//------------------------------// // The Question (revised and extended) // Story: Love is in Bloom // by theNDinspector //------------------------------// Wood Frame was sitting in his office, completely oblivious to the world around him. It had been a couple of weeks since Professor Keen Eye’s evaluation and—true to his word—job offers for Apple Bloom were arriving from all over Equestria. Several came from places like Manehattan and Fillydelphia. A couple came from Appaloosa and Canterlot. There was even one from the Chrystal Empire. knock knock knock Wood Frame knew he should be proud of Apple Bloom and the opportunities that she had—which he was. However, the only thing he could feel at the moment was depressed. He just knew that Apple Bloom would leave at any moment, and go far away. He would probably never see her again. He had worked all alone in the shop before and was fine then. This time, though, he didn’t think he could bear it. knock knock knock Oh, how Apple Bloom had changed him. He used to be very solitary, only working with others out of necessity. Even then, he would try to do most of the work himself. But ever since she came, that need for solitude eroded away. He worked with her not only because he had to, but because he wanted to. knock knock knock Wood Frame figured that she just had that effect on ponies. Applejack once said something about how Apple Bloom had helped heal her broken heart after a quarrel that they’d had before Apple Bloom started her apprenticeship. She certainly seemed to have the ability to make anything bloom, so to speak. But now the flower of his life was about to wilt and fade away forever. “Woody?” Wood Frame snapped back to reality. Apple Bloom was poking her head through the now barely open door. It was nearly nine in the evening—well past closing-time. “Why is she still here this late?” Wood Frame wondered. “Ah’ just wanted to thank you for everything that you taught me,” Apple Bloom said, walking into the office. “The pleasure was all mine,” Wood Frame managed to say. After clearing the frog in his throat, he continued. “Have you accepted any of the offers yet?” “Not yet,” Apple Bloom admitted. “There’s a few that Ah’ might take, but…it just seems weird to go somewhere that isn’t home.” “Ask her now. Do it!” He thought. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find som-” “NO! If you don’t do it now, then you will never get another chance!” Wood Frame gulped. “Listen, I think I’ll close the shop for tomorrow. How about we have lunch together, and we can talk about it then?” He asked with a sheepish grin on his face. Apple Bloom considered him for a moment before saying: “Sure.” “How about we meet here at noon, and we’ll go along from there?” Wood Frame suggested. “Okay,” Apple Bloom agreed. She then turned and walked out of the woodshop. “You still didn’t ask her.” “SHUT UP!” Wood Frame accidentally yelled out loud. Wood Frame then turned back to his desk. He opened a drawer that now had a hoof-print worn into it after fumbling with it so much these past few weeks. It took a moment, but he found what he was looking for. After taking it out, he left the shop, turning off the lights behind him. *** Apple Bloom woke up at dawn the next morning—a habit she had developed when she was a filly. She did her usual morning chores, but it felt odd not having to go to work at the woodshop. After she told her family about her plans for the day with Wood Frame, she noticed that Cheerilee had a sly, knowing smile on her face as she left for the schoolhouse. To keep herself busy, Apple Bloom went out into the field with Applejack and Big Mac to prepare for the upcoming Apple Bucking Season. Lil’ Mac happily followed his father. As she worked, Apple Bloom thought about her future. The truth was that she hadn’t really come close to deciding on any of the job offers, although there were couple that she immediately refuted since they were so far away from home and any relatives that she had. However, one thought that kept crossing her mind always concerned Woody. “Why would he just close up shop today?” She wondered. “And what is it that he keeps wanting to tell me?” When she saw that the sun was getting close to approaching its peak, she returned to the farmhouse to clean herself up. Stepping out of the bathroom after a quick shower, she was drawn to her dresser. She opened it, looking for something that she hadn’t used in a long time. Finding it, she put it on—the long unused motions were still second-nature to her. She then left Sweet Apple Acres and headed straight for Ponyville. ~~~ Wood Frame was outside the woodshop, choking in the outfit he was wearing. He had put on a collared shirt, tie and jacket—nothing too fancy, just something he usually wore for certain business meetings that didn’t happen very often. He was very nervous, a small part of him actually hoping that Apple Bloom wouldn’t show up. But he knew that wouldn’t happen with the dependable mare. Sure enough, he saw her coming, but something was different about her. It was something he hadn’t seen in a long time. Apple Bloom was wearing her old pink bow. Stunned, Wood Frame watched as she approached him. “Oh, Ah’ didn’t realize this was supposed to be a formal outing,” Apple Bloom said, feeling a bit embarrassed. “What? Oh no, it’s fine. You look marvelous,” Wood Frame managed to say, and then looked himself over. “To be honest, I’m not sure why I put this old thing on.” It was a lie. Wood Frame had a reason to be wearing those clothes, but he still hadn’t developed the courage to tell Apple Bloom yet. He motioned for her to come with him and they went to a simple, yet pleasant restaurant near the center of town. They each had a lovely meal of daffodil sandwiches, tomato soup and apple juice. Soon after they had finished lunch, they found themselves walking in the park. They were reminiscing over the past few years in the shop and some of the more interesting things that had happened in Apple Bloom’s life—which were quite a lot. One thing that came up was the table incident, and Apple Bloom mentioned that something similar had happened before. “So it wasn’t the first time that that happened?” Wood Frame asked. “No, mah’ friends and Ah’ once broke Fluttershy’s small table. We tried to fix it—and get cutie marks in carpentry—but it was a disaster,” Apple Bloom explained. “Then Sweetie Belle said, ‘Who wants a picture of a hammer on their flank anyway?’ And look at me now.” She giggled as she looked at her own flank, showing a hammer and 2x4 crossed behind a young sapling of an apple tree. Wood Frame chuckled as well. “A bit ironic, isn’t it?” He finally said. “What about you?” Apple Bloom asked “Oh, there isn’t much to tell,” Wood Frame said, trying to avoid the question. “Ahh, come on,” Apple Bloom whined. “We never talk about you.” “Well, I was usually a pretty solitary colt,” he relented. “I didn’t like to work with others very much. That changed ever since you came along though. I also like to play baseball. I have to play with others for that, so I guess it counts for something.” “So, why did you want to be a carpenter?” Apple Bloom continued, thrilled that she was finally getting some personal information about her former mentor after all these years. “Well, after my dad and I helped rebuild a house for a family that had lost their home in a fire, I got this,” he said, referring to his own cutie mark of a wooden house frame. “I figured that everypony deserves a place to stay, no matter where or who they are.” “That’s really sweet,” Apple Bloom commented. “Thanks,” Wood Frame replied. “Though, I like to think that others would do the same thing.” “Yeah, but they don’t always do so,” Apple Bloom said, moving a little bit closer to the well dressed stallion. Then she frowned a little, and asked, “Okay, Woody, what gives?” “What do you mean?” Wood Frame asked, taken aback. Apple Bloom then started to list everything on her mind, “Yah’ know: lunch, the stroll through the park, talking about our foalhoods…the fancy clothes. What gives?” “I just thought I’d spend some time with you before left,” Wood Frame lied. “But Ah’ haven’t decided if Ah’ even want to leave!” Apple Bloom said, glaring at her former mentor. Wood Frame looked back into those red-orange eyes of hers, thinking of everything he could possibly say to get him out of this. “You might as well tell her now,” he thought, taking a deep breath and sighed. “The truth is…I can’t possibly tell you how much it has meant to me to have you around,” Wood Frame said. “Not just around the shop, but for me. You’ve helped me change so much and…I just can’t stand to be without you. I love you.” Wood Frame then knelt down. He took a felt covered box out of his jacket and opened it, revealing a diamond studded, gold anklet (rings were really only practical for unicorns and the rare alicorn). “Apple Bloom, will you marry me?” Wood Frame finally asked. All was silent. Apple Bloom was totally dumbfounded, looking at the anklet, to Wood Frame, and then back again. Beads of sweat were running profusely down the back of Woody’s neck. “Oh sweet Celestia, I blew it!” He frantically thought. “She’ll never want me! Why would she wa-” “Yes!” Apple Bloom cried, leaping onto him and, unashamedly, kissed him. It was the happiest moment of Woody’s life.