The three friends, popularly known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, were walking to Sweet Apple Acres at this second.
It was Saturday! The perfect day to hang out. And what's better, is that all of their guardians said that they could have a sleepover tonight. The three were excited.
They soon reached the place known for their apples and went inside the home.
"Applejack! We're here!" Apple Bloom yelled loudly.
The mentioned came walking into the room, rubbing her ears. "Ya don't have to yell ya know," She said annoyed.
"Ops, sorry." Apple Bloom said sheepishly.
"Well, crusaders, how about we set up our gear at the clubhouse?" She suggested.
"Yeah! Then we can play!" Scootaloo excitedly said.
"What should we play?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Hm, let's think about that after we set up at the clubhouse." Apple Bloom proposed.
"Alright, let's go!" Sweetie Belle said.
The CMC left the house and headed towards their clubhouse.
The three fillies were seen setting up their sleeping bags and snacks.
Sweetie looked around in her bag, stuffing her hoof inside and shuffling around, trying to feel for the thing she was seeking.
She searched a bit more, as she kept pulling out things she didn't want.
Her hoof soon brushed over something and she smiled. She pulled out the thing she touched, then grew a frown when she looked at what it was.
It was a bottle of lotion named Bule. "I was looking for my dolly, not Bule," She whispered to herself, annoyed.
She put the Bule aside and scavenged some more. She soon brushed her hoof over something soft.
She beamed and pulled out her favorite dolly. "There you are, Majestic!" She sighed in relief and hugged her doll, as she thought she forgot to bring her favorite stuffed animal.
The doll, known to Sweetie as "Majestic", was a pony with marshmallow white fur, as the same as Sweetie Belle's. It had a pink mane and tail that resembled Sweetie's and had lime green buttons for eyes. Rarity has yet to patch in a Cutie Mark, the same as Sweetie Belle's, but she promised she'd do it after today's sleepover.
Scootaloo called out from outside the clubhouse, her voice somewhat muffled, "Hey Sweetie! We don't have all day!"
Sweetie put the doll down, and yelled back, "Yeah! I'm coming!" She ran out the clubhouse, ready to play with her friends.
It was intense out on the fields.
Three ponies some meters apart, in a triangle formation.
Sweetie Belle, the casual player; Ready to guard her area against any ball that wants it's way through. She looked from one of her opponents to the other.
The two other more competitive players in this game, Scootaloo, with the hoofball between her legs, ready to kick hard towards either of her enemies' areas and Apple Bloom, with a stance that would dare even a mighty dragon to attack her.
It was silent, save for the breeze. Neither spoke a word.
Sweetie stared at Scootaloo, waiting for her to make a move, while Apple Bloom kept her eyes on the hoofball, ready for it to come her way.
Scootaloo looked left and right, debating to kick hard Sweetie's position, to cause her embarrassment, or to Apple Bloom's area, to risk her blocking and taking the ball for herself, just to use it against her.
The two who hadn't had the ball waited a few more moments.
And then it happened.
Sweetie's eyes widened and she gasped as the hoofball laid behind her.
"Yes! Another point for me!" Scootaloo said proudly with 12 current points.
"Awwww!" Apple Bloom whined with 8 points.
Sweetie scratched her head in thought. "Scootaloo really showed off. Getting the ball to go so fast past Apple Bloom just to hit the tree and bounce back."
"Alright, what's the score?" Scootaloo asked even though she knew well what the score was.
Apple Bloom grunted and gritted her teeth. "You're winning with twelve points," She said through her grit teeth.
"And I think I have... four, right?" Sweetie said unsurely.
"No, you have five, and I have eight."
"Take one point away for that incredible shot I got against you," Scootaloo said mockingly.
"Don't worry! You'll see who'll be on top when we're done here-"
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack called from the house.
"Yeah, sis?"
Applejack trotted over with a frown on her face. "Ah don't think you and your friends can sleep at the clubhouse tonight. There's a storm comin' and ah don't want y'all gettin' hurt."
Applejack got a duo of "Awww"s from her sister and pegasus friend in return.
"Hey now, that don't mean you can't sleep in the house, right?"
Apple Bloom nodded.
"Good. Now the three of you get your things and come back to the house." Applejack said with a smile.
"Okay sis." Apple Bloom said, disappointed.
The CMC started to make their way back to the clubhouse.
When the apple trees began to surround them, they started a conversation.
"What's so bad about your house Bloom? I think I would like the warmness rather than a cold clubhouse." Scootaloo mentioned.
"Ah know, ah know, but I really wanted to have a sleepover there. It would be like we had our own house." Apple Bloom explained.
"We can always go sleep there next time. Hey! How about next week?" Scootaloo asked excitedly.
"Maybe. Gotta ask my sister first. How about you Sweetie Belle? ...Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom took a glance at the unicorn filly, who was in her own train of thought.
Sweetie was terrified of storms. She didn't mind rain too much, but she couldn't handle the thunderstorms.
The way the rain hit the ground hard to cause so much noise, the big shine when lightning flashes, and especially the way the thunder went "boom!".
When she was a foal, she used to cuddle with her filly sister Rarity. Feeling her sister's warm fur calmed her down, as well as when Rarity talks gently to her saying, "It's going to be alright.", and when she started acting brave when she always said, "I'll protect you.".
But those days are over. Both Sweetie Belle and Rarity had grown too old for such mockery.
However, Sweetie Belle had something else to comfort her. Her favorite doll, Majestic.
As a birthday gift from Rarity and something Rarity made herself, this doll was very precious to Sweetie Belle. She always used to think that Rarity was a part of that stuffed doll and that it would protect her at the times of need.
It would protect her as she always thought. And this night she needed it most.
Knocking Sweetie Belle out of her trance, Apple Bloom yelled, "Sweetie Belle!"
Sweetie looked up quickly. "Huh? What?"
The three stopped walking.
"What's wrong Sweetie? Ya barely talked after the game."
"Maybe she's just too embarrassed cause she got the least points," Scootaloo said mockingly, earning a glare from Apple Bloom.
"No, it's not that." Sweetie Belle said, rolling her eyes. "I was just thinking about something."
"Thinking? Thinking about what?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"O-Oh, it's nothing." Sweetie nervously said.
"Oh, alrighty then. Let's just get our stuff quickly. Ah, don't want to get soaked out here." Apple Bloom suggested.
After getting a nod from both her fellow crusaders, Apple Bloom began to run to the clubhouse, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo behind her.
After a minute of running, the three fillies finally reached the clubhouse.
They barged in, packing their things, trying hard not to get caught in the storm.
Sweetie rolled her sleeping bag up carefully, so it wouldn't get too messed up. She then picked up the Bule she put down earlier and stuffed it into her saddlebag.
"Alright, I'm ready!" Sweetie Belle said as she strapped on her saddle bag, and placed her sleeping bag on her back.
"Good to go!" Scootaloo said happily as she stood up raring to go.
"Yup!" Apple Bloom was too, finished.
The three trotted out the clubhouse and down the stairs, leaving a particularly white, stuffed pony behind.
As the trio approached the Apples' house, Applejack exited the building meeting the CMC. "Hey there y'all, you all got yer stuff?"
The three replied with a nod. Applejack looked over to her left and saw storm clouds headed their way.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo also looked to the right of the house and saw the storm.
Sweetie, however, tried her hardest not to look there. Instead, she looked to her left and tried to think of something to take her mind off of the storm.
"Aw shoot, looks like the storm's ahead of schedule. Hurry up inside now." Applejack instructed.
The CMC started to make their way inside when Applejack noticed something in the near distance. "Uh hey, Sweetie Belle? Can ya get yer hoofball over there quickly please?"
Sweetie looked at Applejack and said, "Sure."
As her friends were entering the house, Sweetie arrived at the ball and picked it up. Unfortunately, after she picked it up, she looked up and saw the storm clouds that seemed that they were rapidly heading her way.
Sweetie shrieked and zipped back to the house as fast as she could.
When Sweetie entered the building, she slammed the door shut and started panting tremendously.
Apple Bloom called from the stairs, "Hey Sweetie Belle! Up here!"
Sweetie Belle wiped the sweat off her head and trotted up the stairs. She soon followed Apple Bloom into her room, where Scootaloo was taking things out of her bag.
"Alright, let's leave our things here and go downstairs. I heard from Big Mac that Granny Smith made a big pie for dessert!" Apple Bloom excitedly said.
Sweetie and Scootaloo perked up at the mention of pie. No doubt it was going to be apple flavored.
Scootaloo started buzzing her wings in anticipation. "Well, what are we waiting for, let's go eat!" Scootaloo zipped past Sweetie and Apple Bloom leaving a bit a dust behind.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes at her friend's actions. She then sighed and happily said, "Let's go Sweetie Belle."
Minutes later, you could see the three eating wildly, save for Sweetie Belle who looked out the window every now and then, still scared about the upcoming thunderstorm.
"Can't wait huh?"
Sweetie looked slightly to the right of her piece of pie to see Scootaloo.
"Hm? What'd you say Scoots?"
"It looks like you can't wait for that thunderstorm. I LOVE thunderstorms."
Even though Sweetie was horrified that Scootaloo thought she loved storms, she paid attention as well as Apple Bloom, while Scoots continued talking.
"I just think of Rainbow Dash, doing her amazing Sonic Rainboom whenever the thunder goes BANG!"
Sweetie grimaced at the words "thunder", and even harder on "bang".
"And when the lightning flashes, I think of Rainbow Dash kicking, and removing the clouds from above!"
Even though Scootaloo was getting consistent, Sweetie decided to be polite and listen.
Apple Bloom, on the other hoof, was starting to get irritated.
"And when the storm ends and the rainbow appears, I think of Rain-"
"Alright Scootaloo, we get it!" Apple Bloom annoyingly said.
Scootaloo was confused. "What?"
Sweetie giggled at her friends' antics.
"Alright you three," Came a voice from the other room. "Hurry up and eat," Applejack instructed.
"Alright, sis!" Apple Bloom replied.
"Oh, and Scootaloo?" Applejack called.
"Yeah?"
"If ah hear one more word about Rainbow Dash, ah'll be sure to let you sit outside in the rain for a couple of minutes."
Scootaloo's jaw dropped. Did Applejack actually say that?
Apple Bloom giggled. "Don't take that as a threat Scoots. It's just Applejack's competitive side rollin' in." Apple Bloom explained.
"Um... Okay?"
The three fillies soon continued to eat their pie and went back upstairs.
They played games, ate snacks, told stories, even if they weren't scary, but soon enough, Apple Bloom's sister came into the room and informed them that it was time for bed.
"Awwww, but sis we're not tired!" Apple Bloom whined.
"It don't matter Apple Bloom. Ya need your rest for tomorrow." Applejack explained.
Apple Bloom's ears dropped and she replied, "Okay."
Applejack went to do her own business while the CMC packed up.
Sweetie was rummaging through her bag, looking for her dolly.
"Where are you?" She said quietly to herself.
Sweetie gave up on feeling inside for the soft object and instead started to take things out one by one.
When she took a considerably amount of things out of her bag, she looked inside and could see the bottom. She looked through her bag some more but to her avail, she didn't feel or see her doll.
"No," She whispered.
She started taking things out again, saying "No" to herself rapidly.
"No, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO!"
She covered her mouth, scared she yelled too loud. She looked around, and to her fortunate, none of her fellow crusaders noticed her worried acts.
"Where is she?" She once again asked herself.
In the clubhouse, a lone, stuffed animal tilted to its side, making a minor "poof" sound.
Sweetie Belle went wide eyed as the sky through the window was dark.
"Alright crusaders. Let's go to sleep." Apple Bloom suggested.
"Alright," Scootaloo replied.
Sweetie Belle was shaking. There was a big storm coming and she was about to try to sleep, and she didn't have Majestic to keep her safe.
"We'll all sleep on my bed, it's big enough." Apple Bloom confidently said.
"Okay... You coming Sweetie Belle or what?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm coming." Sweetie shakily said.
The three soon crawled into bed and under the blanket. Apple Bloom in the middle, Sweetie to the left of her, and Scootaloo to the right.
It was quiet for minutes, but Sweetie knew it would soon come.
She was anxious. It could come in a second, a minute, or maybe not at all, Sweetie hoped for the latter.
As the closest to the window, she looked as the rain softly fell. Maybe even majestically. Soon, however, it started to pick up. It hit the windows harder and harder. Sweetie couldn't anticipate the noise.
As the rain heavily fell, Sweetie's heart started to race. She felt as if it was going to pound hard enough for it to burst out of her body.
And of course to her unfortunate, the lightning came.
Sweetie saw the big bright light and immediately shut her eyes closed.
She prayed that the next part wouldn't come. She prayed to Rainbow Dash to make this next part never come true. She prayed that Rainbow wouldn't make another Sonic Rainboom.
And she prayed that she could fall asleep peacefully.
Hopefully, she could fall asleep before that last part came, but alas.
Crash!
Sweetie shrieked and quickly hid under her portion of the blanket.
This time, Apple Bloom took notice. "Sweetie ya alright?" She talked as if she never felt drowsy through the night so far.
Apple Bloom sat up and looked around, but didn't see Sweetie Belle anywhere on the bed. Although, she did see a lump the size of her, right beside her.
"Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom raised the blanket slightly up, seeing a trembling Sweetie Belle.
"What's wrong?" Scootaloo asked, not at all tired.
"Just look for yerself." Apple Bloom pointed to the quivering Sweetie Belle.
"Hey... What's wrong?" Scootaloo said in a soothing tone.
Sweetie looked up slightly, to see her two friends worried.
"I-I..."
"Ya can tell us, Sweetie. Do ya think there's a monster under the bed?" Apple Bloom understandingly said as she rubbed Sweetie's back.
Sweetie shook her head for a no.
"Then what?"
"Pr-Promise you won't tell anypony?"
Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded.
"Well, I never really liked storms. And to be honest, I... I'm afraid of them." She said quietly.
"Oh come on! Thunderstorms aren't- Ow!" Scootaloo rubbed her head where Apple Bloom swatted.
"It's perfectly fine, if you're scared Sweetie. Ah mean, we ALL have fears, and I don't think Scootaloo would like me to remind you of hers."
Scootaloo blinked, then frowned.
"Anyways, like all fears, do ya have anything to help out with them?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie.
"Well, I had Majestic, but I think I left her in the clubhouse." Sweetie sadly said.
"Majesti- Ow! Stop doing that!" Scootaloo violently whispered.
Apple Bloom gave Scootaloo a stern look.
"What? I wasn't going to say anything. I was just going to ask what it was!" She defended.
"I-It's the doll Rarity gave me on my eighth birthday." Sweetie explained.
"Well, since that's not an option, anything else that can help?" Apple Bloom asked.
"...There is something else, but I don't know if it would help..."
"What? Let me hear it. And I'm sure nopony would object." She said referring to Scootaloo.
Sweetie sighed. "When I was younger, and storms came, Rarity used to hold me. I would always feel safe beside her. B-But, I doubt we can get Rarity over here, much less persuade her to actually do it."
"I... guess I know how you feel- Wait! Wait!" Scootaloo put her hoofs in front of her face to protect herself from a winding swat by Apple Bloom.
"Rainbow once held me, a-and, I felt like I was safe from anything," Scootaloo said, causing Apple Bloom to slowly put her hoof down.
"Really?" Asked Sweetie.
Scootaloo smiled. "Yup. I bet even Apple Bloom snuggled with her sister."
Apple Bloom blushed with a pout, as some of her pride washed away, but she soon sighed. She had to think of something to relieve her friend.
"Hmm..." Apple Bloom was in deep thought. "If Rarity can't come over here to hold you... then maybe WE can hold you!"
"Wha-What!?" Sweetie blushed.
"Scootaloo? Ya fine with that?"
"If it makes Sweetie feel better, then yes, of course!" Scootaloo smiled.
"B-But, won't it be weird?"
"How would it be weird? We're best friends with matching Cutie Marks, that bonds us more than ever! Plus, there's no pony to see us." Scootaloo explained.
"I-I... I don't know..."
"How about we just try it. And if it gets too weird for you, we'll back off." Apple Bloom said reassuringly.
Sweetie mused for a second, then replied, "Okay, I'll try..."
"Okay! Apple Bloom. You and Sweetie switch spots." Scootaloo ordered.
They did just that, so now Sweetie was in the middle, with Apple Bloom to her left, and Scootaloo to her right.
"So, how do we do this?" Sweetie asked.
"Ah thought you've done this with Rarity before?"
"I did, but I've never done it with two ponies." Sweetie said.
Scootaloo groaned in frustration. "Alright. Sweetie, turn so your back is facing me."
Sweetie Belle turned to face Apple Bloom.
"Good. Now Apple Bloom, follow my lead."
Scootaloo took her left forehoof, and dug it underneath Sweetie's body. She then proceeded to wrap it, and her right forehoof, around Sweetie's body.
Sweetie felt relaxed when her back was accompanied by Scootaloo's chest, which was slowly rising and falling with every breath she took.
Apple Bloom soon followed suit, and draped her left leg over the top of Sweetie's body, beside Scootaloo's leg.
Sweetie curled up as she was enveloped in her friends' soft grasp. Their warm breath and body heat combined with the comfort of it all made it amazing.
Scootaloo took the next step and wrapped her right hind leg over Sweetie Belle's hind leg and Cutie Mark. She then flicked her tail to meet Sweetie's.
Apple Bloom took her right hoof and wrapped it under Sweetie Belle. Then, both she and Scootaloo hugged tighter on the filly causing all of them to cuddle closer.
"You can still quit if it's too weird Sweets." Apple Bloom noted kindly.
"It's not weird. This... is so great." Sweetie Belle replied.
Scootaloo then nuzzled Sweetie's cheek, and Sweetie laid her muzzle against Apple Bloom's warm chest.
Apple Bloom smiled and she too flicked her tail to Sweetie's.
The three fillies' tails intertwined as they snuggled even closer.
Sweetie Belle was in total bliss. Her mind was off the storm, she felt great, and she was bonding closer to her friends.
"Hey... you guys?"
Scootaloo perked up. "Yeah, Sweetie?"
"Thanks. And... I love you."
"I love you too Sweets." Scootaloo softly said.
"Yeah, ah love you too." Apple Bloom also said.
The three snuggled for the rest of the night. And no more worries were drawn onto Sweetie belle, as she slept in eternal bliss.
