//------------------------------//
// A Rare Play Date 
// Story: The Ties that Bind 
// by the7Saviors 
//------------------------------//

While Ancient Scroll and the others had remained downstairs to have their chat, Fia, Corona, and Blue Moon headed upstairs with the Apple Family sisters to find something to occupy themselves.

Once they reached the top, they saw that the entire upper floor of the tavern was set up like an inn, or an apartment. The floor consisted of a long hallway with several doors on either side of the wall, and an opening at the end of the hall with two more doors.

"So are ya'll sisters or sumthin'?" Apple Stem asked, trying to start a conversation, "and was that yer Grandpa back there?"

"Well we aren't really--" Corona began before Fia cut her off.

"We're not related like you are, but we might as well be sisters," Fia replied, before turning back to Corona and Blue Moon with a small smile, "and Uncle Scroll isn't our grandpa -- or our real uncle -- but he might as well be, right?"

Corona and Blue gave each other a thoughtful glance and Blue Moon returned Fia's look with a slow nod.

"Blue Moon... supposes that's true," the light blue filly replied with a growing smile of her own.

"Yeah, I can agree with that," Corona added with a shrug, "we honestly haven't known each other for that long, but we've been through a lot together," she frowned slightly, "and we have... a few things in common."

Apple Seed furrowed her brow as she observed the maroon filly's small change in expression, but didn't comment otherwise.

"Huh," Apple Stem mused as they made their way to the end of the hall, "ah can respect that. Pa always said that family ain't just about the blood ya share, but the experiences that bring ya closer together."

Apple Seed nodded in agreement.

"I guess that's true," Fia commented, "your dad is a nice pony, Apple Stem."

"Don't ah know it!" the tan filly responded, beaming with pride, "Ma an' Pa are the greatest parents ever!"

As they reached the end of the hallway, Apple Stem trotted towards one of the doors and began pulling it open, completely missing Fia's weakened smile in the process.

Apple Seed however, took note of the change and frowned once more -- though she still made no comment.

"So if yer not sisters," Apple Stem continued as she stepped inside the room, "then how'd ya'll meet?"

She stopped in the middle of the small room and turned to the others in confusion when she didn't hear a reply. The three other fillies remained in the doorway, fidgeting uncomfortably. Apple Stem raised an expectant eyebrow as she waited for one of the fillies to respond.

"Blue Moon would rather not say, if it's all the same to you," the light blue filly finally answered as she trotted further into the room.

Fia nodded silently as she followed Blue Moon inside. Corona and Apple Seed were the last to enter before the peach colored filly closed the door behind them. They had entered what was clearly a bedroom, and a rather nice one at that.

Two large windows partially covered by vanilla curtains lined the back wall. On either side of the room were two twin sized beds, a dresser, and a small lamp. The last notable thing the three fillies noticed was the large ornate tan and dark brown rug in the middle of the hardwood floor.

After a brief glance around the room, Corona decided to speak on her two friends' behalf.

"Sorry, Apple Stem," she said with an apologetic smile, "telling you how we met would mean telling you some other stuff that we... don't really wanna talk about."

"Aw come on," Apple Stem replied  with a small pout, "why not?"

Apple Seed trotted over and put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. She shook her head once before giving the younger filly a disapproving frown. Apple Stem opened her mouth to argue with the quiet filly, but seemed to think better of it and just let out a huff of disappointment instead.

"Alright, alright ah won't ask," Apple Stem grumbled, "are ya happy?"

Apple Seed nodded with a satisfied smile.

The disturbingly familiar exchange caused both Fia and Blue Moon to shudder involuntarily and they looked away. Corona looked at the black and light blue fillies worriedly before turning back to the two sisters.

"I don't mind telling you about some of the other stuff we've done since we met, like..." Corona hesitated a moment before her face lit up, "there was this festival we went to not too long ago."

"Right! The Spring Festival in Faranda Way Village!" Fia added, jumping on the change of subject, "there were all kinds of neat things there!"

"Blue Moon agrees," Blue Moon said before frowning in thought, "although she distinctly remembers Fia winning a large basket of snacks that we never got to eat."

"Hey yeah," Fia replied with her own frown, "Uncle Scroll took the basket away and said we couldn't have any until later after dinner."

"Well... maybe he brought the basket with him when he left?" Corona guessed with a shrug, "we'll have to ask him. Some of those snacks looked amazing."

"The Spring Festival, huh?" Apple Stem muttered, tapping her chin as she listened to the fillies talk, "ah think ah've heard of that," she turned to her older sister, "didn't some folks from Canterlot come in a few days ago complainin' about how they missed some kind of festival?"

Apple Seed nodded.

"Yeah, an' one of them had this really funny name," the tan filly continued, "what was it again? Filbety Gadgets?"

"Flibberty Gibbets," Apple Seed corrected in a soft voice, "her name was Flibberty Gibbets." 

"Wait," Fia replied, "Flibberty Gibbets was here?"

Apple Seed turned to Fia and nodded. 

"She came in with her husband Foggy Skies an' the husband was complainin' about how they missed the Spring Festival because his wife wouldn't stop talkin' to the other patrons about random things that didn't matter. He got drunk and started talkin' to everpony who came near about how unfair his life was and how he never should've married into money."

Fia blinked and turned back to her two friends who merely shrugged -- just as bewildered as she was. 

Apple Seed paid them no mind as she continued speaking.

"Ah remember because the wife ignored him until he started shoutin' an' then they got into this big ol' argument in front of everypony in the tavern. Pa had ta break it up, and he ended up kickin' em' out because it was gettin' worse an' they wouldn't stop. It was pretty funny an' all the patrons wound up cheerin' when they left."

As Apple Seed continued to ramble on, the three fillies turned a questioning gaze to Apple Stem.

"Hey, it's like ah said," Apple Stem said with a shrug and a small smirk, "once she gets goin' she don't stop," she turned and poked Apple Seed in the foreleg, causing the older filly to falter and look at her younger sister in confusion.

"Yer doin' it again, Apple Seed," Apple Stem said flatly.

The peach colored filly furrowed her brow and looked at the other three bemused fillies across from her. Her eyes widened and her face reddened slightly before she turned her attention to her hooves.

"Sorry about that," she muttered, "got carried away... again."

"No, it's alright," Fia replied with a giggle, "it was a pretty interesting story."

Apple Seed gave her a small smile, but didn't say anything more.

"So ya'll know those ponies then?" Apple Stem asked curiously.

"Oh, we know them alright," Blue Moon answered with a roll of her eyes, "that Flibberty Gibbets mare was a real--"

"Nice lady," Corona finished, shoving a hoof over an indignant Blue Moon's muzzle, "sure, she was a little... overenthusiastic, but she seemed pretty nice other than that."

"Yeah, ah know what ya mean," Apple Stem agreed with a nod, "they both got a temper though, ah'll tell ya that much," she grimaced before giving the three fillies a curious look, "ya don't gotta tell me how ya'll met, but can ya at least tell me where ya'll are from?"

Corona glanced back at the other two fillies who nodded before returning her attention to Apple Stem.

"Yeah, I guess so," the maroon filly answered with a nod, "I'm from Canterlot." 

She gestured to Fia and was about to reveal where she and Blue Moon had come from when she remembered they were supposed to be incognito. She scrambled to come up with a story and she smiled when she found one.

"Fia here actually arrived in Equestria and moved to Canterlot a few years ago. She and her family are originally from Trotland."

"Wow," Apple Stem replied with an intrigued look towards Fia, "we get all kinds of creatures from outside of Equestria, but ah've never seen a foreign pony until now. Ah guess that explains the black coat an' the funny accent."

"Oh, yes," Blue Moon mocked, throwing a hoof around Fia's withers, "our little Fia Starshine is sensitive about her unique coat, so try not to make it a big deal."

Fia rolled her eyes and pushed Blue Moon away.

"It's fine, really," she said with a sigh, "I'm used to it."

Blue Moon chuckled before raising a hoof to her chest and addressing the two Apple sisters.

"Blue Moon hails from the beautiful city of Trottingham," the light blue filly exclaimed, "she is well on her way to becoming the greatest showpony who ever lived!"

Apple Stem turned to her sister with a look of confusion. Apple Seed returned the look with a shake of her head before turning back to the light blue filly with an amused smile.

"So... what?" Apple Stem asked, turning to Blue Moon once again, "yer gonna be some kinda fancy stage pony?"

"A magician, actually," Blue Moon clarified, "and I plan to put on the most amazing shows you've ever seen!"

"Really?" the tan filly asked, with a hint of excitement, "do you know any tricks?"

Blue Moon smirked at the intrigued filly.

"Do you happen to have any playing cards?"

And so it was that Blue Moon entertained the Apple sisters with the various tricks she had practiced. The two sisters had even provided a makeshift stage and some props made from different things around the room. 

Some of Blue Moon's tricks worked and others failed to hilarious results, but in the end, they always managed to get a smile or a laugh out of the two. Fia and Corona watched and commented the whole time -- sometimes even joining the light blue filly as assistants.

They hadn't realized it until now, but it had been quite some time since Fia and Corona had played with other fillies their age like regular fillies were supposed to, and it felt great. Blue Moon herself had never even had the opportunity to do such a thing. The closest she could think of was going on walks with Twilight back at the cabin.

The three fillies knew in the back of their minds that they'd have to leave eventually, so they enjoyed the company of their new friends as much as they could while it lasted, and as they all played together, the cloudy day gave way to a cool grey evening.