"Wait right here, Rumble," instructed Applejack when the two of them were outside the main living quarters of the barn. "Ah'll go get her."
Rumble simply nodded his head and sat on his haunches as she opened the door and went inside. With a smile on her face, she trotted up the stairs and bee-lined for Apple Bloom's bedroom. When she was in front of her room, she knocked on the closed door.
"Apple Bloom," Applejack called out.
"Yeah, sis," she responded.
"Ya have a visitor waitin' fer ya."
It wasn't long before she opened the door. "Really? Who?"
Applejack couldn't help but smile as she said, "Rumble."
Apple Bloom's eyes grew wide as she darted back into the room and sat in front of the mirror over her dresser, Applejack following close behind. Immediately, the filly grabbed her brush with one hoof and began running through the top of her mane, her other hoof fumbling with the braided part.
"Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh," she repeated over and over again as she began darting back and forth in the room, looking for something. "Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?"
“Relax, Apple Bloom," Applejack said in a reassuring tone. "Ya have nothin' ta worry 'bout. Just be yerself and everythin'll be fine."
The filly barely responded as she found what she was looking for: the two boxes she brought home several days ago from the Carousel Boutique. Quickly, she grabbed the smallest box and opened it up, the small spray-bottle resting in her hooves. Without hesitation, she began spraying it all over herself, causing Applejack to cough and cover her nose.
"Ah think that's plenty," she advised, waving a hoof in the air to get the smell away from her.
"How do ah look?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Ya look fine, sugar cube. Ya better get out there before he leaves."
She nodded as she galloped out of the room and headed for the front door. However, when she was in front of it, she stopped in her tracks, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering around on hyper drive.
"What's wrong now?" Applejack asked as she approached her.
"Maybe ah shouldn't do this," she answered, her voice going into a whisper. "Maybe you should tell him ah'm not home or somethin'. Ah don't think ah'm ready yet."
"Don't worry about a thing, AB. Just take a deep breath and talk ta him. Everythin'll be alright, you'll see. Now, get out there before it's too late."
Giving her a shaky nod and a sheepish grin, Apple Bloom turned to the door and took a deep breath before slowly opening it. Outside, she saw Rumble sitting in front of the door while looking around at all the apple trees strewn about. When the door slowly opened with a creak sound, he directed his attention towards it, a smile on his face when he saw her coming out. With the same smile on her face, she slowly trotted out the door, closing it behind her when she was outside.
"Hey, Apple Bloom," Rumble said. "Sorry to bother you like this."
"Oh no, it's alright," she said nervously, rubbing the back of her right leg with the opposing hoof. "So, what's up?"
Rumble was about to explain when a certain thought came back to his mind. Knowing it wouldn't go away until he confronted it, he said, "Well, first of all, Applejack said you'd be happy to see me. May I ask why?"
Her heart began pounding in her chest as she began thinking of different ways she could get back at her sister for opening her mouth. As calmly as she could, she simply said, "N-No reason."
A moment of awkward silence followed, both of them looking around as they tried to find the right words to say. Looking back and forth, Rumble asked, "Is there somewhere we can talk...you know...alone?"
Apple Bloom smiled and nodded as she began walking towards him. However, she had only taken three steps before she felt like somepony was pulling her back by her tail, making her stumble to the ground.
"WAH!" she screamed as her face hit the ground.
"Oh my goodness, are you alright?" Rumble asked as he quickly trotted up to her. He extended a hoof to help her up, which she only stared at for a moment before taking it. When she was upright, the two of them looked into each other's eyes, making the filly turn her head to try and hide her already blushing cheeks.
"What happened?" Rumble asked, the two of them looking behind her to see what caused her to fall. It was to both of their surprise to see that the end of Apple Bloom's tail was stuck in the door.
Great job, Apple Bloom scolded herself. Ya can't even walk outta yer own house without embarrassin' yerself!
"Here, let me help you," he said as he opened to door to release her tail. When she was free, he could see that she was really embarrassed by what happened. He offered a polite smile and said, "It's okay, Abby. It happens to the best of us."
The name caused her ears to perk up. "'Abby'?"
Now it was Rumble's turn to start blushing. “Sorry, I just thought it was a nice nickname for you, so I wouldn't have to keep saying your full name all the time. If you don't like it, I won't say it anymore."
Are ya kiddin'? Ah LOVE it! Apple Bloom thought as she mentally began skipping for joy. However, she calmly said, "It’s fine. Ah kinda like it. C'mon, let's go."
Then, Apple Bloom began leading Rumble to the apple fields where they can talk in private. As she trotted passed him, a familiar scent caught his nose, making him raise an eyebrow.
What is that smell? Rumble asked himself as he began following her. It sort of smells like...roses...almost like the perfume Rarity was wearing yesterday. Why is Apple Bloom wearing Rarity's perfume?
It wasn't long before the two of them stopped among the vast amounts of apple trees. When they were confident no one would interrupt the two of them, Apple Bloom turned to Rumble and asked, "So, whaddaya wanna talk 'bout?"
Rumble cleared his throat and said, "Well, I'm trying to do something and I could really use your opinion on it."
"Okay, what is it?"
"Before I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't tell anypony about this, not even Scootaloo or...or Sweetie Belle."
"Ah promise, 'cross mah heart, hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.'"
At first, Rumble tilted his head, confused at the creed Apple Bloom just recited. However, he didn't dwell on the thought for long before he shook his head, took a deep breath, and blurted out, "There’s this filly that I know and I really like her, but the thing is, she doesn't know that I like her, but want her to know that I like her, but I'm too embarrassed to let her know that I like her. So, I found out a way to tell her that I like her, but in a way that doesn't say that...well...I like her."
Apple Bloom blinked in confusion as she asked, "Wait, are ya sayin' you like somepony, as in like, like?"
He lowered his head in embarrassment. "Well...yeah."
Her heart felt like it came to a stand-still before dropping into her stomach. A saddened expression came across her face, which she tried desperately to fight so Rumble wouldn't see it. There was a filly he already liked? What were the chances it was her? In that moment, she felt like crying, or running away while crying, screaming at the top of her lungs. However, she resisted the urge; she needed to find out who it was.
"Oh...really? That's great! Ah'm really happy fer ya," she said through gritted teeth, trying to put on the most natural smile she could. "Anypony ah know?"
Rumble let out a small chuckle and said, "I think you, of all ponies, might know her."
She tilted her head to one side at the statement. 'Me of all ponies'? What does that mean?
"Anyway," he continued. "I wanted to get her something, a present to let her know how I feel. The thing is, I don’t know what to get her. I was hoping you could help me come up with an idea of the perfect present for her."
Apple Bloom tapped a hoof on her chin as if she was thinking about what he said. However, she had other thoughts going through her mind at the moment.
Ah wanna help him, but ah need ta find out who it is he likes. There has ta be a way ta get him ta spill the beans, she thought. A split second passed before an idea came to mind, making a devious grin come across her face.
"Alright, Rumble, ah’ll help ya," she said. "But on one condition."
Oh boy, here it comes, Rumble thought as he said, "What?"
"Will ya tell me who it is ya like? Ah promise ah won't tell nopony!"
Figures, he thought as he rolled his eyes. Luckily, he had foreseen this happening and already had an offer she couldn't refuse ready. "If you help me find the perfect gift, I'll give you a hint of who it is. You have my word."
Apple Bloom thought about his offer; it may not be what she wanted to know, but it was better than nothing. After a few moments, she smiled at him and said, "Deal."
The two of them shook each other's hoof, solidifying their deal. Then, Apple Bloom asked, "So, what can ya tell me 'bout her?"
"Well...she's a very nice filly, I guess. She’s kind, and sweet, and very pretty looking," he tried to explain. As much as he wanted to tell her more about Sweetie Belle, he didn't know too much about her. "Sorry, but I don't know what else to say about her. I guess I've been too nervous to talk to her or get to know her better."
"It's okay, ah understand," she said. "But ah'm not sure how much help ah can be without knowin' more 'bout her. Everypony is different, so they might like different things, ya know?"
"I know. Still, I was hoping you could...maybe...give me some ideas in...in a different way."
She raised an eyebrow in response.
He took the hint and continued. "Well, maybe you can help me pick out a gift that she might like...you know...as a filly."
"Whaddaya mean?"
"Well, I was thinking that, maybe you could tell me some things you like, or Scootaloo, or...or Sweetie Belle. That way, I can get an idea that way."
"How is that gonna help ya?" Apple Bloom asked unsurely.
Rumble lowered his head in shame. "Well, the truth is, I don’t really know too much about what fillies might like as a gift. I haven't had too many friends that were fillies, so I don't really know what they would like."
"Ah don't know if that's gonna work," she said as she rubbed the back of her neck. However, what she wanted to find out caused her to quickly say, "But, ah guess it's worth a shot."
He offered her a polite smile and said, "Thanks. So, what are some things that a filly would like?"
"Well, as far as gifts, most fillies like things like jewelry, or dresses, or somethin' like that. Like ah said before, everypony is different, so it depends on the pony."
Hmmm, Rumble thought. Jewelry seems like a good idea, but I need more information, just to be sure.
"Okay," he said as he dug a hoof in the dirt. "Well, what are some things Scootaloo likes?"
"She's likes anythin' ta do with extreme sports, ya know, anythin' that goes really fast. Either that or anythin' ta do with Rainbow Dash. She’s, like, her biggest fan! She even started her own 'Rainbow Dash Fan Club'."
The two of them shared a laugh at the idea.
That’s no good! Sweetie Belle isn't like that at all!
"Interesting...what about Sweetie Belle? What would she like?"
"Ha! She's an easy one, since she’s just like her sister. She really likes pretty and fancy things, like dresses and jewelry!"
"Jewelry?" he asked, his ears perking up. "What kind?"
“She likes everythin', like rings, bracelets, or even necklaces! Ya should've seen her when we were tryin' ta get our Cutie Marks in makin' jewelry! Sure, she wasn't good at makin' them, but she still loved the idea of getting a Cutie Mark that was a piece of jewelry."
Well, it seems like jewelry is a solid winner. Still, I can't end the conversation there! She might catch on that it's Sweetie Belle. Hmmm, there has to be a way to get her mind off that, but how?
Rumble looked around for a bit before asking, "What about you? What are some things you'd like as a gift?"
Like before, her cheeks began turning bright red, which she tried to hide by turning her head away from Rumble.
Ah thought you'd never ask, she thought as she said, "Well, as much as ah like gifts and all, ah wouldn't really need one."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Then, she took him by surprise by turning to him and trotting towards him, a look in her eyes that Rumble could have sworn he'd seen before. However, he didn't dwell on it for long as the filly came close to his face, causing him to back away in confusion.
"If somepony liked me, ah wouldn't need a gift from them to tell me. Ah would just ask them to be honest and tell me, ya know?"
"Um...I guess you're right...I guess..."
The two of them looked at each other for several minutes, neither of them moving or saying anything. Rumble looked back and forth, trying to comprehend what was going on while Apple Bloom continued to stare lovingly into his eyes, hoping he would take the hint. At some point, she began leaning closer to him, making him lean away with every inch she moved. Not only did he back away in confusion, but he tried to stifle a cough.
I like that perfume and all, he thought to himself, his breathing becoming shallow. But I think she used a little too much. It smells more than the apple trees!
Then, the inevitable happened. Since she was leaning further than her body would allow, her hind legs lifting in the air, she tumbled forward and fell flat on the ground.
"Geez, Abby," Rumble said as he helped her up again. "What’s with you and falling today?"
"Ah don't know. Ah guess ah'm just not myself today," she said as she brushed some leaves off her coat. The moment ruined, she blushed and asked, "Did ah help ya in any way?"
"Tons! Thank you so much for your help, Abby."
"No problem, happy ta-"
She was interrupted mid-sentence as Rumble brought her into an embrace [making sure he held his breath so he wouldn't smell the powerful perfume]. It was in that moment that everything around her had vanished; it was like they were the only two left in all of Equestria. Time stood still as she returned the gesture, her heart pounding harder and harder with every passing second. She hadn't been hugged by many ponies outside of her family, and now that she had, it was one of the best feelings in the world.
Oh my star-apples, Apple Bloom thought, hearts dancing around in her eyes. If this is a dream, don't wake me up! Ah want this moment ta last forever!
"Thanks again," he said as he released his embrace. "Oh, I guess I owe you a hint, huh?"
When he looked at Apple Bloom, he blinked in surprise as he saw that she was frozen solid, her eyes wide and an odd smile across her face. He titled his head in confusion as he waved a hoof in front of her face.
"Abby? Abby!" he called out to her. "Are you alright? Hello? Is anypony in there?"
"Okay, I'd love some," she said, her body not moving an inch.
Worried, he rested his ear against her chest. When he heard the sound of her heart still beating, albeit fast, he began to slowly back away.
"I'm...I'm gonna go get Applejack to help you. Just...Just wait right there, okay?"
"Sure, get me one, too."
He raised an eyebrow at her answers, shaking his head as he turned and headed back towards the barn.
I hope she's alright and snaps out of it soon, he thought. However, he smiled and let out a sigh of relief. I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, it got me out of having to tell her anything about my crush on Sweetie Belle.
As he approached the living quarters of barn, he refocused his attention back on to what he needed to. Okay, so jewelry seems to be the winner. All I have to do is go to the local jewelry store, find something that's not too expensive, and pick out something she might like. That shouldn't be too hard.
He knocked on the door and waited for Applejack to open it, a content smile on his face. Looks like everything is going my way today! Here's hoping it stays that way!
"Here you go, Miss Rarity," the mail mare said as she gave her a small pile of letters.
"Thank you, dear," Rarity said as she smiled and took the mail with her magic. "But, you don't have to call me, 'Miss Rarity', you know. Just Rarity is fine."
"Okay, sorry Miss Rarity...I mean Rarity...hehe, sorry."
They both shared a laugh as they bid each other farewell, the wall-eyed Pegasus flying off to finish her rounds. Closing the door behind her, Rarity began looking through the letters with her red-framed glasses on her eyes. She trotted into the kitchen and placed all of the letters on the table except for one, which she opened via her magic and began reading to herself. The further she read the letter, the wider her eyes grew.
"Oh my stars," she mused to herself. "This is unbelievable! Savannah Café and her partner, Trench-Stud, are coming to Ponyville to perform for, 'The Festival of the Night', and want me to design their outfits! Thank you, Sapphire Shores, for the recommendation! This is simply marvelous!"
Along with the letter were several pictures of what they wanted their outfits to look like, along with their measurements and a list of the types of jewels they wanted on certain parts of the clothing. Quickly, Rarity trotted up to her work room and began going through many fabrics and gemstones she had to see if she had enough to start the ensembles.
"Fortunately, I have some of this gold fabric left over for the dress and I do believe I can make the suit with little to no difficulty. I'm pretty sure I can find some rubies and emeralds for the dress around here somewhere," she said to herself. "If not, I'll have to ask Spike for his-"
She was interrupted mid-sentence when she heard the sound of the bell over the front door go off. Placing the pictures down, she trotted to the door to greet whoever entered her shop.
"Welcome to the 'Carousel Boutique'," she greeted.
"Hi, Rarity," came a familiar voice. Rarity felt her heart stop as she looked at Thunderlane standing there with a nervous smile on his face.
"Oh, hello Thunderlane," she said with a sheepish grin of her own. "How can I help you?"
"Well, I came over to talk to you about something. Is this a bad time?"
"Of course not, darling. How about we talk in the kitchen? Care for a cup of tea?"
"Sure, that sounds nice."
The two of them trotted into the kitchen as Rarity, once again, prepared two cups of tea. As she got everything ready, she couldn't help but bite her lower lip, her heart beginning to speed up with every passing second.
What should I do? I want to tell him now, but I don't think it’s the best time. I can't keep lying to him like this, but I don't know how to break it to him, she thought. Then, she lowered her head as she came to a decision, one that she knew she had to make, no matter what the outcome was. I have to tell him the truth, even if that means losing him. I just hope he can forgive me for all of this someday.
Taking a small breath to calm her nerves, Rarity brought over the two cups of tea and sat down next to him, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she envisioned his reaction and seeing the inevitable sight of him storming out of the shop, never wanting to see her ever again.
The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both of them unsure how to start with what they wanted to say to each other. As he took a swig of his tea, Thunderlane let out a sigh and decided to start off with a little bit of small talk.
"So, how's Sweetie Belle feeling?" he asked.
"She's okay," Rarity said. "In fact, she was feeling much better than before, so I allowed her to go out for a little while with her...friends."
"Oh, well, that's good to hear," Thunderlane said. "Glad to hear she's doing well."
More awkward silence followed.
"So," she said. "What did you want to talk about?"
He looked at the table for a moment before answering. "I wanted to talk about...well...us."
She responded by looking at him, taking a sip of her tea and allowing him to continue.
He swallowed the tea in his cup before continuing. "You see, I was doing a little bit of thinking, and I was just wondering if...maybe...possibly...no pressure or anything...we can...you know...well, you wouldn't know, but...um..."
Eventually, he stopped talking as he tried to find the right words. When he saw Rarity beginning to giggle, he turned away to hide his embarrassment.
Well, that's not working out, he thought. I guess it's time to go with 'Plan B'...
He's so cute when he's like this, Rarity thought. However, it was short lived when she reminded herself of what she needed to do. You have to tell him before he makes a big mistake.
She lowered her head and let out a sigh. Then, she turned to him and said, "Thunderlane, I can't..."
She was interrupted by Thunderlane doing something that she didn't expect at all. Just as she turned to talk to him, he leaned in and planted his lips onto hers, completely catching her off guard.
Only a few seconds had passed before Rarity pulled her head away from him, giving him a look that was a mix of shock and disbelief. The moment Thunderlane saw the look, he lowered his head in shame, his ears drooping as well.
"Thunderlane," she said. "That was completely uncalled for! It's very rude to sneak up on a lady like that and kiss her without her consent!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I...I don't know what came over me."
They stared at each other for a solid minute before Rarity closed her eyes and leaned in herself, giving him back what she had received. Now it was Thunderlane's turn to back away with a similar look on his face.
"Rarity," he said. "What are...? Why did...? I mean, I thought you said..."
She shushed him by putting a hoof over his lips before kissing him again. This time, neither of them pulled away. Instead, Rarity put a hoof on his cheek while he put a hoof around her neck, keeping each other locked in the moment. Both of them had their eyes closed as they shared the tender kiss together; as much as they wanted the kiss to go further, they kept it at just the connection of their lips for now.
What felt like a lifetime had passed before the two of them pulled away from each other, even though it was only a few minutes. They both looked into the other's eyes, neither of them saying anything. The only thing they could do was smile, both of their cheeks beginning to turn red.
"Rarity," Thunderlane said in a whisper.
"Yes?" she replied.
"Will you...will you be my special somepony?"
She let out a small gasp at his question, putting a hoof over her mouth. Her heart began to race as the thoughts of them being together flashed through her mind. A smile came across her lips as she said exactly what the two of them wanted to hear.
"Oh Thunderlane, I'd love to."
Then, Rarity leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek before resting her head against his neck. A feeling of warmth began surging through her body as she felt his hoof wrap around her, holding her tightly against his body.
"Thank you," Thunderlane said, his voice still in a whisper.
"No," Rarity said, matching his tone. "Thank you."
"I love you, Rarity, ever since I first laid eyes upon you."
"Oh Thundy, I love you, too."
They stayed in that same position for a long time, both of them locked in the tender moment together. Neither of them wanted it to end, but they knew it had to sooner or later. Reluctantly, they both released their embrace and looked into each other’s eyes again. Thunderlane smiled at her, causing Rarity to smile and let out a small giggle.
"So, I was wondering," he said. "If you're not doing anything, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight, just the two of us?"
"I'd love to," she said, her smile fading. "But, I have this wardrobe order that came in today, and I need to get started on it. They need it by the time the Festival comes next week."
"Oh, I see. Well, how about tomorrow night, then? That way, you can get some of your work done and we can find somepony to watch over the foals."
She let the thought sink in; she had already turned him down for a dinner-date once already. Now that they were together, it would seem very rude to do it again. Besides, he was right: her order would be started and she would have enough time to find a foal-sitter to watch Sweetie Belle.
After a moment, she said, "Sounds like a wonderful idea."
His eyes grew wide as a toothy smile came across his face. "Really?"
"Of course, darling. Pick me up at 8 o'clock?"
"It’s a date!"
With that, the two of them shared one last hug and kiss before Thunderlane got up and left the Boutique. When he was gone, Rarity made her way up to her work room to start her work, a smile on her face and a euphoric feeling coursing through her body. She began skipping up the stairs and into the room in a way that rivaled Pinkie Pie's, not feeling anything beneath her hooves as she moved. Then, she made her way over to her supplies and began gathering everything she would need to get started on the order.
Rarity began humming a sweet tune to herself with a smile on her face and rapture in her heart as she got to work, the thoughts of telling Thunderlane the truth about her sister and the lies she had been telling him becoming nothing but a faded memory.