The school bell rang and all the young ponies filled out of the class room, excited for the long afternoon of adventures and playtime that awaited them. Saying her farewells to Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, Apple Bloom began the long trot back to Sweet Apple Acres. While both the school and the farm were at the edge of town, they happened to be at opposite edges. Apple Bloom didn't mind the walk though; it made her feel proud and even a little grown up that she was able to make the journey home each day all by herself.
Taking the scenic route home (as per the usual), Apple Bloom passed by Mr. and Ms. Cake's bakery for a free (well baked) cupcake from Pinky Pie and decided to head over to the library to do some personal research on Cutie Marks. The Crusaders were in full swing with their efforts to discover their potential, but Apple Bloom was the only one that seemed to take it seriously.
Passing Rarity's boutique, the littlest member of the Apple family paused a moment to look in the window, hoping to see what fabulous new design the unicorn was working on. Unfortunately, Rarity didn't seem to be home at the moment. However... something was amiss.
Squinting through the glass, Apple Bloom saw something rustling at the back of the shop. As stealthy as a snake, she slid the door open and crept inside to investigate. Making her way to the back of the shop, her eyes began to adjust and she was able to begin making out the details of the intruder. He was short and a bit tubby, with spines lining his head and down his back. This person certainly did NOT belong going through Rarity's dresser.
Getting right up behind him, Apple Bloom took a deep breath and shouted as loud as she could, "SPIKE!"
"W-whoa!" the young dragon wobbled and fell backwards into Apple Bloom, pulling a drawer loose and its contents spilling over the both of them. Struggling out of the tangle of fabrics and clothes, Spike glanced at Apple Bloom, who was also working to free herself. "Apple Bloom! What are you doing here?"
Apple Bloom grunted as she kicked free a scarf that had gotten wrapped around a hind leg. "Ah should be asking YOU that question, Spike! Just what are ya thinkin? A gentleman can't just rummage through a lady's drawers like that, them's private!
Blushing, Spike hurriedly began gathering the fallen contents of the drawer and replacing them. "I was just uh... um... I was looking for..."
Apple Bloom planted a hoof on the jacket Spike was reaching for. "Spit it out!"
"I was just uh... looking for stuff. You know, trying to figure out what Rarity likes so that I could..." Spike blushed harder, "get her something."
Apple Bloom huffed and got right up in the dragon's face. "What in tarnation are you going on about, Spike? You expect me to buy a bunch of hogswallop like that? You were gonna swipe one of her bridles, weren't you?"
"W-WHAT?!"
"You heard me! Mah sister warned me about your types, but I never thought YOU of all dragons would be a PERVERT"
Worry creased Spike's scales as he began to back away. "How can you say that Apple Blo-"
"It's true, isn't it?" Apple Bloom pressed spike up against a pedestal and planted her hooves on Spike's shoulders. "ISN'T IT?"
"Be careful, Apple Bloom," Spike warned, "you're gonna-" But the warning came too late, as the vase sitting atop the pedestal fell, shattering as it hit the ground.
The two culprits stood there, gazing in shock at the pieces of broken porcelain. Turning her head towards spike, Apple Bloom's eyes narrowed. "This is all yer fault."
"My fault?!" Spike exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. "You're the one who pushed me into the pedestal!"
"Well if you hadn't been poking around Rarities drawers looking for a bridle, Ah wouldn't have had to confront ya, now would I?"
"I wasn't looking for her bridles!" Spike blushed.
"Well you WERE still snooping about her place without her permission!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"So were you!" Spike retorted.
"I..."
"Ha! Got you there!" Turning towards the vase, Spike frowned. "I hope it wasn't important to her..."
Apple Bloom was about to come back with a witty remark, when the magnitude of the situation truly dawned on her. "Oh horse feathers."
"What?"
"If mah sis finds out about this, she's gonna tan my hide till I sing."
"Well it IS your fault."
Apple Bloom rushed at spike, taking his hands in her hooves and kneeling in front of him. "Oh please don't tell nobody Spike. Apple Jack is still mad from the whole apple selling thing day before yesterday. She'd give me a real whoopin if she found out we-" Spike raised an eyebrow, "-I broke Rarity's vase. Please, Ah'll do ANYTHING!"
Spike grinned. "ANYthing?"
Apple Bloom blushed and looked down. "Well... maybe not anything... but if you DO tell, Ah'll make sure everypony in Ponyville knows you was snooping though Rarity's clothes looking for bridles."
"But I WASN'T. LOOKING. FOR. BRIDLES!"
Apple Bloom grinned wickedly. "Now it don't exactly matter what you were REALLY looking for, does it sugar cube?"
Spike opened his mouth to speak but, not finding anything to say, closed it and folded his arms. "Fine."
"Deal?"
"Deal, now can we get out of here before Rarity gets back?" Spike glanced at the door nervously and began inching towards it.
Bobbing her head in agreement Apple Bloom left the store with Spike, sneaking quietly down a nearby alley.
"So what were you REALLY doing in there?" Apple Bloom asked, a sarcastic tone entering her voice.
"I already told you, didn't I? I was trying to figure out what Rarity is into so that I could get her something nice."
"Why?" Apple Bloom leaned in, teasing. "You got a cruuuuuush on her?"
Spike just blushed and looked away.
"You do!" Apple Bloom rocked back on her haunches and laughed.
"It's not funny!" Spike yelled in protest.
"I'm sure it ain't, but you are." Apple Bloom wiped a few tears from her eyes. "If it's that important to you, why don't you just ASK her what she likes?"
"Ask her? Oh no. No way. I can't POSSIBLY do that." Spike crossed his arms in front of him.
"Well why not?"
Spike blushed and looked down at his feet. "It's embarrassing."
Apple Bloom planted her hooves down on the ground and gave Spike a serious look. "Now Spike," she began to lecture. It would have been more effective, had it not been for the sheer cuteness once she began pacing in front of him. "You're a guy, so I don't expect you to know these things but here's the deal. Women don't like men who don't take chances. They don't like men who just hide their feelings away and search through their things to find clues or answers or whatever." She stopped her pacing. "Women like honest men. If you can't be straight up with her, then you might as well not even enter the rodeo."
Spike sighed. "You really think so? I dunno..."
The tiny Pony reared back and slammed her hooves on the ground. "OF COURSE I think so! I'm a girl too, ya know! I know how these things work! Why do all y'all men got to be so wool headed?" Glancing up at the near-setting sun, she gave a short gasp. "Aw fiddle sticks; I gotta get home before sis starts wondering what's keeping me." She glared back at Spike. "You be straight up with her, y'hear?"
Spike sighed and nodded, apparently resigned to his fate.
"Good. See you later, ya dumb dragon!" Apple Bloom ran off towards the setting sun and home.
-To Be Continued-