Years ago…

Anne Marionette panted, struggling to focus as she pranced through a series of baskets. It was a struggle to keep her eyes focused on where she wanted to land and her younger sister cheering her on ahead.

“C’mon Anne, you got this!” Silly String cheered, bouncing in place.

A slight smile crossed Anne’s muzzle as she pranced through the final series of baskets. “What’s next?” she panted.

“We gotta climb! We have a lead though,” Silly pointed out, gesturing to a series of three large crates stacked on top of one another.

“Let’s not waste it then,” Anne huffed, gently urging Silly to the crates.

As Silly climbed up first, Anne glanced back at the other contestants. All of them were stumbling through the baskets, and some of them were partially covered in mud. Anne’s horn flickered with green magic, lightening Silly’s load as she climbed up.

“C’mon, Anne!” Silly called, before hopping down the other side.

Anne nodded, huffing as she struggled to climb up the crates. Lifting Silly with her magic was easy, seeing how little she was—Anne was worried she’d burn out if she tried the same trick on herself.

And there was certainly nothing in the rules against “sisterly encouragement,” surely.

Anne carefully hopped down the other side of the crates, gawking at Silly. She was seated at a picnic table, halfway through an apple pie.

“You gotshta eat one too, Anne!” Silly mumbled, spraying crumbs everywhere.

Anne groaned. Apple was her least favorite, but she had entered this to get Silly a blue ribbon, and that was what she was going to do.

Even if it killed her.

Walking over and sitting down, Anne hurried through her pie, grimacing with each bite. She had no doubt it was properly prepared for the event—an Apple-made apple pie had a quality standard, after all—it was just her least favorite flavor.

Groaning, Anne followed Silly to the next event. She gained a little more pep in her step when some of the competitors raced over and sat down at their own pies.

“Push, Anne!” Silly called, struggling to push a large bale of hay.

With a sigh of relief and a gurgling stomach, Anne sighed. This seemed the least difficult task so far. Bracing both forehooves against the bale, she pushed with all her might. It slipped from Silly’s grasp as Anne pushed it across the finish line.

Silly promptly bounced over to an open tub full of grapes. A little nozzle on the side led to an empty jar.

“Grape juice?” Anne perked up, happily stomping in her favorite snack.

“We’re gonna need a bath after this, huh?” laughed Silly as they stomped together.

“Might be a little purple-hooved for a while,” Anne admitted, a smile crossing her muzzle. It was mostly at Silly’s happiness.

With a slow gurgle, the jar filled with grape juice. A referee mare blew a whistle, signaling them on to the next event.

“On to the blue ribbon!” Silly cheered, bouncing off to the next event.

“Right behind you,” Anne said with a laugh.

Author's Note

Fun fact: Anne and Silly were the only sister OCs I have. Every other "sister" had a brother.