The Other Hoofball

by YukoAsho

That Pipsqueak Lied Ta Me!

The Other Hoofball

By Yuko Asho

Apple Bloom sighed and pursed her lips as she picked at her apple, cranberry and daisy tortilla wrap, glaring at it as though it had wronged her somehow.

So focused was she on fuming that she didn't notice her big sister Applejack taking a seat next to her. “You not hungry?” the orange pony asked to her smaller yellow sister, a warm smile on her face as she rested a foreleg over her shoulders.

Apple Bloom simply grunted, absent-mindedly poking at the food before her, as though expecting it to scream in agony or otherwise entertain her.

“Hm, was it that there date you had with Pipsqueak?” Applejack offered. Still no response.

The filly's tight frown and stiff, tense posture on the chair was perplexing to the older pony. When Apple Bloom had left with Pipsqueak, she seemed all sorts of excited. Applejack and Big Mac had let her go because they thought Pipsqueak a good kid, and were confident that the filly and colt would have proper supervision from Pipsqueak's parents. Said parents were thrilled to have Apple Bloom along, and said nothing but great things when they came back in the evening, which left Applejack confused to no end.

“Ain'cha gonna talk to me?” Applejack offered.

“Eenope,” was the terse reply.

“Y'sure?” A farmer needed to be patient to see a good harvest, and Applejack knew how to work for her crops, so she decided to give it another try.

“Eeyup.” This particular crop was proving to be a pain in the flank.

Frowning, Applejack ran a hoof through Apple Bloom's hair, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Well, if'n you change your mind, Ah'll be 'round.”

With that, she got off her seat and started trotting out of the living room, whistling softly to herself as she moved way, way slower than normal.

“That Pipsqueak's a liar.”

Applejack stopped in her tracks. She'd expected to have to wait until she was halfway out the door for Bloom to break.

“Come again?” Applejack asked, her curiosity piqued. She didn't take Pipsqueak or his parents for the lying sort.

“He said we were going to a hoofball game,” Apple Bloom explained, finally cutting the wrap down the middle with her fork. “That wasn't no hoofball game, I can tell you that.”

A smile crept on Applejack's face. “Oh?” She was doing everything she could not to laugh.

“All they did was run around and kick a ball for two hours,” the filly groused, taking her first bite since she sat down an hour before. “How do ponies even watch that?”

Suspicions confirmed, Applejack chuckled and turned back, making her way back to her little sister. She didn't say anything though, wanting Apple Bloom to go on.

“Ah mean, ah guess it's fun to play,” Apple Bloom continued, pausing for a moment to chew and swallow, “but damn if it don't look dumb to watch. And don't get me started on the drums! There was this one zebra stallion next to me with these huge drums, and he kept bangin' on 'em the whole two hours!”

“Aw, hay, that ain't no lie!” Applejack exclaimed, plopping herself back on the seat next to her little sister.

Suddenly convinced Applejack had gone crazy, Apple Bloom shot her sister a glare. “Really?” she deadpanned, arching an eyebrow her sister's way. “Iunno how any pony could make that mistake!”

“Now Apple Bloom, you know that ain't nice,” Applejack replied with a grin, again running her hoof through Apple Bloom's hair. “Now y'all know Pipsqueak ain't been here for very long, and things are a might different o'er in Trottingham.”

“Huh?” The look of anger on Apple Bloom's face had given way to confusion. “How's things that different? Ah mean, every pony knows how hoofball works.”

“Ah'm sure they'd say that to you if'n they saw our hoofball,” Applejack replied with a grin. “In fact, I gots me an idea.” With that, she pulled four tickets from under her stetson. “You, me, Mac 'n Pip're gonna have ourselves a lil' culture exchange in Baltimare tomorrow.”

With that, Applejack kissed her younger sister's forehead. “Ah bet'cha Pip'll be weirded out too.” She then turned around and headed to bed, leaving a befuddled Apple Bloom before her.

Author's Note:

My Little Pony is TM & © 2012 Hasbro, Inc. This is a non-profit work of fan-fiction. No ownership of IP is implied.

Please point out any errors in a polite, constructive manner.

This fic is derived from Thirty Minute Pony Prompt #241

Comments

[Breath of Plagues]

The filly's tight frown and stiff, tense posture on the chair was perplexing to the oder pony.

Just found a minor mistake on older. By the way, where do you get these prompts? I could use a few for practice.