Chapter Four

Skipping to Good Times

"YAY! BABS SEED IS HERE!" the fillies excitedly bounced around her.

Babs just let them jump about, though her cheeks were turning a little bit red.

"I can't believe that you're here!" Apple Bloom still couldn't believe that her favorite cousin was standing there in front of her.

"Well," Babs explained, "My parents were suddenly called away on business and most of my friends in Manehattan are on vacation… so I couldn't stay with them," blew her mane out of her face.

Apple Bloom smiled, "So you're staying with me on Sweet Apple Acres! This is going to be so much fun!" she could barely contain herself, "We can go swimmin' and canoein' and climbin' and jumpin' off rocks and eating apples…"

Grumble… grumble… grumble…

Three hungry bellies sounded.

"Dabnagit!" Applejack growled at her growling stomach, "Me and Big Mac worked straight through lunch with all the work that still needs to be done," she looked to Big Mac.

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed.

"I could go for something too," Babs started to eye all the treats, "There wasn't anything to eat on the train ride over here."

Apple Bloom looked to the two apple fritters and strawberry shake, "I think these are for you," she pointed to the desserts.

"Just what I was craving," Applejack bumped the table.

The apple fritters jumped into the air. One landed in Applejack's mouth with a plop and a chomp and it was gone. The other landed on Big Mac's tongue, where he promptly swallowed it down in one bite.

"Mmm, mmm," Applejack smiled as the fritter hit her stomach, "That hit the spot. How much to I owe you Mrs. Cake?" she asked.

"It's already been taken care of," Mrs. Cake smiled.

"Apple Bloom?" she looked to her little sister and friends, "Did you buy all this?"

"Here," she pushed the shake in front Babs, "Nope. Our friend Trinny did."

"Trinny?" the name didn't sound familiar, "Is that one of your school friends?"

"Nope," Apple Bloom shook her head, "She's a Unicorn that we met near our clubhouse. She knew us though," she added quickly, "And she knew about you and Rarity and Rainbow Dash…"

"She knows every pony," Sweetie Belle motioned with her hooves.

"She even knows a few things that many don't," Scootaloo giggled.

"She even knew that you three were coming," Apple Bloom put two and two together, "And bought you the fritters and shake."

"She did?" Applejack was more confused than ever.

"Yup," she confirmed.

"That was nice of her… and a little strange I reckon…," she wasn't sure how to take that, "Anyway," she turned back to the door, "We've got to get back to the farm and finish up. You two make sure to be back by dinner time. See you around," she said her goodbyes as she left.

Big Mac only nodded as he followed after Applejack.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked to one another and couldn't help but smile.

"You have to tell how the Manehattan CMC is doing. Has anyone gotten their Cutie Marks yet? Have you've gotten yours?" all three looked to Babs' flank.

"No," she sighed, "but two of our members got theirs when we playing stick ball."

"Really!?" the girls sat in awe as Babs recalled that day.

She told of a sunny day on her home street and a bunch of the neighborhood colts and fillies playing a friendly game after school. They were playing stick ball on Babs' street since the local fields were filled with school teams playing for trophies and titles. The game had been going on for a couple days. Either they interrupted by constant traffic in the road or ponies were being called home for dinner. They all agreed that they would play one more inning to break the two day tie. Babs' team was up to bat and their best hitter was at the plate. The pitcher shook his head no a few times before he like the catcher's signal. Looking from side to side, he checked the runners at first and second. All the hitter had to do was get a base hit and they would win the game. Babs shouted for him to bring the runner on third home. He smiled and said that he would come home too. He was just that kind of pony; aim for the stars. Babs knew that there was nothing she could say that would convince him otherwise. The pitcher wound up and threw the ball as hard as he could.

The batter clinched up and swung through. The ball went flying out pass the outfielders. They just stood there watching the ball go out of sight. Even the batter just stood there… every pony just stood there watching as their only ball went out beyond the reaches of Manehatten. The small crowd of colts and fillies that had gathered to watch burst out into cheers and whistles as the runners made their way around the bases. As the homerunner touched home base, his flank sparkled and shined. Every pony looked to see a bat and ball appeared. Suddenly a pony appeared running down the street. He was colt that had played on the other team, but he had to go home early. He came running with his glove and the ball. He had come to play if the game was going on and caught the ball as it descended. He held up the ball and suddenly his blank flank started to shine and sparkle. On it appeared a glove and ball.

"It really didn't matter who won," Babs finished off her strawberry shake, "Two of our members got their Marks."

"And that's what's important," Apple Bloom had to agree.

"Maybe we should start up a game," Scootaloo suggested, "We might get our Cutie Marks in baseball or stickball or whatever."

"Sounds like fun…," Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, "Or how about hopscotch, jump rope or four square… since there are four of us now," she smiled.

"Pish," Scootaloo snorted, "We need to go for the hard core games like basketball or soccer or," she got up and started to paw the floor, "football."

"Or maybe," Apple Bloom interrupted, "We could do what Babs wants to do. She is our guest after all."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked to each other.

"You're right," Scootaloo felt a little bad.

"What do you want to do Babs?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Babs thought for a moment, "How about jumping rope? One of my friend's friends came in from Fillydelphia and taught us how to Double Dutch."

The girls looked to one another and then to Babs, "What's Double Dutch?" they asked in unison.

"Get some jump ropes and I'll show you," Babs jumped down from her seat and headed for the door.

They couldn't help but smile in excitement at the thought of learning a new way to skip rope. They quickly followed after her. The best and only place to skip rope was the school yard. They all ran and skipped and giggled all the way there.

"Howdy Archer and Twist," Apple Bloom cheerfully greeted her fellow students that were there.

"Hey Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle," Archer greeted back.

"You guys remember my cousin Babs Seed," she introduced her.

"Oh yes," Twist recalled.

"What are you girls doing?" Sweetie Belle looked around.

"We're bored and didn't know what else to do," Archer sighed.

"Yes, I've gone through all my references and organized my mom's flower shop," Twist yawned, "There's just nothing to do today."

"Well you're in luck," Babs stepped forward, "Got any rope?" she smiled.

The two young fillies looked to one another in confusion.

The group of ponies sat down as Babs started to explain how Double Dutch worked. It sounded fun and a little hard, but much more fun than anything. Babs tried her best to show how to move the ropes, but it was hard by herself. Apple Bloom said she would try. She tried to turn the ropes in unison with Babs, but they kept getting tangled. All the little fillies sighed. It looked like their attempt at something fun and new was ending in failure.

"Hum, hum, hum, hum," a gentle humming filled the aired.

"I know that hum," Sweetie Belle recognized the tune.

"It's Trinny!" they spied the familiar form of a friendly unicorn.

"Well hello my little fillies," she trotted up to them with a big smile on her face, "What are all you doing here?" she looked down to Babs, "Glad to see you again Babs. You seem a lot happier than the last time I saw you."

Babs looked at her in confusion, "Do I know you?"

Apple Bloom giggle, "Why she's Trinity and she knows every pony."

"But she's likes to be called Trinny," Sweetie Belle added.

"And she's like the coolest pony ever," Scootaloo bounced, "except for Rainbow Dash," she had to retain her undying loyalty.

"Do you know who we are?" Twist looked up at the smiling unicorn in suspicion.

"Of course," Trinny answered confidently, "You're Twist and I hear that you're pretty good at making candies."

"Oh well… I'm just… I…," her cheeks turned red.

"And you my dear," she looked to Archer, "your name is Archer. Your aim is always true, just like your heart," she gently tapped her on the nose.

She giggled shyly and rubbed her nose.

"Oh," Trinny noticed the jump ropes, "Are you guys skipping rope? I love skipping rope. Though," she bent down to them, "sometimes my horn gets tangled in the rope," she giggled.

They couldn't help but giggle with her.

"Well anyway, that hasn't stopped me in the past," she picked up on of the ropes, "let's be like bunnies in the spring and hop," she started to whirl and jump.

"Actually," Babs stepped forward, "I was showing them how to Double Dutch and we're having a problem getting the rhythm of the swing right," she looked to the ropes.

"Oh… is that all?" Trinny continued to skip without missing a beat, "I can help with that," she stopped.

The red aura of her magic surrounded the handles of the rope. They started to swing and skip off the ground. They looped and twirl through the air and stayed in perfect harmony.

"How's that?" Trinny asked.

"Perfect," Babs smiled, "Alright," she half smiled at the girls, "let me show you how we do it in Manehatten."

She jumped into the swirl of ropes. Her hooves danced about as the ropes skipped by the ground. Her timing was amazing. Only did a few times the rope touch her hooves, but they never tripped her up. As quick as she was in and jumping, she jumped out with hitting the ropes. Trinny stopped and the ropes dropped.

"And that's how it's done," she blew her mane out of her face.

The group of fillies just stared at her in amazement.

"I don't know if I can do that," they all started to whisper amongst themselves, "It looks hard."

"Oh come on," Trinny picked back up the ropes, "don't know if you can if you don't try," she started to swing them.

The girls looked to one another and then to the twirling ropes.

"Well…," Scootaloo stepped forward, "I'm not going to just stand around," she pawed the ground, "Geronimo!" she jumped in.

She moved her hooves as best as she could to avoid the ropes. She wasn't quite as graceful as Babs, but she wasn't bad.

"I'm doing it! I'm doing!" she excitedly shouted.

"Here I go," Sweetie Belle jumped in next to her.

She, like Scootaloo, had to get the rhythm of the ropes.

"Here we go," Twist and Archer jumped in.

The four fillies laughed and giggled as they danced through the ropes in unison.

"Come on cuz," Babs motioned to Apple Bloom.

"Right," she still wasn't sure.

She took in a deep breath and let it go slowly. Stepping up with Babs, Apple Bloom took a leap into the moving ropes. To her surprise, she was jumping alongside her cousin and friends. They were all smiling and laughing. It looked so hard when Babs was showing them, but here they were now. Jumping and playing and having a great time.

"I'm not missing out on this," Trinny jumped in.

The ropes continued to swing as all seven skipped in joy.

"This is great," Apple Bloom laughed.

"Yup!" they all agreed.

Trinny started to sing,

It is easy to Double Dutch

See how my hooves barely touch

Jump on in and don't be shy

Watch and see how my hooves fly

The ropes turning round and round

The ropes know no bound

Up and down you will go

How many times you'll never know

Time for fun, time to play

I could do this all day

"I just hope that my horn…," Trinny started to say.

Too late. As she jumped up, the rope wrapped around her long, slender horn. The ropes twisted on one another and around every pony involved. They all fell to the ground as the ropes entangled their legs.

"Every pony okay?" Trinny asked as she tried to unravel the rope.

"Yeah," they all were okay.

"Let this be a lesson to you all," Trinny sighed, "Unicorns have a hard time jumping rope."

They all looked to one another and tried to hold back the laughter. But like the sun and moon, it couldn't be held back. They laughed until their sides hurt. Even Trinny couldn't hold it back. They laid in the fresh green, laughing and still tangled in ropes.

"Oh hello girls," a cheerful voice greeted them, "What are you up to?"

They looked up to see their favorite teacher, "Hello Miss Cheerilee!"