As far as holding her cider went, Sweetie always came dead last among her friends. It was a unicorn thing, probably. Rarity could get pretty funny when the wine started flowing at parties too. Or perhaps it just ran in the family. Their mother had her moments too.

Either way, she was thankful for Apple Bloom being there. She could drink enough for three Sweetie Belles and still walk straight.

Scootaloo, for her part, was doing just fine. She wasn’t zooming along the way she usually did, moving slow enough for her friends to keep up on hoof. It was a brisk pace all the same, and there was a certain urgency in the way she called for her friends to keep up.

A little too brisk for Sweetie, with her head feeling foggy and her legs like they were moving on their own. At least she could still walk without leaning on her friends for support.

Oh, she was really going to regret this tomorrow.

At last they came out of the trees, on a path towards Ponyville. The lights of that quaint little town glowed among the hills and plains of the Equestrian countryside, the moon shining brightly above. Even Sweetie had to admit, it made for a pretty picture.

The sound of wheels on stone stole her attention away from the town towards Ponyville Bridge, where Scootaloo was already at the edge, doing a balancing act upon the handlebars of her scooter.

“Come on!” she called.

“What’s the big deal?” Sweetie called back, coming to a stop right before the bridge. Their brisk walk had taken more out of her than she expected, and she was left panting. The cider in her belly churned a little, and she suppressed a groan.

“That!” Scootaloo moved from balancing on two forehooves to only one, gesturing towards the distance beyond the town. “That’s what I wanted to show you.”

Apple Bloom canted her head in visible confusion. “The hills?”

“No, silly. That!”

Sweetie Belle followed the line of Scootaloo’s hoof. Through the haze of cider, she struggled for a moment, until at last she realized what her friend was pointing at.

“Canterlot?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo’s voice practically bubbled with excitement. “I’d just been thinking about it back in the clubhouse. The last time I was here.” Her wings buzzed wildly as she leapt deftly off the edge and onto the bridge, landing with a flourishing spin. “I found out it was the best spot in town to see the city. And just..." Scootaloo stopped a moment, as if too excited to commit her thoughts into speech. "Just...look at it!”

It certainly was a nice view of the lustrous walls of the city. They gleamed like mother of pearl, as if the city were a massive white gem stuck on the mountain. Even from so far away, it was nice to look at.

But that's all it was, a nice view. Apple Bloom frowned, clearly thinking the same thing, her tail flicking. “Scoots, whatcha gettin’ at?”

“I’m saying we could go!” Scootaloo was beaming, hoof still raised in the direction of the alabaster city. “Just the three of us. Nopony else. We’re big enough, aren’t we?”

"To visit?" Sweetie asked, incredulity seeping into her tone. "Anypony can visit Canterlot anytime they want."

"No, no," Scootaloo said, her own voice taking on a hint of frustration. "Not to visit. To live there." Scootaloo waved her hooves about for emphasis. "Finally leave this little old town behind. Actually make something of ourselves. Like your sisters. Like everypony else!"

It was such a simple statement, and yet it somehow set Sweetie’s cider-addled mind reeling. She blinked, struck dumb by the idea.

“Ya mean it?” Apple Bloom’s voice sounded so small. “Like, now?”

“Sure, we could go now!” Scootaloo said. “I mean, after we pack and say goodbye to everypony and everything. But soon! Really soon!”

All of a sudden, Apple Bloom was practically hopping in place. “Golly, Scootaloo, I think that could work!” She made her way over to the edge of the bridge, looking off towards the city. “I mean, look at all those buildings. They’re always making stuff up there. Maybe they could use a pony who knows how to build things.”

“Or a daredevil!” Scootaloo’s voice rose with anticipation. “Like for shows or movies or things like that.” She turned to Sweetie Belle. “And you could do music. Maybe even find a place to perform and be famous!”

Sweetie didn’t respond. Her head was too full of ideas.

Canterlot. Where Rarity was, and Princess Twilight. Where everypony big was. Where everypony who wanted to become somepony went.

The next moment came in a blur. First it registered in Sweetie’s head that she was embracing her friend. Then it registered that her eyes were streaming and her body shaking.

Why was she crying?

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo’s voice was alarmed. “Are you alright? Was it something I said? I’m sorry!”

“No!” Sweetie Belle whispered, letting go of her friend as she sniffled softly, wiping her tears away. “I’m happy. Really happy." She lifted up her head with a broad smile through her tears. "You understand! You two get where I’m coming from when nopony else seems to know what they want!”

“Of course we understand,” Apple Bloom said, chuckling. “But why in the bloomin’ apples didn’t we ever think about it sooner?”

“I don’t know!” Sweetie Belle was still reeling from the sudden rush of emotion. “It was just so...so, I dunno…”

“Obvious?” Scootaloo offered. “It’s what this town does to you. Everypony thinks too small.” She beamed. “But not us! Not the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“We’ll go this weekend!” Apple Bloom said, holding her hoof up to the air.

Sweetie Belle placed hers against it. “We’ll make it big!”

Scootaloo joined in. “We’re gonna be awesome!”

They could do this! They were going to the city!

It was actually happening!

For a shining moment, Sweetie Belle felt invincible in a way she hadn’t since she’d been a foal.

And then her stomach lurched violently and she immediately bent over the side of the bridge, throwing up.

Apple Bloom made a noise halfway between sympathy and disgust. “Yeah,” she remarked. “Probably time to get ya home.”

Author's Note

We’re all sick with the malady
From Vanhoover to the Everfree
We are disciples of a rotten love
The Students of Celestia!