"There it is!" Twilight shouted as the gate to Sweet Apple Acres came into view. With a burst of speed, the young filly started running again.

"Twilight!" her father shouted before running to catch up. Twilight slowed down, turning to look at her father as he moved beside her.

Then past her.

"Race ya!"

"No fair!" the filly shouted, now running to chase after her dad and race toward the farm.

"Are you sure three foals weren't enough?" Shining Armor asked his mom, grinning.

"Oh, hush," she said as she picked up her pace to try and not get too far behind. Shining Armor chuckled and continued at his regular pace.

"I WIN! I WIN!" Twilight shouted as she made it through the gate.

"Yeah," her father agreed, "you won this time. But I'm getting closer." Reaching out, he ruffled her mane with his hoof.

"That was some good racin'," a feminine voice said, drawing the attention of the two unicorns. Approaching them was an orange earth pony mare with a blond mane and tail wearing a hat.

"Howdy Twilight," she said. "Nice to see ya 'gain."

"Hi Applejack," Twilight said with a grin. "This is my dad. Is Apple Bloom here?"

"She's in the barn with Big Macintosh," Applejack replied.

Twilight nodded and took off again, running around the edge of the farm house and heading for the barn. Applejack watched her a moment with a grin before turning her attention back to the filly's father. Taking a step forward, she offered the stallion a hoof.

"Nice to meet ya'," she said. "Name's Applejack, and this is Sweet Apple Acres."

"Night Light," the stallion responded as he shook her hoof. "That's my wife, Twilight Velvet, and my son, who you already know."

"Howdy ma'am," the mare replied. "How you doin' Shinin'?

"Fine," Shining answered with a smile. "How's Macintosh?"

"He's in the barn if you want to see yerself." She then turned back to the two older unicorns. "I could take the two of ya on a tour if y'all'd like."

"That sounds lovely," Twilight Velvet said. "I don't think we've ever been to an apple farm before."

"Well admittedly," Applejack said, "there ain't much to see. But I'll show what I can." With that, she started to walk, heading toward one of the orchards.

Shining Armor watched the three of them go. He then turned and headed for the barn. As he approached the door, he saw two streaks, one purple the other yellow, shoot out and fly across the field. There was the sound of barking a dog also came out of the barn and started chasing after them. Shining Armor watched the three disappear, then poked his head into the barn where a large red stallion with orange mane stood.

"Hello Big Macintosh," Shining said as he came in. "I see that you're doing better."

"Eyup," Macintosh said.

"Hey... could I talk to you about something?"

"Eyup."

"Well..." Shining moved closer to the large farm stallion. "I've noticed that you're parents aren't around. I haven't really talked to Applejack about it, but I think it's a sensitive subject."

"Eyup."

"I'm not going to intrude on the matter, but I do need to ask one thing about it. Have they been... away?... for a while?"

"...Eyup..." Big Macintosh shifted, one of his ears giving a twitch.

"So..." Shining moved to look at him, "that means you've helped raise Applejack, right? You and her have been raising Apple Bloom?"

"Granny's helped a lot," Macintosh answered. "What's this 'bout?"

"My parents are asking me to have Twilight stay with me for a year or so," Shining told him. "And..." he rubbed at his mane a moment and sighed. "I like the idea of having her around, but I'm also not sure if I can deal with the responsibility. I mean I would be the one taking care of her and having to deal with what to do when she misbehaves."

"And ya thought that I could help since ah've had to do that with AJ and Bloom?" Macintosh asked.

"Yeah. I know it's not the same thing, but I was hoping that since you've had some experience raising younger sisters, you might be able to give me some advice."

"Shining," the red stallion said in his slow, deep way, "You love yer sister, right?"

"Yeah," Shining answered.

"Wanna keep her safe?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Then you'll do fine." Macintosh placed one of his large hooves on Shining Armor's shoulder. "Yes, there will be times when you have to make tough choices, but you've done that before. And there will be times when she gets mad at you, maybe even say she hates you. But she won't mean it. She'll understand that it's because you love her and want to keep her safe. Some times she'll apologize, some times she ain't gonna. That ain't the hard part.

"The hard part's gonna be when you have to keep from not helping her. When you want to protect her, but need to let her make mistakes. That's gonna be the hardest part, wantin' to be a big brother, but needin' to let yer sister grow up and learn to take care of herself.

"You're gonna do it though. You're gonna do it and you might screw up a bit, but you're gonna do it and you're gonna do your best."

"Thanks," Shining said, giving a small smile.

"And here's the barn," Applejack said as she pulled the door open. "'n would ya look at that? There's Big Macintosh and Shinin' Armor."

The two stallions turned to look at the three ponies standing there. Big Macintosh gave a nod but said nothing.

"Did you two enjoy the tour?" Shining asked as he moved toward his parents.

"I had no idea there were so many types of apples," his father said, turning to look off at the fields.

"Indeed," his mother agreed. "It was rather interesting. I'm sorry that we can't stay longer, Applejack, but we should get going if we want to meet the others before this evening."

"We better go find Twilight then," Shining said as he moved out of the barn.

"Ah'll help ya," Applejack said. "Big Macintosh, why don't you introduce the nice folks to Granny Smith?"

"Eyup."

With a smile, Shining Armor started walking toward the orchards with Applejack moving to catch up. The two walked quietly a moment, Applejack's eyes shifting toward Shining Armor.

"So," the mare said gently, "Mind me askin' what you were talkin' to my brother about?"

"I was asking him what it was like to raise a little sister," Shining answered.

"He say anything interestin'?"

"...That he knows you didn't mean it when you said you hate him?" Shining looked out the corner of his eye at Applejack, seeing her cheeks turn bright red.

"Yeah," she said, "I admit I might have said that a time or two. Suppose it was easier to be mad and and blame somepony else." She sniffed. "Glad to know he understood though."

"He also said that he knows I'm going to do it," Shining continued.

"Do what?" a voice asked.

The two turned to look at two pairs of eyes staring up at them. One pair was the big purple eyes of the purple unicorn filly, Twilight Sparkle. The other is the golden amber eyes of a yellow filly with a pink bow in her red mane. It had been the yellow filly who had asked the question.

"Sorry Apple Bloom," Applejack stepped in, "but it's a matter between Shinin' Armor and his folks."

"Did they ask if I could stay the rest of the summer?" Twilight asked, standing up and stepping forward.

"Not exactly," Shining responded. "I'll explain it to you later."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Pinkie Promise?"

"You know about Pinkie Promises?"

"Pinkie Pie and Pumpkin Cake told me about them earlier."

Shining Armor looked at the two fillies, then over at Applejack, seeing the grin on the mare's face. Letting out a sigh, he adjust his stance for better balance with his hind legs.

"Cross my heart," he made an x over his chest, "and hope to fly." Balancing on his hind legs, he fluttered his front ones like wings. "Stick a cupcake in my eye." With that he brought a hoof up to touch his eye. "But for now, it's time to get going. Mom and dad still want to meet Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash before it gets too late."

"Okay." Twilight turned to her friend. "See you later, Apple Bloom."

"Yer sayin' good bye a little too soon," Applejack said. "We still all have to go back to house first. Now c'mon."