sweet that you’ve got a crush on some pony, and the two of you are performing on stage together; Sometimes it's hard to believe you’re growing up, and becoming a beautiful young mare, not just my baby sister.”

Applejack shook her head. I thought I saw a tear flow down her cheek; maybe it was a trick of light.

“It ain’t easy,” said Applejack quietly. “You are my little sister. Someone I can be a role model for, but also trade insults with. But in a sense, you’re also my little girl, someone I need to protect and guide through life. I-I don’t always know who I need to be when it comes to you.”

Slowly, I moved across the bed until I was next to her. I wrapped my forelegs around her and rested my head on her shoulder. “Applejack…” I began.

“Hm?”

“I just want you to know you’re the best. You work so hard for our family, and you’ve done a great job with raising me.”

“Aw shucks, Apple Bloom.” Applejack pulled me in tight. I could hear her sniffle a few times. “You’re such a good kid. I just need to learn your boundaries. I can’t just come in here and hold you like I used to.”

We broke apart after a while. Applejack’s eyes were red. I had tears running down my cheeks, but since my hormones were going haywire, I felt like bawling my eyes out. I kept it together though. “I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier. I just got so mad… I’m in heat,” I muttered the last part.

Applejack nodded in understanding. “I have some herbal teas which will help. Come down stairs, and I’ll make ya some, and you can tell me all about this Sweetie Belle and how she’s caught your heart.” Applejack beckoned. “Or we can talk about other things. Up to you,” she added quickly.

The tea surprisingly helped a lot; it took the edge off, and I felt more at ease. We stayed up late talking. We swapped stories about school. I told her how much I admired Sweetie Belle and thought she was just amazing. She caught me up on some of the town gossip. It was a night of what Rarity would call ‘girl talk.’ It was the most fun I’ve had with AJ in a long time. It was times like this I was so thankful and lucky to have the best sister in Equestria; even if she can be a bit annoying at times. She was there for me when I needed her, and I never truly appreciated how much she really has done for me. I still didn’t know, but I was beginning to see.

The next morning, I drank a double dose of that tea after taking care of business in the shower. I always came faster and harder in heat. I figured the two cups of the tea would hold until lunch time, and I wouldn’t turn into an emotional mess in the middle of planning and rehearsals.

Last year when we all experienced our first heats, Scootaloo became such a nervous trainwreck, she had to miss a few days of school. Still wasn’t as embarrassing as Dinky leaving a puddle in her chair. Sweetie suffered too, but I wasn’t so bad off. Not like this summer. It itched, and anything even remotely sexual got me going, and I was so horny all the time. My heat probably started a few days ago, but today it was at its peak. I might just call this thing at lunch today if it gets really bad.

I worked on my song in the clubhouse while waiting for Sweetie to show up. I was in the middle of adding a second verse when I heard her coming up the stairs. I quickly closed the notebook and stashed it away.

Sweetie Belle entered with a smile on her face. A golden hue of sunlight shone through the doorway, silhouetting Sweetie Belle in the threshold. “Good morning,” she said brightly.

She seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. Or was I just in a bad mood? “Ugh.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked, closing the door behind her.

“Heat,” I muttered.

Sweetie Belle cocked her head to one side. “It’s not that hot out there.”

I facehoofed.

“Oh…” realization dawned on her finally. “I’m sorry.”

“Hot outside,” I chuckled shaking my head.

“I’m sorry. There wasn’t exactly any context; just a single word.”

“Yeah, yeah , yeah,” I said waving my hoof. “Anyway, did you check out that song?”

“I did.” Sweetie Belle took a seat next to me. “I really liked it. Good find.”

I was glad she liked the song. We spent the rest of the morning going over a skit and dance to go with it. It wasn’t easy. Every skit we did was too serious or made no sense.

“I don’t know,” Sweetie said, scratching out another idea written in her notebook. “I think you should take the lead vocal on it though.”

“Are you sure?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “It’s your song. You have the right voice for it. I’ll sing the backup and be the main dancer. I think we still need another song…”

“Another gypsy song?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head “We did gypsies last show. We need another type—I mean we need to play different characters this time.”

We sat in silence for a few moments. The tea was wearing off. My mind was filled with lewd thoughts which I tried to ignore by counting the planks on the floor.

“We’ll do your song as a cold open, and then we’ll need another song...” Sweetie Belle rested her chin on a hoof as she thought.

I shrugged. “Do the two songs have to be connected? Last time they were only connected because of our lines we wrote.”

“Mmm, I suppose they don’t have to.” Sweetie’s brow furrowed. After a few seconds she shook her head. “It would just be weird—the songs need to at least make sense.”

“Maybe a happy song?” I suggested. “The song I’m singing is empowering; so at the end we are empowered and sing something empowering.” That sounded way better in my head.

Sweetie Belle smiled. “I’m sorry, did you say empowered? I think I missed that part.”

“You know what?” I chucked a pillow that was sitting next to me. She squeaked as it hit her in the face. She countered by picking up several pillow with her magic. One by one she sent them pelting at me. I shielded my face. “Ah! No fair! Sweetie—” A pillow smacked me in the face. She was relentless!

I dove, grabbed a pillow, and swung it around into her. The green aura around the pillows faded, and they fell to the floor. We both lay on the floor giggling. “Cheater,” I said.

“I do not cheat,” Sweetie said with the most insincere voice she could muster. “I’m simply using my powers for good.”

“Pfff, for good,” I laughed. “Beware, the pillow fighting champion, Sweetie Belle!”

Sweetie Belle rolled over so we were facing each other. “Apple Bloom,” she said seriously. “I’m so happy you decided to do this with me. It’s been so much fun so far.”

A warmth spread through my chest, and I smiled at her. If I could just reach out and brush her forelock back over her ears; If I could just kiss her and hold her tight. But we simply lay there, sharing a moment of perfect silence.

But without fail, my biology had to come in and ruin the moment. There was a warmth spreading from somewhere else, and that stupid itch was back.

Come on! Not now! Body, can you not be horny for like five minutes?

Heat sucks.

“Hey,” said Sweetie softly. “You okay?”

“Wha—oh yeah. Just mare problems. Do you mind if we stop here for the day? Even with that tea, I’m probably not much use.”

Sweetie Belle gave me a sympathetic smile. “It must be bad this year.” She sat up on her haunches, and reached over me, placing both of her forehooves on my shoulders. Her hooves moved in a circular motion and up and down. “I heard this can help too.”

It felt so incredible. My hormones went wild, and I could feel myself wink, but her massage lulled me into total relaxation. “Yeah, it’s bad this time.”

“I was in heat during that last performance in Filly-Tonix. It was awful.”

I was putty in her hooves. My eyelids felt heavy. All I could think about was her leotard I had taken. No wonder it smelled so strongly…

“Mmm, Sweetie,” I mumbled. “That’s putting me to sleep.”

She stopped. My body protested. “It should relax you a little. Rarity had to do that to me last year; I would get so wound up and crazed.”

“Thanks,” I replied, rising to my feet. “That really did help.”

“I’ll figure out a song for the act. If you’re feeling better tomorrow we can work on it,” said Sweetie. “Until then: tea, hot baths, and rest.” She smiled.

I nodded.”Will do; I hope this is the worst of it.”

After lunch I followed Sweetie’s advice, and took a hot bath. It was nice to soak in the hot water; it cleaned all of the itchiness away on my fillyhood, and the water was just the right temperature to partially sate that ever-persistent itch.

I worked my forehoof down my stomach, rubbing it softly. Sweetie’s massage was still fresh in my mind, and I let my hoof travel lower. I moaned softly as I traced circles over my teats. I pushed lower, arriving at the place I actually intended to reach.

Knowing Applejack and Mac were outside and probably wouldn’t be coming in the house for a while, I decided to not hold anything back. I rammed my hoof into my nether lips, and I pushed into my hoof hard.

Picturing Sweetie Belle eating me out, I rubbed faster, not bothering to keep quiet. Moans and squeals echoed off the bathroom walls. I winked and contracted hard and fast. I felt the need to have something inside me, deep inside me.

As I imagined Sweetie’s tongue entering me, my hoof pressed firmly against my clit. I had hit my peak. I slammed my head back, hitting it against the bathroom wall, making the door rattle. High-pitched moans escaped me as I contracted and shook with an overwhelming intensity. Feminine juices squirted out after each contraction. I kept my hoof moving vigorously as I rode out the tidal wave of pleasure.

I let my foreleg fall limp at my side as I lay there sprawled out. The irritating itchiness was gone, and I didn’t have a care in the world. I examined the ceiling as if it were an interesting painting. It seemed to spin above me. My eyelids became heavy; I let myself drift off to sleep.

I awoke to the feeling of cool water around me. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the once hot bathwater was nearly room temperature. Shivering, I stood up and pulled the stopper. I stepped out and wrapped myself tightly in a towel to warm up. I kept it wrapped around me as I walked back to my room, shivering occasionally.

I couldn’t feel a trace of any of the annoying itching or any other heat symptoms. There was no way it was already finished, but I was on the other side of the peak. By tomorrow evening I should be completely out.

It was already evening. I decided I would work on my song while waiting for dinner, and then I would turn in early. As much as I enjoyed hanging out with Applejack, I didn’t want to ask her to stay up again; not when she has a lot of work to do. Sweetie Belle and Rarity do a sisters’ spa day; AJ and I should have something too—not the spa… AJ doesn’t like that. Staying up late and talking could be our thing!

I had only written out a few possible phrases when the call for dinner came. The conversation around the table was mostly over future plans for Sweet Apple Acres. I was only half listening. Even that lulled into idle chit-chat. AJ asked me if I could sing a song called Jolene at the next concert. I had never heard of it, but it was one of her favorites.

“And how was your day, Sugarcube?” Applejack me.

I made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a nonchalaunt ‘eh.’

“I’ll make more tea.” Applejack got to her hooves, and returned to the kitchen.

Still, I didn’t feel like I was in heat anymore. But there was no way it just went away after that? Did it?

Mac left the table, muttering something about sleep when Applejack returned with a steaming mug of herbal tea.

“Thanks, Sis. I think I’m through the worst of it.”

“Drink this just to be sure.” She pushed the mug across the table toward me.

I took a sip; at the very least it was a nice tasting tea. “Sis, why was it so much worse this time? Last time it wasn’t that bad.”

Applejack sighed. “When you’re young, it can be very intense. Your hormones are still trying to regulate and everything. As you get older, you’ll be able to manage it better… mostly. It’s not fun for us old mares either.”

“Oh, Sis, you’re not old,” I said. I stood up and hugged her.

“Aw shucks. I reckon not, but I sure feel that way sometimes.” Applejack yawned. “Like tonight. I’m dead on these hooves of mine.”

“You need to take a day off, Sis.” She did look rundown. She had been looking worse for wear for a while now, but today she had dark circles under her eyes, and her brow seemed to have a permanent frown.

Applejack nodded, yawning again. “I plan to when you two do your show.”

I smiled. She really was the best sister in all of Equestria. “No, I mean just take a day off. Why don’t we just go do something fun for a day?”

“That sounds like a great idea, Sugarcube. What are you thinking?”

I shrugged. “Whatever you wanna do… we always had fun together when I was younger.”

Applejack stretched and yawned again. “Tell ya what,” she said, “after your show, we’ll take a day and do something fun. I’m to-to—” she yawned again. “I’m too tired to think of anything now.”

We made our way up the stairs together. We bid each other goodnight and went to our rooms. I couldn’t have been more excited about spending some quality time with my sister. Truth be told I didn’t really care what we did as long as we did it together... and it wasn’t farm work.

Feeling better than I had in days, I curled up under my covers and fell asleep quickly.