Bedtime for Ponies

Chapters

Pinkie Pie
Fluttershy
Rainbow Dash
Twilight (co-op with Shining Armour)
Rarity
Applejack (co-op with Lil Mac)
Derpy
Luna & Celestia
Dinky (co-op with Derpy)

Pinkie Pie

You stand up in front of the bed, ready for the night, a helium balloon attached at each corner floating high above it. You hope it’ll be to her tastes. You even made sure the covers were a matching shade of pink, just so she would feel more comfortable. You walk to the doorway, and step into the hall, looking for her.

“Pinkie Pie!” you call from the doorway, expecting the little pony at any moment. After a few minutes of waiting with no sign of her, you leave the room to seek out the stubborn filly. You check the kitchen first, being the obvious place for her to hide. You walk to the cupboard and prod all the cakes, expecting a pink pony to leap out at any moment, only for the cakes to remain intact. As you leave the kitchen, you hear a giggle from the bedroom. Returning to it, you find an old timey western fort has been built on the bed using the pillows and blanket, a sound of laughter coming from within.

You clear your throat loudly to get her attention. A small pink head pokes out from under one end of the sheet, smiling at you. “Come on Pinkie, it's time for bed.” You say, only for her to climb back inside her fort and begin jumping around again, the bed creaking and wobbling with each bounce.

You walk over to it and lift the edge of the sheet up, only to come face to face with Pinkie's party cannon. You duck just in time before a shower of confetti explodes out the end, covering the room, as well as yourself in brightly coloured flakes of paper. You turn to face the bed again, as the little pink pony leaps out from under the sheets into your arms, smiling widely. You can't help but laugh as Pinkie giggles, pulling some confetti out of your hair.

Once she had calmed down, you place her on the ground for a moment while you carefully dismantle the pillow fort and turn it back into a bed. As you lift the party cannon out, you have to wonder how such a small filly moves such a heavy object around, before realising it's Pinkie Pie; she could do anything she wanted. You place the cannon in the corner of the room, much to Pinkie's disappointment. Once done, you pick her back up and carefully place her back down on the bed, pulling the covers over her small pink body, tucking them tightly around her hooves and shoulders, making sure her pillow was soft enough for her. She sighs contentedly and nestles her head down into the pillow. Job well done, you think to yourself, as you tiptoe away from the bed.

As you slowly step out the door, you turn to face the bed to check she was still asleep, only to notice it was empty! You walk back over and look under the covers for her, only to suddenly find Pinkie clinging to the back of your head, pulling on your jumper, giggling to herself. You lift her off your head, amazed at how she got out of bed so quickly, and tuck her back in again. As you do so, she points to the bookcase behind you. Realising she wants a story, you turn to select the best one suited to her tastes. As you browse the shelf, you notice one specific book sat on the shelf, wrapped in colourful paper, a piece of ribbon tied neatly around it in a bow.

Clearly Pinkie's choice, you think to yourself as you remove the present and unwrap it, finding it's a pop up party book. Perfect for the party pony. You turn back to the bed to see an eager filly leaning on her pillow, tugging at the string of the nearby balloon, watching it bob up and down above her. You smile at the cuteness, and let out a small laugh, catching the filly's attention. She sees the book in your hands and smiles widely. Climbing out of the covers, she begins to jump up and down on the bed again.

You sit down next to the pillow and position yourself so she can clearly see the pictures in the book before you open the cover. She stops jumping and walks back to the pillow. Climbing back into bed near the edge, she leans over to get a better view. You smile at how excited she is to hear the story, and once satisfied she is paying attention, you open the book and begin to read aloud. As you turn the first page, a large table covered with presents pops up, causing Pinkie to giggle again as you hold the book closer to her so she can study the pop up picture. You continue reading the book, before turning the next page, letting her pull the cords on the pop up pictures as you go.

As you near the end of the book, the little filly grows more and more excited. You turn the last page, only to have a series of party streamers explode out of the book into the air, showering the room in colourful pieces of paper, raining down on you and the bed. Pinkie falls onto her back, laughing heavily, her hooves kicking under the covers. As annoyed as you are at the mess, you can't stay mad at her when she's enjoying herself so much. You close the book and put it back on the shelf, before straightening the bed covers again and hugging the excitable filly. She lets out a smile as you hug her, and hugs you back with her tiny hooves.

Once satisfied she is ready for bed, you get up and turn the lights off, plugging in her night light, before sitting by her side gently stroking her mane until she falls asleep. After about twenty minutes, she closes her eyes and sighs gently. You take this as a good sign and quietly tip toe away again, hoping she stays in bed this time. As you close the door, you hear Pinkie laughing gently in her sleep, a smile still upon her face.

Fluttershy

You finish fitting the new linen on the bed and fluff the pillow gently before pulling the covers back. Once done, you fetch a large teddy bear from the bedroom cupboard, and lay him down on top of the pillow, placing the covers over his body. You walk away, pleased with the bed, and call your guest for the night.

“Fluttershy! Time for bed!” you call aloud, expecting the little filly to trot in any second. To your surprise, she pokes her head out from underneath the bed, looking up at you timidly. “Come on out Fluttershy!” you say, as the little filly crawls out from beneath the bed, and sits by your feet.

You bend down and gently place your arms under her torso, lifting her up, holding her close to your chest. She begins to grow nervous as you hold her, so you gently stroke her mane as you lower her down onto the soft cotton bedsheets. You lay her on her side, as she slowly curls up into a ball on the edge of the pillow. She starts looking around nervously, when she notices the teddy bear, and looks up to you for approval.

“Yes Fluttershy, that's your teddy bear! He gets nervous sleeping alone, so you better look after him for me!” you say with a smile. Fluttershy smiles back at you, and grabs the teddy bear in her hooves, tightly hugging him to her chest.

With the little filly now in bed, you pull the covers over her small yellow body before she starts getting cold, making sure to leave enough space for her to see over the top of the blanket. She lets out a small sigh as you gently wrap the blanket around her body, and squeezes the teddy tighter. She begins murmuring to it as well, moving it's head to make it nod back. You smile at the cuteness of it all, only for Fluttershy to pull the covers over her head in embarrassment. You suddenly feel bad for making Fluttershy embarrassed, and decide to make it up to her.

“Would you like me to read you a bedtime story?” you ask, watching as she nods her head beneath the sheet. You turn to face the bookshelf that stands behind you, selecting the perfect book for Fluttershy. A story about a happy duck who plays with his friends; not your favourite choice of book, but perfect for the little filly. You go back to the bed and sit down next to the pillow, book in hand. You begin reading aloud to the foal, who still lays hidden under the covers.

After a couple of pages, you see a small turquoise eye peering out from under the covers, watching you read the book. You smile to yourself, pretending you didn't see her. After all, you don't want to embarrass her any further. You continue reading, turning the book towards the bed so she can see the pictures. She lets out a muffled giggle from beneath the sheets as you do the different voices within the book, while continuing to murmur to her teddy friend. As you continue to read the story, you see the teddy reach out from under the covers, waving his arms at you. You smile and wave back, which results in another giggle emanating from the bed.

You continue reading the book, only to turn around a few minutes later to see the turquoise eye has been replaced by a yellow eyelid, the little filly now fast asleep. Aww, how adorable! You think to yourself, watching the bed cover rise and sink with each breath. You stand up slowly and leave the room, turning the light off as you go, when you hear a quiet yelp as Fluttershy sits up suddenly in bed. You turn the light back on and walk over to the scared filly, pulling the covers back to see her shaking, holding onto the teddy as tight as possible, her eyes clenched shut.

“Hey Fluttershy. It's okay. Look, nothing is going to hurt you! You've got Mr Teddy to protect you!” You whisper gently to her. The little filly opens her eyes to see you, and lets out a faint smile. She drops the teddy and wraps her hooves tightly around your arm, continuing to shake nervously. You reach towards her and gently stroke her mane with your free hand, gently shushing her as you do so.

“Hey, it's okay Fluttershy” you say, as she buries her head into your lap. You reach over to her teddy and prod the little filly with his hands, causing her to look up and smile as she grabs the teddy and hugs it tightly. You pick her up in your arms, and carry her with you while you plug a night light into the wall socket. Fluttershy lifts her head from your arm and looks at it, blank faced.

“It's a night light Fluttershy. It’ll protect you from the dark, so you don't need to feel afraid at night,” you say in a gentle tone, as the little filly rests in your arms.

You walk around the room gently rocking Fluttershy back and forth in your arms, trying to calm her down. After a couple of minutes she starts falling asleep again, so you carry her back to the bed and softly place her back down, tucking the covers tightly around her legs. You make sure her teddy is right next to her, before bending down and gently kissing her on the forehead. She giggles as you do so, opening her eyes and smiling. She then holds her teddy up, waggling him back and forth before you. You give the teddy a kiss as well, causing Fluttershy to giggle and hide her face behind the teddy, before she tucks him in next to her again, and hides her head back under the edge of the blanket.

You walk to the door and turn the light off, before sitting down next to Fluttershy, making sure she was comfortable. You carry on reading the bedtime story to her, watching as she slowly drifts to sleep. You finish the book to make sure, before slowly getting up and walking out the room. You pause at the door to check she's still asleep, this time noticing she appeared a lot more comfortable thanks to the night light.

“Goodnight Fluttershy,” you whisper as you exit the room, watching her cuddling the teddy contentedly.

Rainbow Dash

You check the clock - Nine pm - Time for bed. You step into the living room to seek out your guest for the night, the troublesome Rainbow Dash. As you look around the living room, you are unable to see her anywhere.

“Rainbow Dash!” you call, hoping she'll respond. To your surprise, she flies into the living room through an open window, landing gracefully before your feet, smiling widely. “Time for bed!” you say to her, which immediately changes her smile into a frown. You scoop her up in your arms before she has a chance to fly away, and even though you hold onto her tightly, she keeps on flapping her wings furiously against your chest, trying to escape.

You quickly step into the bedroom and shut the door behind you before letting her go. She flies out of your arms and hovers mid air, crossing her arms in protest. You smile at her, and nod towards the bed, hoping she'll change her mind when she sees it.

As she turns to look at the bed, she lets a wide smile escape at the sight of it. A rainbow coloured blanket was pulled back ready for her to get in, and a cloud shaped pillow sat at the top, the perfect finishing touch. She looked at it before looking back at you, turning her nose up at the bed, pretending it wasn't good enough for her.

You point again to it, specifically the Wonderbolt mobile hanging above the bed, featuring all the star fliers themselves. You look back at her, to see an even bigger grin upon her face. Unfortunately she masks her happiness as soon as she catches you watching, continuing to sulk.

I expected you'd be this stubborn, you think to yourself. Luckily you have a plan. You reach into the drawer on the bedside table, and pull out a mug of apple cider, a small bead of condensation running down the edge of the mug. At the sight of this, Rainbow Dash beams with happiness, and flies towards you, arms stretched out for the cider. You quickly hide it behind you back and smile slyly at the filly.

“First you get into bed, then you get your drink!” you say, to which she reluctantly nods, immediately flying to the bed and leaping under the covers. She crosses her arms behind her head, leaning back comfortably upon them. You walk over to her and ruffle her mane playfully, before draping the bed sheet over her cyan coloured body. You make sure to tuck the covers in tightly under the mattress, to stop the little filly from flying out of bed once you were gone, otherwise she'd never go to sleep.

Once you're satisfied she's not going to fly away at a moment's notice, you pick up the cider from the floor and hand it to her. She grips it tightly in her hooves and giggles loudly at the thought of finally having a taste, drool running freely from her mouth.

She places the mug to her lips, and downs the cider in one massive gulp. She smiles happily when finished, before burping loudly. You laugh at the sound as Rainbow Dash joins in, laughing and clapping her hooves together. Once done enjoying yourself, you walk over and take the mug from her, setting it on the bedside table.

“Do you want to hear a story before bed?” you then ask the little filly, to which she shakes her head from side to side in response. She then rolls over and snuggles up under the blanket, letting out a contented sigh. Fair enough, you think to yourself, she isn't a fan of reading after all.

You leave her be, and walk to the plug socket on the opposite wall to plug in the usual night light, when you hear a quiet huffing. You turn around to see Rainbow Dash sitting up in bed, shaking her head again.

“What? You don't want a night light?” you ask, to which she continues shaking her head indicating a no. You do as she wishes, and leave it on the floor. Of course the tough and mighty Rainbow Dash isn't afraid of the dark!

You stand up again, only to accidentally bump the nearby bookcase, knocking several books onto the floor. You quietly curse your misfortune and rub your sore head, before picking the books up and placing them back on the shelf. You put the last one away and turn around, only to see Rainbow Dash sitting in bed smiling eagerly at you, her face changing to a frown when she notices you aren't holding a story book.

“So, you do want to hear a story after all?” you ask, to which she nods reluctantly, her cheeks turning a shade of red. “Alright then, let's find you a story,” you say, turning to the shelf to select a book. Of course you know exactly which book you had planned to read if she wanted a story, removing it from it's place on the shelf. 'The Flight Manoeuvres of Stunt Pilots.' Ideal for such a keen flier.

You carry the book to the bed and sit down on the edge of the mattress, holding the book out so she can see. You open it up and begin reading specific pages aloud, mainly the ones with diagrams so she can study them intently. As you look at the diagrams, you have difficultly working out how half of the moves are performed. You turn to look at Rainbow Dash, only to see she is smiling eagerly. Her eyes closed as she pictures how to pull off such stunts, her head tilting back and forth as if she was mid flight already. Clearly it comes naturally to such a skilled pegasus, you think, as you continue to read.

After half an hour, she lays back, and rests her head on the cloud pillow, closing her eyes, a content smile on her face. You stand up slowly and put the book back on the shelf, marking the pages for her to look at tomorrow. You leave the bedroom, turning the light off as you go. You look back in to check she's still asleep, only to hear a loud snoring coming from the bed. You laugh quietly to yourself, glad you're not sharing a room with her.

Twilight (co-op with Shining Armour)

“Twilight! Twilight, time for bed!” you call aloud, seeking out the little filly. You make your way into the living room, only to find she isn't there. Sitting in the arm chair is Shining Armour, a book in his hooves.

“Has she gone missing?” he asks, placing a bookmark in his story. You nod at him, to which he sighs before getting up. “I’ll go find her, you carry on preparing the bed.” He says, before walking out of the room, calling out for his little sister.

You sigh and turn to leave, blaming yourself for losing the filly. You should never have told her to finish the last page of her book before going to bed. You just warned her in advance. You shake you head, and begin to walk out the room, but not before noticing a small grey object sitting behind the sofa. You crouch down and reach for it, grasping it in your hands. You pull it out, only to see it's Twilight's beloved doll, Smarty Pants. You turn him over in your hands, noticing a few moist chew marks on his arm.

You take him to the bedroom, and put him on the bedside table as you wait for Twilight to arrive. As you place a glass of water next to the bed, you hear the sound of tears slowly growing closer. You turn to face the door as Twilight floats into the room, her eyes clenched shut as tears stream down her cheeks. Shining Armour stands close behind, a frown upon his face. He continues to hold Twilight aloft with his magic, as he regards you with a half smile.

“I found her crawling around the kitchen, carrying one of her books with her. When I picked her up, she dropped it and began to cry.” He levitates Twilight closer to his face, and smiles. “I guess little Twily doesn't like going to bed early, does she?” he says in a mocking tone, before moving her over to the bed. You can't help but feel sorry for Twilight, even though it is past her bed time. A keenness to read should never be punished, you think to yourself.

Shining Armour slowly lowers her into the bed, while you walk over and pull the covers back. Once she's safely down, you wrap the blanket over her purple body and gently ruffle her mane. She crosses her arms in protest of going to bed, and lets out a loud huff. You smile at the little filly, and pick up Smarty Pants from the bedside table. As soon as she spots her favourite doll, Twilight moans eagerly and reaches her hooves out to him. You're about to pass him to Twilight, when a purple glow appears around Smarty Pants, which pulls him from your hands!

He slowly floats over to Twilight, who grasps him firmly in her hooves and lets out a happy squeaking noise. You laugh at the cuteness, while Shining Armour lets out a contented smile, before using his abilities to tighten the blanket around Twilight's body, making sure she stays warm and comfortable.

“Would you like to hear a bedtime story, Twilight?” you ask the little filly, knowing full well what the answer would be. She smiles widely and nods her head enthusiastically in response. You turn to the bookcase and start looking for the perfect book, until you hear a moan from behind you. Turning back, you find Twilight shaking her head from side to side, squirming out of the bed covers.

Shining Armour quickly darts out of the room, leaving you to tend to the agitated filly. You walk over the bed and sit down on the edge, smiling at her. She looks up at you and frowns, continuing to squirm out from under the bed covers. You reach down and steady her hooves, stopping her from messing up the bed. As you do so, Shining Armour enters the bedroom again, carrying a book with him. As soon as Twilight spots it, she smiles happily and claps her hooves together, no longer squirming about.

“I think she wants to finish the book she was reading first,” he says, placing it down on the bed next to you. Twilight reaches for it again, a faint purple glow beginning to appear around the edges. You pick the book up before she pulls it away from you, and study the cover. 'Stallionspeare's Greatest Works.'

Certainly an advanced book for such a small filly! you think to yourself.

You look up from the cover, only to see Twilight looking up at you, eager to hear her story. You position yourself next to her and open the book to the last page she was on, beginning to read aloud.

She smiles and hugs Smarty Pants closer to her chest, listening to her story. As you continue to read, Shining Armour trots over and climbs into the bed next to Twilight, putting a hoof around his little sister. She cuddles up to his arm and listens intently to her story.

After half an hour of reading, you expect Twilight to be fast asleep. You finish the page you're on, and turn to face her, only to find she is still wide awake. You sigh quietly to yourself and open the book again.

“Does it always take her this long to fall asleep?” you ask Shining Armour, turning to face him. To your surprise, he is the one who has fallen asleep! Twilight looks up at her big brother and pulls on his mane, rudely waking him up. He wakes up with a start, before looking down at Twilight, who frowns back at him.

You decide to ignore the fight and continue reading the story. After another half hour, you reach the end of the book, much to the surprise of Twilight, and yourself. She claps her hooves happily, and tugs on your shirt sleeve, pointing at the bookcase. Another story? Really? you wonder to yourself.

“Come on Twilight, it's getting late. You better get your sleep, or Nightmare Moon will come get you!” Shining Armour joked. Twilight, however, was ignorant of his intentions and started to tear up, hiding her face behind Smarty Pants.

He quickly apologises at his foolish mistake and hugs her and Smarty Pants tightly. He releases his hug, and looks down at Twilight again, who still looks around uneasily. You walk over to the wall and plug in the night light you kept handy for all the little ponies, and immediately see a change in Twilight's expression. She smiles and hugs her brother again. You then turn to the bookshelf and pick another story to read, only for it to be levitated out of your hands.

You turn to the bed, only to see Shining Armour holding it out to Twilight, waiting for her approval. She nods happily, so he begins to read aloud to her. He looks over to you and nods his head towards the door, smiling. You take the cue and leave him to read the next story, but not before giving Twilight a goodnight hug.

You come by the bedroom a half hour later to see how they're getting on. You peer in through the doorway, only to see Shining Armour fast asleep, Twilight laying next to him. Fortunately Twilight was fast asleep at last, though she was laying on top of the book itself.

Looks like she really wanted to hear the ending! you think to yourself. You step in and gently slide it out from underneath her, not wanting to wake her up. You place it on the bedside table and cover Twilight back up, placing Smarty Pants in her hooves. You turn the light off before leaving the room, slowly closing the door.

Rarity

Tonight’s going to be difficult, you think to yourself. You double check every corner of the bed sheet, making sure it is free from creases. You arrange the extra pillows on the bed into an overlapping pattern, and gently fold back the corner of the duvet. Once satisfied with the arrangement, you walk out of the room and softly call for Rarity.

After a few minutes of waiting, she casually saunters into the bedroom. Wrapped around her small body is the finest silk dressing gown you've ever seen, and on each hoof is a soft, fluffy slipper. As she walks in, she stops to examine the bed before turning to face you. She nods happily and smiles in approval of the bedding you've given her. After all, plain old cotton wouldn't have been good enough for Rarity. You walk over and bend down to lift her into bed, only for her to shy away from your hands.

“What's the matter Rarity?” you ask, worrying you've made a faux pas somewhere. Rarity shakes her head at you, before sitting down, trying to kick her slippers off each hoof. You bend down and gently remove each one for her, gaining a smile for your efforts. After each slipper has been removed and neatly arranged next to the bed side table, you place your hands under Rarity's stomach and lift her up onto the bed.

Once safely on the bed, you pull the bed covers over her small body and tuck them around her, making sure it wasn't too tight. You gently fluff the pillow behind her head, watching her lean back and sink softly into it. She sighs contentedly and shifts comfortably under the duvet, closing her eyes.

“Did you want to hear a bedtime story before you go to sleep, Rarity?” you ask softly, not wanting to disturb her comfort. She opens her eyes and nods her head at you, trying not to move an inch in case she disturbs the perfect bedding. You walk over to the bookcase and try to find an ideal story, scanning the shelves. You stop your finger on an adventure book and pull it out by the spine, turning it over in your hands.

Well, she might like to hear an adventure book, you think, carrying it over to Rarity. You hold it out to her, only for her to turn her nose up at it and close her eyes in disgust. You shake your head at the foolish idea and return the book to the shelf, trying to find something more suited. After exhausting the entire bookshelf, you turn to a disappointed Rarity, whom rolls her eyes at you.

You're about to apologise, when an idea pops into your head. Darting to the living room, you quickly pick up a fashion magazine that arrived in the post last week and bring it back to the bedroom. You hold it out to Rarity, whose eyes light up at the sight of it. It's an unconventional piece of bedtime reading material, but you think it’ll do the job. You settle down next to the filly and start to read out several articles on the latest fashions and trends. You find it awfully boring, but Rarity is loving every minute of it, and that is all that matters, after all!

After half an hour of reading through multiple articles and letting Rarity intently study the photos of various dress designs, you decide it is time for bed. You start to close the magazine, only for Rarity to place her white hoof onto the page. You turn to Rarity, who gives you a wide eyed look, wanting to read on. As much as you want to say no, you can't let down such an eager little filly.

“Alright, one more article, then it's time for bed!” you say, watching as she lays back down, smiling widely. You let Rarity pick an article based on the best photos, and continue reading, noting she keeps slowly drifting off to sleep. You finally finish the article, regretting letting Rarity pick the longest one possible. You close the magazine before she notices it's over and put it on the bedside table.

You look down to Rarity and see she's smiling happily at you, her eyes half open, her hooves stretched upwards. You smile and laugh quietly to yourself before leaning in for a hug, holding her gently. You let go and step back, only to see Rarity frowning and still reaching her arms up. You then notice she's still wearing her dressing gown, and wants a hand removing it.

You sigh again at your mistake, and gently lift the dressing gown over her head, hanging it on the bed post. You turn back to Rarity, only to notice she is now shivering in bed, her teeth chattering quietly. You pick up another blanket and lay it over the bed before running to the kitchen to prepare a hot water bottle.

After a few moments, you quickly return with the bottle and hold it out to Rarity, who still lays shivering in bed, clutching the sheets tightly to her body. She looks up to you, only to recoil at the sight of the bright orange hot water bottle, disgusted by such a vibrant colour.

“Come on Rarity, I know it doesn't look nice, but it’ll keep you warm!” you say, holding the bottle closer to her.

She keeps shifting away from it however, ducking under the bed covers. You lift the cover up and place it on her chest as she winces at the colour of it, the orange clashing with her white coat. Her pained expression soon changes to one of comfort however, as she feels the warmth spreading out from the bottle. She clasps it tightly to her chest, letting out a small sigh as she manages to warm up in bed.

You stand back and watch as she crawls back onto the pillow and smiles happily again, hiding the bottle under the bed sheet. You tuck the covers back around her small body once again, smoothing them out to her pleasure. She looks up to you and reaches her hooves out again. You smile and bend in for another hug, this time feeling Rarity hugging you back happily.

“Goodnight Rarity. Pleasant dreams!” you say as you release your grip, before quietly leaving the room. You look back at the bed, only to see Rarity laying down, her eyes closed contentedly. You switch the light off and gently pull the door shut behind you.

Applejack (co-op with Lil Mac)

You step into the bedroom and fumble your hands on the bedroom wall, looking for the light switch. Your left hand eventually rests upon the familiar metal surround, and you flick the switch on with a satisfying click. The room fills with a gentle yellow light as you look upon the bed you've prepared for the night.

A simple arrangement this time, you think, as you regard the bed. Two plain red pillows, and a chequered pattern duvet cover should be perfect. You walk over and remove the hot water bottle from under your arm, sliding it into the correct position so the bed will warm through. As you step back, you hear the sound of hoof steps upon the stairs, alongside a bumping noise. You turn to face the door, only to see the flank of a red pony appear within the door frame. He walks into the room backwards, much to your bemusement. However, you soon realise why. Gripped between his teeth rests the blonde tail of Applejack, the small filly being dragged along the floor on her belly, her hooves frantically gripping at every possible object in reach.

Lil Mac turns to face you, continuing to pull AJ into the room. “She's a stubborn one,” he mumbles, not wanting to release his grip on her. Unfortunately, Applejack saw a chance for escape as he regarded you. She stands up and kicks out with her hind legs, bucking Lil Mac square in the nose. He reels backwards, and lets out a moan of pain, unintentionally releasing Applejack from his grip. She flies backwards with Lil Mac, landing on his belly, laughing loudly. She quickly stands up and jumps off of him, bolting for the doorway.

Spotting the little filly making a break for it, you quickly cut her off and slam the door shut, just as she neared her beloved freedom. She stops dead at the door and looks up at you, frowning. You bend down and put your hands under her stomach, picking her up before she starts attempting to kick the door down.

“Come on Applejack, it's bedtime!” you say, holding her at arms length from your body, just in case she tries to kick you too. She squirms and struggles in your arms all the same, still refusing to go to sleep. You walk over to the bed, followed by Lil Mac, who was rubbing his nose with his hoof, grimacing. You put AJ into the bed and hold her steady as Lil Mac grabs the corner of the bed cover in his mouth, and pulls it over AJ, making sure she was comfortable.

“There ya go, sis. Ain't too bad once you're in!” Lil Mac says, smiling at her, despite his sore nose. Applejack looked at his nose, now brighter than usual. She giggled, before reaching her fore hoof out and poking it gently. Lil Mac ruffled her mane and forgave her, despite her earlier aggression.

You stand watching the pair now smiling happily, and decide to speed up the bedtime progress, just in case AJ grew bored. You head over to the bookcase and pull out a book to read, turning it over in your hands. You turn back to face the duo, only to see Applejack now sits in bed, shuffling about, her eyes clenched shut in annoyance. Her brother looks on, a confused expression upon his face.

“What'sa matter, sis? Don't cha like your bed? Ah think it's very nice!” he says, trying to calm her down, only for AJ to continue to squirm. You walk over and gently shush AJ, who opens her eyes and looks up to you, a small bead of sweat running down her brow. She begins kicking her legs under the covers, when you realise what the problem is.

You put the book down on the floor, and bend down, reaching carefully under the edge of the bed cover. You fumble around for the hot water bottle, desperately trying to avoid AJ's flailing legs, not wanting to break a finger. You eventually manage to get a hold of it and pull it out, which immediately calms AJ down. Lil Mac looks at the hot water bottle, prodding it with his hoof. He gives a knowing expression when he realises what it is.

“AJ doesn't like ta be too hot, ya see,” he explains. You nod your head, silently chastising yourself for not asking him about it before hand.

You place the bottle on the bedside table, and hand AJ a glass of water to help her cool down. She sits quietly and sips at it for a bit, making little slurping noises as she does so. She soon gestures she's had enough, holding the glass out to you. You take it and put it back on the table, before sitting down on the edge of the bed, book in hand.

You open the story and begin to read, only to see AJ is still squirming about, trying to get out of bed. You put the book down and rest your hand on her head, surprised at how hot she is. Lil Mac looks at you and nods.

“She'll cool down in ah minute,” he says, smiling. “Ah know what ta do, it's happened before.” Lil Mac steps closer to AJ, and begins to blow air onto her face, huffing and puffing as he tries to cool her down. Applejack giggles at his expression and the breeze, but still looks uncomfortable. You decide there is a quicker way, and stand up to leave the room, fetching an electric fan from a nearby cupboard.

You come back and plug it in, aiming it at the bed, turning it on to the slowest speed. The air begins to flow smoothly and cleanly onto AJ, who sighs contentedly at the feeling, letting out a smile. Her blonde mane blows in the breeze as she lays down on her back, and closes her eyes, now seemingly willing to go to bed. Lil Mac walks over and stands next to you, out of breath.

“Thanks for that,” he says, panting. “I don't like doing that at all!”

“Not a problem!” you say, smiling at him, trying not to laugh at his red nose and flushed face, as he lays down on the floor, worn out.

You walk over to the bed again and sit on the floor next to Applejack's pillow, and pick the story back up. You begin to read aloud as AJ rolls onto her side, facing you and the fan. She lets out a small smile, and nuzzles her head into the pillow happily. You continue reading, when you hear a quiet 'pfffft' sound, and look up, only to see AJ smiling even wider, giggling aloud. You laugh quietly. I'm glad I'm this side of the fan, you think to yourself, as you carry on reading the book, the sound of Lil Mac snoring in the background.

Derpy

You call for Derpy from the bedroom door, and wait for the little filly to arrive. After a minute's wait, you call again, only to gain no response. You leave the bedroom to seek her out, checking all the obvious places you'd expect to find her. Having no luck, you call her name again, making your way to the kitchen. You take a muffin from the cupboard, knowing it would tempt Derpy into bed, when you hear a giggling sound coming from the bedroom.

You walk back into the bedroom only to find Derpy sitting in the middle of the floor, patiently waiting for you! She grins widely, and you can't help but smile back, wondering if she had been hiding there the entire time. You walk over to her and pick her up, resting her against your chest. You gently cradle her body with one hand, minding her small wings.

As you hold her however, she notices the muffin in your free hand and smiles, looking up to you for approval. You nod at her, and watch as she stretches her mouth towards it, jaws open wide, trying to reach it without falling out of your arms. You laugh and move the muffin closer to her, as she clenches her mouth shut upon its soft, doughy goodness.

She then relaxes back into your arm, and steadies her delicious muffin with her hooves. She begins to nibble on the muffin gingerly, making faint chomping sounds as she closes her eyes happily, a smile upon her face.

Muffins clearly are the answer to everything, you think, as you carry Derpy to the bed. You slowly lower Derpy down and sit her on the pillow, leaving her to enjoy her muffin while you fold back the bed cover and remove any creases in the bed sheet. After making sure the bed was perfect, you look back to the little foal and pick her up, placing her down onto the mattress.

She looks at you, tilting her head in confusion. She looks back to the pillow, before standing up and walking back to it, carrying her muffin with her. You lift up the blanket and quickly drape it over Derpy, covering her body entirely. For a minute she remains motionless under the blanket before returning to her seated position, and you hear the familiar sound of a muffin being devoured. You lift the edge of the blanket up and peer inside, only to see Derpy still eagerly eating her treat.

You reach under and lift her out, resting her head on the pillow, her body under the blanket. She lays there for a moment and looks at you, before she begins squirming about, moving back under the bed covers. She shuffles about, and to your surprise, her flank emerges from out of the bed as she rests it on the pillow. You look at her and laugh, expecting her to turn around at any minute, except she remains in that position.

You lift the covers back up again and find Derpy laying contentedly in this position, continuing to chew the remains of her muffin under the bed covers, getting crumbs everywhere. She stops eating for a moment and looks up at you, confused as to why she's been disturbed yet again. You laugh, and pick her up, turning her around so her head pokes out the top of the bed covers, and lay the blanket over her again. She lays motionless for a moment, before quickly returning to her muffin, chewing it intently.

Well, at least she's the right way round now. You laugh to yourself and leave her to finish her treat, as you turn to face the familiar bookshelf, selecting a story to read to Derpy. You finally pick an ideal book, when you hear a faint coughing. Turning around, you find Derpy sitting up in bed, starting to cough louder than before. You run over and quickly put her over your shoulder, patting her back gently. She soon stops coughing and buries her heads into your shoulder, letting out a sigh. Her soft blonde mane tickles your cheek as she curls up to your body.

You gently rock her up and down, calming down the little filly, enjoying the sensation of her soft coat and mane as you stroke her back, using your free hand. Derpy lays still throughout, until she lets out a small cough again.

You lift her off your shoulder and look into her eyes, smiling warmly at her. “Do you need a drink?” you ask the filly, watching her nod in response. You place her back into the bed and quickly fetch a juice box from the kitchen, handing it to her little hooves. Unfortunately it slips from her grasp as you let go, so you pick it up and try again. She tries to hold it tighter, causing a small amount of apple juice to squirt into your face, right before she drops the box again. She looks at you and blushes.

You wipe the juice off your face using your shirt and smile happily, causing Derpy to sheepishly smile back. You sit down next to her, stroking her mane reassuringly, picking the juice up and holding it out to Derpy, who wraps her small lips around the straw and begins to slurp softly.

While sitting next to her, you decide to read the bedtime story with your free hand. You regale Derpy with a short story all about an accident prone foal, who grew up to be a fantastic artist, amazing the world with her talents. Derpy giggles between sips of her juice box, clapping her hooves together and flapping her tiny wings in happiness.

After a few minutes further reading, Derpy finishes her juice and rolls onto her side, looking towards you and the book. Her eyes now appear half shut, as she struggles to stay awake, eager to hear the rest of the story. You lower your voice to a gentle whisper and continue reading, watching as Derpy slowly drift off to sleep. Just as you finish the book, Derpy rolls over to face the wall, snoring gently.

You quietly stand and place the book on the bedside table, making your way out of the room. You go back to the kitchen and debate eating a muffin, before stepping back from the cupboard.

Probably not a good idea. That pony's got a muffin sense, and I don't want her waking up!

Luna & Celestia

You prepare the bunk beds with the utmost diligence, knowing you were housing royalty tonight; you could hardly provide them with anything but the highest quality bedding. You toss the bedsheets with a flick of the wrist and watch as they float down on a cushion of air, before gently resting atop a pillow on the upper and lower bunks. Contented with the layout, you go ahead and summon the royal duo. Within a few moments, Celestia and Luna trot into the bedroom, weary eyed and yawning from a busy day.

This shouldn't be at all difficult you think to yourself, as the pair come to rest by your feet, curling up around you, ready for a good nights rest. You smile and bend down to pick them up, making sure to only carry one filly at a time, lest you drop royalty. You scoop your arms around Celestia's small body, minding her wings and horn, before tucking her into the left hand side of the bottom bunk, next to the wall. She yawns happily and rolls over, clutching at the blanket under her hooves, wrapping it around her body.

You return to Luna, who has now gotten up and begun to run out of the room, angrily. You dart after her quickly and grab her under the stomach, hoisting her up into your arms. You turn her to face you, and notice she doesn't appear happy. You smile reassuringly, only for Luna to turn her face away again, looking over at her sister. She pouts at seeing her comfortably wrapped in the bed.

You laugh to yourself, and stroke her mane before carrying her over to the bed and placing her in next to Celestia. Her frown turns to a smile once she realises she is sharing the bed with her sister, as opposed to being left on the cold floor. She giggles happily and clutches the bed sheets to her chest.

You bend down next to Luna and whisper “Would you like to hear a bedtime story, Luna?” She nods excitedly and turns to her sleeping sister, pushing her back and forth until she wakes up. Before you have a chance to stop her, Celestia sits up and rubs her eyes wearily, looking at you and Luna. She furrows her brow and crosses her arms, sulking. You apologize to her and pick up the story book from the bedside table, hoping she'll cheer up upon seeing it.

Celestia's expression changes to one of inquisition upon seeing the book, and she crawls closer to the bed to read the book with you. She sits on the edge of the bed next to Luna, and begins kicking her legs beneath the covers. You read them a story about the sun and moon, befitting the duo. They both sit quietly, whispering to each other and giggling on occasion.

Once the story was finished, you close the book and put it back on the bedside table, before turning to the little fillies, who still sit on the edge of the bed, smiling to each other. You put your arms under Luna and lift her out of the bed, causing her to squirm about. She soon stops however, when she realises there is a top bunk, and she has it all to herself. You tuck her into the bed sheets on the top, and make sure she is comfortable, before lifting up a safety railing to protect her from falling out.

You then return to Celestia, who has sat up and is looking up at the top bunk above her, frowning as her younger sister gets to sleep above, on the higher bunk. Celestia frowns and rolls over to face the wall, sulking. You try to cheer her up, when Luna began jumping up and down on the top bunk, laughing raucously. Celestia covers her ears angrily, blocking out the noise. You're about to tell Luna off, when she suddenly stops jumping, and you hear a muffled whimpering noise. You stand up to check if she's okay, only to find she's now laying on the top bunk, shaking.

“What's wrong?” you ask the little filly, only for her to point blindly at the edge of the bed while she still cowers in the corner. You look over and realise she isn't fond of the height, only noticing it when she probably bounced above the safety rails' height. You reach over to calm her down, when Celestia appears next to you, having climbed the small ladder herself, just to check on her sister!

You reach over and help her onto the top bunk before she falls and watch as she walks over to Luna, giving her a hug, her white hooves contrasting against Luna's dark blue coat. Luna soon cheers up and hugs her back. You smile, and pick Luna up, ready to put her in the bottom bunk, when she starts to wriggle and reaches out to her sister again. You put her back down on the top bunk next to Celestia, and watch as she trots over to the bed and crawls under the blanket.

You look to Celestia who nods and also crawls under the blanket next to Luna. Your heart feels warmed, seeing the sisters not wanting to be separated, so you let them share a bunk for comforts sake. You tuck the covers under their hooves comfortably, and make sure they're happy and content. Once you're sure they're both happy and ready to sleep, you walk away to turn the light off when you hear a struggle.

You look back once again, only to find Luna and Tia now playfully fighting over the blanket, each one wanting more than the other, selfishly curling up in most of the blanket. Celestia eventually pulls the entire blanket over to her side of the bunk and rolls into it, wrapping herself up like a parcel. She giggles from within her warm cocoon, until she spots your disapproving face. She relents and allows you to unroll the blanket, laying it over the pair again.

You decide that it will probably carry on once you leave, so thinking on your feet, you take the blanket off the bottom bunk, and put it on the top. You separate the blankets so they each have one of their own, while still sleeping next to each other. They soon settle down and curl up separately. The duo yawn in unison and shut their eyes, nestling their heads into the blankets warm embrace. You tip toe away quietly and turn the light off, letting them get some much needed rest.

Dinky (co-op with Derpy)

As you stand up from the bed you hear a sound of laughter coming down the hallway, growing closer with each passing second. You turn to face the door, only to see Derpy enter the room with Dinky sat upon her back, wedged between her mothers wings. Derpy smiles upon seeing you and trots over to introduce Dinky. You smile at the little filly, only to see her pull her mothers wing open and cower behind it.

“She's a little shy around new people, aren't you Dinky?” Derpy said to her little foal, looking back at her.

She trots over to the bed and suddenly flaps her wings, taking off into the air. She flies above the bed and banks sharply, causing Dinky to roll off her back and fall onto the bed. The filly lands on the bed and bounces into the air, almost as high as the point from which she fell. You run over quickly, expecting the worst, only to find her laying on the bed roaring with laughter as Derpy lands next to you.

“She loves playing that game, don't you Dinky?” she says to her foal, nuzzling her nose on Dinky's head, smiling all the while.

You breath a sigh of relief knowing she's fine, though your heart continues to race a mile a minute, feeling like it is trying to escape from your chest. You admire the relationship between the pair, even though you think the way Derpy puts her to bed is not only dangerous, but overly stimulating for bedtime! None the less, you leave them to it, and watch as Derpy gently shushes Dinky, calming her down in a matter of seconds.

Derpy turns to you and smiles, gesturing for you to come over. You walk over and see Dinky sitting on the bed, smiling as she watches you approach. You bend down next to the bed to appear smaller to the little filly. As you reach her height, Dinky crawls closer to the edge of the bed and reaches her hoof out to you. You grasp it in your hand and gently shake it, causing the filly to giggle and pull her hoof back, covering her mouth.

Derpy looks to you and nods, smiling again. “She likes you now, don't you Dinky?” she says to her filly, who begins to blush, hiding behind her hooves. “Now, lets get you into your pyjamas before you catch a cold!”

Derpy trots out of the room to fetch her bag, leaving you alone with Dinky. You turn to her, only to see she is forcibly crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out.

“Now Dinky, that's not nice. Stop that right now!” you say, trying to sound strict, without upsetting her. She uncrosses her eyes and crosses her legs instead, sulking. You're about to try and cheer her up, when Derpy trots back in again with Dinky's pyjamas. Dinky smiles again upon seeing her mother, and reaches out to her as she drops the pyjamas onto the bed, unrolling them using her nose.

“Come on Dinky, in you get!” she says, as Dinky walks over and wriggles into the opening. You appreciate the distraction, telling off kids never was your strong suit. Derpy grabs the collar of the pyjamas and lifts Dinky into the air, causing her to slide snugly inside them, causing her to giggle. Derpy places her on the bed again, and looks to you, frowning.

“Can you do the buttons up for me? I always struggle when doing this myself!” You nod happily and reach over to Dinky, pushing each button through its respective hole, her legs kicking playfully at your hands as you do each button up. Once done, you lift Dinky up under the arms and put her into the bed proper, pulling the bed covers up and tucking them under her hooves. You step back and go to select a bedtime story, when Dinky suddenly pulls her bed covers over her head.

Did I get something wrong? You think, however Derpy simply laughs and trots up to her, prodding Dinky's belly under the blanket.

“Where's Dinky? Where's Dinky?” she says, while Dinky giggles from under the blanket. Suddenly Dinky pulls the sheet down, beaming happily.

“There's Dinky!” Derpy continues, as Dinky covers her head up again. You stand back and watch as they carry on for a few minutes, until you decide it is time for a calming story, or else the filly will never get to sleep.

You walk over to the bed with the book, and smile at Dinky as she plays another round of 'peekaboo.' You sit down next to her and hold the book out to Derpy who nods approvingly. She reaches her hooves out and pushes the blanket back around Dinky's body, tucking it tightly around her, before sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her daughter.

You begin to read aloud, watching Dinky smiling happily as she listens to you. She looks at the book with eager eyes, studying each picture and emitting small giggles as you go. As you read along, Derpy joins in, reading some of the pages out loud for you. After finishing the story, you turn to regard Dinky again, only to find she is still sat upright, wide awake. She looks at you and smiles, then reaches her hooves out to her mother, who still sat next to her. You look to Derpy, who nods her head as if it is a usual problem.

“Okay then Dinky, but only until you fall asleep!” Derpy adds, before climbing onto the opposite side of the bed and laying next to Dinky. You watch as the little filly cuddles up to her mothers side and closes her eyes instantly, comfortable in her mothers embrace. You wonder if it is a usual thing, but then decide she is in a strange environment, it's to be expected.

You smile at the pair, as Derpy quietly whispers a “Thank you,” before closing her own eyes, drifting off to sleep. You tip toe out of the room and pull the door gently shut, feeling a warm sensation in your heart as mother and daughter lay happily side by side.