You'll Never Know

Spoiled Rich smiled at the reaction. Her eyes sparkled with a knowing light as her horn began to glow. From the end table beside the couch, a small envelope began to rise into the air. The envelope fluttered through the air; guided by Spoiled’s magic to land in Applebloom’s hooves. Taken by surprise, the Earthpony asked in a curious tone.

“What’s this?”

Rising from her seat, Spoiled gathered the teacups with a flourish before heading off towards the kitchen, calling back to Applebloom as she did so.

“I think, perhaps Miss Bloom, it would be best if you heard it in her own words.”

Her own words?

Looking down at the envelope in her hooves, she turned it over to reveal a single word: Applebloom. Staring at it, Applebloom felt her heartbeat quicken. The writing was Diamond’s.

The calligraphy was unmistakable. She had seen that style of horn-writing countless times on Diamond’s desk at school.

Staring in disbelief at the envelope, Applebloom turned it over once more and lifted the flap. Was it her imagination or was that strange perfume wafting from the pages folded within? Removing the parchment within, Applebloom’s nose was bombarded by the serene fragrance as she began to read the seemingly tear-soaked pages:

Dear Applebloom,

This isn’t easy for me to write, and you’ll probably never read this, but mom said I should tell you; just in case. So here goes. I like you. I mean I like-like you. Always have. It was like this strange spell you cast upon me the moment we met. Even though we were foals, I’ll never forget it:

Howdy! Mah name’s Applebloom!”

That quaint, rustic accent of yours had me over the moon! It made me feel like butterflies were circling my stomach. I thought at that time we could be friends; so I...Kicked you. I didn’t understand why you ran away, crying at that time. I was so upset that you didn’t accept my friendship. I came home crying that day.

I wasn’t sure what went wrong so I asked my sis. Silver said maybe I should make you feel special. Perhaps I could make you something? So I tried again. I made you a card for Hearts and Hooves day. That didn’t go so well. I remember trying all night to come up with the perfect words for my feelings. For hours I poured over it, until I was almost in tears:

Roses have thorns,
The sky is blue,
Cider is sweet,
And I hate you.
-Diamond

Still, you left crying yet again. I couldn’t understand it. Was I not good enough to be your friend? It didn’t make sense to me. What did I do wrong? Perhaps I came on too strong? I was determined to be your friend; throughout the years I never gave up and teased you at least once a day. Still, you never smiled at me. It hurt. It tore me up inside. And then just last week, I learnt why.

Last week, my sis contacted me from Canterlot University. She asked me how I was doing, and I told her all about you. About everything I felt for you and...What I had done to show it. She sounded surprised and slightly disappointed, but then she explained to me in a patient way; almost as if she understood, why what I did was wrong. I was aghast. I had been doing what? To you, my acts of affection had been nothing but schoolyard torture.

I hadn’t realized! I’m so sorry. I really didn’t know. I asked her what I could do to fix it, and she told me of our family’s ritual.

It was perfect! I could tell you everything...Before it was too late. There was just one catch. I would have to ask mom for a perfume to wear.I had never worn perfume, nor really understand the different scents. I didn’t have a clue what to choose so I begged Silver to help me.

My sister is really smart. She told me she had the perfect scent in mind. The perfect scent to encapsulate the...painful relationship we shared: Diamond Dust. She explained to me about the roses, the legend behind them and the name they were so often known as; Petals of Blind Love.

I don’t know if you know the legend or not, but I’m kinda bored laying here in bed waiting for Luna to come. And as painful as writing this is, it feels good. So, I’m going to tell you anyway.

Long ago, about two hundred years or so they say, Celestia made the ponies of Equestria. Luna gave the lives a purpose and Cadence; the power of emotions and love. However, the land itself was barren; no plants anywhere. The Earthponies were gifted with the ability to raise the flora. Many new plants soon decorated the once desolate landscape; flowers of many sizes, colors and trees as tall as the dwellings they lived in.

One Earthpony, though, lacked the magical botanical abilities her kin. This made her sad. Her entire life, she was unable to grow any of the plants she so treasured. At night she could be heard lamenting her inability, by the nearby residents. Nopony could figure out how to help her; magical medicine had no effect. Suitors were enthralled by her looks, but upon learning of her lack of talent in growing; the stallions just turned away.

Little did she know, however, a Unicorn stallion had been eyeing her for quite some time. Like her, he too lacked the natural talent of his kind. Though, even though he lacked the magic of Unicorns, he possessed great magical knowledge. His books on magical theorem are studied in Canterlot University to this day.

The mare, herself had fantasized about the stallion as well; sneaking peeks when she was sure he wasn’t looking. Back then, it was customary for the mare to offer the stallion an offering on the first date. The mare, however, had nothing to give; no money, no talent, nothing of merit. Or so she thought.

One day the Unicorn knocked on her door. After letting him in, the two began talking. The conversation was going great and then the stallion asked her why she was never growing anything; a duty of Earthponies bestowed by Celestia herself. Afraid he would ostracize her like the others, she didn’t answer. Instead, she fled from the scene, the tears in her eyes dripping onto the hardwood floor as she ran.

At first he rose to chase her, but she was just too fast, and he soon lost sight of her when he got to the doorway. He felt defeated and lowered his eyes in distress. How could he make her smile? What could he possibly do? It was then that he noticed her tears still upon the hardwood floor and got an idea.

Using a piece of folded up handkerchief, he scooped the tiny tears up and slid them into a vial he had taken from his waistcoat. Placing a cork in the vial, he galloped back into town. Desperate to locate the greatest Spellcaster of that generation, he tore down the street to the home of the one and only: Starswirl the Bearded. He pleaded his desire before the Spellcaster, only to be given a skeptical analysis.

It was fantastical, he was told; it simply couldn’t work. Turning tears into a living plant? Stuff and nonsense. For any other, that would have been the end, but this stallion was respected for his knowledge of the arcane and simply inquired with: But what about Alchemy?

Alchemy wasn’t well known back then. The process of transmuting one thing to another by the ties that bind them. Starswirl wasn’t convinced, and so he sent for the botany expert; Mistmane, the Pillar of Beauty.

Though a Unicorn herself, Mistmane’s connection to the Equestrian plant-life was unquestionable. If anypony could find the connection she could. When she arrived however, after hearing the idea she agreed; it was impossible. In their current state, the tears simply couldn’t be used to form a living plant, as the tears themselves were not alive. She explained how only an equivalence of exchange would give the necessary ingredients to create what he had in mind.

What was missing however, was the life part; he would have to sacrifice something to make this happen. A part of him to bring the form to life. And that’s exactly what he did. He asked how much of him would be required and after much thinking came up with a solution. His eyes. They say that he gave his ivy green eyes which causes the stalk of the rose to glisten to this day with a dark green hue.

The tears were crystalized by Starswirl and kissed by Mistmane before being planted with the eyes of the stallion. He would go to any length to make that mare smile; even if he would never witness it. He was told three days. For three days he would have to water that spot; no other could do it. And so he did.

Three days went by, he would sneak away from the place he worked to water the spot once per day; on his face he wore a band of silken fabric to cover where his eyes used to be. On the third day, he found a small flower had grown in the spot. Using his hoof, he felt it and smiled. It was exactly as he imagined.

Racing back to the home of the mare, he banged upon the door in excitement. He heard the door open slowly. Immediately following came a gasp. afterwards an exclamation came of how beautifully the lavender petals of the rose shone. As well as how wonderful he was for bringing it,.

Before long, the two were wed and the mare took the stallion’s name of Snuggleberry. Her smile was never-ending, though he never would get to see it; their love was truly blind.

To this day, the Snuggleberries grow and tend the special rose created all that long ago by the blind stallion for his true love. The Petals of Blind Love. It made me think of you.

I’ll never get to see you smile. I’ll never get another chance to kiss you, to show you just how special you are to me. It seemed fitting, almost poetically karmic in a way. When we kissed in that meadow I whispered something to you. Then I saw a spark in your eyes ignite. I was so sure you heard me...but you didn’t come by the next day or the one after that. Perhaps I was wrong again? I guess-

“Yah weren’t wrong, Ah-”

The words began to blur as Applebloom’s tears fell upon the words of Diamond, smearing them beyond recognition. Her heart was threatening to rip itself from her chest; it hurt so much. Her words came out as barely a whisper as the ruined pages fell to the floor.

“Ah was. And now, Ahm too late ta tell ya, aren’t Ah Diamond?”

***

Applebloom’s hoofsteps echoed in her ears as she walked down the stone walkway. It was a sunny day in Canterlot, but all Applebloom could see was a gray tint to the bright colors of the garden; as the paved walkway wound through it. Behind her, the heavy oak door of the Rich Manor slammed shut.

Her heart was limply beating in her chest, and she felt half dead. In her forehoof was a bouquet of roses; which dragged on the ground behind her. Applebloom’s head was spinning. I was too late.

In her head, the meeting with Spoiled Rich played. It flashed before her eyes; burrowing into her brain. It was like an ice pick. Deeper and deeper the haunting echo of the event wound into the crevices of her mind. Too late. Too late.

***

Applebloom hollowly pushed opened the door to the Apple Family Homestead. Her hoofsteps thudded heavily on the ancient timbers as she trudged across the kitchen floor.

“Hey kiddo!”

Off to the side, Rainbow Dash sat next to Applejack and sported a brilliant set of Crystalline Apple earrings; enameled with bright reds and resembling a certain mare’s Cutie Mark. Cheerily, she called out a hello to the young mare, but Applebloom didn’t respond; she continued on her way towards the stairs.

“Hey Sugarcube, are ya al-”

Applejack’s concern was ignored as Applebloom dragged herself up the stairs; hearing none of it. She didn’t hear anything at all, except the words too late echoing in the recesses of her mind. Her eyes were open, but they beheld nothing. As she flung herself on the bed, Applebloom was essentially dead to the world; just watching the scenes of the meadow and the manor play out in a loop.

Round and round, the merry-go-round of images played, like some nightmarish fever dream, before her eyes. The confession of love, the heart-wrenching discovery; it wouldn’t stop. Her senses were completely overloaded; all this information came so fast. Her feelings, Diamond’s pain; her actions, her reasoning...It all came in a flash. She hadn’t even time to sort it all out and now it was too late. Too late. Argh! So frustrating! What do I do?

She wanted to scream to rage. Yet all she could do was cry. And as the tears fell upon her comforter she kicked out in frustration and her hoof made contact with something. The fluttering caused from contact caused Applebloom to bolt upright and turn to look at the object. What in the-

It was a parchment, only it wasn’t. The words seemed to hover in the air, made of tiny- crystals? Applebloom poked at the strange words. They wiggled, before reassembling themselves. Written upon nothing, the tiny crystals spelled out a message:

My Dearest Daughter Applebloom,

Your Appointment is scheduled for now.

Please say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to confirm.

Applebloom stared at the strange message in wondrous fascination. Say yes or no to confirm? My daughter? What in the name of Celestia- Could it be Mom? What if it’s Mom- No. No, that's wishful thinking. I wonder what will happen if-

“Ah say yes?”

Her eyes opened wide in trepidation as she realized she had spoken it out loud. The words began to glow with a pink fire and circled her at an increasing rate while changing into a new message:

Thank you. She will see you now.

Wait, what? What do you mean now? Faster and faster the words circled her while growing brighter and brighter. Within seconds the pink fire exploded outward and when the dust settled, Applebloom was gone, the bedroom empty once more.