//------------------------------// // Mend and repair // Story: A Dragon's Apple // by NotRamjet97 //------------------------------// As Apple Bloom traveled down the path leading back to Ponyville, but stopped she heard a familiar voice. "Okay, Fee. If you hit the tree right there, we should be able to kick AJ's and Diva's sorry butts." Rainbow Dash? Apple Bloom scanned the light blue skies. On that particular day, there were clouds sporadically throughout; the weather team probably didn’t do a whole lot of work to get it set up, considering how much they normally did. Soon she spotted Rainbow Dash on the ground next to a tree, grinning determinedly at a young yellow colt with her rainbow hair. She pointed at the mature apple tree, which was just outside of Sweet Apple Acres. “Uh-huh!” Phoenix Dash-Apple chirped, nodding his eager approval. He gave the tree before him a good look, turned around, and bucked it as hard as he could. The tree shook a bit, and dropped a few apples, one of which bounced off his head and fell to the ground at his hooves. The young colt rubbed the back of his head for a moment… and then gasped. “I did it!” "Yup! That was your best yet!" Rainbow smiled proudly, "Now, think you can do better?" "Eeyup!" He replied with the universal Apple stallion response. Rainbow rubbed his mane. "Good. Now, try striking a little bit lower..." Apple Bloom decided she had better get going, but before she could- "Hey there, AB." Rainbow called out, flying over. Her five-year-old son followed in his own dash, his wings shot out to his sides. "Howdy guys," Apple Bloom grinned. "Wow, Phoenix. You've gotten pretty fast since I last saw ya." "Eeyup!" Phoenix beamed. "So, how are you doing, Bloom?" Dash asked, "It's been a while." "Yeah... I'm doing good... I was just talkin with Mrs. Fluttershy." "Oh. What about?” "Just catchin' up... And, well... Spike and I got into a fight." "Uh-oh..." "Did he hold you on the ground for ten seconds?" Phoenix asked. Rainbow gave him a look, then put on a grin, "Why don't you fly up and keep a lookout for Daddy? I need to talk with Cousin Apple Bloom about something." "Okay." Phoenix then bolted up to the clouds, and landed on one of them. He started scanning, with a line of exuberance in his movements. Apple Bloom looked up at him, "Isn't he kinda high up?" Rainbow looked up, "No. He's well within his one hundred fifty feet limit. ‘Bout fifty, actually." "One hundred fifty? He’s five years old!” “Ya need to give them some freedom. ‘S what I figure. And he’s actually an awesome flier for his age. Makes sense considering who his mom is. So, what was your fight about? Was it serious?" Apple Bloom kept staring up at Phoenix, he was just a kid, yet he was about as high up as the old Town Hall building. Eventually, she looked back at Dash, "Uh, well, not particularly. We both just overreacted." “Oh… So, are you gonna ‘kiss and make up’?” “Well, when I find him, yeah.” “Well… that’s good.” “Yeah…” Apple Bloom looked back up at Phoenix. She sighed wistfully as a feeling of nausea, just slight, riled in her stomach. “Hey, Bloom?” Apple Bloom looked back at Rainbow, and blushed. “Sorry, I just…” “Bloom, if he falls, he’s gonna fly back up. And even if he can’t, I’m right here to catch him.” Apple Bloom sighed, “I guess so… It must be hard to look after a little pegasus.” Rainbow shrugged, “It’s not too bad, he’s a good kid, he knows how high is too high. He’s enthusiastic and knows who’s boss too.” “Oh… When did he start flying?” “Uh… Two. Why all the questions about pegasus kids?” “Well… ah’m pregnant for a kid.” Apple Bloom’s eyes slid up to meet Rainbow Dash’s head on. Rainbow Dash grinned. “Awesome for you. Congrats.” “The thing is, it’s a hybrid. The first hybrid around. An’... the argument with Spike was because he’s bein’ protective.” The blue pony’s wings snapped to her side. “Welp, good for you. Too bad about Spike.” “I talked with Fluttershy, she said we both kinda overreacted, and I guess she’s right. He’s just looking after me and the foal.” “Eh, still. But Fluttershy’s pretty smart about these things.” “Yeah… Guess I should’ve asked her about foals…” “You’re thinking you might have a pegasus?” “Well… I mean, if it gets Spike’s wings…” “Yeah… Well… I don’t think I can let my foal get a hundred fifty feet high.” “Neh. To tell you the truth, he never really gets that high. Sixty-something usually. But every foal is different, Bloom.” “So… Mine might wanna get really, REALLY high?” “Probably not. My foal is… well, my foal, and he doesn’t really care much. But that’s when you reign ‘em in. You’ll need to teach them that stuff.” “I know, but… How high is too high?” "Uh... I dunno... I just kinda went off what my mom used with how high to fly. And she kinda copied what her dad did so... Eh." "So..." "It's just like teaching a kid to walk, it can be dangerous, but they kinda have to do it." "I guess you're right... Oh well, I might not even have a peg... Er, flying foal." "Maybe not, but it is good to be prepa-" "Mom! Dad's coming back!" Phoenix suddenly called down. "Alright! Thanks, bud." Dash turned back to Applebloom, "Sorry, I gotta go. I can come over later, if you want some more advice." "Thanks, I'll call you." Apple Bloom smiled. "Okay. See ya around. Congrats again." Rainbow smiled. "Thanks." Bloom returned the smile, and both mares trotted off in their own directions. ***** Spike just arrived at his home, and was happy to see Apple Bloom talking animatedly with a white pony with a green and pink mane. It had flecks of white in it. He walked up to her, and greeted, “Hey.” Apple Bloom turned to look at him, the stranger’s eyes going with hers. “Hey,” She turned to Blossomforth, “I’ll see ya, later.” “Okay,” Blossomforth replied, “See ya later. Bye Spike.” The male dragon waved a claw a bit shyly. “Bye.” The elderly mare, with that, flew off with slow, rhythmic wingbeats. The second she was out of sight, Spike looked at Bloom, apology brimming in his reptile-like green eyes. “Hey, I’m really sorry about earlier…” “I know you were, and, I am gonna need your help later, but please don’t freak out over everything?” There was a questioning tone on the sentence, despite its status as not a question. “That’s not gonna help either of us.” “Yeah...I know… I’m sorry…” “This’ll be rare, but…” Apple Bloom took a deep breath. “Ah wasn’t right either. There, ah admitted it.” “Wow. You’re right, that is rare.” Apple Bloom sighed,, but grinned, relief pouring over her features. “Yeah… So… Can we put it behind us?” “Please.” “Great. So… didja wanna go with me to get some more tea? I need to get some from Zecora.” Spike grinned and slung an amiable purple arm around the yellow mare’s back. “I’d love to.”