Ruffled Feathers

by Serina

Young Love

Ms. Cheerilee was standing next to her desk watching her students chat to each other, all of them almost bouncing out of their seats with excitement. She looked towards the clock hanging above the door which read 2:55 and then turned her attention back to her students.

She cleared her voice above the low roar of high voices. “Alright, class, settle down!”

A hush fell over the classroom as little fillies and colts focused their eyes to the front of the room. Ms. Cheerilee smiled at the class. “As you know tomorrow is Hearts and Hooves day and we will be exchanging gifts during class. That means make sure you are prepared to give your friends or some special somepony a gift tomorrow!”

As Ms. Cheerilee took her seat behind her desk the classroom began to come to life again. The cutie mark crusaders were busy chatting at the front of the class (most likely about how they were going to top last year's gift to Ms. Cheerilee), Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were were making an attempt to “woo” the colts sitting next to them which only resulted in the colts making faces and mumbling about cooties, but at the back of the class sat a young, cream colored pegasus who had his cheek resting on his hoof as he leaned on his desk. He was staring towards the left side of the classroom towards the windows where another pegasus sat. This pegasus had light gray fur and feathers with a mixture of dark and light bluish-gray for his mane and tail.

Featherweight sighed as Rumble waved his hooves around in the air. Rumble hadn’t stopped talking about how his big brother, Thunderlane, had saved Rarity from falling, again. Featherweight had heard the story a thousand times now even though he rarely talked to Rumble. He couldn’t help that the gray pegasus liked to eat lunch with his friends under his favorite tree in the playground and he just so happened to overhear some conversations. Featherweight could tell Rumble was getting to the part about how Thunderlane warned Rarity as they landed not to use fake wings again by the way he shook his hoof in a disciplinary way.

He chuckled to himself. He get’s so worked up about this story no matter how many times he’s told it.

Featherweight shook his head at the sight but his thoughts were interrupted by the sharp ringing of the school bell.

“Alright, class, see you tomorrow! And don’t forget to bring your gifts.” Ms. Cheerilee waved to the little ponies as they left.

Featherweight tossed his lunchbox into his school bag and trotted out the door, his camera brushing along his chest as he walked. He looked towards the road to see Rumble leaving with Thunderlane and pouted. Thunderlane was usually late picking Rumble up and usually Featherweight had the chance to at least choke out the occasional “Bye” or, if he was feeling brave, “See you tomorrow, Rumble.”

Featherweight sighed and shrugged. I suppose it was for the best that I don’t get head over hooves right now. I have an important job to do.

Just as he was about to leave he heard a voice call out. “Hey, Feathers! Wait up!”

He turned to see Sweetie Bell waving goodbye to Applebloom and Scootaloo at the edge of the school yard and then come charging towards him. She slide to a halt a few inches, keeping her from colliding with the young colt and sighed. “So glad I caught you! I thought you may have already left.”

Featherweight shook his head. “Nope.”

Sweetie Bell rolled her eyes. “Well, duh. I know that now.” Sweetie Belle trotted forward. “Let’s walk and talk.”

Featherweight shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

The two ponies walked along the dirt path towards town. Featherweight keeping his eyes to the ground, occasionally glancing at towards the filly next to him and Sweetie Bell whistling a made-up tune. It wasn’t like he and Sweetie Bell didn’t talk. They talked during class but talking outside of class just felt… different or awkward even.

The whistling and trotting stopped as Sweetie nudged Featherweight. “So what are you going to do for Hearts and Hooves day?”

Featherweight stood at a stand still as he felt his breath catch in his throat. “U-uh…” He choked out in a small voice. “Nothing?”

The filly rolled her eyes. “You are a terrible liar. You realize that, right?”

Featherweight ears flattened and kicked a small pebble into the grass. “Why does it matter to you?”

Sweetie Bell put her hoof over her heart. “Ouch. That hurt right here.” She flipped her curled mane. “No, seriously, what are you planning to give your special somepony?”

The colt sighed and shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Oh, so you do have a special somepony.” Sweetie Bell teased and winked at Featherweight.

Featherweight felt a fresh blush across his face. “I-I do n-not!”

The filly put a hoof around Feather’s shoulder. “Oh, come on, Featherweight. I already told you that you’re a terrible liar so why don’t you just tell me who it is?”

The pegasus huffed and mumbled. “It’s none of your business.”

Sweetie Bell's looked at him with puppy dog eyes, her green eyes sparkling. “Please?”

Featherweight felt his shoulders slump and he let out a sigh. “I don’t know…” He looked straight at Sweetie Bell. “I mean, I can trust you, right? We’re friends and stuff like that?”

Sweetie Bell removed her hoof from Feather’s shoulder and nodded. “Of course!”

Featherweight looked around. The road looked clear and he could see figures moving in front of Ponyville but they were far enough away not to hear. He waved his hoof to Sweetie Bell.

Sweetie Bell turned and leaned her fluffy ear towards Featherweight’s direction.

Featherweight leaned in, his voice low. “I h-have a crush o-on Rumble.”

Sweetie Belle's eyes grew wide as a gasp escaped past her lips. She smiled really big at Featherweight and began to bounce around him in a circle, repeating. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew it—”

Featherweight face paled. He quickly stopped Sweetie Bell mid-jump and put a hoof wing over the filly’s mouth. “Shhhh. Not so loud…”

Sweetie Bell’s muzzle flushed as she tried to speak through the feathers. Foops, shorry.”

The colt sighed, as he lowered his wing. “Sorry, I’m still kind of shy about it.”

The filly brushed her over her mouth with her foreleg. She smiled and lowered her voice. “It’s fine. That was my bad.”

Feather shrugged, his shoulders still tense form the outburst only moments before. “Um, it’s okay.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. She raised her right hoof and smiled big, “I Pinkie Promise not to tell ponies about your crush.” She made an invisible letter X over her heart, “Cross my heart,” waved her hooves by her sides, “hope to fly,” and finally she put her hoof up to her eye, “stick a cupcake in my eye!”

Featherweight cocked his head to the side. “What was that all about?”

Sweetie gasped. “You’ve never heard of a Pinkie promise?”

The colt shook his head. “No. Is it the same as a regular promise?”

The filly shook her head furiously. “Oh no, no, no! You can never, EVER, break a Pinkie promise or else you lose your friend’s trust—”

The trees began to rustle violently as a bouncy pink pink popped out from behind the leaves. “FOREVER!”

The two ponies jumped and looked towards the pony. They saw a familiar sight and replied in unison. “Pinkie Pie?”

Pinkie Pie brought an apple to her lips and took a huge bit of it as she descended back down into the trees.

Featherweight was shaking so bad he thought his teeth were going to start chattering. He tried to hold himself still to calm it down. He looked over at Sweetie Bell. “D-does she usually d-do that?”

Sweetie shrugged. “Yeah, it’s Pinkie. What can you expect?”

Featherweight put his hooves over his face, breathing slowly to settle his nerves. “You don’t think she heard what we were t-talking about do you?”

The filly looked towards the tree tops where Pinkie revealed herself and tapped her chin. “I can’t say for certain but I wouldn’t worry. You could trust Pinkie with anything.”

Featherweight brought a hoof down from his eye to look at Sweetie. “Really?”

The filly nodded. “Yup!” She patted Featherweight on the back. “Don’t worry so much. You’re secret is safe.”

Featherweight lowered his hooves to the ground. “I suppose.”

Sweetie stuck her tongue out the colt. “So what are you gonna get him?”

Feather shook his head. “I’m not getting him something. I’m making him something.”

Sweetie Bell put her hooves on her cheeks and a fresh blush covered her face. “D’awwww, that’s so romantic!”

The colt felt a blush of his own build on his face, he looked away and scoffed. “Sure.”

Sweetie Bell stood up, brushing the dirt off her white fur with her hoofs. She began to trot down the path.

Featherweight got on his hooves quickly and trotted towards. “Wait, where are you going?”

Sweetie stopped and turned towards him. “I’m going to help you make the perfect thing to win that colt’s heart.”

She turned and flicked her tail as she began to trot further towards Ponyville. “So come on, lover colt! We have a mission of love on our hooves!”

Featherweight stood still for a moment trying to process what he had just heard. He slumped his shoulders and his mouth twitched at the thought of being referred to as a “lover colt.” Featherweight watched Sweetie Bell trot further down the road before sighing and running to catch up with her.

Author's Note:

A little something that was supposed to be for Valentine's day but now it can be for Pride month!

Comments

[Mix-up]

This looks like an interesting story and the shipping could be interesting as Featherweight doesn't get much characterization in the fandom and Ruble is that seen as one of the more popular colts design. I will be looking forward to see more of this.