//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 
// Story: Brotherhood and Sisterhood 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

When the ball had died down, Tirek and Chrysalis faced each other with their sons and daughters.

Tirek stated, "We'll have the wedding one week from now."

Chrysalis grinned, "Excellent. That gives me plenty of time to help my girls get ready."

Tirek motioned, "Now boys, as it is the proper birth order, the eldest shall marry the eldest and the youngest shall marry the youngest. Is that clear?"

The princes looked at the girls in front of them. Discord was looking at Adagio, Soarin at Aria, Capper at Suri, Flash at Sunset, Cheese at Sonata, and Spike at Trixie.

They said in an emotionless tone, "Yes, Father."

Fancy and Fleur had been nearby and Fancy caught the princes' tone much to his confusion.

I thought they said they liked them?

Chrysalis spoke, "Well, we must be going now, my girls need their beauty rest after all."

Tirek said, "Of course. Good evening."

The ladies curtsied before taking their leave.

Tirek told the boys, "And you should get your rest as well, you have to get up in time so you can get an early start on your studies and duties."

They repeated, "Yes, Father."

The king nodded in approval and turned to go.

Once they were sure he was gone they started to head for the doors leading outside but stopped when they heard Fancy's voice.

"I believe your rooms are the other way."

They turned back to him with cheesy grins.

He went to them and demanded, "What is going on here? I thought you boys were pleased with your betrotheds, but just now I saw how unexcited you were towards them."

They made nervous chuckles and some of them rubbed their necks till Discord spoke up, "Well, um, Fancy… we don't know how to tell you this, but it would seem that we made a mistake and fell for different girls instead…" he made an uneasy smile.

Fancy gaped then face-palmed, "Oh-no…"

Spike added, "Now we're trying to meet with them and find out who they are."

Fancy deeply sighed then there was a long pause before he said, "Go."

With lit up smiles on their faces they ran out of the room.




The girls made it just in time as the clock struck midnight and their beautiful dresses turned back into their servant clothes.

Rarity sighed while touching the hem of her skirt, "It was great while it lasted."

Her friends agreed with her as they entered into the house and went straight to their room.

Twilight said, "They'll be home soon."

Rainbow asked, "Can't we just pretend we're sick? I really don't want to serve them when they get back."

Applejack motioned, "Unfortunately it's part of our job and we'll get fired if we don't do it."

The girls sighed knowing she was right.




The girls had helped their mistresses when they came home but they also demanded a few more things from them. Twilight had noticed that Sunset was particularly crabbier then usual while the other sisters acted like they were queens of the world. When they got back to their room to retire for the evening, they were too tired to change out of their work clothes and just crashed onto their beds.

It was very late in the evening as the boys traveled up the path to Lady Chrysalis's manor holding out lanterns to light their way.

Capper said, "The only conclusion I can come up with is that they're maids for Lady Chrysalis."

Discord mentioned, "That's fairly obvious, brother, since they did say they had lived in that house for awhile now."

Spike asked, "Then why wasn't it obvious to us?"

He replied in annoyance, "Oh be quiet."

Finally they saw the building as Cheese commented, "Man, it's even spookier at night."

Flash added, "We'll have to go about this carefully, since we don't want Lady Chrysalis to know we're here and assume we're here to see their daughters so soon, that'll send the impression that we're really interested in them."

Cheese pointed, "When it's their maids we're really interested in."

Soarin questioned, "So which window do you think is theirs?"

Spike gestured, "Aren't the servant quarters usually on the first floor?"

As they voiced out their theories, two balls of light, one yellow and one blue went floating toward the boys and it caught Capper's eye and he told his brothers, "Hold it you guys, look."

They did and gasped at what they were seeing and then the balls motioned for them to follow. They exchanged unsure looks before Spike, Cheese, and Flash went toward it, then Soarin and Capper.

Discord threw his arms in the air, "Oh sure! We're just going to randomly follow two glowing balls, no danger in that whatsoever!"

Spike said, "It may be crazy but I think these things are trying to help us."

The balls bounced up and down like it was agreeing with him.

Cheese proclaimed, "Follow those bouncing balls!"

The glowing orbs went on and circled around a window that was on the first floor. The boys slowly went up to it and took a peek. The room inside was dark and small but the window gave it enough light for them to see six maidens sleeping on beds.

The princes gushed at how cute they were.

Spike asked in concern, "Do we have to wake them? They look so peaceful."

Capper patted his back, "We have to or else we'll never know who they are."

Flash agreed, "It just may be our only chance."

With a sigh, Spike conceded.

Discord tapped on the window, hoping it would be loud enough to wake them. They could see some of girls stirred but they didn't wake from their slumber. Discord tapped again and this time the noise was louder and it got Rarity to wake, her eyes fluttered open and when she heard the tapping noise she turned to it and let out a shriek upon seeing dark figures at the window.

The caused the other girls to wake up with a startle and Rainbow and Applejack fell off their beds.

Rarity pointed, "There's something at the window!"

Rainbow reached for broom that was underneath her bed and Applejack grabbed for a mop hoping the household objects can pass for weapons. Pinkie even grabbed a frying pan that was beneath her bed. The girls didn't even care at the moment of their friend having a kitchen utensil in their room all they cared about were the creepy shadows that loomed over their windowpane.

Fluttershy whimpered in fear as she stayed behind the others. Rarity and Twilight shielded her as Rainbow, Applejack, and Pinkie held out their arsenal. One of the figures slowly opened the window and Pinkie took the charge as she gave out a war cry and she smacked the figure with her pan.

"Ouch!" it cried out.

Pinkie declared, "Take that you thief! You're not stealing anything tonight!"

Cheese shouted out, "Girls, wait! It's us!"

Pinkie's eyes widen when she heard his voice, "My prince…?"

Flash then held up a lantern so they could see the scene before them, Discord was laying on the ground rubbing his nose which took a hit to the frying pan. Fluttershy appeared at the window and saw him, making her gasp.

"Oh my goodness!" she jumped out and ran to him, "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry, my dear, it only grazed me."

Fluttershy sighed in relief before she frowned, "But… what are you doing here?"

Rainbow came out and scowled, "That's what I like to know."

Twilight said, "We all do."

Capper replied, "We had to see you girls again, especially since we found out you weren't Chrysalis's daughters after all."

Rarity motioned, "Well what made you think we were?"

Spike commented, "You said you were sisters."

Flash added, "And since there were six of you. It made sense."

The girls exchanged understanding glances as Twilight stated, "We're sorry you got confused, and it's true, we are sisters, in a way."

Rarity said, "We grew up together so we thought of each other as the sisters we never had until some of us actually did get sisters like me and Applejack."

"Applejack?" the boys voiced.

"That would be me." the chamber maid pointed to herself.

Spike gawked, "Your name is Applejack?"

"Right, and which prince are ya?"

"I'm Spike."

"You're Prince Spike? Uh, I thought you would be younger."

"I'm nineteen."

"Oh." she blushed.

Rarity clear her throat, "I think now is a good time as any for us to properly introduce ourselves." she curtsied, "I am Rarity."

Capper smiled, "Rarity? Well, I figured a dazzling beauty like you would have a dazzling name to match."

She tittered, "You're too kind, Prince…?"

"Capper."

"You're Prince Capper? My goodness, I heard you were charming but I didn't think you would be extraordinary at it."

He chuckled.

Soarin went up to Rainbow and bowed, "Prince Soarin."

"Name's Rainbow Dash."

"Rainbow Dash? That's an awesome name."

She smirked, "I know. So you're Prince Soarin, I heard that you were just as awesome too."

"Thanks." he smiled.

Fluttershy helped Discord up as he said, "I'm Prince Discord."

"Prince Discord? Oh my goodness! The eldest of the princes… I had no idea." she blushed furiously.

"I know, my magnificence is a lot to take in, but I would love to know your name, my dear, it must be as pretty as you are."

She shyly turned her head away, "It's not that pretty…"

"I'll be the judge of that."

She sighed and meekly said, "It's… Fluttershy…"

"What was that? I didn't catch that."

She was a little louder but it was still hard to hear her, "It's… Fluttershy…"

"One more time, if you please."

She took a deep breath and said outright, "It's Fluttershy."

His eyes widen, "Fluttershy?"

She timidly nodded.

"That's… beautiful! It's perfect for you!"

She felt her cheeks going red again, "Well, thank you…"

He stared at her lovingly.

Twilight inquired, "You're Prince Flash, aren't you?"

He slightly chuckled, "It was that obvious?"

"Well I did hear that you love music and since you wrote me a song, it fits." she smiled, "I'm Twilight Sparkle by the way."

"Twilight? I like it…"

They locked gazes with each other.

Pinkie pointed to the last prince, "That means you're Prince Cheese!"

He laughed, "That's right!"

"I was hoping those rumors about you being a funny guy were true!"

"I didn't disappoint, did I?"

"No siree! And just so you know, I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"Wow! What a great name!"

The boys were very excited to finally get the names of their mysterious girls.

The girls were just as excited until they remembered what happen at the ball. They looked at each other sadly then stepped away from the princes making the boys confused.

"What's wrong?" Flash asked.

Twilight frowned, "As flattered as we are for you coming after us, but this is the last time we can meet."

The girls nodded in agreement.

Spike questioned, "But why?"

Rarity motioned, "Need I remind you that all of you are engaged to our mistresses?"

Applejack stated, "It's true."

Rainbow added with crossed arms, "So whatever you think can happen, can't."

The brothers looked at each other and cringed.

Capper told them, "But we don't love them."

Rarity challenged, "What do you know of love? You only met us twice now and don't know anything about us, you didn't even know we were maids until now."

Her friends voiced out random agreements.

The boys were starting to feel upset now and getting determined.

Soarin said, "Then give us a chance to know you."

Pinkie proclaimed, "And raise our hopes for nothing?!"

Twilight mentioned, "Pinkie is right, we know that Lady Chrysalis has made this arrange marriage with the king since we started working for her."

Applejack said, "There's no way you can get out of it."

There was a pause among them until Flash motioned, "You're right. We have no way of escaping this marriage but… if you could give us a chance at happiness just this once; I promise you'll never see us again."

His brothers looked on with hopeful eyes.

The girls felt themselves melting at their gazes.

Discord took over, "Look, the wedding won't be for one week, that gives us each a chance to spend time with you lovely ladies."

Cheese asked, "So whaddya say? Is it a deal?"

The maids exchanged looks and huddled close together.

Rarity suggested, "It wouldn't be so bad if we helped them out, would it? After all, they're going to have to marry six of the worst girls in the world. They deserve a little romance in their life."

Fluttershy said, "That maybe true, but that won't change the fact that we'll never be close to them again after the wedding…"

Pinkie nodded, "We'll end up losing our hearts to them forever."

Twilight added, "Perhaps, but if we remind ourselves not to get attached, it'll be less painful."

"I really hope you're right about that, Twi." Applejack told her.

Rainbow asked, "So we're in agreement then?"

The others nodded their heads and they turned back to the boys.

Twilight spoke for them, "It's a deal."

The princes were overjoyed and wanted to cheer out loud but remembering it was the middle of the night and them being close to the manor they had to keep it down. They bowed to the girls with Capper saying, "Until then, fair ladies."

They bid each other good night as they took their separate ways.