Fun Fact Contest: The Apple behind Operation RedHeart

by FandomAnvil

Dust Bath

Api was still giggling at her cousin’s flustered reaction even as she galloped pass the front arch gate of Sweet Apple Acres. She even looked back at the barn to check if Red June had decided to chase after her. Seeing no sign of the older mare, Api burst into laughter while falling on her back and rolling on the ground.

After calming down a little, Api caught her breath and continued on to Sugarcube Corner to find Golden Delicious, better known as just Golden or Del to his friends and family. According to Red June, Del had been the last one to use the family’s plow disc cooker that they recently bought to cater the growing numbers of attendees during their Apple family reunions. It provided a much more efficient and convenient method of cooking their apple fritters than the old black giant cauldrons.

“Del must have been using it to try out his new recipes,” Api licked her lips, thinking about her cousin’s savoury creations. Del’s cooking usually had apples as the core ingredient but lately he has started to be more adventurous, trying other styles and ingredients. The memories of all the yummy treats Del had let her taste were enough to distract Api from the somewhat dull journey between the farm and Ponyville’s number one confectionery shop.

“ACHOO!” a sneeze caught Api off guard and made the imaginary floating foodstuff fall to the ground and disappear.

“Aww…” Api whined disappointedly at her loss. “Who made me drop my sweets?” she pouted before investigating further, determined to find the culprit. The sound had come from behind some bushes and trees where large piles of sand and dirt were left waiting to be used by Ponyville’s construction crew. Doing a quick scan around the area, Api could not see the pony who had sneezed.

“Ah, don't look at it!” a new voice suddenly blurt out from above.

“N-no, it looks cool. Your scar I mean,” the voice which sneezed earlier replied.

I know that voice. Starburst! Api thought to herself, trying harder to pinpoint the location of the pegasus pony whose voice she heard. She sounded like she was nearby but Api still couldn’t see any pony other than piles of sand. Perhaps she and who ever she is talking to is behind one of these piles. The little investigator pressed on.

“Uuuuuhhh, thanks,” the other voice replied.

“Wish I had a cool scar. I get injured all the time but have nothing to show for it.”

“Meh, it's alright. You don't need to look anymore intimidating than you already do.”

Api groaned mentally when she finally realized who the arrogant and cocky voice belonged to; Prism Bolt, Ponyville’s laziest pegasus pony and maybe in all of Equestria. They sounded like they were right in front of her but only a huge mountain of sand stood before her.

“I'll take that as a compliment.”

Of course. They are both pegasus ponies who can fly. Api smacked a hoof on her forehead before looking up. True enough, two pegasus ponies were seated at the peak, one was orange while the other was dark blue. The orange one was Starburst, her mane striped with two shades of blue and one purple in between. She had her enormous wings opened, making her easily look twice as big. The other dark blue, rainbow maned was Prism Bolt. He was much larger than Starburst being two years older than her; but where a bandage usually covered his muzzle, a deep wide scar was showing.

“Hey Starburst! What are you doing up there with Prism Bolt?” Api called out, not wanting to risk climbing. There was instantly the sound of two pairs of wings snapping open in surprise. Then two shadows loomed over Api as the other two landed in front of her.

“Hello Api. We were just talking.” Starburst said in her usual cool demeanor.

“On a pile of dirt?” Api asked curiously while looking between the two ponies.

“I was just showing Star how to take a dust bath. She hasn’t had one before even though every pegasi in Cloudsdale and Ponyville knows it’s the best…” Prism could not finish his sentence as a dagger like glare from Starburst shut his mouth up.

“So you’re saying the two of you were bathing together. Out here in the open. In a pile of dirt. Just the two of you.” Api’s tone was deadpan, her eyes switching between the two suddenly red-faced pegasi.

“W-what? No. We weren’t bathing together! I was just showing her how!” Prism retorted while Starburst was too frozen for any reaction.

“But that’s what you said!” Api pointed a hoof at the denying colt. “And I’m pretty sure doing it on the same pile is considered as doing it together.”

“Yeah, but we weren’t doing it together. We were just doing it in the same place.” Prism Bolt paused as he got ‘are you serious’ looks from both Api and Starburst. “That didn’t make any sense, did it?” Both mare and filly did not even dignify his question with an answer or look.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Starburst asked.

“I was just on my way to Sugarcube corner when I heard some pony sneeze.” Api shrugged and played with her hoof. “Thought I’d find an adventure, instead all I found were two lovebirds in their love nest.”

Both Starburst and Prism Bolt exchanged a quick glance at each other, their eyes wide opened with disbelief and shock. After a brief moment of being stunned, they pulled away and distanced themselves from each other.

“Api!” Starburst flashed opened her wings while glaring at the filly with a red serious face. “That’s not what happened! Nothing happened and I don’t want to hear another word about this” Without any warning, she shot up into the air and flew away towards the farm.

“Yeah Api. What she said. We’re just friends, even though I know no mare can resist my looks,” Prism struck a pose and his signature smile.

“Bleh.” Api stuck out her tongue. “I know I can.”

Author's Note:

This story was written for kilala's fun fact contest.
Fun Fact: Api always manages to find her older friends in awkward situations with one another. Because of this, she is the master of blackmail
Art that inspired this chapter: Dust Bath
I got to work on my dialog writing. Oh well, practise, practise, practise.
Thanks to dracone for proofreading.

Comments

[dracone]

Seeing no sigh of the older mare

I think you meant to say "no sign of the older mare"

You don't need to look anymore intimidating that you already do.

I think you you meant to say "than you already do."

I really liked this story, it was a fun read.

[FandomAnvil]

5732284 Thanks. I missed those.