Western Champion

by The Blue EM2

A New Resolve

The journey to school on the streetcar had changed little in the last year, which was a cause of great relief to most people, given how much everything else had changed. Pip lived at the opposite end of town to Apple Bloom, which meant that school was their convenient meeting place. As the streetcar trundled along, the world slowly rolling by and people paying little attention to what was going on, Pip suddenly caught sight of a robber speeding down the sidewalk, with the Rainbooms pursuing him along the street to try and apprehend him. Pip laughed gently. It seemed since last September, those six (or was it those seven? He was never quite sure) had been turned from normal teenage girls into superheros. It was after they had come back from Camp Everfree that things had become especially dramatic, with those geodes that allowed them to manifest all sorts of strange powers. Pip hadn't forgotten the time Rarity had made an impromptu sunshade using those crystals she could make. On the topic of crystals, the railway had participated in the fundraising efforts to save Camp Everfree when threatened by a hostile takeover bid from Pearce and Crump building contractors. But, with the help of the railway and the Camp Everfree Alumni, the place had been saved, and was now welcoming more generations of happy campers making happy memories in the woods.

It would soon be their turn, Pip supposed. But with all the bizarre magic going on, it was hard to know what the future would bring for the town and its inhabitants. Then again, life never was easy to predict, something Pip was used to. If, for instance, you had told him when he lived in Nottingham that one day he would live in America and be dating a farm girl, he'd have said you were mad. But it was had come true, and he wouldn't want it any other way. There were even some days where he couldn't stop thinking about her.

He was jolted out of his recollection by a loud and quick application of the brakes. "Canterlot High School," said the driver over the intercom. "This is Canterlot High School. If you are alighting here, please make sure to collect all baggage and personal items before you leave the streetcar. And please... mind the gap between the streetcar and the platform."

Pip got out of his seat, picked up his backpack, and hopped off the streetcar via the side door, as it would have made little sense to exit through the window. That would have produced a lot of broken glass for no readily obvious gain. That, and he'd be in hospital, which would not only be expensive, but would waste time. And time was something he didn't like to waste.

He crossed the road after the streetcar passed, and then walked into the school building, past the now missing Wondercolt statue. Ever since Midnight Sparkle had blown it up, there had been fundraising efforts to repair and replace it. Quite why the school hadn't paid for it out of its own budget was a mystery to most people, but this matter could not be answered now. Pip wandered through the corridors and to his new locker, as the students had been rearranged when the new year began. He smiled as he saw the new freshmen rushing past him toward their classes. He remembered that very well, given it had only been a year ago. What a year that had been! A bit action packed for his liking, but then again worse had happened. He opened his locker and set the combination, dumping his bag inside.

"Hiya Pip!" a familiar voice said to his left. Pip closed the locker door, and looked over to see Apple Bloom standing there, putting her bag into her locker.

"Nice to see you again!" Pip replied, extending his hand. "How was the reunion?"

"It were great!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, her face aglow. "We got the entire family together, and we even built Cass a new carbarn. True, we'd wrecked it, which sucked somewhat, but apart from that we had a great time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Pip replied, then looked at her in confusion. "Are you dressed like that for any particular reason?"

"Dressed like what?" Apple Bloom asked, seemingly equally confused.

"Like you are now," Pip replied. "I didn't think dresses were your thing."

Pip had a point. Rather than jeans and a green T-shirt, Apple Bloom was wearing a yellow short sleeved dress with a white collar, the skirt of which fell to her knees and seemed to float gently off of her hips. She also wore a white apron on top with a white bow at the back holding it in place, and a pair of black shoes with white tights.

Apple Bloom nodded. "Ah thought Ah should maybe try ta stay in touch with mah more feminine side from time ta time. Ma agreed with the idea, and besides, this was the least ridiculous thin' we could find." She then gave him a quick twirl. "What do ya think?"

"You look beautiful!" Pip replied. "And you kept your bow."

Apple Bloom blushed. "Thanks Pip," she said. "Yer such a gentleman, ya know that?"

Now it was Pip's turn for his face to go red. "Thanks in return," he answered. "You know, I was-"

Suddenly, the bell went, and Apple Bloom closed her locker in a hurry. "Shoot! Ah'm gonna miss the tardy bell! See ya at break Pip!" And she sped off down the corridor as best she could, trying not to trip up in her shoes.

Pip smiled. "Man, I love her," he said, as he collected his books and walked off.

"Oh, what's up, lover boy?" asked another student hear him.

"None of your business," Pip replied. "Besides, Apple Bloom's my girlfriend, and I make no secret of it."

"Just asking, that all," the boy replied, and he walked off. Pip looked at his planner.

"Now then," he said. "Where's this room? 26B?"

At lunch, the cafeteria was still as packed and vibrant as ever. The room sounded to vibrant conversation, and many students sat around. Watermelody was busy reciting Hamlet, Trixie was doing an impromptu magic show, and Flash Sentry was tuning his guitar. Apple Bloom gently pushed her way through the crowd with her tray and sat down with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"Hi Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle greeted. "Have you seen Cozy Glow anywhere?"

"Can't say Ah have," Apple Bloom replied, then stopped when she saw Scootaloo sniggering. "Hey! What's so funny?"

Scootaloo tried to speak through her snorting. "It's just the sight of you, wearing a dress! I never knew you were this girly!"

"Oh really?" Apple Bloom answered. "Well then, Ah can't wait ta see ya turn up ta school in a ballgown."

"That'll be the day," Scootaloo laughed.

"Why are we quoting Duke?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It was a common saying before Duke," Scootaloo replied. "Buddy Holly recorded a song of that title, and it's also a quote from The Searchers. John Wayne says it at some point."

"Hmm!" Apple Bloom replied. "That's handy ta know."

Elsewhere in the room, Pip had chosen to sit with his two closest mates, other than the Crusaders, of course. Button Mash sat opposite him, his eyes currently looking down at his JoyBoy. Rumble had a soccer ball next to him, his eyes sat below a pair of aviator goggles. Those were reportedly a nod to his grandfather, who had served in Korea in the Navy Fighter Wing.

"So," Button started, his eyes looking up briefly. "What did we want to talk about?"

Pip spoke up. "Remember how last year the Crusaders discovered the Everfree Forest Railway, and we helped them get it working again?"

"Sure I do!" Rumble answered. "And I got my date out of it as well. Man, that was the best night of my life." He sighed as he recalled the first kiss he and Scootaloo had shared, almost a year ago at the 2013 Fall Formal.

"Well," Pip continued, "I've been wondering if there are other railway related discoveries to be made in this area. Other relics that are yet to be found and restored to their deserved glory."

"I think we've run out of old railways to find," Button said. "But I wonder if there is something else out there. Rumour has it there is a missing engine that worked around here long ago. Maybe we could try finding that?"

"Ah, yes!" Rumble interjected. "There's the old shed around here that hasn't been opened in ages, and is rumoured to contain an engine. Should we give that a try?"

"It's settled then!" Pip said, extending his hand. "We'll check out the shed, tomorrow evening. Sound good?"

"Yeah!" the other two called, putting their hands on Pip's and extending them up into the air. Just then, another voice spoke.

"What's going on over there?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Author's Note:

You may be wondering why I describe Apple Bloom's outfit as different to usual. Well, I recently found this piece of art on dA:

and just fell in love with how Apple Bloom is drawn, and knew I had to incorporate it into a story somewhere. So there you go.

Next time; to the shed!

Comments

[The Blue EM2]

9837176
The new chapter is here.

[The Blue EM2]

9837189
Fantastic.

[The Blue EM2]

9837189
Thanks. What did you think of Apple Bloom's new clothing choice?

[The Blue EM2]

9837462
I know. I saw that image and my heart melted.

[The Blue EM2]

9837564
I agree. It's beautifully done.

[The Blue EM2]

9837601
Which is your favourite CMC member?

[JimmyHook19]

Next time; to the shed!

Bring it on! X3

[The Blue EM2]

9837830
What did you think of Apple Bloom's new attire?

[JimmyHook19]

9837880
Noice :3

[The Blue EM2]

9837893
Yeah. I thought that image was adorable first time I saw it.

[Booster Spice]

Just hope they find the right shed. Someone almost found Rocket in one?

[The Blue EM2]

9837922
People aroind here like doing that, it seems.

[Booster Spice]

9837952

Id love to build a high pressure combustion chambered water tube boiler using a multistage turbocharger and magnetic oxygen seperator pre feed with catalytic surfaces and certain machined and formes surface details, just to see how small you can get if you seperate out the temperature resistance and pressure handling capabilities of the materials involved. Id really love to get oxy carbonyl flame hot enough that magnetic confinement and wiggler MHD direct conversion is needed as a first stage.

[The Blue EM2]

9837960
Sounds fun.

[Booster Spice]

9837974

Yup, amazing what you can find in sheds.

[The Blue EM2]

9837980
Class 66s?

[Booster Spice]

9838118

Not sure, wasnt the Flying Scotsman abandoned in a USA shed due to lack of funds for a while?

[The Blue EM2]

9838150
It ended up in San Francisco bay for a bit, then an Army base.