The kitchen in Carousel Boutique was in a mess. Cutie Mark Crusaders were preparing dinner. The ingredients were everywhere: on the table, on the floor, etc.
"I think it's done", Scootaloo said.
"We made a decent meal this time." added Sweetie Belle. "I think Rarity will like it."
"Speaking of Rarity, where is she?" asked Applebloom.
"He had to travel to the other part of Ponyville and make a few dresses there."
"Oh... so that's where she went in a hurry this morning wearing a ton of fabric?" asked Scootaloo.
"Yep."
They set up the table.
"Hey, can you hear that?" Applebloom asked.
"Yeah, I hear some silent noises... like a cat scratching the door." said Sweetie Belle.
They opened the door and they saw Rarity, exhausted and with sore hooves.
"I couldn't open the door", Rarity was almost crying. She entered Boutique. "Please, girls, bring me a basin of warm water... my hooves are so sore, you could just simple die."
Sweetie Belle brought her what she wanted. Rarity soaked her hooves in water.
"Feeling better now?" The Crusaders asked.
"Yeah... thank you."
"So... what happened?"
"An extremely picky and demanding customer, that's what's happened!" Rarity frowned. "It was one spoiled brat who's been torturing me the whole day! She wanted to see me making dresses for her, so I couldn't do it here. While I was sewing, she was constantly bugging me with her demands. Then I had to make dresses for her entire class! She was from a rich family, so her parents paid me well, but still... I think I wasn't feeling my hooves at one point!"
"Why didn't you quit? Or postpone some work for another day?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"I couldn't quit! And it was all due tomorrow. Stupid little brat! I... Okay, calm down, Rarity. Don't make a fuss. Hey, what's that smell?"
"Something you like very much. Since you were absent, I wanted to make you a dinner when you come back, so I called Scootaloo and Applebloom over to help me."
"You made my favorite dish! Okay, enough moping. Let's eat!" Rarity got up and ran to the dining room.
Soon they were all enjoying dinner. The Crusaders have actually made a tasty meal.
"So, girls, how was your day? What were you doing?" Rarity asked during dinner.
"We were mostly having fun", replied Sweetie Belle. "We spent most of the afternoon searching for our hidden talents so we could finally get our cutie marks."
"Sadly, we haven't found any... again", Scootaloo added. "But we still had our fun. We played some ball games, we went to the amusement park..."
"Yeah", Applebloom continued. "And after that, we went to Sugarcube Corner to enjoy some cupcakes. Then we met Pinkie Pie who started talking about her days as a young filly, about her first cupcake... She bored us a bit, but never mind."
"You girls are really lucky", Rarity had a sad look on her face. "And you've already heard what I've been doing in the meantime: making countless dresses for some spoiled brat. And she said she'll call me again. Maybe even tomorrow!" She shed a tear. "Oh, how I wish I was a young filly again! Not a care in the world, only fun and games. Like you girls do."
"That's not true, Rarity", said Scootaloo. "We have our problems, too. Just like everypony else."
"You're wrong, girls", Rarity replied. "When you grow up, you'll see what real problems are."
She then took a rest.
"Hey, I just remembered... I will also have some fun tomorrow!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Applejack invited me to go fishing."
"That's nice. Hope you'll have a nice time", Sweetie Belle said.
The next day, Rarity had less work than the day before. Sweetie Belle went to play with Applebloom and Scootaloo again. After some time, Rarity finished her work for that day.
"I should go and take a walk. I'm a living being, after all."
Soon she was walking the streets of Ponyville, enjoying the sunny day.
"I feel better already", she thought.
Suddenly, a ball hit her in the head. Two young colts were playing ball near her and they accidentally hit her. One of the colts ran over to Rarity, who was still a little dizzy.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, ma'am! Are you alright?" asked the colt.
"I'm fine. Here, I believe this is yours", Rarity handed him the ball.
"You could've killed her, you doofus!" the other colt was yelling at the first one.
"It was your fault for stepping aside!" the first one replied.
"Come on, kids, don't argue", Rarity approached them. "It was my fault for walking here at the wrong moment!"
Rarity was about to continue her stroll when he met Twilight.
"Hi, Twilight."
"I see you've got a lot of understanding for kids' mischiefs." Twilight said.
"That's because I like kids, darling. Very much."
They were watching the colts playing their game for about a minute.
"Look how cute they are!" Rarity said. "It's really nice to be a kid!"
"Really?" Twilight asked.
"Why, yes. Think about it: they spend their days playing around, they don't have to earn money, they don't have spoiled customers to bug them... I mean, come on, darling. Wouldn't you like to be their age again?"
"Well, come to think of it... I would." Twilight said.
"I'd give anything just to be a young filly again!" Rarity added. "Okay, I'll see you later."
"See you, Rarity."
The next morning, Rarity was waking up in her bed. She yawned and stretched.
"Mmm... it's time to get up. I'd really like to continue my beauty sleep, but..."
She left the bed, but something felt unusual.
"What's this? Has my bed got bigger?" She was looking at her bed and it seemed bigger than before. She ran to the mirror.
"No. The bed's the same size as before, but... I shrunk!"
She was the same size as Sweetie Belle.
"Impossible... I must be still dreaming!" she pinched herself, but nothing happened.
"Ouch. It really hurt. Wait. This means... I've returned to childhood! I'm a young filly again! Hooray!" she started jumping around the room in cheer.
"Oh, this is most wonderful! I'm a filly again and I don't have to worry about anything! Nothing but fun and play along the way!"
She decided to go out and enjoy her rejuvenation by doing all the fun stuff she could imagine.
"It's a good thing Sweetie Belle's out. I wouldn't like her to see me in my mini-version!" Rarity was giggling while searching for her wallet.
"Now, where did I put that wallet?"
"Me-ow!" she heard from the other room. She went there and she saw her cat, Opalescence, playing with her wallet.
"Opal... Be a good kitty and give it to me!"
Opal looked at her, but she continued playing with the wallet. She didn't want to cooperate.
"Opal, give Rarity her wallet!" she started approaching her cat. "You don't want Rarity to think you're a bad kitty, would you?"
But just when she was about to take her wallet from her, Opal escaped to the other part of the room.
"Don't make me angry, Opal. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry", Rarity was unknowingly referencing The Hulk.
But Opal really wanted to play with her wallet some more, so she escaped again when Rarity tried to approach her.
"Okay, that's it for the nice approach! Give it right now!" Rarity frowned.
Opal still didn't listen, so Rarity started chasing her across the room. Finally, after many failed tries (and scratches), Rarity somehow managed to catch her cat and she took the wallet from her.
"Why won't she listen to me anymore?" she thought, then it hit her. "Oh, right. She's not used to taking orders from a filly." She opened her wallet.
"Hmm... I have ten bits. Well, that's enough for a kid like me."
She was walking the streets of Ponyville.
"Maybe I should go to Canterlot and play with children there? Sure, why not? Now that I don't have any obligations, I can do anything!"
She went to the train station and entered one of the wagons. She stumbled upon a conductor.
"Hello there, little one. Playing a bit, aren't we?"
"Hello, mister. I don't know what's that playing you're talking about..." Then it hit her.
"Oh, right. I forgot I can't ride by myself as a kid!" she thought.
"You're right. I'm playing." she said aloud. "I'm pretending to be a business woman traveling to Canterlot for some important... uh... business meeting."
"Well, I must ask you to leave the train now, business lady, 'cause we're going to some other place."
Rarity was walking the streets again.
"I have to be careful of what I'm doing", she was thinking to herself. "There are some things adults do that I cannot."
A few minutes later, she passed by Sugarcube Corner.
"Mmm... those sweet treats inside smell delicious. And it's not forbidden for a kid to eat candy." She entered the store.
"Hello, Mrs. Cake."
"Uh... Do I know you?" Mrs. Cake was confused that a young filly knew her name.
"Well... I assumed that your name was something related to the... uh... sweet stuff you're selling."
"That's funny... you somewhat remind me of Rarity, but you're much younger than her. Are you new in town?"
"Yes... Yes, I'm new. And you say I remind you of that... what's her name... Rarity? Must be 'cause of my mane. This style is trendy this season." Rarity was trying to get herself out of that one.
"Okay." Mrs. Cake was still a little confused. "So, what would you like?"
"Lemme see. Uh, I'll take..." Rarity couldn't finish her sentence because some adult female pony entered the store and cut in.
"Hi, Mrs. Cake. Please, give me one whipped cream pie. Just hurry."
"Hey, it's my turn!" Rarity was protesting.
"Sorry, sweetie, but I'm hurrying to work. I'll be done in a minute, and then it's your turn."
"Well... all right."
After she left, Rarity tried to order again: "Give me three..."
But she was interrupted again; another pony, this time a mile, entered and cut in too.
"I'm in a terrible hurry! Pack me five brownies and a cherry pie, pronto!"
"Hey, I was here first!" Rarity protested again.
"Just a little patience, little darling", said Mrs. Cake. "I have to serve the gent first 'cause he's in a great hurry."
Finally, Rarity got to buy the treat she wanted.
"These adults are always in a hurry. Five of them cut in!" she was grumbling while leaving Sugarcube Corner.
"Okay, I'm gonna eat my treat now, and then..."
"Hey." she heard a voice near her. It was a pretty suspicious-looking filly standing on the sidewalk.
"Are you calling me?" Rarity asked.
"Yeah. Your auntie's calling you."
"Auntie?" Rarity was turning her head in several directions. "Hey, I don't have an auntie!"
Then she looked at her hoof again – there was no treat in it.
"I don't have my treat anymore either... she tricked me!"
"Thanks, girl", she heard the filly's voice behind the fence, "it was very tasty."
"Ill-mannered brat", Rarity said, more to herself.
Meanwhile, in a house a couple of blocks away, a female pony had just baked a pie. She smelt it.
"Mmm... smells great. Lemme put it on the windowsill to cool down."
But some pony smelt it, and when she wasn't looking, he sneaked and took it off the window. Soon after that, when she got back in the kitchen, she noticed the pie was gone.
"Somepony stole my pie!" She ran to her husband who was reading newspaper in the other room.
"Never mind... you'll make another." he said and got back to his reading.
"Make another?" his wife got angry. "You'll be reading newspaper, and I'll be baking a pie!"
"Sorry, pumpkin... I meant..."
"If you loved me, you'd run after the thief and bring my pie back"!
"Okay, then that's what I'm going to do." The husband got out and saw the cream trail.
"I'll just have to follow that and I'll find that stealing jerk."
Elsewhere, the thief, a homeless pony who was forced to steal in order to eat, was about to consume the pie.
"I hope it's as tasty as it's good looking" he thought to himself. But then he heard a voice from far away:
"Judging by the trail, the thief should be nearby."
"Oh, no! I must get rid of the cake!" The thief took the pie and ran. Seconds later, he saw Rarity walking down the street, and he got an idea.
"Hey, little girl!"
"You talking to me?" Rarity turned around.
"Yes. You're such a cute little filly and I want to give you this pie as a gift."
"Oh... that's so nice of you. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Have a nice day!" the thief ran away. "It's so good I bumped into the little one!"
"After all the troubles I ran into today, I must say it's a nice to be a kid after all..." Rarity thought. But when she was about to taste the pie, the baker's husband caught her.
"You little thief! Such a little filly, and already stealing other ponies' pies! Haven't your parents taught you not to do that?"
"No, wait! That's a mistake!" Rarity tried to justify herself. "Some nice pony gave it to me!"
"She's not only a thief, but she's also a liar!" the pony said and he went away with the pie.
"Actually", Rarity was thinking while continuing her walk, "it's not easy being a little filly. Adult ponies think that kids don't know anything and abuse it all the time."
The sun was already going down when Rarity walked some crowded street, and she heard a familiar voice.
"I'm not really a fan of fishing, but..."
"Hey! That's Fluttershy's voice!" Rarity thought. Indeed, she saw Fluttershy and Applejack in the crowd.
"It'll be fun, sugarcube! You'll see!" Applejack said.
"You promise we'll let them go after we catch them? I don't want to harm them."
"I promise. We'll just catch them for fun and see who can catch the biggest fish."
"Good heavens!" Rarity slapped her forehead. "I completely forgot that Applejack invited me to go fishing! And now she's taking Fluttershy instead!"
She decided to follow them, but not to show herself. After some time, they arrived to the beach. It was night at that point.
"Look, I even got us a boat!" Applejack pointed to the small boat nearby.
"But... the sea is kind of wavy... Do you think it's smart to go fishing now?" Fluttershy was scared.
"Don't be such a scaredy-cat! Come on, let's go!"
They got in the boat and Applejack started rowing. It started to rain, and they saw a lightning, followed by a loud thunder.
"It's really thoughtless to go fishing in this weather", Rarity was thinking standing on the shore and watching them.
After a few minutes, Fluttershy couldn't take it any more.
"Applejack, I'm very scared! Let's go back."
Applejack looked at the stormy sky and realized it really wasn't smart to go on.
"I think you're right. Okay, let's... Oh, no!" She accidentally dropped her oar and it felt in the water.
"I must get it back!" She leaned over.
"Sit down!" Fluttershy cried. "You'll turn over the boat!"
But the very next second, the boat tumbled over and they found themselves in water.
"Help! Fluttershy, help me! Fly us to safety!"
"I can't fly when my wings are wet!" Fluttershy was desperately trying to stay on the surface, and so was Applejack.
"They're in danger! I must help them!" Rarity saw another boat on the shore. But when she tried to take it in the water...
"I can't move it an inch! It's too heavy for me now that I'm this small" she thought. "I'm so helpless. And even if I was able to push it in the water, I wouldn't have the strength to paddle!"
She started crying. "Since I've become a little filly, I have nothing but troubles! Oh, how I wish I was an adult pony again!"
Moments later, she felt she was growing. It's like she was aging really fast. Eventually she was the same adult age as before.
"Is it me, or am I an adult again?"
"It's not you", she heard a familiar voice behind her. "You're an adult again, Rarity."
It was Twilight. Spike was riding on her back.
"Twilight! So... you're the one who turned me into a filly?"
"Positive. Now that I've become an alicorn, I have that power, too."
"I get it. When we talked yesterday..."
"Exactly. You expressed a desire to be young again, so I made your wish come true."
"Yes. I wanted that, but now I realize I've had a lot of problems as a filly, too."
"I knew you won't like it. So... I believe somepony has a letter to write, am I right?"
"You're right." Rarity turned to Spike. "Spike, take a note."
Spike took a scroll and a quill and Rarity started dictating.
"Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned a valuable lesson about aging. Just because somepony is a little filly, it doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing for them. No matter how old you are, every part of life has troubles and problems to be solved. It's important to accept them as part of your life, and to endeavor to solve them. Yours truly, Rarity."
"Now, if you're done... how about helping our friends?" Twilight asked.
"Oh. Right. I almost forgot about them." Rarity blushed.
After saving Applejack and Fluttershy with help from Twilight and Spike, Rarity got back to Carousel Boutique. The Crusaders were there.
"Hello there, ladies. What's up?" she asked them.
"Your customer from yesterday called", Sweetie Belle replied. "She was very angry since you haven't showed up to continue making dresses."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. She said she'd expect a little filly to act that irresponsibly, but not an adult pony."
"You don't say?" Rarity giggled, but eventually she couldn't restrain and she burst into laughter.
"I don't care for anything..." she was singing while dancing around the room.
"You know, girls", Applebloom said to her fellow Crusaders, "I think that filly was right. Sometimes she really acts like a little child."
END