Applebloom slowly crept in through the front door and gently closed it behind her. Ever so carefully she started to tip-hoof towards the stairs
"Where were you young filly?" asked a very angry Applejack, standing with Big Mac.
Applebloom felt her ears droop as she turned around to face her elder siblings. "I'm sorry...I know it is late. Me, Sweetie-belle, and Scootaloo had been out crusading all day and we lost track of time" It was not really a lie, just not the entire truth.
Applejack sighs and rubs her temple with her hoof "Alright just do not let it happen again y'all here?"
Applebloom nodded her little head and ran over and hugged her big sisters hoof. "Well at least I know I ain't getting my cutiemark in timekeeping now." She said with a girl.
Big Mac chuckled at that "Eeyup"
"Get ready fer supper, we're havin Granny's apple pie." Applejack said hugging her sister back.
“Yay” Applebloom said as she rushed up the stairs and put her saddlebag gently on her bed. “I will be right back.” She whispered.
Dinner was very good that evening. Applebloom told her family all about her and her friends crusade that day and the disaster that came with it.
"Sorry to hear that sugarcube." Applejack said while patting her sister on her back. "Y'all get it soon enough."
"But soon taint soon enough"
"You never know, maybe y'all get it before the week is out" Applejack tried to cheer her up, then went back to her meal.
Appleblooom sighed and continued to eat her meal though she could not help but gaze at her sister's cutiemark in envy and longing.
While The Apple Family ate, little Verde layed in AB's saddlebags waiting for her to come and talk. He thought of how he could help her earn her mark, but it may require for him to use his magic abilities.
After dinner, Applebloom decided to take a bath to get the remains of the tomatoes off of her body. Though when no one was looking she grabbed her saddle bag and took it with her into the bathroom, and as soon as the bathtub was filled with hot water she took Verde out of the bag. "You alright?"
Verde breathes in the fresh air and sighs with relief. "Yeah, much better." Sees the bath water and gets curious. "You taking a bath?"
"Of course silly. I am also going to give you a bath." Tries to brush some of the gross moss and dirt off of Verde's wood. "You are even grosser then me after a full own pig washing"
His green wood face gives a light green on his cheek as a type of blush. "Heh..Happens when you spend your time outside during winter and spring."
"Well you are about to be as clean as Granny smith's teeth." She said jumped into the tub with Verde in her hoof. Together they made a small splash in the water and then she emerged from under the bubbles and watched as Verde floated on the surface.
He sighs with pleasure of the water running through him "This has to be the best I've felt in ages. Thank you Miss Applebloom"
The filly giggled. "Just Applebloom, no miss." She then picked up a loofa and put some soap on it, she then started to give Verde a nice scrub
Verde begins to enjoy the filly scrubbing his filth away. "I can not thank you enough Applebloom. You are the first pony to ever show me kindness. Thank you." He said as Applebloom got the last bit of dirt of of him.
"My pleasure Verde." Pauses for a moment "Wait, the first to ever show you kindness?
He sighs as he knew that she may ask that. "Yes. The first on. " A Knock on the door intruppted him.
"Sugarcube, you alright in there? Ah thought ah heard voices in there."
"Yea Applejack I was just...practicing ventriloquism. Me and the others are hoping to get our cutiemarks in that tomorrow."
Applejack laughs on the other side of the door. "Alright then." The sound of hoof steps fade from the bathroom.
Applebloom let out a sigh of relief. "That was close" She whispered
"Yes that was close."
“So…what were you say?” She asked as she started to scrub her own fur.
"I was saying that you are the first pony to show me any kindness before" Verde said with a sorrowful voice.
"How can that be?"
"Nopony ever liked me for my look and what I can do..."
"Well I think you look just dandy. Especially now that you are clean and shiny."
He blushes green again. "Thanks to you Applebloom."
"Aww shucks...was nothing. Just being a nice filly. Just like mah big sister, she is the element of honesty."
“What is that?”
"Oh it is some sort of big ol thing. She and five other ponies represent the elements of harmony which is like this powerful magic stuff that defeated mean ol nightmare moon and turned her back into Princess Luna. And also defeated this evil dragonesque named Discord."
"Wow sounds like she's had some fun adventures. What kind of adventures have you had?" Verde asked with curiousity.
Applebloom sunk a little bit below the water. "Compared to my sister and her friends....nothing."
"Aww I'm sure you have done something, I don't expect you to have defeat a big evil villain."
"Well me and mah friends have done 101 things trying to earn our cutiemarks."
"That sounds like fun. Though I will never get to do anything like that..." Verde says with displeasure.
Applebloom frowned, not liking to see Verde unhappy she reached over and patted his cheek. "Don't be sad."
"It's ok. I'll be fine. So are you done washing? I'm started to sink a bit with all this water." Verde said feeling the water sink into his wooden-skin.
"Oh right" Applebloom said as she got out of the tub and shook herself dry first before toweling off. then she pulled out Verde and dried him off very well with a fluffy blue towel.
This is a soft towel."
"Thank you, granny smith knitted it herself."
After we get dried off, he let out a big yawn
"Well, I speak through the mind basically, and I can do other stuff too."
"That is so cool." Opening the door, she quickly looked around and then bolted to her bedroom and closed the door softly. "What else can you do?"
"Well I can only use my magic at night, but when I am put on, I give my wearer magic powers beyond anything anyone could dream of"
"Magic powers! Really?"
"Yes, anything" Verde said with pride.
“Wow, that is amazing”
"Yes, but.."
“But what?”
Verde sighs with displeasure in his voice. "Putting me on, you go through a transformation. The first time is painful."
"Ouch...well let's just forget about that for now." She said. "Alright, where would you like to be?" She asked as she showed him around her room.
Suddenly though, the door opened and in walked Applejack, who had come to wish her little sister goodnight.
"What in tarnation is that?" She says pointing at Verde.
"It's a mask" Applebloom said with a little bit of worry in her voice.
"What are you doing with this ugly thing? " She says walking up to her and grabs Verde and looks at him with disgust.
"It's err for a plan me and the others are doing. We are hoping to earn our cutiemarks in thespianism so we are planning on putting on a performance of the Phantom Pony of the Opera."
"Well y'all need to go to bed, y'all have school tomorrow. Goodnight sis." Applejack said as she walked out the room with Verde still in her hoof, and shuts the door.
Applebloom just stood there with an extremely worried look on her face. "uh oh."