With the dull thump of a rubber ball against her helmet, Comforting was sent skidding back on her bottom. "Ow..." It had hurt, a little, but most of that was the impact of the ground as she slid back. She looked around a moment, but Rainbow was already moving towards her next victim. She had been Dash'd. "If I was gonna get knocked out by someone."
Comforting rose, leaving the ball behind for another player to take up. She was out, but she left with a smile as she joined the others that had been tagged out, either with a ball bouncing off them or their hurled one being caught by another. "Nice try," she consoled them all.
"As if this little game means anything to Trixie." Trixie raised a brow, only to double-take. "Oh, my little fan. Well! We're both out of this boring little game. Come to see another trick?"
The other students grumbled with a strong lack of interest. But Comforting was not the other students. "Please!" She found a seat, a bench part of the bleachers facing Trixie, eyes sparkling with eagerness.
"Trixie does not disappoint." She threw her arms wide, smoke escaping in dramatic puffs in the act. "We will make this student's--" She snatched the goggles off Photo Finish's face. "--goggles, vanish!" With a flick of her wrist, they were gone, getting excited claps from Comforting.
Photo Finish was not as pleased. "I demand zose back!" On her feet and scowling at Trixie, she put out an empty hand for her headware.
Trixie laughed at the misfortune. "Why are you worried? Trixie always gets her tricks right!" At least a solid 65% of the time. She clapped her hands firmly together. "Behold the magic!" With a great release of sparkles, she brought them apart, revealing a set of goggles. But it wasn't the original set.
Photo Finish snatched them, glaring at the clearly incorrect version. "Vere are my gogglez? Vu think thiz iz magic? There iz no magic here!"
Trixie waved at her new fan. "Oh no, did you take them?" Photo Finish looked at Comfortingly expectantly.
Comforting squeaked, suddenly the focus point of ire. She patted herself down quickly and... wait. She dug a hand into her pocket and drew out a set of goggles. "Oh, I do..."
Photo yanked the goggles back and shoved the improper ones at Trixie. "I vill thank you never to do that again!" She stormed off, unamused.
Trixie smirked at the annoyed peer, but paid them little further mind. "Now, little fan, you must reveal your own tricks." She drew out a third set of goggles, also looking just like Photo Finish's. "She would love to take credit for putting these on you, but she did not." She waggled the goggles at Comforting.
Comforting tensed. That hadn't been Trixie's magic? She stuffed a hand in her pocket and searched for a new stick of gum, but none was there. Was was going on? "Um... just... a little trick I brought from far away... That you knew tricks too is why I wanted to see you in action. It's amazing."
"It is, isn't it?" Trixie parked the spare goggles on the bleachers above Comforting. "Fine. A real magician never reveals her secrets. Trixie can respect that." She clucked her tongue. "But you could have said you were a fellow magician to start!"
"Ah... ha..." got out Comforting in an awkward laugh. "Sorry... I wasn't trying to lie to you, promise."
Trixie poked Comforting on the nose, resting a finger on it. "You didn't upset Trixie. It's rare she gets to touch base with another magician! And so young... When did you even start?"
Comforting smiled nervously at the teenager. Why were teenagers so large compared to little girls? "It's nothing compared to yours."
"Trixie can't argue that." So she didn't. "Still, if you want to swap a few... tips... Trixie's not opposed." She wandered off with a laugh, just in time for Sunset to join her.
"Was Trixie bothering you?" She sank next to Comforting. "She can be a bit... extra."
"Extra, but not bad," defended Comforting. "She just likes doing tricks."
"With very different levels of success." She offered a hand. "Nice job out there. You weren't the first tagged out." She snorted with memory. "I saw a few sail over your head. Bet the other team thought you were an easy target."
Comforting flashed a bright smile at Sunset. "Thanks. I didn't really get a chance to see how you were doing, sorry about that."
"As if." Sunset rose to her feet. "But you made it through gym, let's go."
"Behind you!" She raced along with Sunset, finishing up the day without further drama.
Sunset led Comforting out of the school, among a crowd of other students rushing to get elsewhere. "Ally-up!" She grabbed Comforting gently and raised her up to her own shoulders. "Better?"
Comforting could see the crowd from above! She could see the statue she came from and the wider world beyond. "Wow..." She held tight to Sunset from above. "Thank you."
"Darlings!" Rarity sped towards them through the crowd. "Good to see you both. Let's do a little shopping, hm." She pointed the way with a big smile and led the way down the street. "If you had just said she was your sister, I would never have known, truly."
Sunset pinkened faintly. "But that would be a lie, and without much a good reason."
"Fair fair... Would have saved you a lot of explaining with the teachers, I bet." She swung around in front of them, the crowd thinning that far from school. "Even with Celestia. She knows about... this." She wiggled her fingers in the air. "But forget that! What's your favorite color?"
It was officially shopping time. When they reached the mall, Sunset put Comforting down to dash around excitedly. "This is really nice of you, Rares. I think she wants this."
"What was your first hint?" Rarity watched the small child race from one interesting thing to the next. "Hard to imagine she's older than she looks, the way she's carrying on, really dear."
Sunset considered that for just a moment. "I bet you'd look the same if you went to an Equestrian clothing shop."
Rarity's eyes sparkled at the idea. "That would be something incredible, wouldn't it? Little ponies with little clothes. It's so cute to consider." She clenched her fists in front of herself, shaking them with a giggle. "I'd love to see it. Perhaps, if your princess is feeling up to it, you could arrange that sometime, hm?"
"No promises." Sunset whistled sharply, getting Comforting's attention. "Don't get too lost. First stop--" She didn't point to one of many places to get clothes. No, she instead directed at a beeping and blinking arcade. "We blow your little mind."
Comforting gasped, staring into the dark pit of sparkling lights and sound effects. "It's been forever..."
Sunset hiked a brow. "That was not the answer I expected, but maybe I should have."
Rarity laughed gently, walking past Sunset. "Alright, a few video games first, then we shop. Come along, Comforting. Do you have a preferred style of game?"
Comforting rushed inside instead of answering, gaping at the collection. Many looked so familiar, but it was still another world, with its own games. Street Fighter? Nope! But Alley Brawler had people eagerly waiting for a chance to punch and kick at each other. Dance games, puzzle games, and others waited to tempt comforting out of her... Oh... She turned towards Sunset.
Sunset caught up, looking quizzically at that expression. "What's wrong? I don't 100% get you, but you seem to know what these are."
"And they need coins." Comforting patted her sides. "That I don't have..."
"Right! Yes... One moment." She powerwalked towards a machine to put in a few dollars.
Rarity couched down beside Comforting. "Be sure to say thank you, dear. She's obviously doing all she can to give you a pleasant trip."