We Are a Trio
There was a chilly breeze in Ponyville that morning, even as Celestia’s sun shone bright in the sky. It wasn’t as cold as during the winter, but that was to be expected, as Hearts and Hooves Day was around the corner.
The town bustled as ponies bought gifts for their loved ones, special someponies, close friends and classmates alike. Couples could be seen going on early dates together, not wanting to have to deal with traffic on the day of.
And on this very day, three young fillies had plans for spending the day with their friends.
Not-so-platonic plans.
Sweetie Belle hummed to herself as she worked, levitating various art supplies around the place; crayons, scissors and glue, for instance.
In front of her lay a piece of paper, cut into the shape of a heart, like your typical Hearts and Hooves Day card. In the middle was a fairly crude, foalish crayon drawing of three ponies: a white unicorn with a curly mane, an orange pegasus with small wings and a messy mane, and a yellow earth pony with a bow in their mane - Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.
Sweetie let out a small sigh. What would her friends think of it? Sure, the Crusaders always gave each other Hearts and Hooves Day gifts, but it was never... this.
“Sweetie Belle, darling, is something the matter?” came the voice of Rarity as the older unicorn trotted into Sweetie Belle’s room. “You’ve been cooped up in here all day.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine!” Sweetie exclaimed, looking at the floating art supplies and dropping them. “I was just making a Hearts and Hooves Day card for Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet of you, darling,” Rarity smiled, “would you mind if I take a peek?”
“I don’t see why not,” Sweetie Belle nodded, hovering the card over. “It’s not finished yet, but I think they’ll like it.”
“I’m sure they will - it may not be too fancy, but it has a charm to it.” the older of the two nodded. “Though, I think they’d love anything so long as it came from you.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course - you three have a bond unlike any Equestria has ever seen, after all!”
“Yeah...” Sweetie Belle smiled, lovestruck, as she hovered the card in front of her. As Rarity had said, it wasn’t too fancy, but it had a charm to it - it was made by her, and that made it more special than ever. She hovered another crayon over, struggling over what to write for a moment. Sweetie had never done something like this before... But, in neat horn-writing, she wrote above her drawing.
Be my special someponies?
Even despite the chill breeze, the Apple family was still hard at work on the farm. There were still apples that needed bucking, products that needed to be shipped, and so much more. All of those at Sweet Apple Acres were hard at work.
Well... Aside from Apple Bloom, that is. None of the family had seen hide nor tail of their youngest member since breakfast that morning, and it was the middle of the day!
Applejack decided to look for her little sister. She trusted Apple Bloom to take care of herself, but she was still worried about where the young mare had gotten off to. Sweet Apple Acres was big, sure, but Applejack had an idea of where Apple Bloom may have been.
“Apple Bloom?” Applejack called out as she trotted up the stairs to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse, pushing the door ajar. “Ya in here?”
There was no sign of the yellow earth pony in the clubhouse, at least not at the moment - it seemed Applejack had missed her sister’s presence, given some papers on the ground. A closer look revealed them to be Hearts and Hooves Day cards for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Applejack smiled - the friendship between the Crusaders was as sweet as apple pie... And the cards gave her an idea as to where Apple Bloom could be.
It wasn’t an area the farmpony went to very often. It was out of the way, and even though the sight made her happy, the bittersweetness of it all made it hard to be around. Regardless, the conclusion was a logical one to make given the idea behind the holiday, and as Applejack approached the area, she could hear the gentle strumming of a guitar, though it... Wasn’t on-key, to say the least.
“On a prickly path that...” Apple Bloom’s singing cut off as she stopped strumming the guitar. “How does it go again? Oh, darnit, this ain’t gonna work...”
“Apple Bloom?”
The younger earth pony’s ears perked up in surprise as she turned to face her sister, hiding the guitar behind her back. “O-oh, hi, Applejack! What do ya need?”
“What’re ya doin’ out here, sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “Ah haven’t seen hide nor tail o’ ya all day.”
“Ah was just preparin’ for Hearts and Hooves Day,” Apple Bloom explained, blushing a little, “Ah wanna, er, sing a song fer the other Crusaders...”
“Aw, sugarcube...” her sister smiled and walked over, nuzzling Apple Bloom. “Ah’m sure they’ll love it.”
“Ya really think so?”
“Well, Ah think they’d love anythin’ ya gave ‘em,” Applejack smiled, “y’all’s friendship is real special, y’know. Not many ponies can say they got their cutie marks at the same time!”
Apple Bloom smiled. “Yeah, ya have a point there... But Ah’ve been practicin’ all day an’ just can’t get it right! Ma’s song seemed so purrty, but Ah just can’t seem ta remember how it goes...”
“Well, why didn’t ya say so?” Applejack asked. “Ah’d be happy ta help ya... after ya do yer chores.”
That provoked a giggle from Apple Bloom as she hugged her sister. “Thanks, Applejack.”
“Anythin’ for mah lil’ sister,” the farmpony smiled and hugged the younger one back, before her smile turned a tad mischievious, “now... When’d ya start fallin’ fer yer pals?”
Apple Bloom blushed even brighter than before at that. “Applejack!”
Scootaloo groaned as she lay on her bed in her bedroom, trying to think of Hearts and Hooves Day ideas. She wanted to show Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom how much she loved them, in a not-so-platonic sense, but every idea that came to mind was overly cliche and mushy - making a card, giving them flowers, taking them out for dinner...
Suddenly, she came up with an idea - she could ask Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty! They were some of the coolest ponies Scootaloo knew, no matter how old they were or how sappy they were sometimes - surely they’d have some ideas!
“Aunt Holiday!” Scootaloo called as she trotted down the stairs. “Auntie Lofty!”
“In the kitchen, squirt!” came Auntie Lofty’s reply. The young pegasus trotted over, receiving smiles from her aunts. “What do ya need, Scoots?”
“Well, I was just wondering...” Scootaloo debated how to phrase her question, before just blurting it out. “How do you ask someone to be your special somepony?”
Her aunts looked at her in surprise while their niece blushed. “T-totally platonically, I mean!”
“Scootaloo, there’s no problem with having a crush,” Aunt Holiday smiled at Scootaloo, “or crushes.”
The pegasus only blushed harder, before her aunts’ gazes softened.
“We’d be more than happy to help, Scoots.”
“Really?!” Scootaloo exclaimed, receiving nods from her aunts as she hugged them both. “Oh, thank you! Um... I don’t wanna do anything really sappy, or anything. I mean, I love them both a lot- um, I mean...”
Her aunts chuckled a bit, before Aunt Holiday spoke. “Trust me, I get what it’s like, Scootaloo. Your Auntie Lofty was the same when we were your age.”
“Really?”
“Holiday...” Auntie Lofty light-heartedly scolded her wife.
“But, well, she did end up knitting me a quilt in order to confess,” Aunt Holiday smiled fondly, “you could do something like that - but, well, with your interests instead.”
“I dunno if scooter tricks would work that well...” Scootaloo laughed a little sheepishly, before perking up, determination in her eyes. “But I guess it’s worth trying!”
“Attagirl, squirt!” Auntie Lofty exclaimed, affectionately ruffling Scootaloo’s mane. “I’m sure they’ll love it.”
“You really think so?”
“They love you, Scoots,” Aunt Holiday replied, “they’ll love anything you do for them. I’m sure of it.”
Scootaloo smiled and thanked her aunts before running to grab her scooter, hoping that they were right.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders had all been having a hectic time, and Hearts and Hooves Day hadn’t even arrived yet. The weekend was almost drawing to a close, which only made things more hectic as they rushed to finish their plans in order to have a full Hearts and Hooves Day spent with each other.
“Sweetie Belle? I understand that Hearts and Hooves Day is important to you, but you have barely come out of your room the past few days, darling!” Rarity exclaimed, opening her sister’s door, startling the young unicorn, the art supplies she was hovering around dropping to the ground.
“Don’t worry, Rarity!” Sweetie exclaimed, yawning a bit as she hovered the Hearts and Hooves Day card over to Rarity for her to look at. “I’m all finished - what do you think?”
The card was cut into the shape of a heart, made with pink paper, with the edges lined with sparkling gemstones - some green, some red, and some orange. It seemed Sweetie had refined the drawing she’d made a bit, as while it still looked like a foal’s drawing, the three ponies depicted were colored correctly. Rarity smiled at Sweetie Belle. “It’s amazing, darling. I’m sure the others will love it... And I’m sure they’ll love it even more if you get some sleep - you look simply awful.”
“Yeah, I think I will...” Sweetie Belle yawned, hovering the card back over, folding it up and placing it on her desk. While part of Sweetie Belle wanted to make it even better, she knew that Rarity was right. Plus, Hearts and Hooves Day wasn’t for a couple more days, anyways.
As she drifted to sleep, she hoped Scootaloo and Apple Bloom would like her gift...
As the sun began to set over Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack let out a yawn. “Alrighty, Apple Bloom, let’s hear it one last time. Ah’m sure ya got it this time!”
Apple Bloom nodded, taking in a breath before beginning to strum the guitar in her hooves. It still wasn’t perfect, but it was far better than her first, extremely off-key attempt. Focusing on singing and playing the guitar at the same time seemed to be a struggle for her at first, but eventually, she let her heart take the lead, singing the song her mother had sung to her father all those years ago.
“And you should not blame me too,” Apple Bloom finished, “if I can’t help fallin’ in love with you...”
Applejack smiled, stomping her hooves on the ground gently at Apple Bloom’s performance, causing the younger pony to blush. “Hoo-ee, you did a good job, Apple Bloom! Now then, how’s ‘bout we get back ta the farm? Ah’m sure Sugar Belle’s baked up some delicious dinner fer us all!”
Apple Bloom nodded, face flushed as she picked up the guitar. “Ah dunno if Ah should say that last part...”
“Well, ya do love ‘em, don’t’cha?” Applejack asked. Apple Bloom’s blush increased with that question.
“Yeah, but... Don’t most ponies usually wait a bit before sayin’ that kinda thing?”
“Apple Bloom, you an’ yer friends ain’t ‘most ponies.’ Who cares what they do?” Applejack asked, nuzzling her sister. “They already love ya anyhoo, and you already love them, too. A different context don’t change that at all.”
Apple Bloom smiled a little awkwardly. “I guess yer right... Thanks, Applejack.”
“No problem, Sis,” Applejack smiled, “now, c’mon!”
As the two farm ponies made their way back to the farm, Apple Bloom felt the song echoing through her mind.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle really were in her head like a catchy song.
Even as the sun was lowered, Scootaloo still found herself practicing her scooter tricks. Her wings were tired, as was the rest of her, but she kept going, determined to get it right. The pegasus took a breath. “If 3rd time’s the charm, then maybe 30th time is, too!”
Scootaloo flapped her wings to propel herself in the directions needed, making a heart shape with her scooter. The hardest part other than maneuvering it was actually making the marks in the ground, which she couldn’t seem to find a consistent method for - sometimes it worked, sometimes she didn’t. She needed to get it down consistently before showing it to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom!
“Hey, Scoots! What’re you doing out so late?”
The orange pegasus’ attention snapped to the present as she heard Rainbow Dash’s voice, the older pegasus flying down. Scootaloo smiled and took her helmet off. “Hi, Rainbow Dash! I was just practicing scooter tricks... You know, the usual!”
“... And you were practicing this late because?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. Scootaloo sighed, feeling herself begin to blush as she explained.
“Well... Hearts and Hooves Day is in a couple days, y’know...” Scootaloo began. “And... Well... IwannaasktheotherCrusaderstobemyspecialsomeponies!”
Her sister figure blinked for a few seconds, before laughing a little. “That’s all? Trust me, Scoots, that’s nothing to be embarrassed about - I had crushes when I was your age, too.”
“R-really?”
“Me and Fluttershy were basically as inseparable as you and your friends as fillies,” Rainbow Dash answered simply. “She didn’t like me the same way, but we’re still friends - I’m sure everything will go good for you, too!”
“Thanks, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo smiled. “I guess you’re right that I should be getting home soon... But I wanna try one more time! I’m super close to nailing it, I can tell!”
As Scootaloo practiced her tricks one more time, this time with Rainbow Dash as a spectator, she thought of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and of Rainbow Dash’s advice. While she hoped they’d share her feelings...
She also hoped they’d stay friends if not.
Ponyville was in high spirits that Hearts and Hooves Day. Ponies exchanged gifts, spent time together, and some simply enjoyed the sweets that were being passed out. At the Ponyville Schoolhouse, classmates exchanged gifts with each other, as Cheerilee generally had her students do, so that everypony got included.
Sweetie Belle smiled as she looked through the cards she’d gotten, snacking on a few of the candies. Anticipation took hold as she found Apple Bloom’s card - which of course had an apple lollipop attached - and unfolded it. The writing was a little messy, but Sweetie Belle had gotten used to reading it, and it made her heart flutter a bit at the sight as she read.
Dear Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo,
You two are the apples of my eye, nopony could be more special to me.
I hope your Hearts and Hooves Day is as great as our friendship.
Love,
Apple Bloom
A fond expression was on Sweetie’s face as she read the card, before she looked over to Scootaloo, who was reading the same card. Why had Apple Bloom given them both the same card? That was beside the point, though; as Sweetie Belle turned her attention back to the paper and gently hovered the lollipop off, she took note of some text under where it had been stuck on.
P.S. Meet me at the clubhouse after school. I wanna spend the day together.
Sweetie Belle felt her heart pound faster than she thought it ever had before, but she wasn’t sure why. She and her friends always spent Hearts and Hooves Day together - plenty of colts and fillies alike had asked to be their special someponies over the years, especially since they’d gotten their cutie marks, but none of them had been interested, content to simply spend the day with their best friends.
Sweetie was glad the Hearts and Hooves Day festivities were how they ended the school day, and not how they started it or anything of the sort. It was hard to think of anything other than Apple Bloom’s card. She couldn’t help but wonder if there was more that the earth pony wasn’t disclosing...
“Hey, Sweetie!”
The unicorn smiled as Scootaloo galloped over, and she could feel her face flush as well. “Hi, Scoots! Um... you got Apple Bloom’s card too, huh?”
“Yep!” Scootaloo nodded, and Sweetie Belle swore she could see the pegasus blush, too. “Do you think something’s up? I feel like she was leaving something out.”
“Glad we’re on the same page there...” Sweetie sighed. “I mean, it’s probably just our ordinary Hearts and Hooves Day spent with each other... right?”
“Yeah, probably... but we’ll never know until we get to the clubhouse!” Scootaloo exclaimed, wings fluttering a bit. “C’mon!”
Sweetie Belle nodded, trotting after her friend. She couldn’t help but wonder what Apple Bloom wasn’t telling them...
While the Crusaders still hung out at the clubhouse quite often, Scootaloo still felt a sense of nostalgia as they approached. Memories of when they were younger came to mind, as they went on crusades to try and get their cutie marks... and got covered in tree sap way more often than anypony probably should.
“What do you think Apple Bloom has planned?” Sweetie Belle asked as they approached. Scootaloo had so many things she wanted to have been planned, like a heartfelt confession of feelings... normally she’d hate the idea of something that sappy, but when it came to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, it didn’t sound that bad.
“Well, there’s only one way to find out!” Scootaloo exclaimed, galloping to the entrance of the clubhouse, Sweetie close behind. As she approached the door, she braced herself for a bit before knocking. “Apple Bloom? We’re here!”
There was a pause before Scootaloo heard a “Ah’m comin’!” from Apple Bloom. Soon, the earth pony opened the door to the clubhouse, keeping it ajar. “Howdy, girls! C’mon in - Ah got some treats from Sugarcube Corner.”
As Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle entered, the pegasus found herself awestruck by the decorations. Most of it was standard Hearts and Hooves Day decorations - heart-shaped pieces of paper hanging from strings hung on the ceiling, heart-shaped confetti strewn about on the ground, and even a couple heart-shaped balloons here and there. Of course, as Apple Bloom had mentioned, there were also some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner, also decorated for the holiday, on a table in the center of the room. “Whoa...”
“I think you really outdid yourself this year, Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, resulting in a blush from Apple Bloom, which Scootaloo smiled at the sight of.
“Aw, thanks a bunch, Sweetie,” the earth pony smiled. “Anyhoo, how’s y’all’s Hearts and Hooves Day been?”
The clubhouse seemed to become silent at that point, the only sound that of the Crusaders’ heartbeats. Scootaloo was the first to finally speak up. “Um... nothing special, really. Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty gave each other a ton of gifts, but that was about it...”
“Yeah... mine wasn’t that special, either,” Sweetie Belle replied.
“Well, er...” Apple Bloom’s blush came back, and far stronger than before. “Ah have some special plans fer us, actually... an’ not at the clubhouse.”
“But we always celebrate at the clubhouse.”
“Just cuz we always have don’t mean we hafta,” Apple Bloom pointed out, standing up and walking to the entrance of the clubhouse. “Now, follow me - it’s a bit o’ a walk...”
The walk to the destination Apple Bloom had planned was a stressful one. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, harder than it ever had before, and hear the blood rushing in her ears. It felt like there were so many ways this could go wrong. What if the others didn’t like her? And what if they stopped being friends because of it? Apple Bloom couldn’t bear the thought of not having Sweetie and Scootaloo by her side...
Worryin’ ain’t gonna help with anythin’, Apple Bloom told herself, taking a deep breath as she parted the bushes that led to one of the most amazing sights in Sweet Apple Acres, none other than the intertwined apple and pear trees, which left a heart-shaped space in the middle, which the sun shone through perfectly as it set.
“Whoa...” was the only thing either of the other Crusaders seemed to be able to get out. Apple Bloom couldn’t blame them - when she’d first seen it, she was just as awestruck as either of them. The sight was a beautiful one, and quite magical, too.
“Isn’t this where Big Mac and Sugar Belle got married?” Scootaloo finally asked, receiving a nod from Apple Bloom.
“An’ mah parents, too,” she answered.
“It’s really special then, huh?” Sweetie asked, receiving another nod. “So... why’d you bring us here?”
“Well... it’s like Ah said in mah card,” Apple Bloom answered, smiling and blushing, shying away a little. “You two are the apples o’ mah eye, an’ nopony could be more special ta me than the two o’ ya.”
Her friends seemed quite flattered by Apple Bloom’s statement, taking on their own tinges of red and pink, resulting in a bigger smile from the earth pony. “Ah have a surprise for ya both, too,” she continued, pulling a guitar out from her saddlebag. “Ah’m not all too great yet, but... Applejack said ya’d love anything Ah gotcha, so here goes.”
Her playing wasn’t perfect, but Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo still watched, clearly enamored with their friend. The feeling seemed to only grow as Apple Bloom began to sing.
As Apple Bloom sung, she could tell that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were in awe. The two of them looked at her like she was the only thing they could see, the most important thing in all of Equestria. “Wow...”
“It’s amazing... but I should’ve be the one singing!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed teasingly, provoking a giggle from Apple Bloom.
“Well, there’s more where that came from...” Apple Bloom began, before continuing the song. She was glad her friends enjoyed it, as stressed as she was... did they realize the meaning behind it?
“And you should not blame me too, if I can’t help falling in love with you...”
Getting caught up in the music, and in her feelings, Apple Bloom barely realized what she’d said until it was already out of her mouth, and she saw her friends’ expressions. They looked... surprised, but not mad, necessarily.
“Ah... Ah really just said, didn’t I?” Apple Bloom asked aloud, receiving nods from her friends. “D-darnit... Ah ruined this all, didn’t Ah? Ah’m sorry, gals...”
“What’re you sorry for?” Sweetie Belle asked, confused as she approached her friend.
“You didn’t ruin anything, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo nodded, before smiling. “If anything, I think you made this all better.”
“Yeah,” the unicorn gently smiled at Apple Bloom, pulling something out of her saddlebag; a heart-shaped card for Hearts and Hooves Day. She unfolded it, revealing a drawing of the three ponies, with neat hornwriting reading, Be my special someponies? Sweetie looked a little sheepish as she presented it to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. “I, um, wanted to give this to you both today, after all...”
The pegasus smiled at Sweetie Belle, pulling out her scooter from her saddlebag and unfolding it. “And I had some scooter tricks planned! I couldn’t nail it, but...” Wings fluttering, Scootaloo began to maneuver on her scooter, making a heart shape, which left a trail on the grass. She smiled, a little sheepishly as well. “Ta-da!”
It was a lot to process for all three ponies. Apple Bloom was the first to react, pulling the other Crusaders into a hug. “Oh, girls... Ah don’t think Ah’ve been this happy since we got our cutie marks!”
“Me neither,” Sweetie admitted, smiling at her friends. “Um... is that a ‘yes’ to being my special someponies?”
“Pssh, obviously!” Scootaloo exclaimed, wings fluttering. “I don’t usually like all this mushy stuff, but... for you two, I guess it’s fine. You’re really special to me, you know.”
The three of them exchanged smiles, before sitting in a content silence, watching the sunset from the view through the intertwined trees.
They were better together, just like the Cutie Mark Crusaders themselves.