"Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo trotted across the tiny room. "Come on! Stop moping, will ya?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Why the long face? I mean, besides being a little horse girl and all."
"Hmmm..." Apple Bloom sniffled, staring out the crusaders' clubhouse window with a sad expression. "Y'all know darn well why I'm down in the dumps!" She turned around, frowning. "I want my big sister back!"
"What do you mean?!" Sweetie's voice cracked as she placed a gentle hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder. "Applejack's never left you!" She glared into the corners of the place. "And she certainly isn't a big meanie-pants who grounds you just for practicing a little bit of magic!"
"Ungh!" Apple Bloom slapped Sweetie's hoof away. "Why do I even bother?! Y'all know nothin'!"
"Well..." Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to tell us?"
"What's the use?!" Apple Bloom slumped, eyes tearing as she pressed her muzzle against the glass. "Mrmmmfff... no matter what I do, I can't get Applejack to return to normal! These days, she's all about nuzzlin' up to that con-sarn apple-loadin' doohickey of hers..."
"Oh, is that what this is all about?" Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"Hey!" Sweetie Belle frowned. "That 'doohickey' happens to be my sister's gift to your sister!"
"And it's tearin' Sweet Apple Acres apart!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "I dun care if AJ's been tacklin' the apple harvest extra fast-like! She's smashin' up our home! Embarrassin' me at school! Terrorizin' our neighbors in Ponyville! It just ain't like her!" Stifling a sob, Apple Bloom hugged herself against the window pane. "I just want my ol' sister back... the one that used to lurve on me and teach me about farmin' and even gimme a good-night kiss at bedtime..."
"Yikes." Scootaloo winced. "If you miss being treated like a baby, then things must be really bad!"
Apple Bloom sniffled. "I know..."
"Well... uh..." Sweetie Belle tapped her chin. "Maybe we can do something about it!"
"Mmmmm... like what?" Apple Bloom moaned.
"Think about it, girls!" Sweetie Belle grinned. "What does Applejack do for Apple Bloom better than any other pony!"
Scootaloo raised a hoof. "Does it have something to do with diapers?" A pink bow flew across the room and thwapped her in the face. She blinked. "... ... ...am I getting warm?"
"Duh!" Sweetie Belle's voice cracked. "She protects Apple Bloom!"
"Yeah, so?"
"So... all we have to do is put Apple Bloom into a dangerous situation so that her big sister will break out of her shell and rescue her just like the old Applejack would!"
"Perfect!" Scootaloo hopped, wings buzzing. "We're super good at making dangerous situations!"
"Just how dangerous are we talkin' about?" Apple Bloom asked, squinting. "Last time we did somethin' like this, we needed Zecora to make some special glue for that crack in the Ponyville Dam."
Scootaloo tilted her head aside. "You mean that super secret hidden crack that we made and nopony downhill knows about?"
"Yeah, that crack."
"No, I'm talking about something that we can easily control!" Sweetie Belle stood up tall with a proud hoof over her chest. "Well... that I can easily control."
"You?" Apple Bloom stared. "Seriously?"
"I'll perform a magic spell with my horn to make some stuff come to life so that we'll look like we're being attacked!"
"Uhhhh..." Scootaloo grimaced. "Sweetie Belle, didn't you just now get out of being grounded for a super-duper-long time over doing something a lot like this?"
"Uh huh!"
"Oh, good." Scootaloo smirked. "Well, as long as we're on the same page."
"Mmmmm..." Apple Bloom squirmed. "I dunno 'bout this plan..."
"Come on, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle wrapped a hoof around her, grinning. "Do you want your sister back or don't you?"
"Er... I-I do, but..."
"Then trust me! We're gonna scare her right out of that suit and into your arms!"
"That sounds mighty painful," Apple Bloom said. "Can we work it the other way around?"
"What, the suit-part or the arms-part?"
"The arms-part."
"Heh... believe you me!" Sweetie Belle winked. "By the end of the day, you'll be cradled in Applejack's loyal hooves again like the baby you secretly are inside!"
"Hmmmm..." Apple Bloom smiled, cheeks rosy. "Y'all are the best friends a filly could ever ask for!"
"Glad to be of service!"
"You forgot one thing, Einstallion," Scootaloo said, glaring. "What if your sister catches you doing forbidden magic again?"
"Pfft! Rarity won't even come close to catching me!"
"How do you know that?"
"Because... she's headed to Sweet Apple Acres this afternoon to... uh..." Her pale face scrunched. "...something about 'wowing Applejack with brand new work duds.'"
"Are y'all serious?!" Apple Bloom winced. "Doesn't Rarity know by now that fashion won't possibly win over Applejack?!"
"Pfft! What?! Are you calling my big sister an idiot or something?!"