the one and only chapter
“Happy Hearth's warming eve!” smiled Bulk Biceps to his fellow teammate and friend Cloudchaser.
“Oh thanks Bulk you're so sweet.” she forced a smile as she accepted his gift, a bit upset at herself that she hadn't even thought about getting him a gift this year. She had been rather busy this year as of late, and it was like she was crazy about the holiday either. It wasn't that she hated it, or that it made her sad, just really she needed as much time as she had to train more. After all she had hopes of making it as a Wonderbolt someday and right now she was still a member of the academy.
“Aww, it was nothing you know you and I made a great team back at the academy. You have a great holiday you hear?” he smiled and showed off his muscles and with that he was off again.
Cloudchaser stood there unsure of what to do, she thought to herself, Bulk Biceps really was a sweetheart more than other ponies realized but yet no one ever went out of their way to really show him that. Cloudchaser really didn't know him that well, sure they knew each other from the academy but beyond that she didn't have much interactions with him, so really what would be a good gift to get someone so sweet? She knew she would need help and the one she always went to advice for on gift giving was probably her sister, she knew a lot more about this kind of stuff. She gathered up her things and headed to Ponyville, she knew her sister was likely shopping about the town for any last minute gifts she had forgotten about.
“Hey Flitter how's it going?” she spoke up softly towards her younger sister, Flitter as a few months younger than her but some thought they were twins, perhaps it was because the two of them were so close despite their differences, after all she was more tomboyish and her sister was more girly.
“Sis! What brings you here?” she smiled towards her, wondering what she was doing here in Ponyville. She knew her sister worked way too hard so she was really hoping she'd take it easier for this holiday but just like always she was quite stubborn and even a bit feisty at times but that made her all the more precious.
“Well...you see I need your help. Bulk Biceps showed up at my door today with a gift for Hearth's warming and well...I didn't get him anything and now I feel awful. Do you know what he might like?” she asked her sister.
Flitter giggled and couldn't help but to put her hoof down as she looked towards Cloudchaser.
“Oh sister that's so sweet of you, and don't worry ponies forget things all the time, and honestly I'm not sure what he would like, I know he enjoys his job at the spa though, maybe something to help him at work?” suggested Flitter.
Cloudchaser knew it just wasn't good enough, she couldn't get him a gift for him to use at work, that was the essence of saying, 'hey I didn't know what else to get you but I knew you worked at the spa so I got you this for your job.' and Cloudchaser wasn't about to resort to that. She had to be more creative. Hmm...think...think...think. Then it hit her!
If there was one think Bulk Biceps loved more than anything else it was his muscles so something like weights or something to help him with that would be a wonderful gift but she had never shopped for anything like that. She would need some help with this so she asked Flitter where to go looking for it, and of course Flitter was more than happy to assist in her dilemma. Though she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach Flitter was doing this for other reasons.
“Flitter it's not like that okay?” she spoke up wanting her sister to know this was just a gift from one friend to another, rather than her wanting Bulk to be her coltfriend.
“Well, duh you've had your eyes on Thunderlane for as long as I can remember but still it won't hurt your chances any if Bulk likes you too. I mean a girl has to have a backup.” replied Flitter.
“I am not crushing on Thunderlane!” replied Cloudchaser defensively with a bit of a blush rising to her cheeks. As much as she tried to deny it, she knew in the back of her mind she did enjoy Thunderlane's company but she never had even thought about asking him on a date or anything of the sorts. She then rose her eyebrow at her sister comments about having a backup.
“Wait are you going to ask Thunderlane out?” she asked nervously.
“Yeah I'm going to ask him tomorrow, I mean if you aren't going to go for it I'm going too, he's such an amazing guy and an amazing flyer too.” smiled Flitter with a giggle.
“Well, go ahead, I wish you the best sis.” she smiled though she couldn't help but wonder what Thunderlane would think but she wasn't about to worry about that now, she had to find Bulk Biceps a gift. She went to the weights store as she gawked around at all the difference weights, workbenches and even cards for a one year membership to the gym. She looked around for a while but decided to get him a new set of weights and would have the salepony wrapped them up for her, as she added a gift tag to the bow writing down from Cloudchaser, to Bulk and she picked it up and walked out of the store with it. She just had to find Bulk now and she knew right where he would be, at the spa. She went to the spa and found him sitting outside by himself, looking rather sad. She wasn't sure what was going on but she went and sat down beside him.
“Hey Bulk are you okay?” she asked nervously not wanting to upset him more. He looked towards her with a slight smile at seeing one of his fellow friends.
“I'm okay I guess it's just sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough.” he spoke.
“What do you mean?” she asked in return.
“Well, I do my best to help ponies and well I didn't get a single thank you card this year, makes me wonder if I'm just not cut out for this.” he spoke softly.
“Bulk Biceps don't think like that, you're a wonderful guy and even more than that you are always helping ponies get in shape and yeah it may not seem like much but I'd like to give you a gift for Hearth's warming, I'm only sorry that I didn't give it to you sooner. I hope you like it.” she smiled softly handing him the wrapped up gift.
Bulk immediately unwrapped the gift to see the new set of dumbells. He smiled brighter than he had been smiling all day long.
“Wow, I love it. Thank you so much Cloud, this means a lot really. You didn't have to do this just for me.” he spoke.
“I wanted too, after all we're friends right? That's what friends too.” smiled Cloudchaser.
“Yeah friends.” he smiled softly but then looked off into the distance seeming to think about something, then he looked back towards her. “I overheard Thunderlane today, he said if Flitter asked him out he was going to say yes, he really likes her, and well I don't want you to get hurt.” spoke Bulk worried.
“Really? Well it's fine it's not like I was crushing on him or anything like that.” she blushed a bit.
“He should ask you though, you're amazing and you are working hard to become a wonderbolt.” smiled Bulk.
“Aww, you are so sweet Bulk.” replied Cloudchaser and she couldn't help but remember what her sister had said about keeping her options open in case things didn't work out with Thunderlane, I mean yeah Bulk Biceps was really sweet but she wasn't sure if she liked him that way. She couldn't help but be nervous and thought she was totally idiotic to even ask, but there was only one way to know.
“Bulk, do you like me?” she asked nervously.
“Why wouldn't I like you Cloudchaser? Like I said you're amazing and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be my lead pony at the accedemy and I've tried my best to keep in touch because I care about you. Why do you ask?” he asked not really seeing anything in what she had asked.
“Well...it's just.” she began and then a blush rose to her cheeks as she got nervous again. She was a bit disappointed that Thunderlane liked her sister but she had been crushing on him, that never meant it would've worked between them. “I was wondering if you wanted to be my coltfriend?” she asked hesitantly.
Bulk Biceps was just as surprised by the sudden question as he couldn't help but blush a deep shade of red. He had always admired Cloudchaser's work ethnic, and she was an amazing flyer and a beautiful mare worth anyone's attention but she had decided to ask him of all stallions? He was quite surprised by this.
“I would love too.” he smiled towards her and picked her up and embraced her in a big hug.
“Bulk....I can't breathe.” she giggled as he then put her down apologizing but he was just so happy.
“Would you like to spend Hearth's warming together?” she smiled towards him. He nodded and the two walked off together hoof in hoof.