I had the blanket on, but it didn’t do much. As soon as I walked out with it on, Cider started bursting out in laughter in full Rainbow Dash fashion. Falling back and just giggling. Even when I tried to get her to stop, it took her a minute. And apparently Peachy was her “baby brother.” She coddled me for a minute knowing full well I wasn’t sick. It was kind of endearing. I didn’t even get the chance to introduce myself as Mysterio.
Now, we were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. Somehow, we got locked in a hard gaze with each other. Cider was giving me a know-it-all stare, while her hooves played with the sleeves of her lucky periwinkle hoodie. As I continued to look at her, I got lost in her emerald green eyes, the various spots and dribbles of a darker mocha brown on her cider-hued coat. I sniffled, almost sneezing, and then I blinked. As soon as I did, she rang out a scream of, “Winner! Me!” I huffed. Oh, so it was a staring contest. Even her blonde mane was tied back in a tight ponytail and her tail in a braid. “What do you have to say?” She quizzed. Or it was like she was quizzing me. Am I overthinking this? Maybe, but I don’t know the first thing about acting like Peachy. If Water suspected something was up, then his sister will sooner.
“No fair, I had to sneeze.” I cut in, smiling wide. In the midst of our staring contest, Water had taken Confetti to get some more vegetables. The sun was high over the mountains and still no sign of it being risen magically. It wasn’t doing the jumpy thing. Maybe I’m only in a simulation of sorts. “I would have won that fair and square if the sneeze hadn’t happened.” I declared, putting a hoof to my chest.
“You sneeze all the time during staring contests, you just can’t do it.” She laughed, pointing a hoof at me. “Somehow you always forget that tiny little detail.” It sounds like she was born with a high ego. “I always win!” She smiled. “Hey, can I get some juice?” She asked, looking around.
I got up from my chair and then walked over to the fridge, opening it up with a hoof. While I was over there, she was still talking. “So, the fly over here was windy! Did you know you’re right below the snowy mountains? It gets real cold if you fly too North on the way over. My wings almost froze! I’ll tell you, the ferry is the way to go.” I nodded, as I poured her drink. “I mean, you could have went anywhere in Equestria but you chose these islands! If you ask me, I would have chose Canterlot or even maybe Manehatten!” Was she trying to start an argument? “Why did you choose these islands?”
I chose to levitate the cup over as I walked and set it down in front of her. For some reason, I had a pit of annoyance in my stomach, but I couldn’t figure out why. “Uhh…they were close to home?” I offered, but she didn’t seem convinced. I didn’t know! “I wanted to start small. Why choose to go to the big cities, when I don’t even know-”
“Shhh…” Before I knew it she fluttered off of her chair, and then hugged me close, squeezing my head towards hers. “It’s okay, baby bro! Big sis is here now.” She cooed. What the Hell is happening? Maybe this is why he left? “Oh! I never told you why I decided to visit!” She smirked.
I broke the hug, backing away from her for a minute. “Yeahhh….” I said, dusting off a perfumy smell. It smelled peach-fragrancy. “I’ve been here a year, why did you choose to-”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay!” I was interrupted again. “You never respond to my letters.” She whined. I had to laugh, but covered my mouth with a hoof as I did, so Peachy was that kind of brother. “And I wanted to see where you were living! These islands…are quite quaint.”
“Quaint?” I repeated.
“Quaint.” She repeated, holding up a hoof. The way her expression was, made me want to picture her with an elegant monocle and a top hat. “Though, I guess it’s better than the farm?”
I held my breath. What do I reply? Was she looking for me to bash the family farm, or say something the complete opposite? “Here’s your juice.” I stated, pushing it towards her. She looked at it for one second, and then back at me. “It’s going to get…warm.”
She harrumphed, but took the glass in her hoof, taking a big swig of it and put it down. “Well, I heard there were a couple of shops here in town.” She said. “Do you want to give me a tour?”
“Honestly, no.” I deadpanned. “I’m tired from…today and…”
“Come on! Surely you can at least show me around some of the town, or I will walk around claiming to be your big sister, and I brought…baby pictures.” Was that a threat? I was highly considering seeing these baby pictures myself. How often do you get to see your characters as a baby that you didn’t draw? “So, what do you say?”
Would it be that bad, if she introduced herself to everyone in that way? Er, everypony in that way? I tried to picture it along with the consequences. “I’ll show you around…” I mumbled. “Though, just out of curiosity, did you get the baby photos from the family album?” I was just guessing they had a photo album.
“Yeah.” She blinked. “And off of the photo wall.” Before I knew it, she was ripping a photoframe from her saddle bag beside her and shoving it in my face. “Look how cute you are!” She squeed, and then held it to her own eyes, tearing up over it. “I remember when you were this small…” Something tells me, she does this all the time.
“But…I’m not that small anymore?” I offered, taking the frame from her and setting it on the table.
“Pfft, yes you are.” She rubbed her hoof through my mane and I rolled my eyes feeling that same pit of annoyance. Maybe Peachy is still here, but I pushed him to the back? God, that would be frightening. “No matter how big you get, you’re still a baby to me.” She had paternal, motherly issues. This was Applejack-Applebloom problem stuff. Overprotective big sister trope. I have to get out of this house. I need a break from this girl and I just met her.
“Welcome to my world.” A voice came from my head. Oh, was that him? Why does this world hate me? My anxiety went up. I was going to have a heart attack. My heart started beating wildly, my eyes went small, as I put a hoof to my chest. “Calm down.” I was trying to. I was gonna pass out. Why is the floor moving?
“Peachy?” I heard Cider’s voice.
I felt the world slip out from under my hooves and I was out like a light.