//------------------------------// // Branchin' Out // Story: One Bolt, Spreading Harmony // by Boltsinger //------------------------------// A yellow filly sat in front of an apple cart in the Ponyville marketplace. She had a somewhat poofy red mane and tail and round, golden eyes with a big pink hair bow situated on the back of her head. Her beloved Cutie Mark featured a tri-color shield of purple and two shades of pink, with a pink heart inside of a purple apple emblazoned in the center. Behind the cart was Applejack, dealing business as usual and slowly emptying their stock while the filly looked out at the ponies walking down the road with a sad sigh. As the current line of customers reached its end, Applejack took a look at the younger pony, leaning on the cart to get a little closer. “What’s up, Apple Bloom? Ya look a little down.” “Oh, it’s nuthin’." the filly fibbed, smiling back at her. “Sure seems ta be a whole lotta ‘nuthin’ goin’ on with you these last couple o’ days.” she replied, handing another customer a bushel. “Come on, sugarcube, be honest with me.” Apple Bloom groaned in frustration, laying down and resting her head on her hooves. “All right, fine… Ya know how Hearts and Hooves Day is comin’ soon?” Applejack recoiled for a moment, accepting payment. “Uh… yeah… Are you mopin’ ‘cause ya don’t have somepony to spend it with? I think that one colt at yer dancin’ class… Tender Taps, wasn’t it? He seems like he likes ya plenty. But ain’t you a little young to be worryin’ about that kinda thing?” Apple Bloom poked the ground with her hoof, looking at the ponies walking around town. “I ain’t worried about me.” she admitted, pushing herself back up. “I’ve been noticin’ lately that a lot of the ponies we know have been findin’ love. First was Big Mac ‘n Sugar Belle…” she pointed to a yoke-clad red-coated, orange-maned, green-eyed Earth Pony stallion with half of a green apple for a Cutie Mark that was mozying back to the farm with a saddlebag full of ingredients. “Rainbow Dash ‘n Soarin…” She pointed up, where Rainbow Dash flew playfully back and forth with a green-eyed, white-coated and black-maned Pegasus stallion with a Cutie Mark of a lightning bolt piercing a cloud. “Rarity’s got Fancy Pants,” She motioned to the boutique, where, right on cue, Rarity strolled out with a white-coated Unicorn stallion with a blue mane, tail, moustache, eyes, and hooves that wore a black tailcoat, purple bow tie, and a monocle and sported a Cutie Mark of three crowns. “And then there’s Twilight! She went ‘n got married to Bolt! Even had a baby!” She turned her attention to Sugar Cube Corner, where the aforementioned ponies trotted out with Spike on the mare’s back and a baby carriage in front of the stallion, Scootaloo cantering out behind them and peeking into the carriage. The Pegasi of the group  shot into the sky, quickly coming back down with bundles of fluffy cloud that they wrapped around the carriage to lift it into the air. “And they’re all so happy now!” Apple Bloom stood up, turning to face her sister. “An’ that got me thinkin’... Why don't you have somepony special like that?” Applejack’s eyes went wide with the impact of her sister’s question. She searched her thoughts for an answer, not sure if she even had one to begin with. She looked at her baby sister’s inquisitive expression, the genuine concern and love reflecting back at her. “But I do have somepony special.” The yellow filly’s eyes lit up, lifting her hind legs and leaning closer. “Really? Who is it? Who is it?” “My baby sister, o’ course!” the orange mare proudly declared, tussling the filly’s mane. “An’ I got Big Mac, Granny Smith, an’ all our friends! Plenty o’ special ponies right there!” Apple Bloom furrowed her brow with a small growl. “That’s not what I meant! I’m askin’ why you don’t have a special somepony like all our friends do!” Applejack's features softened, freckles and all. “I know that, Apple Bloom… But, ya see…” She hung her head, averting her eyes. “Aw, shucks, it just never crossed my mind! I’m all for helpin’ my friends and seein’ them happy ‘n all, but stuff like romancin’ never really bothered me.” Once again, the filly’s face was alight. She looked eagerly up at the mare, looking almost like she was about to wag her tail. “Well, what if ya just haven’t found the right stallion?” Applejack raised a hoof to argue, but found herself falling short at the visage of her sister’s excitement. She dropped her hoof with half a smile lining her muzzle. “I… suppose. Never really went searchin’ for one, to be honest. And it’s a lot harder to go out lookin’ now that I’m dividin’ time between the farm an’ the school…” She shrugged, turning back to the cart. “Oh well! Guess it can’t be helped!” “How ‘bout ya let me ‘n my friends do the searchin’ for you?” Apple Bloom suggested, raising her hoof confidently. Applejack shook her head sternly. “I don’t think so, little sis. Y’all don’t have the best history with matchmakin’. Or do you remember the ‘love potion’ you gave Big Mac and Cheerilee?” “I remember it just fine!” she retorted, kicking the dirt with her foreleg. “But do you remember who helped Big Mac confess to his special somepony without any love potions at all?” A defeated sigh came from the mare's mouth. She slowly looked over at her sister, giving her a smile. “That’d be you three.” “Right! So ya know we got this!” Apple Bloom declared, putting her hoof over her heart. “Just leave it to us, sis! We’ll find you the best stallion in all Equestria!” She reared up and flailed her forelegs, turning around and galloping off to the farm. Applejack rolled her eyes, looking over to her next customer. “That’s what I’m afraid of…” Apple Bloom stood behind a podium in a clubhouse by the farm that afternoon. The back wall was decorated with an enormous number of photos featuring ponies she and her friends had helped over the years, with the other walls having idea lists and other memorabilia. Scootaloo sat on one side of the clubhouse in front of her, with a white Unicorn filly that had a curly purple and pink mane and tail, bright green eyes, and a Cutie Mark with the same shield as her friends with a pink musical note inside a purple star as its unique symbol on it on the other side. Apple Bloom pounded her hoof on the podium like a gavel, drawing the other fillies’ attention to her. “Attention! I now call this special meetin’ of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to order!” “You know you didn’t have to bang the podium.” Scootaloo mentioned. “We were already looking right at you.” “Yeah, there wasn’t much reason for it, honestly.” The white filly concurred. “That’s just how I start these things.” Apple Bloom retorted, crossing her forelegs. “So yer just gonna have to deal with it.” she placed her hooves back on the surface in front of her. “Anyway, that ain’t important!” “Okay. What’s so important that this has to be a ‘special’ meeting, then?” the Unicorn asked. “Well, ya know how Hearts and Hooves Day is comin’ up soon?” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Uh, yeah. We’re helping Big Mac decorate the barn for it, remember?” She raised her hoof, looking over at the white pony. “Speaking of which! Sweetie Belle, how is that coming along?” “Well, the decorations are all ready and in the barn. We just need to set them up!” she informed her. Apple Bloom waved her hoof through her friend’s report, banging it back down on the podium. “Yeah, yeah, Big Mac’s gonna have a great Hearts and Hooves Day, I know! But this is about Applejack, not Big Mac!” “Applejack?” Sweetie Belle repeated, giving the Earth Pony a confused look. Scootaloo mirrored her musical friend’s expression. “Since when does Applejack do anything for Hearts and Hooves Day?” The red-head’s face lit up as she spread her forelegs. “Since we are gonna find her a special somepony to spend it with!” she announced. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle gave strange looks to one another, then looked back at Apple Bloom. “Don’t worry, I got her permission, and there ain’t gonna be any potion-making involved.” The other fillies each breathed a sigh of relief. “But what kind of stallion would somepony like Applejack be into?” Sweetie Belle wondered, tapping her chin with her hoof. “If I were Applejack, I’d want someone who could help with the farm work!” Scootaloo suggested. “Someone who can streamline all of the chores!” the Unicorn added. “Someone with somethin’ in common with her!” Apple Bloom concluded. “I’VE GOT IT!” they simultaneously exclaimed Applejack stood by the stove in the kitchen, pumping the bellows to keep it going as a voice pierced her eardrums from outside. “You got him?! I thought we all agreed on who to get!” came the squeak of Sweetie Belle. “I went to get somepony who knows how to work and help at the farm!” Scootaloo argued. “What’s your excuse?” “I thought someone smart would be a good idea so that he can make things easier for Applejack!” she cried back. “Ya mean you both didn’t think of sumthin’ besides the farm?” Apple Bloom asked. “What about the rodeo? I know how much she loves the rodeo, and the only pony who loves it more is this one, right here!” “Now what the hay ‘re you girls fussin’ about?!” Applejack opened the door, stepping outside and looking around. “I swear, if y’all’re up to what I think yer up to, I’m gonna…” in front of the door stood the Cutie Mark Crusaders, arguing at length concerning the three stallions standing behind them with fiercely confused looks on their faces. One was a medium-sized Earth Pony stallion with a short, messy brown mane and tail. He wore a shirt collar with a green bow tie, and had dark blue eyes with an hourglass for a Cutie Mark. Another was a well-built Pegasus stallion with a beige coat, off-white hooves, and a spiky tan mane and tail, both cut short. He wore the standard uniform for someone working at the weather factory, and had a Cutie Mark of two yellow lighting bolts running horizontally parallel. Finally, there was the enormous Earth Pony stallion who could only be described as a clydesdale. He had a dark brown coat with a white face and hooves. He had green eyes and a black mane and tail, with the tail cut far shorter than the mane. Atop his head sat a tiny hat that only just barely sat between his ears, and on his flank was an upside-down green horseshoe. Applejack facehoofed, approaching the arguing Crusaders and pulling them apart. “All right, enough o’ that! What’s goin’ on? Why’d you bring Trouble Shoes, Storm, and… whatever his name is… all the way here?” Apple Bloom looked up at her now-stern sister, bringing her forehooves together. “We brought somepony for you to spend Hearts and Hooves Day with!” she declared, spreading her forelegs. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle knelt on either side of her, positioning their forelegs to emphasize the stallions behind them “And ya brought… three of ‘em?” she wondered. Apple Bloom reluctantly nodded, looking between her fellow Crusaders. “Well, I thought we all had the same idea, but it turns out these two had sumthin’ else in mind!” Applejack sighed as the fillies began their argument anew. She walked past them, approaching the stallions. “I’m awful sorry about all this. My sister ‘n her friends have it in their heads that I need a special somepony before ‘you know what’ comes around.” The tan stallion laughed to himself. “Ah, yes, that ‘Hearts and Hooves Day’ charade.” He stepped up to the farm mare, shaking her hoof with his. “Well, holidays aside, that Sweetie Belle made a good case for applying some of my inventions and scientific theories around your farm. I'd be happy to give it a shot, if you’re interested.” Applejack took a moment to stew on his offer, remembering the last time somepony had come along to ‘streamline’ things. “I… suppose it couldn’t hurt to give it a try… But if we say no to sumthin’, that means no. Got it?” The stallion nodded. “Of course.” He turned back to the road, where a grey Pegasus mare with yellow eyes that looked in different directions, a yellow mane and tail, and bubbles for a Cutie Mark impatiently waited. “Well, I must be off! Those experiments won’t conduct themselves!” Applejack waved a farewell to him, turning to Storm. “So… Nice to see ya, Storm.” The stallion offered a greeting hoof. “Yeah. Nice to see you, too. Would’ve been better if that orange filly hadn’t pulled me out of work, though. Aria looked like she was about to throw a fit.” Applejack laughed. “Oh, I can imagine.” She pointed to the sky above them, where a maroon-coated Pegasus mare flew in the same outfit as the beige one below. She had a bluish black mane and tail with scrunchies in place, one holding her mane back as a ponytail, and one tying the end of her tail shut. “I mean, she did follow ya all the way here.” “Yeah, I’d better go.” Storm confirmed, flapping his wings and starting his ascent. “Good to see you, though. We should all catch up sometime!” “Count on it!” the farmer agreed. She turned to the last stallion, who was breathing a heavy sigh and looking at the ground below him as she approached. “Just my luck you’d pick me last, huh?” he said, an obvious depression lining his voice. “Now, what makes you say that? The smaller pony inquired, looking up at him. “It’s not like I don’t wanna talk to ya.” “Never said it was just bad luck.” he retorted, letting a soft smile onto his muzzle. “I’m only here ‘cause the rodeo’s in town, an’ yer sister thought you ‘n I’d have a good time together.” “Wait, the rodeo’s in town?” she repeated, leaning in excitedly. “Why didn’tcha say so? We can go check it out!” She chortled softly, starting down the road past him. “Why, I haven’t seen yer clown act in moons thanks to all the stuff I been doin’ ‘round the farm and at Twilight’s school! Oughta be nice to go see some rodeo!” Trouble Shoes looked up from his position, starting to follow the mare. “You sure you wanna go to the rodeo with me of all ponies?” Applejack nodded, waving him along. “Why not? Don’t got many friends who’re interested in goin’, so we might as well take advantage of it while we can!” Trouble Shoes picked up his pace, following behind the blonde mare as the Crusaders’ bickering started to die down. They looked around to find that they were alone in front of the house, only the faint sound of hoofsteps in the distance. “Where’d everypony go?” Apple Bloom wondered. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo galloped into a large gathering, looking around frantically for the Earth Pony’s elder sister. There were throngs of ponies in front of a fence, separating them from a pony that was bucking recklessly with a doll on their back. After several attempts, the doll flew off into a sizable stack of hay. The crowd began cheering, a low voice chief among them along with a loud stomp. Scootaloo hovered above the group, spotting the clydesdale st the edge of it and returning to her friends. “Looks like they’re on a date!” she informed them with a grin. “You wanna spy on them?” “Of course!” Apple Bloom affirmed. Sweetie Belle shook her head uncertainly. “I don’t know… Shouldn’t we just trust them to enjoy themselves?” “It’s not like we’re gonna get in the way.” the yellow filly stated, walking past the crowd. “We’re just gonna watch an’ enjoy the show!” “Yeah! Don’t worry so much.” Scootaloo added as she fluttered along. “Okay, fine.” Sweetie Belle said, following her friends with a huff. The three fillies snuck around the crowd, finding a bush placed behind the ponies they sought. They dove inside, poking their heads out to get the best possible view. Applejack and Trouble Shoes were resting their forelegs on the fence while the next competitor came forward. They would cheer for the pony beyond the fence as they proceeded to play the bronco. Occasionally, one would offer commentary, often with Applejack mentioning how much better she would do in the event she got to participate. Trouble Shoes maintained a distinct level of modesty that gave Scootaloo the urge to correct him outright. After the bronco buck was over, Trouble Shoes left the mare’s side. “Where’s he going?” the Pegasus asked, buzzing her wings to follow. Sweetie Belle put her magic around her friend’s wings, bringing her back down to the ground. “Don’t you remember? He’s a rodeo clown! He’s going to get ready for the show!” Scootaloo ceased her flapping, coming back to the ground and smiling sheepishly. “Oh, right…” “It’s startin’, it’s startin’!” Apple Bloom announced. She pointed her hoof beyond the fence, were several ponies in baggy pants and shirts with strange shoes came forward. They all had bright white makeup with other bright colors accentuating parts of their faces. The largest of them somehow managed to trip the moment he entered the area where he was to perform. He would get up and make an attempt at some of the things the other clowns were doing, balancing on a barrel only to have it break underneath him, sending him to the ground. He shook the barrel off of his hoof, sending it into a stack of hay bales that fell over from the impact and landed on top of him. At the sight of the unusually unfortunate circumstance, the crowd, Applejack and the Crusaders most of all, busted out laughing. The performance continued on for a few minutes, generally involving several more hilariously unfortunate happenstances, until it was time for the next event. Apple Bloom rose from her laughter, looking on as Trouble Shoes rejoined his companion. Applejack nudged the clydesdale in his foreleg, her laughter only just dying down. “I swear yer act gets funnier every time I see it!” Teouble Shoes winced slightly from the impact, but smiled nonetheless. “That means a lot, comin’ from a competitor like you. Makes me glad my klutzin’ can be part o’ sumthin’!” Applejack turned to him with a smile on her face, an idea coming to her head. “Ya know, this has been real swell. How’s about you ‘n me go get dinner together? My treat!” Trouble Shoes turned to her, removing his tiny hat and holding it over his heart with a bow. “Why, it’d be my pleasure, long as we eat somewhere outside. It’d be just my luck if’n I started trashin’ a place without meanin’ to.” Applejack smirked, starting down the road. “I think that can be arranged.” As the ponies headed back to town, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo poked their heads out of the bush again, the Earth Pony of the three holding her hooves to her cheeks. “Dinner and a rodeo? It’s the perfect date! My big sister’s got a real date!” Scootaloo buzzed her wings, hovering ahead of them. “Come on! Let’s go so we don’t lose them!” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, hopping out of the bush and shaking the leaves out of her mane. “Fine. But we aren’t hiding in a bush this time!” Applejack and Trouble Shoes sat at the cafe, enjoying some hot cider and a good meal. They were talking shop about the rodeo, enjoying each other’s company, and more so, their stories. From another table not far away, three little fillies sat, each of them wearing long coats, sunglasses, and hats that were tied to their heads with scarves to conceal their ears and manes. They looked at a newspaper, seeming like they casually read through the articles, save for one small difference. There was a hole in the newspaper, letting one of them peer through at the ponies they had followed. “Looks like they’re havin’ a good time!” Apple Bloom whispered. “This might be it! We might’ve done it on the first try!” “Ooh! Can I see?” Sweetie Belle requested, pushing her friend aside and grabbing the newspaper. Apple Bloom pushed back. “Why do you wanna see so badly? Ain’t you the one who didn’t wanna follow ‘em in the first place?” “Uh, girls…” Scootaloo began, leaning out to observe their subjects. The Unicorn lit her horn, grabbing one end of the paper. “Well, now it’s finally getting interesting!” Scootaloo tapped Apple Bloom’s shoulder with her hoof, a small amount of panic making itself known on her face. “Girls…” Apple Bloom ignored the contact, clamping her teeth down on the other end of the paper. “Well, she’s my big sister! An’ she’s on a date with the one I picked out! So I should be the one to watch ‘em!” “GIRLS!” the orange filly shouted, slightly rising from her seat. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle simultaneously dropped the paper, glaring daggers at their winged friend. “WHAT?!” “What indeed.” a deeper drawl replied. The previously arguing fillies slowly turned their attention to the mare that now loomed over them. Applejack stared down at them with a look of utter disapproval. “What are you fillies doin’ here?” Apple Bloom let a weak smile onto her muzzle as she worriedly looked her sister in the eye. “Oh! Applejack! You’re here too? What a… coincidence?” “Uh-huh…” she replied, pulling the newspaper up. “And what’s this?” “Ain’t that the Foal Free Press?” the younger sister guessed. “And why would the Foal Free Press have a hole in it?” the older sister continued, pointing to the eyehole. Apple Bloom gasped, taking a look through the hole. “What? How did that get there? Did you see that hole Sweetie Belle?” The Unicorn shook her head. “I didn't see it at all!” The two of then looked over to the remaining Crusader. “Scootaloo?” “And a side of hay fries, please.” she told the waiter. As the employee trotted off, she turned to her friends, who were glaring disapprovingly at her. She shrugged her shoulders. “What? I’m hungry!” Applejack sighed. “I appreciate y’all’s enthusiasm, but we don’t need ya hoverin’ over us. Why don’tcha run along home and I can tell ya how things went when I get back?” “Okay…” The fillies reluctantly agreed as they all hung their heads in defeat, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle got up, heading for the exit. Scootaloo alone remained seated, prompting her friends to look back at her. “You comin’?” Apple Bloom asked. The fledgling flyer shook her head, keeping her hooves on the table. “Hey, I dunno about you two, but I actually ordered something.” That evening, Apple Bloom peeked out the window of her room, where she saw Applejack and Trouble Shoes trotting back towards the farm. They looked happy, with big smiles lining their faces, stopping just short of the front door. Apple Bloom craned her neck out to catch a glimpse of the going on, hearing the laughter of the two ponies in full force. “And then Braeburn went ‘n put on his hat, gettin’ all that applesauce all over ‘is head!” The mare finished, letting out the laughter that she had only barely been containing. Trouble Shoes joined in the uproar instantly, rearing up and unintentionally stomping with all of his might. The stomp was so hard that it shook the ground, robbing Apple Bloom of what balance she had and sending her plummeting to the ground below. She sat up, clutching her head as she swore she saw images of Scootaloo flying around her. She shook her head free of the dizziness just as their laughter had died down. Her big sister and her ‘date’ were still smiling, looking into each other's eyes. After a lingering moment, Trouble Shoes finally spoke up. “I must say, this’s been one of the luckiest days I’ve had in moons.” he stated, bowing to the mare. “Thanks fer comin’ with me today.” “Anytime, Trouble Shoes!” she affirmed, playfully slapping him on the side. “It was fun gettin’ to do rodeo stuff with ya! How’s about we get together ‘n do it again next time the rodeo’s in town?” “I think that’d be swell.” he agreed. “Well all right…” She looked at him in silence for a moment. This day really had been a hoot, and she was glad that she had made such a good friend, but… She wasn’t sure if this was what Apple Bloom was wanting for her. “Well, I’d best get to bed. Got classes in the mornin’!” She opened the door, turning to enter. “G’night!” Apple Bloom’s jaw dropped as the clydesdale began his exit. She ran through the front door, zipping in front of her sibling. “What in the name of Celestia was that?!” “What was what?” Applejack wondered. The cider of her frustration came to a fast boil, causing her to give off an absurdly loud groan for such a little pony. “You were havin’ the perfect date, goin’ to the rodeo, havin’ dinner, an’ laughin’ all the way home, and you don’t even kiss ‘im goodnight?!” Applejack met her baby sister’s frustration in kind, stomping forward. “Why’re you expectin’ me to kiss ‘I'm goodnight? We ain’t datin’!” “But that’s exactly what I brought Trouble Shoes over for! You were supposed to find a special somepony!” she reiterated. “That way you won't be so lonely on Hearts and Hooves Day!” She sat on the floor, letting her head hang down. “You’re the most amazing pony in all Equestria, but you don’t have anypony to share special days like that with… Everyone else has sumthin’ like that except you! I just didn’t want you to start feelin’ left out…” Applejack softened her features and her tone, sitting down in front of the filly and putting her hoof on her shoulder. “Aww, shucks, sugarcube… I really do appreciate how ya feel, but I just don’t put too much stock into all that stuff… I certainly ain’t lonely, what with havin’ such a great family ‘n friends… But if it makes ya feel better, I’ll give it a try, okay?” Apple Bloom perked up, looking up at her favorite sister with eyes that shined like a golden delicious apple. “You will? Promise?” The blonde mare's lips turned up ones more pulling the filly in for a hug. “Now I can’t promise I’ll have sumthin’ down by Hearts ‘n Hooves Day, but I’ll keep tryin’, if not fer my sake, then for yours.” Apple Bloom let out a cheer, hugging Applejack as tight as she could. “I promise you won’t regret it! Me an’ the other Crusaders’re gonna help you every step of the way! I guarantee!” Applejack released her sister from the embrace, waving her off to bed. “Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s gonna be great. Now get to bed! We both got school in the mornin’!” Apple Bloom did as bid, happily cheering the whole way while the older Apple approached the window, looking outside. “Well, this is certainly gonna be an adventure…”