//------------------------------// // Good Luck // Story: Trouble With Dating // by TheAnimerican //------------------------------// ***Inside the Apple Barn*** "Wow, Applejack said that to you?" asked Sweetie Belle. "She cried that much? Gosh, she hasn't cried like that since..." Apple Bloom didn't finish her sentence. She instead looked to the floor in silence; remembering that Applejack hasn't cried that much since their parents passed away. Apple Bloom's expression quickly changes from grief to excitement; at least she wanted it to look that way in front of her friends. "That doesn't matter, what matters is that you two finally got to talk to each other!" "Yeah, but this isn't what I had in mind. She keeps thinkin' I have a fever. I want to talk to her and be friends, not have her be my temporary nurse." "She will be in the barn taking care of you. Even if you aren't sick, how much closer can you get?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Well, I can get a lot closer. I wanna...I wanna..." Trouble Shoes blushes again and could not keep eye contact with the girls. "What?" Scootaloo asked eagerly. "I wanna...ya know..." Apple Bloom, growing a grin on her face, begins to tease the large stallion. "Nooooo, what do ya wanna do?" the mischievous pony asked. "Eh...forget I said anything!" Trouble Shoes walked away from the girls. "Aww, come on now. You can't start sayin' somethin' and walk away, what do you wanna do with Applejack?" "Nothin' ya need to know." "Oh, but we do!" Scootaloo said playfully. "Talk to the flank." Trouble Shoes stated. "Okay, while she does, I will talk to your face. What do you want to do with Applejack?" Sweetie Belle asked. Pressured by the little fillies, Trouble Shoes decided to just blurt it out. "I wanna ask her out on a date!" After saying those words, there was a loud thump sound hitting the ground. The three fillies and Trouble Shoes looked to the source of the sound. It's source was Applejack dropping her saddle bag with medicine. Trouble Shoes began to drown in mixtures of different emotions; the first was shock, the second was fear, and the third was regret. Apple Bloom, however, was feeling only guilt. Although she was just having fun with Trouble Shoes, she felt that she might have caused a wall to form between him and Applejack. "W-...What did you say?" Applejack asked. "I...I..." Trouble Shoes is paralyzed, but as least he was still standing. He couldn't believe that he blurted something like that out. They were starting off in the right direction, but now he feels like his cutie mark gave him the worst possible turn. "You...you were goin' to...ask me out on a...date?" Applejack began to slowly step forward to the Stallion. The Crusaders stepped to the side as she soon became a couple hoof steps away from him. Trouble Shoes looked to the Crusaders in a obvious cry for help, but they were unable to provide him any at that point. The most that they were able to do for him was be there for him. Trouble Shoes then looked back into Applejack's eyes that were waiting for his answer. At that point he thought, "Oh buck it!." "Ms. Applejack, I was hopin' you could do me the honor...of being my date tonight." Trouble Shoes asked in fear of rejection, but with confidence as well. Applejack's face expression never changed. She was not expecting something to surprise her like that since it took so much out of her to apologize. Her knees began to shiver and was afraid of collapsing. Trouble Shoes and the Crusaders notice her losing her balance. Although they were prepared to catch her, she regained her composure and regained eye contact with Trouble Shoes. "I'm sorry, but...I can't..." Trouble Shoes had prepared himself for those words, but it is never easy hearing the real thing. The Crusaders too began to feel hurt by the words. "But...I wouldn't mind tomorrow night." Trouble Shoes and the three fillies instantly snap out of their sad state of mind. "I'm pretty tired from all the chores and...this is might sudden, but I would like that." On the inside, he is experiencing a powerful feeling that could not be expressed into words. Rather not say anything stupid, he kept silent to not ruin this moment. Instead, they stare into each other's eyes; both of them having a smile and redness in their cheeks. "Uh, it seems you have a fever of your own." Trouble Shoes said jokingly. Applejack gave a small chuckle and the Crusaders giggled in the background. "Well, this has certainly been an interestin' day for the both of us." "Hehehe. Yup." "Well, I guess I'll be gettin' along to bed. If ya have no place to stay for the night, we have a guest bedroom." Applejack looks towards the girls, "Apple Bloom, can ya show him the guest bedroom? Also, it is gettin' late, you three can have a sleepover tonight." "Yeah!" The three cheered in sync. "Thank you Ms. Applejack," said Trouble Shoes. "Hehe. Just call me Applejack. I'll see ya tomorrow...sugar cube." Applejack walks out of the barn and out of sight. After they knew the coast was clear, the Crusaders jumped for joy and jumped on Trouble Shoes. "You did it Trouble Shoes!" yelled Apple Bloom. "You two are going on a date!" cheered Sweetie Belle. "Yup, I'm going on a date...Oh sweet Celestia...I'M GOING ON A DATE!?!" Trouble Shoes screamed in a panic.