Withered and Blooming: Chapter 4

“It ain’t fair,” Apple Bloom said as she walked the streets of Ponyville. “It ain’t fair! Why’d Granny Smith hafta leave like this? It just…it ain’t fair.”

Apple Bloom was walking through Ponyville with her head down towards the dirt path below her. She didn’t need to look up to where she was going since she knew the direction anyways, and she really didn’t want to either. She was full of sadness right now and she didn’t want to or care to hide it right now.

Apple Bloom looked up after a while to make sure she was going in the right direction. She saw a river running through Ponyville and a house with a water wheel right next to that river. Fishing in the river was a white unicorn stallion with a straw hat covering his head and his horn and a blue shirt with flowers all over it. Apple Bloom walked up to that stallion and waited for him to notice her before talking.

“Hay Sweetie Bell’s dad,” Apple Bloom said to him. “Is Sweetie Bell here?”

“Hay Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Bell’s dad said. “Nah, Sweetie Bell is gone today. She has some sort of singing performance today.”

“Ahh…ok,” Apple Bloom said, her head falling.

Magnum noticed her sadness so he quickly said “But come back tomorrow and Sweetie Bell will be here. I’ll even tell her that you were here.”

“Thanks,” Apple Bloom said before walking off slowly. As soon as she was out of Magnum’s hearing range she let out a loud sigh. “Well there goes that idea. Ah was really hopin that Sweetie Bell was here.”

Apple Bloom lifted her head up and looked over in a direction of Rainbow Dash’s cloud manor. She couldn’t see it from here but she did know that it was in that direction. It is also as of a few weeks ago, the place that her friend Scootaloo calls home. Rainbow Dash had recently adopted the young pegasus filly, and ever since that happened Scootaloo had been looking really happy whenever Apple Bloom saw her. Especially since she got to stay at the Wonderbolt headquarters whenever Rainbow Dash was there, so she got to know the best flyers in all of Equestria.

Unfortunately that also means whenever Rainbow Dash has some sort of performance for the Wonderbolts, like she does today, Scootaloo has to go with her to that performance. That wasn’t bad for Scootaloo, in fact she absolutely loved it, but that means she wasn’t around Ponyville that day. And Apple Bloom could really use some of her friend’s happiness right now.

“Sweetie Bell…Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said to herself as she walked through Ponyville mindlessly. “Why do ya both hafta be gone today? Why can’t ya both be here?”

As Apple Bloom walked through the town she eventually heard a loud and familiar voice shout out, “Watch out!”

Apple Bloom looked up, worried that she was in the way of something, but it wasn’t her that was in the way. In front of her, Spike was looking forwards with fear crouching down to brace himself as her cousin Braeburn was on a collision course with him. As Apple Bloom was watching she was worried that Spike would get hurt and trying to think of a way to get him out of there. Luckily Braeburn jumped as high as he could and he managed to miss hitting the dragon by just a few inches. As soon as he landed back on the ground with a loud clop he turned back to look at Spike.

“Hay there, are y’all ok?” Braeburn asked.

“Y-yeah,” Spike said. “I’m…fine.”

“Alright then,” Braeburn turned around back in the direction he was originally going. “Sorry about nearly runnin you over there.” Braeburn continued on to what he was doing.

“T-that’s alright,” Spike said, still bewildered.

Apple Bloom ran up to Spike. “Spike, are ya ok?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yeah…I’m fine,” Spike said after breaking out of his bewildered expression. He looked over at Apple Bloom.

“Well that’s good. Ah was…Ah was kinda worried that he was gonna crash into ya,” Apple Bloom said.”It’s nice ta see your still ok.”  Apple Bloom was washed with relief, but along with that relief she remembered something. And that memory caused her to turn her face away from Spike’s so that he wouldn’t see her cheeks go red.

“That was…your cousin Braeburn right?” Spike asked, figuring that was why Apple Bloom was turning away: out of embarrassment that her cousin nearly ran over him.

“Yeah it was,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah wonder what he’s doin here?”

“Well maybe he was heading back to Sweet Apple Acres,” Spike said as he looked back in the direction that Braeburn ran, noting where it would lead. “If I were to guess, he is probably there helping out since your grandma died.” Unfortunately for him, Spike didn’t realize his lack of tact until he looked over at Apple Bloom’s expression. She was once again facing him and no longer blushing. Instead she looked sad.

“S-sorry about that,” Spike said. “I…sorry.” Spike thought for a bit, thinking about how he would make up for his lack of tact. “Hey uhh…do you need somebody to hang out with today since Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell are gone.”

“How did ya…?” Apple Bloom started.

“Twilight sent me a letter telling me that she and Rainbow Dash would be returning back to Ponyville after Rainbow Dash was done with her performance this weekend. I figured Scootaloo would be with them,” Spike said. “And as for Sweetie Bell…Rarity told me.”

Ah should have figured as much, Apple Bloom thought. After all Spike…still has that crush on Rarity. That didn’t help her feel better at all.

“Well, Ah guess if ya want ta hang out today…that would help,” Apple Bloom said.

“Alright then,” Spike said. “What do ya want to do?”

Hmm…I’ve got an idea, Apple Bloom thought. Ah’ve been savin this just in case Ah need it for somethin like this. And it’ll help keep my mind off of things. “Think you’re able ta keep up with me Spike?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Uhh…I don’t…know?” Spike asked. “You are an earth pony and have four legs against mine. I really don’t think I have much of a chance.”

“Really? Do y’all want some more motivation?” Apple Bloom said as she walked up uncomfortably close to Spike.

“Motivation?” Spike asked as he backed away from Apple Bloom’s advance.

“Ah happen to be keeping a nice tasty jewel,” Apple Bloom said. “It’s a nice tasty emerald Ah got as a quick thanks from the Cutie Mark Crusaders for helping fix up a few things for their new headquarters. If ya manage to catch me, then it’s all yours.”

Spike’s mouth naturally started watering at the thought of the gem, like it did with all gems. “Alright, you’re on,” Spike said.

“Come and get me then,” Apple Bloom said as she dashed off.

“Woh, hey wait!” Spike called out as he attempted to follow her.

“I ain’t about to wait for ya!” Apple Bloom called back. “Ya hafta catch up to me if ya want that emerald.”

Apple Bloom ran in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, while hearing the panting of the dragon behind her. She planned on losing him once she got into the orchard and then turning this game of tag into one of hide and seek. She was going to elongate this for as long as she could.

Cause this is the only way Ah’m gonna…keep my mind off things, Apple Bloom thought. Ah know this ain’t…what Ah’d like but it’s still better than nothing.

The two of them kept running at a pretty fast speed towards Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom was keeping her pace as she was advancing and Spike was just barely keeping up, though he was certainly trying. By the time the two of them passed by the open white fence before Sweet Apple Acres though they were starting to get fatigued so Apple Bloom immediately went for the trees.

“Now ya hafta find me,” Apple Bloom said as she ducked behind the house and into the trees.

Spike stopped for a moment next to the red farm house in order to catch his breath. He put his left claw on the right side of the farm house and he watched the cream colored earth pony run and then become obscured by the multiple apple trees. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath, he ran into the forest of apple trees after her.

“Apple Bloom, where did you go?!” Spike called out.

“Ah ain’t about to tell you!” Apple Bloom said back to him. Of course because she yelled at him Spike heard the direction her voice was coming from and ran to his left. He eventually found Apple Bloom and jumped over to catch her, but Apple Bloom dodged to the right out of the way just in time causing Spike’s face to collide with the bark of the wood of the Apple Trees. “Woops, sorry,” Apple Bloom said with a nervous laugh before running off again.

As soon as Spike peeled his head away from the bark he looked over to his right, but by then Apple Bloom had once again ran away. Spike, with an annoyed expression, ran in that direction around the trees as he went because he was no longer on the path. He was hoping while he was running through the trees that he would hear the steady trot of Apple Bloom’s hooves as she ran. Unfortunately Spike wasn’t able to hear her trotting at any point in time, but he did hear her voice.

“Givin up already Spike?” Apple Bloom asked. “Can’t keep up with a filly can you?”

“No, I was just waiting for you to do that!” Spike said. He heard Apple Bloom was somewhere up ahead of him and once again hit the ground running in his pursuit. This time Apple Bloom moved out of the way after she talked to him, but it was too late. Now Spike could hear her hooves stamping across the grassy orchard so he now had her tracked.

Of course Apple Bloom still had superior speed to Spike’s, however now Spike had the advantage of cutting quarters in order to catch up to her. They were no longer just running in a straight line and that gave the chaser all the advantage. Spike cut a corner and after finding some bushes to hide in, he went in there and waited for Apple Bloom. He waited for the steady trot of Apple Bloom’s hooves to come close enough before he came out and pounced at her.

Apple Bloom yelled in surprise and tried backing up but she wasn’t able to move back fast enough. Spike landed on her from above and pinned her down to the ground. Apple Bloom was on her stomach with her hooves pressed flatly on their sides. Apple Bloom was completely stuck with no hope for movement. Thought that didn’t mean she wasn’t trying.

“Give up yet?” Spike asked as he continued to pin down Apple Bloom.

“Urrgg…I…” Apple Bloom took a deep breath. “…Yeah, Ah give up.”

Spike got off of her letting Apple Bloom stand up. As Apple Bloom stood up she shook her hooves off a bit in order to shack off the pain of having them flat on the ground. After shacking her hooves off Apple Bloom looked back at Spike.

“Alright Spike, Ah’ll get you that jewel now,” Apple Bloom said. “Come on.”

Apple Bloom took Spike back towards the path leading through the orchard. They both walked along it until they reached the cream colored clubhouse that was the original Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse. By the time they went up to the clubhouse it was already evening and the sky was orange. Apple Bloom led Spike up the staircase and into the clubhouse.

Once inside the clubhouse, Apple Bloom reached into the side a wooden couch she built that was set underneath a map of Ponyville. After a few seconds Apple Bloom grabbed out a large emerald with her mouth and handed it into Spike’s hands. “Here y’all go,” Apple Bloom said after handing it off.

“Thanks,” Spike said. He sat down and started nibbling on the jewel and Apple Bloom sat next to him, watching him. Spike quickly finished off the gem and then put one claw on his stomach in satisfaction.

After a while they both noticed that the sun was starting to fall and it was getting late. “Well Spike, y’all better be headin back to the library and Ah should probably head home,” Apple Bloom said. “Thanks for playin with me. It really helped.”

“Yeah, it really helped me to,” Spike said.

“Wha…?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I learned today…Rarity has a coltfriend,” Spike said sadly.

“Oh…Ah…” Apple Bloom didn’t know what to say. On one hoof she was happy that Spike was free but on the other hoof…she knew how much Spike liked Rarity so she could tell he must not be feeling good about it. “What happened?”

“Well…” Spike said.

~

“Listen Spike, I should have probably told you about this before…” Rarity started. But her speech fell on the dead ears of a dragon with his arms crossed and an angry expression on his face.

“Ya think?” Spike said. “How could you do this to me? I thought…”

“Listen Spike,” Rarity interrupted. “I want you to know something. You are such a hard worker. You are always working so hard for me and without complaining either. You are nice and can be such a gentlecolt. I am sure you could make any mare happy.”

“Then why not you?” Spike asked. “Why can’t I be the one to make you happy?”

“Because Spike,” Rarity said, “you are just simply too young for me. I wish it were otherwise, because you would make a fine colt…or dragon for me, but that is how it simply is. Were you just a few years older, than I would be happy to accept you.”

~

“Well that ain’t so bad,” Apple Bloom said. “At least she let ya down gently.”

“I…guess,” Spike said.

“Hay listen Spike, it ain’t all bad,” Apple Bloom said. “Rarity told ya you could make anypony happy. Maybe someday you’ll find another pony.”

“Maybe…” Spike said. “Sorry Apple Bloom. I probably shouldn’t be dumping this all on you when you have your own problems to deal with. I just…I guess I need a little time to…deal with it.”

Ah figured he would, Apple Bloom said. “Well hay, if ya need somebody ta help Ah’m always here. Y’all can help me get over…Granny Smith…and Ah’ll help ya get over Rarity.”

“Yeah…I guess,” Spike said. He looked over at Apple Bloom. “I had a lot of fun today. It really helped me keep my mind of things. So yeah, we should do this again. You know, you’re a really great friend Apple Bloom.”

“Yeah…thanks,” Apple Bloom said as she turned her head away so Spike couldn’t see her blush.

Spike stood up. “We should probably both head home now. Let’s go Apple Bloom.”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Apple Bloom said.

As they both exited out of the clubhouse Apple Bloom went into her thoughts. Ah’m glad Ah got ta spend this day with ya Spike. Even if it’s just as friends, Ah really enjoyed it. And maybe…maybe someday we’ll be more than that. Because Spike, Ah want ta be the mare that you make happy.