Apple Bloom had never really seen the point of those electronic devices Button Mash carried around with him all the time. She knew what they were for. - Distraction. - And if she put her mind into it, she might have even enjoyed playing with them. But the fact was, up until that day she had shown no interest in the objects.
That, it turned out, proved a friendship with Button particularly hard, how can you be friends with someone when you don’t understand even half of what they say? The games featuring filly princesses, evil minotaurs or pink pegasus that could fly and had to avoid the projectiles thrown at them by unicorns using their magic, were easy enough to understand. Those she could follow. But what about all the others? The ones featuring clowns and unicorns and pegasus wielding swords and staffs? She just zoned out whenever he started detailing the plot, and he kept going and going for hours! It was unbearable.
Unless the videogame involved some kind of psychical activity, like her farm work, the truth was, she simply care for it.
Why did she want to be friends with Button? It truly wasn’t on her plans, the farm filly hanging with the video game obsessed colt? Who’d have thought of such a pairing? But she had to try, after all…
Apple Bloom sighed, cursing her luck with a particular harsh case of “Horse apples”. Of course Sweetie Belle just had to have fallen for Button, and of course the dorky colt also had a crush on her. She didn’t hate the colt or anything, it just made things...difficult, not to mention awkward with Sweetie. The pair shared their geeky references, and even when she tried to understand them, she really, really didn’t. Not to mention that it brought the fact she was still single to her mind.
It was a fact that, until very recently, hadn’t even passed through Apple Bloom’s mind. After all she had been so very busy trying to get her cutie mark, and then after helping out all the ponies who had a problem with theirs...The thought wasn’t even there. Sure a tiny inkling of her mind was aware that Colts were...okay she guessed...and she could definitely see Sweetie’s beauty, or Scootaloo’s determination, but that was just that, tiny details that she barely focused on.
Sweetie had always been one for the drama and falls of romance, of course, were she not the sister of major fashionista Rarity. Sure, it had started with the talks of “Is that colt cute” or “How do you think a muzzle nuzzle feels?”, but now it had progressed into something steady with Button. Even if their romance was almost interrupted by a screen. They didn’t seem to be coming apart anytime soon. At least, not as a couple. As far as Apple Bloom knew they had to split up to go home.
And with Scootaloo being amazed at the wingspan and cute eyes of Rumble (Who wasn’t? Certainly not anyone but Apple Bloom) it was starting to seem more and more likely that she was a biological freak, an undeveloped outcast, shunned by the pegasus who shot the arrows of love from high above.
She didn’t care however. Or so she swore to herself, as she saw her friends being whisked away into the waiting hooves of the colts of their dreams. It was a cruel trick, from the mistress of fate (Who, she imagined, looked like Zecora), that it didn’t happen to her at all, but then it didn’t really matter. As she had sworn to herself, it didn’t bother her.
Which was why, after counting her meager savings, in Bits, all those she had saved throughout her fillyhood, to spend on whatever she deemed, she was now at the toy store. Well toy AND videogame store. It had an entire shelf dedicated to those handheld devices, not to mention the games. It made Apple Bloom’s head hurt a bit, and her muzzle crease. But if she were to understand Button, she needed to step up her game. All for her relationship with Sweetie to get back to the old days. As for Scootaloo...well Apple Bloom hadn’t had any ideas yet for how to rekindle with her, but she was sure she would think of something eventually. She was bound to, after all she was very creative.
The ceiling was high, with shelves that stacked up, and the stallion in charge of the business had to use a ladder to reach the higher shelf. In the back there were Video Arcades. While there were some outside, like in the park, where Button sometimes hanged, before Sweetie had had the courage to face him with her feelings, a variety of fillies and colts still hung out in the back, waiting their turn for the indoor arcade, or holding up some combos in Dance Mare Revolution.
The sound of other ponies having fun drew Apple Bloom out, she had been staring at the new “Joyboy 3D”, which apparently had gyroscopes and promised fun in three dimensions, and all of its variations, Lime Green, Sea Green (wasn’t water blue?), Sunset Orange, among others, when she was distracted by the sound of the Arcade.
She counted her Bits, she could buy the old model of the Joyboy, and a game, and still have enough to spend on a round of two of the dancing games. She had quick legs thanks to all the bucking practice she had with AppleJack, she could probably beat the high score of whoever was there at the moment.
Making her decision she picked up the coins and approached the machines. Dance Mare Revolution was surprisingly devoid of a line, there was only one pony, with a pinkish coat, there, doing her best to make her limbs seem as not more than a blur. She moved fast but Apple Bloom figured she could move faster.
All the arrows landed on either Ok or great, the filly didn’t seem to miss a single one. Apple Bloom knew how impressive that was, she had already tried the machine on several occasions. She was almost as good as her. In her mind Apple Bloom refused to accept even the idea that the filly could be better than her.
She just stared at her imaginary opponent, ready to take her record out, for she was sure that a new record would be set by her. She knew that it would probably be done twice, actually, first by her mysterious opponent with a pinkish coat, and then by her. On the wait for her turn she couldn’t help herself but admire the image of her opponent. Her pale pink coat, which was dampened with sweat, and a well cared for purple and white tail, which, due to the speed at which the pony was moving, never touched the ground. That, unfortunately blocked Apple Bloom’s view ot the filly cutie mark, but she still noticed the accessory on her head, a silver tiara with what appeared to be Diamonds in it. As the song drew to an end and the filly step up down, she turned to face Apple Bloom.
“Beat that! Whoever comes after! I am - “ The filly gasped as she caught side of the pony waiting, sure, she was aware that someone was waiting to play , but she had never thought it to be Apple Bloom!
“Diamond Tiara! Ya like Dance Mare Revolution? But, but... “ Apple Bloom would have been speechless but the question had jumped out of her mouth even without her even thinking about it. After all Apple Bloom was very aware that Diamond Tiara found the very concept of videogames “uncouth” ...at least she thought so, she scoffed at the games Button and Sweetie played, so what was she doing here?
The two fillies stared at one another, Apple Bloom’s gaze seemed incapable to leave the other filly’s eyes. She should have figured, with the Tiara, and the colors of her coat, and tail, not to mention mane, who she had been, but even if it had come into her mind she would have dismissed it completely. In her head Diamond Tiara and video games were two opposites, two concepts that didn’t mix, like water and oil.
“You don’t need to look so shocked! I am good at almost everything! Of course I would enjoy some of this silly video games. And be the best! Look! - Diamond Tiara found it real hard to get the staring eyes of Apple Bloom of her mind, but she managed to make her hoof gesture in the direction of the video screen of the game she had been playing where a “New Highscore” text flashed on the screen.
Apple Bloom managed to tear her eyes from the face of Diamond Tiara, to stare at the screen, she had almost forgotten she wanted to play too. And she still had her bag of bits saddled to her. She realised. It would be hard to play the game with it strapped to her.
She had to, after all, it wasn’t as if she had come there with her friends, and had someone to save her bag. She was getting on the platform and inputting a song, after having removed a couple bits with her teeth, to place them in the machine, when Diamond scoffed.
“You’re really going to play the game with that strapped to you?”
Apple Bloom placed the last coin she had in her mouth inside the machine and responded.
“Didn’t you play with that tiara?” She asked, making Diamond Tiara outraged.
“My tiara, which you don’t get to dish by the way, stays in my head, your sack, probably half empty, I imagine, will get in between your legs and make you trip!”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, too stubborn to admit that Diamond Tiara was right, after all, she didn’t want to give her the satisfaction.
“Ah play however I want to!” She said, with her southern farmer’s accent, which was only accentuated by the tone in which she spoke the words.
“No, you don’t. You’ll get hurt!”
“Wait what are ya do -” Apple Bloom was interrupted by Diamond Tiara approaching her, until she was inche away, and then pushing her head close to hers. For a moment Apple Bloom thought she was going to kiss her, something she didn’t know if she would oppose, but instead she just picked the straddle of the sack of bits and started pulling it out of Apple Bloom’s neck.
“Knock it off! Thief!” - Apple Bloom pushed back, so that the straps didn’t get removed by Diamond Tiara, but in doing so, Diamond Tiara, who was still holding on to it, was pushed face first into her, knocking them out.
“Now look what ya did!”
“Oh please, it’s totally your fault! Like I need your Bits.”
Diamond Tiara became aware that she had her body against Apple Bloom’s and she was quick to get herself back on her hooves. Too embarrassed to help Apple Bloom stand, she took the opportunity to push the sack out of her reach.
“I’ll give you this when you finish, though, let’s be real, I doubt you can even get close to my High Score.”
Apple Bloom growled the response.
“Ya think?”
Diamond Tiara caught her tiara out of the floor, where it had fallen and placed it on her head. Then she retorted.
“I actually do, go ahead prove me wrong.”
Apple Bloom mumbled something as she selected the same song Diamond Tiara had played, one in the expert setting, as the song began, she focused fully on the game. She knew she could do this, she was ready to do this, she just had to let herself get taken by the rhythm.
As her hooves started to move the filly couldn’t help but mumble in disapproval, of all the annoying ponies she had ever met, Diamond Tiara was amongst the most annoying. Even if they had long since made amends, she wasn’t a pleasant filly to hang out with.
Though a part of her found it sweet that she had caren for her well being, indeed at the rythim her legs were moving she would likely have tripped and hurt herself, she wouldn’t thank her out loud, but she was glad not to have the purse bothering her.
And what had been with that thought about the possibility of Diamond Tiara kissing her? Sure she had had her muzzle fairly close to her face, but it had been to help her, not to kiss her! Why even have the thought?
As fast as her legs moved, her thoughts moved even faster, what was it now? Was she attracted to Diamond Tiara, that just couldn’t be, could it? It was ridiculous, as ridiculous as, well the Apple family growing oranges!
Then she reminded herself, she had an aunt Orange, and she decided to find another example, but ran as she ran her thoughts, she couldn’t help but think back to Diamond Tiara’s eyes, and her muzzle. They had butted heads (not literally of course) against one another several times, they were both stubborn and kind of rivals, but it hadn’t been until that moment, even when staring with annoyance, that she realised that Diamond Tiara had cute eyes.
She almost tripped as she realised it, her heart jumped a beat and her string of perfects was broken. What was she hoping to accomplish with this? Diamond Tiara might care enough for her to stop her from getting hurt, but not enough to kiss her...right?
The music finally stopped and she saw the results, surprisingly, even with her head elsewhere she still had managed to beat Diamond Tiara’s high score, though it wasn’t by much.
“Told ya!” - She smiled, doing her best to pretend nothing was wrong. It wasn’t until Diamond Tiara waved a hoof in front of her she realised she had been staring.
“C’mon, I know I’m cute, but you were practically salivating!”
“Was not!”
“You weren’t?”
“Of course not!”
She had to stop herself from blushing, as Diamond was right on point, she looked amazing today, she didn’t know what was different in her, she had always looked as good as Sweetie, but today she looked gorgeous.
“Liar.” Diamond Smirked. “Then I guess you don’t want me to kiss you?”
Apple Bloom couldn’t help but stammer, what was the answer to that? The one she wanted to give, or the one that would deny her feelings like she was doing? She couldn’t give both could she?
“That’s what I thought, so cute you don’t even have words, come here!” And Apple Bloom approached without any snarky commentary, without any complaints, she just did. She felt her muzzle being pressed on, and she closed her eyes, trying to enjoy the moment as much as she could.
Before, when Sweetie had asked about muzzle nuzzles felt, she had been unable to answer, as she never had one, today, she could have described it perfectly, as it was the best feeling she had ever had. When she finally opened the eyes she noticed that Diamond Tiara was staring at her.
“You so enjoyed that”
“Did not!”
“Please! It’s so obvious!”
Apple Bloom couldn’t deny it further, she approached Diamond Tiara and hugged her tight, so tight even the sack of bits she still had on her, the sack of Bits that belonged to Apple Bloom fell. They both heard the sound of it crashing against the floor, but neither one broke their embrace to pick them up.
As they split Diamond muttered something.
“By the way, congratulations on beating my high score, that was seriously impressive!” Diamond Tiara didn’t sound resentful or angry she just sounded happy.
And throughout all of that Apple Bloom couldn’t help that her high score was nowhere near as impressive as the color on Diamond Tiara’s eyes.
The End
