//------------------------------// // Baby Steps // Story: Appledashery Vol. Two // by Just Essay //------------------------------// "Eeeyup... I know a pony who's thoughtful... peaceful... gentle... soft-spoken..." Applejack tilted her hat back. "A pony who fancies quiet time and workin' with animals and bein' around nature..." "Oh... oh those all sound like wonderful qualities..." Fluttershy leaned forward more and more on her feeble limbs. "It would be most lovely to know more ponies like that!" "Well, this pony is real! And—on top of that..." Applejack winked. "He's a stallion." "He is?" "Eeyup. And a real..." Applejack squinted in the distance, struggled a bit, then finally spat it out: "Real h-handsome one to boot!" "Oh, that's... erm..." Fluttershy's cheeks turned rosy as she rubbed the back of her head. "...always a welcome th-thing." "And... if that ain't all... he's at this very hoedown right now!" Fluttershy's pupils shrank. "Oh gosh... oh gosh..." "What?" Applejack leaned in. "Oh come on... this is exactly the kind of pony whom you could talk to!" "I... I dunno..." "I mean it. I see it now. There's so much about you two that is plum identical." Applejack chuckled to herself. "And I think it would be only fittin' if the two of you gave it the gab for a while. Just to make friends." "But... b-but if he wants nothing to do with me?" Fluttershy stammered. "What if I-I just make a fool out of myself?" "I promise that you won't." Applejack smiled. "Would I lie to you?" "I..." Fluttershy looked up. Applejack winked. "... ... ...I don't know why, but I don't think you would." Fluttershy shook her head. "No." "Well then... you wanna know the stallion's name?" Fluttershy inhaled... inhaled... inhaled... then struck as courageous a pose as she could manage. "Sure..." Applejack leaned in, pointed across the barn, and singled out a large red figure. "Over yonder. Ya see him? His name is Big Macintosh. And he's my brother." "Oh! Wow! Big Macintosh! I was just thinking—" Fluttershy did a double-take. She looked at Applejack, muzzle agape. Applejack merely smiled back. Fluttershy blinked. A tiny snort came from her dainty nostrils, and she giggled breathily. "Heh heh heh heh..." Applejack slapped her knee. "Oh Applejack..." Fluttershy wiped her eye dry. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" "Reckon I wasn't sure what to think," Applejack said, tilting her hat back. "But then I realized that..." She exhaled softly through a contemplative expression. "...if there's any filly that's worthy of crossin' my big brother's path... I wouldn't mind it bein' a nice, gentle soul like yers." Fluttershy blushed. "That's awfully sweet of you to say, Applejack. But..." She pawed at the ground. "It's just a crush. Nothing more." "I dunno about that..." "Huh?" "What you described to me..." Applejack cleared her throat. "Well... I'm not sure I've ever come close to feelin' it before. But it sounds awfully amazin'... and it would be a shame not to share it with someone. Even if just to say 'hi.'" "I can't honestly believe that you've never felt that way before, Applejack." Applejack shrugged. "Believe what you want. It's true. But—who knows?" She smiled calmly. "Maybe my time has yet to come..." Fluttershy nodded. Applejack nodded back. The two stood in nervous silence. "I... I really can just go and say 'hi' to him?" Fluttershy said. "Land's sakes, girl..." Applejack waved a hoof. "This ain't about me givin' you permission or whatnot! Just go and talk to the dag-blame'd stallion!" "Oh... o-okay..." "Ask him about plowin'," Applejack said. She jolted. "Er—the f-fields! Plowin' the fields!" She recovered with a bright grin. "I promise you that you'll get his attention right away." "But... but what if he doesn't want to talk at all?" Fluttershy fidgeted. "What if he only wants to stand in silence and watch the rest of the party?" "Then somethin' tells me you'll be in good company." "Yeah..." Fluttershy giggled beneath her breath. "Yeah... I-I guess I would be." "So... go on! Git!" Fluttershy swallowed a lump down her throat. "Okay... okay... baby steps..." She trotted delicately across the barn. "Baby steps... you can do this... big brave dog... you can do this..." "And whatever ya do..." Applejack called after her. "...dun ask him about the yoke around his neck! He's sensitive about that!" She chuckled good-naturedly. Then... after a prolonged breath... she turned to look towards the opposite end of the barn. "I think I just made a friend tonight." She clenched her jaw. "Now... maybe I can make more." Applejack's eyes fell on Silver Shadow. The elegantly-dressed mare was talking to Golden Harvest and a few other locals. She laughed and sipped from punch, her eyes wandering around... most likely in search for orange freckles. "Baby steps... right..." Applejack nervously stepped forward. "Words to live by..." And she made a firm path for Silver Shadow.