***A Patriot Pony Short***
***My entry for the 2021 May Pairing contest***
It was that time of the year once again, the annual gathering of Apples from all across Equestria. They came from all over and from all walks of life to Sweet Apple Acres to partake in music, food, and fellowship. None of that really interested Spike, however. He’d have rather stayed at home, but because Princess Twilight was specially invited Applejack, he was obligated to accompany her.
Being the only dragon at the event, he felt a bit out of place. He got a lot of looks from various ponies, old and young, but Applejack assured them that he was one of her closest friends. Despite her reassurances to her extended family, however, Spike chose to be alone while he ate, sitting at a picnic table at the edge of the orchard. Twilight, on the other hoof, was busy chatting about with Applejack and meeting her kinfolk. It seemed as though she’d forgotten about him entirely.
Spike was bored, he felt excluded, and didn’t want to be there in the first place. He nearly considered hiking back to the Crystal Palace, figuring no pony would even miss him. Before he could put his plan into motion, however, he caught glimps of a green-colored mare out of the corner of his eyes. She approached the table with a plate of apple treats balanced on her back.
He thought for sure she’d pass him by like everypony else, but this was not the case. Instead, she stopped beside him and subtly cleared her throat. “Ehem... Is... anyone else sittin’ here?”
She had a heavy country accent, much like Applejack’s. Spike was taken off guard by her question. Instinctively, he shook his head. “Uh... no. No one’s sitting here but me.”
A wide grin came across her face. “Wonderful. Do ya’ mind if I join’ you?”
Truthfully, Spike was still ready to leave, but the mare seemed so friendly. At least, friendlier than anypony else he’d encountered. He couldn’t bring himself to say ‘no’. “Sure... Why not?”
The green mare looked over her back and grabbed the plate with her teeth before placing it gently on the picnic table. “Thank ya’ kindly.” Then, she sat down beside him, and immediately began snacking on a fritter from her hoard. “I’m Apple Dumplin’, by the way... I just moved here from Appleloosa.”
Her smile was contagious, so much so that Spike couldn’t help smiling back. “Yeah? I’m Spike.”
Apple Dumpling laughed aloud and brushed her red mane out of her eyes. “I know... Everypony here knows who ya’ are.”
He found that a bit hard to believe. They didn’t act like they knew who he was. “Well, that have a funny way of showing it. Everypony keeps their distance and treats me like a stranger.”
The mare’s smile faded, and she shrugged her shoulders. “Just because they know who ya’ are doesn’t mean they know ya’...” Then, she set the apple treat back down and met his eyes with her own. “Ya’ don’t have to be a stranger either. I’d like to get to know ya’.” Her cheeks turned as red as her mane, and her wave quickly shifted towards some tree in the orchard. “I mean... Ya’ just looked lonely over here, and I was a bit lonely myself, so... I just thought ya’ could use some company... if ya’ don’t mind...”
Spike shook his head. “No... Not at all.” The longer he sat with her, the more he was beginning to warm up to her.
Apple Dumpling took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as her gaze met his again. Her legs kicked back and forth casually. “Your marefriend won’t get cross with ya’, will she? Ya’ know... talking to other mares?”
Spike raised an eyebrow at her. If he didn’t know any better, and he was pretty sure he didn’t, he could have sworn she was attempting to flirt with him. He’d never had a mare come on to him. It was always him doing the flirting, and always to Rarity. However, being turned off time and time again by the diva had left him discouraged from ever trying again. “No... I mean, I don’t have a marefriend.”
He saw something change in her expression. There seemed to be a little sparkle in her eyes that wasn’t there before. The Apple straightened her posture and made little adjustments to her mane. “Really? Why not? A handsome devil like you... I’m a bit surprised.”
Spike felt his cheeks turning hot. He wasn’t used to ponies calling him ‘handsome’, except Twilight on special occasions. “I’m not really the outgoing type... Plus, I’m the only dragon in Ponyville, in this part of Equestria, really.”
Apple Dumpling’s mouth formed into a weak smile. “Well, I think that’s a darn shame.” Then, her gaze fell again. “I don’t have a coltfriend either... or friends of any kind, since I’m new ‘round here...” She let out a nervous chuckle and fidgeted with her own mane, twirling locks of her cherry-red hair around her hoof.
Spike was almost certain she was flirting with him, now. “Are... you saying you want to be friends?”
She shrugged off his question, continuing to play with her mane. “Yeah- I mean... If ya’ want, or we could have lunch sometime... You could show me around Ponyville, and we could...” Her voice trailed off into silence. Then, she looked a little more resolved, and she looked at him with a confident smile. “I’d love to be your friend, Spike. I’ve only been talkin’ to ya’ for a short time, but you’ve been nothin’ short of a gentlecolt. Ya’ seem like a sweet guy, kind, and ya’ really care about those closest to ya’. You’d make a lucky mare real happy, ya’ know.”
The dragon’s eyes fell to the grass beneath his feet. “Yeah... If only she knew that...” Then, he looked back at her. “There’s a mare I’ve always liked since I moved to Ponyville, but I don’t think she sees me as anything more than a friend, like I’m not even worth the chance.”
Apple Dumpling frowned and placed a hoof on his claw. “Ya’ have a chance with me, if you’ll take it.”
Spike felt something stir in his chest. “Wh-What?”
She scooted closer to him on the bench, keeping her hoof on him. “What I’m sayin’ is... I want to go out on a date with ya’. I’ve been beatin’ around the bush all this time, but ya’ don’t seem to be gettin’ the idea.” The mare was almost right on top of him, now, so close in fact that her eyes were all that he could focus on. “So? Do ya’ want to do this, or don’t ya’?”
Spike felt pushed into a corner, figuratively and literally. He’d never been in such a position, but he liked the feelings it gave him. There was a sense of giddiness in his gut he hadn’t felt since that first day he met Rarity all those years ago, and now, he felt it with this sweet, country mare. Before he could even think of a comprehensive answer to her demanding question, the words came spilling out of his mouth without his control. “Sure, Apple Dumpling... I’d like that.”
The silly grin on her face stretched from ear to ear. Then, she did something he couldn’t possibly have anticipated and leaned forward, pressing her lips into his. In the shade of the orchards, and away from prying eyes, Spike reciprocated the act, and he kissed her back. They exchanged lips for nearly a full minute before it came to an end, with Apple Dumpling planting a firm kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away, she was positively glowing. “I’m sorry... That was a bit forward of me... I just felt so... I’m not sure what came over me.”
Spike, having just experienced his first real kiss, was feeling numb, but fireworks exploded in his chest. “It’s fine... I really liked it, I mean... It was just sudden, that’s all.
The mare flicked her mane out of her eyes and smiled at him. “I can tell we’re gonna get along just fine... Ya’ can just call me Dumplin’, if ya’ like.”
Spike thought of all the times he’d poured out his heart to Rarity, only for her to treat him like a kid or ignore him completely. Now, he’d shared his first kiss with a mare who really seemed to like him, and he felt the same way about her. He couldn’t help smiling with her as he touched the mark she left on his cheek. “Sure, Dumpling...” Spike cleared his throat as he rose from the picnic table. “Do you want to go with me to get some drinks?”
She chuckled and rolled her eyes as she stood up from the bench. “Do I? Ha!” Spike happily took her response as a ‘yes’, but then, she cleaned in close again, and her lips brushed against his ear in a way that caused his green spines to tingle. “As long as ya’ don’t mind kissin’ in the orchard some more...”
***The End?***