Blooming Seed

It was a late Sunday afternoon. Most ponies were just taking it easy, relaxing before a new of work and school. Some, however, still worked over the weekends, even on the day of rest. Applejack, hardworking and stubborn as she was, bucked the orchards to gather some apples by herself. The rest of the Apple Family was kicking back in the farmhouse.

Granny Smith washed the dishes after all five family members had dinner. Big Mac was in his room reading some magazine, bored. There was no crusading for the Cutie Mark Crusaders today. Rarity and Sweetie Belle went to a one-day trip to Manehattan to buy some fabric, while Scootaloo was practicing flying with Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale.

Babs Seed and Apple Bloom sat in the living room, talking amongst themselves and ignoring the blaring TV. A boring, black-and-white movie about life in old Equestrian times was playing on the screen. The fillies were less than entertained. Once they got bored of chatting, they tried to think of something more fun to do to pass the remaining hours.

"I know what we could do tonight! Why don’t we watch a horror movie?" Babs said teasingly. She knew very well that Applejack would not tolerate them watching horror movies near bed-time and absolutely not when they had school the next day.

“Ah'm not sure. Applejack says we are not allowed ta, and we have ta listen to her," stated Apple Bloom, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the orange filly.

Babs giggled and nudged her cousin in the shoulder. "Oh, are ya scared? You're scared that you'll get nightmares? Wow…you really are a crybaby,” she said with a smirk. The filly couldn’t repress a chuckle. After all, she was just joking with her cousin, meaning her no harm.

"Me?! A crybaby?! There’s no way, no how that Ah'm a crybaby, Babs!” The yellow filly blushed and crossed her forehooves, staring stubbornly at the TV. “Hmph!”

Babs couldn’t but giggle at how cute her younger cousin—11 months younger than her, to be exact—was being. She smiled and asked, “So…are ya a crybaby, or not?"

"Ah'm not a crybaby and Ah'll prove it! Tonight, when the others are asleep!" Apple Bloom uncrossed her forehooves, a playful smirk spreading across her muzzle. 'Challenge accepted, Babs!' Babs gave her the same returned the smirk, and the two begin to giggle impishly.

*****

The whole house was dark, everypony asleep except for two fillies. They sat onto the sofa, each with a blanket wrapped around themselves. Babs’ blanket was hot pink and decorated with oranges, while Apple Bloom’s was light green with apples and apple trees on it. The living-room table was set with two bowls: one with a mix of different candies and sweets, and the other with potato chips.

The two cousins stared intently at the TV screen, flickering blue-and-white lights of the TV the only light to be found. The movie was about zombie ponies and vampire ponies fighting for survival and dominance over a town called “Pegasuville.” The movie was intense, and even included several romantic sex scenes and horrifying gore scenes.

Apple Bloom could not believe that Babs Seed liked these kind of movies. She didn’t want to not wanting to admit that she really was scared and hated that movie. But, on the other hoof, Babs loved the movie. She loved the horror, blood, action, and tension in the film.

"Seriously, for how long have ya liked those kind of movies, Babs?" the red-maned filly asked her cousin, closing her eyes as a bloody scene flashed on the TV (complete with screams of agony).

"Since I was a little filly, younger then we are now," replied the orange filly, eyes glued to the TV screen, fascinated. "Do ya think vamponys exist for real?" Babs whispered.

Her cousin looked at her like she was insane. "No, Ah don’t think so! No thanks!”

The movie was nearing its end, vamponys victorious over the fallen zombie ponies. "That was awesome! I’ve seen worse, though.” Babs turned from the TV and smirked at her cousin.

Apple Bloom caught Babs’ gaze, causing her to blush and hide her face. She looked away, hoping the filly couldn’t see how red her face was becoming—almost as red as her mane. "Ah.. Ah'm not sure,” she muttered. The yellow filly thought her cousin was amazing, impressed at her lack of fear. The former Manehattan filly could probably watch a pony get eaten alive as she was eating dinner without flinching. If that happened, Apple Bloom would puke for the rest of the day and never be able to sleep again.

"So were ya scared?"

Apple Bloom lied, "N-N-Nope! Ah was... was not scared at all!" The bow-filly wanted to impress her cousin, but she really was scared, quite scared. She rose from the sofa, keeping the blanket wrapped around herself. "Ah'm goin' to sleep. Let’s see who is the one with nightmares tonight," she taunted, smirking back at her cousin. She quickly trotted out of the living room and headed up the stairs to her bedroom.

Babs rolled her eyes and watched Apple Bloom depart the living room. “Yeah, sure,” muttered the pink-maned filly under her breath.

*****

Apple Bloom tossed and turned, struggling in her sleep. She laid against the bed, drenched in cold sweat, groaning. Suddenly, the yellow filly bolted upright,  hyperventilating. She looked all around her room, finding nothing and nopony. "Guess Ah lost the challenge,” she muttered, jumping from her bed. She put her bow back in her mane and exited her room, clutching her little green blanket around her body.

She thought that was pretty foalish of her to wrap herself in a blanket, but couldn’t help herself. She was a scared little foal and the blanket was her protector. The hallway was dark. Too dark. She knew she was a little paranoid from her nightmare and the movie. She knew that there was no such thing as zombie ponies or vamponies, but Apple Bloom felt like they would attack her any second.

She slowly made her way to Babs Seed’s room. It felt like it took years to reach her cousin’s room, the filly taking careful and easy steps to avoid making any noise. Apple Bloom thought that it was like one of those haunted-house movies. Somepony would explore the haunted house, walk casually through a hallway, and a ghost would pop up sooner or later. Thankfully, she got lucky this time. Finally Apple Bloom reached Babs’ door and slowly turned the doorknob with a forehoof.

She slowly opened the door. Across the room, her cousin slept peacefully in her bed. Apple Bloom whispered softly as she entered, "B-Babs?” Closing the door behind her, Apple Bloom trotted towards the bed and poked her cousins’ cheek gently with the tip of her hoof. "Babs?”

Suddenly worried that maybe Babs had been killed by a zombie pony, Apple Bloom was relieved to see her cousin scratch her cheek and mutter in her sleep, “Let me sleep, just a little more…”

The farm-filly lightly giggled and poked her again in the same spot "Babs....”

Slowly, Babs Seed woke, opening her eyes and stared tiredly at Apple Bloom. "Huh? It’s morning already?" she asked, lifting herself off the bed with her forehooves. She smirked at Apple Bloom. "Ya got a nightmare, huh, cuz?"

With a deep blush on her cheeks and a stubborn pout on her face, Apple Bloom replied, "It’s your fault.”

The pink-maned filly chuckled and scooted over on the bed, leaving room for her cousin to join her. "Aren’t you too old to be afraid of monsters?”

Apple Bloom jumped onto the bed and laid beside Babs. “Ah can still get nightmares,” she remarked, turning her back to her cousin, still pouting..

Suddenly, she felt two strong forehooves wrapping around her torso in a close, protective embrace. It made the yellow filly’s heart race and locked up her limbs. Frozen in position, flushing crimson, she whispered, "B-Babs?" Apple Bloom didn’t dare turn around to look the orange filly in the eyes. Though she liked the way Babs was holding her, she felt disgusting and crazy for thinking this way—for feeling this way—about her own cousin.

"I'm not allowed to protect my cuz from monsters?" Babs teased. The filly’s older sister used to snuggle her like this when she was younger and had a nightmare herself. The former Manehattan filly flipped on the lamp on the nightstand. As she held her cousin close, she couldn’t help but notice the sweet smell of Apple Bloom’s mane. Babs Seed slowly, softly ran a forehoof through the fluffy red mane.

To Babs Seed, this was just a family thin, but Apple Bloom felt otherwise, thankful that her cousin couldn’t see her face at the moment. The farm-filly’s heart thundered faster. She wished to be back in her own bed just as much as she wanted to be here with Babs.

"Of 'course ya can.. Ah don’t want 'em to get me," Apple Bloom whispered in reply, her voice calmed. She felt safe in her cousin’s embrace, and soon closed her eyes with a smile on her muzzle.

"Don’t you worry. I'll be your knight," Babs assured with a smile of her own. She eventually closed her own eyes, and the two cousins soon fell fast asleep.

*****

Celestia raised her sun on this busy Monday morning. Ponies of all ages were busy getting ready for their return to work or school. The streets of the town bustled with ponies getting some early-morning shopping done or just hanging out with their friends. At Sweet Apple Acres, everypony was awake and about, except the two youngest Apples.

The Element of Heonesty decided to wake her sibling and cousin, a new day of school beckoning. Apple Bloom wasn’t in her own room, so the farm-pony decided to check on Babs’ room. Suspicious and a bit surprised, she found the two fillies asleep with their forehooves wrapped around each other.

Applejack trotted over to the bed and pulled the covers away.  A sudden chill and a familiar, thickly-accented voice woke the two fillies. "What in tarnation?! What are ya two doin' in bed together?" Applejack asked, staring at them suspiciously.

The fillies sat on their haunches and stared back at her, confused.  “She had a nightmare, so she came to me for comfort. Ya would done the same, Applejack," Babs explained. She spoke only the honest truth. Babs glanced over at Apple Bloom, who was looking at the floor and trying the best not to blush. She blushed anyway.

A small blush spread across Applejack’s muzzle, misunderstanding what she had seen. "Oh, Ah'm really sorry, Ah thought…Oh, nevermind. Breakfast is ready," Applejack said with a  chuckle. She left them alone and headed back towards the downstairs kitchen.

“Hey, you alright?" The pink-mane filly turned to her cousin, concerned. She couldn’t understand why the yellow filly had looked away from her.

"Ah’m fine, thanks,” Apple Bloom replied. She finally glanced over at Babs Seed and smiled. She was too hungry to wait and see if Babs would smile back. She jumped off the bed and trotted towards the kitchen. The orange filly followed after her cousin, her own stomach growling.

All the members of the Apple Family sat at the breakfast table, hastily eating and exchanging a few quick words. After breakfast, both school-fillies brushed their teeth and packed their lunches into their saddlebags. Applejack gave them each a piece of apple pie, an apple and apple juice for their lunch. As ready as they could ever be, the two fillies headed towards the schoolhouse in town’s center.