The Spark
Applejack and Apple Bloom walked through the Ponyville marketplace, a large wagon trailing behind the mare that was filled to the brim with basic necessities. Applejack’s attention was focused entirely on her destination, but Apple Bloom was a different story. She was hopping around, looking at the ponies they passed with a vested interest. Whenever her eyes fell on a stallion, she would stop, pointing at him and looking at her big sister with hopeful eyes.
“You still on about that whole ‘findin’ me a boyfriend’ thing?” The elder sister asked.
“You bet yer boots I am!” The younger affirmed with a swing of her foreleg. “I won’t rest until my big sister has a special somepony to call her own!”
Applejack rolled her eyes, reaching over and pulling the filly along. “Ya ever consider how all these guys ya keep throwin’ at me might feel about all this?”
“Most of ‘em are excited about the idea!” She stated, moving to a trot next to her. “I know we surprised those first ponies, but I been askin’ ever since. You’d be surprised just how popular you are!”
“Well, popular or no, you ‘n I gotta get this stuff unloaded before ya can get back to yer little crusade.” The blond pony noted.
“All right…” Apple Bloom pouted. She climbed up into the wagon, sitting atop a pile of baking supplies.
Applejack looked back at her now-dejected sister. She was resting her head on her forelegs, letting her eyes dart around at everypony. “Say, don’t you have a meetin’ with the other Crusaders ta get to?”
“Yeah, but I gotta help you unload all this, remember?” The filly argued, letting a hint of sass into her tone.
“Well, if this is all we got, I’m sure I can offload it on my own.” The mare reasoned, waving her hoof to beckon her sister over. “Why don’t you go on ahead an’ meet up with ‘em?”
Apple Bloom uncertainly looked down at the load. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I got this! Go on, get outta here!” She confirmed.
Apple Bloom leaped down from the wagon, turning back. “But this is an awfully big load. I can help if you really need it.”
“If I really need help, I can just talk ta Big Mac!” Applejack stated. “You go n’ see yer friends! I won’t hear any more on it!”
Apple Bloom perked up, turning around and prancing ahead. “Yes ma’am!”
Applejack chuckled to herself as her baby sister disappeared into the distance. I really do have the best little sister ever. Just wish she’d lighten up on that mission o’ hers. I mean, the stallions‘re nice, but it’s too much all at once. It’s like she expects me to fall in love just like that! It can’t possibly be that easy… She looked around town, where an orange-coated Earth Pony colt with a suave mane and tail of striped, two-tone purple walked down the street. He had deep purple eyes, and a Cutie Mark of a top hat in a spotlight, and the sight of him gave the farm mare a thought. “... Or can it?” A smirk appeared on her muzzle as she began approaching the colt. Let’s see how she feels, about this kind o’ stunt!
“Come on, Apple Bloom! Wake up!” Applejack called from the hall. She was pounding at the door to the filly’s room, and it sounded like something important was going on. “Time ta get ready! You got a big day ahead of ya!”
Apple Bloom shot out of bed, looking around frantically upon landing. “What?! I’m up! I’m up! What’s goin’ on?”
The door burst open with Applejack rushing in. She wrapped her foreleg around the filly, setting her in front of the mirror. She quickly produced a hair brush from a nearby drawer, setting to work on the foal’s mane. “You, little sister, have a big date today!” She gave a final few sweeps in the mane, retrieving a hair bow and tying it into place amidst the red locks. “You don’t wanna look like ya don’t want to be there, do ya?”
Apple Bloom, having remained silent during her sister’s work, cocked her head to the side. “Wait a minute. I have a what now?”
“A DATE.” Applejack repeated.
One of the filly’s eyebrows rose significantly as she looked at her sister’s now-smug expression.. “Since when?”
“Since I found this handsome young colt in town an’ figured you deserve a taste o’ what you been puttin’ me through fer months!” She turned her face from smug to a pure smile as she gazed upon the youngest of the Apples, reaching forward and crushing the foal in a tight hug. “Oh, just look atcha! My beautiful baby sister’s goin’ on ‘er very first date!”
“But that’s not fair!” Apple Bloom declared, worming her way out of her sibling’s grip and facing her. “Why didn’tcha tell me about all this! I have a right… to…” She trailed off, letting her jaw drop as the realization fell on her head like an overripe apple. “Oh… Now I get it.”
“Eeyup.” Applejack confirmed. She reached into her mane, bringing forth a number of bits. “Here’s some money for yer meals, or whatever else ya wanna do. Whatever you decide to do is fine, long as it don’t take ya anywhere dangerous, and I got breakfast cookin’ fer both o’ y’all downstairs.”
“You mean he’s already here?!” Apple Bloom queried, receiving a smiling nod from the mare. She let out a small shriek, turning back to the mirror and fussing with her mane. “Why didn’t you tell me before? I gotta get ready!”
After a while longer of preparing herself, Apple Bloom walked down the stairs, finding the smell of fresh blueberry pancakes wafting into her nostrils. She closed her eyes, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat without a second thought. “Um… H-hi Apple Bloom!” Came the shaky greeting of a colt’s familiar voice. “You excited for our… b-b-big… d-d-d-date?”
Apple Bloom’s eyes shot open for the second time that morning. She looked to the voice’s origin, finding the first official client of the Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting across the table from her, rubbing his neck with his hoof with an awkward smile. “Tender Taps? You’re the one Applejack set me up with today?”
Tender nodded, lowering his hoof and looking at her. “I’m just as surprised as you, honestly. When she came and talked to me about it in town yesterday, I thought the whole idea was t-t-t-terrifying! But she said you would really like having me along… And if it wasn’t for you, I would never have gotten my Cutie Mark, and I wanted go do something to thank you anyway, so I agreed.”
“Aww… That’s so sweet!” she said, letting her features soften. “Now I’m really lookin’ forward to this.”
Applejack placed a large stack of flapjacks between the foals, supplementing the spread with some syrup, praline, and pear jam. “All right, now. You two enjoy yer breakfast, and get goin’.” She stepped out of the kitchen, smiling back at them. “Y’all have a good time!”
Sneaking was not something Applejack did often, but she had to admit she was enjoying it. She wore a bandana in place of her typical hat with sunglasses covering the majority of her face. She wore a pair of blue denim overalls to cover her flank, and hid behind everything she could. Ahead of her, Apple Bloom and Tender Taps went on their way. They were engaged in conversation that ranged from how things have gone for the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the farm, all the way to the dancer’s various performances. Applejack attempted to snicker to herself, but found it difficult, due to the swelling of pride building up inside her. I know I should be laughin’, but she’s just so dang cute! She thought. She followed them into the marketplace, ducking under a floral display.
“Applejack? What are you doing?” A baritone inquired.
The Earth Pony suddenly wondered if the level of altitude she gained in that one jump qualified her as a Pegasus. Upon landing, she turned to the voice’s owner, who was looking down at her with a curiously cocked eyebrow. “Uh… Applejack? Who’re you talkin’ about? I don’t know anypony by that name… Uh… Prince Bolt!”
“Wow, you really are bad at lying…” Boltsinger informed her, taking a peek over the display. “So, what are you doing?”
“I sent Apple Bloom on a little date.” She explained, adjusting her sunglasses and taking another peek at her targets. “Sumthin’ ta give her a taste o’ what I’ve had to deal with. Plus… I wanted to test a… Whaddaya call it? It’s the first step o’ that scientific method Twilight talks about.”
“Hypothesis?” He suggested, joining in the observation.
“Yeah, that.” She confirmed. “I got a hypothesis that I wanna see about.”
“Consider my interest piqued.” Boltsinger said, watching as the foals turned to head to the park. “So what’s your hypothesis, anyway?”
“Oh, it’s nuthin’ important.” Applejack dismissed. She looked on at Apple Bloom as she led her companion away. “Now where’re they goin’?” She waved her hoof to Boltsinger. “I’m gonna keep followin’ those two. See ya later.”
Boltsinger smirked as the mare cantered off. “Are you kidding? I’ve got a whole day off to do whatever I want, and you expect me to not check this out?” He took to the air, catching up to her with ease and smiling down at her. “You can count me in, all the way!”
The park was as full as it ever was, ponies playing, ponies talking, ponies just relaxing on a bench. Apple Bloom and Tender Taps walked into a clearing, sneaking looks at each other as they went. “So, why is it your sister wanted to set this up so badly?” The colt wondered, looking curiously at the filly. “N-not that I didn’t wanna be here! I just wondered why!”
“That ain’t important right now.” Apple Bloom stated, shaking her head. She trotted ahead of him, spinning to face him directly. “Since we’re here, I wanna focus on you.”
“What?!” He replied, recoiling and pointing his hoof at himself. “Why do you want to focus on me?!”
“Ain’t that what a ‘date’ is all about?” She stepped beside the colt, putting her hoof around him. “So, whaddaya wanna do?”
“I’m… not really sure. I’ve never really done anything like this before.” He sent her a genuinely confused look, looking around at the various things the other ponies were doing. “What all do you do on a date?”
“Whatever we want, I guess.” Apple Bloom walked over to the fountain, splashing her hoof in it. With a few taps, she found herself creating a rhythm. She flashed her companion a brilliant smile, returning to his side and pulling him along. “I know what we can do! And it’s right up your alley!”
DJ PON-3 unleashed her jams, and the ponies danced. Tender Taps couldn’t help but find himself confused as he looked around the club. “So… why are we here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? We’re here to dance!” Apple Bloom stated, taking his hoof and moving out to the dance floor.
“But… we dance together all the time in class!” He reminded her as he began to shake. “Plus this whole place, with the music and the lights… Not to mention all those ponies... It’s like an all-new stage! I dunno if I can do this!”
Apple Bloom placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder, putting the other hoof on his chin. She directed his head to look her in the eye, where she stared back with a level of composed concern. “Don’t worry ‘bout the other ponies here. You’re not here for them.”
A soft blush made itself known on the orange colt’s cheeks as his reflection stared back at him. “Right… I’m here for you.”
Apple Bloom shook her head, quickly returning her attention to his eyes. “No, you’re here for us. And we’re here to have fun, just like in class!”
Flustered confusion finally gave way to a smile. Tender Taps took the hoof that held his head up, holding as tight as his foreleg would allow. “Yeah! Let’s dance!” His ears opened up, taking in the music that played. After a couple measures, his hooves began moving to the beat with a tap in each step.
Apple Bloom beamed, looking down at his hooves and copying their movement with her own. She looked back at him, met with an ecstatic smile. Tender Taps released her hoof, going into a more elaborate step that sent his hind legs into a blur of motion. Other ponies around them took notice, stopping their dancing to watch. Chief among the spectators were a pair of orange ponies. One was smiling warmly, but otherwise calm, while the other was beaming with pride. The song came to an end, and the DJ took out a new record, slapping it into place on the turntables. From there, a new song began to play, featuring a plucked bass violin, several brass instruments, and a steady , chill drum beat. Tender moved his hind legs to the new beat, shaking his rump as Apple Bloom followed suit. Wider smiles formed on their faces as the music picked up, leading them to reach for each other and hold tight, swaying rapidly back and forth. “What the heck are we doing?!” Apple Bloom wondered, giving her dance partner a wondrous yet befuddled expression.
Tender shrugged, putting his hooves under her forelegs and lifting her up. “I don’t know! But It sure is fun!”
The filly nodded emphatically as she looked down at him. “You bet it is! Let’s keep it up!”
Behind the crowd, Applejack and Boltsinger looked on at the foals. Tender had begun swinging Apple Bloom around in myriad ways, eventually letting her land on her hind legs as they continued with a number of other maneuvers. Twirls, dips, more lifts, all flawlessly in sync. “Oh, maybe sendin’ her on this wasn’t such a great idea…” She said, biting her lip.
“Why not? It looks like they’re having a great time!” Boltsinger mentioned, finding it hard to not shake his own rump in kind.
Applejack shook her head, taking off her sunglasses and stepping forward. “He’s got his hooves all over her, though! Sumthin’ about it just--”
Boltsinger’s wing found its way over the mare’s mouth, pulling her back. “Don’t worry so much. You sent them out on this, so let them have their fun!” He moved his wing away from her muzzle, proceeding to pat her on the back. “It’s not like something like this wasn’t expected, after all.”
“Well, I never did anythinn’ like this on all the dates I been on!” She argued, turning to face him.
“Really? Never?” He repeated. Applejack silently nodded her confirmation, standing firm. “What all do you really do when you go out with all these guys, anyway?”
The farmer paused for a moment, trying to recall the details. “Well, normally we have dinner. I usually let them choose. I ain’t really all that picky. We talk about stuff. The farm, the weather, whatever they like. Met a lot o’ nice ponies that way. Even made friends with some of ‘em!”
“Okay. So what else do you do?” The performer continued, waving his hoof. “Anything besides ‘dinner and talking’?”
“Well, not much. We sometimes go somewhere to… I dunno what all we do. Some of ‘em just like ta keep talkin’, but there’s a few that wanna go ‘n do sumthin’ else. Some of ‘em liked to play Buckball, so there’s that.”
Boltsinger placed his hoof on his chin, furrowing his brow in a manner reminiscent of his spouse. “Okay…” He shook his head free of his ponderings, giving her a smile. “Well, just take my word for it on the dancing. Besides, don’t they always dance together?”
Applejack looked back at the foals. The song had come to an end, and Tender Taps held Apple Bloom in place in a dramatic dip. The two of them were breathing heavily, eyes glistening and smiles abound. The elder sibling hung her head in defeat. “Yeah, I guess yer right…”
“Good. Now how about we give them some privacy.” Boltsinger suggested, walking towards the exit. “I’m hungry, and I still wanna know that hypothesis of yours.”
Applejack took another look at her baby sister and the tiny dancer, who were right back into their dancing, then breathed a sigh. I suppose I should just trust ‘er, shouldn’t I? She turned away, following the Pegasus out.
“So, I think your plan for Apple Bloom may have backfired.” Boltsinger stated sitting across from Applejack at the Hay Burger.
“And what makes you say that?” The Earth Pony queried.
“They’re enjoying each other’s company way too much for it to be awkward.” He explained. “Besides, you don’t just have your baby sister’s first date in mind, do you?”
“Is it that obvious?” She asked. Poking at the meal before her. She was answered with a definitive nod as the stallion hungrily bit into his order. “To be honest, I’ve been thinkin’ on sumthin’ Apple Bloom said yesterday.”
Boltsinger tilted his head, swallowing the contents of his mouth. “Oh? What did she say?”
“She said that I was… Well…” Her cheeks turned a shade of red as she searched for the right word to use. “That I’m popular with the stallions.” She let out a chuckle, leaning towards her friend. “Can you imagine it? Me, a hit with all the guys! Ooh, boy, that’d be a hoot!”
“What’s so weird about that?” Boltsinger conjectured.
Applejack looked at the performer Prince curiously, trying to figure out whether or not he was kidding, but only found a state of confusion in him. “Well, I mean… Take Sugar Belle, for example. She had two stallions competin’ for her affections, and one of ‘em was Big Mac, bashful as he is! I ain’t nearly the looker she is, but somehow I’m ‘popular’?”
There was a moment of silence as Boltsinger took in what he’d just been told. He put his forelegs on the table, supporting his weight on them. “Applejack, you might think that what I’m about to ask you is silly, but I need you to try and take it seriously.”
“Oooooooookay… What is it?”
“Have you ever looked into a mirror?”
Applejack recoiled so fast that her bandanna nearly fell off of her head. “Looked in a-- What? What are you gettin’ at?”
“I’m saying that you’re pretty.” Boltsinger deadpanned.
The color of Applejack’s face underwent a significant change, as if all of the yellow had been taken out of the orange of her coat. “You think… I’m…?” She shook her head as rapidly as she could, proceeding to clutch it with her hooves to try and make sense of things. “You’re married, ya know! You shouldn’t be spoutin’ off lines like that to other mares!”
“Other mares?” He repeated. After a moment of silence, Boltsinger clutched his belly and went into a fit of laughter. “Applejack, you’re decidedly not ‘other mares’! You’re family!” He calmed himself down, righting himself in his chair. “Besides, I may be married, but it’s not like I don’t have eyes. You expect me to know ponies like Fluttershy or Rarity and not think that mares besides Twilight can be pretty? I’d have to be blind for that to be the case!”
The farm mare averted her eyes, letting some of the fluster die down. “Okay… Well, I still think yer biased ‘cause o’ the fact that we’re friends.”
“Maybe a little bit.” He admitted. “But let me tell you something from a bit more of an objective standpoint… If you count most other ponies I know agreeing with ‘objective’.” He cleared his throat, straightening up and inhaling deeply. “You, Applejack of the Apple Family, are honest, dependable, strong, hard-working, sensible, have good values, and are, as previously stated, pretty. If you put your mind to it, I am certain you could land any stallion, or mare, for that matter, that you wanted for your special somepony. Probably without the fancy dates, either.”
“Ya think so?” She inquired, looking down at her meal with a face of uncertainty.
Boltsinger put his hoof on her shoulder, prompting her to turn her attention to him. “I know so. You’ve just gotta find somepony that makes you feel that… that spark!”
Applejack removed Boltsinger’s hoof, leaning back and holding her hooves up between them. “Wait a sec, back up. A spark? Whaddaya mean by ‘a spark’? ‘Cause you got a lotta ‘sparks’ flyin’ around you normally.”
“Not those kinds of sparks.” He stated. “It’s really the best word I could think of to describe the feeling. Like… Like there’s a connection between you and the one you’re with. It’s really hard to explain. I got it with Twilight when my feelings first showed up. I’m pretty sure Rainbow and Soarin felt it, too. You just… feel it!” He spread his wings and forelegs to emphasize his point, putting on a bug, goofy smile. Applejack simply stared, blinking a few times. Boltsinger let out an embarrassed laugh, scratching his mane with his wing. “Sorry I can’t explain better… Emotions are… difficult.”
“Yer tellin’ me.” She affirmed, starting into her meal. So, I really could have anypony I wanted as my special somepony, huh? Well then why ain’t this any easier? Do I really gotta feel some kind o’ ‘spark’ just to move things forward? “Aww, dangit! Why can’t this be simple?! Ya like somepony, ya say it, everything’s great! But what if ya just don’t like anypony like that, huh? What then? Do I really gotta go on this whole process?” Her frustration finally boiled over as she let out a furious groan. She slammed her hooves on the table, standing up. “I just don’t get it!!!” She turned around with a hard snort, galloping out the door. “Not one bit!!!”
Boltsinger watched as his friend made her exit, breathing a sad sigh. “Great… Now she feels worse… Way to be a ‘good friend’, Bolt. What’s next? Gonna make Pinkie give up partying?” He gave one more sigh, diving back into his meal.
The sky had turned orange over Sweet Apple Acres, and Apple Bloom walked up to the house while holding Tender Taps’ hoof. They walked slowly, with soft, content smiles creasing their muzzles. Eventually, they arrived at the front door, facing each other with a mutual blush.
“Well…” The filly started, gingerly rubbing her neck. “This is it.”
“Yeah.” The colt confirmed. He mirrored Apple Bloom’s gesture, averting his eyes. “I had a really good time with you, today.”
“Me, too!” She said, raising her hoof. “I’m glad Applejack set this up for us!”
Tender’s blush intensified as he looked back at her. “So… you wanna m-m-maybe do this--"
A single sensation took all of Tender’s words away. Apple Bloom had leaned in, planting a kiss on the trembling colt’s cheek, and was moving back to look him in the eye. “I’d love to.” She giggled at the frozen foal accompanying her, giving him a ginger wave farewell. As she closed the door, a muffled cheer sounded, followed closely by the sounds of dancing. She slowly walked into the living room, moving to the sofa and dropping herself onto it with a contented swoon.
“I take it yer date went well?” A deeper drawl inquired from the corner of the room.
“Yeah… We had a lotta fun today.” Apple Bloom affirmed, unable to stop smiling.
“Didja kiss ‘im goodnight?” The elder sister continued, plopping her own rump on the couch.
“Well, not on the lips, but…” Her blush from before made a triumphant return as she nodded. “Yeah.”
Applejack let out an impressed whistle, leaning back. “You sound like ya got a little crush, there.”
The youngest Apple sat up instantly, laughing nervously. “Well… I mean… It was a date! An’ I already liked doin’ stuff with him! Can you… really blame me?”
“Well, I’m a little surprised ya got somepony ya like with just a single date.” Applejack admitted, sitting up and looking down at her hooves. “But I can’t rightly blame ya. That’s… kinda the whole point of datin’.” She brought one hoof up, rubbing her foreleg. “So… I gotta ask.” She turned her head to face the filly. “What’d it feel like?”
Apple Bloom scratched her head. “If I had to describe it… I’d say it felt like there was… a kind o’ spark between us. It really started when we were dancin’. Sumthin’ about him was just… I dunno, kinda charming.” She yawned into her hoof, stretching as she slid off of the couch. “Well, I’m gonna hit the hay. Thanks fer settin’ this up for me. I had a great time.”
“My pleasure, baby sis.” She replied, waving her hoof. She sat alone in the sitting room for a while longer, racking her brain. She took a deep breath, making her way upstairs. “She felt a spark, huh? And with just one date? I guess it really is that easy… So why don’t I get that kinda feelin’?” Finally reaching her bedroom, she took a forlorn look into her mirror. “Is there… maybe… sumthin’ wrong with me?”
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Poor AJ. R u going to get a boyfriend for Fluttershy too? Please say you will.
9206261
Oh, if only things were that simple... Trust me, you'll appreciate what I have in store these next couple seasons.
Thanks for spelling my last name wrong XD
its ok; Its Seth Piersall.
Pronounced last name: Pier-saw-ll
9206615
I was typing on my phone and have fairly fat thumbs. I didn't notice at the time.
You can can sorry just had to say that
Maybe you should date a mare instead of a stallion