Through the Looking Glass and into Wonderland

by Babroniedad

07 - The Apple Festival Part 1

Warning:
This chapter contains a description of childhood trauma of a sexual nature for one of the girls. While not explict and inadvertent, it can still be triggering.

The girls continued to work hard, applying themselves to their studies and supporting each other. Aiko and Sunset took turns tutoring Orange to help her keep up, with Shimmer studying with them. Together the sisters advanced to the head of the class, mastering every lesson often even before it was taught. Cadance was very proud of the girls.

Their parents and guardians were quite proud as well. They had agreed as long as the girls kept up their grades and deportment, they could continue to have their weekly sleepovers and hang out together. It was an agreeable arrangement all around.

“Hey, girls, have you ever been to the Apple Festival?” asked Orange as they studied together after school in the library. “My cousins usually host it on their apple farm outside of town, and it’s a lot of fun. Would you want to go??”

“I’ve never even heard of it,” answered Shimmer. “It sounds like fun.”

“Me neither, but I would love to go,” agreed Aiko. Sunset nodded without looking up from her math homework.

Aiko bumped her elbow. She looked up, then looked around and smiled. “Yeah, me neither. But I would love to go too!” she clarified. She smiled again at her sisters then returned to her homework.

“So when is it?” asked Shimmer.

“It’s this weekend. I can ask my cousins if we can stay with them for the festival so we don’t miss anything. We could just have our sleepover there. And you’ll all love Jacqueline. She’s very down to earth. Her parents are farmers, they grow apples and some other fruits and vegetables. But mostly apples. That’s their family name actually,” added Orange.

“Let’s do it then. It sounds like fun, and I’d love to meet your cousin,” agreed Aiko. “You know, I remember where I came from. Growing up we had cherry blossom festivals when the cherry trees blossomed. I could dress up like I was going to that,” she smirked.

“Do it,” agreed Shimmer. “I’d love to see you in the clothes from where you grew up.”

“You know,” snarked Sunset without looking up. “I’m pretty sure we didn’t wear clothes most of the time.”

“What?” gasped Orange. “That’s not possible. Everyone wears clothes!”

“Not everypony.” Sunset reminded her.

“Oh,” nodded Orange. “Huh.”

Aiko smirked. “And just for that, you have to wear traditional festival attire too!”

“Ponies don’t have traditional festival attire,” smirked Sunset back.

“You have to wear my traditional festival attire,” clarified Aiko.

Sunset grinned. “Whatever.”

Orange smiled in excitement. “Then I want to wear it too!”

“Of course you do,” Aiko smirked, looking at Sunset. “Anyone else?”

“What the heck, I’m in,” agreed Shimmer.

“Okay then. We will definitely stand out at the festival,” laughed Aiko.

Orange told them more about the festival while they studied.

---

When they got home they discussed their plans with their parents. A conference call later it was agreed they could go. The girls would all be getting new kimonos for the festival and Orange’s mom would coordinate with the Apples to set up the sleepover.

Wednesday after school the girls all went with Sunset and Aiko in their limo to be fitted for their kimonos. Mrs. Orange had arranged a fitting for them at a fashionable boutique in downtown Canterlot.

They arrived at a little store with the sign Fashion For You over the storefront, with several formal dresses displayed in the window. As the girls entered the bell over the door tinkled announcing their entrance.

A well-dressed young woman approached them, smiling. “You must be Miss Orange and friends. Come! Welcome to Fashion For You! We specialize in unique and refined fashion, including exotic and cultural attire. I understand you are looking for Kimonos?” she greeted.

“That’s correct,” smiled Aiko. “My name is Aiko, and my sisters and I would like to wear our kimonos this weekend to the apple festival.”

“How daring! Of course,” smiled the woman. “Follow me, please. We’ll get started right away.” She led them through the store, passing through the doors in the back. She led them down a hallway, past a break room where two girls dressed similarly to the associate were taking their break. They smiled at the girls as they passed.

Past the break room, she led them into a large room, tastefully decorated. There were several couches and plush chairs around the room with small end tables next to each one. In the center of the room was a small stage.

Setting the girls down on two of the couches, she left, promising to return with some light refreshments for them while they waited.

Sitting next to Aiko, Shimmer looked over the room. “I wonder what light refreshments are?” she said out loud.

Aiko laughed. “Probably small snacks that won’t make a mess,” she mused, bumping her friend. “I can’t imagine they would want a huge mess to clean up.”

“Good point,” Shimmer agreed.

Orange turned to Sunset, holding onto her arm. “Wow, this place is really fancy,” she said, taking in the room around them. “I’ve never been to a place like this. We usually just go to the department store and buy stuff off the racks.”

Taking her friend's hand, Sunset smiled. “Yeah, but you can’t do that for kimonos. Not many places even sell them. And, they have to fit right, or they just look silly, like you’re wearing a costume.”

“Aren’t we?” asked Orange.

“No. We are definitely not in costumes. We are going as ourselves, and celebrating Aiko’s heritage with her. We are going as sisters, proud of who we are,” Sunset answered with a smile.

“Darn straight!” called out Aiko from her couch with a laugh. “We are bringing a touch of my homeland’s Cherry Blossom Festivals to the Apple’s Apple Festival. We are ambassadors.”

“Ambassadors? What’s that?” asked Orange.

“We are representing Aiko’s family and heritage to the people at the apple festival,” Sunset replied.

“Oh, okay,” smiled Orange.

“That’s right! We will represent!” called out Aiko. She threw her arms up pointing randomly into the air, nodding her head with her eyes closed.

Orange looked over at her confused. “What’s she doing?” she whispered to Sunset.

Sunset shook her head with a smirk. “I have no idea,” she laughed. Shimmer just grinned and shook her head too.

“What?” said Aiko, opening her eyes, hands still in the air. “I’m representing! I saw this on MyStable.” She closed her eyes and went back to nodding her head with a grin.

“Yup. Representing class clown, sis. You still have it,” teased Sunset.

“You know it!” grinned Aiko. She shook her hands one more time, then shot finger guns at her friends, getting them to laugh.

“You are such a clown,” grinned Sunset.

“Takes one to know one,” Aiko grinned back.

The young woman returned with a cart holding their refreshments. It turned out refreshments meant scones, tea cakes, and tea with cream and sugar.

“Nailed it,” called out Aiko, still grinning, as she saw the cart enter. Sunset smiled, rolling her eyes.

The young woman poured the tea into fine china tea cups. “How do you like your tea, ladies? Cream and sugar?” she asked.

The girls all nodded, so she spooned two measures of sugar, then poured a dollop of creamer into each of their teas, stirring the tea with a spoon and then setting the spoon back on the tray. She then set the teacups down next to the girls on the end tables.

“Would you like something to nibble on as well?” she asked them. They nodded. Sunset selected a scone, adding some jelly, while Orange went with a plain croissant. Aiko picked out a decadent-looking Danish while Shimmer went with one of the tea cakes.

Snacks settled, the young woman sat down before them. “We’ll need to take your measurements first. Each of your dresses will be fitted to you uniquely. After that, we will wait for a bit, then you’ll each try on your dresses while we check the fit. You will get a chance to move around in them and get comfortable, then we will pack them up for you to take with you for your outing. Enjoy your refreshments then we will get started.”

The girls ate their snacks, giggling among themselves. When they were finished, the young woman snapped her fingers and an assistant entered. Together they measured each of the girls.

Orange blushed and giggled as the assistant measured her bust.

“Chest out and proud, dear. We can’t get a good measure unless you stand straight. You’re a beautiful young woman. Stand tall and proud, dear,” the assistant assured her, causing Orange to blush even brighter. She did stand tall though, allowing the woman to finish the measurement.

“First time getting fitted?” laughed Aiko. Orange nodded, still beat red.

“Don’t worry, that was nothing. Just wait until they measure your inseam,” smirked Aiko as she was measured herself, standing tall with her chest flaunted.

“What?!” asked Orange in mild alarm. Sunset scowled at her sister, making her laugh.

Orange felt a hand moving up her inner thigh to her underclothes. She gasped out, dropping to the floor with her hands guarding her lap.

“What are you doing?” she gasped looking at the associate in shock. Sunset rolled her eyes as she was similarly measured.

Aiko laughed out loud as she was measured as well. “Warned you,” she guffawed.

The associate finished taking Sunset’s measures, around her backside, shoulders and back, then Sunset helped her friend back to her feet.

“Why did you touch me there?” Orange asked the associate in confusion.

“I’m just taking the measurements needed for your dress. Yes, some of them can seem a little uncomfortable. But we need the correct measures to be certain your dress fits appropriately,” the associate responded, attempting the measure again. Orange held still this time, still blushing profusely.

“This isn’t so bad. Where I had this done before, we had to take off all your clothes while they did the measurements,” assured Sunset.

“Oh no! No no no no no…” gasped Orange, starting to fold back into herself.

The associate looked at Sunset crossly, then turned back to Orange. “Don’t worry dear, we don’t do that here. We respect our client’s privacy. This is as invasive as it gets,” she promised, reassuring Orange. She finished with the measures, putting the tape away and jotting down her notes.

“Okay! Just give us a few minutes, and we’ll have your dresses out for you to try. Does anyone need more tea or another snack before I leave?” the associate asked.

The girls all nodded, so she refreshed their tea adding more cream and sugar while they each picked out another treat. Once they were settled, she rolled the refreshment cart to the side of the room and left with her assistant. The girls nibbled on their snacks.

“So, what was that all about Orange? You seemed awfully skittish about being measured,” asked Aiko from her seat. Shimmer nodded as well.

“I just was shocked that she was touching me there was all,” blushed Orange.

“You seemed shocked every time she touched you,” Aiko added.

“I’m not used to being touched, that’s all,” Orange deflected.

“Not at all?” asked Aiko.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Orange mumbled. “Can we talk about something else please?”

“Sure Orange, we can change the subject,” Sunset assured her. She looked over at Aiko, who raised an eyebrow. Sunset shrugged. Aiko nodded.

“So, want to hear about the festivals where I come from?” asked Aiko. Orange nodded, so Aiko launched into a story about her first cherry blossom festival that she attended with her uncle. Sunset, Shimmer and Orange listened raptly while they sipped their tea.

About forty minutes later the associate and her assistant returned with a rack between them holding the four girls' kimonos. They were stunning.

Aiko wrapped up her latest story about her and Sunset’s first time at a festival together as they took the dresses off the rack and brought them over to the girls.

“Do you girls need to use the rooms?” asked the associate.

“We’re fine,” replied Sunset, slipping out of her school clothes. “We have sleepovers all the time.”

Orange followed her friend's lead, flushing the color of her name. They folded their clothes and placed their outfits on the sofa as the associate helped them into their kimonos.

Aiko and Shimmer were already undressed as well, ready for their turn. Once all the ties and sashes were in place on Sunset and Orange, the associate and her assistant helped Aiko and Shimmer into their kimonos. All dressed, the girls stood next to each other.

“Wow, this fits fantastic,’ noted Sunset. “I thought it was going to be all stiff and hard to move in like a formal gown or something. This is way easier to move in.

The girls all started dancing and hopping around, acting like a bunch of silly ballerinas. The associate just crossed her arms, put her hand over her face, and sighed.

A few deep cleansing breaths later, she removed her hand and smiled. “Okay, girls! That’s enough for now. We aren’t done yet. We need to try on the shoes.”

Sunset turned, noticing the four boxes at the bottom of the rack. “There are shoes too!? Awesome!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, they come with footwear. Sit down please, and we’ll help you put them on,” continued the associate.

“How hard is it to put shoes on?” asked Aiko as she sat down.

“I guess we will find out,” grinned Shimmer, plopping down next to her.

Sunset and Orange sat back down on the couch, careful not to knock over their clothes.

The associate brought the boxes over to the girls. Opening them up, they saw oddly toed stockings and wooden sandals, raised up on two wooden strips.

“Whoa! Wooden sandals!” gushed Shimmer in wonder.

“Right!? How awesome is that?” agreed Sunset. “So those are completely made out of wood?”

“Except for the straps to hold them on your feet, yes,” agreed the associate as she helped Sunset into the stalkings. They fit over her toes so her big toe was in one part, and the rest of her toes in the other.

“Well, and the rubber backing we added to the bottom to give them some grip. There are some improvements to the original design,” she amended with a smile. “Safety first.”

Sandals strapped on, Sunset stood up, clomping across the floor noisily. “This is so cool!” She hopped up and down a few times. Finished, Orange joined her, hopping up and down as they held hands. The associate rolled her eyes and helped her assistant finish with Aiko and Shimmer. Once their sandals were on, all four girls laughed and hopped in place, clunking loudly in the back room.

Again, the associate crossed her arms and held her face in her hand, sighing.

After several minutes the associate composed herself, then gathered the girls back over to the couch.

“Okay ladies, it’s clear the kimonos fit well and you have figured out how to move around in them. You’re supposed to walk sedately in them with your hands clasped before you over your hips and head bowed,” she supplied.

“That’s true,” nodded Aiko. “And smile, but demurely. Like this,” she bowed her head with a smirk.

“I don’t think you know what demure means,” grinned Sunset.

“Whatever,” laughed Aiko, sitting back down and taking her sandals and stockings off. The assistant helped Shimmer, while the associate helped Orange and Sunset. The sandals and stockings were boxed back up with the girls' names written on each box, while the kimonos were taken and hung back on the rack as the girls scrambled back into their school uniforms, Orange once again glowing in her namesake color in embarrassment.

Once they were dressed, the associate led them back out to the shop then to their waiting limo. Several boutique customers watched the girls parade as they passed through the store grinning with their dresses in tow.

The limo driver helped them into the car, then carefully laid out the dresses and boxes of sandals in the limo trunk. Thanking the associate, he entered his seat as they returned to the store.

“So girls, drop you off next?” he turned to them asking.

“Yes, please,” answered Sunset. Nodding, he pulled out into traffic as the girls happily chatted.

“I can't wait to show my parents! They are going to flip!” gushed Shimmer.

“Do you remember how to fasten the ties and sashes?” asked Aiko. “You were paying attention, right?”

Shimmer rolled her eyes and smacked her friend's arm. “Yes, I was paying attention, mom. I got this.”

“Okay, call me if you get confused,” replied Aiko.

Orange smiled brightly holding Sunset’s hand. “I am showing mine off to my mom. She’ll love it!” she smiled.

“I’m sure she will, Orange,” replied Sunset, squeezing her friend's hand.

“So should we wear ours over to the mission?” grinned Aiko.

“I think probably not. Serving food we would probably make a mess of them. We should probably try to keep them clean at least before we wear them at the festival,” Sunset replied.

“Ah. Yeah, good point. So when will we get to show them off to Father John and Sister Mary? They really need to see us in them,” Aiko asked.

“We should invite them over after dinner tomorrow. We can show them off then before we go to bed,” suggested Sunset.

“Okay, that would work,” agreed Aiko.

They arrived at Orange’s apartment. The driver opened the door for her, taking her hand to help her out. They went around to the back of the limo, where he opened the trunk.

Mrs Orange stepped out of the apartment and joined them by the trunk. The driver carefully handed her the dress, which she draped over her arms. The box with the sandals he handed to Orange.

“Thank you, sir,” she called out smiling. Her mom grinned happily at her, and together they returned to the apartment, smiling at the girls waving at them from the limo door. The driver smiled at the girls as he shut their door, then returned to his seat to drop off Miss Shimmer next

The girls giggled in the back as he drove, Aiko entertaining everyone with more tales of her and Sunset getting into mischief. They pulled up to the Shimmer residence to find Mr. and Mrs. Shimmer waiting outside.

“I texted them I was almost here,” smiled Shimmer as she scooted towards the door to get out. The driver opened the door for her, taking her hand as well as he led her around to the back of the limo and opened the trunk. Mrs. Shimmer took her dress as well, also draping it over her arms, and Mr. Shimmer took the box with the sandals. Dancing between them, Shimmer waved to her friends as she skipped between them back to the house, the girls behind her giggling happily at her enthusiasm.

Sunset turned to Aiko. “So, how do you remember so much about what we did and the Cherry Blossom Festivals? I don’t recall any of that. I can still barely even remember our sisters from back in the castle. Did you get your memories back?” she asked.

Aiko gave her a sheepish look. “No, not exactly. I do remember that I went to a Cherry Festival with my uncle when I was a little cub. I can barely remember his face and nothing at all about what we did. Like you said, I can barely remember our time in the castle and our sisters. I mean, some things come back sometimes, like remembering that with my uncle, but no, I don’t remember the rest of it,” Aiko admitted.

“So, how did you remember all those cool stories about what we did? And how do you know so much about Cherry Blossom Festivals and how to wear a Kimono?” asked Sunset.

Aiko grinned. “I looked it all up after we agreed that was what we were going to do. I figured everyone would ask me about it and I didn’t want to look stupid,” she laughed.

“And the stories? All our adventures together?” Sunset asked.

“I made them up. I don’t remember any of them. But I bet they were super awesome and we were brave and rescued lots of people from danger!” admitted Aiko.

“You brat!” laughed Sunset. “I thought you remembered and we really did all that cool stuff!”

“Maybe we did?” laughed Aiko with her. “You never know! Whatever we did together, I’m sure it rocked.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” laughed Sunset back, giving her sister a hug. She punched her arm lightly. “And you’re still a brat!”

Aiko laughed and hugged her back.

The driver pulled into the covered roundabout. He got out and opened the door for them, holding out his hand. Smirking, Aiko gave him five, slapping her hand down on his. “My man! Thank you for driving us!” she laughed, getting out of the car.

The driver grinned and rolled his eyes. Sunset laughed as they exited, taking his hand in hers. “Thanks!” she grinned.

The driver led them to the trunk, waving over a valet. The valet brought a cart, and the driver carefully pulled the dresses out and hung them on the cart, then placed the boxes with their wooden sandals on the cart under them.

Shutting the trunk, he bowed to the girls. “Always a pleasure, Miss Sunset, Miss Aiko,” he smiled, tipping his hat.

Sunset and Aiko bowed back, grinning. “The pleasure was all ours, sir!” Sunset laughed.

“If you say so!” the driver replied, still laughing. He got into the driver's seat waving back at the girls, then drove off.

The valet followed the girls into the foyer and over to the elevators, then up and into their condominium. Fae joined them, taking the dresses and carefully hanging them in the hall closet, placing the boxes with the sandals on the top shelf. She thanked and dismissed the valet while the girls went to wash up.

They joined Fae in the small kitchen where she was preparing their dinner. “Can we help?” asked Sunset, watching her peeling potatoes.

“Sure. Did you both wash your hands with soap?” Fae asked. The girls nodded. “Okay, pull over a chair and step up here. You can help me peel the potatoes.”

The girls quickly pulled one of the dining room chairs over next to the sink, climbing up next to Fae.

“Okay, Aiko, you are in charge of putting the potatoes in the pot when we are done. And Sunset, you get to wash them then hand them to me to peel,” directed Fae. She handed the potato she had just finished to Aiko. “Okay put this one in the water in the pot. Be careful, they are slippery.”

While Aiko held the potato in both hands and dropped it into the pot, Sunset grabbed another potato off the counter and started scrubbing it with the brush lying in the sink. Fae smiled. “Good work girls.”

Together they filled the pot with the potatoes on the counter. Fae turned on the burner under the pot. “That will take a while. Let’s check on the casserole,” Fae said.

She opened the oven, and the blast of heat was felt by all the girls as the oven door opened. She placed a meat thermometer in the casserole, waiting until the reading appeared. “Not quite ready yet. A few more minutes I think,” mused Fae. She closed the oven door.

Fae smiled. “Well, now we just have to wait for the potatoes and casserole to finish cooking. That gives up a good twenty minutes to do something else. What do you girls want to do?”

“Oh! I have to invite Father and Sister over for dinner tomorrow. We want to show them the dresses!” said Sunset.

“Why don’t you just wear them over to the mission, then everyone can see them,” suggested Fae.

“If we do that, our dresses will get all messy when we serve the food. And especially when we clean up all the dishes,” replied Aiko.

“I don’t think they will get too dirty serving the food. But you are right about the cleanup. We can bring other outfits for you to change into for the cleanup. And then all the regulars can see your outfits too,” answered Fae.

“But why can’t we just have Father and Sister over here for dinner?” asked Aiko.

“We could probably invite one of them, but not for dinner. They wouldn’t be able to both come. One of them has to be there to run the mission. But if you go over there, they can both see you,” suggested Fae.

“Ugh. I forgot about that. That’s true. I guess if we don’t get dirty serving the food, we could do that,” agreed Sunset.

“Okay, I would kind of like to show all the regulars our dresses too,” nodded Aiko.

“Then it’s settled. Let’s call them and let them know,” smiled Fae.

“On it!” called out Sunset, racing back to her room to get her cell phone. She ran back out, the call already ringing on speaker.

“Hi Sunset! What’s up, little one?” said Sister Mary through the speaker.

“Hi Sister Mary! We wanted to wear our new kimonos for dinner tomorrow. Can we come to dinner wearing them and then change afterwards for clean up? That way you and Father John can see them before we go to the festival,” asked Sunset.

“And then the regulars can see them too!” added Aiko.

“That sounds wonderful, girls,” agreed Sister Mary. “I’m sure everyone will be thrilled to see them.”

“Thank you Sister!” the girls called out happily.

“So how was the fitting?” asked Sister Mary. “Did you girls have fun?”

“We sure did! We got to bounce around in wooden shoes!” called out Sunset.

“And eat cake and pastries!” added Aiko.

“And dress up really pretty and dance around!” giggled Sunset.

“So how many of those pastries did you eat?” laughed Sister Mary.

“From the sound of it, quite a few,” snarked Fae.

“If dancing and bouncing were the highlights of the evening, I would say so,” agreed Sister, laughing as well.

“And Orange got super embarrassed and curled up in a ball,” added Aiko.

“I don’t think she would want us to talk about that,” said Sunset.

“But it’s Fae and Sister Mary. They are good protectors too. We should tell them,” argued Aiko.

“Tell us what?” asked Fae, suddenly quite serious.

“It’s not our secret. We can’t say,” said Sunset.

“It’s not anyone’s secret. We don’t even know. We just think something,” argued Aiko.

“Girls, what are you talking about?” Sister Mary asked, also serious.

Sunset sighed. “Orange is my friend. She is a sister. I don’t want to make her feel bad by talking about her when she isn’t here.”

“Sunset, if there is something going on, it’s better if we know so we can help,” replied Sister.

Sunset looked at Aiko and sighed. She nodded.

“When Orange was getting measured, the girl almost touched her private parts. That’s why Orange curled up in a ball. She said she didn’t like being touched,” said Aiko.

“That’s normal. No one wants to be touched there. That’s why they are called privates,” explained Fae.

“Yeah, but that was not normal,” said Sunset. “Normal is pulling away, or smacking someone’s hand and looking very cross.”

“But Orange looked panicked and curled up with her hands blocking her privates. That was a really big reaction to a girl accidentally touching you,” added Aiko.

Sunset looked at Aiko. Aiko looked back, eyebrow going up. Sunset scrunched up her face, then nodded.

“We think she may have been hurt. We are afraid maybe someone like the pervert man that tried to hurt us hurt her,” said Aiko.

“Is that true, Sunset? Is that what you both think?” asked Sister.

Sunset nodded sadly. “Yes, Sister.”

“Then I need to speak with Orange and her mother,” said Sister.

“She’s going to be so mad at us,” said Aiko sadly.

“But sisters look out for sisters. We have to do this,” Sunset added.

“I will call her mother. Thank you for telling me this,” Sister said. “I will see you both tomorrow. Goodnight girls. I love you both.” She hung up the phone.

“Should we call Orange?” asked Sunset.

“I think we should,” agreed Aiko.

“Let’s do it together,” suggested Fae. “I can help. Have a seat at the table and we’ll call her now.”

The girls sat down on either side of Fae as she took Sunset’s phone and dialed Orange. It went straight to voicemail.

“Hi Orange! It’s Fae and the girls, we just wanted to talk with you. Call Sunset back, okay?” Fae said, then hung up.

“It’s busy? Why’s it busy?” asked Aiko.

“Sister probably called her mom on the cell phone. She’s probably talking to her now,” said Fae. “I wouldn’t worry. I’m sure she’ll call back.”

The girls waited at the table quietly, all their earlier chatter gone now in concern for their friend.

“I hope she isn’t mad at us,” moaned Sunset.

The timer went off on the stove, so Fae got up to finish the dinner. Aiko wandered over to help with the potatoes while Sunset moped at the table, concerned for her friend.

While Fae and Aiko were finishing up dinner, Sunset’s phone rang. She grabbed it quickly and answered. “Hello?” she asked tentatively.

There was crying on the other end of the line.

“Orange is that you?” asked Sunset in a small voice.

The crying stopped. A small voice answered. “Why did you tell? I said I didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Orange, you were so sad and scared. I don’t want you to be sad and scared. I love you! You are my sister. You are my friend. Please don’t be mad, please?” begged Sunset, tears in her eyes.

“I didn’t want to talk about it, or think about it, or anything. Now I can’t stop thinking about it,” Orange sniffled.

“You don’t have to hide anymore, Orange. We want to help you, all of us. Aiko and I, and Fae, and Sister and Father. We all love you and want to help. You can talk about it. We will love you no matter what, I promise,” assured Sunset.

“Are you sure?” asked Orange in a very small voice.

Aiko and Fae had returned to the table and were listening. “Yes Orange, we’re sure,” answered Aiko. “You are our sister and we will never let you hurt alone. We love you.”

“And I love you too, Orange. Anything you need, I am here for you too,” promised Fae.

Orange cried again on the phone while the girls repeatedly assured her they loved her and were there for her. She stopped eventually. “So, will you be with me if I talk about it?” she asked hopefully.

“Sisters forever, Orange. If you want us with you, we will be there with you,” promised Sunset.

“Okay. I’ll ask my mom,” said Orange. “Mom..?” they heard in the background. There was muted conversation, then Orange returned, sniffling. “She said yes, I could have whomever I wanted come, as long as I agreed to talk about it and get it out in the open. Can I come over tomorrow and we can do it then?”

“Do you want to just do it today and get it over with?” asked Aiko.

“Can I? Yeah, I would rather do that if that is okay. I don’t think I am going to get much sleep tonight waiting,” agreed Orange.

“Go ask your mom. If she says yes, we can call Sister and see if she will do it tonight,” suggested Sunset.

“Okay. I’ll call you back,” agreed Orange, hanging up.

Fae took the phone and dialed Sister Mary. “Hello Sunset. What’s up little one?” Sister Mary greeted.

“Hi, Sister Mary. It’s Fae, we’re all here at the kitchen table on speakerphone, Sunset, Aiko and I. We have a proposition for you if it’s okay,” answered Fae.

She laid out the girls' idea to have Orange over with her mom so she could say what she needed to tonight, and for Sister to be there to hear her story. They would all be with her and her mom for moral support if needed.

“I’ll have to clear it with Father John. Can we do it after dinner? I won’t be able to find anyone to take over for me on such short notice,” Sister Mary replied.

“I think so?” replied Fae. “I can do whatever you need. Do you need me to help, Sister?”

“You’re right where you belong, with our precious girls. We’ll figure out how to take care of stuff on our end, but thank you for the kind offer,” replied Sister. “I’ll call Mrs. Orange and work things out after I talk to Father. I’ll see you later, girls.” Sister Mary hung up the phone.

“Good thing I made the larger casserole,” smiled Fae. “I’ll go finish the potato salad. Girls, call Orange and invite her and her mother over for dinner. If they say yes, ask Ailene to send a car for them, okay?”

The girls nodded, and Sunset called Orange back to tell her what was happening and invite her and her mother over for dinner. Orange got her mom on the phone while Sunset and Aiko explained the plan, and invited them to come over now and join them for dinner.

“You could even sleep over if you wanted, both of you,” added Sunset.

“Are you sure? Where would I sleep?” asked Mrs. Orange.

“I’m sure Fae wouldn’t mind sharing her room with you,” said Sunset. “Please?”

“If Fae says it’s okay, then fine. Put her one please so I can talk to her,” replied Mrs. Orange.

Aiko scooped up the phone off the table and both girls ran to the kitchen holding the phone out to Fae. “She wants to talk to you,” they both called out.

Fae took the phone from Aiko, setting it on the counter. Still stirring the potato salad she replied to Mrs. Orange. “Mrs. Orange, this is Fae. Are you there?”

“Yes dear, I’m here. The girls have invited my Orange and I over for dinner, and to spend the night. Is that okay with you?” Mrs. Orange asked.

Fae looked surprised for a moment but just smiled. “That’s fine, Mrs. Orange. We would love to have you over for dinner, and to spend the night. You can sleep in my room with me. It’s a large enough bed. If you don’t mind sharing a bed?” she added.

“No dear, I don’t mind sharing a bed. Shared a bed for years, and he snored,” Mrs. Orange laughed. “Okay, when should we come over?”

“We’ll send a ride for you. It should be there in about ten minutes. Is that okay?” suggested Fae.

“That sounds fine, dear. We’ll go pack up for the night now,” answered Mrs. Orange.

“Mrs. Orange?” added Sunset.

“Yes, dear?” replied Mrs. Orange.

“Would you be interested in coming to the Apple's Apple Festival with us too after the sleepover?” invited Sunset.

“That sounds lovely, Sunset. No, I would not mind at all,” Mrs. Orange answered.

“Okay, thank you, Mrs. Orange!” Sunset replied. Mrs. Orange said goodbye and hung up the phone. Fae handed the phone back to Sunset.

“Okay, girls! Go make sure your room is straightened up so we have room for our guests. Dinner is almost ready,” directed Fae.

The girls ran off to make sure there was space for Orange in their room while Fae finished dinner.

Fae called out. “Ailene? You there?”

“Always, Miss Fae. What can I help with?” responded Ailene from the room around her.

“That’s kind of creepy hearing your voice come from all around me. I think if you want to come across as more… human, and not scary or weird, you should just pick a spot in front of whomever you’re talking to and only use that,” commented Fae.

“Noted. Is that better?” responded Ailene, her voice now just coming from in front of Ailene.

“Much better. Ailene, we invited Orange and her mother over to spend the night, and possibly longer if I know those three. Can you please send a car to her home address to pick them up now?” Fae directed.

“Of course, Miss Fae.” After a brief pause, she continued. “A driver is on his way now. He should be there in a little over five minutes,” Ailene answered.

“Awesome,” responded Fae, scooping the salad into a serving dish and putting the rest and the dish into the fridge to cool. “Do we need to order any extra supplies with them coming?”

“Already taken care of, thank you,” responded Ailene.

Fae left to clean up her room too, and wash up from making dinner. She joined the girls back at the table when she was done.

“Well, girls, ready for this? I’ve been through this a few times myself, it’s going to be difficult. But you’ll be there for your friend, and so will her mom, Sister Mary and I. She’ll get through this, and she’ll be in a better place afterwards because she won’t have to carry it around as a secret,” Fae told them.

“You’ve been through this before?” asked Aiko, surprised.

“It happens more often than you think. More than a few of the girls I worked with had their own stories, and it was good for them to get them out in the open,” Fae replied.

“Did you..” Sunset started.

“Yes. And no, we are not talking about it tonight. Maybe when you are both older. Much older,” Fae answered truthfully. “Tonight is not about me anyway. Tonight is about Orange, and being there for her as the sisters I know you are to her.”

Sunset and Aiko nodded, wide-eyed.

Ailene interrupted their conversation. “They’ve arrived. The valet is bringing them and their bags up now in the elevator. They will be here shortly,” she informed them. A few moments later, the door opened and they heard Ailene speak from the doorway.

“Come in, please. You can put your bags in the first bedroom. We can unpack and sort them later. The girls are waiting for you at the table,” she called out.

They waved at Orange and her Mom as they passed by into the hallway, Mrs. Orange’s eyes wide, taking in the condominium. She stopped cold seeing the half panoramic view from the living room.

“Come on, Mom, let’s put our stuff away so we can sit with them. Please?” said Orange, pulling on her mom’s arm.

Snapping out of her trance, Mrs. Orange smiled down at her daughter and took her hand, following the valet and her cart down the hall and into Fae’s bedroom. A moment later, they reappeared, thanking the valet as she left with the cart. They sat down with the girls at the dining room table.

Orange sat next to Sunset, her mother on her other side.

“Wow, really nice place you have here,” noted Mrs. Orange, still a bit overwhelmed.

“Yes, Father John’s brother bought it for us. He is really nice,” answered Aiko.

“I bet. Wow, I’ve never seen a place this fancy,” Mrs. Orange noted, looking around. “I don’t have to be careful not to break anything, do I?” she asked.

Fae laughed. “We have two six-year-old girls living here. It’s pretty indestructible. And if you do manage to break something by accident, it’s not a problem. Accidents happen, so please, no worries. Just relax and consider yourself with family. We just want to share our happiness with you and let you both know how much we care.”

Mrs. Orange teared up a bit. “Do you really mean that?” she asked.

Sunset and Aiko nodded emphatically while Fae reached across the table and took Mrs. Orange’s hand. “Of course we do. We’re all friends, and because of the girls, family. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like.” Fae grinned. “As long as you don’t snore. You don’t snore, do you?” she teased.

Mrs. Orange laughed. “Dear, I slept next to a snorer for years. I know exactly what you mean.” Both of them laughed, the tension broken. “No, I don’t snore.”

“Thank goodness,” Fae teased back, giving her hand a squeeze. “Dinner’s almost ready. I’ll go get it prepared and bring it out,” she smiled, getting up to return to the kitchen.

“Let me help you, dear. Four hands are better than two!” she beamed brightly, following Fae into the kitchen.

Sunset hugged her friend tightly, while Aiko moved over to the seat her mom had just left to hug her from the other side. “How are you doing?” she asked Orange.

“I’m okay. I’m still a little bit mad you told, but I’m also happy to finally get it out. I’ve been living with the nightmares for too long. Thank you,” she hugged her two friends tightly. “But I’ll be honest. I’ll be glad when this is over. I’m scared,” she admitted.

“We’ll all be glad when this is over, and we love you now and will love you after. We love you, Orange,” said Sunset, snuggling her friend close in a hug.

“Yeah, what sis said. We love you forever and always will,” added Aiko, hugging her tightly from the other side.

Orange’s eyes teared up a bit, but her smile was radiant.

---

Dinner was pleasant, mostly spent with Mrs. Orange telling stories about her daughter, to Orange’s embarrassment and delight, with Sunset and Aiko asking questions. When dinner was finished Fae offerect to clean up. The girls and Mrs. Orange waited for Sister while they chatted in the living room.

Mrs. Orange looked out over the city, clearly taken with the view from the large wall windows.

“Super cool, right?” asked Sunset with a smile, sitting on the other side of Orange from her mom.

“It’s breathtaking,” agreed Mrs Orange.

“We could trade rooms if you wanted,” replied Sunset. “We love the view, we go to sleep with it every night. It’s okay if you want to take a turn. We don’t mind.”

She looked over to Aiko, who smiled and shrugged. “See, it’s okay, we really don’t mind.”

“That’s a very kind offer, Sunset. But I can’t take your room. It’s your room. If I want to see the view, I'll just come out here. But thank you,” answered Mrs. Orange.

“That’s the same thing Fae said,” mused Sunset. Mrs. Orange grinned.

“Sister Mary has called and let me know she is on her way over. I have sent a ride to her, and will announce when she arrives,” Ailene informed them.

“Thank you, Ailene,” said Fae as she joined everyone in the living room. “And yes, that’s exactly what I said. For the same reason. It really is a wonderful view of the city.” She sat down on the other side of the girls, next to Aiko.

“Thank you for that wonderful dinner,” said Mrs. Orange. “The vegetable lasagna was delicious. And the potato salad was too.”

“Thank you!” smiled Fae. “Though only the potato salad was the girls’ and my contribution. The lasagna was store bought.”

“You should send me the recipe,” smiled Mrs. Orange.

“I’ll ask Ailene to send it,” replied Fae. “What’s your email address?”

Mrs. Orange spelled it out.

“Noted,” responded Ailene. “I will send the recipe to you.”

“Thanks Ailene,” said Fae.

“Wow, is she listening all the time?” asked Mrs. Orange.

“Yes, she is,” answered Fae.

“But if you wish me to not listen, just tell me to not listen for the next however many minutes or seconds, and I will not listen. Also, you can tell me to forget the last however minutes, and I will do that too,” responded Ailene.

“That’s good to know,” responded Mrs. Orange, looking down at her daughter. Orange smiled up at her mom.

“Don’t worry. Ailene would only tell Sister Mary of Father John if she heard something she felt she had to do something about, and Sister Mary is already going to be here,” Fae added.

“Indeed. That is correct,” added Ailene.

They say quietly for several moments, looking out the windows at the city lights twinkling below. Looking down towards the mission, Sunset could see a tiny limo pulling away.

“I think I see Sister coming,” mused Sunset aloud.

“That is correct, Sunset,” confirmed Ailene. They resumed looking quietly out the window lost in their own thoughts.

Several minutes later, Ailene broke the silence. “Sister Mary has arrived and will be up shortly.”

Fae looked at the girls, then to Orange. “Would you be more comfortable here or at the table? Wherever you want, just tell us,” Fae smiled kindly.

“Here please,” said Orange, shrinking in a bit. She snuggled into her mom, pulling Sunset close too as Sunset snuggled into her. Aiko reached over Sunset and held both their hands.

The door opened, then Sister Mary entered, shutting the door behind her. “Sorry for the delay, girls,” she called out.

“We’re in the living room,” Fae answered back helpfully. Sister came and joined them, sitting in the loveseat facing the couch.

“So, any questions before we state, Miss Orange? Or anyone?” she asked.

Orange timidly raised her hand.

“You don’t have to raise your hand, dear. Just ask,” Sister encouraged.

Orange put her hand down, taking Sunset and Aiko’s hands again. “Okay,” she asked in a small, quiet voice. “Am I going to get in trouble?” she asked.

“No dear,” smiled Sister Mary. “Nothing you say here will get you in any trouble,” she answered. Her mom nodded encouragingly.

Orange folded in on herself, clearly uncomfortable. “Okay,” she said quietly.

“Go ahead dear,” Sister Mary encouraged.

The girls held her hands tightly. Shutting her eyes, Orange began.

---

She was five years old and home from kindergarten. Her mom was at work and had asked her neighbor’s son to watch her until she got home.

Orange was bored. She wanted to play, so she went looking for her friend, her sitter. He was nice, he would play with her. But she couldn't find him anywhere.

She heard something from down the hall. Walking down the hall, she heard some noise coming from the bathroom.

She tried the door, thinking it might be locked if he were in there. Mommy always locked the door, so if it were locked, that meant he was in there.

The door was unlocked. Curious, she opened the door and peeked in. He was sitting on the toilet with his pants down and his eyes closed, his hands in his lap. “Are you going potty?” she asked.

“Get out!” he screamed at her, only now noticing her in the doorway. “Get out!”

Then she noticed his hands. They weren’t just in his lap. They were holding something. They were holding a part of him that didn’t look normal. Instead of little like the boy at school who got pantsed by his friend, it was big, and poking straight up through his hands. She just stared in shock.

“What are you looking at!” he screamed at her. “What, you want me to stick it in you, you little pervert! Get out!”

She was horrified. There was nowhere she wanted that thing to go in her.

Screaming, she ran from the bathroom and into her room, running to her closet where she hid under a pile of her clothes. She was shaking in terror, just thinking of that thing trying to stick into her somehow. She cried quietly.

The boy called out to her. “Orange! Where are you? Come out!” She didn’t move, crying under the clothes in her closet. He heard her crying, and came in, standing in front of the closet. “Orange, come out. Let’s just go play something,” he said.

She just pulled the clothes further over her, shivering and trying to hide. He reached out to touch her, but she just flinched away. He gave up, leaving the room. She stayed hidden, crying in terror.

Later, she heard her mom come home. “Where’s Orange?” she heard her ask.

“She’s hiding in her closet,” responded the boy.

“Why? Are you playing hide and seek?” laughed her mother.

“No. She is crying and won’t come out. She walked in on me in the bathroom and I got embarrassed and yelled at her. I tried to talk to her but she is terrified of me now. She won’t even let me touch her. She’s been back there since then, just crying. Nothing I do seems to help,” said the boy sadly.

“What did you yell at her?” asked her mother in concern.

“I don’t even remember. I was just so embarrassed. I remember screaming for her to get out. I’m sorry, Mrs. Orange,” he said. She heard him leave.

She heard her mom come into the room. She bent down, reaching into the closet and pulling the clothes away. Orange looked up at her mom with tear stained eyes.

“Honey, are you okay?” her mom asked, cupping her cheek. Orange shook her head no.

“Come here, sweety.” Her mom pulled her out of the clothes, enfolding her in a tight hug. “What happened honey?” she asked, picking her daughter up and holding her gently.

“He yelled at me mommy. He got mad and yelled. I don’t want to play with him any more. He is scary,” sniffled Orange.

“Okay dear. It’s okay,” said her mom, carrying her back out to the living room and sitting down on the couch with her. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

Orange just shook her head emphatically no. But she stayed in her mother’s arms while she gently rocked her and comforted her.

---

The boy never did sit for her again. But starting that night, her nightmares started. She kept seeing that thing, his thing, trying to get into her. It was climbing all over her, trying to find some way in. She woke up screaming. Her mom came in and took her in to sleep with her as she cried and shook in terror.

The dreams got worse, eventually settling with the thing trying to get under her clothes. She slept with her mom every night for a while until eventually the dreams settled and went away. But now she knew fear. If anyone or anything touched her under her clothes she immediately seized up, right back into the terror of those horrible dreams.

---

Sister Mary was in tears. She stood and crossed over to Orange, who had buried her tear stained face into her mother’s blouse after relating her story. Kneeling down before Orange, she turned her face towards her, cupping her face in her hands.

“Orange, do you trust me?” she asked gently. Orange nodded. “Do you trust your friends? You know they love you, right? That we all love you, right” she asked. Orange nodded again.

“No one will ever hurt you like that,” Sister told her. “No one will do those dreams to you. We won’t let them. Your mom won’t let them. Your sisters won’t let them. And Orange?”

Orange looked up to Sister Mary hopefully.

“You won’t let them. You are strong, Orange. You’ve seen your sisters be strong, and you are strong too, just like them. You won’t ever let anyone hurt you. Trust yourself, and trust your friends. Your sisters. And your family. You’re not alone, and no one is going to hurt you,” Sister assured her. Orange cried and nodded as Sister kissed her on the forehead.

“So what do you want to do now?” asked Sister, smiling.

“I want to spend the night with my friends,” smiled Orange.

“I think we can do that,” smiled Sister back. She stood up, and Aiko and Sunset took Orange's hand, leading her into their room to play. Sister sat on the couch, talking to her mom.

---

“That was really brave of you, Orange,” said Sunset, hugging her friend.

“Yeah, we’re really proud of you,” added Aiko, hugging her too. “So, what do you want to play?”

“We could play dress up? Do you want to play dress up with me?” asked Orange.

“Okay!” said Sunset. They pulled out their clothes and picked out goofy mismatched outfits to dress up in, laughing as they played.

---

A while later, Sister came in to say goodbye to the girls. She thanked Orange for being so brave.

Mrs. Orange came in and thanked them for being Orange’s friends, and then thanked Orange for being so brave, and for being such a wonderful daughter. She asked if Orange wanted to sleep with her tonight, but Orange asked if she could sleep with the girls.

Sister spoke to them as well. “Good night, girls. You did wonderful, and you are wonderful friends. Orange, thank you for being so brave and sharing with us. I promise, you will never have to worry about being hurt like that. You’re mom and friends and I promise. You are safe, and that will never happen. I’ll see you all tomorrow for the festival and sleepover. I love you, girls. Good night,” Sister smiled. The girls ran over to give her a hug which she happily returned.

Orange shyly joined them, giving Sister a hug too.

Smiling, Sister waved and left, shutting the apartment door behind her. Mrs. Orange and Fae returned to the girls room.

“So, who wants to watch a movie?” asked Fae.

The girls ran over, hugging her in agreement. Orange hugged her mom. “Will you watch a movie with us, Mom?” she asked hopefully.

“Of course, dear,” smiled Mrs. Orange, hugging her daughter tightly, “I would love to watch a movie with you,”

Orange pulled her mom to the living room couch, Fae right behind them pulled along by Sunset and Aiko. Together, they all snuggled into the large sofa, Orange on her mom’s lap, Sunset and Aiko smooshed beside them with Fae between them both, her arms around them.

“So what movie should we watch?” smiled Fae, picking up the remote. “Something silly?”

“Nah! Let’s watch a SciFi movie!” suggested Aiko.

“With magic!” agreed Sunset. Fae grinned, looking at Orange. “Any suggestions, Orange?” she asked kindly.

“Umm, that sounds okay to me,” agreed Orange softly.

“Okay then. You’re the guest, you get to pick out the movie. SciFi movies, take your pick Orange,” suggested Fae. She pulled up the available SciFi movies, scrolling through the list slowly. Sunset and Aiko read off the choices to help her out.

It took a few minutes, but Orange finally picked Star Wars. They all settled down to watch it.

Fae requested snacks and drinks from Ailene. The little unit rolled out shortly with chips and drinks for them to enjoy while they watched.

By the time the movie was over, the girls' eyes were drooping shut, despite their heroic efforts to stay awake. Fae helped them brush their teeth and clean up, then get ready for bed while Mrs. Orange assisted Ailene in the cleanup. Once they were all dressed and ready for bed, the girls all stumbled into the bed and snuggled up under the covers.

“So honey, do you want to sleep in here with your friends tonight?” Mrs. Orange asked as she and Fae tucked them in. Orange nodded sleepily, a smile on her face as she settled in between her two sisters. Mrs. Orange smiled and kissed her goodnight.

“Good night Orange. Good night girls. Sweet dreams,” said Mrs. Orange.

“Good night girls. I love you, see you all in the morning,” Fae added. Together, they left, shutting the door partway.

The girls looked out happily over the cityscape, asleep in moments.

---

Celestia looked at Starswirl's mirror, sorrow clear on her face. A purple haze glowed over her head. She looked at the mirror, confused.

“Sunset, my little Sunbeam, why did you demand I make you an Alicorn? You knew you weren’t ready yet. You never learned how to make friends,” she slurred, staring sadly into the mirror. Her eyes drooped and her head sagged.

Her head dropped low enough to pull her gaze from the mirror, snapping her out of her stupor. She looked up again at the mirror.

“Oh Sunset, why couldn’t you just have made some friends? That’s all you needed to be ready for everything you dreamed.” She shook her head sadly, shutting the door in her magic as she left the room.

---

Cadance sadly looked over her empty room. She couldn’t place why, but she felt an aching emptiness. A purple haze lingered over her head as she looked over the large room. While she was sitting in her malaise, Twilight trotted happily into the room.

“Hey Cadance, do you know where Aiko and…” she trailed off as a purple haze hovered over her head. Shaking her head, she looked back up a Cadance. “Uhm, Cadance, do you know why I came in here? I forgot,” she admitted sheepishly.

Cadance, looked up at the filly, and her eyes cleared. “Oh! Hi Twilight. I was supposed to tell you something. I remember now, Princess Celestia wants me to be your foalsitter!”

“Really! Awesome… wait,” Twilight looked confused for a moment. The purple haze returned, then she shook her head. “That sounds wonderful! Do you want to start now?”

“Surre!” chirped Cadance happily, rising to nuzzle the little filly. “What do you want to do?” she asked.

“Let’s study!” the little filly bounced happily, leading a grinning Cadance over to books.

---

Outside Cadance’s room, a purple haze bounced down the hallways. A soft evil chuckle was heard as it faded away.

Author's Note:

Back from the hospital. A very long inadvertant hiatus there, almost four months recoverying this time.
The second part sould be out within a week.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Who are the two girls in the cover art and where are they from?

[Babroniedad]

11717240
The two girls are 6 year old Sunset Shimmer and her former battle sister now sister Aiko from the story. I am not exactly artistic so my apologies it’s not better.

[Celsia Solara Starflare]

Haiiiii BABroniedad!
I was wondering where did you put the stories in bc I don't know about Fimfiction(the website before) so I thought its somewhere on DA. Now I see, I will read them when I have time after the Midterm Exams.
Best Regards,
Celsia(Amber2024 from DA).