Blooms of a Feather

by Locomotion

Chapter 4: Confessions and Consolations

Featherweight touched down in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres for the umpteenth time, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he paused for breath. He had searched the orchard for what felt like ages, starting at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse and working his way from grove to grove; but no matter where he looked, he couldn't seem to find the yellow-furred filly anywhere.

“Poor Apple Bloom,” he murmured solemnly. “She must be taking this way harder than I thought.” A light shudder coursed its way down his spine as a list of worst-case scenarios began to fester in his mind; he knew all too well what had nearly happened to Spike a few years back, and because of this, part of him was scared that she might be doing something horrible to herself at this very moment. “I sure hope she's okay.”

“Hope who's okay?” said a voice. Featherweight looked up to see a pale yellow Pegasus filly slowly descending towards him, her brow furrowed with concerned perplexity.

“Oh, hey there, Alula,” he murmured unenthusiastically.

“Something bugging you, Feathers?” asked Alula curiously. “You seem a bit off.”

Featherweight sighed with resignation. He just couldn't keep this to himself, could he? “It's Apple Bloom,” he explained wearily. “She's had her eye on this colt for some time now, but he's gone and found himself a fillyfriend and...well...” he ground to a halt in mid-sentence, feeling his chest tighten as he thought of how distraught the farm filly must be feeling right now.

Alula's look of concern gave way to one of mirth. “So she's lost her chances of winning Chip Mint over already, huh?” she chortled. “Don't say we didn't warn you, Apple Bloom!”

Featherweight glared at her. “I don't see anything funny about this,” he chided. “That filly's in a right state after seeing them make out, and all you can do is laugh about it?”

“Well, what do you expect?” smirked Alula cheekily. “Everypony's been telling her not to get her hopes up with that colt, but she never listened to us. Serves her right, if you ask me.”

“I'm serious, Alula!” burst out Featherweight angrily. “Look, I realise she's been a bit foolish about him, but this is no time for cracking jokes. What she needs right now is support, and there's no...”

“Okay, okay, look, I'm sorry, alright?” interrupted Alula hastily.

Featherweight rolled his eyes. That filly may have had her heart in the right place, but her cheeky streak, probably more prominent than Locomotion's, was getting so far under his fur right now. “Well...just mind what you say,” he replied bluntly.

“You bet on it,” promised Alula. “Now then, have you tried looking for her?”

“Well, yeah,” said Featherweight anxiously. “I've been looking all around the orchard, but I just can't seem to find her.”

“Can't you?” Alula looked surprised. “That's weird – I saw her something like half an hour ago.”

Featherweight's eyes widened. “You did?! Where?”

“At the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, listening to some story Tootsie Flute was telling them,” Alula specified. “She was a bit off, but she didn't seem anywhere near as bad as you described. Perhaps they've managed to help her come to terms with the whole thing.”

“Oh...” Somehow, Featherweight didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. “...well...in that case, I guess I'll just go and check on her, see if she's okay. Thanks, Alula.”

“No problem, Feathers. See you round.”

---

But when at last Featherweight reached the clubhouse, he was even more frustrated to find it empty again. With an exasperated groan, he came into land at the foot of the tree in which it resided, silently wondering whether Alula had been playing a practical joke on him.

“Well...so much for that,” he muttered. “Honestly, Alula, did you have to waste my time like this? And just when Apple Bloom needs me most?”

By now, he was starting to grow rather tired and hungry; judging by the position of the sun, it was getting rather late in the day, and he hadn't given himself so much as a single bite to eat since breakfast. Part of him wanted so badly to find the nearest café and get himself some lunch, but the rest of him was still too anxious about Apple Bloom to be thinking about food. Ignoring the growling in his stomach, he got to his hooves and began walking through the orchard, looking left and right on the off-chance that she might be close by.

But no matter how hard he searched, all Featherweight could find was the odd rabbit, squirrel and other critter scampering among the trees. Exhausted and downhearted, he finally gave up his search and plodded gloomily towards the farm gate, mentally berating himself for letting the poor young farm filly down.

“Featherweight? Y'all okay?”

This stopped the off-white colt in his tracks. Without the slightest change of expression, he slowly looked up – sure enough, the filly of his affections was standing just the other side of the gate to him. She still displayed a small hint of sadness in her eyes for what she had seen earlier, but there was something else in them as she gazed upon him. It was almost as if she was......worried about him.

“There you are, Apple Bloom,” he remarked. “I'd been looking all over for you.”

“Yeah, an' Ah'd been lookin' fo' y'all,” put in Apple Bloom.

Featherweight looked surprised. “What for?”

“Well...it's kinda...Ah mean...” Apple Bloom paused, scuffing the grass with her hoof. “...ya know how mad Ah'd been about Chip Mint? Well, ya see...”

“You don't need to tell me anything,” interrupted Featherweight softly. “I happened to be close by at the time. I saw the whole thing.” He heaved a deep sigh. “Must have been really horrible for you.”

Apple Bloom nodded sadly. “It was mah own fault fo' thinkin' Ah had a chance with that colt,” she admitted. “Ah should'a listened to the others.”

“Yeah, I figured you'd find it hard to take,” went on Featherweight, “hence why I tried to find you – I thought you might need somepony with you to...you know...just to be with you and hear you out.” He assumed an awkward look; “But I gather that's already been taken care of.”

“Well...yeah an' no,” replied Apple Bloom. “See, all mah friends 'ave been goin' on about me an'...well, a certain other colt gettin' together fo' some time now.” A light blush adorned her face. “Ah din' exactly take 'em seriously, but now Ah've had time ta think about it...Ah think they might have a point.”

“Wait...what 'certain other colt'?” Featherweight began to look rather nervous. Was there really somepony else she had her eye on?

But Apple Bloom's response deftly evaded the question; “Do y'all have anything special goin' on this afternoon?” she asked hopefully

Featherweight pondered. “Um...not exactly. I haven't even had any lunch yet, as a matter of fact.”

“Ya...haven't?” Apple Bloom stared at him in shock.

“I was too worried about you,” explained Featherweight ruefully. “Food was the last thing on my mind.”

“An' ya go an' risk starvin' yourself just because Ah'm upset?!” exclaimed Apple Bloom in dismay.

“I didn't mean to. I just lost track of time.”

Apple Bloom looked at her hooves, letting a few tears loose in the process. “Why did ya have ta do this to yourself, Featherweight? Torture yourself just so y'all can make sure Ah'm okay?”

“Torture? Where did you get an idea like that?”

“Well, just look at yourself! Ya look la'k you'd barely eaten in days – it's...it just don't look healthy.”

Featherweight gave a wry smile. “Well...there's a very good reason for that,” he pointed out. “See, I was diagnosed with an unusually high metabolic rate when I was just a month old, so it's difficult for me to put on any kind of weight. That's why I've got such a pitiful figure; it's not that I don't get a good diet – it just gets used up a lot quicker.”

“So...yo' only la'k that 'cause yo' body works quicker? How come ya never told me?”

“You never asked me,” said Featherweight simply.

Apple Bloom looked deeply ashamed of herself. “Ah'm sorry, Featherweight,” she murmured meekly. “Ah din' mean to offend y'all...Ah just din' realise...”

“Nah, it's okay – easy mistake to make. Even Shady and Loco put it all down to an eating disorder at first.” Featherweight's smile faded at this point, and he began rubbing one front leg against the other as he tried to pluck up courage. “Um...actually, Apple Bloom,” he went on shyly, “there was another reason for me coming after you. See, I've...well, you've rather...that is......” but his courage faded faster than he could muster it, and his voice trailed away.

Apple Bloom waited expectantly for him to finish; but somehow, she had a hunch that she already knew what he was going to say. “Yeah?” she prompted after a while.

Featherweight took a deep breath and muttered something so low that Apple Bloom could barely hear.

“What'd ya say?”

Again, only a mumble came out, slightly more audible than the last one – but not by much.

“Ah still can't hear y'all.”

“I'm getting a crush on you!” blurted out Featherweight, his face reddening with shame. Apple Bloom's eyes widened, and a small blush of her own started to creep into her cheeks; but in his embarrassment, the off-white colt barely noticed. “I know what you're gonna say – you don't want to be with somepony so weak and skinny as little me – but I just can't hold it in any longer.”

The yellow-furred filly tilted her head in confusion. “What in the hay gave y'all that idea?”

“Diamond Tiara,” replied Featherweight gloomily. “She said there was no way anypony would want me as a coltfriend.” He closed his eyes and let out a small tear. “She's probably right – I mean, who would want to go out with some scrawny little stick pony?”

Apple Bloom was aghast. In all the time she and Featherweight had known each other, she had never heard him put himself down so strongly, and this made her heart bleed. “Don't talk la'k that, Featherweight!” she scolded. “Ya may be...well, a bit on the skinny side – but that ain't no excuse ta go callin' yourself a stick pony! That's typical Diamond Tiara talk, an' Ah ain't havin' it, ya hear?!”

Featherweight didn't say anything, but nodded solemnly in reply.

“An' who says Ah wouldn't wanna go out with somepony la'k y'all?” continued Apple Bloom, lowering her voice. “Ya may not be Chip Mint, but now Ah come ta think about it, yo' actually so much better than he could ever be.”

This took Featherweight by surprise. Slowly lifting his head again to meet Apple Bloom's gaze, he noticed a look of kind, caring gratitude in her eyes, along with the same sincerity that all her kin seemed to exhibit. “I...I am? How?”

“Ain't y'all done forgotten about the whole Gabby Gums thing?”

“I'm not likely to forget.” Featherweight chuckled lightly in spite of himself.

“Ya not only helped us out of a tight spot, but ya also paid Diamond Tiara back fo' gettin' us into it in the first place,” Apple Bloom reminded him. “Okay, so maybe Loco was the one who got ya ta own up, but if ya hadn't...”

Featherweight smiled wryly. He knew exactly what Apple Bloom was getting at. “Well...I could hardly just stand by and let my friends suffer, could I now?” he said modestly.

“Exactly – even if it's blank-flanks la'k us, you've always been the supportive type,” went on Apple Bloom. “If Ah 'member correctly, ya once told me, 'Cutie Marks matter nothin' in friendship – it's the thought that counts.' Ya wouldn't find Diamond Tiara sayin' that.”

“No, I guess not.”

“An' what about a' them neat photos ya take fo' the Foal Free Press an' such? Ah'm surprised ya ain't taken up photography as a profession!” admired Apple Bloom. “Then there's the stories ya write fo' the paper – even Loco's fanfics can't seem ta rival those, an' ya don't even bother with all that rumour stuff we put in the Gabby Gums column.” She paused impressively. “An' on top of a' that, yo' at least as cute as that Chip Mint – maybe even more.”

Featherweight felt his face begin to heat up again. “You...you really think so?”

Apple Bloom nodded, a fond smile adorning her lips. “Any other filly would be plum stupid not ta agree with me on that one,” she affirmed, closing her eyes and slowly leaning towards him.

For a fleeting moment, Featherweight was so unsure of what to think or feel that he could have sworn he had briefly lost consciousness. It was only when he felt a gentle caress against the side of his face that he finally gathered his awareness – sure enough, the yellow-furred filly of his affections was giving him a gentle, meaningful nuzzle. In a split second, his fear, sorrow and embarrassment all melted away, and he wrapped his front legs fondly around Apple Bloom's withers. This went on for quite some time before the two of them pulled apart and went back to gazing into each other's eyes.

“So...does that mean you...want to be my special somepony?” asked Featherweight hopefully.

“It sure does,” smiled Apple Bloom softly. “But on one condition...”

An ominous feeling of dread started to muster itself in the pit of Featherweight's stomach. “What's that?”

Apple Bloom smirked cheekily. “...y'all goin' an gettin' yourself some lunch, o' course! Ah ain't gonna let mah own coltfriend starve himself, ya know!”

Featherweight chuckled with relief. “Don't you worry, Apple Bloom,” he assured her, “I never intended anything of the sort. Now that we've cleared this all up, I'm off to get a bite at the Sunflower Café.” He raised a hoof, almost as if he were about to leave; but promptly stopped himself and turned back to Apple Bloom. “Coming?”

“Darn tootin'!” said Apple Bloom eagerly; and with that, she and her new coltfriend trotted cheerfully down the road towards the Town Square.

Comments

[Devildogg20]

A bit quick at the end but good story!