Chapter Five: Closing Distances

An Appledash-Scootabloom Fic

"So… Now, a nice little walk in the park and then your surprise?" asked the orange filly.

"Eyup, jes wait fer it Scoots. Patience's a virtue y'all know?"

"Yeah maybe, but it's not my strong spot. And yours neither for that matter, Miss 'Ah want mah cutie mark NAAAO' " Scootaloo mocked her friend.

"Hey! Is there any need to be that mean? But Ah guess y'all are right, Ah'm nopony to scold y'all."

Both fillies were walking through the east entrance of the park, this one wasn't like the west one, with lines of trees and chirping birds, but it wasn't less beautiful. The fillies walked, watching Celestia's sun shine, lighting their day and warming their coats. A weak cool breeze blew, carrying the sweet scent of the blooming flowers. The whole atmosphere was screaming romance.

Scootaloo was happy just walking by Applebloom's side, and watching the sun lower and starting to set behind the praire on Ponyville's outskirts, but she wanted to avoid any awkward silence, so she said.

"Hey AB, do you like action movies?" Scootaloo asked, trying to fill the space.

"Eeyup! They are mah favourites!"

"Yeah? Well who's your favourite actor?"

"There's nopony that could beat Buck Norris!"

"What? Of course there is! Bruise Wing, the greatest martial-artist pegasus ever! In fact, he did beat Buck Norris's flank in that film 'The Way of the Dragon' "

"But it was jes a movie Scootaloo" replied the pastel yellow filly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, for your information, when Bruise Wing died, they checked out his body and it was as good as a young stallion half his age!" stated Scootaloo.

"Oh yeah? Well Buck isn't dead yet" raspberryed Applebloom.

Scootaloo muttered something under her breath and said "Anyways, we shouldn't be fighting over something as dumb as this, we are friends, we're mature, and we're on a date, I MEAN A GET TOGETHER, S-so let's just enjoy th-the walk and the sight" Scootaloo said, hoping Applebloom hadn't noticed the mistake.

"Ah approve of that motion" Applebloom giggled and got closer to her friend.

Both fillies continued walking side to side, eventually Applebloom decided to follow her instincts and did what she desired. She leaned and rested her head on Scootaloo's shoulder, Scootaloo's heart started beating hard and her cheeks started looking the same color as Applebloom's mane, but she kept composure and kept walking. To distract herself a little from the situation, she started humming, and then she started singing softly to herself

"I might not be… the right one,
It might not be… the right time…
But there's something about us, I've got to do…
Some kind of secret I'll share with you…
I need you more than anything in my life…
I want you more than anything in my life…
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life…
I love you more than anyone in my life…"

Applebloom listened her singing and asked

"Wha's that? Ah like it"

"Oh, you heard me? It was Daft Pony, don't you know them?"

"Ah don't listen to that much music, so Ah don't know a lot of artists. What kind of music do they play?"

"Electronic and House"

"Kinda what Miss Vinyl Scratch plays?"

"Well... She's a DJ, DJ PON-3. DJ's change somepony else's pieces, but Daft Pony crea
te something and then they change it, you understand?"

"Ah think Ah do" said Applebloom. An idea crossed her mind but she was unaware if it was wise to ask for it. Blood rushed through her cheeks as she asked "Can... can y'all sing a little more?"

Scootaloo opened her eyes wide at the request and said "I'm sorry but the song ends there."

"Don't y'all know another one? Ah don't care 'bout the song, Ah jes like to hear y'all sing" Applebloom said, her head still resting on the orange filly's shoulder.

"Sing? Sweetie Belle is the singer and you know it."

"Yeah, she might have a clearer voice but Ah love yer voice."

"You do? Well, I'll try..."
She cleared her throat and began.

"Last night I had a dream about you
in this dream I'm dancing right beside you
and it looked like everypony was having fun.
the kind of feeling I've waited so long
The time is right, I put my arms around you,
You're feeling right, you put your arms around too..."

"That song is so sweet! Don't y'all think?" the earth pony said, standing straight again and looking at Scootaloo's eyes.

"Yeah, it's one of my favourites, and reminds me of the dream I had last night"

"Really? So... who were y'all dreaming of?" curiously asked Applebloom.

Scootaloo froze as she realized what she had just said, and remembering that she dreamt of Applebloom " Come on Scoots, you need to get out of this, think!" "Hey look, aren't those Rainbow Dash and your sister?" asked Scootaloo pointing towards the path they were walking.




Indeed, the two mares who were walking toward them were Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The orange farm pony seemed to have noticed them too and they sped up a little bit. When the four ponies were in front of each other

"Howdy girls, how are y'all doin'?" Applejack said.

" 'Sup kiddos?" Rainbow spoke in.

" Hi sis, hi miss Rainbow"

"Hello Rainbow Dash, how are you Applejack?"

Then the four ponies said in unison "We're fine, we were just passing by." Everypony started laughing at the coincidence and then Applebloom walked towards Applejack, taking her a little bit aside so they could talk without being heard. Rainbow Dash did the same with Scootaloo.

Applejack was the first to talk

"So… How are y'all doing with the 'cattle'?"

"Pretty fine actually, we had a shake at Sugarcube Corner, then we walked through the shopping area, Oh n' look!" the pastel yellow filly moved her head to the left so her sister could contemplate the purple carnation adorning her mane "She bought this flower fer me! Ain't she sweet? Ah know y'all always tell me not to count the chickens before they hatch, but c'mon! That gotta be a sign sis!" said the excited little filly.

"It sure looks promising Bloom, but Ah'm not so sure, mah 'cow' also gave me a flower, but that doesn't mean anything"

"N' how are y'all so sure?" asked the younger sister.

"Ah know she's thinkin' about sumpony else, Ah jes know it. But mark mah words sis, she'll be mine by tonight"

"Well then, if y'all say Ah 'may not win the rodeo', what can Ah do?"

"Maybe what y'all really need is to close distance, Ah mean really close the distance" stepping closer to her little sister, she whispered "Talk to'er real closely, make'er look yer eyes, n' try to make yer faces to be mere inches away from each other. Move yer lips slowly n' a bit exaggeratedly fer her to look at'em. N' unless y'all are completely desperate n' about to lose'er. Y'all. Wont. Kiss. Scoots. Y'all hear? Let'er do the move. Y'all jes create the situation, leave everythin' prepared but don't kiss'er"

Applebloom nodded at her sister, the older farmpony moved back to the prior position and said

"Well, Ah better be goin', good luck sis."

"Thanks… Ah'll try to do what y'all told me."

By that time, Scootaloo had also ended her talk with Rainbow Dash, the two couples joined again and parted ways, resuming their prior direction.

After some seconds in silence Scootaloo asks her friend

"What were you talking about AB?"

"Umm, nuthin' interesting really. Don't worry 'bout that. N'… Did Ah heard well? Were y'all giving Dash flying trick lessons? Y'all don't even know how to fly."

"Yeah… kinda, it's… complicated. Don't pay attention to it, let's keep going."



The sun was almost completely hidden by now and without it, the air started getting colder.

Applebloom felt the change of temperature and said to herself "It's sure getting chillier here."

Scootaloo heard her complain and analysed what could she do, and she thought about all the movies she had seen and remembered something. She stopped walking and started taking out her jacket. Applebloom noticed that her friend wasn't by her side and started turning around just to find her friend putting her leather jacket around the yellow farmfilly's shoulders, over the dress. Their faces were very close, a few inches away. She stopped feeling cold, in fact, she was starting to feel pleasantly warm, and she suspected it wasn't just because of the jacket.

Applebloom was blushing slightly, her heart was beating fast and she was feeling a little dizzy, it seemed like just a simple token of friendship, but she felt it like it was much more. It was in part a starter of Applebloom's feelings and hopes, which she had been trying to hide, to send back to the deep of her head, so she wouldn't be that obvious. But after the flower and after this, any attempt was in vain. She was dying to kiss those precious lips, to hold her with every ounce of strength in her, to spend the whole eternity by her side.

It was the moment, no more waiting, the plans be damned and the surprise as well. She was going to do it and there was no pony that would stop her, nopony except for herself " Wait Applebloom! What do y'all think y'all are doin'? Ah'm going to kiss her, now, n' nopony will stop me, not even mahself! Ah'm not gonna stop y'all, Ah want it too! Then why are y'all here? Jes to remember y'all what big sis said! Y'all get close to her, but y'all don't kiss'er… unless we're loosin'er. Well… Ah s'ppose she knows best."

Similar thoughts were running through Scootaloo's head at a thousand miles per hour. She couldn't restrict her feelings as well as her friend, and that's why she made all those things for her, she was still feeling all those moments with her. When they were riding the scooter towards Sugarcube Corner, the hug after she gave her the purple carnation, and now the look on her face after she lend her the jacket.

Those eyes… those were hypnotizing her, they were calling her, and they were telling her to kiss Applebloom, to kiss her right now. " This may be the worst mistake of my whole life, or my best decision, I must think this thoroughly. Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her. I should contemplate the pros and cons of this. Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her. If she likes me, then this could be the start of a beautiful relationship. Kiss'er, kiss'er, kiss'er. If she doesn't like me, there are two options, maybe she doesn't love anypony, therefore my kiss may make her think about me and it could end in her loving me back. Kiss'erKiss'erKiss'er. But maybe she doesn't love me and she won't, and this may destroy our friendship forever and the Crusaders as a group as well. Anyways there are 2 positive endings against 1 negative one, so why don't we risk it? KISS HER NOW!

Both fillies stared at each other's eyes, lost in a heavenly trance; they started getting closer and closer. Both fillies started narrowing their eyes, while they were stretching their necks to get closer and closer.

Applebloom stopped halfway, let her mouth barely open, and waited for Scootaloo to do the rest. Her heart was beating at an incredible rate, she felt that it could jump out of her chest at any moment. She had lost sight of everything around her except for Scootaloo's face; her veins were like rivers of lava flowing through her body.

Scootaloo was determined to lock lips with her fellow crusader, she had lost reason, she was in a beast-like state, where she could only desire and go for it, without thinking about the consequences. She continued closing distance, she closed her eyes and…



"Hi girls! How are you doing?" said a pink hyperactive pony that rather inconveniently appeared between the two fillies, putting her hooves around the little ponies' necks making them turn their heads and look towards the horizon.

"Pinkie Pie!?" asked both fillies at unison.

"Yes, the one and only. Well, as far as I know there's no other Pinkie Pie out there, or maybe there is… By the way, you didn't need to talk to me in stereo; I could've listened to you anyways!" said the happy baker pony smiling broadly.

The two fillies didn't know what to do, they were paralyzed as the memories of what were they going to do before Pinkie Pie interrupted them, making them snap back to reality.

"What was I thinking? How could I've thought about kissing Applebloom right out of the blue? How could I've thought about risking everything just for a stupid urge I had? I don't know if I should kill Pinkie Pie for blocking the kiss, or if I should invite her dinner… Anyways, I should contain myself so that won't happen again. Let's follow the plan and wait for Applebloom's surprise, and then, BAM, you declare your feelings towards her."

" Applebloom, Ah wanna ask y'all sumthin'… ARE Y'ALL INSANE? Hey don't blame, y'all wanted to kiss'er too. Well… Ah forgive y'all, y'all win this time. Anyways, we shouldn't try that again. Let's stick to the plan, don' try to kiss'er before nor tell'er yer feelin's"

"Whoa kids, don't talk that much that you're starting to make my ears hurt…" said Pinkie Pie sarcastically.

"Wha? Oh, Ah'm sorry miss Pinkie, Ah… Ah was lost in thoughts. What where y'all sayin'?"

"I was asking you two little crazy fillies how was your date going."

"Oh… I-it's going very well Pinks, after having those shakes at Sugarcube Corner, which were delicious by the way, we went to see some things at the shopping area, and then we decided just to have a nice walk here at the park" said Scootaloo.

"That sounds fun! Ooooh! Where did you get that flower Applebloom? It looks really good on you" said the pink mare inspecting the flower from various angles, turning around the pastel-yellow filly sniffing it, like if that would make her appreciate it better.

"Oh, this? Scootaloo bought it fer me!" said Applebloom, looking at her friend.

Scootaloo blushed slightly "I-it's a Purple Carnation! A-Applebloom seemed to like it very much and well… I went and bought one for her."

"D'awww, that's so sweet!" said the bubbly pony, pressing her hooves against her cheeks. "Don't you think that's very sweet Applebloom?"

"A-Ah… Ah think it is very sweet, yeah" she replied, her cheeks becoming a light pink.

"She's quite a catch, isn't she? I bet she would make a perfect fillyfriend for somepony. Don't you think that way Applebloom?" Pinkie asked again, but there was something hidden behind that smiling face, however Applebloom couldn't put her hoof on it.

"Ah… Ah… Ah guess she is quite a catch…" she said, her cheeks were now burning with a beautiful crimson color.

Scootaloo was feeling dizzy, "Could this be… No, calm down Scootaloo, breathe deeply, don't get all pumped up now, she didn't say she thought I was a good catch for her. She c-could've said that just to be a good friend, or just to agree with Pinkie… Or maybe she does think I'm a good catch, but maybe for somepony else… Oh Luna! Why's this so difficult? Why can't I ask her and finish with my misery? No, don't give up Scoots, think. What would Rainbow say? You're gonna keep going, until the end. Recover composure and keep on, oh and make Pinkie go away, she's making this worse "

"P-Pinkie, we just saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack walking that way!" said the orange filly, her hoof pointing towards the path where they met with the two.

"Ooooh, So they were here too? I knew it wasn't a Double Doozy Decoy! Well, see you later girls! You should come to the shop more often!" Pinkie said before bouncing away.

" I'm sorry Rainbow, but it was necessary… I hope you can handle her more than I could."

"What do y'all think it's a Double Doozy Decoy Scoots?" Applebloom asked.

"Umm... probably has something to do with her 'Pinkie Sense'. But I don't know why the 'Double' and the 'Decoy'."

"Maybe she had two Pinkie Sense's signals and sometimes one is false…"

"Yeah that makes sense, that's why 'Decoy'. Wow Applebloom, you are one smart filly."

"Oh shucks, thank y'all Scootaloo, but y'all are very smart too!"

"Nah, I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I always sleep in class. What I lack in brain I have it in courage and awesomeness" the purple-maned filly said, winking at her friend.

Applebloom giggled and answered sarcastically "N' also in modesty, as Ah can see. But yer plans to get our cutie marks are really daring, so Ah guess y'all are courageous. Talkin 'bout it, how do come up with those plans?"

"Oh, they always follow three simple steps. First: Try some crazy and a little bit dangerous action. Second: four interrogation points."

"I-interrogation Points?"

" Four interrogation points. And third: Profit"

"Profit?"

"I mean, cutie marks."

"Ah'm not sure what are y'all talking about, but let's say that y'all are right, and talk 'bout sumthin' else…"

"What do you wanna talk about?"

"What about… yer family?" asked Applebloom. "How come y'all never told us 'bout 'em?"

Scootaloo was frozen in place " This again? How do I get away now? There's nothing interesting going on around here, and if I change the subject suddenly it'll be suspicious. Tell her the truth? Nah, that's absolutely out of question. Maybe I can tell her something, but not that part… Let's try that" "Umm… they… they are far away, yeah… they've gone."

"Oh yeah? Where are they?"

"Oh… they are… I'm not sure…"

"Wha? How can y'all don't know?"

"They had sent me one letter saying that they were fine, that's enough for me. As long as they are alright…" Scootaloo answered.

"It wasn't a total lie" she thought to herself.

"Okay, if y'all say so. N' what are their names?"

"They were called-"

"Were?" the earth filly asked.

"ARE, my mom is called Gentle Violet and Flying Disaster is my daddy."

"N' do they travel a lot?"

"Not that much… but when they do, they go away for a long time. I'm used to take care of myself." said Scootaloo with a fake smile, luckily Applebloom was looking away, so she didn't realize.

"Ah never knew mah Ma or mah Pa, sumtimes Ah wish Ah could see them at least once. But well, with Big Mac, Granny Smith n' mah big sis bah mah side, Ah'm alright. Don't y'all have sisters or brothers Scoots?" she asked, hoping for a yes.

"No, I don't have any."

"N' who do y'all turn to when y'all need advice?"

"Usually I look for-"

"Lemme guess, Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah, he-he- Am I too obvious?"

"Nah, not at all!" Applebloom sarcastically said. Then suddenly stopped, she started looking away and her cheeks started going a little pink. "W-well, y'all know… y-y'all… y'all could always come talk with me, if y'all need somepony to listen. Ah'll never judge y'all, Ah can be yer confidant. Ah'll… A-Ah'll always love y'all for who y'all are…" "C'mon take the hint gal! Ah'm almost telling y'all Ah love y'all! Calm down Applebloom. Wait fer it, we still have some time. We aren't even sure if she likes fillies… Should we ask her? Not now, let's ask her later."

Scootaloo blushed lightly too "W-well thank you, I'll keep that in mind. In fact, I'd like to… Nah, forget about it"

"What is it? Tell me Scoots, don't y'all trust me?"

"Oh no, it's not that, it's just… I won't tell you now, but I will tell you, in fact I can only ask you. Now, why don't we go to eat something? It's late, and I'm starting to get hungry." She said, putting a hoof over her belly.

Applebloom sensed her stomach was starting to grumble and nodded in agreement. "But where can we go?"

"We could go to the Café to eat some hay fries and sandwiches"

"Yeah… But Ah was thinkin' 'bout ending this lovely dat-N-NIGHT! This night i-in a more… a more…"

"Where do you wanna go?" asked Scootaloo, guessing what was she thinking. "Lead the way. I'll go wherever you wanna go."

"Why don't we go to that fancy restaurant near the hall?"

"Isn't it a little bit too… expensive?" she said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Well… if y'all don't wan-"

"No! No, sorry, it doesn't matter, you wanna go there? We'll go there then. But first, let's enjoy the last moments of this beautiful sunset" said the orange filly before grabbing her friends hoof and dashing towards a nearby hill.