//------------------------------// // Applebloom meets The Bubbles OR Chrome's Cutie Mark // Story: Ask Lovey Applebloom // by Discorded SheepcityUSA //------------------------------// Applebloom found herself in the ballroom of Canterlot Castle, sitting by herself while everypony else at the Gala was dancing with their special someponies. She was wearing a dress that was just as bright red as her mane; and speaking of her mane, had a sparkling green bow tied into it. Why she couldn’t ever get a dance with a colt was completely beyond her, and it made her feel quite upset. “It ain’t fair. Why can’t ah have somepony to dance with?” She sighed to herself. She wanted desperately to cry, but decided against it because of the several hundred ponies in the room. “Well isn’t this a shame. Nopony should be alone here of all places. Especially not such a pretty young mare.” A voice said from behind her. Applebloom turned her head and saw the face of her beloved Chrome Hoof smiling down at her. The rest of him was dressed in a black suit with a red bowtie, and it made Applebloom’s cheeks turn red. “C-C-Chrome? You think A-Ah’m…pretty?” Applebloom asked with a nervous stutter. “Certainly the prettiest pony I’ve ever seen.” He replied. ‘Omigosh Applebloom, he likes you! Tell him now! The timing is just too perfect! ’ She thought to herself. “Chrome, there’s somethin’ ah gotta tell you. Ah…Ah love you!” Applebloom shouted as she hopped into the forelegs of her crush and nuzzled his chest, the blush still present on her face. “I love you too Applebloom.” He said as he slowly stroked her mane. Applebloom’s timidity was starting to fade, and she brought herself to ask him something. “Hey Chrome…can we…you know…kiss?” She sounded almost mute at the end of her sentence. Chrome chuckled at the cuteness of the blush on her cheeks. “Of course my dear.” He said. Applebloom’s heart fluttered as she leaned her face closer to her love’s. A moment later, their lips met and to Applebloom it felt… Lifeless. Applebloom immediately woke up from her dream, only to see the reason that the kiss had felt so flat. In her slumber, she had been making out with her pillow. “Dang it! It was just another dream!” Applebloom yelled. She looked out her window and saw that it was sort of early in the morning. Looking back at her pillow, she became saddened that she wasn’t cuddling up to the real Chrome right now. “Oh my dear, sweet Chromey. Why can’t ah have you?” she said to herself as tears started to form in her eyes and she started to sniffle. It had mostly been like this since she met him. Constantly daydreaming about Chrome being her coltfriend, and then coming back to reality and being reminded that he was a stallion and she but a foal who didn’t even have her Cutie Mark yet. Thinking about how timid she always was around him always made her feel stupid for not acting on her feelings… All of a sudden, her crying ceased when a blinding white light engulfed the area of her room and made her squint, her eyes trying to adjust to the brightness. When it cleared, what was revealed was something Applebloom had not expected in the least. A giant bubble of text had appeared in front of her, presenting the following sentence… To Applebloom: Hello, I just want to warn you of what you've started. You, through a series of events outside of your control, have unintentionally started a string of bubbles( most likely exactly like this one) that will be delivered to you and your friends. These bubbles will not go away( wether you are O.K. with that or not, you will soon find out), and most of the time will try to help you out. I just wanted to give you a rundown of what will be happening for the foreseeable future. Oh, and before you ask, we aren't going to tell you how we got here, we just are, so get used to it. “…Ummm….okay…ah guess? Don’t really know how ah started this if it was outside of mah control, but whatever, I guess ah’m fine with it.” Applebloom said. The text block then disappeared in the same flash of light, leaving a very confused Applebloom trying to ponder what just happened. “What the hay just happened? HOW did that just happen? Who’s talking to me?” Applebloom said to herself. Dear, AppleBloom, Like stallions, do you? “Oh another one?...Oh so that’s what this is about.” Applebloom said with a blush on her cheeks and her ears flaying to her head. “…Look, Ah love Chrome ta death. Ah don’t care that he’s older than me, and ah would go to the ends of Equestria to have such a sweet and gentle stallion as mah coltfriend. But ah just don’t know if HE can ever see me that way. Doesn’t mean ah’m not gonna try though.” Applebloom said. To Applebloom: For how long have you had this crush on Chrome? On a completely irrelevant note, do you plan on being married to him, do you Applebloom? “About six months or so. That was around the time Applejack hired him to foalsit me and mah fri-MARRIED?!” Applebloom shouted. All of a sudden, thoughts of her crush proposing to her and kissing him at the alter flooded into her imagination. Just the thought of marrying her crush was enough to make her blush become all the more noticeable on her cheeks. “T-That would be s-so a-amazing! Next to getting mah Cutie Mark, that would be the most fantastic moment of mah life!” Applebloom swooned. To Applebloom: How would you feel if Scootaloo got Discorded? Applebloom snapped out of her fantasy long enough to think about this. “…Discorded? Like what happened to Applejack and her friends? Ah don’ see that happening to Scoots. Discord got turned back to stone, so he can’t get to nopony anymore.” For Applebloom: Why not tell your friends? I'm sure Sweetie would be able to give you some advice, being Rarity's sister and all. Applebloom’s face started to look a little uncomfortable and she rubbed her shoulder. “It’s a good idea, but ah don’ know if ah can bring mahself to tell them. I mean, what if they think ah’m weird for liking an older pony? It ain’t exactly natural for a foal to fall for a stallion ya know.” For Applebloom: first rule is that you can't be so desperate. Take deep breaths and relax. Get to know him better, learn his interests and what he really wants in a mare. Applebloom dug under her bed, pulled out a notebook and pencil, and scribbled something down in it. “Find out what Chrome looks for in a potential partner. Got it.” Applebloom said, sticking the notebook in her nearby saddlebag. “Y’know, that question about Scootaloo reminded me. The girls are supposed to come over later so we can get back to crusading. Yesterday didn’t get us any closer to our Cutie Marks…but I DID get to be stuck on the most amazing stallion in Equestria.” Applebloom said to herself, giggling at the memory. For Applebloom: Bee taming, hmm? Woudn't you have more luck in somthing like apple bucking or cake creating? Well, I think Chrome might just have a sweet tooth for some apple pie! Well, I mean, who can dislike pie? You think you make give it a shot? It's a win-win. You get your cutie mark and Crome delights in your pie! Applebloom’s ears perked up and she quickly ran to the kitchen, hoping to Celestia that Chrome wasn’t back from his early-morning farm work yet… Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Chrome all headed back to the house, taking a short break after a few hours of apple-bucking in the early morning. “That hoof of yours getting any better pardner?” Applejack asked Chrome. Chrome rubbed his right forehoof and winced in slight pain. “Kind of. Farm work seems to get it to toughen up a little quicker, so it shouldn’t be too long before it’s healed.” Chrome said. “Y’know Chrome, maybe when you’re fully recovered the boxing committee could cut you a break and bring you back to the ring.” Applejack said “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh added. Chrome rolled his eyes. “Pffft. Yeah sure. And maybe I’ll sprout bat wings, fly to the moon, and carve the lyrics to that Winter Wrap Up song in it. It’s nice to dream AJ, but knowing the committee, that isn’t gonna happen.” “Still kinda bitter over that ah see.” Applejack said with a frown. Chrome shrugged. “A little. Boxing was my life, and then they took it away from me just because of one lousy mishap. But hey I can't complain too much. I get to work with my old friend. And I didn’t even mention-“ “CHROOOME!” Chrome was cut off when a blur of white and orange knocked Chrome to the ground, resulting in a loud THUD. “-Applebloom and her delightfully nutty friends.” Chrome chuckled as he finished his sentence. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had slammed into Chrome and were repeatedly jumping up and down on his back. “Girls, I think Chrome’d appreciate it if ya’ll got off his back.” Big Mac said. Both fillies realized their mistake and trotted off of him. “Hehe. Sorry Chrome. Guess we just got a little excited. We’re just really hoping to get our Cutie Marks today.” Scootaloo said, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. “Yeah sorry Mr. Hoof.” Sweetie Belle said looking at the ground with a guilty expression. Chrome got to his hooves and looked down at the two fillies. “It’s cool girls. I’m ready to get started with your whole crusading thing whenever you are…just don’t call me Mr. Hoof again. Makes me sound old. I’m nineteen, not forty.” Chrome joked. “Alright Mr H-err…Chrome. Applebloom up yet?” Scootaloo asked. “Dunno. Let’s go see how she’s doing.” Chrome led the two Crusaders to the house with Applejack and Big Mac following. Upon their return, they had been presented with a smiling Applebloom covered in ashes and holding a pie on her head. “Uhh Applebloom? What’s with the uhhh…you know.” Chrome said, motioning his hoof to the blackness covering the filly in a few places. “Oh Chrome you’re back! Ah ummm...ah made you a pie.” Applebloom said with a nervous smile, holding the dessert closer to Chrome’s face. “Awww, thanks Bloom. But your covered in ashes whyyy?” Chrome asked. Applebloom’s face blushed and her smile turned incredibly sheepish. “Hehe…ah never said ah got it right the first time.” She said. This resulted in a facehoof from Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, a chuckle from Applejack, and Big Macintosh still had his usual, “I don’t have a single buck to give” look. Applebloom handed the pie to Chrome, who after taking a single bite from it, stuffed his entire face into it. “Mmmph-Oh my gosh Bloom, thish ish awesome!” Chrome said in between chewing. Applebloom mentally hoof pumped. ‘Score! He likes it!’ She shouted internally. So, Chrome Hoof, was it uncomfortable having Applebloom glued to you via honey? Chrome looked up from his eating and eyed the text-bubble curiously. “…The heck? Umm…Well, having another pony stuck onto you does feel kind of…strange. Offsets your balance and all that. Felt like I was gonna fall over any second…how the heck did this…whatever it is, know about that?” To Chrome Hoof: Hello, if you want an explanation as to what's happening with the bubbles, just ask Applebloom. She got a basic rundown. Chrome looked down at Applebloom, who continuously stared at the bubbles in shock. ‘He gets these things too?...Uh-oh, this could be bad.’ Applebloom thought. “Applebloom? Do you know anything about this?” Chrome asked. “Apparently, ah somehow made these things randomly appear and they’re basically gonna start talkin’ to us. Don’t know why; it just kinda…happened.” Applebloom said. For Chrome: A boxer, hmm? Just how did you get your name? When I heard the word "chrome" I figured there would be some more, um, "color" to your backstory so to speak For Chrome: You are aware of these little guys mission, right? Maybe you can help them out by telling them how you got your cutie mark. Unless it's somthing perverse or.. has to do with drugs or.. You know what? Just nevermind that. Also, be sure to keep that Applebloom in line. I hear she's a riot. Immediately, all three Crusaders surrounded the stallion with beaming faces. “C’mon tell us! How’d you get your Cutie Mark Chrome?” Sweetie Belle asked, hopping up and down. Applejack facehoofed. “Oh, don’t start em on that again. Chrome goes on FOREVER whenever he talks about his foalhood.” Applejack said. “Oh relax AJ, I promise I won’t take too long. Besides-“ Chrome leaned in and whispered to Applejack. “You seriously expect me to say no to THOSE faces?” he asked quietly. Applejack glanced at the three fillies who were all still giving off their adorable smiles. “…Ah guess not.” Applejack said. Chrome turned back to the Crusaders and cleared his throat. “Alright girls, I’ll tell you what happened. It all started in my hometown of Manehattan. My parents had been successful metal-workers in the area, and I guess they wanted me to continue the family business or something, hence the name “Chrome Hoof”. But the problem with THAT was that I didn’t want to go into that line of work. There is just nothing interesting about pounding metal with a sledgehammer all day and night. But at the same time, I had no clue what I actually wanted to do. I was the only pony left in my class without a Cutie Mark, and it was starting to drive me a little nuts. I was one of those foals who would actually LOSE SLEEP over it.” Chrome said. “So, what’d you do?” Applebloom asked. “Whatever I did whenever I got frustrated. I went to the gym, set up a ton of punching bags, and beat the crap out of every single one. Helped me vent out a lot. At one point, a good friend of mine watched me box and encouraged me to go pro. It was then that I realized that maybe it was what I was meant to do, and that’s where my Cutie Mark came from.” Chrome said. “Who was that friend of yours? ” Scootaloo asked. Chrome pointed a hoof at Applejack from the other side of the couch, much to the surprise of the Crusaders. “Wait, mah sister helped you get your Cutie Mark?!” Applebloom shouted. “Uh-huh. Me and her were real good friends back when she was living in Manehattan. I owe my Cutie Mark to that mare.” Applejack looked bashfully at the ground. “Aww shucks. It was nothin’ Chrome. All ah did was give ya a little encouragement. Ya’ll had to realize your own destiny.” Applejack said with a blush on her face. “Sure, but you know how thick-headed I can be. Probably wouldn’t have realized it if you hadn’t said anything. Anyway, I then realized that my name sounded a little strange considering my special talent and everything, so I had to make it work by coming up with what I believe is the greatest catch phrase for a boxer EVER…” Chrome got out of his seat and cleared his throat, and sported the most serious expression he could muster. “Chrome to your dome, 'till you get lock-jawed” Chrome said in an obviously fake but deep voice. ‘Oh my gosh, he is SO cool!’ Applebloom mentally squealed. “So, you girls see what getting your Cutie Mark is all about? It’s the very image of who you are. See what I’m getting at here?” Chrome asked. All three fillies nodded. “Sure do! CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS PROFFESIONAL BOXERS!” Sweetie Belle yelled, high-hoofing the her friends at the same time and all three of them galloping out the front door, ready to start their crusading for the day. Everypony in the room face-hoofed. “Now why do I feel like they missed the entire point of the story?” Chrome said with a deadpanned expression. “Don’t beat yourself up about it Chrome. Those fillies have heard all this before and still don’t get it.” Applejack said, reassuring her friend. “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh said. To Chrome Hoof: You should probably watch Scootaloo carefully. I mean with her being the most athletic one and the whole business with...Her parents, but anyway keep a look out. All three of them are your responsibility... So don't mess up or it's on your head! “Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Chrome groaned as he trotted out the door, prepared to face whatever pain the Crusader’s antics would rain upon him.