Everypony darted away from Sweetie Belle as quick as they possibly could. Sweetie smiled and narrowed her eyes in determination. Normally, the only thing which made her friends hastily retreat from her was the sight of her berating sister, Rarity, coming up from behind her. There was however another appropriate reason for her friends’ sudden fear of her. Sweetie was it. It was strange how if one branded themselves as “it”, then everyone would flee out of fear of getting caught. It was such a pity this couldn’t be utilised when those pushy ninth graders came to pick on some of her fellow eighth graders. No matter, Sweetie Belle had other fish to fry. Or ponies should she say.
The teenage unicorn raced after the escapers. They had all jutted out in different directions to evade her; making it difficult for Sweetie to choose which one to pursue. Lucky for her, she knew one was at a particular disadvantage from the rest even if she was reluctant to admit it. Sweetie pouted at the thought and then proceeded to chase down the white unicorn. She knew that the unicorn wouldn’t be able to outrun her, they ran at the same pace after all. Sweetie Belle had always been third to both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with regard to running ability, much to her annoyance. But she always got her own back when they came to her with their uncompleted algebra homework.
Sweetie Belle looked back in horror to see that her counterpart was right on her tail, literally. Damm her lengthened tail! It didn’t take long before she felt her hoof come into contact with her flank. Sweetie Belle groaned in frustration as she came to a halt.
“Tag! You’re it!” Her clone exclaimed, panting between her words.
“You got me.” Sweetie calmly said. “Figures you’d know I’d be the easiest to catch, huh?” she joked. The two of them shared a hearty giggle.
“Come on! We’d better get the rest of them!” Sweetie encouraged. There were still four other ponies to catch. Recovering her breath, the other unicorn prepared to join her twin in being “it”. The two rushed after the next logical choice. Scootaloo.
Scootaloo was slower than Apple Bloom but not by much. She was an athletic pegasus only matched by Apple Bloom’s strong earth pony legs and immense stamina. However, the two unicorns still would have to work hard to make up for their reduced running capacity. Knowing the other and their rational thinking however, made things all the easier.
Sweetie Belle went after Scootaloo in the direction that she had fled. She didn’t get far before Scootlaoo was within her sights. But naturally, the pegasus just smirked at her and sped up; increasing the distance once more. As the pegasus turned her head back however, the same unicorn seemed to be running straight towards her! Her eyes went wide as she attempted to double back on herself, only to be met with the same same unicorn almost within touching range. Scootaloo sighed in defeat.
“Tag. You’re it!” Sweetie Belle said as she touched Scootaloo.
“Yeah, yeah. Aren’t we a little old for this now?”
Scootaloo took her time while the other Sweetie Belle caught up to them to study their now larger pony forms complete with their scaled-up cutie marks. Her wings had finally been able to develop long enough for her to become airborne, though she still struggled with the basics from being an older learner. Her purple mane had elongated to cover her longer neck and been brushed to the side as her adopted manestyle. Both of the Sweetie Belles’ horns were longer and their manes had in turn grown to match, wearing hers quite like in her earlier years. She could recall Apple Bloom’s mane to be her iconic crimson red tied in a similar fashion to her elder sister, Applejack’s, with the addition of the large pink bow atop her head she still wore.
It had been three years since they had met each other for the first time and things were still as awesome as they were then. But their interests were evermore different.
“I have to agree with Scoots.” Her Equestrian friend affirmed. “We don’t really play this anymore. It’s still fun though.”
“Really? I thought we did most things the same? Seeing as we are…well each other.” Human Sweetie Belle contested.
“Well, considering I don’t fly in your world and you can’t use magic like Sweetie Belle, things must be a little different, right?”
“Well, that’s not exactly true…” Sweetie Belle began. Scootaloo’s point had reminded Sweetie Belle of the pony transformations that the three of them experienced; Scootaloo had managed flight quite recently. “But we may as well go get Scootaloo and the Apple Blooms and then we can maybe play something else.”
“Cool!” The other two replied, smiling happily. The three of them chased off after the other ponies.
Observing the teenage fillies as they played their game behind the back of Princess Twilight’s castle, Sunset Shimmer lay on her belly with her hooves folded in front of her. It was a nice day to take it easy and she often relished the feeling of relaxation when in her pony form; since it was a cut above the norm in her human body. She looked onto the horizon where the sun seemed to be on its last voyage downwards, courtesy of Princess Celestia. It was quite strange now to think that Equestria was the centre of attention in this universe since she was so used to the teachings of the solar system on her world, Earth. It made sense to Sunset, that this world was simply her world with a different name and a different ecosystem. Still, she had to make sure she didn’t go mad in making the parallels between the two worlds. But Sunset knew she tended to see the complexity of things.
“So, are they having fun?”
Sunset looked up from the horizon to the familiar voice coming from her side. She smiled at the sight of the purple alicorn.
“Looks like it.” Sunset replied lazily. She got up to her hooves slowly. “I should make sure I don’t get too attached to lazing around in this body. Can’t keep it for long.”
Twilight giggled. “Well, you’re always welcome to stay for a little bit longer, you know. Equestria is your home and I’ve always got room in the castle if you want to stay.”
Sunset sighed happily. “I appreciate the offer, Twilight. But I don’t think Equestria is as home as much as CHS is.” She laughed suddenly. “As a matter of fact, I don’t even go there anymore. I graduated last year.”
“Wow! Just last year? It seems you and the girls have been there for ages.”
“Huh? Well, it does seem like it for some. I just wish it coulda been longer. Sucks being an adult.”
Twilight tilted her head in confusion. “Why? You were already an adult when you left Equestria. Why does it suck now?”
“Oh! Well, this may have not been obvious from your time at CHS, Twilight, but it appears that ponies mature faster than humans do. In fact, human lives are longer than pony lives – at least twice as long. I mean, did it not strike you as odd that I was several years older than you yet I was only in the year above you at CHS?”
“To be honest, I was too busy with creatures bent on world conquest to be thinking about that. You’d know about that.”
Sunset sighed. “I do. Heck, I’m used to it.”
“But I can see your point. It did seem weird that all my friends were the same age as me when I know for a fact that some of them are older.” Twilight looked towards the cries of the crusaders. Looks like they had just captured both the Apple Blooms and they were all having a good laugh about it. “I did wonder what they were playing. I don’t think I’ve seen them play that game in a while.”
"Yeah, I really don't understand the difference between our worlds sometimes. It can get quite frustrating. Plus, I may not get a chance to come back here, in the next few years.”
“I understand, it is frustrating how life can pan out. But that’s what you have friends for. It’s the love and adoration of those around you which keeps you going. Those fillies met each other by chance and fell in love with each other as soon as they realized who the other was. It does make me sad that they may need to say goodbye one day.”
Twilight perked up as a thought came to mind. Her mouth forming into a smirk. “Speaking of love…how are things with Applejack?”
Sunset blushed furiously at Twilight’s question. “Um…I…uhhh…” Her stuttering was a compliment to the astonished look on Sunset’s face. Twilight had to stifle a laugh.
“How…did you find out about that? I…don’t think I ever told you.”
Twilight blushed a little in her answer. “Applejack may have slipped it to me recently that she knew you were sweet on her the last time you came for a visit. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”
“I…suppose not. But things are great. Applejack’s graduating this year, and we’re looking to get a place of our own close to the Apple farm so that AJ can continue to work for her family’s farm while I go and find work in town.”
“That’s fantastic news! I’m so happy for both of you!”
Sunset blushed again. “Thanks, Twilight.”
The sound of flapping wings in the distance came to their attention and the two looked over and saw Rainbow Dash landing a little bit away. The cyan pegasus walked over to them.
“Hey…uh…Twilight. Can I have a talk with the ponies over there?”
Twilight took a while to answer. It occurred to her that Rainbow was not acting her braggy confident self. “Ummm…sure, Rainbow. Is there anything wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I just need to speak to those ponies about something important I should have stressed to them yesterday.”
Twilight hesitated. “Sure, go ahead. They’re with their CHS friends now. But they’ll be leaving soon so I’m sure they’d appreciate a visit from you.”
“Awesome! Thanks, princess.” She began to trot over to the six girls in the field.
Twilight continued to stare at Rainbow in confusion. Sunset looked equally confused.
“What was that about?” she asked.
Twilight gave Sunset her full attention. “I’m not sure. Maybe Rainbow is having an off day.”
“Did you hear the way she called you, “Princess”? I’ve never seen Rainbow once be courteous.” Sunset almost laughed.
“Occasionally, they all like to tease me with that.” Twilight replied, returning the laugh. “It just looked like she was worried about something that’s all. She didn’t even say hello to you.”
“She didn’t look at me at all. I do hope nothing is wrong.”
“Well, I’ll have a chat to her later. Maybe a more private chat will make things clearer.” Twilight looked back to Rainbow, seeming to be in full conversation with the six delighted fillies.
“Yeah, anyways we’d better find something to do while Rainbow talks with the girls.”
Twilight looked intrigued. “Like what?”
Sunset put a hoof to the alicorn’s flank and laughed. “You’re it!”
