"Girls, don't panic." Sweetie warned, still in the arms of Needles.
"Don't panic? Don't PANIC?!" Scootaloo shouted "Something just appears out of nowhere and grabs you, and we're not supposed to PANIC?!?"
She felt Needles shift, and the tall biped suddenly stomped, the combined force of her foot plus the weight of her armor made all the more noise in order to be heard over the two screaming fillies. Both of them stopped, now cowering in her presence.
"Needles, can you please set me down?" Sweetie asked.
The Big Sister complied, setting the small unicorn on the floor of the clubhouse.
"I...uh...wha...?" Scootaloo stated, dumbfounded.
"Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, this is Ms. Needles." the diminutive unicorn said, motioning up to the Big Sister, whom was watching the exchange with interest.
"So...this is why y'all couldn't come crusadin' with us?" Applebloom asked.
"Y-Yeah...I had to...uh...keep Needles a secret for a little while..."
"Why?" Scootaloo asked "I bet Diamond and Silver Spoon wouldn't mess with us with her around."
"Twilight and the others think Needles isn't from around here, they're trying to find her a way home." she half-lied, hoping her friends wouldn't catch on.
"Well, she uh...looks pretty awesome..." Scootaloo admitted, somewhat sheepishly.
Needles groaned in response, kneeling down to the fillies' levels.
Scootaloo went rigid as Needles ran her hand through her purple mane, forcing the small pegasus to blush.
"I think she likes you!" Sweetie Belle chimed, watching her three friends get along.
"Ah don't know...she still looks kinda dangerous..." Apple Bloom said hesitantly, staying back from the biped as she watched the exchange between the biped and Scootaloo.
"She's pretty harmless," Sweetie said "but uh...she doesn't really like new ponies all that well..."
The almost-unfortunate incident between Rarity and Needles surfaced in her mind, making her shudder just the tiniest bit.
"She seems to've taken a might fine liking to Scootaloo." Apple Bloom pointed out.
"She likes foals, I think, she's not really hesitant around me and Rarity."
"You and your sister...?" Scootaloo asked as Needles stood, moving on to Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom's fight-or-flight instincts kicked in, and she immediately bolted out of the treehouse, running as fast as her little legs could carry her.
Needles disappeared from the clubhouse, and rematerialized in front of Apple Bloom, forcing the red-maned filly to skid into the protective armor strapped to Neddles' shins.
"Um...hehe..." Apple Bloom chuckled nervously.
Needles scooped up Apple Bloom, forcing the filly to shriek in surprise. The filly was then subjected to a fierce tickling, a gloved finger furiously digging into the filly's belly. Apple Bloom responded by giggling and laughing furiously as Needles held her.
"Aww, they're getting along!" Sweetie Belle cooed