//------------------------------// // Just Girls Talking About Twilight's Big News // Story: Just Girls Talking // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// Sunset Shimmer was all smiles when she arrived at Applejack's place for band practice. "Howdy Sunset," Applejack waved from where she was tuning her bass. She tilted her head. "You're grinnin' like a hound dog that jes' found a whole turkey in th' trash." "Did something good happen?" Rarity asked. Sunset nodded happily. "How can something that awesome have happened between you leaving school and you getting here?" Rainbow wondered. "It's only been like...twenty minutes!" Sunset did an excited little hop as she sat down on a spinning stool. "I just got some amazing news from Twilight!" That got the others' attention. They stopped what they were doing and crowded around her. "You got a message from Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. "Did she find an amazing new dress?" "Is she throwing a really big party and we're all invited?" "Did she win a big game?" Sunset rolled her eyes at her friends. She glanced at Applejack. Applejack scratched her head. "Whut?" "Aren't you going to ask a ridiculous question that has nothing to do with why Twilight wrote to me?" Applejack shrugged. "Ah'm jes' waitin' t' hear th' news." "Oh," Sunset said sheepishly. She coughed into her fist. "Well...Twilight's going to be an aunt." The others gasped sharply. "WHAT?!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Oh my," Fluttershy said, smiling. "That's amazing!" She tilted her head. "I didn't know she had a sister." "Brother," Sunset clarified. "Her older brother Shining Armor is married to Princess Cadance." She tilted her head. "Funny, I only remember seeing Cadance around the castle a few times when I was there. I guess maybe I heard she had a reputation for being really nice?" She shook her head. "Anyway. Twilight just found out Cadance is pregnant." "That's so awesome!" Rainbow declared. "A new baby in the family," Rarity breathed dreamily. "That's quite wonderful!" She paused, tilting her head. "But to be an aunt at such a young age..." She frowned mildly. "I can't quite picture myself being a teenage aunt." Sunset blinked. "Umm...Twilight's...not a teenager," she said. "Uhh...yes she is," Rainbow countered. "I'm pretty sure she's our age." "She sure looked like she was our age," Applejack added, nodding. Sunset shook her head. "That's part of whatever the portal does to us," she said. "I don't know why ages are all screwed up in this world and neither does Twilight, but neither of us are the same age as you girls." "Really?" Fluttershy asked. "So...umm...how old...?" "Well, Twilight's twenty-three," Sunset said. "I know because I asked. I was curious, since I know the portal messed with me and for some reason I don't seem to be aging right on this side." The others blinked. "She's...she's twenty-three?" Rainbow asked. "Like, old enough to vote, drink, all that good stuff?" "Well, old enough to be one of the four alicorn princesses of Equestria at any rate," Sunset said. "Huh," Applejack said. She raised an eyebrow. "So, uhh..." She trailed off pointedly. The girls all leaned in, peering intently at Sunset. Sunset recoiled, blinking. "What?" "Come on, darling," Rarity drawled. "Dish. How old are you really?" Sunset's eye twitched. "Eh...heheheh..." "Are you older than Twilight?" Rainbow asked. "Well...yeah?" "Are you older than Granny Smith?" Pinkie asked with a silly leer. "What? No!" "Are you a Christmas cake?" Fluttershy asked. Everybody blinked at her. "Am I a what?" Sunset asked, tilting her head. Rainbow groaned. "Fluttershy, you're reading too many of those Neighponese comics again." "But I like them!" Fluttershy whined. Applejack rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Out with it now, Sunset," she said. "Jes' how old are you?" Sunset gave Fluttershy one last dubious stare, then sighed. "I'm twenty-nine," she admitted. "Pushing thirty really soon." The others gasped dramatically. "No wonder your boobs are so huge!" Pinkie exclaimed. Sunset crossed her arms over her chest defensively and blushed. "That explains why your voice and style are so...mature," Rarity added thoughtfully, shooting Pinkie a sidelong glance. "B-but here, I'm seventeen!" Sunset protested. "Really!" "Seventeen going on thirty," Rainbow stage-whispered, snickering. Sunset facepalmed. "Can we get back to the whole Twilight-being-an-aunt thing, please?" she asked. "Oh, we simply must have a baby shower!" Rarity exclaimed, going starry-eyed. "Yeah! Maybe after the Friendship Games!" Pinkie added excitedly. "Ooh! You think this sister of hers would want to come here for it?" "Proooobably not a good idea for a pregnant mare to go through the portal," Sunset said. "Maybe we could go over there to have it! Or at least send cards and gifts through the portal..." The girls spent the rest of band practice talking excitedly about the prospect of a baby shower, with only the occasional return to the topic of Sunset's real age.