Something Sweet

A mass of eager ponies poured out of the door of a somewhat larger school building as a loud bell sounded in the otherwise mostly quiet town of Ponyville. Among them were three young mares trotting leisurely outside on a fine autumn afternoon. One was a yellow earth pony with a simply styled and only slightly puffy red mane along with a tail of the same type that had a large pink bow tied around the base. One was an orange pegasus with a now slightly longer but still somewhat jagged magenta mane that was mostly straight in the back but curved upward at the very end. The other was a white unicorn by the name of Sweetie Belle, who was in a cheerful and carefree mood as usual. Unlike the other young ponies who rushed to get home, these three friends, formerly known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, had a tendency of taking a little stroll together on their way home from middle school and making friendly conversation as they went.

"Ugh, it's so chilly out here!" the bright orange pony remarked, shaking her wings as if she could somehow fan away the cold air alone and leave her feeling warm once again.

"Yep. Autumn is in the air." Sweetie Belle smiled, turning her head toward the earth pony to her right. "And cider season, too. Isn't it, Apple Bloom?"

"Yeah. I hope we can make enough cider this year for everypony. That includes Rainbow Dash. Ever since she got a taste, she's been asking for almost as much cider as that crazy Pinkie Pie! And y'all know her tendencies."

"Hey, at least Rainbow Dash deserves the cider!" the pegasus pony defended, straightening her posture as she spoke. "I mean, all Pinkie Pie does all day is sing ridiculous songs and bounce off the walls and shoot her mouth off! Rainbow Dash uses her cider as fuel for her awe-inspiring flying stunts! You gotta let her have some this year. Even if she does ask for... a lot."

"Well, I'll see what I can do. Y'sure are mighty fascinated by Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo. What does that pony do that interests you so much?"

"Well, her flying of course! I thought you knew this, Apple Bloom."

"Well yeah, but is there anythin' else you admire about her? I mean, what does she even do other than fly?"

"Well, I don't get to see her too much; she's kinda mysterious that way." she replied casually, shrugging, before continuing to describe her hero in further detail and with more enthusiasm. "But other than that, she's just a... really rad pony. She's brave and tough and confident, and she isn't into all the girly nonsense that all the other fillies at our school are. Heck, I bet if she was forced into a fashion store, she'd just Sonic-Rainboom right out of there before anyone could stop her!" she laughed, clearly glad that the conversation had turned to a subject that was of such fascination to her.

That's funny, thought Sweetie Belle. Rainbow Dash sure hadn't Sonic Rainboomed out of Rarity's boutique when she had visited just the other day. Of course, she recalled, the athletic pegasus who was Scootaloo's role model had come there to spend time with a good friend. At least, that's what she had said. But then, why was she such a good friend of Rarity's in the first place? If what Scootaloo said was right, Rainbow Dash had no interest in fashion or anything related, for that matter. And it sure seemed like Scootaloo was right from what Sweetie Belle had seen of Rainbow Dash's actions. Not to mention Scootaloo rarely ever supplied her friends with inaccurate information regarding Rainbow Dash. She actually downright doubted that there could be anything wrong with what Scootaloo had said. So why did it conflict with everything that had happened just a few days ago?

Sweetie Belle decided to have her questions answered for herself. She looked at her flying friend with narrowed eyes. "Are you sure that's right?"

"What?"

"All you said about Rainbow Dash. I mean, you said she's confident, right?"

"Super confident! And why shouldn't she be, when she's the fastest pegasus in Equestria?"

Sweetie Belle looked at the dirt road below her hooves. Scootaloo had a point.

"Well, doesn't she ever get nervous before a flying competition or something?"

"I doubt it! Why do you ask? Did Rainbow Dash tell you she was nervous? She's probably just messing with you; I heard she can be a real prankster too sometimes. Hey, does this mean you actually got to talk to Rainbow Dash? Golly, that's awesome! I mean, I know we're sisters and all, but she doesn't actually give me all that much attention, what with always being busy practicing her stunts, and the fact that she just talked to you openly..." But Sweetie Belle's attention  had long strayed away from the thoughts of  Scootaloo's simple rant, as she had her own thoughts that wouldn't leave her mind. She continued to puzzle over them as she and her friends made their way down the path that was leading to their own homes and gradually thickening with more and more trees as they went on.

Eventually Apple Bloom arrived at her house and parted ways with her friends, and Sweetie Belle realized she would be at her house soon as well. She continued nonetheless, nodding every now and then as Scootaloo still jabbered cheerfully by her side. All throughout the walk, she was stuck with two questions in particular that just wouldn't let go, prodding at her attention like a hummingbird in pursuit of the nectar from some mysterious yet strangely beautiful flower. What if Rainbow Dash wasn't just some over-confident, flashy, high-flying superstar like Scootaloo and so many others perceived her to be?

What if she was more than she seemed?

Sweetie Belle lifted her head slowly as her thoughts began to re-assemble, and directed her vision away from the deep brown patch of ground that for so long had captured her empty stare but certainly not her attention. Her mind at last caught up with her eyes in the task of returning its focus to her accustomed surroundings. And it seemed it had been just in time, for even though not much time had passed as it had seemed to her in the few short moments of the afternoon, the young mare, quickly observing the vivid blue sky and green grass along with the few houses scattered about separate from the trail upon which she plodded with the familiar pegasus, realized that she was almost home.

As her the elegant little building that was her home came clearly into view, she turned to her friend and gave a heartfelt "Well,-I-gotta-go-now,-but-it-was-nice-seeing-you-today" smile, the kind that the three friends always exchanged before they returned to their homes. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty even as she performed this kind gesture. After all, Sweetie Belle had barely held a conversation with Scootaloo this whole time they had walked. Not that their chats were normally anything particularly enthralling or deep, especially considering how short their trips were, but she felt almost as if she had downright ignored her buddy this time, no matter how accepting Scootaloo had been in response.

"Hey, Scoots." she said after thinking it over for a moment, and gave an eager grin. "You think maybe you'd wanna come over my house tonight?"

"Oh wow, really? I'd love to! You sure Rarity's okay with it?"

The cloud-colored pony held a hoof close to her mouth as she let out her signature giggle. "Nope! But I'll go ask her; I'm sure she won't mind." With that, she skipped off to the door and let herself in. After Scootaloo had spent a brief minute or so waiting outside among the few amber-colored trees scattered a short distance from the Boutique, a peppy unicorn made her return, springing out from behind the door. She delivered her triumphant news. "My sister says you're allowed to stay here tonight!"

"Awesome!" Scootaloo replied, and after the agile mare followed Sweetie Belle in scurrying through the entrance, the two young mares were welcomed into the Carousel Boutique by the pleasant and ever so generous Rarity.

The evening proceeded with the two friends finding many ways to enjoying each other's company. They showcased their talents to each other; Sweetie Belle sang a captivating melody to Scootaloo, and she in turn wowed Sweetie Belle with her graceful skating abilities. There were also attempts from both of them to perform the other's special talent, which failed miserably and instead resulted in fits of laughter from the two of them. They drew pictures together, some of which they agreed to hang up in their old clubhouse (which they still sometimes used as a place to hang out as friends even after acquiring their cutie marks).

Of course, they talked as well, and this time Sweetie Belle listened to and considered every word that Scootaloo said. They talked about simple things like school, about how they enjoyed or disliked the autumn, about silly things they recalled doing in the distant past, about things that happened in school not long ago, and things they expected in the future. Strangely enough, it felt like the first conversation that Sweetie had had with Scootaloo in ages. It must have had something to do with the way she just stopped thinking about what she was going to say for the most part, and just talked. For once she simply spilled out her thoughts and ideas to a someone she felt she had been able to relate to since they first met so long ago. After all, there was no reason for hesitation; she was just being herself as she spent this lovely evening with a friend, taking a break from those troubling thoughts that had clouded her mind earlier.

At last, the evening turned to night, as all evenings do. That also meant it was time for the two friends to go to bed, for much as they didn't want to end their day, Rarity knew very well that all mares their age were expected to get to bed early in order to wake up bright and early to return to school the next day. Thankfully, Scootaloo was allowed to stay overnight, and Sweetie Belle offered her a spot on the floor of her room and a sleeping bag that she had reserved for such occasions. After they had settled in and prepared to go to sleep, Rarity entered the room briefly to say goodnight to the girls and flick off the lights. When all was still and quiet, Sweetie Belle began to nod off to sleep, her mind filled with fresh memories of a simple day spent with a good friend.

As she traveled through the air on her way to her cloudy home not far from Ponyville, a quite different mare recalled her recent visit to her pegasus pal's animal-abundant cottage. Though she was a wild pegasus with a bold and daring nature in contrast to Sweetie Belle's reserved disposition, she had quite similarly pleasant thoughts as the previously mentioned unicorns. Both of these ponies were indulging in their carefree thoughts involving a day spent casually chatting to and spending leisure time with an old friend. It's good to take a break from the stress and overwhelming fascinations of life, they thought. Sometimes we have strange connections to people we have never met, and we just aren't aware of it. Most of the time we never even find out, but they remain nonetheless.

In a way, you could even say they were quite similar ponies. But not in terms of their hair. Unlike Sweetie Belle with her curly and mostly neat little mane, the pegasus soaring through the darkening night sky did not keep her hair tidy. In fact, it was still a rat's nest.