The MMC-verse

by Persona22

Sisterhooves Social

Applejack slept peacefully on her bed, when suddenly she felt some movement on it. This caused her to frown as she kept her eyes closed. “Winona, it’s too early to play right now… maybe later.”

“SURPRISE!” two voices shouted from the other side of the bed.

“WHOA!” Applejack was startled and fell out of bed as she heard that, her hooves getting tangled with her sleeping robe. She fell on her back and quickly opened her eyes to look upwards.

“Good morning Applejack!” said a smiling Applebloom as she looked down at Applejack.

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.” said Pinkie Pie, also looking down at the orange mare. She was wearing an apron.

Applejack slowly got up and looked at the two ponies in her room, “Applebloom? Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here? What time is it?”

“We made you breakfast, so you can eat in bed!” said Applebloom happily.

Pinkie Pie produced a tray with warm pancakes and a glass of juice. “We made you some apple Pancakes with freshly made apple juice.”

“Ah helped!” exclaimed Applebloom.

“Well, that’s very nice of you two. But what’s the occasion?” Applejack removed the sleeping robe she was wearing, revealing her orange coat and the three diamonds on her flanks which made up her cutie mark.

Pinkie Pie removed her apron after she placed the tray on Applejack’s bed. Revealing the three (well, technically six) red apples that made up her cutie mark. “Nothing special. I just wanted to bring Applebloom here before taking off.” Then she looked seriously at Applejack, “Wait, you didn’t forget your Pinkie Promise, right?”

Applejack thought for a minute, then her eyes widened, “You mean that the farmer’s expo was today?”

Pinkie Pie nodded, “Indeed it is! Granny Smith is visiting Uncle Apple Strudel, and me and Big Mac need to go to the farmers expo for the day, so Applebloom will stay with you for the day, isn’t it great!” exclaimed the pink pony.

Applejack walked across the room, “But today I have such a busy schedule… well, not a problem. Spending time with my little sister will just have to be a part of it.” She said to herself as she calmed herself down.

Applebloom quickly ran over to Applejack and hugged her with her forelegs, “We’re gonna have tha best day ever!” Applejack gave her a nervous smile.

“Well, Ah have to go now. Have fun you two.” Said Pinkie Pie as she walked out of the room.

Applejack looked at Applebloom, “Well, first things first. Let’s eat breakfast.” Applejack walked over to her bed where Pinkie Pie had left the tray with apple pancakes and apple juice. She then noticed that it was a portion for just one pony, “Aren’t you going to eat breakfast too, Applebloom?”

The yellow filly shook her head, “Nah, Ah already had breakfast when I woke up earlier.”

Earlier? But it was barely an hour after sunrise! Then Applejack remembered of her short time as a filly living at the farm, and how she used to wake up very early, before sunrise. It was one of the many things she really did not miss… well, she didn’t miss it anymore, that is.

Suddenly Pinkie Pie appeared on the window of Applejack’s bedroom, again startling Applejack “Applebloom! Ah almost forgot! Be sure to not get too tired today, remember that tomorrow is Sisterhooves Social day at the farm!”

“Ah promise Pinkie Pie!” exclaimed Applebloom, “Cross mah heart, hope tha fly, stick an apple in mah eye!”

And as quickly as she had appeared, Pinkie Pie was gone once again.

Now, maybe, Applejack would be able to have her breakfast in peace.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Applejack carried the dirty dishes and tray downstairs as Applebloom followed her. Say what you want about Pinkie Pie, she sure knew how to cook. That breakfast had been delicious, and she wasn’t a bad cook herself.

She also noticed that, while Pinkie Pie must have had time to make breakfast, she certainly hadn’t have the time to clean the cooking utensils. The kitchen wasn’t a mess of course, but it did need to be cleaned.

“Okay Applebloom, I’m going to clean the dishes. Could you be a dear and take out the garbage over there?” said Applejack, pointing to a small wooden waste container on the side of the kitchen.

“No problem! Ah’ll make mahself useful.” Applebloom smiled and nodded, as she started to push the waste container out of the kitchen.

Applebloom pushed the waste container out of the kitchen and was about to walk out the door when she noticed that there were some more wooden containers in the ante-room leading to the front of Carrousel Boutique. Wanting to be really helpful to Applejack, so they would have more time to play later, she decided to take out that garbage as well.

The little filly made it just in time for the garbage ponies to pass, and they took away the trash, dumping the contents of the wooden containers into the wooden wagons they pulled filled with all of Ponyville’s garbage.

As Applebloom walked back inside, she saw Applejack walking out of the kitchen an towards the front of the store. “Well, I’m done with the dishes. Now it’s time to get to work! I have a lot of orders to complete today and… hum, Applebloom?”

“Yes Applejack?”

“Did you see some wooden crates over here when you passed through?”

“Ah sure did!” exclaimed Applebloom, “But don’t worry, Ah took out all the garbage so you don’t have to anymore. Surprised?”

Applejack opened her eyes wide and screamed as she ran out the door.

“Applejack? What’s wrong?” the yellow filly chased her sister out as well.

Applejack caught up with the garbage ponies, “That wasn’t garbage Applebloom!”

Applebloom also caught up with the garbage ponies. They had all stopped now, as Applejack was looking through the garbage, dreading what she might find there. “It wasn’t? But the wooden containers looked just like the garbage bin in the kitchen! What was it then?”

“They were custom made fabrics I had spent ALL DAY yesterday to finish! And it was for a VERY important order for a VERY important client!” She finally found them. Three fabric rolls, with beautiful patterns of flowers hoof sewed into them… and now they were also covered in filth, horrible, sticky, smelling filth.

Applebloom looked down and played with her hooves, “Hum… sorry.”

Applejack looked at the dirty rolls of fabric, clenched her teeth, took a deep breath, and smiled. “That’s okay. I’ll just wash this, hang them up to dry and they’ll be good as new.”

Applejack, carrying the dirty custom made fabric rolls, walked back to Carrousel Boutique, “Well, now back to work.” She looked back at Applebloom sternly, “And stay out of trouble. Okay? Please?”

Applebloom pouted as she walked back, talking too lightly for Applejack to hear her. “Ah just wanted to do something nice for mah sister.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It had been over an hour since Applejack had taken the fabric into the laundry room to clean up the rolls… and Applebloom was bored out of her mind.

She laid down on the floor, dragged herself across the room just using her rear legs, and other things to keep herself entertained. “Ah’m so bored! When is Applejack gonna be done?"

Every time she wanted to do something, ANYTHING, to keep herself from dying from boredom she recalled Applejack’s words from earlier: Stay out of trouble.

Finally, she looked out the window and saw what a mess the rear lawn of the boutique was, plants were badly tended and looked like they had been walked over, the grass had holes here and there… most likely Winona’s work. That dog was a real handful and overly active if Applejack didn’t take her out for a walk often.

Applebloom smiled as she saw the gardening tools right outside, “Ah never got mahself in trouble for doin’ some gardening.” The little filly walked outside.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It had taken a lot of meticulous work to remove all the filth and smell of garbage from the custom made fabric rolls, but all of Applejack’s hard work had finally paid off and she had hung them to dry inside. She couldn’t place them outside since the fabric was too delicate and the sun would damage it, and Winona was particularly restless this past few days, and Applejack couldn’t risk having them getting dirty again by that dog’s shenanigans.

As Applejack walked out of the laundry room and into the main room of the boutique, she noticed two things. The first was that Applebloom was standing there, happily, and all of her hooves were covered in mud. “Howdy Applejack, Ah made something special for you in the lawn-“

“Aaaah!” screamed Applejack, because the second things she noticed was that there were mud prints the size of Applebloom’s hooves all over the floor!

“Applebloom! What did you do!?”

Applebloom looked dejected again, “Well… Ah was bored and went outside to-“

“The whole place is covered in muddy hoof prints… YOU are covered in mud too!” exclaimed Applejack, “Oh, Applebloom, what am I going to DO with you?”

Applebloom looked up with a happy expression, “Oh, we can make grape juice, run a race, go applebucking, pillow fight…”

“That’s not what I meant!” said Applejack, sternly.

“Oh.” Applebloom looked down again.

Applejack took out a bottle of carpet cleaner, “And I ran out of carpet cleaner, now I have to go out to the store and buy more!”

Applejack looked up again, “Ah’ll go out with you and help!”

“NO!” exclaimed Applejack, then she saw how sad Applebloom looked and, calming down, tried it again, “No, thank you, Applebloom. You can help by taking a bath and cleaning yourself up. And please find something to do that does not create some mess for me to clean up!”

Applebloom walked, sulking, to the bathroom as Applejack walked out of the boutique. “Can’t Ah do anything right?”

A little while later, Applebloom walked out of the bathroom, clean as a whistle. She walked into another room next to the bathroom that had the door open, and saw that it was Applejack’s studio. And it was a mess. Rolls of fabric were sprawled over the ground, drawings with designs of different shapes and sizes were posted on the walls, the desk, the floor; different scissors and measuring tapes were on the ground, so were the sewing needles and also ribbons. Suddenly she got an idea of how she could make up for all the problems she, unintentionally, had caused for her big sister Applejack.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Half an hour later, Applejack was back from the store, carrying a paper bag that had a bottle of carpet cleaner inside. “Applebloom! I’m back. Applebloom?”

She walked inside her studio. And gasped in shock. What had happened here?

Applebloom jumped from behind some neatly and perfectly folded piles of fabric, organized by colors. “Surprise!”

Applejack looked around, the whole studio… everything was NOT where she left it! The drawings, the unfinished dresses, the sewing tools! Everything was neatly organized IN A WAY THAT SHE NEVER HAD PLACED THEM!

“My- ee- bleh- My inspiration room! What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?” yelled Applejack as she was now right in front of Applebloom. The orange mare seemed like she was on the brink of losing it.

“When… when Ah saw the big mess in the room, Ah though Ah’d clean it up for you.” Said Applebloom, looking sad at the floor again.

“This wasn't a mess! It was organized chaos! I was just about finished planning my new fashion line, and, and you, you, you went and, and you– and you put everything away!”

“But every time Ah made a mess, you got upset with me.”

“But this was MY mess. In MY house! And now I have to start from scratch.”

“But, Ah thought this would make you happy.” said Applebloom, almost in tears.

“Happy? HAPPY!” Applejack started to grind her teeth, then she calmed herself down before she blew a fuse. “I just need some alone time.” and then she turned her back to Applebloom.

The yellow filly almost broke down crying when Applejack said that, but was able to hold it in. She turned around and, sadly, walked out the front door.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Applebloom walked through Ponyville, gloomy and pouting.

“How are you doing Applebloom?”

Applebloom looked up, and noticed the yellow Pegasus flying right in front of her just a few inches off the ground, she was carrying a small package of pastries, and three balloons for a cutie mark.

“Hi there, Fluttershy… Ah’m just dandy.” Said Applebloom with a weak smile.

“Really? Well, you certainly don’t look like it… let’s turn that frown upside down.” Fluttershy flapped her wings until she was flying upside down in front of Applebloom. “There, that’s much better.”

Seeing Fluttershy flying upside down caused Applebloom to giggle.

“I knew there was a smile in there somewhere.” Said Fluttershy happily as she again turned herself correctly and landed on the ground on three hooves while holding the package with the fourth. “Now, why don’t you tell me what had you so sad before?”

“It’s just that… today was supposed to be the big day where Ah could finally spend time with Applejack. Ah mean, she would write to us when she was living in Manehattan, and she sent me those neat dolls she made and all… but we had never spent any time together.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, spending time together with your sister is very important.”

“Ah know its important. But it seems like all Ah end up doing is causing trouble and making her angry at me.”

Fluttershy kept nodding, “Righ, causing trouble for your sister is definitely a bad thing.”

“And Ah don’t want to cause trouble… It just feels like we’re just a couple of strangers, that’s all.” Applebloom was pouting again.

Fluttershy was still nodding, “I see, your sister is the last pony you would like to see as a stranger.”

“Ah know, and Ah wanted to change that. Ah was going to ask her to come to the Sisterhooves Social with me at the farm tomorrow.”

Fluttershy kept nodding, “Yes, yes, asking her to the Sisterhooves Social sounds like a very good idea.”

“It is a good idea! But Ah’m afraid of what Applejack might say now.” Applebloom looked unsure.

Fluttershy was still nodding, “Right, right, being afraid is never good.”

“Of course being afraid aint not good! In fact, Ah shouldn’t be afraid! Ah’m gonna go back to Applejack’s and ask her to go to the Sisterhooves Social with me! Bye Fluttershy!” Applebloom turned around and walked back towards Carrousel Boutique.

Fluttershy smiled as she saw Applebloom walk away, “Always works.”

She then flapped her wings and took to the air again, carrying the package. She had to make it to Derpy’s house. The dozen muffins she ordered from Sugarcube Corner were not going to deliver themselves.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“The Sisterhooves Social? That sounds like a terrible idea!” said Applejack to Appleboom’s proposal, while she kept working on the dress she was making.

Applebloom passed from having the biggest grin in history, to a pouty face in just a moment. “What? But why!?”

“Well, first of all, I’m running late with this order as it is. I need to use as much time as possible in it if I’m going to finish it. I have never been late with an order for any of my customers. Ever. And I’m not planning on starting now.” Replied Applejack, “And besides, I thought you were going to do that with Pinkie Pie.”

“Yes, but Ah do it with her every year, and she also invites her sisters and competes in some events with them. But Pinkie Pie is my sister in law, Ah wanted to do the Sisterhooves Social with my sister-sister, like she does.” explained Applebloom, looking very determined.

“Well, that’s nice for you to offer, but I just don’t have time for silly little games.” replied Applejack.

Applebloom could feel tears forming in her eyes, and she had to struggle to keep them at bay, barely. Silly little games? The big thing Applebloom had been looking forward with doing with Applejack was nothing but silly little games to her big sister? She knew she was busy and all, but couldn’t she just make some time for her family? Even if Applejack didn’t work at the farm, she was still an Apple, she was still family!

“Okay, then… Ah’ll… Ah’ll go to the Sisterhooves Social without mah sister.” She got angrier as the words left her mouth, “Ah’ll go the rest of MAH LIFE without mah sister!”

Applejack stopped working and turned around, surprised and upset at Applebloom’s sudden outburst, “Oh, so I’m the one ruining your life? Did you take a look around here? I’m the one who would be better off without YOU!”

Applebloom angrily looked at Applejack in her eyes, “Well, we finally can see eye to eye on somethin’. Neither of us wants to have a sister!”

“Fine!”

“FINE! Goodbye NOT-sister!” Applebloom turned away from Applejack. While Applejack looked angrily at her as she did.

Applebloom ran away again from Carousel Boutique, slamming the door behind her. Applejack just looked at her, angry still, and turned her head away a look of disdain on her face. “Humph!”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Applebloom walked towards Sweet Apple Acres, still angry but more sad with every step she took. The farm was empty now, and she wasn’t supposed to be alone without supervision from a grown up (which was why Pinkie Pie and Big Mac left her at Applejack’s to begin with), but she didn’t have anywhere to go and she couldn’t go back to Applejack’s now.

Then she heard somepony humming a melody at the other side of the orchard, but who could that be? As she got closer, she saw that the one doing the humming was a white unicorn mare with a rainbow lightning cutie mark, as she looked how a small raincloud was raining on one specific patch of dirt, creating a puddle of water which was getting bigger every minute. And a smaller white unicorn watching the scene in awe.

“Rarity? Sweetie Belle?” said Applebloom, surprised, “What are you doing here?”

Sweetie Belle turned around and happily greeted Applebloom, “Hello Applebloom!”

Rarity stopped humming the song, and turned her head to look at the newcomer. “Oh, Applebloom. Hello. I’m here for a favor to Pinkie Pie. Before she left, she asked me to come here and make some mud to be used for the events at the Sisterhooves Social tomorrow.”

“Pinkie Pie asked you to make mud?” asked Applebloom.

“Well, I believe that she specifically said to make the ‘muddiest mud to ever mud’ so, since I finished with the weather arrangements for the day, I came here with this rain clouds, see?” Rarity pointed to other unused rain clouds that were floating idly some distance away, over the trees of the orchard.

“And I watched! I have been watching Rarity handling the weather the whole day!” exclaimed an excited Sweetie Belle.

Rarity smiled at her little sister. She had to watch her for the week while her parents were out for vacation, so a quick walk-on-clouds spell and her little sister was ready to spend the next days sleeping in the spare room in the cloud house she lived in right on the outskirts of Ponyville. While a she tended to be a handful sometimes, the white unicorn filly also practically worshipped the ground Rarity stepped in. She spent as much time as possible with her, as she painted the sky in beautiful weather patterns, it didn’t matter to Sweetie Belle what she was doing, a sunny lit sky, a rainy day, a snowstorm, for the unicorn filly having Rarity as her big sister was the greatest thing to ever happen to her.

“You should have seen her Applebloom! She moves the clouds, and then the sun comes out, and then she did some wind, and then... then… She’s AMAZING!” Sweetie Belle hugged Rarity tightly with her forehooves.

“Ah wish mah sister was amazing too.” said Applebloom with a pout, as she kicked a small pebble on the ground.

Rarity immediately noticed Applebloom’s tone, and remembered that the yellow filly was supposed to be with Applejack today. “What’s wrong Applebloom? Something wrong with you little stay at Applejack’s?” asked the weather unicorn.

“Everything! Ah was messing everything up, and then tried to make it up to her, and then Ah made even more messes, then Ah yelled at her, and then she yelled at meh and we had a big fight!” said Applebloom, waving her hooves around.

“Oh, I’m sure it sounds bad now, Applebloom, but just give Applejack some time. She’ll come around. Sisters always do.” said Rarity as she hugged Sweetie Belle even closer to her.

“Not sisters like Applejack.” replied Applebloom with a pout.

Rarity moved the raincloud she was using to make the big puddle of water for the mud, and walked closer to Applebloom. “I know that Applejack’s antics can be… frustrating sometimes. I know she’s obsessed with her work, obsessed about staying clean, and goes to the spa more times than Fluttershy and me combined. But under all that she’s a very good friend, and I’m sure she cares deeply about you. Tell you what, why don’t you spend the rest of your day with me and Sweetie Belle? It will give Applejack some time to calm down, what do you say?”

“Really?” asked Applebloom, looking up.

“Of course, it’s no problem at all. Right Sweetie Belle?” Rarity turned around, but Sweetie Belle wasn’t there. “Sweetie Belle?”

“Up here!” Sweetie Belle was standing on a branch on one of the apple trees next to the water puddle. She then jumped down and on the water, splashing it all over Rarity. Applebloom was shielded from the water since was Rarity was in front of her. Sweetie Belle laughed as she stood in the water puddle.

A very wet Rarity looked at her little sister, “Sweetie Belle…” she jumped towards the little white unicorn.

“Rarity, wait! She didn’t mean to-“

But all Rarity did was some roughhousing with Sweetie Belle around the muddy water, laughing as she and her sister were having fun. “Hahahaha! Rarity! Wait! That tickles! Hahahahah!”

“Applejack would never play in the mud with me…” Applebloom looked depressed again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Back at Carousel boutique, Applejack was working on the dress for a very important client, the one she had hoof sewed those custom patterns on the fabric rolls, the ones that Applebloom had thrown away mistaking them with garbage.

Every time she needed to use a needle, or find a ribbon, they were all neatly organized and in an easy to reach place.

“Okay, now a ribbon over here and… there! It’s perfect.” Applejack looked at the clock, “and in record time too! Everything I needed was organized just right and easy to find, and it was all thanks to Applebloom cleaning this place and…” Applejack caught herself at saying that, and had to actually remind herself that she was mad at her little sister. “… and she still shouldn’t have touched my things without my permission. Humph!”

+++++++++++++++

Rarity and Sweetie Belle were standing under a rain cloud that Rarity had started up with her magic just for the two of them. Playing in the mud was all nice and fun, but they couldn’t go back to Ponyville covered in it.

After the rain water cleaned them both, Rarity moved the cloud away, and started up some warm summer wind to dry both of them.

“First mud, now rain… Applejack would call the hairdresser police if Ah got water anywhere near her mane!” said Applebloom.

“Oh, well. I must admit that I’m not fond of getting my mane wet unnecessarily either, Applebloom.” said Rarity, “But even if I’m a lady, I am also an artist and a weather pony. Painters sometimes get paint on their coats when painting, and as a weather pony, I just can’t expect to be in this line of work without getting my mane a little wet.”

“Very wet.” said Sweetie Belle, who really enjoyed playing in the rain every day Rarity scheduled that for Ponyville’s monthly weather plan.

“A little wet.” replied Rarity.

“Very wet!”

Rarity then made a smug smile, and her horn glowed. Immediately another rain cloud floated up right over Sweetie Bell. And dropped all of its water at once over the white filly, soaking her up from the tip of her horn to the bottom of her hooves. “You were saying?” asked Rarity, smiling.

Sweetie Belle spitted some water out of her mouth, “Okay… a little wet is fine.”

Rarity smiled, then started to laugh. And even if Sweetie Belle started at her for a couple of seconds, she started laughing as well. Rarity moved the rain cloud away again, and started up the warm summer wind to dry up her little sister.

“Wow. They get along so well… It's as if they were just one pony.” said Applebloom, too low for Rarity or Sweetie Belle to hear her.

Rarity stopped the wind as her horn stopped glowing, then looked at all the mud the constant rainwater had produced by now. “Well, I think this will be enough mud for tomorrow. Don’t you think so Applebloom?”

Applebloom nodded happily, “It sure is Rarity, its perfect.”

Rarity smiled and nodded, “Okay then, time to round up the clouds and take them back to Ponyville.”

Sweetie Belle grinned, “Round up the clouds!? Oh, Rarity, can you do that thing you do sometimes?”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, I don’t know if now it’s the right time for…”

“Oh, please Rarity. It’ll be fun! And Applebloom can come with us too. Please? Pleasepleaseplease!” Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a puppy dog eye attack.

Rarity conceded, what choice did she have? “Oh, alright Sweetie Belle. Wait right here you two, I’ll be right back.”

“What’s so special about rounding up the clouds?” asked Applebloom.

“Usually, not much. But there’s this thing Rarity does sometimes… remember that manega from Neighpon that Scootaloo likes?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“You mean Dragon Egg Z?”

“That’s the one! Well, you see, Rarity, she… Oh, wait! She’s back. You’ll see for yourself. Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!”

Rarity trotted back to where Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were waiting for her. Her horn glowing as the two dozen clouds she had brought over to Sweet Apple Acres were floating behind her. She then stopped in front of the two fillies, and with a small motion of her neck, three of the clouds descended until they were just some inches from the ground. One in front of her, one in front of Sweetie Belle and one in front of Applebloom.

“Yeeey!” Sweetie Belle jumped up and on one of the clouds, and to Applebloom’s surprise, she didn’t fall down from it, walking on it safly like if she were a pegasus instead of a unicorn.

“That’s amazing! How’d you do that?” asked the Earth Pony filly.

“You try it Applebloom.” said Sweetie Belle.

Applebloom jumped to the cloud that was in front of her, but she fell down on the ground. “Ouch! Hey, what gives!?”

“You see, Applebloom, only those ponies that are pure of heart can ride the Flying Nimbus.” said Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, don’t tease her.” Rarity walked over to Applebloom, “It’s actually a simple cloud walking spell. It was one of the first things I learned while I was at the weather school in Cloudsdale. It lasts for several days, and I cast it on myself every week. And I casted in on Sweetie Belle this morning when my parents dropped her off at my place. Since I live in a house made of clouds, it’s an essential thing to know.” Rarity then moved closer to Applebloom and lowered her horn. “Now just hold still, dear. I’m going to cast it on you.”

Applebloom was bathed by a soft light from Rarity’s horn, and then it was gone… she didn’t feel any different, but maybe... “Is it done?”

Rarity nodded, “Go ahead now.”

Applebloom again jumped, and this time landed on the cloud like if she were a Pegasus instead of an Earth Pony. “It worked!”

Rarity then jumped on her own little cloud, and then turned and looked at the two fillies. “Okay Sweetie Belle, you know the rules but I’m going to repeat them for Applebloom’s sake.” she said in a very serious voice, “Four hooves remain firmly on the cloud at all times, no jumping and no rocking the cloud. I know this is fun, but it is also dangerous if not done responsibly. Is that clear?”

“Yes ma’am.” said Applebloom.

“Yes Rarity.” said Sweetie Belle.

“Very well.” Rarity smiled again, “And here we… goooooo!”

“Weee!” said Sweetie Belle happily. “Woah!” said Applebloom, surprised.

Rarity’s horn glowed as she moved the three clouds she, her sister, and Applebloom were riding, along with the rest of the clouds she had brought over to Sweet Apple Acres. She moved the clouds they were riding all over the sky, keeping an eye on the two fillies.

“Look Applebloom! I’m Son Gocolt, whoohoo!” yelled Sweetie Belle, happily.

Applebloom looked in awe as she flew over Ponyville on the cloud, being expertly controlled by Rarity a few feet behind her. “This is AMAZING!” said the yellow Earth Pony.

“Go Flying Nimbus! Yahoo!” added Sweetie Belle.

The three of them, along with the clouds, sped quickly across the sky, laughing in joy.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Applejack, having finished the dress for her important client, walked downstairs to the main part of her store to put the dress with the others that she had finished.

“Hm, this place certainly looks clean after I finished cleaning up the carpet. I guess this place needed some cleaning, even before Applebloom got everything dirty with her muddy hooves.” then, almost forcing herself, she regained her stern look about the situation. “And she should be happy that this thoughtless mishap turned out all right. Hm!”

When she finished putting the dress away so it would be ready to give to her client when it came to the store, she noticed a roll of measuring tape on the floor.

“Huh? How did that get here?” Applejack moved towards it to pick it up, when suddenly a bown blur passed in front of her and towards the measuring tape.

“Woof!” the white and brown dog barked with the measuring tape in her mouth.

“Winona!? How did you get in here? Did you jump in through one of the windows again?” said Applejack.

“Woof!” Winona ran away and towards the back door.

Oh, that dog! Applejack loved Winona, but that dog could be quite a handful, and sometimes she wondered if she wouldn’t be happy living in a farm or something. “Winona! You come back here with that! That is not a toy!” Applejack ran after her dog that jumped out a window that led to the backyard. “Don’t you dare bury that in the backyard!”

Applejack ran out the door, to catch up to her dog. She took the measuring tape, after a little struggle, from Winona, and flinched when she noticed that it was dirty with drool. “Hugh… okay, now let’s get this cleaned up and… huh?”

Just then, Applejack saw something. She remembered how, before she snapped at her for getting the boutique dirty with her muddy hooves, Applebloom was trying to tell her something about a surprise in the lawn. Now she saw it. The flowers next to the house had been perfectly arranged, and she saw that it had her initials, AJ made with orange flowers, next to a heart made up of red flowers, and Applebloom’s initials, AB made with yellow flowers, on the other side of the heart.

Applejack dropped the measuring tape, which Winona quickly picked up and ran away with. Applejack placed a hoof on her mouth, as she felt tears forming in her eyes.

“Oh, Applebloom! My sweet little sister! What have I done? All this time we could have spent together, and I just wasted it complaining and driving you away from me! I’m so sorry…” she then looked determined and picked herself up, “No! I must get her back. I must! As Celestia is my witness, I shall never be sisterless again!”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Right outside of Rarity’s cloud cottage, on the outskirts of Ponyville, Rarity, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, were roasting marshmallows on a stick over a fire. Rarity was holding a couple of gram crackers and a chocolate bar with her magic, and then floated one of the toasted marshmallows from one of the stick to place it over the chocolate bar.

“Then you place one marshmallow on the top of the chocolate, making sure it's centered that's critical, and then carefully put another perfectly square graham cracker on the top.” Rarity expertly manipulated the two gram crackers, the chocolate bar and the toasted marshmallow into a S’more. “And done. Ta-da! The perfect S’more!”

“Yeah! And now, we eat it.” said Sweetie Belle. Before Rarity could put down the S’more with her magic, her little sister swallowed the floating S’more in one bite. “Hmmmm!”

Applebloom giggled at Sweetie Belle’s little display.

Just then Applejack found them and walked towards the three, “Oh, Applebloom! There you are. I have been galloping all over Ponyville looking for you. I…”

Applebloom turned to look at Applejack, and frowned. “Oh, hello, Not-Sister. Better be careful, you might get dirty of somethin’.”

“Applebloom… little sister… I want to apologize. I was wrong, I’m not better off without a little sister.” said Applejack in an apologetic tone.

Applebloom wasn’t moved, “Yeah, so?”

“So, why don’t you come back with me? I swear I’ll spend time with you! How about if I teach you how to better style your mane, or wear something more stylish than that pink bow all the time? Hm?” said Applejack, hopeful.

“Oh, Ah see. You want me to go with ya, so Ah’ll be more like YOU?” Applebloom turned around and pointed an accusing hoof towards Applejack.

Applejack looked at Applebloom and smiled awkwardly. “Hum… yes?”

“Ah can’t believe Ah actually was looking forward to spending the day with you this morning! Pinkie Pie has been more of a big sister to me than you were!” Applebloom cried out, waving her hooves.

“Oh, Applebloom, please…” Applejack tried again.

“No!” Applebloom interrupted, “Ah spent all day with Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and even if they don’t always see eye to eye, at least they put HARD WORK into their relationship as sisters! At least they COMPROMISE!” Applebloom then turned around and walked away without looking back.

Applejack looked at Applebloom walking away, she reached out with her hoof towards her, but she was at a loss for words. She looked down and could feel the tears coming out of her eyes.

Sweetie Belle and Rarity had stayed out of the feud between Applejack and Applebloom, but now Rarity knew that Applejack needed her, as a shoulder to cry on if nothing else. She started walking towards the orange fashion mare, when she felt a small hoof stopping her. She turned her head to look at a worried Sweetie Belle.

“Hum, Rarity?”

“Yes, Sweetie Belle?” asked Rarity.

“We… hum, I know you already said yes, but we don’t have to participate in the Sisterhooves Social tomorrow if you don’t want to.” said the little white unicorn.

“Whatever do you mean, Sweetie Belle?”

“It’s just that we always do what I want to do, and I don’t want to be selfish.” Sweetie Belle looked up at her sister.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity hugged her sister, “I said yes because I like spending time with you. You’re my little sister and I love you.”

Sweetie Belle smiled and hugged her back, “I love you too Rarity.”

“And besides, we do the things I like plenty of times too.” added Rarity, “you come with me when I make the weather in Ponyville, and an artist always loves to have an audience.”

Rarity’s horn glowed, and some clouds moved from the door to her cloud cottage floating several feet up, and the ground, forming a set of stairs made out of clouds. “Okay now, it’s time for bed, so go inside and don’t forget to brush your teeth. I’ll be there in a minute, I just need to talk to Applejack.”

Sweetie Belle nodded happily and obeyed her sister, walking on the stairs and into the cloud cottage thanks to the cloud walking spell that was still in effect.

Rarity walked towards Applejack, who had dried the tears from her eyes. “Are you okay Applejack?”

“No.” replied the orange mare, then she looked at Rarity, "Well, that apology went swimmingly... Rarity, why do you have to be the perfect big sister and make me look like… well, not so perfect?”

Rarity giggled, “Hehehe… Oh, Applejack. Again you are thinking about yourself. You have to be more generous. You see, being a good sister is like… rainbows!”

“Rainbows?”

Rarity nodded, "Yes, rainbows! You can have a lot of sunlight, or a lot of rain, but only together you can have a beautiful rainbow."

Applejack looked up in thought, "But apart, all we are is just a bunch of falling water and some dry heat...” Applejack gasped in sudden realization, “I know what I need to do! I just hope it isn't too late!"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next day, was time for the Sisterhooves Social at Sweet Apple Acres.

Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Pinkie Pie were walking around, looking at the different events taking place around the farm.

“Well, I must say, Pinkie Pie, that the whole place looks amazing this year.” commented Rarity.

“Thank you Rarity,” replied Pinkie Pie, “me and Big Mac worked super-duper hard this morning.”

“Your sisters didn’t come?” asked Rarity.

Pinkie Pie shook her head, “No. My family is actually organizing their own version of the Sisterhooves Social on the rock farm, so they are very busy today. They are going to have a rock tossing contest, and rock finding contest, and a rock obstacle course, and rock candy eating contest, and…”

“Yes, yes, Pinkie Pie, I get the idea.” said Rarity, before the pink farmer pony could go into an unstoppable super long talking fit.

“Well,” said Applebloom, “Ah guess it’s a good thing Applejack isn’t here. She would be freakin’ out about getting dust on her coat right now.”

Rarity and Pinkie Pie looked at each other a little worried at Applebloom’s comments. The filly had been saying things like that all day.

“Oh, wow! Look at that pig!” said Sweetie Belle, pointing over to the pigpen, trying to take Applebloom’s mind away from the subject.

The four of them walked over to the pigpen. “He sure is a cutie.” commented Pinkie Pie.

“That’s the last word Applejack would use!” exclaimed Applebloom. Then she started to emulate Applejack’s mannerisms and demeanor in a mocking manner, “Oh my, what a repulsive monstrosity! This pig needs a total makeover!”

Again Pinkie Pie and Rarity exchanged a worried look. Then Pinkie Pie noticed the time. “Hey, come on! It’s almost time for the big race!”

“Yeah! The Sisterhooves Social Sister’s Race! Let’s go Rarity!” said Sweetie Belle as she went as fast as her hooves could take her to where the event was taking place.

“You won’t beat us this year, Pinkie Pie.” said Rarity, as she ran after Sweetie Belle.

“Ha! We’ll just see about that! Let’s go Applebloom.” said Pinkie Pie to her sister in law.

“Okay. It’s not like Ah’m sad that Applejack is not here or anything.” she said to nopony in particular, as she contained tears from coming out of her eyes.

Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Pinkie Pie and Applebloom approached the stage where Granny Smith and Big Mac were standing at the moment.

“Is this thing on?” said Granny Smith, talking on the wrong end of the megaphone on the small stage. She turned to look at Big Mac, “I don’t think this thing is on.”

Big Mac whispered something in Granny Smith’s ear.

“What? Oh, why didn’t you say so? Confangled modern doohickeys!” Granny Smith turned the megaphone the right way, “Okay, now it’s time for the event you’ve all been waiting fer! The Sister Soci… The Socialhooves… Oh, dabnabbit, you know, the big race! We have five teams this year fer the event! So y’all head on up to the finish line, y’hear?”

Again Big Mac whispered something in Granny Smith’s ear.

“Eh? Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean the START line! Yeah, that’s what I said.”

Every team, consisting of two sisters each, walked over to the start line of the big race of the Sisterhooves Social. Rarity noticed a pair of familiar unicorns next to her and Sweetie Belle.

“Sparkler! It’s good to see you were able to make it today all the way from Canterlot.” said the white weather unicorn. She knew Sparkler and her little sister Dinky through her mother, Derpy, which Rarity, as Ponyville’s weather manager, had to be extra careful when it was the gray pegasus turn to help with the weather arrangements.

“Oh, hi Rarity! Yes, I received a letter in the mail about how a certain little filly really wanted her big sister to be here for this.” said the unicorn as she messed up her little sister’s mane.

“And my mommy came to see us!” said a very happy looking Dinky, then turned to look at the stands where Derpy was watching them. “Hi mom!” Dinky waved with her hoof. At the stand, Derpy waved back.

“Well then, good luck.” said Rarity to Sparkler.

“Thank you. You too.” replied Sparkler.

Applebloom, next to Pinkie Pie, looked sad at the ground, which the pink pony quickly noticed. “Applebloom? Why are you so gloomy-gloom?”

Applebloom sighed and looked away, “It’s nuthin’.”

On the stage, Granny Smith talked through the megaphone as she sat on her rocking chair. “And now, may the best sisters win! On your marks… get set…” she rocked too hard on her rocking chair and ended up hitting her eyes on the megaphone “Gooooo!” she screamed, painfully.
All the teams started galloping, first was the mudholes, filled with the mud Rarity had prepared for the farm with her rainclouds the day before.

As she was crossing the mudhole, Pinkie Pie seemed like she tripped on something and fell inside. A figure emerged a moment later, all covered from head to hooves in mud.

Applebloom stopped and turned around, “You okay Pinkie Pie?”

The mare covered in mud nodded her head, and she and Applebloom started galloping again.
They passed easily through the wooden buckets, then they reached the first pile of boxes. The mare covered in mud made it to the top easily, but Applebloom had problems climbing them.

“Pinkie Pie! Help me!” said Applebloom, reaching out with her hoof.

The mare covered in mud turned around and looked at Applebloom’s predicament. She quickly reached down with her hoof and, grabbing Applebloom’s, she pulled the yellow filly up.
The two of them quickly reached the next part of the race, pie eating, which they quickly finished leaving Sparkler and Dinky behind. Then came the part to push the big stacks of hay, which they finished really quickly, leaving another team behind.

After that, the mud covered mare helped the yellow filly jump into a big wooden vat filled with grapes, which Applebloom quickly stomped. When the glass jar was filled with grape juice the pair quickly galloped to the next section of the race, catching up with Cloud Kicker and her little sister.

This new section of the race consisted on picking apples by tossing them from a bench into a wooden bucket being held by the other sister up ahead.

“We can do it Pinkie Pie!” said a happy Applebloom, as she quickly picked the wooden bucket and ran the required distance away from the bench with the pile of apples.

The mare covered in mud jumped over one side of the bench and tossed up the apples all at once. With skill that only comes from years of doing the same job at the apple orchard, Applebloom was able to collect all the apples at once in the wooden bucket, leaving the two Pegasi sisters behind.

Applebloom and her racing partner made quick work at the chicken pen, filling out one basket with a dozen eggs, by only balancing them on their muzzle as it was required by the rules of the race, and having completed the last part of the race all that was left was dash towards the finish line.

The two of them were first, but they heard galloping behind them and turned their heads to look.

“We are going to win this year!” said Rarity, catching up to the yellow filly and the mud covered mare.

“Yeah!” added Sweetie Belle happily.

As the finish line got closer and closer, with the ponies on the stand cheering on, the two sister teams were neck to neck. A few feet from the finish line, the four competitors leaped towards it and landed in a cloud of dust.

When the dust settled, it showed that it was Applebloom and her mud covered partner the ones that crossed the line ahead of Rarity and Sweetie Belle, that had landed behind them and the finish line.

“Oh, we were so close!” lamented Rarity as she picked herself up and dusted herself off.

“It’s okay Rarity, you were amazing! I don’t even care that we didn’t win. This was so much fun!” Sweetie Belle happily hugged her big sister.

Applebloom was jumping up and down happily, “We won! We won!” Then she stopped and looked sadly at the ground.

“What’s wrong Applebloom? Aren’t you happy you won? Wasn’t the race fun?” asked Sweetie Belle, approaching her friend.

“Of course the race was fun! It’s just that, Ah wished Applejack had done it with meh.” replied the yellow filly. “No offense, to you Pinkie Pie.” said Applebloom, looking at the mare covered in mud in front of her.

“Why would Ah be offended?” came Pinkie Pie’s voice, from BEHIND Applebloom.

Surprised, Applebloom turned around to see that Pinkie Pie was standing there, half covered in mud as she used a towel to clean the filth from her. “Ah have to hand it to you Rarity, Ah asked for the muddiest mud to ever mud, and you didn’t disappoint me.”

“Hum… thank you Pinkie Pie, I guess?” replied Rarity to the compliment.

“Pinkie Pie? But if you are here, who is…” Applebloom turned to look at the mud covered mare that she had competed in the race with.

“It’s me Applebloom.” replied the mud covered mare in Applejack’s voice.

“Applejack?” asked a bewildered Applebloom.

Rarity’s horn glowed and a little cloud came down and placed herself over the mud covered Applejack, and then it started to rain, cleaning all the mud off, revealing the yellow mane, orange coat and three diamond cutie mark.

“What happened? Ah’m sure that Pinkie Pie was the one standing with me at the starting line.” said Applebloom looking back and forth between Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

“We switched places at the very first mudhole.” replied Pinkie Pie.

Applebloom looked at Applejack, “So, we did the whole competition… together?”

“Yes we did, little sister. Well, except for the start line.”

“But you finished together!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle happily. Rarity nodded in agreement.

Applebloom looked between Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Sweetie Belle. “You mean… you all were in on it?”

“Mm-hmm.” Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Sweetie Belle replied in unison.

Applebloom again looked at Applejack, “You did all this for me?”

“For us, Applebloom. I did it for us. Do you forgive me?” asked Applejack tentatively.

Applebloom let out tears of joy and hugged her big sister, who happily returned her hug, letting out tears of joy of her own.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle looked at the scene, and put a hoof around each other. Pinkie Pie also watched, feeling a sudden urge to be with her sisters at that moment.

“See, we ARE a rainbow!” exclaimed Applejack.

“Huh?” asked Applebloom.

“Hum… I’ll explain later.” replied Applejack, “For now, I think we all deserve a celebration!”

“Woo Hoo!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie.

“Where?” asked Applebloom.

“The spa, of course.” replied Applejack.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Pinkie Pie started to laugh. Rarity just looked at Applejack with a knowing smile, but she did feel like laughing as well.

“No, no… I’m serious.” said Applejack in reply.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Later that day, Applejack and Applebloom were sitting together looking at the sunset on a hill near Sweet Apple Acres. Spike was next to them, he had brought with him paper and a quill. The Apple sisters had asked Twilight for Spike’s help to write a letter to Princess Celestia.

“Very well then, what should we write to the Princess?” asked Applejack.

“Ah’ll start.” replied Applebloom. “Having a big sister is great. But it isn’t easy.”

“I agree that having a little sister is wonderful, but it requires an honest effort. Sometimes it’s about compromising. Sometimes it’s about accepting each other’s differences. Sometimes is about making the time for family. But the most important part is to have fun together, and to honestly loving each other.” said Applejack.

“Signed, Applebloom and Applejack, the Apple sisters.” finished Applebloom.

With that, Spike rolled up the paper into a scroll, and used his magical fire to send it.

Comments

[supersexyghotmew95]

I LOVE IT
make more

[Godiswithus3]

This chapter sure did hit me in the feels, especially the part when Applejack reached a moment of clarity. Good job.