//------------------------------// // Chariot-Racing around Ponyville // Story: Big Siblings // by Learn for Life //------------------------------// The wagon began to descend, and soon it began to bounce off the straw roofs of Ponyville houses. Sweetie Belle and Rumble made “whoas” after every bounce, until they stopped bouncing. They were on a roof, but instead of bounding to the next, they rolled down this one. The wagon fell onto the cover of a stall, which bounced them lightly and safely onto Ponyville Square. Once they came to a complete stop, they began to laugh. “That was amazing!” Sweetie Belle said with a crack in her voice. “So that’s what it’s like to fly.” Rumble hopped out, and his legs began to wobble. “Yeah, sorta. We didn’t do any tricks, though.” “Well, yeah,” Sweetie Belle said. “But still, it was fun.” “Yeah, it was.” “Hey, Rumble!” a voice called. The two looked over to see two pegasi, Cloudchaser and Flitter, walking towards them with two steaming cups. “What’re you doing out here in this kind of weather?” Cloudchaser asked. “And who’s your fillyfriend?” Flitter asked coyly. Rumble’s eyes widened. “What? She’s not my fillyfriend!” “Rumble’s got a fillyfriend! Rumble’s got a fillyfriend!” Flitter stomped her hooves in time as she sang. There was a clap of thunder, and Flitter whooped and danced around, still singing with her cup on her back. Cloudchaser rolled her eyes and looked at Sweetie Belle. “Don’t mind her. She gets energetic when she gets hot cocoa… or sugar, for that matter.” She grinned. “You’re blushing.” It was Sweetie Belle’s turn for her eyes to widen. “What?” she squeaked. “I-I’m not blushing!”Rumble turned to look at her, and she quickly turned away. “I’m not!” “It’s okay if you two are ponyfriends,” Cloudchaser said reassuringly. Rumble shook his head and fluttered up to nuzzle the mare. “Aw, you know you’re the only mare for me, Miss Cloudchaser.” The mare chuckled. “Now Rumble, you’re much too young for me. Maybe when you’re older. Besides,” She continued, turning his head, “you have a pretty filly right here that’s your age who likes you.” Rumble pushed her hooves off. “She’s not my fillyfriend!” Sweetie Belle stomped the ground, face pink. “I’m not his fillyfriend!” “Whatever,” Cloudchaser said. “What are you two doing out here in the rain?” They heard two voices in the distance. “Sweetie Belle!” “Rumble!” The foals looked at each other. “We’re playing a game with Thunderlane and her big sister.” Flitter stopped dancing around with a smile on her face. “Ooh, a game! What kind of game?” “We’re running away from them!” Sweetie Belle chirped. Cloudchaser raised a brow. “Running away?” “Not running away, really, but running away, you know?” Rumble took the wagon handle in his mouth. “’nd vwe gutta run ergern!” “Hold your reins, Rumble,” Cloudchaser said taking a mature tone. “It’s really starting to rain, and you two are going to get sick.” Rumble patted her foreleg. “Don’t worry about us, Miss Cloudchaser. We’ll be done as soon as they catch us. “And when will that be?” Cluodchaser asked with a raised brow. The foals looked at each other, unable to answer. She sighed. “I’m just looking out for you foals, make sure you don’t hurt yourselves or get sick.” Flitter raspberried. “Aw, let them have their fun, Ceecee!” Before she could say anything more, Cloudchaser cut her off. “Sorry, Flitter, but I’m your older sister—“ “By about five minutes…” “And I say that we, as responsible adults, have to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.” She looked at the two younger ponies. “We’re going to wait for them and make sure you get home.” “Aw!” All three of the others sounded. Rarity’s body was covered with sweat and rain when they reached Ponyville Square. Thunderlane was flying above them; they somehow made it to the square at the same time. Thunderlane was looking on the roofs, while Rarity began walking, panting from the run. “Oh, that Rumble,” Rarity muttered under her breath. “Taking my sister on a wild chase and putting her in danger. When I get my hooves on that colt, I’m gonna—“ “Excuse me!” Rarity looked over to see a pegasus mare waving at her. “Sorry, dear, but I’m kinda busy right now.” “You looking for your sister?” Rarity stopped and looked at her. “Y-yes, how’d you know?” “Where’s Thunderlane?” She looked up and saw him about to head to the Everfree Forest. “Thunderlane!” she yelled. “Down here!” Thunderlane flew down and joined her. “D’ya find ‘em?” He glanced over at the mare. “Hello, Cloudchaser.” Cloudchaser nodded at him. “Rumble got away from you again?” Thunderlane chuckled. “Yeah. Have you seem him?” “Yeah, I’ve seen him with a unicorn filly.” Cloudchaser looked at Rarity, who nodded. “Are they special someponies?” Thunderlane prepared to think about that, but Rarity answered with “That’s not important right now. We just need to get them home.” Cloudchaser nodded. “I understand. Yeah, the storm looks like it’s about to become really bad.” She pointed a wing behind her. “They’re right there.” They looked behind her. “Um, darling?” “Yes?” “They’re not there.” Cloudchaser’s eyes shot open. “What?” She looked back; the only thing that was there was a steaming cup of hot cocoa. “Bu-but I don’t understand! They were just right here a second ago!” She darted this way and that. Her eyes went to the cup again, and then her gaze narrowed. “Ugh, Flitter, why now?” Suddenly, they all heard a bump. Right by town hall, almost out of their sight, they spotted a carriage. And in that carriage, a tuft of poofy mane was sticking out. “Sweetie Belle!” The tuft lifted to reveal the filly peeking out of it. “Oh, hey, Rarity. I was just, um…” she turned away from them. “Go go go!” There was a scrambling of hooves, and then Sweetie Belle and the carriage were gone. Thunderlane flew up over Town Hall. “They’re using that to get away!” He darted down. “Come on!” He harnessed himself up to a carriage close by and motioned for Rarity to get in. “Wait, can’t you just fly after and catch them? It would be much eas—“ “There’s no time for that,” Cloudchaser interrupted before scooping Rarity up and dumping her in the carriage. She put on the other harness and nodded to Thunderlane. He looked back at a wobbly-eyed Rarity. “You might wanna hang on!” Rarity shook her head clear and glared at him. “This is ridiculous! Running around in a carriage—“ A crash of thunder. “In the rain, no less, when you could just—“ Before she could say anything more, the two pegasi reared up and launched off. Rarity fell to the ground of the carriage, hitting the back with an oomph! The race was on. Their carriage leaned on its right side as Thunderlane and Cloudchaser went around Town Hall; Rarity slid to the side, just barely stopping herself from completely crashing. It leveled out, and the pegasi were in a straight sprint after the other carriage, which was just rounding a corner. Rarity had to latch herself onto the front to keep from bouncing around, and the rush of air and rain was beginning to sting her eyes. They turned the corner, and saw the foals and Flitter galloping away. Flitter looked back at them and gasped. “We hafta pick up the pace!” she said to Rumble. “This way!” He turned right, steering the carriage along with him. Sweetie Belle yelled with glee, giggling along the way. “Come on, Thunderlane,” Cloudchaser said with a grin. The older pegasi gracefully turned to the right, finding that the foals were farther ahead. Rumble turned down a left alleyway, and Thunderlane did the same. “Go right!” Rarity yelled. “Yes, I see them going right!” Thunderlane yelled back. They went right. “Go left!” Rarity yelled. “Got it!” Cloudchaser responded. They turned left. The race continued like this for some time. At times they would be in the open, allowing for the older ponies to gallop and close the distance on the younger ponies; at other times, Rumble would take them around buildings and alleyways, getting farther away from them. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder roared as if cheering for this event, wanting to see more. Rarity stared on with grim determination at Sweetie Belle, who was giggling and shouting “Whee!” whenever they turned. Sweetie Belle would shout her own commands at times, and Rarity watched as they obeyed. At one point, when Thunderlane almost had her in hooves’ reach, Sweetie Belle made them turn at the last second, taking the older ponies off guard and sending them in another direction. Rarity groaned with frustration, but couldn’t help a small smirk play on her face with the cleverness of her younger sister. They passed the library, and Sweetie Belle looked back at them. “When’re you foals going to give up?” Thunderlane smirked. “Oh, just you wait, Sweetie Belle. When we catch you—“ “You might wanna go slower,” she said. “You may get Rarity’s mane dirty.” Rarity glared at her sister. “Ooh, Sweetie Belle! You’re not going to get away from me, even if I have to get mud on me!” “That’s good,” Flitter said ahead of them. “Because we’re headed onto a muddy trail!” Sweetie Belle raspberried, and then looked ahead. They entered the park, where instead of staying on the trail, the younger pegasi decided to run on the grass, with Thunderlane and Cloudchaser not far behind. The carriages bounced this way and that, sometimes lifting right off the ground after going over a small hill. Rarity caught sight of her picnic basket, grabbing it with her magic and setting it next to her, putting the two-headed kite inside. They then galloped on the path to Sweet Apple Acres, along the now-muddy trail. The rain was beginning to pool at Rarity’s hooves, and the pegasi’s galloping was kicking up a lot of mud. “Eek!” Rarity ducked, narrowly avoiding a glob of mud. “Would you mind not flinging so much mud around?” The two pegasi, who themselves were covered to their knees in mud, didn’t pay her any mind. They were closing in on Rumble and Flitter, who were muddy to their bellies. Sweetie Belle looked back, and stopped laughing. “You gotta go faster!” she yelled at Rumble. Rumble was panting. “I-I’m trying, but I’m getting tired.” “Come on, Rumble,” Sweetie Belle said. “You’ve been doing so good! You can’t quit now!” Rumble began to stumble, and she leaned in towards him. “You’re not gonna let me down, are you?” Rumble looked back at her, saw her pleading look, and then swallowed and surged forward, almost making Flitter tumble down. “Yay, Rumble!” Sweetie Belle yelled. Rarity grinned. Well, Sweetie Belle, looks like you know how to manipulate colts. “Alright, Rumble,” Flitter said. “Let’s leave these old-timers in the dust.” Rarity’s eyes shot open. “Who’re you calling an old-timer!?” She looked at Thunderlane, who was himself beginning to slow down. “Thunderlaaaane,” she whined. “Catch them. Catch them so I can make her pay!” She didn’t notice the mud until it was too late. A large splotch of mud hit her right in the face, covering her eyes and muzzle. She spurted, wiping it off. “Ew!” She was even less prepared for what came next. They were almost at the end of the trail that would bring them back to Ponyville proper, but instead of finishing, the pegasi made a hard right, sending the wagon on one wheel, Rarity flying to the other side, and the mud cascading onto her coat. She glowed red. “What are you doing?” They were currently going through a patch of trees. “We’re taking a shortcut,” Thunderlane yelled as they dodged bushes. The carriage went over them, covering Rarity in leaves. “Pfft puh!” Rarity spit to get the leaves out of her mouth. “Couldn’t you just catch them on this road?” “It’ll be quicker this way.” The pegasi leapt over a rock, and the carriage hit it, sending Rarity flying almost out of it. They found themselves on a street in the edge of Ponyville proper, the one where the dirt road led to. “Now we’ll just wait a second and—“ It was literally a second before two younger pegasi, a carriage and a unicorn filly turned into view. They were laughing to themselves, but upon seeing the older ponies standing in front of them, tried putting on the brakes. “Whoa whoa whoa!” Rumble blurted. “We’ve got you this time,” Thunderlane said triumphantly. Rarity looked up at them, and saw that Sweetie Belle’s mane and face were dappled in mud. “And when I get my hooves on you two, I’m going to—“ She didn’t get to finish. In a last-ditch effort, Rumble jumped into the air, carrying Flitter with him, and began to fly. The carriage lifted along with them, and soon they were clear over the older ponies, flying up and away. Rarity stared in disbelief before narrowing her gaze. “Oh, you’re good, Rumble. You’re good.” “All right!” Cloudchaser yelled, beginning to turn with her companion. “Here we go,” Thunderlane said. Rarity blinked as she felt the carriage turning. “Wait, what!?” They all began to gallop after them. “Wait, I don’t want to fly. It’s too high, let me out!” But it was to no avail. Before she could climb out, the two pegasi had already launched themselves into the air, taking the carriage with them. Rarity screamed and dropped to the floor. Higher and higher they went, getting closer to the storm clouds. They didn’t go too close to them, though, and soon they were having an aerial chase. Rarity peeked over the edge and saw Ponyville Square whizzing by, their shadow gliding over the rooftops. She had flown before, in Princess Celestia’s personal chariot, but it hadn’t gone as fast as they were going now. Rarity couldn’t help but begin to whimper. I could fall, she thought. And then another thought pressed into her mind. Sweetie Belle could fall! She looked at her sister, who was staring down and then up and all around in wide-eyed wonder. She reached out to touch the rain, and the bolts of lightning flashed, she oohed. Rarity’s heart almost leapt out of her when Sweetie Belle glanced over the edge, forehooves dangling. “Sweetie Belle!” she yelled. The filly didn’t look back. “Get away from the edge, you’ll fall!” Sweetie Belle looked back at her. “Look down, Rarity! Isn’t it great?” “Yes, it is,” Rarity said quickly. “It is a nice view—“ When she looked down again, she gasped. She knew Sweet Apple Acres was big, but when they were above it, she could see just how vast it was. The tops of the trees glistened with rain, waving with the wind, almost singing voicelessly with it. There was a rainbow of color in the western orchards, along with a large red figure looking out. She saw the mill and the barn, and when she looked again at the sea of treetops, she spotted Apple Bloom and Applejack waving at them, shouting something indistinguishable. She waved back. “Oh my stars.” “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Cloudchaser asked, looking back at her. “Breathtaking,” Rarity said. She looked back at Sweetie Belle, who had finished waving. “You liking this?” Rumble asked. “Yeah!” Sweetie Belle yelled. “I’m actually flying!” Flitter whooped. “Well, how’s about we do some tricks now?” Rarity’s eyes shot open. “Oh, don’t you dare, you! That’s my sister!” “She’ll be fine,” Flitter said as she and Rumble began leaning back. Rarity watched aghast as the carriage out front soon became perpendicular to the ground, with Sweetie Belle holding on to the front. They continued leaning back, and soon they were upside down. Sweetie Belle looked down at Rarity. “Hi Rarity!” Rarity couldn’t speak before they began leaning back as well. “What are you doing?” “Hang on.” “What are you doing!?” There was no answer, and soon Rarity found herself experiencing a backflip in the air. Her stomach churned and her head spun, and she soon found herself upside down as well, watching the other finish their flip and flying off. She barely managed to snag the basket with her magic. The rain fell out of the wagon. “Yyyyaaaaaaaaaaah!” And then it was over. Rarity opened her eyes and found them right-side-up again. Rarity gasped for air, her heart pounding. “Pleeeeease don’t do that again,” she whined. When they were right again, something stirred in her. Something she hadn’t experienced before. She tried brushing it away, but she couldn’t. And then voices sounded in front. “Come on, Flitter,” Rumble said. “Let’s do a barrel roll.” Flitter nodded, and soon Rarity was watching aghast as they younger ponies were rolling to the right, and then to the left. Thunderlane and Cloudchaser watched without doing it. Sweetie Belle’s head bobbed this way and that. “Whoawhooooawhoooooooooa!” Sweetie Belle didn’t look back at Rarity as she spoke. “You gotta try this, Rarity!” The feeling came back, Rarity’s stomach churning pleasantly. She was confused, and her body tightened, and she sighed quickly. “All right, Sweetie Belle. Just one.” The pegasi looked at her, and then nodded, rolling their bodies to the right. Rarity felt herself spinning, quickly going upside down before becoming right again. Rarity couldn’t suppress her giggling, and soon found herself rolling to the left. They stopped and continued on, Rarity laughing. “This is wonderful!” she yelled, keeping hold of the basket. The pegasi smiled, and Sweetie Belle joined her sister in laughter. Rarity had wondered what Rainbow Dash found in going fast and doing flips and dives and rolls in the sky, and now she understood the rush felt. They made it to Ponyville proper, where the younger pegasi made a risky decision. They began flying close to the rooftops, dodging in and out of the chimneytops. The older pegasi tried following them, but it was harder for them to maneuver. “Rumble!” Thunderlane yelled with a tinge of worry in his voice. “Pull up! You’re going to get hurt!” “Okay!” There was no argument from any of them, and they pulled up as a wheel skimmed the top of the chimney. The older ponies pulled up, but Thunderlane’s foreleg hit the top. “Gah!” “Are you alright?” Rarity asked. “He’s bleeding,” Cloudchaser replied. “I’ll be fine.” Thunderlane looked up and saw that Flitter and Rumble were beginning to lose speed. “Aha! I’ve got you now!” Sweetie Belle looked back and saw the older ponies gaining ground fast. “Uh-oh.” “What’re we gonna do?” Rumble panted. Sweetie Belle thought for a moment. “I have an idea. Go to the lake.” They obeyed, and soon they were all heading towards the lake. It wasn’t too far away, and they reached it in seconds. The rain was becoming a downpour. “Give it up, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said. “It’s over.” Sweetie Belle looked back as they reached the lake. “Fine.” She stood up. Rarity leaned forward. “Sit back down, Sweetie Be—“ “But you gotta catch me first!” And she leapt out. Rarity’s heart stopped as she watched her sister plummet towards the lake. She made to jump after her, but there was a turn to the right, and she was thrown down. She quickly got up and looked out, and saw the foam where Sweetie Belle had landed in the water. “Sweetie Belle!” The carriage began to descend as Rarity felt tears burn her eyes. They were heading straight for a field. Cloudchaser unlatched herself a dove straight into Flitter, leaving the carriage to descend to the ground ponyless. Thunderlane struggled to stay upright, and he and Rarity were heading straight for the ground. “Thunderlane! Pull up!” “I’m trying!” They came to the ground, and Thunderlane just barely managed to get his hoofing, and he galloped on the ground, the carriage steadying itself. Rarity closed her eyes, praying it would go well. Eventually, they came to a halt in the middle of the field. The carriage next to them crashed and broke, the wheels bouncing and rolling off into the forest. Rarity leapt out, ignoring her stomach and her wobbly legs, and began galloping towards the lake. “Sweetie Belle!” Thunderlane threw the harness off and ran towards the wreckage. “Rumble?” “D-don’t worry about him,” Flitter said under her sister’s weight. “He got out before it crashed. He went to the lake.” Thunderlane flew up. Rarity reached the lake and dove in, washing the mud off. She swam to where the foam was, and plunged in. The bottom was clear save for some rocks; Sweetie Belle was nowhere to be found. Rarity soon ran out of air, and kicked back up to the surface. “Sweetie Belle?” She looked around, seeing no sign of her baby sister. “Sweetie Belle?” Thunderlane flew down to her, causing her to scream. “It’s alright; your sister’s okay. I saw her and Rumble running into Ponyville, towards what I think is the spa.” She didn’t wait for him to reply, and swam to shore began galloping away. Thunderlane flew next to her and joined her in galloping. “Your sister’s okay,” Thunderlane reassured her. “It wasn’t that high of a drop. She couldn’t have gotten hurt unless she belly-flopped.” Rarity turned to him. “She shouldn’t have—“ “I know,” Thunderlane said, giving her a light nuzzle. “But she’s fine. Let’s just find her.” Rarity looked at the rapidly approaching view of Ponyville, and galloped faster. There was something about this that was firing something in her, making her eyes burn and her hooves feel light. Am I mad that she jumped? Or am I mad because she got away? The two sisters finished dragging the wreckage to Town Hall and set it down. Not a word had been exchanged between them. Cloudchaser had glared at Flitter whenever she looked up, prompting the younger mare to look at the ground the whole way. “There,” Cloudchaser said with finality. She walked over to Flitter, who didn’t look up. “It’s over.” Flitter nodded wordlessly. Then, without warning, Cloudchaser wrapped her neck around Flitter’s. “What are you doing?” “I just want you to know that there are no hard feelings,” Cloudchaser said. “We had fun, and it got out of hoof.” Flitter looked up and saw Cloudchaser smiling at her. “Don’t beat yourself up over the fact that in the end, the carriage was destroyed and you lost.” They looked at each other for a second, and then Flitter scoffed. “I did not lose!” Cloudchaser shook her head with a smirk. “You did too. I caught you.” “Did not!” “Oh yeah,” Cloudchaser said in a challenging tone. “If you still have some energy, how about a race home?” Flitter blinked. “In this weather?” She pointed at the sky. “It’s beginning to rain pretty hard, and—“ When she looked back, Cloudchaser was gone. “Huh?” “Yo, Flit!” Cloudchaser was leaning against the candle on the cupcake of Sugarcube Corner. “We gonna race or not?” She blew her a raspberry and began flying off. Flitter had no idea what to think at the moment—after the wreck and the hug—but one thing went through her mind immediately: “Yeah, of course you’d need a head start!” She galloped and took off past the cupcake, soon catching sight of her sister and giving chase.