Chapter 2

Bumble wasn't entirely sure what to make of the new pony in town – Streak, he was pretty sure was her name – but he was glad she'd been able to help the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Now if only she can help me, too…

"Um…Bumble?"

He turned and looked. Apple Bloom was standing there, looking a little hesitant, her new cutie mark nearly glowing in the sun. "Um…if you want, I could help you make something for Applejack."

He stared at her. "Would you? I mean, I'm not sure what I could possibly make for her…all I can make are beehives and carts…"

She smiled, almost knowingly. "Don't worry, we can make her a cart and it'll be something that'll attract customers as well as being useful!"

The rest of that afternoon was spent building a cart. Sturdy, light, and large enough to move five bushels of apples, it was hung about with bright green and red banners. The cart itself was painted blue, with red wheels.

Bumblebee hitched himself up to it. "Okay…wish me luck, Apple Bloom!"

She waved as he walked off, rehearsing what he wanted to say to Applejack.

"Okay…I'm going to walk up to her and say…I'll say, 'Applejack, this is for you.' And she'll say, 'Oh, Bumble, you shouldn't have.' And I'll say, 'Yes I did, because I…because I love – '"

"Hi, nice cart, Bumblebee!"

Bumble jumped a mile inside his fur – only his wish not to hurt the cart kept his hooves close to the ground – and twisted his head around to stare at Pinkie Pie, who'd slipped up and hopped into the cart itself and was getting a free ride without his feeling the added weight.

"You know, if you keep talking to yourself, everypony will think you're crazy! And by the way, Applejack is over visiting at Twilight Sparkle's, so you're going the wrong way anyway."

"Oh…" He slowed to a stop. This is a bad idea. What am I thinking? I'm no good at talking about my feelings to anything but bees!

Pinkie Pie jumped out and, finally, really looked at his face through the veil. "Are you scared or something?"

"Not…not scared, exactly…more like…"

She cocked her head expectantly.

"…Shy, I guess. Unsure, hesitant, all those related words, but not scared."

"Oh, that's not a problem!" She hopped up and did a small dance on her hind legs. "I'll go get Fluttershy, she knows all about being shy – she can help you figure out how to give that cart to Applejack!"

"Oh, you don't have to do that…" Bumblebee was speaking to a dust cloud. He sighed. "Give Pinkie an idea and she doesn't stop to think."

Well, Pinkie did find Fluttershy. And she and Bumblebee talked over how best for him to give the cart – and his feelings – to Applejack.

A/N: Two things. One, that first section is a reference to another MLP fic I'm going to write, and there'll be a better explanation on how the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their marks (and what Apple Bloom's thinking about there). Two...I know this chapter's short. I haven't quite figured out how Bumble tells AJ. Yet.