The Sisterverse Social

by brokenimage321

Chapter 7

“Miss,” said a voice.

Flyby looked up, into the face of the big, red stallion, and smiled.

“Big Mac, right?” she said.

He nodded. “Yes’m,” he said, through clenched teeth.

The eight of them were huddled in the living room of the Apple’s farmhouse. After fishing everypony out of the river, Granny Smith had insisted on pushing all seven of the sisters into the tiny Apple farmhouse. As the Apples scrounge up enough towels and blankets for each of the dripping-wet ponies, the town doctor had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. He checked them over, gave them a clean bill of health, ordered them to dry off and get something warm to drink, and to come by his office if any of them got the chills or a cough. Almost before the door swung shut behind him, Granny Smith had a pot of mulled cider on the old cast-iron stove. And Big Mac, who, apparently, was quite the gentlestallion, was now serving each of the still-damp fillies from a tray filled with mugs of warm cider he held in his teeth.

Flyby reached up and took two of the mugs.

“Thanks,” she said, passing one to Rainbow Dash who sat huddled with her in the blanket. Rainbow took the mug, nodded her own thanks, then took a long draw. When she had finished, she lowered the mug with a quiet moan of pleasure.

Big Mac gave a little nod to the two of them, making the mugs on his tray rattle, then turned and walked towards the next group of ponies—Twilight, Radiance, and Serenade, if Flyby remembered correctly. Both Rainbow and Flyby watched him go and offer them some cider, too. After a moment, Flyby gently elbowed Rainbow in the side, who turned and looked at her. Both sisters locked gazes for a moment, then giggled to themselves.

Flyby looked around the room and smiled happily. Thought it had only been an hour, tops, since all the excitement, everyone was starting to feel like an old friend already. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the cider, or maybe it was Pinks’s almost infectious glee—but things were different now. Both Flyby and Rainbow could feel it. And it made Flyby, at least, happier than she had been in a long, long time.

Radiance was next to take a mug from Big Mac. She lifted two from the tray and passed one to Serenade. She hesitated, stared at the other mug for a moment, then passed it wordlessly to Twilight, who looked up in surprise. Radiance grabbed a third mug from the tray, murmured a “Thank you” to Big Mac, and took a sip.

Serenade took a long drink, let out a little burp, then snuggled contentedly between her sisters. Though Serenade herself had been soaked, almost literally, to the bone, neither of her sisters had gotten particularly wet; even so, Granny Smith had ushered the three of them into the living room almost before they could protest. But, for some reason, she’d kept their parents away—”Run along now, th’ filly’s gotta get all warmed up, ain’t no good fussin’ at her like a bunch a’ old hens”—so, for better or worse, the room was full of just the sisters. And Big Mac, of course, but he was almost on his way out. Though, truth be told—Radiance shot a sidelong glance at Big Mac’s backside—she wouldn’t mind all that much if he stayed a little longer...

Radiance shook her head, then looked back down at her cup.

The three sisters drank in silence for a few moments, before Radiance cleared her throat.

“So,” she said, “I’ve heard that Stephanie Marchador is working on a new series.”

Twilight looked up, and Radiance grinned.

“Some rot about werewolves or something equally dreadful,” she said. “But I hear that the protagonist has some fun adventures…” her eyes twinkled. “And that she finds herself a very nice coltfriend, too.”

Twilight smiled a little, then chuckled. “You’ll have to tell me how it is,” she said.

“Actually…” Radiance said, reaching over and pulling Twilight a little closer, “I was thinking we could read it together.”

Between them, Serenade squawked indignantly. “You’re smushing me!” she cried.

Radiance and Twilight sprang apart, and both looked down. Serenade, her mane still matted and dripping, glared up at them.

After a split second, Radiance snorted, and all three of them burst into laughter at once. Radiance scooted closer to Serenade, and Twilight joined her.

After a few moments of quiet, Twilight looked up at Radiance and sighed. “You’re gonna make a good cop, someday,” she said.

Radiance looked down at her in surprise, but Twilight had already turned back to her cider. Radiance swallowed once or twice, then dabbed at her eyes.

“Thanks, Twiley,” she said simply. And Twilight smiled.

Applejack was halfway through her mug of cider when Pinks thumped her on the back. Applejack choked, then set down her cider, coughing.

“So,” Pinks said brightly, “How’d I do?”

Applejack coughed once or twice more, then glared at her little sister. Her mane was still wet, and hung straight and low around her face, but she had one of her signature grins plastered across her face. Applejack watched her for a second, then shook her head and sagged a little.

“You did a darn fool thing back there,” she said.

Pinks wilted just the slightest bit.

“But, at the same time,” Applejack continued, “it was pretty darn noble, too.”

Pinks hesitated, then grinned again, even wider. And, with the sort of timing that only Pinks could muster, one strand of her still-damp mane popped back up into its natural curl.

Applejack eyed her mane, then smiled. “Just warn somepony next time, will ya?” she asked.

“No promises, Big Sis,” said Pinks, beaming.

Applejack rolled her eyes, but leaned over and pulled her sister in for a hug.

“Love ya, Pinks,” Applejack murmured.

Pinks put her arms around Applejack and squeezed. Applejack grunted—felt like Pinks had almost cracked a rib with that grip of hers—but Pinks just buried her face in her sister’s coat.

“Love you, too,” she said.

For just a moment, Applejack thought she had started to cry—but, just before she could ask what was wrong, Pinks looked up, with a broad smile on her face.

Pinks peeled herself away from her sister, then looked around the room at all the ponies huddled together—and smiled. Her grin, almost literally, lit up the room.

“This has been so fun, gals!” she cried. “Y’all should come back next month!”

Radiance looked up, alarmed. “What’s next month?” she asked.

Pinks’s already-impossible smile somehow grew even wider.

“The Summer Sun Celebration, silly!” she said. “Gonna be a special one, too—s’posed to be the thousandth one ever!”

Applejack chuckled. “Pinks here has been asked to help plan it,” she said. “And, if y’ain’t never been to one of Pinks’s parties…” she let out a low whistle. “Y’all are gonna be in for a mighty fine time.”

Pinks blushed a little, but kept beaming.

Radiance looked down at Twilight and Serenade. Twilight smiled, then turned to Pinks. “Sounds fun,” she said. “Count us in.”

Pinks squealed and bounced in her seat. She turned to look at Flyby and Rainbow, and everyone followed her gaze.

Rainbow looked at Flyby, then nudged her in the side. “What do you say?” she said. “Haven’t been to the Celebration since it was in Cloudsdale…”

Flyby turned back to look at the room. Under the weight of their stares, she shrank a little—but she swallowed, and put on a wavering smile.

“Sure,” she said. “As long as all of us can meet up for lunch or something afterwards…”

Pinks squealed again, then leapt to her hooves. “Yee-haw!” she cried. “We’re gonna have the best Celebration this side a’ Canterlot! You just wait, I’ll show ya! There’s gonna be pie, an’ apple bobbin’, an’…”

As she prattled on, Radiance shook her head fondly. She stood, then walked over beside Applejack and sat. Applejack nodded a greeting, but turned back to watch Pinks, now gesturing wildly.

After a moment, Radiance cleared her throat. “Is she always like this?” she asked.

Applejack chuckled. “Mostly,” she admitted. “Sometimes she’s exhaustin’. But, even so, Celestia…” she shook her head. “Love her to death anyways.” She smiled. “She’s family. Ya gotta.”

Radiance smiled, then looked over to Twilight. Little Twiley was listening to Pinks with rapt attention, her eyes gleaming with the vision that Pinks was laying before her. Beside her sat Flyby and Rainbow, both leaning on each other. Each was only half-listening—but both knew that, after they got home, they could compare notes to make up for what they missed.

Radiance shook her head. “Yeah,” she said, with a little sniffle, “Yeah, you do.”

Comments

[Frustration in Excelsis]

“I’ve heard that Stephanie Marchadoris working on a new series.”

There should be a possessive after "Marchadoris".

Little Twiley was listening to Pinks with raptattention

[raven618]

The stage is set...

[DavisSentoV5]

Awww, what a sweet ending! I wish this was longer cuz this is too adorable to end!

[Comickook]

Again, simply wonderful work on this second-to-last chapter. The exchanges, characterizations and future adventure set-up are all well done in all the right places. I especially loved the little bonding scenes.

And, now, I'm on to the final chapter.

[Frankie2]

“This has been so fun, gals!” she cried. “Y’all should come back next month!”

Radiance looked up, alarmed. “What’s next month?” she asked.

Pinks’s already-impossible smile somehow grew even wider.

“The Summer Sun Celebration, silly!” she said. “Gonna be a special one, too—s’posed to be the thousandth one ever!”

I think this answers when in the series this takes place.

[Ice Star]

Darn, I feel like this is drawing to a close too soon!