Starlight Chronicles

by WanderingPhysicist

Sisterhooves Showdown

Main Characters: Freya, Rei, Del, Alba, Rainbow, Presea, Juliet
Major Cameos: Applejack, Apple Bloom, Starlight, Satsuma
Original Start Date: July 28, 2015

---

Freya trots around Ponyville's nerd district, nervously looking into the shops. She finally stops in front of Neighponese Imports and goes inside. The counter is empty while Rei restocks the shop. The filly rings a bell by the cash register. Rei looks up, smiles and prances over.

‘How can I help you?’ Rei asks.

Freya looks around nervously, pulls a flyer from under her wing and sets it on the counter.

Rei reads the flyer. ‘Sisterhooves Social? The thing AJ puts on every year? What about it?’

Freya pushes the flyer closer to Rei and taps it.

‘You want to enter? With me?’

Freya quickly nods.

Rei sits back and thinks. ‘I don't know... You have to actually be related to enter. I know we act close, but...’

Freya frowns and takes the flyer back.

Rei sighs. ‘Okay. We'll talk to AJ about entering.’

Freya squeals with excitement.

‘But! We might not be able to do every event.’ She rubs her midsection. ‘It has only been a couple weeks since we saw my doctor, but I am pregnant now, and I don't want to risk harming my baby.’

Freya nods in agreement. She turns to leave, stops, goes around the counter and hugs Rei.

Rei returns the hug. ‘Like I would deny you your fun. You just have to promise to be a good big sister to my foal in return.’

Freya nods.

‘Just like how you're a good big sister to Kain.’

Freya begins to nod, but stops. She frowns and slumps her shoulders. She groans. Rei laughs and ruffles the filly's mane. Freya laughs and leaves the store.

Scootaloo looks out of the back. ‘I wish Rainbow Dash entered the Sisterhooves Social with me...’

A few days later, Rei and Freya are in line at Sweet Apple Acres. A number of other pairs of sisters are signing up for events. Applejack and Apple Bloom write down all the pairs in their register. Big McIntosh trots back and forth on the field, setting up events. A number of ponies sit on bleachers, waiting for the event to start. At the center of the crowd, Twilight Sparkle and James talk to their friends. Freya stares at the ground as she moves forward.

Rei pats Freya on the back. ‘Don't worry. This will be fun.’

Freya looks up and nods. They step up to the registration desk. The Apple sisters smile at their guests.

‘Welcome!’ Applejack greets.

‘Are ya enterin' t'gether?’ Apple Bloom asks.

Rei nudges Freya. The filly squeaks and nods.

‘Happy t' have ya,’ Applejack replies. ‘What can Ah sign ya up fer?’

‘Everything but the relay race,’ Rei states. ‘My doctor says I shouldn't do anything too strenuous.’

‘Uh... Everything, even the hay throw?’

Rei grins. ‘I think I can handle it.’

Apple Bloom writes the entrants down. ‘By the way, what's yer team accessory?’

Rei looks down at Freya and nods. They pull a pair of red scarves out of nowhere, whip them around dramatically, wrap them around their necks and pose with the scarves flapping in the wind. The Apples stare, shocked.

‘'Kay...’ Apple Bloom says.

Rei and Freya head off to meet the other teams. The Apples shrug and start taking names again. Soon, a shadow passes over them as the next entrants step up. They look up to see Del looking down at them. The changeling smiles, revealing her fangs.

‘Any sisters can enter, right?’ Alba asks.

‘Technically, I'm only about ten, if age is a factor,’ Del adds.

Applejack confers with Apple Bloom for a moment.. ‘Ah guess ya can enter...’

‘Excellent!’ Alba replies. She takes the quill to sign her and Del up. ‘You're a lot more fun than the AB from my world.’

Once they are signed up, Del and Alba tie gold ribbons on their horns and head off. The Apple sisters whisper together before turning back to the line.

‘Yeah, I'll take three hay burgers, a super-size hay fries, and a large cider,’ Rainbow states.

‘Uh, this ain't a Hayburger,’ Apple Bloom huffs.

Rainbow stares at the other mare, seemingly confused.

‘Bow!’ Juliet complains, climbing on her sister's head. ‘Play right.’

Presea climbs onto the table and starts writing on the registration form.

‘They count as one because they are small, right?’ Rainbow asks.

The Apple sisters sigh and sign the Pies up for the competition. Rainbow flies off, carrying her sisters while Juliet makes flying noises. Apple Bloom sighs and turns back to the line, hoping to calm down, but she immediately facehoofs at who she sees. Applejack looks and covers a laugh.

‘What's so funny?’ Starlight demands.

Starlight and Satsuma stand at the registration table. The older brother is wearing one of Apple Bloom's dresses. Satsuma has a smaller, matching dress.

‘Why Ah didn' know Ah had a daughter,’ Applejack teases. ‘She's so pretty too.’

‘Hi, mom,’ Satsuma whispers.

‘Yeah, we're here to enter,’ Starlight states.

Apple Bloom shakes her head. ‘Sisters only.’

‘What? We're family. That should be enough.’

Applejack covers her laughter. ‘Sisters only. Ya can cheer fer any o' yers from the stands.’

‘Fine!’ Starlight groans. ‘Come on.’

‘C-can we change first?’ Satsuma asks. ‘My house is right over there.’

Starlight lifts his brother with his magic. He carries him to the stands and sits by his mother.

Twilight looks at her son and rolls her eyes. ‘At least that isn't my dress. For once.’

‘Say 'hi' to the internet,’ James says, taking a picture of his sons with his mobile.

Satsuma moans with embarrassment and tries to hide.

‘Hi, Satsuma!’ Razzly greets as she arrives with her aunt and the cake twins.

The colt squeaks and waves. The arriving group sits nearby.

‘Who's the cute filly with Starlight?’ Pound asks his sister.

Applejack steps onto a stand. ‘Thank y'all fer comin' out. Hope y'all enjoy the show.’

The crowd cheers. Applejack trots off the stand. She joins Apple Bloom, and they get out clipboards.

‘Ready t' do this?’ Apple Bloom asks.

Rainbow gallops past. ‘Has anypony seen Juliet!’

Applejack takes a deep breath. ‘As much as Ah can be...’

Juliet calmly trots up to the organizers. ‘Where Bow? Got her candy apple.’

Applejack sighs again and helps the filly find her sister.

Fluttershy and her family join their friends in the stands. They calmly take their seats while Pinkie Pie jumps around, cheering the action on the field.

‘Sorry we're late,’ Fluttershy apologizes. ‘Did we miss much?’

‘Not yet,’ Twilight replies. ‘They just started the first events.’

On the field, a number of teams are competing in apple bobbing. Rainbow fishes in her barrel and pulls out Juliet. They younger sister spits out an apple. Rainbow drops her sister back in the barrel and fishes out Presea.

‘Wooooo!’ Pinkie cheers. ‘Go girls!’

‘I should be down there too,’ Starlight grumbles.

Kain looks at his teacher. ‘Dad, why is Mr Starlight in a dress?’

‘It is better not knowing,’ his father states.

‘Ah. Hi, Satsuma.’

The other colt just nods in reply, still having been unable to change.

Apple Bloom blows a whistle, ending the match. The teams spit out their last apples as they are tallied. Presea and Juliet catch their breath as they lean over the side of their barrel. Apple Bloom finishes her tally and leads the teams off the field as Big McIntosh replaces the barrels. Inkie calms her sister before looking back and cheering. Apple Bloom returns with the next group, but Rei is all alone. The host blows her whistle, and the teams start bobbing. There is a loud hiss from behind Rei. Freya swoops from a tree and snatches up several apples at once.

‘She gets that from her mother,’ Sunshine comments.

Fluttershy snorts at her husband before cheering for her daughter.

Sheep cover the competition field. The teams try to herd the wandering animals into a corral at the center of the field. Rainbow chases a pair of sheep as Presea and Juliet ride them around the arena. Freya flies interference while Rei uses her electrical powers to guide the sheep into the enclosure. Alba uses her magic to teleport the sheep into the corral, but she keeps stopping and checking her hooves every time a sheep passes her. A shadow passes over the field. Everypony looks up to see Del posing dramatically atop the barn. She flies down to the field. She trots up to the nearest sheep, leans down, and smiles, revealing as many fangs as possible.

‘Hi,’ the changeling greets.

The sheep bleats and panics. The other sheep join the stampede. Del nods to Alba. Her sister teleports her around the field in front of the sheep, making it seem like there are changelings everywhere. Eventually, the sheep realize the safest place is in the corral. After the sheep cram themselves in, Alba calmly trots to the corral and closes the door. She laughs smugly, looks down the recoils, then she sees what she is standing in.

The teams line up behind their saddlebags. Applejack looks through the bags while marking a checklist. She shows off some of the items from the bags to the spectators, getting applause for the team. She reaches the Pie sisters, but they have no bag.

‘Uh, Rainbow... Where's yer stuff?’ Applejack asks.

‘You haven't given them to us yet,’ the pegasus replies.

Applejack groans. ‘It is a scavenger hunt. You're supposed to find the items.’

‘Oh!’

Presea and Juliet facehoof.

The host sighs. ‘Jus' show whatever ya have on ya...’ She checks her checklist. ‘Do ya have somethin' shiny?’

‘Uh...’ Rainbow darts into the stands, grabs the nearest princess she can find and flies back. ‘Does sparkly count?’

‘Put me down!’ Twilight yells.

Applejack looks at her list. ‘Do ya have somethin' fluffy?’

Rainbow drops Twilight and flies off to grab somepony else.

‘Mommy!’ the twins cheer when they see who their sister has.

‘Hi, girls,’ Pinkie giggles.

Applejack rolls her eyes. ‘Somethin' sweet and tasty?’

Rainbow thinks really hard. She gets an idea, sets her mom down and flies off. She returns a moment later with a plate in her hoofs. ‘Here,’ she offers. ‘The tastiest: Fluttershy's waffles.’

‘Mine!’

There is a commotion in the stands as James bolts to the field. He grabs a waffle, but Pinkie gets it at the same time. They begin a tug of war for the treat. In the stands, Fluttershy covers a smug laugh.

Twilight sighs and shakes her head. ‘Why can't he ever get that excited for my cooking?’

The older sisters line up on the field. Big McIntosh pulls a wagon filled with hay bales past them. Applejack and Apple Bloom go over the bales to make sure they are secure. On the sidelines, the younger sisters watch the event. Del sits with Presea while the filly draws equations in the dirt. Their sister tries climbing Del to get a higher view.

‘This is a bit of a tough one,’ Applejack warns. ‘If ya don't think ya have the strength fer it, ya can bow out now t' rest up.’

Some of the mares back down, but most stay.

‘All right. Jus' try t' throw the hay bales as far as ya can.’

One by one, the competitors try their hoof at throwing the bales. Most only get a few meters, with the earth ponies getting a few meters more. Rainbow steps up to the plate. She lifts the bale and swings it around as fast as she can. She lets go and sends the hay flying.

‘Whoa,’ Applejack gapes. ‘That just might win...’ -- she points another direction-- ‘if ya actually aimed fer the field.’

‘Heh, heh. Oops,’ Rainbow says, sheepishly.

‘That looks like it is heading for town,’ Starlight comments.

‘My castle!’ Twilight shouts, teleporting away.

Rei steps up to her bale.

‘Are ya sure ya can do this?’ Applejack asks.

‘I'll be fine,’ Rei assures. ‘Uh, can I get a couple hooks to hold this?’

Apple Bloom gets her the hooks. After digging them into the hay, Rei keeps one hoof on the hooks and starts charging her electricity. She raises her leg, and the hay lifts with it.

James turns to Inkie. ‘Is it safe for her too..?’

‘Doctors said she and the baby will be fine as long as the amperage is low,’ his daughter-in-law replies. ‘She knows what she is doing.’

‘Inkie, this is Rei we're talking about.’

‘She knows what she is doing?’ Inkie tries again.

Rei adjusts her stance, spreading her wings, and channeling more energy into her electricity. After a deep breath, Rei releases the electricity, launching the hay bale over the horizon.

‘Did she just put that hay bale through a makeshift mass driver?’ Satsuma asks, awed.

‘Yes,’ his father, brother, and Inkie answer in unison.

‘I have the coolest sister ever,’ the colt marvels.

‘Ah ain't measurin' that,’ Applejack snorts.

Rei laughs and prances over to sit with Freya. Alba steps up to the line.

‘Throw this however I want, right?’ the unicorn asks.

‘Um hum.’

Alba smiles, lifts the bale with her magic and sends it flying. ‘It went further than Rei's did. Trust me.’

Applejack glares at her. ‘Ah ain't measurin' that either. Trust me.’

‘Hmpf!’ Alba snorts as she joins her sisters.

The teams sit at a long table, wearing bibs. The Apple sisters set pies in front of each of the girls. Rei, Del, and Rainbow stare intently at the confection before them. The last pie is set out.

‘All right,’ Applejack states. ‘First team done wins.’ She pauses as the teams inch near the pies. ‘And g-!’

‘Done!’ Rei, Del, and Rainbow shout, looking up from their perfectly clean pie tins.

Apple Bloom sets out new pies while the other contestants keep eating. The new pies are eaten as soon as they hit the table. Apple Bloom looks back at her sister. Applejack shrugs and whips more pies towards the contestants. They are caught and eaten almost instantly. The other teams stop eating to watch the battle unfolding before them. Applejack waves Big McIntosh and Satsuma over to help keep the contest going while she confers with her sister.

‘What do we do, sis?’

‘Jus' wait 'til they eat their fill, Ah guess,’ Applejack reasons. ‘They gotta stop sooner or later. 'Side, we were up all night bakin' just in case.’

‘But it is Del, Rainbow, and Rei,’ Apple Bloom argues, ‘and Rei's eatin' fer two!’

Applejack thinks for a moment. ‘Crap. Get t' Sugarcube Corner. We might need backup... ’

Apple Bloom nods and gallops over to Starlight to get his help. Applejack sighs and turns to watch the competition. The three sisters are stealing pies from other competitors to keep the contest going...

The field has been converted into an obstacle course. There is a large mud puddle, a sack of boxes, some hurdles, and even a chicken coop set throughout the course. A few of the fillies stand at the starting line while their sisters give them encouragement.

Freya stretches her wings before Rei pats her on the back. ‘I know this will be tough without me,’ the pegasus says, ‘but don't beat everypony too badly.’

Freya smiles and nods.

‘Your mom and I will be waiting by the finish line. We'll be proud no matter how well you do.’

Freya gives Rei an upset look.

‘Okay, you'll probably dominate, but don't get too cocky.’

Freya rolls her eyes and nods. Rei laughs and leaves to join Fluttershy's family near the finish line. The fillies take their positions on the track. Applejack checks to make sure everypony is even before whistling and whooping to start the race.

The fillies dash off into the first obstacle. Freya gets weighed down in the mud while the earth ponies pass through easily. The bat pony catches up at a barrel gauntlet, using her agility to avoid tripping up. She quickly climbs a stack of boxes. She slows at the next obstacle. Since most of the pies in Ponyville were eaten in the last contest, the fillies have to eat a plate of muffins as fast as possible. Freya tries eating as fast as she can, but she loses ground to some of the others. Once done, she darts to the next obstacle: throwing apples into a distant barrel. Freya grabs her apples, flies up and snipes all of her shots from above the field. She quickly lands and gallops off. At the chicken coop, Apple Bloom gives each of the fillies an egg to balance on their muzzles before they leave. Freya carefully carries her egg to a nearby basket and starts galloping again. She makes a series of soaring jumps over a course of hurdles, landing hard before sprinting to the finish line.

Freya is caught by Rei before she can run off too far. ‘Calm down, champ,’ Rei laughs. ‘You did it.’

Freya catches her breath and looks back. Most of the other fillies are just finishing the egg balance or going back for a second try. Freya smiles and laughs to herself as the rest of her family joins her for a group hug. Fluttershy hands Angel to her daughter, who then gives the doll a big hug.

After all of the fillies finish their race, the Apples reset the course for the team races. Each of the remaining sister teams line up at the start. Del drags herself to join Alba. Rainbow does a few warm-up stretches before crouching and pawing at the ground.

‘Bow!’

Rainbow looks down at her sisters reaching up to her. She smiles, lays down, and lets them climb on her outstretched wings. She slowly stands and balances herself, the twins holding tight. Once everypony is ready, Applejack whistles and whoops again.

The teams get bogged down in the mud with most big sisters helping any stuck fillies. Del waltzes through due to her height and light weight but has to help Alba when she falls. They immediately get tripped up at the barrels thanks to Del's gangliness, losing their lead. Rainbow happily hops across the mud, trying not to upset her sisters. She has to slowly hop through the barrels and up the boxes to not drop the twins. Recovering from the barrels, Alba and Del make short work of the boxes, though the changeling lags behind. They catch up at the next station, where other teams are eating the last of the pies.

Del takes one look at the pies and turns green. ‘I'll never say this again, but I don't think I should have eaten so much earlier.’ She dashes from the field into into the orchard to vomit. Alba leaves the race to help her sister.

Rainbow jumps from the boxes, straight to the pies. She flips hers into the air and eats it whole. The one for the twins lands on top of them. They eat the mess off of themselves as Rainbow hops to the next station. The event was modified so the older sister has to throw the apples to the younger sister. Rainbow sets the twins in the bushel of apples then jumps on the end of the bench with the bushel. The crowd gasps in horror as the babies are launched into the air. Rainbow dashes to the end of the field and catches all of the apples in the waiting barrel, with the twins landing safely on her wings. She stops to check on her sisters before running to the chicken coop. Apple Bloom smacks the pegasus in the back of the head for endangering her sisters before giving the team their egg. Presea and Juliet carry the egg as Rainbow slowly trots to the basket. Once the egg is placed, the pegasus gallops towards the finish line. The twins hold on tight as they go over the hurdles. The team passes the leading pair at the last jump and cross the finish line first. All of the Pies' family comes onto the field to congratulate them. Rainbow hands off the twins to her parents then immediately collapses. Before anypony can panic, she lets out a snore, letting everypony know she is asleep.

Rei and Inkie join Fluttershy's family for a celebratory dinner. Rei eats as much of Fluttershy's cook as she can to regain her energy. Freya smiles proudly and fiddles with a medal.

Fluttershy smiles at her daughter and reaches out with her wing to give her a light hug. ‘I'm so proud of you. You did great.’

‘I was very impressed with your athleticism,’ Sunshine adds. ‘I don't think anypony knew you had it in you.’ He looks at Kain and gives him a nudge.

‘Huh? Oh, yeah,’ the colt says, looking around confused. ‘You did great, sis.’

Freya laughs, and looks at Rei. ‘Thank you,’ she whispers.

Rei smiles back. ‘Anything for you, Freya. We'll have to do it again next year.’

‘I don't know...’ Fluttershy begins.

‘Yeah! We'll totally kick their flanks!’ the filly squeaks.

Everypony laughs at the bold declaration and returns to their meal. Fluttershy sighs and looks at Freya. Her daughter smiles up at her. Fluttershy returns the smile and goes back to eating.

Author's Note:

Rei Timeline: Finally gets to carry her future daughter! Yay!

Freya Timeline: Gets the courage to compete publicly and has fun doing it.

Satsuma Timeline: Embarrassed by Starlight for the 649th time.

Starlight Timeline: Tried out one of Apple Bloom's dresses for the first time.

Comments

[Patronum2000]

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, now I have to waite for a new chapter.