“Unghn! UGNHNNN!! NNGNNNHGNN!!!”

Sweetie Belle was seated atop her suitcase, bouncing up and down, trying to force all of its contents to adhere to the limited space inside.

Fortunately, Applebloom and Scootaloo rushed to her aid, and helped secure the locks on it.

“Thanks girls,” she sighed, sliding to the floor. “Just hope it doesn’t burst open on the trip back to Ponyville.”

As she lugged the suitcase over to the pile of their stuff by the door, the three surveyed the room. The walls had been cleaned up, the sheets removed from the beds, and it looked the same as when they had first arrived months ago.

“Wonder whut room they’ll give us next year,” said Applebloom.

“Hopefully one a little closer to the showers,” said Scootaloo.

“Sooo,” smiled Sweetie Belle to her friend. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“About you and Sunny Sprint being-“.

“We’re just friends,” replied Scootaloo with a quick blush.

“Hey, as yer best friends, we need all the dirt on any gossip goin’ around,” said Applebloom. “Gotta get our facts straight fer our family and friends back in Ponyville.”

“Speaking of which,” said Scootaloo eyeing Sweetie Belle, “What’s going on with you and Chrome, hmmmm?”

“The…usual,” shrugged Sweetie Belle, quickly rushing to look at herself in a nearby mirror.

“Define…’usual,’” smiled Applebloom.

“Look, aside from you and the others forcing us together on a date and my leaving him a pair of panties, it’s…just been business as usual. Or…well, it would be if he wasn’t busy with all the work he’s been assigned with the cadets.”

“Awwwww,” said Applebloom and Scootaloo in unison, suddenly crowding around their friend and hugging her tightly.

Sweetie Belle endured her friends play-wailing for a few more seconds before she used her magic to disappear, and reappear outside of the huddle.

“So,” she said, straightening up her summer dress as best she could, “if you two are finished making a scene, I guess we’re all packed?”

“Eeyup,” said Applebloom. “So what do ya say we get some lunch?”

“Yeah, um, can you girls give me like, an hour?”

“For whaaat?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she replied, heading out the door. “I’ll just be an hour.”

“Say hi to Chrome for us!” giggled Scootaloo, as the door slammed behind Sweetie Belle.

“She’s got it bad, doesn’t she?” smiled Apple Bloom.

After stopping at a little bakery on campus, Sweetie Belle continued on her way.

There were a number of students around her lugging suitcases and bags to the Canterlot train station as well. Classes had been over for a few days, but the mass exodus of most students was still taking place.

Of course, there were some who were taking summer courses, and she saw a few sitting on benches, poring over a few books for when classes would start in the coming week.

A few blocks later she was on the main streets of Canterlot. Most of the upscale ponies and stallions were wearing name-brand attire as they strolled the walkways and sidewalks.

She soon entered the castle via the open drawbridge, and made her way over to a side-entrance, where a sign claimed admission only for royal cadets.

“Hi,” she smiled to a sentry standing watch. “Is Chrome Shield around?”

“G-give me a second,” said the cadet, trying to keep eye contact with Sweetie, before going through the nearby door, and closing it behind him.

Sweetie found herself fidgeting with the box in her hands for a few minutes. When the door reopened, the cadet returned to his post, and Chrome stood in the doorway. Unlike the uniformed cadet, he was wearing camo pants, and a white shirt that showed off his physique.

He looks just like when he bumped into me last year, thought Sweetie Belle.

“Hello,” said Chrome. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Hi,” she replied, holding out the box, “I brought you something. Me and the girls are heading back to Ponyville this afternoon and, I thought I’d say…goodbye?”

“Oh, thanks,” said Chrome, taking the box. “Gee, I didn’t get you anything.”

“Th-that’s alright. So, um, I guess I-“

“Do you have to go right away?” asked Chrome. “I got a fifteen minute break coming up. We could talk for a bit.”

“Oh! Um, sure, if it’s alright with you,” blushed Sweetie.

After signing out for his break, Chrome and Sweetie were soon seated in a small glassed-in room that contained two chairs, a table, and some pads and pencils between them.

“Sorry,” he shrugged, “but they don’t want me straying far today. I would have taken you for a walk out in the gardens.”

“Are you sure Shining Armor isn’t watching us?” asked Sweetie, putting the cupcake box on the table and turning to a nearby window and waving both hands.

“He’s been gone for a few weeks now,” smiled Chrome. “So, how have you been?”

“Good…good. Glad finals are over and all.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling,” he replied. “So, how did you do on Twilight’s final?”

“I think my talents speak for themselves,” she smirked, stretching her arms over her head and leaning back a little, the actions causing her chest to rise a bit. “And you?”

“Just barely passed,” he smiled. “I did appreciate that she didn’t put all our names on the sheet outside the room. The numbering system made it a lot easier to breathe.”

“By the looks of it, I think the entire class passed.”

“And I owe you for helping me,” smiled Chrome.

“Oh, well,” said Sweetie, looking nervous, “I just, did what I could to help you. I just-“

“-pulled a Rarity?”

“What!?”

“Well your sister is the element of generosity,” said Chrome. “And you were doing pretty much the same: being generous with your time and knowledge to help somepony out.”

“Yeah, I guess I did!”

“So, why did you react like that?”

“React like what?”

“You seemed a little surprised when I mentioned your sister’s name.”

“Oh, no reason,” smiled Sweetie Belle, as toothily as possible.

“Speaking of your sister, how’s she doing these days?”

“Oh, just being…Rarity! She’s working on some new designs for a fashion show in Baltimare this fall.”

“I didn’t know fashion was so big there,” chuckled Chrome.

“It isn’t. Word is a few upscale designers in Manehattan are trying to branch out since the fashion world there is getting pretty crowded. They went to a number of big-name designers, and Rarity’s name just happened to come up. She naturally saw it as a challenge, but also figured maybe she could bring some, ‘culture’ to Baltimare.”

“Interesting way of putting it,” smirked Chrome.

“That’s my sister for you,” shrugged Sweetie Belle. “She isn’t perfect, but, if you ever see her again, please don’t tell her I said that.”

“You can trust me. So will you be taking some time off this fall to model in Baltimare for her?”

The laugh Sweetie Belle gave Chrome almost startled him out of his seat, as well as her hands slamming down on the table!

“Me, a model?” she smiled. “The fashion world isn’t looking for blimp-chested ponies to show off their designer duds.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” said Chrome, reaching out and touching her left hand. “Don’t put yourself down that way.”

Sweetie gulped a little at the gesture.

“Sorry,” she replied, “but…seriously, the models are always so lithe and pretty. No…curves.”

“How about we change the subject?” asked Chrome. “So, do you and the girls have anything planned once you get back to Ponyville?”

“Just…summer as usual. Going on walks, swimming out near Sweet Apple Acres, and seeing friends and family.”

“Even your parents?”

“Hopefully for a few weeks,” she replied.

“Come again?”

“My parents aren’t really homebodies. They got something like, five trips planned this summer.”

“Wow! How can they even afford all that?”

“Dad just invested really well, I guess. Never really had to worry much about bits growing up.”

“Are you going on any of those trips?”

“They invited me on a cruise before I come back here in the fall, but I might just stay in Ponyville.”

“Hope this doesn’t sound mean or anything, but are they avoiding you?”

“No,” she replied. “They’ve always traveled a lot, even when I was young. I think once I got old enough that I wouldn’t drive Rarity crazy, they got used to having her take care of me while they traveled. Then once Dad retired, they started traveling even more. By the way, how about you? Do you have anything planned with your family when you go back home?”

“Oh, just more of the same. Helping my Dad out, and Mom will be happy to have me back under their roof. May do some fishing, and see a few fellas that never left home.”

“Sounds like it’ll be fun,” she smiled.

“The downside is Mom usually gets on a baking kick when I go back. I have to keep telling her to stop, because I can’t come back in the fall having gained 30 pounds.”

The two laughed for a moment, and as Sweetie Belle wondered what 30 pounds would look like on Chrome, there was a knock at the door.

“Cadet Shield?” asked a cadet poking his head through the door. “Can I discuss something with you real quick?”

“As long at it won’t take long,” said Chrome. “I’m kinda in the middle of something here.”

“Two minutes, tops,” replied the cadet, giving Sweetie Belle a polite wave.

“Okay,” said Chrome, sounding very serious in tone. “Excuse me, Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie watched as Chrome exited the room, and his silhouette disappeared from behind the beveled glass in the door.

As she listened to the air blowing into the small room, her eyes alighted on the cupcake box, and the pencils and paper next to it.

Suddenly, a thought creeped into her mind, and her eyes started to dart between the items and the door.

Next thing she knew, she had grabbed a small piece of paper, and scribbled something furiously on it! Then she opened the cupcake box, folded the paper until it was a tiny square, put it in, and closed the box!

She returned to her regular sitting position, just as the door opened back up.

“Make sense now?” Chrome asked the cadet (who was out of view).

“Yeah, makes sense,” came a response. “Thanks.”

“Sorry about that,” he said to Sweetie, closing the door and returning to the table. “They’re short-staffed given some of the cadets are leaving this week, so it’s kinda all-hands-on-deck around this place.”

“I understand,” she replied.

“So, what kind of cupcake did you get me?” he asked, pointing to the box.

“Oh, it’s a, mystery flavor. I just, didn’t see what it was so I couldn’t tell you.”

“Hmm,” said Chrome, pulling the box towards him. “How about we find out togeth-“

“Wait!” cried out Sweetie Belle, her chest squishing against the table as she leaned forward.

It was then that she realized how strange this reaction must be to him, and she slowly sat back down.

“…you didn’t poison it, did you?” he chuckled.

“Ah-pa-ku-NO!!“ she said. “It’s jist that…well look at the clock!”

“Oh crud, you’re right,” said Chrome, seeing they only had a few minutes left. “Guess I should save this for later.”

“Yes…yes, you should. Maybe, later on tonight?”

“If you say so,” he said, getting up from his chair, box-in-hand. “So I…I guess this is goodbye, for now?”

He’s right, thought Sweetie Belle. I don’t even know what his address or phone number back home is!

“Oh, it doesn’t have to be goodbye,” she said, watching the second hand of the clock moving fast! “Maybe, you could give me your address, and I can write to you?”

“Okay, I can do that,” said Chrome, reaching for a pencil and some paper. “You know it’s so strange, I never thought of giving you my home contact information.”

“Oh, yeah,” she chuckled, as the time ticked down. “Strange!”

“Well this should tale care of that,” said Chrome, handing her a folded piece of paper. “Now how about your-“

Suddenly there was another knock on the door.

“Cadet Shield?” came an older, gruff voice. “You have two minutes.”

“I think that’s my cue to go,” said Sweetie, getting up from her seat.

A moment later, Chrome approached her, and gave her a hug. Sweetie Belle then surprised both of them by giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, for making this semester so…unexpected,” she smiled. “I’ll write you in a few weeks, and then you can write me back, alright?”

“Sounds like a date-I mean, deal,” he said.

A few moments later, Chrome saw Sweetie Belle out through the main door, and she made her way out of the castle.

She hadn’t taken more than twenty steps when she felt a slight moistness come to her eyes. But then it was gone, and she hurried back to her friends.

The station was packed with all sorts of college age horses.

As Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo looked around them, they saw ponies hugging, some crying, and a few exchanging long kisses.

It didn’t take them long to board The Friendship Express, and find three seats to themselves.

“Well girls,” said Scootaloo, placing her purse on her lap. “Another year down.”

She held up her hand, and the three group-high-fived.

“So,” said Applebloom, looking at her friends. “Do any of you feel anymore mature than when we started?”

“Nope,” said Sweetie Belle.

“Nu-uh,” replied Scootaloo.

“Makes me wonder,” said Applebloom. “when does one know when they’ve grown up?”

“Maybe once we graduate,” said Sweetie.

“But we did that a few years ago in high school,” said Scootaloo.

“But in high school, that’s more like we were moving on from being kids.”

“Wait a minute,” said Applebloom, “does that mean no more sleepovers!?”

“Aw, we’ll never be too old for sleepovers,” giggled Scootaloo.

Suddenly, the train engine whistle sounded, quieting down the voices in the train car.

“All aboooooaarrrddd!!!” called out the conductor on the platform outside.

There was a sudden shock as the train car lurched forward! There was an intermingled reaction of laughter and cheering from the full car as all number of students began to realize that they were heading back to their hometowns and loved ones.

Outside the window, the train platform soon gave way to the shops and stores of Canterlot, and soon the towering spires of the castle could be seen in the distance.

The sun illuminated the architecture, and Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but chuckle as the words “flying buttresses” passed through her head. She found it hard to believe that she had made several new memories inside of the palace, for the first time since she was a little filly…and with a stallion, no less!

A moment later, the view of the castle disappeared as the train entered the mountainside tunnel, and the internal lighting of the train flickered on.

Author's Note

I can’t quite believe it myself, but after three years, Sweetie Belle’s sophomore year at Canterlot University has come to an end!

This chapter took some extra time to get down the structure of. I had to condense a few areas, and expand a few others. Getting the talking scenes to flow properly was very important, let alone the pacing of getting it all done in under 2,500 words.

But now, the girls are headed back to Ponyville, for some rest and relaxation. Hope they enjoy their lazy summer days.