The Shy Warrior (Sister Slaves)

Chapter 4: The Sleepover

Fluttershy saw her father in the distance, selling some bushels of wheat to a tall muscular red colored stallion with a dark-green mane wearing a brown Stetson and blue overall pants. Fluttershy was nervous that her father would say no too Applejack’s offer. Taking a gulp of air she stepped forward….

“Papa!

Fluttershy watched her friend run off towards her father’s stall. Applejack jumped onto the red stallion’s back, embracing him in a hug. The stallion let out a chuckle as he rubbed his cheek on hers.

“Papa! Papa! Papa, I’ve made a new friend!” Applejack cheered standing on his back, her dress blowing in the wind.

“You did? Who is it sugar-cube?” The red stallion asked.

“Her names Fluttershy.” Applejack responded, pointing a hoof at the filly in question.

Fluttershy shyly waved her hoof at the red stallion as she made her way too her father. Sun-Loch had a smile on his face from hearing Applejack’s words. His daughter had made a friend. Letting out a chuckle he pulled his daughter into a hug.

“So sweetheart what did you and your new friend, do today?” Sun-Loch asked patting Fluttershy on the head.

“We walked around the town’s streets and ate some cotton candy by the pier.” Fluttershy replied too her father’s question looking at Applejack and her father.

“Yeah and I saved her form some bullies.” Applejack cheered, draping her hooves over her father face.

“Well, I’ll be, did yer teach them a lesion?” The red stallion asked, smiling at his daughter.

“Yep, I and Fluttershy are the best of friends, now.” Applejack squeaked.

“Well shoot, mah filly made a friend. Well Mr…?”

“Sun-Loch.” Sun-Loch replied looking up at the red stallion.

“I’m glad mah daughter is friends with yer kin, she’s been very lonely back on ther orchard.” The red stallion commented.

Sun-Loch gave a smile.

“I’m glad as well…”

“Core Seed.” Core Seed replied, extending out his hoof and shaking Sun-Loch’s hoof.

“I’m just glad Fluttershy found some-pony that doesn’t judge her by her looks.” Sun-Loch commented nodding at his daughter’s wings.

Core Seed looked down at Fluttershy and gave the filly a smile. Core Seed’s smile made Fluttershy blush and hide underneath her father.

“Ah shoot, we Apple family folk at least in these neck of the woods don’t mind what race of pony yer is, as long as you gots a good heart.” Core Seed proudly proclaimed smiling as he said those words.

Sun-Loch gave a smile and a nod.

“That’s good to hear. Your family is welcome to come by if you want for diner whenever you’re able too.”

“That’s a mighty fine offer, the same goes too you.”

Both Fluttershy and Applejack looked at each other and gave each other a silent nod. Smiles plastered on their faces.

“Daddy!?” They both asked in unison. Both stallions looked at their daughters.

“Yes sweetie?”

“Yeah sugar-cube?”

“Can Fluttershy spend the night?” Applejack asked squeezing her father neck with a pleading hug.

“Well… I Don’t Know…” Core Seed choked.

“Daddy, can I… please?!” Fluttershy begged with her bottom lip sticking out.

“Well I don’ know…”

Both stallions were at loss for words; their daughters covertly and at once, asked them a big question. They both thought about their question for a while, each giving each other a perplexed look. As fathers of small little fillies, they wanted to spoil their little angles, but there was an obstacle they had to face before they could do so.

“I don’t know, we’re gonna have to ask your mother.” They both said, their replies earning them wails of frustration form their little ones.

“But I want to have a sleepover with my new best friend.” Applejack mumbled, laying on her father’s back, her hooves dangling against his sides.

“Oh…” Fluttershy mumbled, dropping her head in defeat.

Both stallions looked at their daughters and gave an internal sigh. One thing was for certain, fathers’ hated to see their daughters cry. Taking a deep breath both stallions let out a low sigh.

“I guess it’s alright. You can have Fluttershy over for a sleep over.” Core Seed spoke.

“Yay” Applejack cheered, giving her father a hug and jumping off his back.

She landed with a thud and pranced up too Fluttershy. The both trotted in place with smiles. Each of them listed off things they were going to do.

“Is that all right with you Sun-Loch?” Core Seed asked placing a hoof on Sun-Loch’s stand.

Sun-Loch gave a nod.

“We’re just gonna have too pack a little overnight bag when we get home, where do you live?” Sun-Loch replied, staring at the fillies that were planning out their night of fun.

“Oh just up the ways, that a way.” Core Seed commented too Sun-Loch, pointing a hoof behind him at the southern hills; large trees dotting the landscape. “But don’t worry none, we’ll help out with yer stand and come with. Since I’m heading back home I’ll just take Fluttershy along with Applejack, my older son Mac and I.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Sun-Loch replied, pulling his daughter into a hug, earning him a sequel form the filly. “Where is your son by the way?” Sun-Loch asked.

Core Seed put a hoof up too his chin.

“He should be almost done with packing up the apple stand as we speak.”

“Well let’s get going for our fillies can have some day light left for their games they’re gonna play.” Sun-Loch chuckled.

Fluttershy rode in the cart heading too Applejack’s house. She was glad that she was able to spend the night at her friend’s house. It took some convincing but her mother had given in and allowed her to go. She had packed up her night gown and an extra pair of clothes, for tomorrow morning, a blanket and a pillow and her pipe her father gave too her.

Sitting next to her left was her doll, Mr. Angle Bunny.  On her right sat her friend Applejack and next to her sat her older brother Mac. Core Seed manned the reins as the cart moved slowly along the dirt path.

“I was thinking, when we get too my house we can play hide n’ seek.” Applejack spoke looking at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy looked up at the orange colored filly and smiled.

“That sounds like fun.”

“Yer bet, and when we get home mah brother will be the one that’s it.” Applejack proclaimed, her statement making her older brother grunt in frustration.

“I just want ter relax sis.” Mac sighed looking at the apple trees that were coming into view.

Applejack looked at her brother and gave a frown.

“Yer are gonna play with us!” Applejack huffed standing on all fours.

Mac looked at his sister and gave a huff.

“I don’t want too…”

“Why not?” Fluttershy asked.

Mac looked at the yellow filly and gave a sigh.

“I want ter read mah book.”

Core Seed gave a chuckle.

“You can read your book son after yer help wear out the fillies here.” Core Seed pointed too Fluttershy and Applejack.

“It will take a lot before we get tired.” Applejack piped up. Fluttershy nodded her head in agreement.

Core Seed gave a chuckle, while Mac gave a sigh. Fluttershy smiled and looked away from her friend and Mac to see a small log cabin off in the distance about 50 feet away. The home was two stories. A metal roof covered the home’s interiors. A large window was in the front, for ponies within the home could look at the outside world. The lights were on and Fluttershy could see two ponies within the home. One was sitting in a chair and the other was walking around, doing something. Next to the home sat a large barn off in the distance next to a pile of farming tools. A large apple tree stood tall in front of the home covering it in shade. Around the base of the tree were several colorful flowers.

“That’s grandma’s tree.” Applejack spoke up. Fluttershy turned her gaze towards her friend.

“Why is it your grandma’s?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well she always called it her lucky tree.” Applejack cheered, spreading out her arms. “And she says that the tree grows really huge apples!”

Mac gave a chuckle at his sister’s silliness.

“Really?” Fluttershy wondered with excitement.

“E-yep.” Mac replied; his reply earning him a giggle from his sister and her friend.

Core Seed smiled as the cart came to a stop.

“Well we’re here.”

Applejack and Fluttershy with excitement jumped out of the cart and ran off into the orchard.

“Tag, you’re it!” Fluttershy screamed with joy as she ran off; flowed closely by a giggling Applejack.

Core Seed gave a chuckle at their playfulness and took his boar by the reins. Mac looked at the fillies as they ran off into the orchard.

“Pa what about them helping us unload ther stuff?” Mac asked pointing a hoof at the cart.

“We’ll get it. Let them wear themselves out a bit, so when it’s time for you to play with them, you can have an easier time and they won’t end up wearing you out.” Core Seed spoke placing a hoof on his son’s shoulder. Mac nodded and went straight to work.

Mac hid up in the rafters of the barn. The small flakes of dust and hay floated through the air, giving off a comfortable aura too the colt. The small amount of light of the fading day shined through the small cracks. A lantern hanging from a hook on the first floor lit up the barn with some decent light.  Mac kept his ears at full attention, listening for any girlish giggles.

As expected he heard the voices of the ponies he was dreading. Peeking through a hole in the rafters, he saw an orange colored and yellow colored filly slowly trotting into the barn. Their heads moved back and forth, scanning the whereabouts of their target.

Mac held in a chuckle. They were clueless too where he was at. He had brought the ladder with him to make sure they weren’t able to come up too his hiding spot. Sure he was cheating but he didn’t care. He wasn’t gonna lose too his little sister and her new best friend.

“Where can he be?” Applejack sighed lifting up a bucket. With no big brother under said bucket, she tossed it with a huff.

“He’s really good at hiding; maybe his knows magic and is invisible?!” Fluttershy wondered as she looked inside a chest.

Applejack let out a giggle.

“If mah brother grew one of them horns them uni-corns have, then yes but I don’t think he can do that… He’s an earth pony!” Applejack squeaked.

‘And proud of it!” Mac thought to himself.

Applejack letting out a huff looked up at the rafters and pondered for a moment. She noticed that the ladder was missing.

‘Could he have?...’

Moving her gaze over too her friend, she saw Fluttershy lifting up a tarp that covered a plow. Her wing fluttered with excitement of finding her victim only to be limp from disappointment. Applejack stared at her friend, a smile slowly forming on her face.

“Hey Fluttershy!?” Applejack called out.

Fluttershy looked up at her friend and tilted her head.

“Yeah?” She asked.

“Can yer fly up there and search fer the ladder!” Applejack asked pointing a hoof at the rafters.

Fluttershy looked up at the spot her friend was pointing and got the hint. With a little grin she shook her head.

Mac’s eyes went wide when he heard his sister say those words. How could he have been so stupid and forgot her friend had wings. But he wouldn’t let fear get him, he read somewhere that pegasi couldn’t fly until they turned 15. With a smile he peaked over an old wooden box as he watched Fluttershy prepare for flight.

Fluttershy was nervous. She barely knew how to fly. Her mother just only started teaching her the basics of hovering. She looked over at her friend and gave a sheepish smile. Applejack gave a nod and a smile back to her friend. With her friend’s calm smile, Fluttershy started fluttering her wings.

Mac’s jaw hit the floor of the rafters. She was actually flying. With cheers from his sister, Fluttershy had made it up to the rafters. Mac cursed too himself as he inched closer to the corner wall. He hoped that if he stayed still, Fluttershy would miss him.

Fluttershy landed on the rafters. Landing hard, she caught her breath as she let her sore wings rest. She did it, she screamed with joy in her mind. Her mother and father would be proud. Standing up with renewed vigor, she looked for the ladder.

Applejack was hopping up n' down. She knew now that they were gonna find their target.

“You found the ladder yet?” Applejack asked putting more emphases on the word ladder.

Fluttershy shook her head as she scanned her surroundings. She climbed on boxes, old chairs and different knick-knacks that lay strewed across the rafter’s floor. Mac inched closer into the corner until his flank touch the wooden walls. Fluttershy was getting closer to his location. Mac pulled the collar of his polo shirt with a hoof. His nerves getting the best of him.

‘I ant’t going out like this!’ He told himself.

Fluttershy came up to a ladder that lay on the floor of the rafter. Smiling she found their targets only way out.

“Hey Applejack, I found the ladder!”

“You’ve found it!” She spoke with joy looking up at her friend.

“No I found the ladder, ladder.” Fluttershy replied holding up the object in question.

Applejack bowed her head. Seeing her friend’s reaction, Fluttershy quickly replied.

“Hey he can’t be far, we have his only way out!...”

A loud crack resounded throughout the barn. The barn shook causing both fillies to shake with fright. They heard a boyish scream sound off as well as wooden and metal objects falling to the ground. Fluttershy whipped her head around to see a good sized hole in the rafter. Steeping closer to the hole, Fluttershy looked down into it. At the bottom laid a red colt looking dazed and confused, his head nodded back and forth as a little blood seeped from his brow.

Both Fluttershy and Applejack look at the scene with worry. Applejack nervously ran to the door of the barn.

“PA, MAC HURT HIMSELF!”

Mac lay on the couch, a bag of ice laid on top of his head. Bandages wrapped around his head and right hoof. Several pillows were under him, supporting him in a semi upright position. Mac lazily moved his head to see Fluttershy and his sister playing with some toys they had dragged from Applejack’s room.

Next to the fire place sat his mother, Autumn Gold. She sat reading a book. On his mother’s right sat his grandmother, Granny Smith who had fallen asleep while knitting her seventh scarf of the day.

With a sigh Mac moved slightly to get into a comfortable position. A sharp pain ran up his lower leg. With a whimper he laid back down.

Hearing her son’s discomfort, Autumn Gold looked at her son.

“You need me to get you some medicine, sweetie?”

Mac looked at his mother, quickly drying his tears way. He was a colt and colts don’t cry. Nodding his head his mother let out a chuckle and got up. Mac heard his mother’s chuckle but the giggels coming from his sister and friend made him frown.

“Whats so funny!” he moaned looking at his sister and Fluttershy.

Both Fluttershy and Applejack held a hoof to their lips.

“Yer crying!” Applejack giggled.

“Well yer cry too when its dark and yer need a candle next ter your bed too sleep!”

Applejack let out a huff.

“Hey that’s not… true…” Applejack dropped her head and looked away from her brother. Fluttershy let out a giggle at the sibling’s banter.

“Ok children stop this nonsense, here sweetie, take this.” Autumn Gold replied giving her son a cup of apple juice and two red pills.

Mac took the drink and the pills. With one swift motion he downed the pills. With a little burp, he placed the cup on the night stand next to the couch. Autumn Gold smiled and looked down at the fillies playing with their dolls.

“So what are you two playing?” Autumn Gold asked as she got down on the floor with them.

“We’re playing knights.” Fluttershy spoke up. “Mr. Angle Bunny is the king and he’s trying to save the queen, Daisy.” She pointed too one of Applejack’s stuffed animals; the stuff dog doll with a happy smile on its face.

“But there are evil bears that are in the way but King Angle Bunny and his armies are gonna save the day.” Applejack proclaimed holding up a wooden army pony, wearing the armor of a private from the Earthen Army.

Mac looked at the toy and his eyes grew wide. How did he not notice his own toys, Applejack and Fluttershy had five of his action figures.

“Hey those are my action figures!” Mac pointed an accusing hoof at the fillies.

“Their Angel Bunny's soldiers!’ Fluttershy huffed. Applejack crossed her arms, agreeing with Fluttershy.

Autumn Gold put a hoof up too her temple and shook her head.

‘Will they ever get along?’ She thought.

Then like a saving grace, she heard her husband walk from the kitchen into the living room with wonderful news.

“Suppers ready!”

Three hours passed since supper. Applejack and Fluttershy were in the restroom brushing their teeth. As they brushed their teeth, they made goofy faces in the mirror causing them to laugh and spit out some of the tooth paste onto the mirror, which intern made them laugh even more.

Autumn Gold looked at the fillies brushing their teeth and let out a laugh of her own. When her husband came home, he told her that their daughter had made a friend and that he couldn’t say no to their daughter’s plea of having her friend come over for a sleepover. So when Autumn Gold met her daughter’s new friend, she was shocked at first that Fluttershy was a pegasus. She knew there was a pegasus that had moved into their town and married a stallion a while back, she just didn’t expect her daughter would make friends with their child.

“Out of all the fillies in town.” She had thought too herself.

Seeing that the fillies where done with their brushing she guided them too Applejack’s room. Before they entered, Applejack and Fluttershy ran into Mac’s room and dog piled on top of him. Autumn Gold heard her son’s grunts of frustration as his sore muscles were once again agitated by Applejack’s and Fluttershy’s hugs. Autumn Gold couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

After their hug the fillies ran into Applejack’s room and jumped into her bed. Fluttershy laid near the wall on the right side of the wall from Autumn Gold’s perspective. Applejack took the left side next to her night stand.

While Fluttershy messed with her pillow and set Mr. Angle Bunny next herself, while Applejack wiggled around to get comfortable. Autumn Gold sat next to the bed, taking out a book entitled ‘Into the Wonderland.' Looking at the fillies, Autumn Gold noticed both of them looking at her with interested eyes gazing at the book she held her hooves; each of them holding their favorite doll against their chests.

Autumn Gold smiled as she cleared her throat. She slowly read the story to the fillies. The tale of two young friends going on a magical and wacky adventure throughout a land created from their dreams soothed the active minds the fillies. Slowly Applejack and Fluttershy started too nod off. When Autumn Gold got too the second chapter, she heard soft snores. Pulling her gaze from the book she saw Applejack and Fluttershy cured up in a fetal position; their foreheads touching each other. Autumn Gold smiled as she set down the book.

Core Seed slowly walked into the room to see his daughter and her friend sleeping comfortably. Walking up too his wife, he laid a hoof on her shoulder.

“Mac’s asleep sugar-cube.” Core Seed whispered. His wife gave a hum as she laid her head on his hoof. “I’m so glad our sugar-cube found a friend today.” He whispered.

Autumn nodded her head and rubbed a cheek against her husband’s.

“Let’s get too bed, I have a feeling these two will be very active in the morning.”

Core Seed nodded. Autumn lit a candle for Applejack. Making their way to the door, she shut off the light and shut the door behind them. When the door came to a close, Applejack slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the dimly lit Fluttershy, who was softly snoring. Tapping Fluttershy on the fore head, Applejack waited for her friend to awaken. Slowly Fluttershy woke up.

“What’s the matter Applejack?” Fluttershy asked looking at her friend with tired eyes.

Applejack gave a big smile.

“I just want to say that I’m so glad that we’re friends.”

Fluttershy looked and at her friend and smiled.

“Friends for life?” Fluttershy asked.

Applejack nodded her head and pulled Fluttershy into a hug.

“Friends fer life!”