Bloon! You come home this instant! What were you thinking running off like that? Why, I spent all all night going through the everfree forest, then I learn you’ve galloped off to be with your whatyacall them!
SweetStuff
*sigh* Hello, Applejack. Give me a moment.
LightSparkle
No! I ain't going back there! Ever! And don't you be telling me you ain't done the same thing because you told me you did before you got your cutie mark! It ain't right that you could those things and I can't!
LightSparkle
Why I ought to… don't you take tone with me, young filly! I'm your big sister and know what's best for you!
SweetStuff
Like all the big sisters?! Sweetie Belle can't make a step outside her home without her sister watching, Max sent her sister to another school to “keep her safe”, you won't even let me go on this site! Do you even care about us? I ain't a version of you, sis! None of us are, so don't you try to protect us from the mistakes you made!
LightSparkle
Apple Bloom… I…
SweetStuff
I love you sis, but I ain't you. I might like it here. Not, just the site, but where I am. I might want to marry a pony who isn't a farmer, I might want to go to explore Equestria on my own. Why can't you see that?
I've been helping ponies get their Cutie marks for years, why don't think I could help myself?
LightSparkle
I know, sis, I know. You are your own pony, but this… it ain't for you. It ain't proper. You running away only show that. You've been grumbling that I don't let you do anything for years, but you never ran away from home. Now, a few weeks after Short&Hoofy did, look at you—off to the Celestia knows where with a colt from what I hear, and talking of never coming back. Ya ain't ready for the site. You are too honest and stubborn… sort of like me, I guess.
SweetStuff
… sis…
LightSparkle
Yah, I know getting all mushy. Just because I'm a mare doesn't mean I have no soft side. You're my little sister, AppleBloom, and I'll always care for you. It's the only way I know how.
SweetStuff
No, it's… you used an em dash.
LightSparkle
So?
SweetStuff
And you knew who Short&Hoofy was. Have you been spying on me? :/
LightSparkle
What? No, I'd never! Well, maybe I've just been keeping an eye on you, that's all… and reading a bit…
How'd you expect me not to? Midnight Castle was Big Mac’s favourite story. I've been hearing about it since I could remember. Of course he hid his books when he grew older, and pretends he’s not interested now, but let me tell you he used to quote passages from the book in his sleep.
Guess ya caught me, huh? I ain't saying the site is a bad place, it's just that you ain't ready for it yet. You ain't like RRBB or YouKnowWho, and I'm still bucking mad that you’re running off with stallions! (Do his parents know? Did ya even bother asking them?!)
SweetStuff
I did too! And each time I brought him back to his house an hour after sunset. At the latest!
LightSparkle
Well, that's mighty decent of you. And always remember to make a good first impression, none of them wishy washy romantic approaches. Say what’s on your heart and expect the same from him.
SweetStuff
Sis! You're embarrassing me. And I've been doing that already. I'm not an irresponsible filly anymore!
LightSparkle
I know, sugarcube. It's just… my little sister all grown up :)
SweetStuff
You keep saying that every year. And then you start crying each time.
Promise you'll let me visit the site? It's a bit crazy and there are things that are outright scary, but the ponies are nice. Also, I'd like to invite Crackle so the family can see him. I know it's a little sudden, but we've been seeing each other since that time we were at Twilight’s.
LightSparkle
You always were about going fast. If you reckon it's the right thing go right again. I'll make sure to treat him to some good old fashioned Apple hospitality once you bring him. He ain't one of them picky eaters, right?
Just come home, okay?
SweetStuff
I will. LightSparkle and Simile are nice and all, but it's too weird here. Can I bring him to dinner tonight? The food here that good either.
I'll be going since LightSparkle says she want to talk to you.
Love you, sis!
LightSparkle
Love you too, sugarcube!
SweetStuff
I'm glad this didn't talk long. With everything else on the site I thought it would be weeks before she agreed to go back. So, I won't be coming, but Simile will take her to your place. Just one favour. Remember to keep an open mind, okay?
LightSparkle
Huh? What ya talking about?
SweetStuff
Simile is a bit… well she might not be what you expect. I just don't want you freaking out, okay? Just think of her as the author of cool stories. That's all I ask.
LightSparkle
That’s starting to sound mighty suspicious. You know that in all stories when a character says “Don't freak out, there’s nothing wrong” something terrible happens, right? Now I know from DarkSparkle that you'd never put my sister in danger, so it must be something else…
Simile is an apple-hater, ain't she? Or one of those fancy city ponies that look down on us farm folk? I thought there was a bit too much city talk in her stories.
SweetStuff
Applejack, I have spent over a week with my crazy aunt, then suffered a visit from my mother only to have your sister pop-up here with her boyfriend just like that. I'm tired, grouchy, annoyed, and really, really, really could use you not playing detective for once.
Your sister is fine! Simile will make sure she and her boyfriend reach you safely!
Goodnight!
LightSparkle
It's three in the afternoon!
SweetStuff
I know?and I haven't slept since your sister arrived!
LightSparkle
Oh. Heh heh heh. Sorry bout that.
Goodnight.
Err, just… Think you can ask Simile to sign my saddle for me? I like her stories quite a bit.
SweetStuff
!!!
LightSparkle
Man it is way too easy to run away in this world. I'm surprised there isn't a unit specializing in runaway children by this point.
Crackle? You couldn't possibly mean... the Crackle, could you?
It's good that Apple Bloom has decided to come home again. Applejack has admitted that she was too controlling of her sister's life and something is up about Simile but I don't think that we will learn what anytime soon.
Well, that was an amazingly quick resolution! ... "Who is Simile?"... Is now the largest question?
Hopefully the lesson that Apple Bloom isn't a filly anymore will stick in Applejack's mind...
----
Sorta Typos, but they make sense, given the states of the writers.:
Bloon!
everfree forest
[Okay... These make sense as being a rush job by AJ.]
Cutie marks [Cutie Marks]
only show(s) that
know?and [Tired writing makes this justified...]
8245261
I just started. Saw it in the update box and it seems pretty cool.
8245183 I think running away is legal maybe?
8245294
Not their finest moment, let's be honest.
8242435 I'm pretty sure during a hospital visit in Equestria at this point in time, staff would be trained to spot the signs of changling predation, as opposed to other causes of exhaustion and malnutrition. Similar to how in the real world, hospital staff are trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse. So I suspect Paintdrop's jig is up.
Oh, AJ. One of these days she'll cut that cord, but until then, she's going to keep trying to be the mother Apple Bloom never had and, at this point, doesn't really need. That darn Apple family stubbornness...
8245191
Far more likely Crackle Pop, Derpy's co-driver in "The Cart Before the Ponies." Though if it is Best Dragon, I won't object in the slightest.
A momentous chapter. Glad to hear WaterBottle will be returning home. Not sure who Crackle is, they're not on the member list. I hope this means in the future Applejack stops lurking and starts sharing, especially if she has embarrassing stories about Big Mac's continued fandom.
Which would be worse for Applejack, if Simile is Queen Chrysalis, or if she's Strawberry Fields?
8245298
Daring Do and Midnight Castle are similar enough in style that they're more of a normal crossover, though. I'm wondering what could possibly be as blatantly incongruous in tone (at first glance) to Midnight Castle as Fallout is to My Little Pony.
8245338
The legality of it is actually very vague, and is often dependent on circumstances or age, I believe in most states you have to be at least 14 to 16 with a job to legally become independent from your parents. If CPS finds out you're just a 11-14 year old on a rebellious streak because of overprotective parents, they'll send right to where you started.
8245191
8245372
8245382
One of the previous chapters did explicitly refer to WaterBottle’s boyfriend as “Derpy’s brother”. So this is just further confirmation.
8245382
my bet is on Simile being Queen Chryssalis
8245203
8246053 <- right here
8245382
Why not both?