Nap Time!
It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Ponyville. The sun was shining brightly, not a single cloud to be seen in the sky. Today was scheduled to be a hot sunny summer day, and the Pegasai sure completed their job flawlessly. Birds were twittering, the river was flowing soundly.
The apples were fresh and shining in the Sweat Apple Acres orchard. If we looked closely at the orchard's west side, we could clearly see Big Macintosh, the stallion of the Apple Family in Ponyville, bucking some apples with his powerful hind legs. One buck after another,he was working hard. But none the less he loved it.
Everypony else was also minding their own businesses, going left and right. Some were just enjoying the weather, some shopping, some practicing new forms of magic! Overall it was a peaceful day. Everypony was looking forward for the following day's party which was going to be organized by a certain pink pony.
Everypony seemed to be happy.
Everypony, except one little filly. One little filly who we all know and adore. A filly whose coat is bright yellow as the sun, her mane red as cherry, with a cute little pink bow behind her head. A filly who was part of the apple family. A filly who was a little sister to Big Macintosh and Applejack.
That little filly's name was Apple Bloom, and at the moment she was anything but happy.
"Applejack!" that filly said with a whinny voice "But I don't want to take a nap!", she said pouting and then making the most irresistible puppy face with the biggest teary eyes that she could muster, all while sucking on her little apple shaped pacifier. Can anypony resist that face? As a matter of a fact, yes, and that pony is named Applejack.
Applejack was going to let her go, but she looked away just in time to get out of her little sister's face. She smirked in victory at Apple Bloom, as the second pouted again. "Ya have to sugar-cube! You've been up all day, jumping and playing around the orchard with Big Mac!" She said while getting flashback of how Apple Bloom was laughing loudly while riding on Big Mac's back who was running around the west side of the orchard.
Apple Bloom looked at Applejack and crossed her front legs "I don't wanna!" She said still with the cutsie little whinny voice of hers, then she 'hmmp'ed and turned her face from Applejack.
Applejack chuckled at this. Her sister could be so amusing sometimes, even more when she's angry at her! "That lil' brain of yours needs help from time ta time, ya know" she said while patting her hoof on Apple Bloom's head, which was not close to amused by this.
She pushed Applejack's hoof aside with her hoof. Then she looked directly into Applejack's eyes, which made the older sister raise an eyebrow. "You aren't my mum" Apple Bloom said still piercing Applejack's eyes with hers.
Applejack was taken aback by this. How couldn't she? Her eyes went wide. Seeing this, Apple Bloom realized her mistake, and quickly put one of her little hooves on her mouth, but it was too late. After Applejack recovered, her eyes narrowed as she glared at Apple Bloom, which to the younger one felt like someone was about to kill them.
"I may not not be your mum" Applejack said, irritation and anger in her voice "But I surely am your OLDER sister! and YOU, lil' filly, aren't gonna talk to me that way!" She spat at her sister. Mere words, but with a great and painful meaning to the younger one.
The little filly's eyes watered up. Seeing this, Applejack realized how harsh she may have sounded, and tiny perk of guilt overcame her heart, but she was still mad.
"P... P... Please A... A... Applejack" the little filly's voice was barely hearable "I ... I don't wanna" she squeaked as she broke out in a sob. A silent, heartbreaking sob.
Hot tears were rolling down the the filly's cheek, leaving a trail of darker yellow than her coat were it went, then resting at the bottom of her head for a moment before forming a chunk and falling on the ground with a splash. Tear after tear, she sobbed away, as the ground was getting wet where the tears were falling.
If there was any traces of anger and irritation in Applejack, it instantly vaporized. The older mare, knew she was harsher than she intended it to be. A large wave of guilt hit Applejack. Her sister was crying because of her. She couldn't cope with this fact.
"Oh Applebloom..." She said "Shush now" Her voice getting noticeably softer and more concerned "Don't do that... don't cry" She said as she got closer to the sobbing filly. "Now, now" Applejack said as she stroked the head of the sobbing filly and hugged her.
Apple Bloom, whose eyes were now slightly red and filled with tears, looked into her sister's eyes pleadingly "Ima ... Ima scared to sleep" she admitted, hot tears still rolling down her cheek again.
Applejack was greatly confused by this, a million questions flew through her mind, but found no conclusion. "Why Applebloom?" She asked, still using her soft and caring voice, which seemed to calm the little filly, not to mention that being in her older sister's lap and getting patted on the head was making her feel better too.
Apple Bloom sniffed, then looked at the ground, she shivered a bit, like she was scared of something. "T... The... The monster" She whispered, her voice clearly shaken by 'the monster'.
Applejack was taken by surprise, she put on a confused face and hugged her younger sister, her hand going through the fillies mane, trying to calm the shaking filly to calm her down. "Which monster, sugercube?" came her calm and reassuring voice.
"The monster in my dream. He... he comes every night and... and he has big fangs and he yells "Ima gonna eat ya!" " She said, in a scared voice.
Applejack, now understanding the whole story, looked at her sister with a warm and loving look. "Why didn't ya tell me 'bout this before? I could've helped ya before this whole story started" she said not losing one bit of the caring tone she had on.
"I don't like to talk 'bout it..." Said the younger one as she buried her face in her sister's chest, sobbing quietly there. This got to the heart of the older mare. She was not angry at her sister at all anymore. All of that anger was buried under the feeling of love.
"Now now, Apple Bloom. No one's gonna eat ya!" She said still stroking the back of the little filly.
Apple Bloom got her head, which was now soaked with tears and slightly pale, out of her sister's chest, which was also soaked. But Applejack could care less about that, her sister was facing a problem, though a little one, it still was her sister. And that was more important than anything in the world.
"You have absolutely no reason to be scared sugarcube, it's just a dream" She said trying to comfort the scared filly.
Apple Bloom looked pleadingly at Applejack "But he scared me, Applejack!" she said while a drop of tear formed in the bottom of her eye.
Applejack was deep in thoughts, trying to find something, anything to make her filly sister feel better. hugging her sister closer to give her comfort, but that didn't do the trick, the little filly was still shaken about her nightmares.
Then something struck Applejack, an idea that just might work!
She looked at her sister calmly, giving her the warmest smile she could give "You know sugarcube... You could control your dream, err nightmare. You have more power then him... because he is in your. Not the other way around" The orange colored pony said softly... trying to calm the little filly.
The yellow filly looked up at her older sister. A spark of life dimly shining in her eye. She sniffed and wiped her tears with her hoof "Really?" Came her voice, a little surprised at what she heard.
The older mare smiled. 'That did the trick' she thought. Now the second phase of her two phase plan was up. And she didn't like it... because she was going to be educational!
"Yes Apple Bloom. I reckon the monster you see is the same every time?" The bigger asked so she could complete the agonizing task of making a speech in her head.
The little filly was still sniffing... her look could break the heart of even Tirek. "Yes. It's same monster" She replied her voice was clearly a lot clearer but there was still fear and trembling.
Applejack finally finalized her speech in her head. 'I wish I knew a pony who's good at giving lectures, who would be good in organizing too... she'd do this job a lot better than me. Who knows? maybe I'll meet one after a couple a years and she'll become a princess and I'll become one of six important ponies!'.
Applejack stopped for a moment. She stared a little. How did that thoughts even get to her? but she dismissed them. Apple Bloom was priority number one here.
"Then you'll know a dream when you see him. Am I correct?" AJ asked her younger sibling, who nodded. "Well then, when you realize that you're dreaming while you're dreaming, you can control that dream. Manipulate it as you want. That's what folks call a 'Lucid Dream', sugarcube" This was clearly killing Applejack. It's not everyday that you see this hardworking pony giving a lecture to anotherpony, but this was Apple Bloom, Applejack would move mountains for this filly.
Speaking of that filly, she was amazed and awestruck at what she was hearing. The idea of manipulating her own dream was a real shock to her. But before she could say anything, Applejack continued.
"Whenever you lucid dream, not only you can make the monster go away, you can do whatever you want" Applejack said using gestures to make her speech better understandable "You can fly without wings, you can create new land, Hay! ya can even be a princess!".
The little filly, who had now completely forgotten about the monster, looked at her sister with her eyes sparkling at the thoughts of what she can do in a lucid dream. She brushed off the last of the tears that she left, and made up her mind.
"Wow, Applejack! I never knew you can do that!" She said with a warm smile, which made the big mare do the same. Her plan had worked, although she did something she didn't like, it was worth it.
The young one suddenly tackled Applejack and they both soon began a tickling war. Applejack let her sister win. "Okay okay *laughter* you win! *laughter* now stop!". They both got off each other, still giggling a little.
Apple Bloom looked at her sister and smiled "I'm ready for my nap now Applejack!' she said, eager to sleep after all she learned about dreams.
Applejack looked surprised a bit, then laughed. That confused the little filly, a lot.
After Applejack stopped laughing she looked at Apple Bloom with a grin "I sure am glad to hear that sugarcube, but I'm afraid that nap time is over" this made the little one frown a little but Applejack continued "It's not nap time... It's bed time!" she said opening the window of the room they were in.
The moon shone brightly onto Apple Bloom's face, as she stared at it with wonder. The mysterious mare figure on the moon always made the little filly wonder. "Hey Applejack? Why is there a mare shape on the moon?" She asked clearly curious.
Applejack put her hoof on the filly's back "Folk say it's the princess of the night, Princess Luna. But that's just an old mare's tale, and you've learned enough for one night. I'll tell you about it another day, sugarcube" Applejack said not wanting to give another lecture.
The little filly nodded and stared back at the moon. Applejack then removed her hoof from the back of her sister and crouched near her "Hope on you little troublemaker. You're going to bed!" She told Apple Bloom.
Most of the time, one would hear a whine or an 'I don't want to!' after that statement. But not tonight. The little filly smiled and happily hoped on her sisters back, who started walking and got both of them upstairs, specifically Apple Bloom's room.
They got closer to the bed and Apple Bloom got off the back of her sister, directly onto the bed.
"Applejack? Can you... Pweez... tuck me in?" She asked putting on the same puppy face she put on earlier that day.
Applejack shook her head. Celestia, that filly could get adorable. She obliged and tucked her little sister in, covering her with her blanket and giving her her favorite stuffed toy.
"I love you Apple Bloom" Said the mare tenderly as she kissed the forehead of her sister.
"I love you too *yawn* Applejack" responded Apple Bloom as sleep soon overcame her.
Applejack smiled at the site of her sister sleeping. Sleeping soundly that is!
She got closer to the door, turning on the night light and getting out of the door. Before closing it tough she took a last look at the sleeping filly "Sleep tight Apple Bloom" She whispered, closing the door.
THE END