Fluffy
By ~ General Spritz

It was a warm, sunny afternoon at Sweet Apple acres. A few stray clouds were floating lazily in the sky, mere remnants of the thunderstorm that had watered the numerous acres of the farm scant days ago. A slight breeze blew was in the air, just enough to help cool down one sweaty little filly who was walking a remote path into the orchard.

The filly in question, Applebloom by name and a simple red bow tied ever so neatly in her just as red mane, walked along a familiar path, humming a simple wordless tuneless contentment. As she crested the next hill, she saw her destination; the Cutie Mark Clubhouse. She quickly trotted over and ascended the wooden ramp leading inside, taking a quick moment to adjust her bow before entering.

"Sorry I'm late, ya'll. Applejack had me doin' some extra chores, so I...uhh..."

Applebloom paused in her explanations, noting the lack of anypony else in the room.

"Huh. Guess I'm earlier than I thought. Oh well, I might as well keep a lookout for 'em."

With that, she pulled the cord that opened into the second floor of the clubhouse. (Or the Observation Tower of Awesome, as Scootaloo called it.) Just as the trap door opened, a huge white ball of fluff fell out. Applebloom let out a quick yelp before finding herself quickly smothered by the strange puffball. She took a moment to gather her bearings before pushing the ball off of her with a grunt. The ball rolled over to the window before it impacted with a solid thunk.

"Owww..." The puffball groaned.

"What in tarnation?" Applebloom wondered. She had never really heard of a talking fluff ball before, despite the evidence that had so rudely fallen upon her head blatantly showing itself to the contrary. Before she could follow that train of thought into why said ball was in the clubhouse attic, the ball spoke again.

"Applebloom? Is that you?"

"What the- Sweetie Belle?" Applebloom asked.

"Yeah, it's me..." Sweetie replied dejectedly.

"What happened to you? You're so.... Floofy." Applebloom remarked.

"I don't know! Me and Scootaloo where in the attic trying to be Cutie Mark Cloud Watchers, when all of a sudden I felt really itchy, I sneezed, and the next thing I knew, I was like this."

"Well, how long have you been like this?"

"How am I supposed to know?! It's really hard to look at a clock when you grow so much fur that you can't even move!"

"Alright alright, sorry!" Applebloom replied as she put her hooves up defensively.

Silence permitted the clubhouse as the puffball and the filly sat still. After a few moments, Sweetie let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry Applebloom. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. It's just, I don't think I've been like this all that long, and it really stinks."

"That's ok, Sweetie Belle. I'm sorry I accidentally bonked your head on the window."

"That's ok."

They both took a pause.

"Applebloom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you roll me away from the window? I'm starting to get hot."

"Oh, uh, sure."

Apple quickly trotted over and pushed Sweetie into the center of the club house. After taking a moment to sit Sweetie Belle up as straight as she could, Applebloom stood back and looked her over. She put a hoof to her chin as she furrowed her brow in thought, a ghost of an thought entering her mind.

"What am I gonna do now?" Sweetie lamented. "Rarity is gonna faint into a coma when she sees me!"

"Maybe...." Applebloom murmured.

"Applebloom?"

"Sweetie Belle, do you remember when we all went to Zecoras and I had to leave early because Applejack needed me on the farm?"

"Yeah...?"

"Did you and Scootaloo see or touch anything weird on your way home?"

Sweetie's fluff shifted slightly as she thought back to the previous day.

"Well, on our way home I tripped over a tree root and landed into a patch of flowers at the bottom of a hill. After Scootaloo made sure I was ok, she picked a bunch to give to Miss Cherilee. But before we got out of the forest, we had to hide from some timberwolves and she lost them."

"Were they blue flowers?"

"Yeah."

"Did they have big broad leaves and small dangly thingies on top and did they make a squishing sound when you touched them?"

"Umm, yeah, I think so. Why?"

Applebloom let out a huge grin. "Well Sweetie Belle, I have good news and bad news."

"Ok...." Sweetie said nervously.

"The bad news is that you managed to get yerself under the effects of some Poison Joke."

"What's Poison Joke?" Sweetie Belles asked.

"It's that blue plant you saw. If you touch it, it'll mess with ya in all sorts of weird an' funny ways."

"Not funny at all to me..." Sweetie grumbled.

"The good news is that the cure is really easy to make. We get you and Scootaloo down to the spa and you'll both be right as rain as no time!"

"Well, what are we waiting for! Let's go get me de-fluffed already!"

"Alrighty!" Applebloom exclaimed. Quickly trotting behind Sweetie Belle, she put her head down and started pushing her towards the door. Unfortunately, the journey was short lived as Sweetie Belle suddenly stopped against the doorframe.

"Aw shoot. Looks like I can't fit you through the front door. Don't worry, I'll go get Applejack and Big Macintosh to come help, ok?"

"Ok..." Sweetie said morosely.

After making sure that Sweetie Belle was comfortable in the corner of the room, Applebloom trotted to the door and made as if to leave. A sudden thought, however, made her stop for a moment.

"Hey Sweetie Belle, where was Scootaloo when you got all fluffy?"

"Oh, um...." Sweetie Belle said. " I think she kinda.... floated out of the top of the clubhouse.

Applebloom paused.

"Say what now?"