“Yah, AJ’s got some new shows and movies we can watch on her computer. Big Mac has a couple o’ new games, I think.” Apple Bloom hoisted her backpack higher up on her back to keep it from swinging into her backside with each step. They were still half way from the farmhouse, strolling down the dirt drive that lead from the main road—and bus stop—to Sweet Apple Acres.
“Who’s cooking dinner?” Scootaloo lengthened her stride to catch up to Apple Bloom. “No offense, but last time we spent the weekend over, and AJ cooked…”
“Yah yah, I know.” Apple Bloom blanched, sticking out her tongue. “Don’t worry! Granny said she would handle it, but tonight we’re ordering pizza!”
“Sweet!” Scootaloo skipped happily ahead and turned around to keep pace while walking backward. She frowned, looked back past one friend to the one lagging behind. “Yo, Sweetie Belle...why you being so quiet?”
Sweetie blinked, hearing her name and pulled her attention back to her friends. “Uh...pizza...good. Sorry, I was just watching the horses.”
She looked back over the painted fence that separated the dirt drive from the lush green field where the farm’s livestock roamed. In the distance two horses stood near the far barn and the coral where their hay was kept. One of them was concerning itself with eating the hay, but the one that really had her eye was looking right back at them, its dark colored mane blowing in a light breeze that Sweetie couldn’t feel. The Friday evening heat wasn’t especially oppressive, but she wished the breeze would swing their way and wick away the little bit of sweat that made her light school dress cling to her uncomfortably.
“When did you guys get a new horse anyway?”
Apple Bloom turned her head to regard Sweetie with one eyebrow raised in traditional Apple Family style. “New horse? We’ve still got just Caramel. That’s who yer looking at now!”
Sweetie rolled her eyes. “Well of course I see Caramel. I’m talking about that other horse, ya dingus! The one with the dark blue colored mane.” She pointed at the barn. “It’s right there...er…”
She blinked again, her hand drooping slowly away from where only a single equine dined on hay. “Uh...I could have swore it was just there. Right next to Caramel!”
“I think too much school has fried Sweetie’s brain, Bloom.” Scootaloo shrugged ruefully. “The weekend got here just in time.”
“Summer too.” Apple Bloom laughed. “I can’t believe we’re finally done with our first year of high school! Summer’s here and next year, we’ll finally be out from under the shadows of our sisters and Sunset Shimmer! We’ll be the new queen bees, I promise ya!”
“Yer still under it until graduation, ya ankle biters!” Applejack yelled at them from the farmhouse front porch, the old screen door clicking shut behind her. “Now get in here and tell me what ya want on this pizza, or it’s double anchovies and pineapple!”
The fantasy horse vanished from their minds as the treat of pizza came under threat of poor topping choices and three CMCs bumrushed the rest of the way across the lawn, shouting out a dozen alternatives to fish and fruit.
One extra large pepperoni, mushroom, olive, and hot sauce pizza, an off-key karaoke session, and a classic horror movie later, Sweetie Belle stared up at the ceiling in Apple Bloom’s bedroom, counting the apple blossoms on the wallpaper for the hundredth time. She felt strangely restless, wide awake in the middle of the night while both of her BFFs were out cold on the floor and the bed, respectively. She sat up, sleep holding her interest no longer.
Sweetie frowned, looking at her friends and realizing how much they hadn’t changed in all the years she’d known them. It wasn’t bad. Quite the opposite, it gave her a sense of solidity. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had grown, just as much as herself, changing from children to young adults. But there were times when they both seemed to be lagging behind her in the maturity area. Not just grades either.
Sweetie looked down at herself. Even in the low light from the moon and stars, her chest stood out proudly through her flimsy nightshirt. If her mother and Rarity were any indication, she had several more years to look forward to buying ever increasingly sized bras. To hear her sister talk it was like some double edged sword, a curse and blessing. At the moment, it was just kind of annoying.
Still feeling restless, Sweetie climbed to her feet and tip toed to the window overlooking the farm. Everything was painted in blues and silvers from the huge full moon above and the full complement of stars. More stars than she ever saw at home in town. Out here in the countryside, there just seemed to be more of them. Sweetie bite her lip, feeling odd again and looked up at the moon. It hung low in the night sky, full and extra enormous looking...like…unusually big.
“That can’t be right?” She scratched her head in confusion. “Maybe it’s like that atmospheric lensing thing they were talking about in science class?”
She tilted her head back and forth, but no matter how she looked at it, the moon seemed ridiculously oversized. She was just about to turn and fish out her smartphone to look up the phenomenon when she heard a soft noise from ground level. Down in the yard, where the fence marked the nearest edge of the fields, stood the horse she’d caught a glimpse of earlier. Despite its coloration, it stood out from its surroundings, the moonlight lending it an ethereal sort of glow. Its mane was still gently flowing in the breeze, just as it had before, but now that it was close, Sweetie could see that none of the plants near the horse seemed touched by that same breeze.
Shivers ran down her spine, her restlessness kicking into high gear. “Uh...girls? That horse is back…” Sweetie swallowed, sparing a look back at her friends where they lay undisturbed by the noise she was making.
“Girls? Scoots? Bloom?”
Neither of the two moved, or even changed how they were breathing, their sleep just as firmly in control as her restless feeling seemed to be. Sweetie wondered what she was doing, walking past the other occupants of the room without bothering to tip toe at this point. Dark halls, creaking stairs and even creakier screen doors passed by in a blur as she made her way outside under the moon. The summer air was still warm against her skin, comfortable even though she was barefoot and wearing just a simple shirt and fresh underwear.
Soft grass, slick with dew cushioned her feet as Sweetie Belle reached the fence. The horse was again nowhere to be seen. “Oh c’mon! Where the heck did it go now? What sort of horse vanishes and reappears and then just vanishes again? What does it think it is, a unicorn?”
Another soft nickering made her look toward the barn. At the side, where the shadow swallowed the moonlight, the horse stood, staring back at her. If she didn’t know better, Sweetie would swear the look was challenging. The look said “come and get me, if you can.”
“Is that how it’s going to be? Fine!” Sweetie snorted, and pushed up her already short sleeves the way she’d seen Apple Bloom do when working with Caramel. “Here I come, you mysterious phantom unicorn wanna-be!”
With a playful whinny, the chase was on, the horse prancing into the darkness, the girl a step behind. Around the barn, behind the farmhouse, past the chicken coop, by Winona’s doghouse, and out into the orchard they played. Sweetie laughed, breathing hard as she lost sight of the horse yet again and whirled around to find where it had gone. For once in their little game, she didn’t immediately spot it. Trees loomed on all sides, their canopy blocking most of the moon and starlight.
She laughed again, spinning as she moved with equal parts grace and awkward teenage gangliness. Sweetie started to feel a little dizzy, but she still hadn’t sighted the off equine. Her footsteps carried her deeper into the orchard, where the rows of trees where less even, the trunks thicker and the roots all the more grabby of an unwary foot. She glided over them, her body remembering where to go as her path took her towards the old treehouse where she’d spent years with her friends trying to figure out what their natural talents were.
Sweetie slowed, her laughter fading and she started to breathe hard. She was sweaty again, her clothes clinging to her, but she didn’t feel uncomfortable. She felt alive, like electricity was running down her spine from her brain to somewhere below and bouncing back again. Her restlessness was pure energy that was just waiting to be released, like a bowstring pulled taut.
The old treehouse appeared a moment later, caught in a beam of silvery moonlight. It looked smaller than she remembered. Sweetie took a deep breath and made her way to the base of the tree, marveling at how the deck was just above her head now.
“When did I get so tall?” She grinned, reaching up to grab the ladder and hoist herself up. “This thing used to give me acrophobia all the time!”
It only took her a step to get up to where she could pull herself up onto the deck. Taller though she might be, the old wood was solid under her feet, just as strong as it had always been. The actual house part, up close, looked exceptionally tiny and fit for small children. Sweetie could remember days spent almost entirely inside it, playing with toys, joking with Scootaloo or putting something together with Apple Bloom. She’d learnt about sewing in that small space, and how to bandage a pricked finger. She learned a lot of things while in the treehouse. Things about the world, about herself.
Sweetie sighed, running her hand over the smooth wood and cracking paint, soaking up the nostalgia of times past. I wonder if that old doll of mine is still in the hidden cubbyhole in the back? She bent down, and looked into the dark interior. She could easily crawl in if she wanted, but something held her back. She wasn’t sure what it was until she sensed movement behind her and looked back to see the horse standing just below the treehouse deck.
It stood there still and graceful, looking the otherway, only it’s ears moving as it searched the darkness for something. For me. Sweetie realized the horse had no idea she was there and it was just a few feet away. Close enough to touch. Close enough to ride. A smile spread on her lips as the thought jelled in her mind. All she had to do was turn and vault the railing, then land squarely on its back.
As soon as the idea filled her mind, her body moved to comply, turning on the ball of her foot and launching herself in one fluid motion. Sweetie covered the short railing without any effort and landed right where she’d aimed, on the center of the horse’s back. She grabbed that sparkling mane and wrapped her arm around its neck as the horse reared and took off like an arrow loosed. She dug in her heels, holding on for dear life and let out a loud whoop that would surely have impressed even Applejack.
The apple orchard around them became a blur, the still air now whistling shrilly in her ears and filling her nose with the scent of wildflowers, hay and sweat. Sweetie slammed down with each rise of the horse as it galloped, their heat colliding and mengling. For a brief instant, she understood why saddles had been invented, but the sensation soon washed away such higher thought. She settled into a rhythm, up and down, up and down, heels held in tight, fingers and toes curled, grasping at whatever they could find. Somehow the ride got even faster, the trees vanishing into the night leaving just the two of them, working together as a single unit, as they blazed a path across the fields of Sweet Apple Acres. Despite the open night air whipping at her, Sweetie felt warmer than ever, her clothes constraining and rubbing with every movement.
She closed her eyes, letting the motion guide her and trusting in the instincts of her partner. She didn’t care where they were, or where they were headed. The only thing Sweetie Belle cared about at that moment was how alive and electric she felt, unlike anything she’d experienced before. It seemed to go on and on, wave after wave of it building up and threatening to crash at any moment. She held it back as long as she could, the effort making her heart hammer and her breath short and panting. Eventually, however, it became too much and with one more whoop, she sagged against the powerful back and neck that supported her.
Feeling her go limp, the horse slowed, the world coming back into focus, the farmhouse in the far distance. In moments, the wild gallop slowed to a careful, swaying walk that hardly challenged Sweetie’s sense of balance. She sighed into the horse’s twinkling, star-filled mane, letting it continue to take her wherever it desired. After a moment more, large, intelligent, teal colored eyes turned to look back at Sweetie.
“Welcome to adulthood, young Miss Belle.”
“Wha…?” Sweetie raised her eyes, looking back into the pretty teal eyes looking her way. The sweet voice sounded hauntingly familiar, and somehow completely natural for coming from an equine mouth. “Am I dreaming?”
“Something like that, yes.”
Sweetie pushed herself up until she was sitting again, the sweat on her skin finally starting to cool. “What does that mean?”
“That is a long story, Sweetie.”
She looked around them. Sweet Apple Acres stretched away in every direction under the moonlight. It seemed no later than when she’d left the farmhouse, as if time was at a standstill. “Well...I’m listening…”
“So...what you’re telling me is that there is another world where everyone I know is a pony?” Sweetie ticked off the points of their conversation with her fingers. The horse, Luna—Princess Luna— nodded serenely. “And you’re the magical pony equivalent to my Vice Principal? You’re also the guardian of dreams, and right now...you represent my awakening sexuality?”
“I prefer the term ‘blossoming into marehood,’ or womanhood in your case.”
“Ok. Let’s say I understand that and believe you...why are you here in this world?” Sweetie scratched her head, swaying gently along with Luna as the magical pony walked slowly closer to the barn. “Shouldn’t you be in the dreams of the pony version of me? Is pony me in pony high school? Oh! Does pony me have two best friends that are named—?”
“Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.” Luna finished for her with another nod. “I am not here to answer simple questions. I am here, because you needed me to be here. Whether human or equine, you, Sweetie Belle are one of my favorite subjects and on this night, in this world, you needed my aid to bridge the gap from foalhood to adulthood.”
Sweetie continued to scratch her head gently, thinking. “Then...all that back there,” she hooked a thumb over her shoulder as they entered the dim barn interior, “was all metaphorical? The treehouse, then jumping on you and riding and…” She swallowed hard, her cheeks warming. “Oh goddess, I’m sorry I did that on your back! I didn’t mean too!”
Luna’s laugh was musical. In the deeper shadows under the hayloft, Luna’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light when they turned back to look at Sweetie. “That was all part of the process. I’m glad it was I that was there to share that with you.”
“But I got your fur all sticky!”
“Do not fret, Sweetie. I am not bothered. Quite the contrary, I am rather pleased to again be of service to one of my precious subjects and especially pleased to help you in such a...personal...way.”
Sweetie blinked, her cheeks continuing to warm under Luna’s gaze and smile that said the Princess probably wouldn’t mind helping her out again. They came to a stop near the back of the barn where the hay piled up in bales and loose mounds waiting to be tied. She slid off Luna’s back, intimately aware of how the Princess’ coat felt against her legs and own intimate area. She stepped away from Luna and the cool night air suddenly found her, her earlier restlessness gone and sleep starting to creep into the edges of her vision. The hay looked soft and inviting, and before she even imagined to question why, Sweetie found herself nesting down onto the loose mound. From somewhere, Luna pulled a light blanket and gripped it in her teeth to lay it gently over Sweetie.
“Will I see you again?” She yawned, getting comfortable. “Not just the Vice Principal version of you, I mean.”
“You will. I promise.” Luna’s voice was whisper soft and soothing. “Soon, hopefully.”
Sweetie Belle nodded, fighting off another yawn. She lost that battle, and blinked slowly. Luna might have said something more, but she missed it. When she looked up, Luna was towering above her majestically, like the unicorn she apparently was. A smile played at Luna’s lips for a moment and then the pony leaned forward. Sweetie raised her head, a smile on her lips too, until both sets met in the middle and sent a flight of butterflies soaring through her stomach.
“Sleep well, my little Belle.”
“What in tarnation?”
Sweetie opened her eyes, the taste of Luna still on her tongue, and sat up. Morning sunlight was flooding the barn and not ten feet from where she was sprawled in the hay, stood a very confused looking Applejack. She blinked away the sleep in her eyes and grinned nervously. “I did not kiss a horse.”
“I didn’t say ya did.” Applejack raised an eyebrow, looking even more confused.
“Of course not...heh…” Sweetie smoothed her rumpled shirt and plucked an errant piece of straw out from her hair. “Could you, uh, not say anything about this to Rarity? Or Scootaloo...Apple Bloom...or anyone, really?”
“Uh...sure.” Applejack pushed back her hat, running her fingers through her hair and cast a sidelong glance into Caramel’s stall. “If ya hurry, you might be able to get to the bathroom before Granny wakes the others fer breakfast.”
“Oh. Oh! Thanks, AJ!” Sweetie hopped to her feet. “I owe you one!”
Applejack flushed and turned away quickly. “You might want to take that blanket with ya. Big Mac’s in the yard.”
“What? Why would I?” Sweetie paused, feeling an unexpected breeze. She looked down past her wrinkled bed shirt at her bare legs and little patch of two tone hair that matched her curly locks. “Oh c’mon!”
She grabbed the blanket a second later and wrapped it tightly around her waist. “Um...thanks again, AJ. This...this totally isn’t what it looks like! There was a...a...you know what? Whatever you imagine, it’s got to be less crazy than what actually happened.”
“Whatever ya say, sugarcube. You, uh, want ‘em back if I find ‘em?”
Sweetie nodded quickly, her face burning. “I’m going to...go...now…” She flashed Applejack a smile and ran as fast as the blanket would let her go for the old farmhouse and the first of many cold showers to come.
