Adventures in Crusading

It had been happening for several nights in a row. Her pulse was rushing. Her head was reeling. Her face was flushing. Something strange had been building up inside of her, and she knew exactly what the cause was.

It was the early morning when Apple Bloom walked into the kitchen, the familiar scent of Zap Apple jam hitting her nose. After an entire night of tossing and turning, she had decided to confront her worries straight on.

“Hey sis? I, uh, got somethin’ to ask ya,” said Apple Bloom as she approached the nearby stove.

“Sure thing sugarcube. I’m all ears” Applejack said while stirring a pot of Zap Apples.

“I think somethin’s wrong with me,” said Apple Bloom.

“What d’ya mean?” asked Applejack.

“I’ve been havin’ these thoughts for a few nights now. I… I think I have a crush on a girl,” said Apple Bloom.

“And that’s a problem because?” said Applejack as she poured a pot of jam into jars.

“You’re not mad?” asked Apple Bloom, slightly confused.

Applejack interjected: “Why would I be? Look, Bloom. There ain’t nothin’ wrong with likin’ girls. And ain’t nobody in this family gonna treat ya any different based on who ya like. Everythin’s gonna be alright. Just look at how me and-”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks, I get it. But what if my crush don’t feel the same way I do?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well, maybe she will, maybe she won’t. But I wouldn’t fret on that. If it ain’t her, then that just means ya haven’t found your special someone yet,” said Applejack.

Apple Bloom took that advice in stride, grabbing her bike and departing towards a certain someone.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Diamond Tiara was busy venting her feelings about a certain Apple over a video call with Silver Spoon.

“And that’s what I’ve been feeling since the past few nights! I can’t get her out of my head!” Diamond practically shouted at the computer on her desk.

“Well, if you like her so much, then just tell her,” said Silver Spoon.

“But what if she doesn’t like me back? Things could get awkward between us. But if she does like me, it could affect our friend group. And what would my parents say?” said Diamond.

Even through choppy, pixelated internet connection, Silver Spoon held a visible expression of annoyance towards her friend’s indecisiveness.

“Di, listen to me. Who cares about what could happen. Who cares what your parents think. You don’t want to miss the shots you don’t take,” said Silver Spoon.

Diamond stood there silently, thinking things over. “You know what Silvie, I think you’re right. I’ll go see Apple Bloom right now,”

The plan was simple: reach Apple Bloom and confess to her. Now, getting over there was anything but. Having spent a lifetime within the city and its suburbs, Diamond hadn’t a clue how to get to the outskirts of the city on her own. She figured, however, that the simplest option was to ride her bike. And so she did just that, going through the familiar suburban view, watching as the homes became replaced by tall strands of grass.

Diamond rode through the bucolic landscape, passing an endless expanse of wheat fields and quaint little barns. An eternity later, she had arrived in front of a winding path that led to a farmhouse and a signature red barn, telltale signs of what place she had come to: Sweet Apple Acres. Diamond walked towards the barn where Apple Bloom would often be waiting before Crusader meetings. Peeking inside, she found that Apple Bloom wasn’t there. Instead, she found a blonde stacking crates of apples.

“Um, hello Applejack, is Apple Bloom around? I need to see her,” said Diamond.

Applejack put down a crate she was carrying and adjusted her Stetson. She quickly turned to face her.

“You’re lookin’ for Apple Bloom? Well, she ain’t here, that’s for sure. Went out lookin’ for ya bout a half-hour ago. Though when ya do find her, tell her to get inside. It’s gettin’ mighty chilly out here, ‘specially for fall weather,” said Applejack.

And so, Diamond thanked her and went on her way.

The weather had begun to worsen. Snowflakes were swirling in the sky as a chilly gust of wind blew in every direction. Diamond made sure to make a quick stop at a clothing store, purchasing two coats before riding off. Finding Apple Bloom was going to be a rather strange task: she had to think of where she, herself, would be. Diamond had checked the usual locations where Apple Bloom could be: her house, the school, and the bakery. She wasn’t there.

Diamond thought for a moment. Where else would she go? One last place sprung to mind: the Canterlot Mall. Diamond raced through the streets until she had reached a small bridge going over a brook. A familiar someone was pedaling across it. She’d recognize that red hair anywhere.

“Apple Bloom!” Diamond called out.

The girl had stopped right at the top of the bridge, looking in Diamond’s direction. The two of them got off their bikes.

“Here,” Diamond handed her a coat to a slightly shivering Apple “You look like you’re freezing,”

“Uh, thanks Diamond,” Apple Bloom smiled nervously while putting it on “Look, Diamond, I, uh, have somethin’ to tell ya,”

“Oh. I, um, also have something to tell you too,” said Diamond, suddenly unsure of how to proceed, her plans having been chucked out the window.

“Well then, maybe you should go first,” said Apple Bloom.

“No, you should go first,” said Diamond.

Apple Bloom thought up another idea: “How ‘bout we do it on the count of three. One, two, three,”

“I think I like you,” they both said in unison. For a moment, silence prevailed, until realizations set in. They looked at each other, the weight of their words making them go from shock to confusion to relief, and then settling for a strange form of happiness. They gazed at each other, their eyes locked in a trance. They leaned in, getting closer and closer.

Unfortunately, a poorly timed phone call cut the moment short.