"ScootsQuest: Cool Girl Has Chill Day"
By JeffMango (https://pastebin.com/u/JeffMango)

URL: https://pastebin.com/sm8emyvY
Created on: Saturday 28th of March 2020 03:48:54 PM CDT
Retrieved on: Saturday 31 of October 2020 10:44:24 PM UTC


>You are Scootaloo
>Sixteen years old, recent owner of a driver’s license, and rising star of the CHS soccer team
>It’s a warm but damp spring day, and the sky above your head is heavy with clouds, the air carrying the tangy smell of rain
>You jog off the field, having stayed back by yourself to dribble up and down the field a few times
>Wet turf always gives you more problems than most of the other players, for reasons that are pretty obvious when you wear your athletic shorts
>Your legs end right above where your knees would be, and everything below there is sleek, glistening metal
>Neither you nor your two “aunts” actually know how that happened, and you’re pretty glad you don’t remember it
>Either way, the unusual injuries plus your natural talent has made you a star even beyond Canterlot; you’ve already heard rumors of prestigious universities looking to drop an athletics scholarship on your shoulders
>You pause right at the edge of the field and take a deep breath of the clean, stormy air
>It feels good to be you, right now
>You’re just about to head in when you hear a familiar voice from the stands
>”Hey, Scoots!”
>You look up, and see a rainbow-haired girl a few years older than you, reclining in the bleachers and sipping from a plastic water-bottle
“Coach Dash! Hey. You’re still here?”
>”Got nowhere better to be. And I wanna be here if you faceplant.”
“Har har. Making fun of a cripple? That’s pretty low.”
>Rainbow chuckles at that
>”Hey, you fall less than anyone else on the team.”
“It’s the extra weight from these babies.”
>”And you’re just good at what you do. You’ve got serious chops, kid.”
>You feel your entire body go warm and fizzy from Rainbow’s compliment
“I mean, yeah. I know,” you say, trying to play it cool
>But you’re blushing like an eleven-year-old in front of her crush
>”I’m serious, man. You’ve definitely got a shot at a free-ride to any school you want.”
“That’s what Harshwhinny said.”
>”She knows her stuff. You got big stuff ahead of you, kid.”
“Thanks, Rainbow.”
>”No prob. Now go get showered up. I can smell you from here.”
>You stick your tongue out at her, then head to jog for the showers
>Before you make it far, though, she stops you
>”Hey, wait. I did wanna ask you something.”
“Sure, anything.”
>”Just, uh… you doing anything tonight?”
“Tonight? I mean, no, but…”
>Your heart feels a little fluttery in your chest, and you can feel nervous energy building at the back of your throat
>”No reason. I just haven’t seen you with your friends lately. Wanted to make sure everything is alright, y’know?”
“Oh, yeah. Things have just been weird. Applebloom is crazy busy with the farm. Sweetie is… I dunno, acting a little different.”
>”Alright. Just wanna make sure you’re not lonely.”
“I’m good.”
>”Cool. But if you’re looking for something to do, I’ve got fuck-all going on too.”
“Yeah?”
>”Mhm. So, if you wanna hang, just text me or whatever.”
>Hanging out?
>With THE Rainbow Dash
“Y-yeah! Sure! I’ll let you know right after my shower!”
>You jog away, giddiness mixing with the post-workout high

>In the locker rooms, you strip out of your athletic wear, wrap yourself in a towel, and head into the showers
>There’s a special shower in one corner of the room, one made specifically for the disabled: it’s got a waterproof compartment that fits your legs and a plastic chair for you to sit on
>All in all, it’s pretty convenient, but you’d die from embarrassment if any of your teammates saw you using it
>Throughout your shower, you can’t stop thinking about what Rainbow said
>You play her words back to yourself over and over, trying to make sure you didn’t miss anything
>She wants to just… hang out?
>Rainbow is already in college—a sophomore at UCan, and their star soccer player—and she’s pretty much a legend to the entirety of CHS, a soccer and track champion and apparently a total party animal during her day
>You’ve more-or-less idolized her since you first heard of her
>And now she’s your *coach*
>And she wants to *hang out*?
>It’s almost too good to be true

>When you finish your shower, you shut the water off and head back to your locker, where you dress in your school clothes
>Your phone glows with several message notifications, and you answer them to find texts from Diamond Tiara, of all people
>What does Diamond want?
>You only have her number because she awkwardly made amends with your friend group back in Freshman year
>You don’t exactly *like* her, but you suppose she’s cool now
>Still, why’s she texting you?
>You flip the phone open to check the messages
>[Hey. This is Diamond. I’m having a party tonight, at my house, 8:00. Wear the best dress you have, if you own one. Let me know if you’ll come.]
>You read the text three times, your head spinning
>Is this some kind of weird, cruel prank?
>That doesn’t seem like something Diamond would do—not the current Diamond, at least
[For real?]
>Barely a minute later, she replies
>[Yes. Are you going to be there? I need to know. Now.]

>You start to type, then hesitate, then start again
>There’s no way she’s serious… is she?
>Eventually, you remember Rainbow sitting outside, as well as your promise to her
[i’m supposed to hang out w rainbow dash. can she come?]
>Diamond’s reply is immediate
>[THE Rainbow Dash?]
[yeah?]
>[Of course. I’ll people know. See you at eight.]
>You put the phone down, already feeling a little giddy
>A party at Diamond’s house, *and* you get to hang out with Rainbow
>Forget rising star, you’re a full-blown supernova!
>You rush outside to tell Rainbow the good news

>She stares at you, a confused smile spreading across her face
>”A high-school party?”
“Yeah, I guess. But it’s *Diamond Tiara*. Her parents own, like, half the city. It’s gonna be crazy!”
>”I dunno, fam. Aren’t I a little too, y’know, *old* for that?”
“Old? You were in high school like two years ago!”
>”Yeah, I guess… feels kinda weird, though. I remember when Diamond was a little brat with braces. It’d feel like, I dunno, like I’m hanging out with a bunch of kids, or something”
“Kids?”
>”I mean, not kids, but… just seems weird.”
“I guess.”
>You shrug, and you can’t hide the disappointment in your face
>She still thinks of you as a kid?
>Dash bites her lip
>”Hey, I didn’t mean it like that. I just… don’t know if I can vibe with that, you know?”
“Right. I guess I understand.”
>You avert your eyes from Rainbow, feeling confused
>She was supposed to be this crazy party animal, back when she was still at CHS
>Why does she seem so shy and… well, kinda lame, all of a sudden?
>You can’t help but be a bit disappointed…
>You want to roll up to Diamond’s house with Rainbow as your wing-girl!
>Rainbow reaches out and gently places her hand on your arm
>”Hey, listen. I know it’s no Diamond Tiara party, but do you want to just, y’know, hang out? I’ve got my PS4 set up. Fuck it, I can grab us a six-pack if you want. Let’s just bro out for a night, you know?”
“Just… bro out?”
>”Yeah, man. Chill. You and me. What do you say?”

>For a moment, Rainbow’s words hang in the cold, rainy air
>You need a moment to figure out how to respond
“I guess.”
>”It’ll be cool, I promise.”
“Alright.”
>You fiddle with the strings of your hoodie, mixed feelings squirming around inside your gut
>Something about this feels wrong, but you’re not sure what
“Rainbow?”
>”Hmm?”
“Is everything, y’know… alright?”
>Rainbow raises her eyebrows
>For a moment, she looks surprised, but she quickly hides that behind a bright, confident grin
>”Huh? Yeah, of course! What do you mean?”
>She fake-punches your shoulder
“I dunno. You sure you don’t want to go tonight?”
>Rainbow sighs
>”I’m sure. Listen, between you and me, I…”
>Dash hesitates
>”I… pulled a muscle. Last time I was at practice. My leg kinda hurts like shit right now. I wouldn’t want to make it worse dancing and stuff, y’know? The team would fall apart without me.”
“Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense.”
>”You can totally go without me, y’know. Don’t feel like you gotta slum it with me just because I’m staying in. But hey, if you wanna laze out together…”
“Yeah, sure,” you blurt out before you’ve even fully decided
>Dash beams, genuine joy and relief shining through on her face
>”Awesome! Text me your address, I’ll come pick you up at, like, seven?”
“Yeah. Sure!”
>You sound a bit more excited than you feel

>The whole drive home, you can’t help but feel like something is wrong with you
>Hanging out with *Rainbow Dash*, like friends!
>And she said she’d buy you beer!
>This is the kinda chance that you would have killed for, even just a year ago
>But tonight, things seem… weird
>You head up into the tiny apartment that you technically share with your aunts, but they’re nearly always out, so the place is pretty much yours
>You crash on the couch, trying to get a few minutes of sleep
>Almost immediately, though, your phone is buzzing with a new message from Diamond Tiara
>[So? What did she say?]
[she said no. think i’m gonna stay in.]
>This time, she doesn’t reply immediately
>[Stay in? What are you talking about?]
>[Did she give you a better offer? Answer me.]

>After taking a minute to think, you text your reply
>You can practically feel Diamond fuming on the other end; it does bring a little smile to your face
[she’s not feeling well so i’m gonna hang with her for a bit. will come by later]
>[Fine. I’ll send someone to get you at 10:00.]
[i’ll be at rainbow’s place]
>[Okay.]
>Man, does she text everyone like this?
>Anyway, you slip your legs from their prosthetics and set them by the door, reclining in the couch and resting your stumps up on a pillow
>A powerful wave of fatigue crashes over you, both physical and mental, and you quickly dip down into a nice, hazy midday nap

>When you wake, it’s too the buzzing of your phone
>[eyyy you still down to hang out?]
>You don’t even have to look at the name to realize it’s Rainbow and not Diamond
[ye, come get me whenever]
>[hell ye. heading by the store first for some supplies ;)]
>A tiny, fluttering bulb of nervous energy starts to form in your chest
>By the time Rainbow gets to your place, the bulb’s expanded into a baseball-sized wad of anxiety
>Her car is surprisingly plain: just a plain old Volvo station wagon, battered and old
>You always kinda imagined her tearing down the road in a Harley
>When you pull the door open you, Dash flashes you a peace sign
>”Sup, fam?”
“Hey.”
>You glance in the back seat, where you see a few shopping bags bulging with bottles
>The energy-ball in your chest grows a bit
>”Figured I’d splurge a bit. You ready to head out?”
“Pretty much.”
>You’re having a hard time thinking straight
>You feel Rainbow’s hand on your shoulder, and she gives you a gentle jostle
>”Hey, relax. It’s just a chill night.”
“Y-yeah. Sorry. It’s just, y’know, pretty cool to hang out with you.”
>”Ha! Don’t worry, man, I get it. Now let’s get going!”
>She plugs in her phone and cranks up the speakers, blasting some edgy, sizzling metal music
>Now *this* is more like the Dash you imagined!

>The drive to her place is quick and easy, and the nervous energy shrinks to almost nothing in your chest
>The two of you chat about the usual topics: teams you hate, teams you respect, locker-room stories
>It’s mostly you doing the talking: Rainbow asks you a lot of questions, but seems to avoid talking about what she’s been up to lately
>You press her for information about the team, and she tells you a lot about their record—mostly all the wins she’s personally responsible for—but she avoids talking about any of the juicy topics you really want her to hit
“C’mon, I bet you’re partying like crazy!”
>”Hah, I mean, you know me. I was. But… I’ve been kinda just chilling lately. I still gotta pass my classes.”
“Since when do you care about classes?”
>Rainbow shrugs
>”Gotta keep my scholarship, you know.”
“Makes sense.”
>A long silence descends over the car
>You sneak a glance at Rainbow’s face, and you can see that her eyes are far away
>She stays silent for the last few minutes of the ride, but she perks back up when you get to her place

>Her car pulls into a large lot that faces an eight-story dorm building
>”Alright! My place is at the top. The view is fucking sick! Just, real quick…”
>She stuffs the bottles into her backpack and slings it over her shoulders, giving you a conspiratorial wink
>Your heart swells with admiration
>How did you ever doubt that she’s the coolest person ever?
>The two of you smuggle your booze in like a pair of master criminals, and then Dash leads you up to her room
>It’s an all-girls floor, and a bunch of women a few years older than you are lounging around in their pajamas, eating instant noodles, bending over textbooks, or just gossiping in hushed tones
>You get a few weird looks: even though you’re a highschooler, you look more like you’re twelve, and with the shorts you’re wearing, your prosthetic legs are on full display
>You strut through like you own the place, though: after all, you’re hanging out with *the* Rainbow Dash
>Rainbow unlocks her dorm and lets you in, revealing a cramped but well-furnished room
>It’s got a couch, a TV, and two bunk beds in the corner
>”Here it is! La casa de Rainbow. Take a seat, lemme fire up the PlayStation.”
>You plop down onto the couch, taking in the place: posters of metal bands line the walls beneath pennants for the Wonderbolts
>Clothes and some food trash are strewn all over the place, along with open textbooks and old homework
>It’s a mess, and it looks pretty much exactly like your room
>You feel at home almost immediately, so at home that you’re already unstrapping your legs and slipping them off
>Dash turns back just in time to catch you doing that, and you blush
“Sorry. Should I leave ‘em on?”
>”Nah, dude. Get comfy. You’re welcome to stay the night, if you want.”
“I…I am?”
>”Uh, yeah? What, you think I’m gonna kick you out? We can bro out all night!”
>She ruffles your hair, then plops down on the couch next to you
>It’s a tiny loveseat, and even your two slender bodies don’t quite fit on it: Rainbow sits with her shoulder pressed right up against yours
>On the dorm’s tiny TV, the start screen for Street Fighter IV pops up
>The tiny ball of nervous energy flares in your chest again, but now it’s mixed with something else: guilt
>Rainbow cracks the tops off of two ciders: one for herself, and she passes one to you
>As the cold bottle is pressed into your hand, though, Dash raises an eyebrow
>”Alright, my turn. Are *you* alright? You seem really nervous.”
“I, uh…”

>You raise the cider to your lips, but you don’t drink any—its sweet apple tang fills your nostrils, though, and your mouth starts to water
>You lower the bottle into your lap, feelings its chill seep into your thighs where it touches your skin
“Can I ask you something?”
>”Huh? Yeah, sure.”
>Rainbow adjusts her posture on the couch, turning until she’s half-facing you
>Her warm right knee presses against the stump of your left leg
“I actually came here to, I dunno, to check on you.”
>”Check on me?”
>Rainbow laughs, though it feels a little forced
>”Dude, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You’ve just seemed a little… different, today.”
>Rainbow waves your concerns away, though you notice that she can’t quite meet your eye
>”Nah, you don’t gotta worry about me. I’m good. Let’s just vibe, y’know?”
“Okay, but… I kinda told Diamond I would still go to her party. Just later.”
>The cheer slowly fades from Rainbow’s face
>”Oh.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know you’d want to spend the whole night together.”
>”Nah, nah! It’s totally cool, dude,” Rainbow says
>Her voice jumps back to its usual cheery rasp, but it feels off
>She gently punches your arm
>”You don’t have to slum it here with me all night, if you don’t want.”
“You can still come to the party. I want to hang out with you.”
>Rainbow shakes her head
>”Sorry, man. I really just wanna stay in.”
“Okay.”
>Dash raises her bottle of cider to her lips, and drains nearly half of it over the course of several long swallows
>You raise yours and take a sip
>Though you’d never admit this in front of Rainbow, it’s your first alcoholic drink
>It tastes like apple juice that went bad a few weeks ago: behind the sweetness there’s a bitter, foul tang
>Still, it’s crisp and weirdly refreshing
>You put the bottle back down, and for a second you and Dash are both silent
>She takes another long draught, then tosses her bottle to the floor
>”You still down for some video games?”
“Yeah!” you say, grateful that things are still pretty normal. “Ready to get your ass kicked?”
>”Is that you asking me to go easy on you? Because that’s not gonna happen.”
>Dash passes you a controller and sets up a two-player match
>You actually haven’t played much in the way of video games: your aunts never bought you a system past the PS2, and you don’t have the money to get one yourself
>So, as expected, Dash just destroys you in the first few rounds
>She cackles and teases you, and you don’t really mind
>She’s having fun, and you’re starting to feel pretty pleasantly warm and fuzzy from the cider
>The two of you squish in together on the couch, and all that nervousness you felt earlier seems to melt and spread throughout your body, forming a nice, floaty sort of feeling
>Eventually, you even start winning!
>It’s probably because Dash is just trying to be nice, and she pretends to get pissed when you start beating her
>But you notice her missing combos and occasionally just taking her thumb off the buttons, so that you have a chance to get a few hits in
>That makes you feel good
>You almost feel like you’ve been kicked in the chest when your phone buzzes with a message from Diamond
>[Waiting outside for you.]
>Rainbow pauses the game and looks over at you
>”That’s your cue, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
>She nods
>A smile still stretches across her face, but you can tell she’s forcing it now
>”Enjoy yourself, kid.”
“You’re *sure* you don’t want to come?”
>Rainbow nods
“Can… can I ask why?”
>Rainbow shrugs
>”I dunno, man. Just… be careful, okay? Because a lot of those people aren’t your friends. They’re there for themselves, and they won’t care what happens to you.”
“What do you mean?”
>Rainbow shakes her head
>”I can’t really explain. Just… promise me you’ll be careful, okay?”
“Of course I will. It’s just Diamond Tiara. Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”
>Rainbow looks like she wants to say more, but she doesn’t
>”I’ll see you at practice, a-alright?”
>You’re surprised to here a slight quiver in her voice
>Later, you’ll assume you just imagined it
>You start strapping on your prosthetics, getting ready to leave
“I’ll see you. And I’ll text you when I get home. Promise.”
>”Cool. Take care, kid.”
>Just as you stand up to go, Rainbow stands up too and pulls you into a tight, warm hug
>And then you’re heading out of the door
>You make your way out of Rainbow’s building, feeling a little twisted up inside
>A part of you wants to be back there with her, but another part has to see what kind of insane party Diamond is going to throw
>You sigh
>One the way out, you pass a woman who looks to be about Dash’s age: twenty-ish, with slicked-back blonde hair
>Unlike Rainbow, though, she’s taking pulls from a cigarette
>”Hey,” she says the minute she sees you. “You a friend of Rainbow Dash?”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash. Yeah. We were hanging out. Just chillin, you know.”
>You match the girl’s confident posture as you lean up against a railing
>”Nice.”
“Dash is a pretty close friend of mine. Do you know her?”
>”Yep. I’m on the soccer team. Her… replacement, kinda. We hang together a lot.”
“Wait, for real? That’s awesome!”
>As cool as you wanted to look, you can’t match that
>A cocky grin stretches across this girl’s face
>”I taught her half of what she knows. Just wish I hadn’t taught her so well. I hardly get a chance to play, now.”
“Were you from CHS too?”
>”Nah, Crystal Prep. You one of the CHS girls?”
“Yeah! Rainbow’s my coach,” you say, puffing out your scrawny chest a bit
>”Ah, no shit? What’s your name?”
“Scootaloo. Just call me Scoots.”
>”Lightning Dust.”
“That’s a badass name.”
>”Hell yeah it is.”
>She reaches out her hand and you slap yours into it, locking fingers with her
>Lightning grips you almost hard enough to break your fingers: that just makes you respect her more
>She holds her cigarette between her lips even while she talks to you, and the thin line of smoke curling up past her cheek makes her look like an Old West gunslinger
>You’re enamored
>Lightning points to the parking lot behind you
>”Looks like you got someone waiting for you, Scoots.”
>You can see that a slick black BMW with tinted windows has pulled up alongside the curb
“Oh, sick! Yeah, I’m heading to a party.”
>”No shit?”
“Yep. At Diamond Tiara’s. She invited me personally. I invited Rainbow but…”
>”Aww, she wasn’t feeling it?”
“Yeah.”
>”That’s too bad. The Rich family is throwing this party, you said?”
>You nod, feeling like a big-shot
>You hardly even remember that weird moment with Rainbow, just a few minutes ago…
>”Sounds like a great time. You gonna let loose?”
“Oh, you know it.”
>”Hell yeah. Have fun, kid.”
>She punches your shoulder, just like Dash would
>But Lightning’s is just hard enough to sting, making you feel weirdly tingly in the center of your chest
>Maybe…

>…nah
“Hey, it was really cool talking to you! Could I, y’know, have your number?”
>Lightning throws her head back and laughs
>”You got serious guts! Don’t think anyone’s asked me for my number in years. You know what? Here.”
>She holds out her hand for your phone, and punches it in as soon as you give it to her
>”Don’t think you’re gettin’ a booty call outta me, though,” she says with a wink
“W-what? That wasn’t what I meant!”
>”Hah! Man, look at you blush. Hit me up if you wanna hang.”
“Maybe you, me, and Dash could practice sometime?”
>”Eh… maybe.”
>Her smile fades a bit at that
>”I see Dash all the time. But if you wanna see some serious action, call me.”
>She ashes her cigarette and flicks the butt into the bushes
>”I’ll see ya around, Scoots.”
“Yeah! Yeah, I’ll see you!”
>She heads into the dorm building, leaving you to stand there and wait for the glow of her praise to fade

>Inside the car, you find that Diamond didn’t actually come to get you herself
>Instead, she sent you with a private driver, a stodgy old man who barely even talks to you
>Not that you’re complaining—you just plop down in the back seat, stretching out like you own the place and practically bouncing in place with excitement
>The night is warm and springy, and you feel the fireball of nervous energy flaring up in your chest again
>When you arrive at Diamond’s house, your mouth drops open
>The place is *huge*
>For someone who lives in a tiny, cramped apartment, it feels like pulling up outside a palace
>Its built from tasteful gray stone, and its three-level structure sprawls over rolling green hills
>A garden stretches out in front, with a pathway leading up to the front door
>For a moment, you’re painfully aware of your appearance: dressed in a hoodie and short-shorts, your plastic legs in plain view
>You generally don’t give a shit how you dress: you look great, you’re in top-tier shape, and you know that
>But man, you feel out of place
>The driver leads you to the front doors, and they swing open to reveal Diamond Tiara
>Your breath catches in your throat for a moment: she looks *stunning*
>Again, you don’t normally notice how other girls dress, but Diamond’s appearance does something to you
>Her hair is pinned up in an elegant series of waves and rivulets, and it’s been lightly dusted with glitter
>She’s wearing a frilly pink dress, covering her body in layers of silky, semi-transparent material that suddenly stop right above her chest, leaving her neck and shoulders bare
“Uh…”
>You actually can’t get any words out
>Diamond just rolls her eyes
>Before you have a chance to say anything, she grabs you by the hand and pulls you inside
>”Ugh, *finally* you’re here. Coming to *my* party at ten o’clock? You’re lucky I didn’t leave you at the gate.”
“Sorry? I told you, I was with Rainbow Dash.”
>”Yeah, yeah. Just come on, get upstairs before anybody sees you.”
“Upstairs? Wait, what’s going on? I thought this was a—ah!”
>Diamond tugs you down the hall, throws open a door, and pulls you up a dark, narrow staircase
>You can hear pulsating dance music and the slush of voices coming from somewhere deeper in, but she’s pulling you away from the core of the party
>You end up in a small, surprisingly plain room: it looks like a study, maybe a room where Diamond does her homework or something
>She motions for you to sit, and she sits across from you
“So, do I get to know what’s going on?”
>”I’ll be brief. I want you to be my date tonight.”
“Uh… yeah, you’re gonna have to explain more than that. I mean, I know I’m in high demand, but—“
>”I want to make Silver jealous.”
“Silver Spoon? Aren’t you guys, like, best friends?”
>”Were.”
“I see. Why me?”
>Diamond shrugs
>”You’re the only remotely cool girl in our year. And Silver will hate it if she sees us dancing together. I haven’t even *spoken* to her all night.”
>In the middle of talking to you, Diamond whips out her phone and starts light-speed texting
>”It doesn’t look like she’s with anyone else, either. This is the perfect opportunity. Ugh, but we’re going to have to dress you better than that…”
“Yo, yo, slow down already. I’m here as… as bait for Silver Spoon?”
>”Not bait. Revenge.”
“Wait, were the two of you…”
>Diamond blushes furiously
>”We were not!”
“Ooooh. And that’s the problem.”
>”It is not! She… while she and her family were in Miami, they… ugh, never mind! Are you gonna help me or not?”
>”Diamond, is something wrong~?”
>An older woman’s voice sounds from outside
>Both you and Diamond turn, finding a woman who looks to be in her forties leaning against the doorjamb
>She’s dressed in a loose-fitting purple dress, with one strap slipping down her shoulder
>A glass of red wine is clutched in her hand, and the pink in her cheeks makes it obvious that this isn’t her first drink of the night
>”Mom! Go away, I told you, this is private!”
>”Aww, you aren’t bullying this poor little boy, are you?”
>She struts into the room, slipping up next to you
“I’m a girl, actually…” you say, though your voice comes out as a nervous mumble
>This woman—Diamond’s mom—has an aura around her, and you have a pretty good idea why it’s making you feel so weird…
>”A girl! Oh my, but you have such a sweet little face. Oh, aren’t you adorable~”
>She touches your chin, and Diamond grits her teeth
>”Mom! Leave!”
>”Okay, sweetie~. But you should let me fix your little friend up. Imagine how cute he’d—SHE’D—be in a dress like yours…”
>She runs her hand up your cheek and then through your hair
>The fireball of anxiety in your chest melts and floods through you
>Your body and mind *definitely* want different things right now…

>…and, maybe for the first time in your life, your mind wins out
>Something about Spoiled just *really* creeps you out
>And, to be perfectly honest, you’re not sure if you really want whatever it is she seems desperate to do to you
>Obviously you know what sex is, and you even know the kinda things two girls can do with each other—personally, you’re interested to try them out
>But the idea of having this drunk mom as your first time makes you feel… kinda slimy, in a way that you could never wash off
>You push away from Spoiled, suddenly feeling like spiders are crawling all along your body
“Actually, uh… Diamond said she had a dress for me.”
>Spoiled looks disappointed
>”Did she now? Well, maybe I can help you try it on. Make sure it fits this skinny little body~”
>She bends over, her breasts nearly slipping from her loose dress, and starts to run her hand down your side
>For a moment, you can only stare
>Then a feeling overwhelms you, like spiders crawling along your skin
>You push away from her, feeling thoroughly creeped out
“Yeah, uh… no thanks! Diamond can help me out.”
>You grab Diamond’s hand and pull her along beside you
“C’mon, let’s uh… let’s go up to your room.”
>You slip outside and run off, dragging Diamond behind you
>The two of you stop when you’ve put a few corners between yourselves and Diamond’s mom
“What *was* that?” you ask Diamond, an accusing tone in your voice
>She glances away, her face flushed with shame
>”Ugh, I hate how she always does that! She gets all… grabby, when she drinks.”
>You open your mouth to say something, then the implications of what Diamond said hit you
“Oh. Fuck. I’m sorry.”
>Diamond shakes her head
>”Ew, no! Not like that! She never even touches me.”
“Oh.”
>You aren’t sure how to respond to that
>Diamond turns away, still fuming
>”Always trying to ruin everything…”
>She shakes her head, then turns back to you
>”Anyway! I still need you. According to Silver’s Instagram story…”
>Diamond flips out her phone, mad-tapping the screen like a hacker
>”Ah! She’s already dancing! We don’t have any time, come on!”
>Diamond waves for you to follow, but you stop her
“Wait. Explain to me what’s going on, first. What’s the deal with you and Silver?”
>Diamond’s face deepens to a deep, glowing red
>”That’s not something you need to know.”
“If I’m going along with your plan, it is.”
>”Ugh, fine, fine. She hooked up with some boy when they were in Miami, probably. I think.”
“You think?”
>”He was all over her story! And she barely texted me all trip! She betrayed me for some… some random Chad she met on the beach!”
“How did she betray you if you two weren’t, you know, dating?”
>”We aren’t like that!” Diamond practically shrieks. “We’re very close friends, and your very close friend should *never* be second to some boy! Agh!”
>Diamond looks like she’s about to cry
>”Now just get down to the dance floor. I want to see Silver squirm!”

>Diamond grabs you by the arm and tries to pull you along, but you resist
“Hey, wait.”
>”There’s no time! Silver’s down there already, we need to—“
“Maybe you could just, y’know, *enjoy* yourself? Then you win either way. Sounds like people are having a pretty bitchin’ time, too…”
>Diamond rolls her eyes
>”You don’t get it. You just don’t get it.”
>All the feisty energy has drained out of her, and now she just looks sad
>”Are you in, or not? Because I can find someone else, or whatever. Obviously.”
“I’m in,” you say with a grin. “But you better have something for me to drink.”
>Diamond’s thumbs are already flying across her phone screen
>”Fine. I’ll have Randolph rustle you up something.”

>You follow Diamond down the twisting hallways and switch-backs of her manor
>As you get closer to the party’s throbbing heart, you spy more and people scattered around the halls, usually sticking to the shadows to make out… or more
>Your own heart starts to hammer in your chest, and you feel as if the throbbing bass music is constricting it, urging it to beat faster
>Diamond pauses and slips her hand into yours
>”Remember. You are *my* date. Understood? Make sure Silver sees us together.”
“Sure, but—“
>Whatever protest you were about to make gets drowned out as Diamond pulls you forward
>The two of you round a corner and emerge into a heigh-ceilinged stone hall
>The floor is a tangle of gyrating, sweat-slicked bodies, all of them dressed in the most expensive clothes they own
>A balcony circles the room, about twenty feet up, and you can see a DJ bobbing her head at one end
>Next to you, Diamond is suddenly a different person
>The flustered, miserable girl you saw earlier is gone, replaced by a smug socialite strutting into the hall like she owns the place
>Which she does, you suppose
>As the two of you stride in, a cold glass is pressed into your hand: chilled red wine, but the looks of it
>Man, the Riches’ manservants work *fast*
>Diamond’s eyes flick around, and you assume she’s scanning for Silver
>Immediately, though, the two of you are mobbed by classmates
>”Diamond, hey! Great party!”
>”Hey, Diamond! You look great!”
>”Is that Scootaloo?”
>”Hey, Scoots! Remember me? We were in Algebra I together…”
>”Are you two together? That is *so* brave!”
>Diamond waves off their compliments
>”We’ve been keeping this a secret for a while,” she says. “I’m not sure how the school will react. Or if my parents will accept us.”
>”We’ll support you two no matter what! You’re seriously brave, and you’re super cute together!”
>Before you know it, phones are flashing
>Diamond someone manages to pose for each shot, while also looking like she’s not posing at all
>You, meanwhile, feel like the world’s youngest rockstar
>You puff out your chest, trying to pose alongside Diamond, smiling at your fans
>The booze hits you quickly, turning pride into a bit of a frenzied, fun-hungry mania
>You fistbump a few excited classmates, grab photos with others
>And then you spy it: there’s a path through the mobbed dancers, leading right to the center of the floor
“Hey!” you say to Diamond, taking her hand. “There’s room in the middle! Let’s dance!”
>”Wait, but Silver—“
>Her complaints are drowned out, though, and you pull her into the center of the room
>The mob immediately closes back up around you, forcing Diamond to press tightly against your body
>She’s actually an inch shorter than you, and has a soft-skinny figure that you can feel through her dress
>The heat of holding her and the intoxication of alcohol start to float up into your head
>You squeeze Diamond against yourself and just let your body do what it wants to do
“See? They love us!”
>”Hmm. Yes.”
>Diamond doesn’t sound as enthused as you are
“Aren’t you at least *kinda* having fun?”
>”We’ll be the school’s new gossip for at least two weeks. That should get to Silver…”
>You sigh, then shove Diamond away from you
>”Gah!”
>She cries out, but you grab her by the arms and spin her around
>”That was completely uncalled for!”
“If you don’t start having fun, I’m gonna do it again.”
>”I told you, this isn’t about fun— agh! Stop it, already!”
>You spin her again, then pull her against you
>You try to do one of those flamenco dips with Diamond, and to your slightly-drunk self, you feel like you did it masterfully
>A few cheers go up around you, making you flush with pride
>When you pull Diamond back up, she’s fuming
>”I see picking you for this was a bad choice.”
“Why, because I’m too much to handle?”
>”Precisely.”
“Thank you.”
>Diamond rolls her eyes, then presses back up against you
>”You realize you nearly dropped me back there, right?”
“I did? Sorry.”
>”Hmph. Next time you try it, hold my back more tightly.”
“Next time?”
>”Mhm. In three, two, one…”
>Diamond follows you as you spin her in a tight circle, then arches her back like a natural dancer, forming a perfect arc as you dip her
>More whooping cheers sound
>And as you’re bending over, you both look up, your eyes meeting
>A single blip of tension passes between you, and something *shifts* inside your body
>Right not, you want nothing more than to—
>”Diamond!?”
>Both of you look up, and this time to do drop your partner
>Silver Spoon is standing not far from you, alone, her hair slightly disheveled
>”I’ve been looking for you all evening,” she says. “Where have you been? Why aren’t you answering my texts?”
>Diamond quickly scrambles to her feet, blushing, and she flings herself into your arms so hard that she nearly bowls you over
>"As you can see, I'm a little busy."
>She's suddenly all over you: her head on your shoulder, folded in your embrace like some darling little waif
>Whatever predatory part of you just woke up now writhes inside you, sending urges through your body that you don't fully understand

>But Diamond’s eyes aren’t on you
>She’s wrapped around you, her lithe form radiating body heat that’s tangible even in the hot party-hall
>But despite all that, her gaze is locked on Silver Spoon
>You sigh and push Diamond away
>She lets out an indignant yelp and nearly falls
>Silver rushes forward to catch her, but Diamond pushes her away
>She rights herself and stamps her foot, glaring at you
>”Hey! What was that for!?”
>The tiny predator inside you whines in dismay at letting her go
>But you don’t exactly want to be strutting around with a girl who’s spending her night thinking about someone else
>And you definitely don’t want to be doing *other things* with her, all while she’s imagining Silver in the back of her mind
>The little scene has already attracted some attention
>People are breaking off from the dancing throngs and gathering around, ready to watch the drama
>Diamond looks between you and Silver, mixed anger, hurt, and confusion on her face
“Hey,” you say to Silver Spoon. “Diamond has a crush on you.”
>You… maybe could have worded that better, if you were sober
>Silver’s face stretches in shock, while Diamond’s twists in fury
>”W-what? No! How dare you! That is *not* what this is!”
>You ignore Diamond and stay focused on Silver
“She’s dancing with me to make you jealous. You two should talk.”
>Diamond looks ready to claw your eyes out
>”Is that true?” Silver asks, her mellow voice somehow audible even over the pulsating music
>”No! Especially not after you betrayed me with that—ugh, never mind! Scootaloo is lying! I can’t trust any of you!”
>A full-on crowd has gathered now; the DJ has even lowered the music, probably wondering what’s going on herself
>”Betrayed you? What do you mean? What did I—“
>”You know what you did! You and that guy. Zip or Zephyr or whatever his name was…”
>Silver looks dumbstruck
>”Zephyr? He and I just—
>”I don’t care what you *just*. I don’t care! And YOU.”
>She whirls on you and shoves you away
>You land awkwardly and one of your prosthetic legs slips out from under you, sending you spilling to the ground
>”Get out of here! I can’t trust you with anything! I can’t trust any of you.”
>Diamond looks around and realizes that plenty of phones are now turned in her direction, filming her little meltdown
>She covers her face, but not before you see tears leaking between her fingers
>”All of you, just… get out!”
>And with that, she turns and runs for the exit, her heels clacking against the stone floor
>You and Silver just turn to each other, neither of you sure what to say or do

>Throngs of other party-goers almost immediately try to swarm the two of you, buzzing with questions like drama-hungry locusts
“We should get outta here,” you say to Silver
>She nods to you, and the two of you slip away from everyone
>You have no idea where you’re headed, but Silver nudges you and points to an unassuming doorway
>”There’s a secret passage through the kitchens.”
“Oh. Sick.”
>As it turns out, she’s one-hundred percent right: the two of you duck into the kitchens—which are themselves larger than the entire main floor of your apartment building—then follow a narrow stone path that lies at the back of the pantry
>The pathway is only wide enough for you two to walk single-file, so you end up trailing behind Silver as she shuffles along
>The two of you follow the path through several switchbacks until it ends in a set of stairs, which deposit the two of you into a storage room full of covered furniture
>Silver takes a seat on plastic-wrapped divan, and you sit on the floor across from her
>She sighs and drops her face into her hands
>”I wondered why she was acting so weird…”
“Yeah. Any idea what that was all about?”
>She shakes her head
>”It seems like she told you more than she told me. I thought I was her best friend.”
>The hurt is obvious in Silver’s voice
“She told me a lot. I was telling the truth back there. She really does… have feelings for you, or whatever.”
>Silver glances away from you, looking uncomfortable
>”That makes a lot of things make sense.”
“Guess you don’t feel the same way?”
>Silver bites her lip
>”She’s been my best friend since I was a little girl. My *only* friend.”
>You nod; Diamond’s the school’s most popular girl, but Silver has pretty much always just been Diamond’s shadow
>”So, of course I love her. But…”
“Not like that?”
>”I don’t know. I don’t really know what ‘like that’ even means…”
“Like, you don’t wanna kiss her or, y’know, other stuff.”
>”We have kissed,” Silver says with a shrug. “A few times, nothing serious. I thought it was just normal girl-stuff. Fooling around, figuring things out. Practicing.”
“Don’t think it was practice for her.”
>”I guess not. I never realized she was so serious.”
“So, what are you gonna do?”
>”I can’t lose her. But I don’t know if I can… *feel* that way about her.”
“Did you like kissing her?”
>”Well, of course. I liked everything we did together. Except fighting…”
“Then why not go for it?
>”Because… I don’t know! I love her, and I love being around her. But I guess I don’t just want to be Diamond’s… girlfriend, or whatever. I don’t understand why. Am I just a bad person?”
>Silver raises her head and buries her fingers in her hair
>She looks equally ready to scream or burst into tears

“Nah, you’re not. This whole thing just *sucks*. For all of us.”
>Silver nods
>”It really does. Why can’t she and I just be friends, like we always were?”
>You open your mouth to say something, but there’s no simple answer rattling around anywhere inside your head
“I don’t know. Things just… get messy sometimes, I guess.”
>You think back to your hangout with Dash, how sad and unlike herself she seemed, and your guts twist a bit in worry
“Guess it just happens.”
>Silver lays down across the couch
>”You’re probably right. Am I stupid if I still hope things can go back to normal?”
“Nah. But you might be disappointed.”
>”What if… what if Diamond and I stop being friends?”
“Then you’ll make new friends.”
>”Mmm. I don’t want new friends…”
“Then you’ll figure something out. Maybe even… you know.”
>Without even thinking about it, you unstrap your prosthetics and set them aside
>Your fingers start massaging your sore stumps as you lay across the floor, a few feet from Silver
>The plush carpet is so comfortable that it’s hardly like being on the floor at all
>”Yeah, maybe…” Silver eventually whispers to the ceiling. ”I hope I will. I hope we both will.”
“Guess that’s all you can do right now.”
>”Hmm. Yeah, I guess so.”
>A stiff silence settles over the two of you
>At some point, Silver reaches into her purse and pulls out a little contraption: a fake glasses case with a flask hidden inside
>She takes a long drink, shudders, then passes it to you
>You take your first sip of straight rum, and you nearly throw up as it burns down into your stomach
“Oh, bleh!”
>”It’s awful, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but… whoa.”
>You flop back against the ground as a warm buzz rolls through your body
“It’s not too bad, though.”
>The two of you pass the flask back a few more times, enjoying the relative silence after the storm of music and drama
>”…isn’t this kinda weird?” Silver says after a while, once both of you are nice and swimmingly drunk
“What? Hanging out in here while the party of the year is going on over there?”
>”Well, that. And it’s just weird that we’re talking now. I see you all the time, but we’ve never just…”
“Hung out?”
>”Yeah. You’re a good listener, though.”
“You can thank Sweetie Belle for that. Her and the rest of her family are the yappiest people I’ve ever met.”
>Silver giggles
>”Sweetie seems so cool. And Applebloom too. I always wished I could talk with the three of you more. But, you know…”
“Yeah. Man, that seems like another world, now. Back when we were at war with each other.”
>”Stupid kid stuff.”
“Yeah. This is chill, though. If you wanna hang out more in the future, just lemme know. 
>Silver nods
>”I think I will. Thanks for talking to me, Scootaloo.”
“Thanks for not freaking out over what happened back there.”
>”Yeah. I can’t believe she didn’t just *talk* to me.”
“I think that was probably much scarier to her than concocting this whole plan.”
>”Maybe. I guess… I have a lot to think about, now.”
“Enough to drive you crazy.”
>”Yeah…”
“But if you need someone to vent to, just shoot me a text. And make sure you bring more of *that*, because daaaaamn.”
>”I will!”
>You sit up and stretch, and begin fumbling with the straps to your legs
>It’s pretty hard to do while inebriated: your fingers feel like jelly
>When you finally get them on, Silver is sitting up next to you, staring at her hands
>She sighs
>You open your mouth to say something, but before you can reply, she wraps you in a tight hug
>”Thanks again. I’ll see you at school, okay?”
“Yeah. School.”
>”I should probably go now, I guess…”
“Yeah, me too.”
>”Do you want a ride? I can have my mom come get us.”

“For real? That’d actually be sick. I kinda don’t have a way to get home, now that Diamond’s…”
>”Yeah.”
>Silver rubs her arm
>”Well, she’s on her way. I live pretty close, so it should only be a few minutes.”
“Cool, cool.”
>The two of you head out of the storage room; Silver seems to understand the layout of the manor, leading you down the serpentine passages without even needing a moment to think
>You, meanwhile, are totally lost
>The two of you reach a large, well-lit hall, with several heavy oak doors on all sides
>As you head towards the far end, you see a familiar figure leaning up against the doorjamb
>Diamond’s mom smiles at you; her face is rosy with drink and her eyes are half-lidded
>Instead of a dress, she’s now dressed only in a bathrobe, which even as you watch, she slowly begins to loosen the belt of
>”Hey, Silver~”
>”Hello, Ms. Rich.”
>”You aren’t about to steal this little cutie from me, are you?”
>”I’m just taking her home.”
>”Oooh, lucky girl. Are you sure you two don’t want a room? A few of them have waterbeds…”
>Silver blushes furiousy
>You take her by the arm
“I think we’d better get home. After all, we’re *kids* and shouldn’t be out too late.”
>Spoiled shrugs
>”If you say so. In that case, mama’s going to enjoy some ‘alone time’.”
>She lets the robe fall open just as she shuts the door, and you force yourself to tear your eyes away
>You and Silver share a quick, awkward glance
“Is she… always like that?”
>”Usually just with boys. But yes. Kind of.”
“Poor Diamond.”
>”Yeah, their relationship is… not god.”
>The two of you eventually make your way out of the manor, and Silver leads you towards a low-riding Lexus
>The two of you clamber into the backseat, which has the smell of rich leather and the comfort-level of an armchair
>You sink into the material, already feeling a little tired
>Silver’s mom is a surprisingly plain-looking woman, tired-looking and dressed in her PJ’s
>She greets you with a smile, but doesn’t make much in the way of conversation before she drives off
>Silver is seated next to you, and she passes you a bottle of water from a cooler stored under the seat you
>You rest your forehead against the window’s cool glass
“So…” you say, just to break the silence. “Any idea what you’ll do next?”
>”None. When she’s ready, I’ll just talk to her. And we’ll see what happens.”
“Good luck, for whatever that’s worth.”
>Silver smiles at you
>”Thanks, Scootaloo.”

>She hugs you again when the two of you reach your shabby apartment
>Silver doesn’t make any rude remarks about it, though you can see in her face that the place creeps her out a bit
“Take care.”
>”Yeah. You too. See you soon.”
>She holds your gaze as the window slides back up, then you’re left to let yourself in on your lonesome
>As soon as you get to bed, the energy just drains out of you
>You flop onto your mattress, then awkwardly fumble with the straps of your legs
>They clatter to the floor and you finally let out a relieved sigh
>Not a bad Friday night, in all
>You’re just about to pass out when you remember your promise to Dash
>You whip out your phone, think about texting her, then dial her number instead
>She picks up almost immediately
>”Scoots! Hey, bud. Is everything alright?”
>She sounds genuinely worried
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Man, I have a crazy story to tell you though.”
>Dash sighs in relief
>”That’s good to hear. Nobody tried to do anything… weird to you?”
“What? No, of course not. I mean, sort of.”
>”Sort of?”
“I’m fine! I promise. It was just a little awkward, you know. High school stuff.
>”Okay…”
>She doesn’t sound entirely convinced

>You roll onto your side and curl your body around a pillow, holding the phone in front of you
“You got time for a story?”
>”Always, man. But if anyone hurt you, I’m gonna—“
“I’m fine! Seriously, looking back, it was fucking hilarious. So…”
>You rush through the story; normally, you’re the kind of person who’s prone to exaggerating her stories a little bit
>But this time, you don’t even need to
>Everything that happened at Diamond’s party is plenty crazy without any of your embellishment
>Dash laughs along with you, and she even tries to call bullshit a few times, but you assure her that this is all real
“It was nuts, man. Is this what being one of the popular kids is like?”
>”More or less. It’s… it’s a weird scene to be in, that’s for sure.”
>A bit of the energy drains from her voice, and silence falls between the two of you
>You roll onto your other side, staring into the blank rectangle of your phone
>For a brief, intense moment, you desperately wish Dash was really here, and you hug your pillow more tightly
“Hey. Is something… like really wrong?”
>”Huh? Nah. Like I said, just tired. Stressed. College life is hell.”
“Okay, but, you were crushing the college thing. Until now.”
>”Yeah, it just got…”
>Rainbow sighs
>Once again, she falls silent
>This time, you don’t break the silence, and you wait until she speaks up again
>”It’s not a fun story.”
“That’s okay.”
>”I… I had a bad time. With people I thought were my friends.”
“Oh. Are you alright?”
>”Yeah, I mean of course I am. But, like…”
“Can I come over again?”
>”Huh? Yeah! Yeah, of course. I got practice all morning, but if you wanna grab lunch, that’d be awesome.”
“Cool! I’ll see you then, okay?”
>”Yeah! Yeah, that… that actually sounds really good. Looking forward to it, Scoots.”
“Goodnight, Rainbow.”
>”Night.”
>She doesn’t hang up
>Neither do you, for a second
>”And hey, Scoots?”
“Yeah?”
>”If you see any… *weird* stuff. Like, about me. Please just ignore it.”
“What do you—“
>You cut yourself off; it feels wrong to make her explain this now
“Okay.”
>”Thanks. Seriously, thanks. I’ll… I’ll see ya.”
>She hangs up before you can say goodnight again
>You flop back into bed, feeling weird
>Part of you is fuzzy and glowing from getting to talk to Rainbow so much
>Another part is just drained, and a little worried for reasons you can’t begin to place
>You square the difference by just passing out

>You sleep for a solid ten hours, and wake up to a mid-morning sun pouring through your windows
>When you check, your phone, you have plenty of time to meet up with Rainbow
>You also see you have a new follower on Instagram
>Your heart leaps, then you read the tag
>@ThunderKunt
>They’ve also sent you a message
>You open the message, but don’t read it yet
>You look out the window, watching the trees outside your apartment sway
>It’s a nice day already; you can’t wait to hang out with Rainbow again
>You read the message
>[hey it’s lightning. you’re dash’s friend right?]
[yeah, scootaloo]
>You figure that’ll be enough for now, but you’ve barely started to drag yourself out of bed when you get another message from Lightning
>[wanna see something hilarious?]
>Following that message is a link to a private video
>The thumbnail is blurry, but you clearly recognize a shock of rainbow-colored hair
>Your hands feel simultaneously dead and jittery, and your thumbs hover over the screen

>You told Rainbow you wouldn’t look, but…
>A part of you has to know
>You open the video
>For a moment, as you can see are jumbled smears of light as the person holding the phone dances and pushes their way through a crowd of people
>Then Rainbow Dash comes into view
>She’s in the middle of a throng of people, all of them around college age, undulating to music that sounds fuzzy and distorted in terrible phone quality
>Rainbow’s swaying on her feet, clearly pretty drunk
>”Heyyy, bitch!” the person holding the camera cheers
>It’s Lightning’s voice; you recognize it even over the music
>Rainbow staggers over towards Lightning, saying something you can’t hear
>Lightning grabs Rainbow by the shoulder, steadying her
>She says something you can’t quite make out
>”…’t …off!”
>Rainbow giggles
“No! There’s so many people around!”
>”C’mon, don’t be a puss! Just ta… ‘ff…”
>Rainbow’s laughing hysterically, her head lolling from side to side
“Lightning, stooooop!”
>”C’mon, take it off! Take it off!”
>Lighting starts, and soon voices all around the party are joining in
>Dash throws her head back, her laughter uncontrollable
>She starts to tug her tanktop upwards, but fumbles drunkenly with it and can’t get it over her head
>Lightning helps, grabbing the garment and yanking it off
>Rainbow’s breasts, sleek and only slightly bigger than your boyish chest, are bared for everyone to see
>A whooping cheer goes up from the crowd
>An awkward smile goes over Rainbow’s face
>She tries to cover herself, but Lightning pulls her hands away
>”Dance with me! C’mon, let’s slut it up!”
>She pulls Dash close and turns the camera
>Through a shaky, hazy lens, you see Lightning plant a fat, sloppy kiss on Rainbow’s mouth, which Rainbow is too drunk and too overwhelmed to resist
>People are cheering and hollering in the background now
>Dash goes limp in Lightning’s arms, surrendering
>And then the video ends
>[funny shit, right?]
>[she’s crazy]
>You immediately block Lightning and delete the messages from your history
>You feel gross
>How could Rainbow let people do that to her?
>She’s so cool!
>But they treated her like… like just some dumb, scared kid, who they could push around and…
>You shudder, feeling kinda sick
>When your phone buzzes again, you nearly drop it
>This time it’s Rainbow herself, texting you
>[hey little dude]
>[we still on for today? i’m free now, down to meet whenever]

>You almost immediately start typing, but nothing you write makes any sense
[hey yeah cool hope you’re doing okay whenever is good let’s just go to maybe my place yours whatever…]
>You erase everything, then a take a slow, deep breath
[hey! you wanna go to scc?]
>[ye sure. when?]
[gimme like an hour]
>[sounds cool, meet you there!]
>And that’s that

>You don’t bother strapping your legs on; instead, you just haul yourself into the bathroom and draw a nice, warm bath
>As you relax in the warm water, you let the events of yesterday wash over you
>Maybe you should check up on Diamond…
>And Silver…
>But Dash is your first priority
>You shake your head, already feeling overwhelmed
>Hanging out with Applebloom and Sweetie is so much easier than this

>After your bath, you dress yourself in your usual getup: high-cut athletic shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt
>And when you head towards Sugarcube Corner, you’re surrounded by a bright, warm day, with the electrifying smell of spring lending its tang to the air
>You get to the restaurant and head inside, just in time to see Rainbow already waiting for you
>She’s waiting in line to be seated, and you go and stand next to her
>”Hey, kid. You look like you had a bit of a rough morning.”
“Do I?”
>You raise your hand to your face, and Dash laughs
>”I recognize a hangover when I see one. Get yourself some greasy food, it helps.”
“Heh, yeah. Good idea.”
>Dash doesn’t look great herself: she has the beginnings of bags under her eyes, and the way she slouches makes her look exhausted, instead of her usual too-cool-for-you laid-back self
>A weird urge rises in your gut
>Before either of you have time to react, you throw your arms around Rainbow’s waist and wrap her in a tight hug
>She feels so skinny beneath her clothes: she’s built just like you
>Rainbow staggers a bit, but she gently returns the hug, resting her hand atop your head
>”What’s gotten into you, man?”
“Nothing. Just… you looked like you needed it.”
>”I mean, I ain’t gonna argue with you.”
>You wish you could just hold her like this forever
>But, as if attracted by the potential awkward moment, Pinkie Pie just materializes next to you
>”Heeey, girls. Got room for one more?”
>Dash snaps out of the hug, her face flushing
>”Pinkie!”
>Pinkie giggles
>”It’s okay. Saturday mornings put me in a bit of a huggy mood too. Hey, Cutie-loo.”
“H-hey,” you stammer out, blushing in spite of yourself
>You’ve always liked Pinkie, but she can be a lot to handle
>”I’ve heard you’ve been partyin’ hardy-in’ lately. Pinkie approves!”
>She slaps your back, even as she leads you and Dash over to a nice, private table in the restaurant’s corner
“You heard? How?”
>”You think a party goes on in Canterlot without me knowing about it? I’m like, the *goddess* of parties. Plus you’ve been all over Instagram,” she says with a wink
“Oh, no…”
>Rainbow bites her tongue between her teeth
>“Keep up the good work!” Pinkie says. “And if you ever need advice on who to come to to handle party fallout… well, need I say more?”
>Pinkie bows low, then skips away
>”I’ll be back with some drinks!”
>Rainbow watches her go, then turns to you
>The two of you are sitting across from each other now, only a sticky plastic table between you
>Rainbow reclines in her seat, looking like she’s feeling a little better
>She takes one look at you, gives you a small smile
>”Something on your mind, squirt?”

“Huh? Oh, no. Just, man, last night. It was crazy.”
>”Hah, yeah…”
>That seems to sap a little of Dash’s energy, and it’s not hard to figure out why
>Maybe the subject of parties is best avoided, for now
>So, your mind races for anything to talk about
“Oh, I actually wanted to ask you about something.”
>”Hmm?”
“Are you and the Rainbooms still going? I know Twilight and Rarity are off at U of Manehattan.”
>At the mention of her band, Dash immediately perks up again
>”Yeah, we’re still a thing. We play together every time the others are back in town. But it’s not enough, man. I’m losing my chops!”
>She mimes playing air guitar
“You should look around and see if anyone needs a guitarist. You’ve gotta be the best in the city.”
>”Heheh. My problem is being too good, if it’s anything. Nobody knows what to do with me!”
“Start your own! I bet a lot of people around here would kill to play with *the* Rainbow Dash.”
>”You know, they totally would! Not a bad idea there, Scoots,” Rainbow says
>She leans back, and you feel your right leg shudder as Rainbow’s foot brushes against your prosthetic
>”But man, where am I gonna find anyone who’s on my level…”
>While she’s deep in thought, Pinkie appears carrying two glasses of water and two frothy pink smoothies
>”On the house, for my favorite guests! Now, what can I get ya?”
>Dash orders the both of you some food
>As Pinkie’s about to hurry off, though, you stop her
“Hey, uh, Pinkie?”
>”What’s up?”
“Do you wanna sit with us for a bit? If you get a break.”
>”You betcha! Just gimme ooooooone minute.”
>Pinkie skips off
>”You wanna talk to her about something?”
“Nothing in particular. Just wanted some advice on the whole thing with Diamond and Silver.”
>”Love advice? From Pinkie?”
>Rainbow chuckles
>”Good luck. She’s a fuck-and-forget type.”
“O-oh. Seriously?”
>”Seriously. Her bodycount’s gotta be in the triple digits by now. You should have seen her in high school. She was into *everyone*.”

“Whoa. That’s kinda awesome.”
>”Dude, you get her even a little drunk and she’ll tell you the craziest stories.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
>You try to act casual, but you can’t deny that you’re getting a little excited
>”Stuff that would make your sixteen-year-old head spin.”
“C’mon, tell me.”
>”Hmmm…”
“Please?”
>Dash grins
>”Do you remember seeing her in the cheerleading team?”
“Y-yeah.”
>The memory of her in that short skirt is burned into your memory
>”You remember Flitter and Cloudchaser?”
“From your year? They were sisters, weren’t they?”
>”Twins, yep. Pinkie got with both of them.”
“Nice—“
>”At the same time.”
“Yooooooooo.”
>”I know, right? She swears she even met up with a CHS teacher at a strip-club, once.”
“Which one?”
>”She Pinkie-promised not to tell, apparently. But I’m certain it was Harshwhinny.”
“That makes *way* too much sense.”
>”And get this: they didn’t just meet at the club. That teacher, she was the *dancer*.”
“No!”
>”Pinkie’s not a liar. Not that she’d need to be. I witnessed plenty of her exploits myself. See Mrs. Cake over there?"
>She points to the store's counter, where a plump, adorable middle-aged woman is laying out a fresh tray of steaming buns
"Yeah?"
>"Pinkie nearly broke their marriage up when Mr. Cake found his wife with Pinkie's head between her legs. Right behind that very counter. Of course, until Pinkie eventually fixed things by letting him have a turn too."
"She's a genius."
>"The best," Rainbow agrees. "Oh, and if you ever want to make Rarity blush, apparently she used to send Pinkie these *really* desperate texts, begging her to…”
>”Hey, girls. Not talking about me, are ya?”
>Both of you snap to attention
>Pinkie is standing next to you, two platters of burgers balanced on one arm
>She has a wide, painfully cheeky grin: you can tell she heard everything
“N-no.”
>”Just a bit. Telling Scoots the war stories.”
>Pinkie giggle-snorts
>”An old veteran, that’s Pinkie! Just make sure you don’t tell her about the battle wounds.”
>”What, like how you couldn’t sit for a week after—?”
>”Shhh!” Pinkie says, even as she’s giggling like mad. “You’re gonna spoil Cutie-loo’s innocence.”
>She ruffles your hair
“Nah, nah, I wanna hear!”
>”Well, you got my number. But don’t think you’re gettin’ any pics outta me,” Pinkie says with a wink
“I wasn’t—“
>Now both she and Dash are laughing
>Pinkie skips away, leaving you two to eat
“She really is something else.”
>”She’s a nutjob, and I love her for it. Man, we had some good times back in the day…”
“I’m kinda surprised. She doesn’t seem bothered by it at all.”
>”She’s not. It’s the kinda way she likes to live. Seems lonely to me, honestly, but I think I’m just… dunno, wired differently, or whatever. I like to stick to one person.”
“Me too.”
>Dash laughs
>”You too? What, you got some secret little boyfriend hiding somewhere?”

“What, no!”
>Dash laughs
>”Look at you blush! You totally do!”
“I do not! I don’t even like—“
>You lower your voice, realizing you were practically shouting
>Your face is red-hot and flushed from embarrassment
“I don’t think I actually like boys, that much.”
>Rainbow raises an eyebrow
>”Yeah?”
“I dunno. I don’t really have any… y’know, experience, yet. Heh.”
>”Hey, take it from me, man. Don’t rush into it.”
“I was trying to look for someone at Diamond’s party. But, wooooow that didn’t work.”
>”Hah, yeah. Hey, hope it’s not too corny if I give you some love advice.”
“No, of course not!”
>You lean forward, ready to cling to Dash’s every word
>”You aren’t gonna find someone at a party, man. I mean, maybe for a night, but not like… not for something *real*, you know?”
“What do you mean?”
>Dash shrugs
>”Honestly, I don’t know either. Like I said, I don’t really do Pinkie’s thing. I want somebody to stick to.”
“Right. I like that.”
>”Yeah?”
>You nod
“It just makes you that much cooler.”
>Dash looks away, simultaneously incredibly pleased and also pretty embarrassed
>”Hey, it’s just my style. I wait until I find the right person and then, hey, I just make it work.”
“You’re not… with someone now, are you?”
>”Now? Nah. College, sports, all that makes it hard to… yeah.”
“I get it.”
>”So I guess we’re in the same boat, eh? Couple of lonely bachelorettes.”
>She nudges you under the table again
“Heh, yeah. It’s not so bad. More time to just hang.”
>”You said it. Speaking of hanging out, if you aren’t doing shit tonight, you wanna?”

“Yeah! I’ll have my place to myself tonight. I mean, I usually do anyway, but you know. We could have a party!”
>Dash grimaces
>”I-I dunno about that, man. I was thinking more just… you and me, lowkey. Like last night.”
>She raises her hand up to awkwardly scratch the back of her neck, glancing away from you
>Tiny blotches of pink appear on her cheeks as she realizes how lame that probably sounded
>”Or, y’know, party is cool too.”
>”Did somebody say…”
>In the space to your right, where once there was no Pinkie Pie, there is now Pinkie Pie
>”…party?”
“I was thinking of having a few people over. You’re welcome to come.”
>”Ooooh, well, my Friday nights are usually pretty booked, but I *might* be able to make an exception.”
>She winks at you, then pats Rainbow Dash on the shoulder
>”What do ya say, Dashie? Throw down at Cutie-loo’s?”
>”I… I dunno, I’m really not feeling up to too much…”
>Pinkie glances over at you, sees the worried expression on your face, and then she just *knows*
>You’re not entirely sure how it happened, but somehow you can tell that information just passed between the two of you
>”Rainbow P. Dash. Who do you think you’re talking to? Ol’ Pinkie knows how to throw more than just one type of party.”
>Rainbow looks up
>”I’m thinking: pajama party! What’s more lowkey than pajamas? I’ll bring all the soda, cheesy horror movies, heart-attack inducing snacks, and fluffy floor-pillows I can! Oh, and maybe something a little extra for us grownups.”
>You shoot her a hopeful glance
>”…and maybe the honorary grownups too,” Pinknie says with a wink. “How’s that sound, Dashie?”
>A relieved smile crosses Rainbow’s face
>”That actually sounds perfect, Pinkie. Thanks.”
>Pinkie snaps to attention and gives Rainbow a corny salute
>”Just doin’ muh duty, ma’am.”
>Rainbow giggles, and then Pinkie skips off again, calling out “I’ll text you guys later!” over her shoulder
>With a sigh, Rainbow settles into her seat
>“She really is the best, eh?”
“Second-best.”
>Dash grins, and you see more of her usual self shining through
>The two of you eat in silence for a bit
“Hey. It’s been really cool. Getting to hang out with you like this.”
>”It has. You’re a good kid, Scoots.”
>Rainbow nudges you under the table again, and you beam at her

>Eventually, the two of you part ways: Rainbow wants to finish some homework and rest up
>You, meanwhile, head home, thinking about tonight
>You’re having Rainbow Dash over to your house
>For a *party*
>Sure, it’s not gonna be a crazy blowout, but still, it’s like the kinda thing that the Scootaloo of a few years ago could only dream about
>Still, in the back of your mind, you keep seeing the image of her, drunk and scared, dancing topless for a crowd of strangers
>It sours your happiness a bit
>Not that you’ve lost respect for her, more that, well, you never thought you would have to *worry* about Rainbow Dash before
>She seemed untouchable, but now that you know she’s vulnerable, you realize that you’d go crazy if something were to happen to her
>So, in your own way, you’ve made up your mind to protect her, however you can
>It’s the least you can do for her, with how she’s helped you over the years
>As you flop onto your couch, you can’t help but lose yourself in memories of her
>It wasn’t that Rainbow believed in you when nobody else did, or anything cheesy like that
>In fact, the soccer coaches you had when you were a little kid were unbearable in how much they believed in you: they treated you like you were made of glass, always making sure other kids passed to you, putting you on the first rotation in every game
>Rainbow, on your first day with her as your coach, ordered you out on the field like you were anybody else
>When you did well, she praised you
>And when you fucked up, which even you occasionally did, she busted your ass like she would with anybody else
>And it was only then, when she was treating you like you were just anybody else, that you realized you actually *were* pretty special
>Warmth towards Dash blossoms in your heart, and it quickly sours and turns to rage towards Lightning
>She seemed so cool!
>How could she do something like that!?
>And to Rainbow Dash, of all people
>You lay back on the couch and slip off your prosthetics—there’s not much you can do right now, is there?
>Just… try to be there for Rainbow, in the way she always was for you
>Speaking of Rainbow, the party!
>You gotta figure out who you’re inviting…

>Well, obviously you have to invite your girls
>You have your own groupchat with AB and SB, and you just send a simple…
[thing at my place tonight]
>…text to them
>Applebloom responds almost immediately, as she always does
>[family board-game night, sorry y’all]
[rip]
[sweetie? you up?]
>[yo i’m down. who else is gonna be there?]
[rainbow dash and pinkie pie. and maybe a few others]
>[real shit?]
[real shit]
>[yeah i’ll be there. c’mon, ab!]
>[aj will be soooooo mad if i skip board game night.]
[weak]
>[c’mon! peer pressure!]
>[aaaaagh, fine]
>She sends a winking face, and you feel a little warmer knowing that your friends will be with you tonight
>Somewhere next door, you hear your neighbors getting into some high-pitched, screeching argument again
>As far as you can tell, there’s three sisters living in that one tiny apartment
>You don’t have any sisters, but from what you’ve seen of Sweetie and Rarity, it seems like a constant murder-drama-bloodbath just waiting to happen
>You scowl at the wall until they stop hissing at each other, then turn your attention back to your phone
>Now, for a slightly less easy task…
>You go back to your conversation with Diamond
>For a moment, you consider calling her, just to flex
>But that seems like a bit much, so you just write her a quick text
[hey. gonna have a small party at my place tonight. you wanna come?]
>[Are you seriously texting me after last night?]
[hey none of that was my idea]
[and i wanted to thank you for inviting me. don’t come if you don’t want but you can. my address is 322 Pegasus Way]
>[No. I hope I never see you again in my life. Die.]
>…
>Well, you guess you can just write her off the guest list
>You don’t feel too hopeful now, but you message Silver too
[hey. i’m having a thing tonight, if you wanna come. 322 pegasus way. just a chill night.]
>[that sounds great! when?]
[whenever I guess. does 8 work?]
>[sure!]
>You didn’t expect this enthusiastic of a response
>And that’s when you remember what Pinkie said earlier
[oh, and this sounds stupid, but bring pajamas]
>[???]
[it’s a pajama party. it’s lame, I know]
>[Sounds fun! thanks for telling me. i think i can come but i’ll let you know if something comes up with diamond.]
[have you talked to her?]
>[no…]
>[I tried to but she’s been ghosting me.]
[same]
>[I hope she’s okay. I’ll 100% be there tonight. Need to get out of the house. Anything else I should bring?]

[just yourself!]
[oh maybe if there’s a movie you really like, bring that]
>[sure!]
[oh and this is weird, but you have any extra pajamas…]
>[what, did you run out? haha]
[there aren’t really any that fit my… you know]
>[oh, right! sure sure, i’ll bring over some extra stuff]
>[see you at eight!]
>Well that’s that, you guess
>Now there’s not much left to do but wait

>Pinkie shows up around 7:30, just as the sun is disappearing and dark-purple dusk covers the street outside
>She’s decked in purple polka-dot pajama bottoms and a bright-pink oversized hoodie
>”Heeey, Cutie-Loo! Sorry we’re a little early, but I wanted to get set up. Dashie has all the supplies.”
>Rainbow Dash staggers up the stairs behind Pinkie, sweating like a hog and carrying three full shopping bags tucked under each arm
>”What… the hell… is in these… bags?” she pants
>”I told you to take two trips, silly.”
>”Never.”
>”Anyway, we got Pinkie’s Party Essentials, all ready to go! I got soda, cupcakes, chips, movies, pillows, cards, a Ouijia board, and a few extra rations to spice things up~.”
“Wow! You didn’t have to do all this for me.”
>Pinkie giggles
>She lets herself into your house, ruffling your hair as she goes past
>”When a party calls, ol’ Ponk must answer! Now let’s get everything set up!”
>Dash struggles in after her and collapses to the floor, wheezing
>”Guess I… got my workout for the day… huh?”

>By the time eight rolls around, your apartment is looking more festive than it ever has
>You’ve stored all your dirty clothes in your room, and Pinkie’s thrown comfy floor-pillows all over the… well, the floor, obviously
>The kitchen counter is stocked with drinks—some in plastic bottles, and some in glass—and bowls of snacks are laid out on the coffee table
>Rainbow Dash is just slipping Robotic Policeman vs. The Vampire Holocaust into the VHS when you hear a knock on the door
>You run to answer it, expecting to see Sweetie or Applebloom
>But it’s Silver
>She’s dressed in a simple gray nightgown that trails past her knees, and her feet are clad in fuzzy pink slippers
>She has a backpack slung over one shoulder, and she gives you an awkward wave
>”Hey. I’m not too early, am I?”
“Uh… no! We actually just finished. C’mon in.”
>You invite her in, and Silver looks around the place
>She gives a small, polite wave to Pinkie and Rainbow; Rainbow just nods back, but Pinkie beams
>”Heyyyy!” she says, bounding over. “You’re Diamond Tiara’s friend, right?”
>You see the flash of pain in Silver’s face, but she still smiles
>”Yeah, that’s me. Silver Spoon.”
>She extends her hand to shake, but Pinkie wraps her in a hug instead
>”Is it alright if I call you Spoonie?”
>”Um… yeah. Kinda makes me sound like a drug-dealer, but… why not?”
>”Hah! It totally does! Aaaah, but it’s soooo cute!”
>Pinkie throws her head back, laughing, and that gets a smile out of Silver
>When Pinkie bustles over to the kitchen to start pouring drinks, Silver turns to you
>”Is this place yours?”
“Nah, my aunts’. But they’re never around, so it’s pretty much mine.”
>”That’s awesome!”
“Eh. It’s a dump compared to where you or Diamond live.”
>”Yeah, sure, but I have to share that place with my parents and like fifty caretakers. You can just do whatever you want. Do you have parties like this a lot?”
“First one, actually.”
>”What’s the occasion?”
>You glance over at Dash
>She’s pretending to be disinterested, focusing on her phone instead, but you can tell she’s listening in
>That’s when a pretty crazy idea hits you
>You drop your voice to a whisper, but keep it just loud enough for Rainbow to be able to hear you
“I’m trying to impress Rainbow Dash.”
>”Oooooh,” Silver says, nodding. “I got you. Good luck.”
>She gives you a wink
>You sneak a glance at Dash
>She’s still totally focused on her phone, but now there’s a small, satisfied smile on her lips
>”Oh, by the way!” Silver says as she opens her backpack. “I brought you the stuff you wanted.”
>She hands you a big pair of fuzzy pajama pants with little Roadrunners printed all over them, and a matching button-down top
>”If you wanna modify them, or whatever, you’re totally welcome to. Sorry if they don’t fit.”
>You can barely keep from laughing as you take them from her
“It’s perfect.”

>Fifteen minutes later, once you’ve finally managed to cram your bulky prosthetic legs into the fuzzy pants, Applebloom and Sweetie finally show up
>They just let themselves in, and both look surprised at the state of the place
>”Uh, Scoots? Since when does it *not* look like a tornado’s been through here?” Applebloom asks
“What? I can make the place look presentable, sometimes.”
>”And, uh, any reason everyone’s wearing PJ’s?”
“Oh, heheh. I guess I forgot to tell you…”
>”Hey girls!” Pinkie calls out from behind the bar. “What can I get you?”
>Your friends hurry over, and their jaws drop
>”Is that… *whisky?*” Sweetie asks
>”Yes indeedy!”
>”Straight Jack-and-Coke! Oh man, Rarity would be *pissed* if she heard that.”
>“Because you’re drinkin’ underage?” Applebloom asks
>”No, because it’s not a fifteen-dollar cocktail.”
>Applebloom eyes the booze suspiciously
>”Just some juice for me. Applejack said that if I ever come home drunk, she’s gonna wake me up the next morning, make me drink vodka, then drive me over the state border and leave me there.”
>You and Sweetie exchange a weird look
>Pinkie just shrugs
>”Juice it is!”

>Once everyone is beverage’d up, you sit around in your living room, watching the weird movie Rainbow put on
>It’s from the eighties and produced for pennies in China, so there’s plenty of kung-fu action and terrible special effects
>Once you’ve had a few sips of the sugary, burning drink Pinkie mixed for you, it starts to become the funniest thing ever
>When the robot-man crane kicks a zombie into the blades of a helicopter, all of you collectively lose your shit, going into hysterics
>Pinkie wipes tears from her eyes, sitting up
>She’s with Rainbow on the couch, and you’re sitting by Rainbow’s legs
>Silver is sitting a bit of a distance from the rest of the group, and Applebloom and Sweetie are platonically resting against each other in the narrow space between the table and the TV
>Pinkie claps her hands together once the movie ends, mischief gleaming in her eyes
>”So, girls. We’ve got a proper slumber party going on, now. So… what kinda girls-only party game are we gonna play? I’ve got all the classics!”


>Pinkie elbows Dash in the ribs
>”You feelin’ up for a little Truth or Dare, Dashie?”
>Rainbow squirms in her seat, and she averts her eyes from the rest of the group even as she forces a laugh
>“C’mon, every time we play that, it just gets weird. Mostly because you make it weird.”
>Pinkie giggles
>”That’s the best part!”
>”I dunno…”
>You decide to speak up, and you nudge Pinkie’s leg to get her attention
“You said you had an Oojie board, right?”
>Pinkie giggles
>”Ouija! Wee-juh!”
“Whatever.”
>Applebloom goes pale
>”Applejack said those kinda things’ll summon the devil!”
>A wicked smile crosses her face
>”Let’s do it!”
>Dash looks relieved
>”Dude, I’m down to fuck around with some ghosts.”
>Sweetie looks pretty into the whole thing too
>”Let’s ask it how we’re gonna die!” she says
>You guess she’s not as past her Freshman-year “goth” phase as she likes to pretend she is
>You turn to Silver
“You up for this?”
>Silver smiles
>”Of course! Isn’t this kinda, y’know, little kid stuff, though? I mean, Diamond and I played with one of these when we were, like ten.”
“I don’t think you can complain too much about kid-stuff when you’re hanging out with you-know-who,” you say, pointing to the embodiment of childhood glee sitting just a few feet to your right
>Silver giggles
>”Point taken. Alright, I’m in.”

>It only takes Pinkie a few minutes to get the board set up
>By then, everyone has refilled their drinks, and you’re starting to feel warm and a little dizzy all throughout your body
>You end up seated between Silver and Rainbow, with Pinkie directly across from you
>Somehow, she’s dressed in a full-length black cloak, making her look like a pink, cheerful Emperor Palpatine
>”Now, gathered friends… we may begin the ritual, woooo~”
>She waves her fingers over the board
>”Let the spirits of the damned flow through us, wooooo~”
>You see Silver roll her eyes, but she’s smiling nonetheless
>”Who will be the first to aaaaaask~?”
>Everyone turns to look at you
“Alright, me, I guess.”
>”And who’s presence will you invooooooooke~?”
“Uh… fuck it, my parents. C’mon out!”
>Across the table from you, Applebloom perks up
>Sweetie squirms a little too, trying to restrain her excitement: yeah, she’s *definitely* still in her goth phase, deep down
>”Aha! May the mother and father of this poor little orphan join us at the table… now, place your hands in the center, wooooo~”
>Each of you lays your hand atop each others, forming a warm, intimate ring atop the plastic triangle
>Outside, as if on cue, thunder rumbles and makes each of you jump a little bit
>”Speak your question noooooooow~” Pinkie instructs you
“Uuuuuuh… how’s it going, guys?”
>To your surprise, the plastic does move beneath your fingers
>It trails to W…E…
>L…O…V…E…U
>You resist the urge to roll your eyes
“My parents are saps, I guess.”
>You don’t put as much punch into those words as you intended, though
“Love you too…” you whisper under your breath
>Everyone is still looking at you
>Guess the spirits are still around, or whatever
>Outside, rain is beginning to plink against the windows, steadily picking up in intensity as its joined by a moaning breeze
“Okay, uh… who am I gonna fall in love with?”
>The question just sort of tumbles out of you, and for a moment, it really *does* feel like somebody out there is pulling your strings
>A collective intake of breath occurs around the table, and the plastic puck begins to move…

>D…I…A…M…O…N…D…T…
“Oh hell no!”
>You don’t get any further before Applebloom and Sweetie Belle start laughing hysterically
>”Guess the Other Side has a sense of humor.”
>”I saw that video of you two at th’ party! It’s meant to be~”
>You throw a pillow at your friends, but they just go on laughing
>Pinkie joins in, though you’re pretty sure she just wants an excuse to go into a crazy giggle-fit
>Rainbow shakes her head at the antics, though she’s smiling too
>The only one who isn’t smiling is Silver Spoon
>She doesn’t look upset either, just… uncomfortable
“Alright, somebody else go. Stupid-ass game. You guys pushed it there to mess with me, didn’t you?”
>”Not me~!” Pinkie assures you. “It’s the spirits! They know the truth, woooo~”
“Hmph.”
>”My turn!” Sweetie says, slapping her hands down on the plastic puck
>The rest of you join her
>Outside, the storm has built to a howl of rain and wind
>”Spirits from beyond, guide my hands and tell me… how will I die?”
>Yep, that goth phase is just coming out now
>Z…Q…L…X…U…V…”
>”Oh, come one! It worked for Scoots!” she squeaks indignantly
>Applebloom snickers
>”My turn!” she says. “Spirits from th’ beyond… am I gonna be stuck workin’ on the farm forever?”
>NO
>”Aww, yeah! Thanks, Satan!”
>She immediately claps her hands over her mouth, as if worried that Applejack somehow heard her say that
>You try to pass the puck to Silver, but she waves it away
>”I… don’t have a good question yet. Let Rainbow Dash go!”
>”Aww, hell yeah! Gimme that.”
>She takes the puck, and you all join in
>”Ahem, spirits? Lucifer, my guy? Who’s the coolest girl in the room.”
>You start trying to push it towards the R…
>But the puck resists
>”Hey! One of you is blocking it!” Rainbow whines. “It totally wants to go to the R.”
>”Nuh uh. It clearly wants to go to the P!” Pinkie insists
“Nah, it’s going for the R!”
>”I think it’s goin’ for the A…”
>The puck trembles between your fingers, until sweat is pouring down everyone’s face
>All six of you look up, lock eyes…
>And then you collapse backwards, laughing hysterically
“Guess the spirits can’t decide, huh?”
>”Yeah, guess so… hah!”
>Rainbow jumps forward, grabs the puck, and slams it down
>”R…A…I…N…B…O…W! Bam! Spirits declare it: coolest in the room.”
>Pinkie gives Rainbow a polite golf-clap, then slips out of her goofy robes
>”Well, coolest person in the room. I think you win the honor of pouring me another drink!”
>”Fine, fine. It’s the least I can do for my adoring fans. You want anything, kid?” Rainbow asks you
“Yeah! Anything is good!”
>You pass her your cup, then watch Rainbow as she struts over to the counter
>Man, she’s so cool
>She seems just like her old self
>You just sit there and vibe, until you feel your phone buzz
>You whip it out, and your heart constricts in your chest when you read Diamond’s name
>[I saw Pinkie’s Instagram story. Why are you hanging out with Silver?]
>[Answer me.]

>You glance down at your phone, then over at Silver
>She catches your eye, and clearly reads the worry in your expression
>Around you, your friends are all having a great time: Pinkie and Dash are taking shots at your counter, getting pretty red-faced and sloppy while Applebloom and Sweetie gossip over in the corner
>You scoot up next to Silver, sitting conspiratorially close to her
“Hey, uh…”
>You don’t even know how to explain things, so you just show her the text
>Silver frowns, then she drops her face into her hands
>”Uuugh, Diamond… why is she still being like this…?”
“I was kinda hoping you could tell me.”
>”She just kind of shuts down whenever she isn’t getting what she wants.”
“You’re tellin’ me.”
>”She *does* probably feel a little betrayed. Seeing you and me together.”
“I invited her too! She acted all, y’know… like her usual self.”
>”This isn’t her usual self,” Silver bites back, almost immediately
>You raise an eyebrow
“Seems like it.”
>Silver sighs
>”Okay, yeah, that’s fair. But she has other sides to her. Sides that I guess only I see, really…”
>An incredibly awkward silence falls between the two of you, and you both take long, long sips of your respective drinks
“What should I say?”
>”I don’t know.”
“Should I ignore her?”
>”Oh, god no. That would drive her crazy. I don’t want her to be hurt. Maybe I should go see her. Or call her, or something…”
“Are you sure that wouldn’t just make things worse?”
>”I don’t know. Aaagh, why is this so complicateeeeeeeeed?”
>Silver flops back on the ground
>”Is this just my life now?”
“Hey, you’re the one who picked Diamond Tiara as your best friend.”
>”She picked me.”
“Oh.”
>”Yeah.”
>A tiny, dreamy smile appears on Silver’s face
>”Long story. Weird story, too. But I’m not gonna hurt her, even if she’s being a total hyper-biiiiiiiiitch right now.”
>That gets a solid drunken giggle out of you
“So? What do we do?”
>”Aaaaaah… I don’t want to ignore her. But maybe, let’s just… wait a bit, to see if she says anything else. And I need time to think…”
“Yeah. Good idea.”
>You flop down next to Silver, staring up at the ceiling
>Strange: you’ve spent two nights like this now, just commiserating with her
>But you’re starting to find you kinda like it
>Somehwere in the other corner of the room, Rainbow is singing Evanescence at the top of her lungs
>Man, she’s so cool…
>You just close your eyes, letting the nice, pleasant cocoon of booze flow around youBZZZZZZZZZZ
>BZZZZZZ
>BZZZZZZZZ
>You sit up and check your phone
>Diamond is calling you
>You and Silver share a look

“I really shouldn’t make her wait anymore, should I?”
>Silver shrugs
>”It’s you she really wants to talk to, I guess.”
“Yeah. I’ll be right back.”
>You take your phone back to your room
>You’re so engrossed in the drama with Diamond that you don’t notice Rainbow stepping out onto your back porch, her phone in her hand as well
>Inside your room, you collapse onto your bed, letting out an exhausted sigh, then you answer the phone
“Hey.”
>”Start explaining.”
“Hey, would you relax? I invited you, you know. And you told me to die, remember?”
>Diamond goes silent for a long time
>”Look, clearly I didn’t mean that. You shouldn’t take things so seriously.”
“Alright. Look, I don’t know what you want from me.”
>”I want you to back off of Silver Spoon! She. Is. Mine.”
“I’m not ‘on’ her at all. I invited her. She’s having a good time. You could have been here with us, if you hadn’t—“
>You calm yourself down
>Dealing with her is starting to drive you crazy, but you force yourself to remember how much she must be hurting, how torn up she must be
>You’re in a tiny apartment full of good friends who like you: she’s in a massive house alone with her psycho mom
“Look, I’m sorry about how last night went. And I’m sorry things are so weird with Silver.”
>”Hmph.”
>…
>”I suppose that’s an acceptable apology. I might also owe you the same, for dragging you into such a mess unexpected.”
“I’ll take that.”
>”Why didn’t you tell me Silver was coming?”
“I didn’t think she would. And you told me to die, so…”
>”I told you, I didn’t mean—“
>Diamond sounds like she’s about to start screaming at you again, but she quiets down
>”—I didn’t mean it. I *am* sorry for that too, I guess.”
“You’re fine. But you realize that shit with Silver isn’t going to get better if you just hole up and pretend she doesn’t exist, right?”
>”Of course I do! But… I don’t know what else to do.”
“You want to come hang out with us? There’ll be other people around, if it gets awkward.”
>”Other people meaning…?”
“My friends. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie.”
>”You got Rainbow *and* Pinkie to come to your party?”
“Oh, they actually invited themselves.”
>You can’t keep the smugness out of your voice
>”I suppose I would be willing to. But, um…”
“What?”
>”My mom won’t let me. If she knows I’m going to see a—well, you know. A commoner. She’ll kill me.”
“Jeez. What a bitch.”
>”Hey!”
“I’m just calling it like I see it!”
>”She just has extremely high standards for me, as a member of the Rich family lin—“
>Diamond cuts herself off with a sigh
>”I don’t know what to do.”
“Can’t you just drive yourself over here? Tell her you’re visiting, I dunno, whoever.”
>”I don’t have my license. Randolph drives me everywhere.”
“Dammit, Tiara…”
>You raise your hand and flex it in front of your face
>You’re still pretty sloshed…
>Everyone has had at least a bit to drink, except for Silver Spoon…
>”Hello?”
“Hey. Yeah, I’ve got an idea. I’ll call you back, one sec.”
>”Fine.”
>You hang up, then go out to the living room just in time to see Rainbow Dash returning from outside, her phone held at her side
>The cheer has disappeared from her face: she just looks pale
>When she sees you, she averts eye contact
>”Hey, kid. Sorry. Something came up, and I gotta head out.”
“What, now!? But we’re just getting going! And you’ve been… y’know, you’ve been drinking.”
>”Eh, I’ll be fine. I really need to go though.”
>She pushes past you and heads for the door
>Pinkie shoots you a worried look
>Silver is in the center of the room, glancing between everyone
>Applebloom is sloppy-drunk and nearly passed out, and Sweetie Belle is furiously texting someone
>Suddenly, your comfy evening feels like it’s falling apart at the seems

“Wait, what? Why?”
>”I can’t tell you.”
“Whatever. Don’t know why you’re acting like such a bitch about it, though.”
>”W-wha… hey!”
>Dash goes red in the face, and she looks like she’s about to start swinging
>The alcohol definitely made that come out… different than how you’d hoped it would
>You recoil a bit, but you don’t back down
“Pinkie, don’t let her drive, okay?”
>Pinkie nods, looking unusually solemn
>”Pinkie promise.”
>Rainbow glares at the both of you
>”What’s up with the two of you? This is my business! I’ve driven way drunker than this, I’ll be fine.”
>You just sigh
“You’re not acting like the cool Rainbow I know.”
>Rainbow winces, as if you’d just slapped her in the face
>”Hey, wait…” 
>You shake your head
“I gotta go. We’ll be back soon. Silver?”
>”Yes?” Silver asks
“You’re good to drive, right?”
>”Of course.”
“Cool. Let’s go.”
>You nod to your friends as you head out
“We’ll be back soon.”

>Silver leads you to her car, a darkly gleaming Mitsubishi
>You pile in the front seat next to her, wrapping your arms around yourself against the midnight chill
>Rain splatters gently against the windshield as the two of you drive out towards Diamond’s place
>You’ve texted her to let her know you’re coming: currently, the plan is for her to just sneak out one of the back doors, avoiding her mom entirely
>Both you and Silver are mostly silent on the drive over
>It isn’t until you’re near Diamond’s neighborhood that she speaks up
>”I’m… not so sure about this, honestly.”
“Me neither.”
>You’re starting to sober up, feeling weirdly distanced from the world around you
>”Sorry you’re in the middle of this, by the way. We haven’t really been that great to you in the past…”
>You shrug
“It’s not too bad. You’re actually pretty cool, Silver.”
>”Heh. Thanks.”
“Diamond’s not too bad either, in her own way.”
>”She has a good side to her. She’s just really, *really* bad at showing it.”
“Yeah. With her family, I can see why.”
>Silver winces
>”Her mom is a lot.”
“You can say that again.”

>The two of you pull up outside Diamond’s place
>You shoot Pinkie a quick text while you wait for Diamond
[is rainbow ok?]
>[she’s maaaaaaybe having a tiny bit of a cry in your bathroom]
[oh. did she tell you anything?]
>[a lot, but i don’t understand most of it]
>[tbh she isn’t good to drive. neither am i. is it okay if we crash at your place, pretty pretty please?]
[yeah. i’m coming back with another friend]
>[sounds super! i’m sure dashie will be fine when she’s had some rest. her phone keeps buzzing tho. someone named lightning?]
[oh. don’t let her answer it.]
>[wasn’t planning to! see you soon]
>You sigh, and stow your phone away
>You really do have a talent for getting into the middle of other people’s drama, don’t you?
>As if on cue, Diamond emerges from a garden pathway and runs towards the car
>She’s dressed fairly plainly, for her at least: designer jeans and a fuzzy pink sweater
>However, she stops short when she catches Silver’s eye
>Diamond and Silver both look away from each other: Diamond’s pouting, and a faint blush colors Silver’s cheeks
>”This is gonna be so awkward…” she mumbles

>And, as you’d expect, she’s 100% right
>The three of you drive back in silence, with nothing but the drumming of rain and the gentle sighing of Silver’s indie-rock playlist
>Tension coils in the air, and you feel about ready to toss yourself out of the car to escape it

>Hey, you could go for a dive… what’s the worst that could happen?
>A few more prosthetics would just make you a bit more badass
“So…” you eventually say to Diamond, just to break the silence. “You missed some crazy shit earlier.”
>”I’d imagine so,” she says, ice-cold. “You *did* invite some… unusual people, what more could you expect?”
“Got me there. Rainbow is at least pretty normal. But man, I wasn’t ready for Pinkie Pie.”
>”She’s a legend. Her Instagram feed is like something out of Project X. Every week.”
“Man, I should hang out with her more often. Tonight she just made us break out the Ouija board. God, that was embarrassing.”
>”I can imagine.”
“You and I are fated to fall in love, in case you didn’t know.”
>Diamond snorts, which you think is about as close as she’ll get to genuine laughter
>”I see. I may as well just throw myself right out of the car, then.”
“And leave me all alone?”
>”Perhaps. Though maybe I’ll just be haunting you, if you believe in all this stuff.”
“Nah, I don’t. Or I didn’t. I’m pretty sure *something* was watching and just trying to stir up drama at the party.”
>”You know, up until last night, I wouldn’t have believed.”
>”There’s definitely something screwing with our lives…” Silver mutters. “Things got really weird, really fast.”
>”Yeah…”
“Yeah…”
>Another silence stretches over the car, but it feels less tense, more just like quiet commiseration as each of you considers how strange your lives have gotten in just 48 hours
>Teenage years really are a wild ride, aren’t they?
>You’re starting to get what all those old songs sing about…

>When Silver pulls up outside your place, you pull the other girls aside before the three of you head in
“Just so you know, uh… there was some drama with Rainbow,” you tell Silver and Diamond. “She might not be doing so great.”
>”Oh no!” Silver says, clamping her hands over her mouth
>”Okay,” is all Diamond has to say. “To be honest, I’m not exactly expecting this to be the craziest party I’ve ever been to.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence.”

>You let the other two into your place, to find Applebloom and Sweetie Belle passed out on your couch: Sweetie’s head is resting on Applebloom’s shoulder
>Pinkie steps out from the bathroom and gives you a tiny wave
>”Hey, girls. Hi, Diamond. Everything good?”
“Think so. How is…?”
>”Dashie’s gonna be okay. She just had a teensy bit too much, and she’s a bit of a sad drunk when there aren’t a lot of people around.”
“Is she sick?”
>”Nope, she’s out cold. Can I carry her somewhere?”
>You look at the occupied couch
>Looks like this really has turned into a proper slumber party, but not the way you thought…
“Let’s take her to my bed, I guess.”
>You help Pinkie lift Dash up from where she’s curled in a ball on your bathroom floor, and the two of you carry her into your room
>Gently, you lay her on the bed
>It’s really, really weird seeing her like this
>Rainbow was practically a god to you when you were a kid; now she looks vulnerable and sad, kinda lonely, atop the same bed you’ve had since you were five
>You place the blanket over her and rest your hand on her forehead
“Thanks, Pinkie.”
>”No problemo! I’ll probably just find a spot to crash myself. I got all sorts of spare fuzzy blankets in my car! Brb!”
>Pinkie skips out of the room, leaving just you, Silver, and Diamond alone
>You wonder if she planned this…
>Diamond is already helping herself to the alcohol, and Silver takes a bit as well
>The three of you sit on the floor, all of you holding plastic cups that you occasionally sip at
>You no longer feel buzzed, just kinda loose
>”It really was a great party,” Silver eventually says, to break the silence. “Thanks for having me, even if stuff did get… y’know.”
>”What, weird? Because I’m here now?” Diamond asks, as bitter as the booze she’s drinking
>”No! Just…y’know…”
>Silver sighs
>”…yeah, Diamond. It’s weird. You’ve been weird. I’ve been weird too, we’ve both been kinda… kinda just weird.”
>Diamond sighs
>”I know.”
>…

>You raise up your cup, take a long drink of whatever swill you mixed in it, then slam it down on the coffee table
>It’s made of plastic, so it makes little more than a gentle *thwack*, but it’s enough to get the others’ attention
“Alright, we’re gonna crazy if we talk like this all night. So here’s what we’re gonna do.”
>Diamond raises an eyebrow
“Rarity used to make me and the others do this whenever we were fighting over stupid shit. Each of us is gonna get a turn to just say whatever’s on her mind. Got it?”
>”Oh, excellent. Therapy. You certainly have odd taste in parties,” Diamond drawls
“You want us to drive you home?”
>Diamond crosses her arms and says nothing
>”Well, you start, then.”
>You sigh
>You’re just opening your mouth to speak when Silver interrupts
>”Actually, if it’s okay, I’d like to go first.”
>Both you and Diamond turn to look at her
>She blushes slightly, but doesn’t flinch away
>”I have a lot I’d like to say. And I really like Scootaloo’s idea.”
>Diamond shrugs
>”Fine.”
>She tries to act bored, but you can plainly see her stiffen and start fidgeting with the hem of her sweater
>Silver sighs
>She polishes off whatever’s left in her hand, then covers her mouth for a moment
>When she takes her hand away, the words just tumble out of her
>”I can’t ignore how you feel about me. And that really freaks me out, because I don’t know if we can be just regular friends anymore. I mean, we could try, but… there would always be that weirdness. And I don’t want things to be weird between us. You’ve been my best friends for so long. My only friend, for so long… living without you is scary. But I don’t know if I can be what you want me to be.”
>Diamond’s face stays cold and impassive
>But when Silver finishes, you see her bottom lip tremble ever so slightly, and she blinks as her eyes start to moisten
>Then the moment is gone, and she’s back to being stone-cold
>”But I… I want to be. If that makes any sense. I really do like you, Diamond. And I want to keep being your friend, or… or whatever makes us work. But I don’t know if I can be. It’s scary, and I feel like I’ll lose you, or myself, or everyone, or…”
>Silver drops her face into her hands, suddenly weeping
>Diamond goes pale
>”Sorry…” Silver says between sobs. “I didn’t mean to… s-sorry…”
>She tries to calm herself down, but the crying hits her again in a wave, and she lets out a tiny, miserable wail between sobs
>”I’m just r-really scared… I hate when you i-ignore me like this. It makes me f-feel like I’m n-nobody…”

>Diamond drops her eyes to the ground
>Despite a slight twitch in her shoulders, you wouldn’t even suspect she was feeling anything
>So, you suppose it’s up to you, once again, to try and make these two play nice
>First, you grab poor, crying Silver and pull her against yourself
>She lets out a squeak of surprise, but buries her face against your shoulder, more to hide her weeping than anything
>Diamond raises her head, and she shoots you a hot, jealous look, as if to say “how dare you touch my Silver?”
>But before you can say anything, you grab her by the arm and pull her closer
“C’mere, you.”
>You tug Diamond into the group hug
>She resists at first, but you maneuver just enough that she ends up squished against Silver
>And that, of course, drains all the resistance from you
>Diamond wraps her arms around Silver, and Silver lets herself fall into Diamond’s embrace, and you end up holding the both of them
>Silver bawls and bawls, and you can see muscles bulging on Diamond’s neck as she fights to keep from crying herself
>You trail your arm along her back until it comes to rest on her shoulder
“Hey.”
>She glances over at you, her face an almost comical mask of rigor
>”What?”
“Let it out. It’s alright.”
>”I d-don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“Yeah, you do.”
>Diamond snuffles
>”S-shut up. I’m fine. This whole thing is s-so… so…”
>Diamond lets out a wail, and she throws her arms around you and Silver
>”I’m sorry! I’m s-so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you! E-either of you! I’m so, so sorry… please just d-don’t ever hang out w-without me again… I know it’s my fault, I’m so sorry, just please…”
>She turns to incoherent babbling, and the two weeping friends cling to each other, both of them wrapped securely in your arms
>You raise your head when you see motion beyond your darkened windows
>Outside, Pinkie Pie gives you a big thumbs-up
>You glare at her, and mouth “mind your own business!”
>She covers her mouth, giggling, and slinks back into the darkness

>Eventually, Diamond and Silver turn off the waterworks, lapsing into quiet cuddling
>”I missed you,” Silver is eventually able to say
>”I’m sorry,” Diamond says
>”It’s okay. I’m just… I’m glad we’re still together. Even if…”
>”…I know. I’ve ruined a lot.”
>”Not ruined, just… it’ll be different.”
>”I love you,” Diamond blurts out. “… and I’m sorry.”
>”No, it’s okay. I know. I’m glad.”
>”Okay.”
>Diamond sighs
>”Okay…”
>The three of you stay like that a little longer
>Just outside, you can see Pinkie peeking up over the edge of the window
“Maybe… let’s just watch a movie, alright?”

>And thus, your second insane evening in a row begins to wind down
>You plop down on the couch, and you’re feeling buzzed and comfortable enough to unstrap your prosthetics and toss them aside; once their weight is gone, your legs feel free and you truly start to feel comfortable
>Diamond is seated on one side of you, and Silver’s on the other
>The three of you aren’t cuddling as intensively anymore, but you’re still sitting close enough that the other girls’ shoulders are pressed up against yours
>Pinkie is sprawled on the floor, wrapped in a massive fuzzy blanket-cocoon
>You glance to your right; Silver’s still a little bleary-eyed from crying, but she looks comfy and a little sleepy now
>Diamond is much the same, though you realize she neglected to bring pajamas
>On the TV, you’re watching an old Scooby-Doo VHS; it’s that one with the rock-and-roll goths, who you remember awakening some strange feelings in you as a kid
>It’s a pretty simple evening, and you could definitely end it here, unless…

>…eh, nah
>Things are weird enough, and you’re not drunk enough to push your luck *that* far
>You pretend to adjust your position on the couch—which is actually pretty hard to do, when you don’t have much in the way of lower extremities—and use that as an excuse to wrap an arm around Silver and Diamond’s shoulders
“How you two feelin’?”
>”Good,” Silver says
>She clearly appreciates the company, and she snuggles up against you
>Diamond shrugs, but she doesn’t pull away
>”Fine. I suppose I shouldn’t have bothered dressing up.”
“Want me to find you some pajamas? Or are you more the, y’know, sleepin’ nekkid type?”
>”Gross.”
“Hey, don’t knock it ’til you try it.”
>”Please don’t subject us to that.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
>”And I’d like to keep it that way.”
>…
>”…though I wouldn’t mind something to sleep in.”
“No prob. I’ll be right back.”
>And then, just sort of ignoring the fact that you have guests over, you slide out from between Diamond and Silver and plop onto the ground
>Using your arms to propel yourself, you scoot across the floor on your butt, heading for your room
>Silver stifles a giggle; Diamond just watches you go, her mouth agape
“Hey, beats putting my legs back on.”
>Silver bursts out laughing
>Diamond just stares, her face looking like it doesn’t know what shape to form into
>You slip into your room and pull yourself up besides the bed
>Rainbow is totally passed out; if it weren’t for the gentle rise and fall of your chest, you’d think she was dead
>Her limbs are tangled in your blankets, and her phone is by her head
>You can’t resist the temptation
>You reach out and check to see if anyone’s messaged her
>Dozens of texts from Lightning appear on the screen, ranging over the last few hours
>[head over now. need homework finished by tomorrow]
>[u there? better get here soon or this video’s going out to everyone.]
>[where you at?]
>And then there’s the notification for the call, which you remember her answering
>You sigh, and replace her phone
>It’s not hard to put two and two together on this one…
>Funny; she seems so small like this, so delicate
>You lean across the bed and give her an awkward, horizontal hug
>Then you grab some of your favorite sleeping duds: a pair of running shorts and an XL Black Veil Brides t-shirt
>You can’t wait to hear Diamond complain about these

>”Seriously? Please tell me you washed these, at least.”
“Hell yeah, washed ‘em just a few weeks ago. Only worn ‘em three or four times since then.”
>Diamond grimaces
“I’m kidding.”
>”Hmph.”
>She  takes the clothes from you and struts off to the bathroom
>When she emerges… oh man
>Next to you, Silver goes into an uncontrollable fit of the giggles
>”If you take even a single picture of me in these, I’ll claw your eyes out,” Diamond says
>She’s blushing furiously
>The shirt reaches almost to her knees, making it look like she’s dressed in the baggy garb of some poor medieval peasant
>A medieval peasant with a mid-2000’s emo phase, more precisely
“Trust me, I’m never gonna forget this.”
>Diamond clenches her fists
>She stomps back over to the couch and plops down next to you
>You can’t help but notice that she’s still sitting in arm-around-shoulder range
>When you grab ahold of her again, and she doesn’t complain
>The movie continues to play, but Diamond’s eyes are far away and glassy now
>You can tell she’s thinking hard about something: Silver, meanwhile, is nearly passed out
>Her head has nodded onto your shoulder
>”…thank you, I guess,” Diamond says
“Huh?”
>”Thank you.”
“Uh, you’re welcome. What’s this for?”
>”Not for the clothes, definitely. But for… bringing me out here. I’m sorry for… being difficult.”
>Diamond speaks each word like it’s taking her physical effort to get them out
>”I’d like to… hang out more with you, if that’s okay.”
“Definitely. Just, uh, not at your place, alright?”
>Diamond winces
>”Right. It’s nice to have an excuse to get away from my mom…”
“I bet. You’re always welcome here, Di.”
>”Di?”
“Hey, if you’re gonna hang out with us, you gotta have some kinda dumb nickname.”
>”Hmm. I suppose.”

>Eventually, the movie winds down, though you’re nodding off by the time the credits roll
>Diamond, however, doesn’t seem quite able to sleep
“You alright?” you mumble
>”Fine.”
“Want me to grab you a sleeping bag?”
>”Mmm. I suppose. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep, though.”
“Something wrong?”
>”I’ve… never slept on the floor before.”
“Heh. Heheh. That makes *so* much sense. Unless you wanna share the bed with Dash, though…”
>”I do not.”
“Then you’re outta options.”
>”I suppose so. Grab me whatever you can. I’ll be fine.”
>You raise an eyebrow
>Diamond winces
>”Grab me whatever you can, *please*.”
“Man, you really are a different person.”
>”Hmph. I try.”

>You bump your hip against Diamond, and she rolls her eyes
>Then you slip back to the floor, and do your little scoot-motion across to the hallway closet
>Diamond’s eyes don’t leave you the entire time: she’s not laughing at you, though
>It’s hard to tell what she’s thinking, really
>Still, you jimmy the closet open and start rooting around for sleeping bags when an idea hits you
>You glance over to the door to your left, which is almost always kept shut
>Beyond that is a giant double-bed, where your aunts sleep on the rare occasion they’re staying here
>You shuffle back over to Diamond
“Hey. How about I do you a *huge* solid?”
>”What, you’re trying to make me owe you a favor?”
“Nah. Just wanna put my money where my mouth is. In this new friendship. Or whatever it is.”
>”Whatever it is?”
“You know what I mean.”
>”I really don’t. Anyway, go on.”
“There’s another bed in there. Queen sized. Like new.”
>”Oh?”
“Yours if you want it. And you can share with Silver.”
>You wink, and Diamond’s cheeks go pink
>”I couldn’t… I mean, we’ve shared a bed plenty of times, but now…”
>You shrug
“Wake her and ask her.”
>”But… she looks so peaceful.”
”Yeah, and she’ll wake up feeling like shit if she spends the night on that couch. Trust me, I’ve done it before.”
>”Fine…”
>Diamond frowns
>Gently, she shakes Silver awake
>Silver blinks, looking confusedly around her
>”Diamond? Where…”
>”Scootaloo’s. There’s a bed we can share. If you’re okay with that. If not, I guess you can have…”
>”Mmm, bed…”
>Silver is already half-asleep again
>She flops against Diamond, going limp in her friend’s arms
>”Carry me.”
>Diamond is blushing furiously now
>She looks at you, as if waiting for advice
>You give her a “go for it!” kinda look, and Diamond lifts Silver and helps her walk into the other room
>Together, they collapse into bed
“You can thank me later.”
>”Are you *sure* this isn’t weird for me to do?”
“Just don’t make it weird.”
>”Right…”
>Diamond snuggles up under the covers, then drapes the other end of the blanket over Silver’s sleeping form
>You do notice that Diamond keeps her distance from her friend; they’re at opposite sides of the bed
>Diamond rolls over, and you can only see her eyes glittering in the dark
>”Well. I suppose this is goodnight.”
“Yep. Night, Di.”
>”Goodnight.”
>Then she rolls over, and that’s that

>You slip back into your room, where Dash is still passed out on your bed
>She’s curled into a ball now, making her look much smaller than you tend to imagine her
>Something warm and protective swells in your chest
>Seized by a sudden strange desire, you climb into bed next to her
>In your tiny bed, there’s hardly enough room for the both of you, so you press up against Dash’s body and end up practically cuddling with her
>It feels amazing
>She’s like a furnace, just pouring off body heat
>You don’t even need a blanket
>You rest your head on the same pillow as hers, both of your faces now so close that your nose is nearly touching Rainbow’s
>Her gently breath caresses your cheeks, and you shut your eyes and just relish the closeness of her
>She’s amazing, and you love her
>Plain and simple, that’s what this feeling is
>Whether it’s like a sister, like a mom, like a best friend, or like something else…
>Well, you’ll figure that out some other time
>For now…

>…

>It feels like you just closed your eyes, and now it’s already morning
>You sit up in bed, hardly feeling hung over at all
>Sun streams through the blinds, and you feel toasty warm from—
>Oh shit, you just woke up in bed next to Rainbow Dash!
>Man, this is the kinda story you wish you could tell to ten-year-old Scootaloo, just to see the look on her face
>Rainbow must have felt you shifting next to her, because her eyes slowly flutter open
>She sits up, looking groggy
>”Yo, what the fu… where am I?”
“Hey.”
>Her gaze focuses on you
>”Scoots? Hold on, what am I doing in your bed?”
“You passed out last night.”
>”And you… just kinda got in here with me?”
“Yep. Nowhere else to sleep.”
>”Huh. Yeah, alright.”
>Dash shrugs and starts to stretch
>”Nothing, like, weird happened, right?”
“Weird how?”
>”Uh, you know, like… ah, never mind. A little cuddling with the homies is always okay,” she says with a wink
“Hell yeah,” you reply
>Rainbow seems almost like her old self again
>However, once she’s finished stretching, she reaches for her phone
>When she reads the screen, her face goes pale
>”Oh. Oh, fuck.”
>She drops the device into her lap
>”Hey, kid. I’m really sorry. I gotta go.”
>She starts to stagger to her feet
>”I’m so screwed…” she mutters

“Wait.”
>You grab her arm and pull, sending her stumbling back into bed
>She falls against you, momentarily landing in your lap before she rolls off
>”It’s alright, Scoots. I promise, we’ll hang out again soon. Maybe tomorrow, or—“
“I know about the video,” you blurt out
>Dash’s face changes quickly: first to surprise, then to hurt, then to anger
>”Video? W-what are you talking about!?”
“Lightning sent it to me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
>”I… but…”
>Rainbow shakes her head
>”Why did you open it? I told you not to open anything weird.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know what it was.”
>”Hmph.”
“And I… I was curious, I guess.”
>”Well, fine. Now you know the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
>”That I’m a fucking loser! I’m just a toy for people to drag around and laugh at.”
“What? No!”
>”Come on. If you saw the video, then you saw… everyone was laughing. They thought it was great. Seeing me just turned into… c’mon, I looked like Lightning’s bitch.”
>Rainbow shudders
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
>”Blech.”
>Rainbow turns away from you, folding her arms across her chest
“Lightning treated you like shit. Whatever happened in the video is her problem, she’s the one acting like a bitch.”
>”I guess. But she said she’ll share it with anyone if I don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
>”Give her my position on the team. Do her homework. All that stupid stuff.”
“If she shares it, everyone will see what a cunt she is.”
>”But they’ll also see my… y’know.”
>Rainbow can’t look you in the eye
“They will, but hey. They looked pretty great.”
>That gets a small, nervous laugh out of Rainbow
>”Yeah, maybe. Still… I don’t want anyone to see it, man. That shit was so, so embarrassing…”
“If she shares it, she looks like the asshole. And you could probably get her kicked off the team, if you really wanted.”
>”Maybe…”
>Rainbow sighs
>”Sorry, Scoots. I shouldn’t dump all this on you.”
“No, it’s totally cool. You’ve helped me so much. I’m actually kinda glad that I can… y’know, help you back.”
>Suddenly, Rainbow’s arms are wrapped around you
>You gingerly raise yours to return her hug, patting the small of her back
>”Thanks. I just… yeah, thanks.”
“Yeah. It’s all okay. It’ll be okay.”
>You and Rainbow share your hug a bit longer, then eventually she pulls away
>”I don’t really know what to do now…”
“Maybe we should figure out some kinda breakfast? I’m fucking starving.”
>”Heh. Good idea.”
>Rainbow glances at her phone
>She sighs, then shuts it off and tosses it onto your bed
>”C’mon. Let’s go wake your friends up.”

>Applebloom and Sweetie are sprawled out in the living room: nothing cute going on there, they just look like hungover girls
>Pinkie is as snug as she was when she went to sleep
>When she hears mention of breakfast, she zips into your kitchen and starts frying pancakes, even though you’re pretty sure you didn’t have any pancake ingredients in your place
>Rainbow goes to help Pinkie and you, meanwhile, strap on your legs and go to your aunts’ room
>Inside, Diamond is already awake, though she’s still in bed
>Silver is clinging to her like a baby, still peacefully snoozing
>”Good morning.”
“Hey, Di.”
>”I’m not getting out of bed, if that’s what you’re here for.”
“Well, we have pancakes cooking…”
>”I won’t disturb her.”
“Yeah, I can see that…”
>Diamond is lying supine in bed, as stiff as a vampire in one of those old movies
>Silver is draped all over her, though, snoozing away
>”I haven’t touched her. Just so you know. She did this all on her own.”
“I wasn’t accusing you of anything, fam.”
>You look at how Silver’s face is perfectly cuddled against Diamond’s neck
>There’s no way she did that while asleep…
“Y’know, she might not mind it if you held her back. Just a little.”
>”I don’t want to make this creepy.”
>You roll your eyes
“Trust me, you won’t. Hold your girl, Di.”
>”She is not my—“
>You close the door, leaving the two of them to it
>You can’t help but feel a little happy: at least someone got a nice ending out of last night
>Meanwhile, though…
>Rainbow looks like her old self, but you know she’s still hurting
>Applelboom and Sweetie are perfectly fine, though they both look beat to shit from spending a night drunk on your floor
>You could probably stand to finish some homework and get ready for tomorrow’s practice
>But there’s still so much swirling around in your head…

>After breakfast, Applebloom and Sweetie both head home: Sweetie wants to collapse into her own bed, and Applebloom needs to help around the farm, as usual
>Pinkie collects her party supplies, looking totally unperturbed by last night
>She gives you and Rainbow just enough space to have a private conversation; it really is like she has a sixth sense for this kinda thing
“So…”
>”Yeah?”
“What are you gonna do after this?”
>”I don’t know. Go back to my place, maybe. See what comes up.”
>You scowl
“That doesn’t sound like the Rainbow Dash I know.”
>”What do you expect me to do? Roll up and kick Lightning’s ass?”
>You shrug
“Maybe.”
>”Hmph. I mean, I could totally take her. She’s got, like, no endurance.”
“So let’s go whoop her ass!”
>”It ain’t that simple, kid. I’d get kicked off the team for sure. But man, I’d love to just…”
>Rainbow’s hands curl into fists, then she sighs
>”But it won’t solve anything.”
“Then lets just go tell her to go fuck herself. Tell her you don’t care about the video and you’re not gonna be her bitch anymore.”
>Rainbow straightens up a bit, and a smile starts to form on her face
>”Just put her in her place, yeah?”
“Yeah! I’ll come with, too. We can totally dunk on her.”
>Rainbow laughs
>”You know what? Her dorm’s only a floor away from mine. Let’s do it.”

>Before the two of you leave, you quietly knock on the door to your aunt’s room
“Di?”
>”What?”
“We’re gonna head out for a bit. You guys stay as long as you want.”
>”Hmm. Understood.”
>Maybe you’re imagining it, but there’s less bratty bite in her voice right now
>She sounds unusually content; you can imagine way
>A big, sly grin is plastered over your face as you and Rainbow head back to her place
>Rainbow’s clearly vibing pretty hard too; she cranks up some edgy speed-metal music, rocking back and forth to the beat as you cruise up to her dorm building
>Inside, you take the stairs together until you reach Lightning’s floor
>Rainbow strolls right up to the door and bangs on it
>A few other people in the hall give you dirty looks, but Rainbow’s vibing too hard right now to care
>She slams on the door a few more times, and eventually it opens, revealing a disheveled-looking Lightning
>She’s wearing only a U of C hoodie and her panties, and she glares at Rainbow
>”Took you long enough. Why the hell didn’t you answer me?”
>”Because fuck you.”
>Rainbow flips off Lightning
>”Do your own homework. And if you try to show that video to anyone else? Especially kids? I’m telling Coach Spitfire.”
>Lighting’s mouth works silently for a moment
>”Hey, since when are you so uppity? Know your fucking place, you—“
>Rainbow just shuts the door in Lightning’s face
>She’s giggling like a maniac now, and she grabs you by the hand
>”Come on! Let’s get back to my room before she recovers!”
>Rainbow leads you up the stairs, and you collapse onto the couch together in her messy dorm
>Rainbow throws her head back, laughing until tears stream down her cheeks
>”Oh. My. God! Did you see the look on her face?”
“You straight-up dunked on her!”
>”I know! She was just standing there in her underwear, like *bleh*.”
>Rainbow makes a face, sending you into hysterics
“She didn’t even know what to say!”
>”I know! Not talkin’ so big now, is she?”
>Rainbow’s jittery with nervous energy; you can feel her shaking as she presses up against you
>It’s great; her energy is infectious, to the point where you feel like you could sprint back down the haul and whoop Spitfire’s ass yourself
>You lean up against Rainbow, beaming up at her, a girl staring at her hero
“That was so awesome! *You* were so aweso—”
>Out of nowhere, Rainbow kisses you on the mouth
>You experience a split-second of intense shock and bliss, before she pulls away
>”Whoa, whoa. Fuck, I’m so sorry. I just…”
>You raise your hand to your mouth
>”I got too into it. Shit. I’m sorry. Oh my god, Scoots. I didn’t mean…”

>She doesn’t even get a chance to finish that sentence
>You grab her by the shoulders and practically pull yourself into her lap as you kiss her back
>Rainbow doesn’t resist
>She keeps her arms at her sides, and lets her mouth rest against yours until you break away
>You flop back on the couch, feeling dazed
“Don’t worry. That was… that was *awesome*…”
>You touch your hand to your mouth again, as if trying to seal the kiss there forever
>Rainbow is staring at you, shocked
>You look away, feeling your cheeks flush
“I can forget about it, too. If that’s what you want.”
>Rainbow shakes her head, then buries her fingers in her hair
>”Oh man…”
“Did I do something wrong?”
>”You? No, you’re fine. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have done that, man.”
“Why not? I didn’t mind.”
>”Yeah, but… you’re a kid. Was that— oh my god, was that your first kiss?”
“It was.”
>And then the realization hits you: your first kiss was with *Rainbow Dash*
>It doesn’t get any cooler than that
>You gingerly put your hand on her arm
“And it was good. I’m glad it was you. You’re, like, my dream first-kiss.”
>”For real?”
>You nod
“But… I can forget about it, if you think it shouldn’t have happened.”
>”I don’t know what to think. I just… I was so excited, and it’s been so nice hanging out with you like this, but… *man*, that was too fast. Even for me.”
“Yeah. I understand.”
>You place your hands in your lap and drop your eyes to the floor
>Everything feels electrified and hot, like your own guts are twisting around inside of you
>”Your first kiss, huh?”
“Mhm.”
>”Think this is what you like?”
“What do you mean?”
>”Like… you think you like doing stuff with girls, more?”
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t really know. But I like this.”
>You snuggle up against Dash
>She doesn’t pull away, but you can feel her shaking
>You’re making *the* Rainbow Dash nervous!
>The mixed power and temptation rolling through you make you feel light-headed and a little crazy…


>You push yourself against Dash, wrapping your arms around her
>”Uh, Scoots? I really don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
“Why not? I like it…”
>You raise your head and go in to kiss her again, but Rainbow stops you
>”At least… slow down a bit, okay?”
“Huh? Why?”
>”I don’t want us to do anything… crazy, okay? Nothing we’re gonna regret.”
“I’m not gonna regret this. C’mon, I wanna… I wanna know what it’s like. To do it.”
>”Do it?”
>Rainbow’s blush deepens into her face is nearly scarlet
>”Dude, we just kissed. We’re not gonna go straight… holy shit, man…”
>She runs her hand through her hair
>”You really think about me that way?”
“Yeah! I mean, I think I do. I don’t know…”
>You shift away from her on the couch a bit, the excitement beginning to drain from you
“I don’t really know how any of this works.”
>”Yeah…”
“You can show me though, right? I bet you’re fucking great at… y’know. That kinda stuff.”
>Dash smiles
>”I know a thing or two. But, listen… I don’t really like doing this kinda stuff just with anyone.”
“Right. Yeah…”
>You sigh
“Am I ‘just anyone’ to you?”
>”Huh? No! But you’re… I don’t know what you are, honestly. I do like you a lot, kid. But you’re…”
“Too young?”
>”Kinda. And I don’t know how I think about you. Sometimes, it feels like you’re my little sister or something.”
“Oh. Hm…”
>”Not what you wanted to hear, huh?”
“I don’t really know. That kiss, though… sisters don’t kiss like that.”
>”Don’t tell Pinkie Pie that…” Rainbow mutters
“Huh?”
>”Nothing. Hey, like… I wanna figure this stuff out too. But it’s really weird. I just feel all cut up, you know? Like everything is just… blah.”
>She mimes her heart exploding, then flops onto the couch, coming to rest against you
>”I do love you though, kid.”
“Whoa.”
>”Like a sister! I think. Or… maybe…”
>She sighs
>”I don’t know.”
“Yeah… let’s figure it out slow.”
>”That’s cool with you?”
“I think. Yeah, yeah it is.”
>”Awesome.”
“But… I do want to try and figure stuff out. About me. And about… doing stuff with girls. What should I do?”
>“Honestly, dude? Just find someone you like. Someone you trust. And if you just want to play around, there’s plenty of people who want that. And… I dunno, squirt. You heart knows what it wants. Or your body, or whatever. Man that sounded so gay…”
>You chuckle
“Right. Wouldn’t want that, now would we?”
>You and Rainbow share a gentle laugh
>”Listen… I wanna keep hanging out. No matter what happens between us, okay?”
“Yeah, same.”
>A long silence stretches over the two of you
>You can still taste Rainbow’s lips on yours, and that fire in your chest is unquenched
>It’s weird; now that you know it’s not going to happen, you *really* want it to
>But if Rainbow wants to wait then… well, you’ll figure it out
“Anyway…”
>”Yeah. I gotta rest”
“…gotta go check Silver and Diamond. Yeah.”
>Dash sighs
>She gives you a quick, chaste hug
>”I’ll text ya, okay?”
“Yeah.”
>”See you at practice.”

>And with that, you leave
>You still feel dazed as you walk out of Dash’s dorm and into the parking lot
>And that’s when you remember: Rainbow drove you here
>You don’t have your own car with you
>Walking up and asking her for a ride now sounds *really* awkward
>But what are your other options…?

>You open your phone, and that’s when you see Pinkie is still near the top of your contacts list
>Several thoughts pop into the back of your mind, the kind of thoughts that make your slightly-horny adolescent mind spin
>But you push them away… for now
>Pinkie would probably be the best to go to for advice
>That girl has zero filter, and if what Rainbow told you is true, she has a *ton* of experience
>Your hands shake slightly as you type out your message
[hey, sorry, could you come and get me? i’m at RD’s dorm]
>Pinkie replies quickly
>[sure! be right there]
>You have a few minutes to yourself now to sit on the curb and just think
>Instead of calming down, though, you feel more and more jittery, almost full-to-bursting with desires to…
>Your thoughts are interrupted by a honking horn
>You look up to see Pinkie roll up in her battered Sedan; colorful bumper stickers on the back label it as the “party wagon” and assure you that there’s “plenty of room in the trunk”
>You feel yourself sweating despite the pleasant spring weather
>Pinkie gives you her signature cheery grin as you plop down in the passenger seat
>”Heya, Cutie-loo~!”
“Hey.”
>She pulls out of the parking lot and onto the main road
>You start fidgeting with the hem of your shorts, trying to keep your leg from bouncing
>Pinkie sneaks a glance at you
>”Everything alright?”
“Yeah. Sorta.”
>Pinkie fixes you in her gaze for an uncomfortably long time, until you’re about to start squirming in your seat
“I…”
>”…need a milkshake.”
“Huh?”
>”Yep, I’ve seen plenty of ‘I need a fat chocolate milkshake with the works’ faces in my day. And that’s one of ‘em. Hold tight!”
>Pinkie wheels the car around like something out of Tokyo Drift, flinging you against the door
“Gah!”
>”Heehee. Sorry!”
>She practically races to Sugarcube Corner, then orders you the promised milkshake
>It’s cold and dripping with frosting and spinkles, and it tastes delicious
>”Perfect, huh?”
“It’s really good. Thanks, Pinkie.”
>”No problemo! And now that I’ve bribed you…”
>Pinke wriggles her eyebrows
>You sigh, smiling in spite of yourself
“I have to tell you what’s up?”
>”Yepperino! You and Dashie have a little fight?”
“No, not a fight.”
>”But things got real weird, didn’t they?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
>”Poor Dashie. She’s having a reeeeal bad time, you know.”
“I do, yeah. I tried to help out, but I think I might have made things a lot weirder.”
>”Heehee. Take it from me, kiddo. There’s no way to make weirdness normal again. You just gotta make it into a better kind of weird.”
“Huh. That… kinda makes sense.”
>”Just a little Pie Family Wisdom! You’d be surprised at just what ol’ Pinkie knows.”
>She winks
“Y-yeah?”
>”Ab-so-lutely!”
“I actually… did wanna ask you about something.”
>Pinkie's already-bright face brightens
>"Yeeeeeeah?"

“If I like someone, how do I get them…”
>”To wanna get down and dirty with ya?”
>You blush, and Pinkie throws her head back, laughing until her whole soft body is juggling with glee
>”Awww, Cutie-loo, I can read you like a book! You got it bad for someone, doncha?”
“I don’t ‘have it bad!’ There’s just… someone I’m kinda interested in.”
>Pinkie’s still watching you, which a little nerve-wracking, seeing as she’s driving
>Miraculously, though, she seems to steer without even needing to look
>Her eyes sweep over you, and Pinkie’s face goes from cheery to deadly-serious
>”Hmmm…”
“Uh, everything okay?”
>”Who could it be? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…”
“Pinkie?”
>”HMMMMMMM.”
“Look, you know who it is already!”
>Pinkie snorts
>”I do! I just wanna hear ya admit it.”
“It’s Diamond. Tiara, obviously. And I already know she’s into girls. Found that out the hard way. So that’s step one, or whatever.”
>”Oooooh. But she’s got it bad for Silver Spoon. Drama~.”
“It’s not like that! I mean, it is. But still…”
>”Hey, not like you and Silver can’t share.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.”
>Pinkie winks
>”You’d be surprised. Anyhoo, boy do I have some advice for ya! Rich girls like her, they all want the same thing.”
“What?”
>”Just think about it. She’s get every single things she wants. Dresses, fancy parties, big house… she has *the* life. But what doesn’t she have?”
>Pinkie strokes her chin as if she had a beard
>She’s still not looking at the road
>Somehow you’re both still not dead
“I don’t know. A girlfriend?”
>”Well duuuuuuuh. What else?”
“Does it have to be a riddle?”
>”Yep!”
“Fine. She…”
>You think back to your night at Diamond’s house
“…she doesn’t have her dad around very often. And her mom’s a psycho.”
>”Bingo! She has everything she wants. But who wants her?
“Silver. I guess. And me.”
>”And who else?”
“I… I don’t really know.”
>Pinkie nods, looking suddenly solemn
>”Then you know what you gotta do?”
“I gotta… *want* her?”
>”Bingo!” Pinkie says, pointing finger guns at your face
>The car is now moving totally uncontrolled
>Somehow it’s still on the road; she actually drives better without touching the wheel than you or Rainbow Dash do normally
>”You gotta want the *fuck* outta that girl. And you gotta make her know it.”
“But like, how? What does that mean?”
>Pinkie shrugs
>”You think I’m gonna do all the work for ya? That’s no fun!”
>She winks
>”But I can give you a teensy hint. Annoy her.”
“That… sounds like the worst advice ever.”
>Pinkie giggle-snorts
>”Good advice usually does! That girl’s got everyone kissing her little princess booty 24/7. They’re afraid of her, or they want something from her. So you gotta treat her a little rough, knowhatimean?”
“I think?”
>”Good! Don’t worry, you’ll screw up no matter what. But that’s why being sixteen is so much fun!”
>With a screech of tires, you realize Pinkie’s pulled up outside your house
>She shoves you out of the car
>”Now go put the moves on ‘er, tiger.”
>She purrs, then drives off
>She’s barely been gone for forty-five seconds when you get a ping on your phone
>”[oh and btw, if you need any toys or a demonstration, text me ;)]
>A heat-flash hits your whole body, and you walk up the stairs to your apartment in a daze
>Your first kiss was barely twenty minutes ago
>Now… are you seriously gonna try and put the moves on Diamond?
>You open the door, and find that she’s seated on your couch, buried in her phone
>She’s dressed in her usual clothes now, though you notice that the ones you gave her are neatly folded on the couch next to her
>You stand in the doorway, looking dumbstruck, and Diamond glances up from her phone
>”Oh. Welcome back. Silver had to go, but I wanted to stay a bit. So we can talk.”
"Talk? About what?"
>Diamond shrugs, averting her eyes
>"I don't know. I should thank you again, I guess. And... I want more of your advice. You're way better at this than I am. What do I do about Silver? Last night was amazing. I want it to happen again."

>You shrug
“I’m not an expert on this stuff, Di.”
>Diamond raises an eyebrow
>”Then, the advice you’ve given me…?”
“I just go with what feels right. That’s all you can do.”
>”I see. I don’t exactly have any idea what feels right, though.”
“Yeah, I can tell.”
>Diamond scowls
>You plop down next to her on the couch and start unstrapping your legs
>Diamond politely averts her eyes from the whole process, though you can tell it makes her a little uncomfortable
“But hey, you like her and she likes you. That’s a start.”
>”Perhaps. You’re *sure* she has feelings for me? Or that it’s at least possible she does?”
“Why wouldn’t she? Sure, you’re a turbo-bitch on the outside—“
>”Hey!”
“—but you’re actually pretty cool. I mean, if I can start start liking you after you called me Scoota-lame for six years, then she must be head over heels.”
>Diamond buries her face in her hands
>”I totally forgot about that. Pleeeeeeeease don’t make me relive it.”
>She peeks out at you from between her fingers
>”I’m sorry, obviously. God, how embarrassing…”
>You chuckle, elbowing Diamond’s shoulder
“Y’know, the teasing was totally worth it just to see your face right now.”
>Diamond frowns, but says nothing
>When she drops her hands from her face, she’s blushing furiously
>”About Silver…”
“Mmm, right. So, where do you want this whole thing to go? You wanna take her on a date? Cuddle more often? Fuck her?”
>”F-fuck her!? That’s way down the line! I haven’t even thought…”
“Heh. Yeah, you have. C’mon, it’s nothing weird. You’re hot and you know it. She’s cute. You could probably make it happen, if you wanted to.”
>Diamond is so flustered she can hardly speak
>”I am *not* ready for anything like that yet.”
“You can say that again.”
>You smirk
>Diamond folds her arms over her chest
>”I just want to spend more time with her. And I do want to be close to her physically, more.”
“Just say ‘cuddle,’ you weirdo.”
>”S-shut up. I want to… to *cuddle* with her more. Or whatever. That was nice.”
“Then there ya go. Now grab your phone.”
>”Huh?”
“You’re gonna shoot her some texts. First, say you’re still thinking of her.”
>”If this doesn’t work…”
“Then you’re still better off than how you started. Now get textin’.”
>Diamond picks up her phone
>[Hey. I’m still thinking of you.]
“Why do you text like a weirdo?”
>”What do you mean?”
“Like… Jesus, that sounds like something a serial killer would write.”
>”I’m using proper punctuation and grammar! Because I’m educated.”
“Yeah, alright.”
>You roll your eyes, and Diamond looks like she wants to strangle you
>Silver texts back quickly
>[heyy, me too!]
>[everything going okay at scoots’?]
>Diamond glances up at you
>Her thumbs are starting to shake
>”Do you think she knows?”
“You’re too paranoid. Tell her you’re fine, and that you miss her.”
>[I’m fine. We’re both fine. I miss you.]
“God, how do you make everything sound so creepy?”
>”I’m just saying what you tell me to say!”
>[haha i’ve only been gone for an hour!]
“…okay, maybe that was a bit clingy.”
>”It was your idea!”
“Look, I told you, I’m not an expert!”
>”Gah…”
>Diamond’s hands are trembling badly as she tries to think up what to type next
>”Come on, help me out!”

“Quit freakin’ out and just ask her to hang out tomorrow!”
>”Where?”
“I dunno, figure it out.”
>Diamond grits her teeth
>She looks like she’s trying to diffuse a bomb, not just make plans to meet with her crush
>”A-ah, um…”
>[Do you want to go to Sugarcube Corner with me tomorrow? After school, of course.]
>[sure!]
>Diamond lets out a sigh of relief, and her entire body goes limp
>”Why was that so hard?”
“You tell me, fam. You’re making this, like, a hundred times weirder than it needs to be.”
>”Well, how do I un-weird it, if you’re so smart?”
“Just… do what feels right. If the two of you like each other, it’ll happen.”
>”Hmph. It’s not that simple, and you know it.”
“It…”
>You think back to Rainbow Dash, and the kiss that you promised to forget about
“…yeah, you’re right.”
>You lean over and bump Diamond’s shoulder
“Good luck though. I mean it.”
>”Mm.”
>She stares at nothing for a bit, lost in thought
>”…thank you for your help.”
“No sweat.”
>”I do have to ask: why *are* you so interested in me and Silver getting together?”
“H-huh? What do you mean?”
>Now it’s your turn to look flustered
>Diamond turns her cold, bright-blue eyes on you
>You realize she has that same kind of soul-scrutinizing gaze that Pinkie does; only instead of jocular and friendly, hers feels eerie, like she can see all your insecurities lined up and tagged before her
>”You’ve put in a *lot* of work, just getting me and her together. Not to say that we’re *together*-together, of course, but still. Why? You don’t have someone of your own, that I’m aware of. Why do all this?”
“I… I dunno.”
>Diamond’s eyes don’t leave your face
“I just kinda like you guys. You’re cute together. And I want to see things work out for you.”
>”I see.”
>Diamond finally looks away
>”Well, I am grateful. If you want something from me in return, you’ll definitely get it.”
“That’s not what this is about, c’mon.”
>”I know.”
>…
>”But still. I owe you, I guess.”
“Alright. Let’s say… twenty-thousand dollars, cash.”
>Diamond glances at you, one eyebrow raised
>You hold her gaze, trying your best to look serious
>Then you burst out laughing, clutching your gut and trying not to slide off the couch
“Holy shit, did you actually believe me?”
>”I told you, I was serious!”
>In spite of herself, Diamond is smiling too
>”And you’re lowballing yourself, too. Twenty-thousand? I’d replace your dump of a car with a Maserati, if you asked.”
>Your jaw drops, and Diamond smirks
“Okay, I think I’m gonna take back all that selfless stuff I said…”
>Now it’s Diamond’s turn to laugh
>It’s strange hearing real laughter out of her; not the derisive stuff you’d get back when you and her were little kids, but genuine, giggly peals that just make you wanna hug her
>You *really* wanna hug her, you realize
>Diamond covers her mouth, looking happier than you’ve ever seen her
>She glances over your shoulder, then sighs
>”I probably should go home, though. My mom has been texting me constantly, and she’s…”
“Yeah…”
>Diamond sighs
>”If she finds out about this, she’s gonna kill me.”
“Oooh. So it’s forbidden love, now?”
>”S-shut up. Maybe. Honestly, that’s pretty accurate. My life isn’t going to stop being weird anytime soon, is it?”
“It’s highschool. I don’t think normal exists at all for us, right now. Probably won’t until we’re all forty.”
>”There’s a comforting though,” Diamond says, a wry grin on her face
>She stands up and starts gathering her things, then heads for the door

>You grab her in a quick, friendly hug before she leaves
>Diamond leans into the embrace, a little stiff, and she awkwardly pats the small of your back
>You get the vague impression that this girl doesn’t receive a lot of hugs
>Just as she opens the door though, you stop her
“Hey. Real quick, do you have Pinkie Pie’s number?”
>”Number? No, but I follow her instagram. Easily one of Canterlot’s best. Why?”
“Just sayin’, if you want some advice on getting *intimate* with Silver…”
>You wriggle your eyebrows
“…she’s the girl to go to.”
>Diamond blushes furiously
>”I do *not* think about her like that.”
“Heheh, yeah ya do. C’mon, it’s cool.”
>Diamond drops her eyes
>”I mean, a bit, but… but that’s *so* far away, if it ever happens at all.”
>You shrug
“I dunno, man. Look at yourself.”
>”What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean? If anyone’s gonna make her realize she’s into girls, it’ll be you.”
>Diamond’s blush deepens
>”…maybe.”
>She turns to leave again, but this time she stops herself
>”Wait. *You* don’t think about me in that way… do you?”
“I mean, kinda. Yeah. How could I not? You’re really fuckin’ pretty.”
>”I suppose so,” Diamond says
>Her voice comes out as little more than a squeak
>”Well, t-thank you for the compliment. But I really should be going.”
>She haughtily flips her hair over her shoulder and struts out the door
>You watch her go, only now realizing how much heat has pooled in your own face
>Man, Silver is one lucky girl…
>Speaking of, you set up their date for them tomorrow, didn’t you?
>You pick up your phone and shoot Pinkie a text
[hey. things going well with diamond.]
>[ooooooh, nice work! when’s your first date!?]
[actually, she’s going to meet with silver spoon tomorrow. they’ll be at sugarcube after school.]
>[wait, you’re not going with!?]
[i have practice. but I need your help. can I call you?]
>[sure can!]
>You call, and Pinkie picks up immediately
>”Pinkie Pie’s Conquest Consultation Service. This is Pinkie speaking. How can I help ya?”
>She snickers, and you start trying to think of how you want to plan this
>If Diamond and Silver really do get together… what will that mean for you?

“Hey, Pinkie.”
>”Ready for orders, ma’am.”
“Just… keep them for a while, alright? I’m gonna try and come by after practice.”
>”Oooh. I can give ‘em some reasons to stick around~.”
“Hell yeah. You’re the best.”
>Pinkie snorts
>”I know! I’ll pull out the works. Milkshake with two straws, tiny booth so that their legs are touching under the table, *maybe* I’ll accidentally spill a drink and…”
>Pinkie cuts herself off
>”Well, I don’t wanna give away *too* many of my tricks.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll probably show up with my usual group.”
>”You’re turnin’ this into a proper party.”
“Hey, it’s spring break next week. I just wanna make sure there’s some action lined up.”
>”I feel ya there!”
“Oh, and speaking of action…?”
>”Oooh?”
“…do you know anyone around, like, CHS who might secretly be into me?”
>”Ha! Oh man, Diamond, Silver, and now you’re looking for some mystery girl? You really get around, doncha Cutie-loo?”
“I’m just trying to see what my options are.”
>”Eheheheheh…”
>Pinkie’s laugh sounds disturbingly Palpatine-esque
“What’s so funny?”
>”I don’t really know what the drama is back at CHS. But I do happen to have a very eligible and *very* lonely sister.”
“For real? I mean… is she, y’know, gay?”
>”No clue!”
“Oh.”
>”But she sure hasn’t shown interest in boys before! Or anybody, really. Except her weird rock collection.”
“Huh. *This* is who you’re trying to set me up with?”
>”Yep! Don’t worry, she’s super smart, *really* sweet, and I must say, she’s a fox.”
“Bruh. That’s your sister.”
>”We inherited the same fox gene!”
“Hmm. I dunno. How old is she?”
>”Twenty-three.”
“Gah! That’s, like, double my age! I mean, okay, I kinda suck at math, but… Jesus, that’s kinda old.”
>”Twenty-three isn’t old!”
“I dunno. Sounds kinda weird…”
>”I’d be happy to set up a little triple-date for us! Trust me, she needs, needs, *needs* the company.”
“I’ll think about it.”
>”Yay! Well, it looks like we’re all set for tomorrow! Now, if you’ll gimme a moment, I got some *business* to take care of~.”
“Wait, what’s that supposed to…”
>*click*
“…mean.”
>You set your phone down and lay back in bed
>Diamond and Silver’s date…
>Your friends…
>Pinkie and her sister…
>Rainbow Dash…
>All seven of them just kinda dance through your head
>It’s already getting late, and you decide to text your friends before they head off to bed
[hey. you dudes wanna come to scc with me after practice?]
>Applebloom: [can do!]
>Sweetie: [omg yessssssssss. i’m already sick of this week and it’s barely started]
[what’s up?]
>SB: [rarity’s break is this week and she’s coming home. she’s being such a biiiiiiitch]
>AB: [more than usual?]
>SB: [lol ye. anything to get me away from her]
[cool! see you two tomorrow. let’s do, like, 4:30]

>And so, tomorrow comes
>You generally don’t see Diamond much around school, but today you catch her eye once or twice
>She gives you a weird look each time: she’s not smiling, but you can tell she’s happy to see you, in her own weird way
>You do smile back at her, and you relish watching how that makes her blush
>During a break between classes, though, Silver is actually the one who approaches you
>She catches you just as you’re shutting your locker
>”Hey, Scoots.”
“Oh, hey.”
>You lean against the wall, and Silver stands back a bit, clutching her books to her chest
“What’s up?”
>”I just wanted to… ah, blech. I forgot what I was going to say. But… thanks, for yesterday.”
“What do you mean?”
>”You know what I mean,” she says, a sly smile crossing her face. “Diamond trying to act all bold and romantic. That was you.”
“Oh, heh. I mean, yeah. She would have ended up just pissing her pants otherwise.”
>Silver chuckles
>”I love how nervous she gets. It’s cute. It’s really cute.”
“She’s a cutie, alright. You’re a lucky girl, Silver.”
>Silver glances away
>”I am. I guess… I do still kinda want your advice. I liked our night together. I liked being close to her, letting her hold me. It felt good. But… I dunno, I still can’t imagine, like… *going further*, with her.”

>You give Silver a sly smile
“Hey, you can always give it a shot.”
>Silver’s face goes red
>”I know. But I don’t know how. What if… what if I don’t like it? I’ll kill her.”
“It doesn’t have to be a big thing. Just fool around a little, y’know? See what you like.”
>”I guess…”
“Know what? How about we have a spring-break party? A little booze, a few *adult* party-games…”
>Silver’s blush deepens, but she holds your gaze
>”And you think that’ll work?”
>You shrug
“It’s a way to play around without just going for it. If you like it, great. If not… oh well, I guess.”
>”That’s not a bad idea. It’ll definitely be easier if I’m a little drunk. But…”
>Silver chuckles
>”I sound so awkward. I don’t even know, like, what to *do* with her.”
“You’ve got the internet.”
>”Yeah, but… blech.”
“And there’s always Pinkie Pie,” you say with a wink. “That girl knows *everything* about fuckin’.”
>”I-I think I’ll just focus on kissing for now! But yeah. I guess… if we really do become a thing… that’ll happen, won’t it?”
“Probably, yeah.”
>”And I guess some practical advice wouldn’t hurt. I don’t know her that well, though.”
“Trust me, *nothing* is awkward with Pinkie Pie.”
>”Right. I… I might have to chat with her. If I can get up the nerve.”
>Silver sighs
>”Man, this is weird.”
>She’s a little shaky, but a big, wild smile spreads over her normally-placid face
>”But it’s a good weird. It feels exciting, kinda crazy.”
“Hell yeah. That’s how it’s supposed to feel. I think.”
>You realize that she’s feeling pretty much the same thing you did when you hung out with Rainbow
>That wild, jittery abandon, wanting to just throw yourself at someone without really knowing what the outcome will be
>You bump your shoulder against Silver’s arm
“Hey, I gotta head off. But text me, alright? Let’s hang out more.”
>”Sure! Definitely, sure!”

>The rest of your day at school is… well, a day at school
>The fresh, crisp spring smell has made its way through the halls, though, drowning out the normally sour smell of highschoolers
>So you’re feeling energized and bouncy when you make your way out onto the soccer field
>Rainbow Dash is standing there, a ball under her arm as she barks orders to some of your teammates
>She turns when she hears you coming, and your eyes meet
>For a brief moment, she glances away
>But then she puts on a smile
>”Hey, Scoots! Go ahead and get warmed up! We’re gonna run some skirmishes today. You guys are playing Crystal Prep on Friday, and it’s looking like that’ll be the last game of the season.”
“Right. Can do!”
>You just try to ignore the weird thoughts buzzing in the back of your mind
>Just a day ago, you were in her lap, kissing her

>As you run through practice, you can feel Rainbow’s eyes following you
>That’s normal: she’s your coach and you’re her star player
>But it feels different now
>She’s practically *only* watching you
>The afternoon sun is rich and golden, and you’re slick with sweat by the time practice ends
>While the other players head out to shower, you stick around on the field to practice a few more kicks, as you usually do
>Then you head into the locker room yourself; it’s silent now, and it seems empty
>You strip out of your sweat-soaked practice uniform and wrap yourself in a towel, then head into the showers
>As you approach them, though, you can hear that the water’s already running
>You grit your teeth: you *hate* showering around other people; not that you give a shit about being naked, but it makes you feel weird and gimpy that you need to use the handicapped bench
>So you peak around the corner, just wanting to see who’s even in there
>It’s Rainbow
>She’s standing in the corner by herself, lathered with soap, water cascading down her lithe body
>The parts of her that aren’t colored by a sporty olive tan—namely her hips and around her breasts—are surprisingly pale and glisten in the shower room’s fluorescent light
>You stare for a moment, then duck back behind the wall
>Your heart’s pounding

>For a moment, you consider just hiding in a bathroom stall until Rainbow leaves
>But then you might be late for your meeting with your friends…
>You sigh, then stand up and head in
>It’s just Rainbow…
>You’re both girls, it’s not like she has any special equipment you haven’t seen before
>But god*damn*, she’s so hot…
>Rainbow glances over
>”Scoots? You’re still here?”
>For a moment, she covers herself
“Hey, yeah. Stuck around for a bit of extra practice.”
>”Oh. Cool.”
“Yeah.”
>You slip your towel off and hang it up
>Though your back is turned, you can feel Rainbow’s eyes on you, running from your knees, to your thighs, to your petite, boyish upper bidy
>She’s eyeing you up, you realize
>The thought makes you giddy, and your legs tremble as you walk over to the handicapped shower, nearly spilling you to the ground
>You take a seat, feeling cold, rough plastic dig into your bare butt
>Then you unstrap your legs
>Rainbow has her back turned, but you catch her stealing glances
>Just once, you let your eyes catch hers
>She looks away, trying to play it cool
>”You were lookin’ good. Out there, I mean.”
“Thanks! Yeah, I feel really good. It’s been a good season.”
>”It has.”
>You stow your legs in a little waterproof bin, then start the shower
>It sprays cold at first, chilling you to the bone, but it quickly warms up to near-scalding
>You get it as hot as you can tolerate, letting it sooth the aches from your muscles
>Dash runs her hands along her wet body, wiping away the last strands of suds
>Hey figure is pure, sleek muscle: no hair anywhere but on her head and a tiny bit near her crotch
>She shifts her weight from foot to foot as she washes, and you can see the muscles in her thighs and in her buttocks flexing hypnotically
>You look away, instead busying yourself with the business of washing yourself
>”Hey. You been feeling okay today?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Really good, actually.”
>”Nice. That’s great, dude.”
“How about you? Is everything cool with Spitfire?”
>”More than cool. She’s, like, super freaked out around me now. I think we scared her good.”
“Aww, yeah. Man, that was so cool.”
>”It was awesome. Really awesome…”
>Rainbow falls silent
>You can tell she’s thinking about The Kiss too
>You glance over your shoulder and catch her looking at you
>Not at anything lewd, just… looking at you
>This time, she doesn’t look away
>She gives you a small smile
>”You wanna hang out some more this week?”
“Yeah, sure. I’m gonna be busy after school today, but…”
>”Hey, no worries. Our season is winding down this week too. Maybe over break? You’re always welcome at my place. And if you want me over, just call me, little bud.”
>She does that thumb-and-pinkie phone signal with her hand
>You nod
“Yeah. I will.”
>”Cool. Well, I gotta go get dressed, but I’ll see ya tomorrow, ‘kay Scoots?”
“Yeah. See you!”
>Dash heads out of the shower, and you can hear the slap of her bare feet against the tile floor trailing away into the lockers
>You sigh
>Man, that felt weird
>Your heart is still racing, and your body feels red-hot, not just from the shower
>You turn the water a little colder, trying to put that fire out
>She’s so *hot*
>You knew she was, 
>You close your eyes and try to imprint that image of her naked body in your memory
>You… might have a need for it later

>After a nice amount of time sitting under the cold water, you towel off and dress in your usual clothes
>Then you head off to meet your friends
>You’re a little late to Sugarcube Corner, on account of the distractions, but you still find Sweetie and Applebloom standing outside
>And man, Sweetie’s goth phase must *really* have been rekindled at the party: she’s wearing a lacy black gown and heavy, clonky leather boots
>You raise an eyebrow
>”What? I’m just doing it to piss Rarity off. It’s *so* funny, how much she hates this look.”
“You look like the coolest girl at the middle school prom.”
>Sweetie play-slaps your shoulder
>Applebloom, meanwhile, is pearing through the window
>”Hey, girls? Diamond Tiara’s already here,” she says
“Yeah, I know. We’re cool with her now, remember?”
>”Yeah, she’s fine now and all, but are we sure we wanna hang out with her?”
“Hell yeah I’m sure. C’mon. Let’s see what Pinkie’s cooked up…”
>Inside, you see that Applelboom was right: Diamond and Silver are squished together in a booth, chatting
>As Pinkie promised, a single frothy milshake lies between them, but with two straws
>Man, that’s cute…
>Diamond looks up when you enter, and her face registers surprise, then a bit of relief, and then finally settles into her usual “I’m better than you” scowl
>”Oh. Hey.”
>Silver looks over her shoulder
>Unlike Diamond, she just looks genuinely happy to see you
>”Hey, Scoots!”

“Eyy, fancy seeing you two here!”
>”What? This whole thing was *your* idea,” Diamond sarcastically reminds you
“Yeah, and it was a great idea. You two look so cute together.”
>Both girls drop their eyes, blushing furiously
>”Thanks,” Silver manages to force out
>”Well, *obviously*…” Diamond mutters
>You snicker and slide into a booth directly across from theirs, alongside your friends
>Innocent little Applebloom hardly seems to take notice of the interaction that just went on, and she starts browsing the menu
>Sweetie, however, glances at Silver and Diamond, then at you, then back at the two of them, and then finally back to them
>”Uh…”
“What?”
>”Are the two of them, you know… you know?”
“I think they’re getting there.”
>”Wild. I mean, there’ve always been rumors about the two of being, well… you know.”
“I do know. Guess everyone else figured it out before they did.”
>”Heh, yeah.”
>”We can hear you, you know!” Diamond says from their table
>Her face is flaming red, and Silver looking like she’s trying really, really hard not to laugh
“Hey, it’s rude to listen in on other people’s conversations.”
>”It’s also rude to go around talking about—“
“About what?”
>Diamond pouts
>”You know what. Never mind.”
>She takes an incredibly angry sip of her and Silver’s milkshake
>Silver bites down on her hand to keep from giggling
>Applebloom is still watching all of this unfold with puzzled interest
>”Wait, what’s so funny? Diamond and Silver hang out all th’ time.”
>You glance at Sweetie, grinning
“You gonna tell her? Or should I?”
>”Tell me what? Man, y’all are always keepin’ secrets from me.”
>”We’re not keeping secrets. You’re just sheltered with a capital S,” Sweetie says, smirking
>”Hey, it’s not my fault Applejack won’t buy us a computer. C’mon, tell me what’s goin’ on!”
>You and Sweetie can’t help it, and you just fall to pieces laughing
>Across from you, Diamond has her face buried in her hands, looking about ready to die from embarrassment
“Oh, man, Applebloom…” you say, wiping tears from your eyes. “There’s *so* much we’re gonna have to catch you up on.”
>”Y’all are always keepin’ the good stuff from me! Like memes, rock n’ roll music, and whatever the heck an ‘only fans’ is supposed to be!”
>This just kills you and Sweetie all over again
>You both laugh until tears are streaming down your face and you’re practically falling out of your seats
>”Heeeeey, girls!” comes a bubbly voice from behind you. “Somebody mention OnlyFans?”
>Pinkie appears, carrying a plastic tray full of glasses of water
“Hey, Pinkie,” you say, dragging yourself back up into a sitting position. “We’re just, uh… educating Applebloom.”
>”Oh, fun! You know, her big sis probably a few more stories than she’s letting onto…”
>”Stories? ‘bout what?” Applebloom asks
>”Heehee. Just ask her about that night during the big storm two years back, when she spent the night with Rarity and Twilight,” Pinkie says with a wink. “So what’s up? It’s been a while since I seen all three of my favorite crusaders hanging around here!”

“We just wanted to hang out. And, y’know…”
>You nod your head towards the budding couple sitting next to you and wink
>Pinkie snickers
“So, what’s all this about Applejack? You can’t just tease us with that juicy shit!”
>”Seriously, what’re y’all talkin’ about my sister for? What’s so juicy?”
>Now you, Applebloom, and Sweetie are all staring at Pinkie, who has this massive, smug grin plastered across her face
>”Oh, man. Where to begin, where to begin…” she muses to herself
>Then she plops down at the table, slinging an arm around Applebloom’s shoulder
>”You ever go poking around your big sister’s closet, Bloomie?”
>”Uh… like once, I guess, when I was lookin’ for a Remington to scare off a rabid badger.”
>You and Sweetie exchange a glance: man, life on the farm must be nuts
>Pinkie nods
>”Uh huh, uh huh. And did you find anything funny?”
>”Funny? I mean, I found a few weird, frilly dresses… some short skirts… I figured they were just stuff our mom gave to—“
>Pinkie can’t handle it anymore, and she bursts out laughing
>”Hah! Oh man, I knew it I knew it I knew it!”
>”Knew what? Why’s everyone actin’ like they know my sister better than me?” Applebloom pouts
>”I know a few things you don’t~” Pinkie says. “Those fancy outfits were a ‘special present’ from Rarity. The two of them used to be *pretty friendly* back when you were still little.”
>”You don’t mean like… huggin’ and kissin’ and stuff, do ya?” Applebloom asks
>Her face has gone pale with shock
>”A little more than that, kiddo.”
>”But… but that’s illegal!”
>This time, all three of you howl with laughter
>Applebloom goes beet-red
“If it was illegal, Pinkie woulda been locked up a long time ago. Me too, I guess.”
>”Scootaloo! You… you’re…”
>You shrug
“Fuck it, yeah. This is me coming out, I guess.”
>Applebloom looks like her whole world has collapsed around her
>”My sister… my best friend… and Pinkie Pie…”
>Pinkie gently pats Applebloom on the back
>”Aww, don’t worry about it, lil’ Bloomie. It’s just people enjoying themselves! Nothing to worry about.”
>”But… but what if I’m, secretly, y’know…”
>Pinkie winks
>”Hey, you never know~”
“And don’t worry. It isn’t so bad.”
>Applebloom gulps
>Pinkie stands up, looking like she needs to head off and deal with another table
>But before she leaves, she turns back to the three of you
>”And, and speaking of girls enjoying themselves, there *might* be a few videos of Applejack in costume floating around. Professionally shot by Rarity, of course.”
“Holy shit.”
>”Rarity was *really* into short little skirts. Just google RariJack Cosplay, you’ll find ‘em.”
>Pinkie winks, and then skips off
>Applebloom looks like she wishes she could just sink into the floor and disappear
>”Mah own sister. This whole time…”
“You kidding me? Dude, you’re so lucky.”
>”I don’t know what you’re so worked up about. *My* sister was involved too. Though I’m not at all surprised.”
>Both you and Applebloom turn to stare at her
>”What? Come on, you know she’s camming for strangers. At least I think she is. She’s camming for *someone*, with all those weird noises coming from her room.”
“Yo… you wanna gimme a link?”
>”Eww, no! Ew, ew, ew.”
>Sweetie shakes her head
>”I have *no* idea why everyone thinks she’s so hot. She’s *such* a slob when she’s home alone.”
>A silence stretches between the two of you as you all process the weirdness of that conversation
>”So,” Appleblooms eventually says. “Y’all are really… like that, Scoots?”
“Like what? Gay? I mean, I guess.”
>”Huh. Alright.”
>Applebloom drops her eyes
>Sweetie looks nonplussed about the whole thing
>She leans her cheek against her hand, turning her mascara-lidded eyes on you
>”Is there, like, someone you have a crush on?” she asks

“Honestly? I’m into *everybody* right now.”
>That gets a wry laugh out of Sweetie Belle
>Applebloom shifts in her seat, looking a little nervous
>”Even… like, even me?”
“Hah! Okay, no, you’re safe.”
>”Oh? And what about me?” Sweetie asks
>She bats her eyelashes at you
>You can tell she’s joking—just a bit of gay chicken between friends—but there’s no way anybody’s beating you at gay chicken
“Oh, you can definitely get it, if you keep looking all hot and goth.”
>Sweetie lets out a slightly nervous chuckle, blushing
>”You like it?”
“It’s fuckin’ great.”
>”It *kills* Rarity. She says I look like a Hot Topic manager from 2006.”
“Well, she’s not wrong. But you’re super making it work.”
>Sweetie curls a little of her hair around her finger
>”You think I should dye this too? That would be the nail in the coffin. No pun intended.”
“Oh my gooood, yes. Do it.”
>”I might~”
>Applebloom glances between the two of you 
>”Is… is something goin’ on here?”
>”Oh, I don’t think so. Is there?” Sweetie asks you
>She still has that “I’m just playing around” tone in her voice
>So you’ll call her bluff
“Maybe. I’m just looking to play around though, y’know? Find out what I like.”
>”Oh, sounds fun. I wouldn’t mind being played around with…”
>Sweetie’s foot touches your thigh under the table, making you jump
>She bursts out laughing
>”Hah! Oh man, that’s the gayest thing I’ve ever said.”
“Maybe not the gayest. But it was up there.”
>You’re laughing too, but your heart is hammering
>Beneath the joke, there was definitely some sexual tension, you’re pretty sure of it
>Applebloom is still totally lost
>”Wait… were y’all talkin’ about gay stuff again?”
>That just kills you and Sweetie all over again

>After that, though, the moment fades
>Whatever just happened, it’s over for now: the three of you are just friends again, eating some burgers and then getting ready to head out
>Next to you, Silver and Diamond are chatting, giggling, just like you remember they used to
>It seems like everyone is having a decent time, it seems
>You’re not really sure where that leaves you now, though
>Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Diamond Tiara, and maybe even Sweetie Belle
>Your head is just spinning with girls
>Diamond and Silver get up to leave while you and Applebloom are in the middle of a pointless argument about whether it’s possible to do a backflip and land in a handstand
>Diamond gives you a curt nod, and Silver gives you a bright smile and waves
>”Later, Scoots! It was cool to see you!
>”Mm,” Diamond agrees. “We’ll see you tomorrow, I suppose.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah…”


>You wave to her, feeling a little twisted up in your chest
>She really is so insanely pretty
>As she walks away, your eyes drift down Diamond’s back until they come to focus on her booty, swaying slightly as she walks and cradled by tight-fitting designer jeans
>Silver or no Silver, you’re going to find a way to get a piece of that
>You can already feel yourself beginning to sweat, just at the thought…
>Sweetie elbows you in the ribs, a sly smile on her face
>”You really weren’t kidding. You’re just into everyone, eh?”
“Hey, man, *look* at that. How could anyone not stare?”
>Sweetie follows your gaze
>”I can kinda see what you mean…”
>For a moment, you two have your eyes focused on Diamond’s prize, until she steps out and is lost in the night
>You sigh
>”Same, though.”
“Man, I just wanna… *gah*.”
>You mime sinking your fingers into something, and Sweetie giggles
>”Feeling a little pent-up?”
“You could say that.”
>”Well…”
“What?”
>”Nothing.”
>Applebloom seems like she’s finally starting to figure out what’s going on
>”Wait, were y’all just staring at Diamond’s butt?”
“You weren’t?”
>”If any girl has a butt worth staring at, it’s her.”
>”Eeeew. Y’all are so weird today.”
“Hey, what can I say. I’m just kinda in a weird mood.”
>You shoot a glance over at Sweetie Belle
>That flash of tension is back
>She catches your eye
>”Yeah, me too.”
>Applebloom shrugs
>”Well, whatever. I gotta be gettin’ home for evenin’ chores anyway. You two go… do whatever weird stuff you’re talkin’ about.”
>Applebloom skedaddles off, looking happy to get away
>You look back at Sweetie and raise an eyebrow
>”What?”
“I’m just sayin’, we totally could. Just as friends.”
>Sweetie smirks
>”We could what as friends? Have a little ‘study session.’”
“I mean, if you’re okay having me over. I do have a lot of homework to get done…”
>Sweetie laughs
>”You’re *so* not smooth.”
“Hey, I just wanna get to the point. Am I coming over or not?”
>”Well, Rarity will be home, but…”
>A devilish grin flashes across Sweetie’ face
>”You know what? Why not. I’ll drive.”

>And so the two of you head off towards Sweetie’s place
>The drive over is tense; you feel flushed, frantic, and an urge to get your hands on Sweetie burns in your gut
>You’ve been best friends with this girl since the two of you were eight years old
>Are you seriously gonna…?
>What are you even expecting to happen?
>You don’t know, but something about her goth look, her flirtiness…
>There’s nothing wrong with a little playing around together though, right?

>At Sweetie’s place, she lets you in, and neither of you are saying much to each other
>The tension sizzles between you now; you can tell she’s nervous, and it takes her a few attempts to get the key into the lock
>When she opens the door, though, you find Rarity already sprawled across the living-room couch
>Now, you’re used to Rarity being the prim, proper, diva she usually is
>So, seeing her sprawled across the couch and wearing only a stained tanktop and her panties is a little weird
>Rarity sits bolt upright, immediately flinging a blanket over herself
>”Gah! Sweetie!”
>”What? Put some pants on when you’re lying around the house.”
>”You should tell me when people are coming over!”
>”What, you being all gross and half-naked is my business now?”
>”It’s just polite!”
>Rarity glares at her sister, then gives you a cursory nod and a small, though extremely embarrassed, smile
>”Hello, Scoots, dear. I hope you’ve been well.”
“Uh, yeah. Fine.”
>”Splendid! Rainbow Dash talks about you all the time.”
“Oh.”
>”Anyway, if you’ll excuse me…”
>Rarity sprints out of the room, her face beet red
>Sweetie half-laughs, half-sighs
>”God, she’s such a mess. College changed something about her.”
>You’re half-curious, but you don’t press the issue
>There’s something you’re eager to get down to, after all…

>Sweetie leads you up into her room; you’ve been there a thousand times before, and it isn’t much different
>She’s got some embarrassing Jack Skellington posters on one wall, with plenty of boy bands on the other, and various little girly accoutrements scattered around the place
>Her bed is covered in stuffed animals and lacy pillows; you plop down on it, and she takes a moment to pop in a CD
“You aren’t gonna make me listen to MCR, are you?”
>”No way. That’s such poser goth. We’re gonna play some Sisters of Mercy.”
“Oh, man. Nice.”
>”You know it.”
>Sweetie slips her socks off and plops into bed next to you
>She sits cross-legged, her hands in her lap, sitting just a few inches away
“So…”
>”Yeah…”
“Are we…?”
>Sweetie sucks in a nervous breath
>”It seems kinda crazy. Now that you’re here. Are we?”

“Maybe I could just… get a little closer?”
>”Hmm, yeah. Yeah, that wouldn’t be too bad.”
>You scoot up until you’re sitting with your shoulder resting against Sweetie’s
>She’s *so* soft, way more than someone like you or Rainbow is
“One sec,” you say as you unstrap your prosthetics
>Sweetie watches as you slide them off, revealing the bare stumps of your legs
>She’s seen you do this a million times before, but this time, you notice she’s paying extra attention
>When you sit back up, she lays a hand on your bare leg
“Mm?”
>”I always thought this was really cool. Kinda, like, badass.”
“Hey, that’s how I like to think of it, too.”
>”But it’s cute, too. It makes you seem kinda… vulnerable, I guess. It makes me wanna…”
“Wanna what?”
>”Mm, well, I dunno…”
>She leans up against you, and you immediately realize she wants you to put your arm around her
>You do, and Sweetie sighs in content
>She rests her head on your shoulder
>Your heart is hammering in your chest, and you’re sure Sweetie can feel it
>In fact, that might be her own heartbeat you’re feeling as well, keeping time with yours
>Just two super-nervous girls, cuddling in a bed full of stuffed animals while moody goth-rock plays in the background…
>The warmth from Sweetie’s palm is still seeping into your leg
>She hasn’t moved her hand
>You try to speak, but your mouth is strangely dry
>Holy shit, it’s just Sweetie Belle
>You’ve had more sleepovers together than you can count, you’ve changed in the same room, shared food, clothes, secrets, everything…
>Why does this feel different?
>Sweetie takes a short, shuddering breath
>”Do you wanna lay down?”
“Huh? Oh, sure…”
>You scoot away from the wall and lie back on Sweetie’s bed
>She crawls over and flops down besides you
>You extend your arm and let her rest her head atop it
>Up close, you can smell flowery lilac shampoo in her hair, and her body heat blankets you
>Both of you are facing each other, and Sweetie’s hand now comes to rest on your hip
>She swallows
“So… is there something you wanna do?”
>”Mm, this is pretty nice. But…”
>She shuts her eyes
>Is that the go-ahead for you to kiss her?
>Her lips are glossed with slightly-smudged black lipstick, and they’ve never looked so tempting
>You swallow a lump forming in your throat
>Is she asking you to make the first move?

>You force the worries out of your head, and you lean in and kiss Sweetie Belle
>It’s not a long kiss, just a quick, probing peck on her mouth
>You can feel her dried lipstick flake off and stick your own lips as you kiss hers
>When you pull away, you open your eyes to see how she’ll take it
>Sweetie smacks her lips
>”Whoa.”
“How was that?”
>”You know… pretty good. But I’m gonna need a little more to decide…”
“Yeah?”
>”Yeah~”
>Sweetie’s eyes meet yours, and she flashes you a quick wink
“So, should we…?”
>”Wait. Just hold me like this for a bit, okay?”
“Oh, sure.”
>Sweetie wraps her arms around you and hugs herself against your scrawny chest
>She is *soft*
>You don’t really know how else to describe it
>Whereas your body is entirely scrawny muscle and bone, she has this layer of warm, plush girliness all over her
>And holy shit, she has *boobs*
>Since when does she have boobs!?
>The lacy dress she’s wearing hides them a bit, but when Sweetie pressing up against you you can feel her developing chest smushing against yours
>Sweetie giggles
>”You’re so nervous.”
“It’s not… you’re just… bruh, when did you get *hot*!?”
>”You didn’t notice?”
“I guess not. Goddamn…”
>”Well, I’m glad you’re appreciating it now~”
>Sweetie rubs herself against you, making you clench in suppressed delight
“Gah…”
>”Oh, come on. You can touch me.”
“You sure?”
>”Do it. Just… hands on my my back. Go with what feels right, or whatever…”
“Right…”
>Both of you are breathless, tittering, and incredibly nervous
>Your hands go to Sweetie’s back, feeling her hot skin beneath a thin layer of silk
>Then, well, they go a little further
>Her back arches outwards, a soft swoop of flesh eventually rounding out into her perky little butt
>Your hand rests against the curve of her ass, and Sweetie smiles
>”Okay.”
“Okay what?”
>”This is good. I like this.”
“Hell yeah.”
>”Fuck it. Let’s make out.”
“You wanna?”
>”Mmm, yeah…”
>Sweetie closes her eyes, then presses her mouth up against yours
>You clench for a moment, then loosen, allowing yourself to just meld against your friend, your arms cradling her soft little figure and your mouth meeting hers in a wet, awkward embrace
>Sweetie plants two small pecks on your lips, then goes in for a longer kiss
>You keep accidentally opening your eyes, just to see what she’s doing
>But as soon as her mouth is on yours, they close again
>Her third kiss is longer, and you feel her open her mouth
>It’s the clearest invitation you’re going to get
>You gingerly slip your tongue between her lips
>Sweetie’s own tongue touches yours, and both of you shudder
>It’s so weird, slimy, fleshy, and writhing like a snake
>But it feels *good*, too
>Sweetie breaks the kiss for a moment to breath; each time she exhales, you can feel her breath wafting over your face
>There’s something bizarrely intimate in that, and each breath Sweetie takes makes your heart tremble in your chest
>When you kiss her next, she’s the one to start the tongue action
>She starts exploring your mouth, letting her tongue wrestle with yours
>You start to feel simultaneously red-hot and totally drained, as if your body heat were seeping into the room around you, consumed by the weird goth atmosphere
>Sweetie sighs, grunts, occasionally squeaks in pleasure as your hands continue to explore what you can reach
>You’re mostly interested in her butt, since it’s right there
>Unlike yours, hers feels so… god, like the rest of her, it’s just so damn *soft*
>You sink your fingers into her, and Sweetie grunts in delight
>Is she into this?
>You’re starting to feel a little light-headed
>You could really go places with her tonight, couldn’t you?
>Sweetie seems to sense this too
>She wraps her arms around you, clinging tightly to you
>You keep your eyes, closed, focusing on the kiss
>Her mouth is somehow deliciously hot and also cooly refreshing
>The two of you take a break every few seconds to breathe, then continue kissing
>Honestly, just this isn’t so bad…
>But you could go further…

>As if teasing you forward, Sweetie kisses you again, then trails her mouth down to your neck
>Immediately, your whole body clenches in delight as strange, ticklish pleasure trickles across the surface of your skin
>Sweetie laughs
>”You like that?”
“It feels *super* weird.”
>”Yeah? Do it to me next…”
>She closes her eyes and lifts her chin, revealing her pale, tender neck to you
>For a moment, you feel like a vampire as you bend in and place your mouth to her neck; you resist the urge to make a “bleh!” noise, because you feel like that might ruin the mood
>On second thought, you do it anyway
>Sweetie half-laughs, half moans as you press your mouth against her flesh
>And then, just to try it, you nibble on her a little too
>She squirms under you, gasping
>”Whoa… whoa, whoa…”
“Good?”
>”Really good…”
“Hell yeah…”
>You keep going, and Sweetie starts breathing *really* hard
>You realize that you’re panting too, and your skin is flushed and starting to feel sticky with sweat
>Maybe you could lose some clothes…
>The thought pops into your head, and you don’t waste time worrying about it before you lift your shirt up and over your head
>Beneath it, you’re not wearing a bra: you’ve never used one in your entire life, what with your skinny little chest
>Sweetie’s eyes widen
>She’s seen you naked before, in the changing rooms at school
>But here and now, it’s different
>”Oh.”
“This cool?”
>”Uh… yeah?”
>She reaches up and presses her palm against your right breast
>”You seriously look *so* good. I always thought you were super cute.”
“What, so you’ve been waiting for this for years?”
>”No, not like that. Just… mmm, I really like these. So adorable…”
>She grabs your other breast and massages her fingers against your little nubs
“Adorable isn’t the word I’d use…” you grumble. “But I don’t mind the attention.”
>You tilt your head towards the ceiling, sucking in your breath as Sweetie’s hands run lower on your body, until they reach your hips
>You’re wearing only a pair of short-cut athletic shorts; it’d be so easy to slip them off…
>You open your eyes and glance down at Sweetie’s chest
“Your turn.”
>She laughs, dropping her hands to the hem of her blouse
>”You really wanna see?”
“Uh, duh? Yeah.”
>”One sec. I got a bit more to take off…”
>You scoot to the other side of the bed while Sweetie extracts herself from her lacy gown
>She fumbles with the zipper for a moment, then finally gets it undone, dropping it to reveal a bright pink, girly bra underneath
“Hah!”
>”S-shut up. I didn’t think I’d be showing off my underwear today, okay?”
“It’s cute. Really funny, but also cute.”
>Sweetie playfully slaps your leg
>Then she casually reaches up and unclasps her bra, letting it fall away
>”This is, uh, what I got. I guess.”
“Goddamn…”
>Sweetie’s dress wasn’t doing her any favors; now that her chest is free from its confines, her tits hang full and creamy pale against her chest
>You gingerly reach out and touch one; it’s big enough to fill your hand, and then some
“Whoa…”
>”Seriously? Come on, they’re not *that* great… okay, maybe they are. But they’re such a *pain*…”
“Don’t you dare complain about these. Oh my god…”
>You grab a fistful of her chest with each hand, embarrassed to realize that your mouth is watering
>Sweetie does the same, though she can’t exactly grab what little you’ve got
>She just presses her thumbs up against your tender nipples
>”I’m actually a little jealous…”
“Wait, what? *I’m* jealous of these fucking puppies.”
>”Yeah, but… mm, I just really like the way your body… looks?”
“Heh. Same to you, I guess.”
>The two of you lock eyes, both blushing furiously
>Sweetie’s makeup is smeared a bit, and her lipstick is a mess from kissing so much
>A single moment passes where the two of you just admire each other
>And then you’re tangled in each others’ arms again, trading sloppy, greedy kisses
>You start trying to drag your shorts down with one hand, and Sweetie helps you out, sliding them down until they slip over your stumps
>You’re totally naked now, and Sweetie moans into your mouth, running her hands along your body
>”Oh man, this is so good… you’re *so* hot…”
“Yeah… yeah, you too. C’mon, take the rest off…”
>”Yeah, yeah okay… okay…”
>She struggles out of her skirt, then flings aside her panties: a lacy white pair with a tiny cartoon bear over the butt
>The two of you are both totally naked now, and you drape your body over Sweetie’s, feeling the rush of her smooth, warm skin against yours
>You kiss her mouth, then her neck, then let her nibble on your ear
>This isn’t even sex, you realize
>But it feels so *good*
>You’re gonna devour Sweetie—as far as she wants to go, you’ll go
>As if sensing what you’re thinking, Sweetie breaks away
>Her chest is heaving, and a thin strand of your mixed spit still connects her mouth to yours
>”Are we gonna… y’know, do it?”
“Yeah. I want to.”
>”I think… I think I do too. But, uh… heh. How exactly do we…?”
“Wait, I thought you knew!”
>”Huh? I don’t do stuff like this! You’re the one who’s all… all gay and stuff.”
“You’re as gay as I am!”
>”I am not! Remember Button Mash?”
“Look, just… maybe I can…”
>You drop your eyes to Sweetie’s crotch, where her milky thighs lead up to a small bush of hair
>She blushes
>”Sorry. Didn’t know I’d be having company…”
“It’s cool. I kinda like it.”
>”I like yours. No hair. Looks smooth. Cute.”
>She puts her hand on your thigh
>You put your hand on hers
>The two of you share a kiss, closing your eyes and each daring the other to make the first move…

>You lean into Sweetie’s kiss and dare yourself to be a little brave
>Your hand trails up Sweetie’s inner thigh and comes to rest against her vagina
>Sweetie’s whole body clenches when you touch her
“You good?”
>”Mhm. Sorry. Just d-didn’t expect that.”
>She’s shaking, though you can’t tell if it’s because she’s nervous, excited, or just that horny
>Probably a little of each…
“You want me to do something crazy?”
>Sweetie gives you this look: you don’t really know how to describe it, but her eyes are half-closed and her face is rosy and beautiful
>Your heart does a little somersault in your chest
>”Kinda, yeah…”
>She closes her eyes again
>”Go for it…”
“Right, okay…”
>You adjust your position on the bed, scooting away from her so that your head is now level with her crotch
>Sweetie opens one eye
>”Wait, are you seriously gonna…?”
“If you want.”
>”Totally. Yeah. Oh my god.”
“Cool. Cool…”
>You have a bit to learn about bedroom talk
>Sweetie covers her face as your mouth starts to approach her sex
>”Aaah, sorry, I can’t watch. It’s… kinda embarrassing.”
“Aw, c’mon.”
>You reach up and grab one of her hands, pulling it away from her face
>In the process, your fingers interlock with hers
>Sweetie looks you in the eyes, blushing furiously
“Just gimme a squeeze if it feels wrong.”
>”Right.”
>She closes her eyes and leans back against the pillows
>You can feel her hand trembling; you’re shaking too, but more from excitement than anything
>This is it!
>You never thought Sweetie would be your first, but…
>You take another look at her blushing face, smeared with black makeup
>…yeah, you’re not gonna complain
>You tighten your grip on her hand and touch your lips to her delicate petals
>Sweetie stiffens, and a low, squeaky moan escapes her
>You start with just a few kisses, tasting Sweetie as well as smelling the faint musk of her privates
>She squirms beneath you, and you feel her legs start to close around your body
>Her foot is pressing against your hip, and her right thigh comes to rest against your cheek
>There’s something strangely intimate about that
>You open your mouth and start probing with your tongue
>”Whooooooa~”
>Sweetie reflexively presses herself against your mouth, urging you forward
>You tease the tip of your tongue along her slit, feeling smooth, wet flesh and bristly hair slide against it
>When you reach the tiny nub of her clit, Sweetie groans
>”There. Right there..
>Sweetie lets out a surprised, choked yelp
>”Oh. My. God. There, there, keep going…”
>With her spurring you on, you lean into what you’ve already been doing, swirling your tongue around her sensitive little nub
>She’s shaking now, though not from fear
>”I, uh… I’m gonna… like, for real, I’m *really* about to…”
>You mash your face against her, totally ready for what’s about to come
>”…to…to… AH! Cum, gonna cum, oh my god…”
>At that moment, three things happen simultaneously
>Sweetie’s juices spill into your mouth, coating your tongue with the alkaline taste of her
>Your phone starts to buzz beneath the heap of clothes at the foot of the bed
>And, lastly, somebody knocks on Sweetie’s bedroom door
>”Sweetie Belle? Is… is everything all right in there?”
>You expected Rarity’s voice, but it’s not: it’s Sweetie’s mom, because of course it is
>The two of you glance at each other
>Sweetie is wide-eyed, and you’re sure she’d be deathly pale if she wasn’t colored with lusty blush
>Meanwhile, your phone continues to buzz…

>”I-I’m fine, mom!” Sweetie calls out in a nervous, high-pitched squeak
>”Are you sure? I’m coming in, okay?”
>”Wait, um…”
>Sweetie turns to you and gives you a “get the fuck out of here!” look
>You don’t need to be told twice
>You grab your clothes up in one arm, your legs in another, then you drop to the floor and roll beneath Sweetie’s bed
>It’s dusty and dark down here, and you’re sandwiched between piles of Sweetie’s goth outfits and glittery, pink junk she probably had in middle school
>Sweetie shoves you further under the bed, and you crawl as far as you can go
>Just as you’re pretty sure you’re totally hidden, you hear the door to Sweetie’s room open
>Sweetie yelps
>”Mom! H-hey…”
>”Oh, dear. Sweetie…”
>You hear Sweetie rustling around on the bed above you, trying to cover her nudity with a blanket
>”I”m sorry if I embarrassed you,” Sweetie’s mom says. “But, um… you were being pretty loud.”
>”Oh, yeah…”
>Under the bed, you can only see Sweetie’s mom’s feet as she crosses the room to the bed, then sits down
>The mattress groans above you, and you suck in your breath
>Is… is Sweetie about to get a *talk* from her mom?
>”Sorry,” Sweetie mumbles
>You can tell she probably wants to die from embarrassment, and you clench your fingers between your teeth to keep from laughing
>”It’s okay! You’re a young woman now, and this is part of growing up. I hope you know that you’re free to explore your sexuality in any way you want.”
>”Um… thanks? I guess?”
>”Lord knows your sister already does…”
>”What was that?”
>”Nothing. Listen, you’re developing into a *very* pretty young woman.”
>You hear the gentle slap of skin on skin as Sweetie’s mom pats her daughter’s bare back
>Through the mattress, you can feel Sweetie squirming with discomfort
>”And I want you to have a healthy relationship when you start seeing boys.”
>You’re practically having a seizure, you’re trying so hard not to laugh
>Sweetie is writhing like she’s being tortured
>”Mom, I know about all that stuff already…”
>”I know you do. You’ve got the internet, after all. But if you want some… you know, some *toys* to help you figure out what you like… you just let me know, okay?”
>”Mom!”
>”What? Dear, the whole house just heard you having the time of your life in here. There’s no point hiding it now. Just, um, maybe keep it down while we’re trying to have dinner.”
>”Aaaaagh…”
>Sweetie’s mom giggles
>”Sorry to embarrass you, kiddo. Nobody’s judging you! But maybe save it for after dark.”
>”Right…”
>”Like your sister.”
>”AGH.”
>”Anyway, I’m gonna go finish my bacon-and-carrot casserole! You just come join us when you’re good and ready, okay?”
>You hear Sweetie’s mom plant a fat, wet mom-type kiss on her daughter’s cheek
>Sweetie squirms again
>And then she leaves
>Sweetie flops onto her bed, groaning
>”Hey, Scoots?”
“Yo.”
>”Get up here.”
>You squirm out from under the bed, though you’re stuck on the floor without your legs
>Sweetie rolls over in bed
>”You can just kill me now, okay?”
“…”
>And then you can’t hold it anymore
>You fall into a laughing heap, smothering your mouth so that the whole house won’t hear you

>Eventually, you calm down enough to clamber up into the bed, with a bit of Sweetie’s help
>The two of you sit together, her leaning against you, unable to look you in the eye
>”I’m sorry you, uh, had to see all that.”
“Sorry? That was the funniest shit I’ve ever seen.’
>Sweetie pouts
>”My mom is *so* weird.”
“She’s pretty cool though.”
>”Cool?”
>Sweetie looks like she’s gonna throw up
>”Whatever. Ugh. Talk about killing the mood…”
>Sweetie folds her arms over her chest, glaring off in to space
>You, meanwhile, finally check your phone
>As it turns out, Pinkie was the one calling you
>And she’s left you a message to
>[heyyyy cutie! i got somethin big to talk to u about! call me soon!!]

[okay! hanging out with sweetie belle rn but i’ll be free tonight]
>[oooooh, sounds funnn ;) okie dokie, see u soon!]
>You replace your phone and turn to Sweetie, who still looks half-ready to die from embarrassment
>”So, I guess you’re gonna head home now, right? Like, bleh, I don’t think I can even *think* about sex after all that.”
“You kidding? She just said there was casserole.”
>”She didn’t invite *you*. She doesn’t even know you’re here.”
>You nod your head towards the window
“I’ll just sneak out and come in the front door. C’mooooon. Besides, you kinda owe me for rockin’ your world, back there.”
>Sweetie rolls her eyes, unable to keep herself from blushing
>”Y-yeah, I guess. But be subtle, okay? I don’t want them knowing that I…”
“Totally just got laid?”
>”Mhm. That.”
>Sweetie groans and starts slowly rooting around for comfier clothes to wear
>You do the same, tugging your shorts back up and replacing your tank-top over your chest
>When Sweetie’s dressed again—in simple pajama bottoms and an oversized Black Veil Brides hoodie—you slip your legs back on, then head for the window
>Sweetie peers out
>”It’s kinda far down…”
“Nah, I’ll be good. Besides, it’s not like I can break my legs, right?”
>You wink, then swing out over her windowsill and drop to the ground
>Your shoes squish into the mud, and the impact jars your tender stumps a bit
>But other than that, you’re okay
>You give Sweetie a thumbs-up
>She rolls her eyes, then motions for you to hurry up
>You wait a minute for her to get downstairs, then walk up and ring the doorbell
>Sweetie opens the door for you, looking unamused
>Her eyes sweep over your face, and then widen
>”Wait…” she whispers. “You still have some—“
>”Sweetie?” calls her mom from behind her. “Who is that?”
>Sweetie slaps her forehead
>”It’s, um… it’s Scootaloo, mom. I invited her over to, um…”
>You wriggle your eyebrows at Sweetie
>”…to study.”
>”Oh, great! She can join us for dinner. You hungry, Scoots?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
>You stride in past Sweetie Belle, heading through the living room and into the kitchen
>The table is set for three, and Sweetie’s mom and sister are already sitting there
>Rarity’s hair is wet from a shower, and she’s dressed in sweatpants and a faded Warped Tour shirt
>You think this goth line might run deep in her family
>Rarity looks up at you, then at the door, then at Sweetie Belle
>She raises an eyebrow in suspicion
>”Wait a minute. Scootaloo, darling, weren’t you just…?”
“No idea what you’re talking about!”
>The girls’ mom eyes you up, and her gaze settles on her mouth
>That’s when you remember: Sweetie was wearing all that black lipstick, and you made out with her for the better part of half an hour
>So, uh, her mom definitely *knows*
>You freeze for a moment, caught in the older woman’s gaze
>She just chuckles
>”Well, it’s a pleasure to have you, Scoots! Been a while since I’ve seen ya! Here, fill up a plate.”
>She sets some silverware and a floral-patterned plate down in front of you, then heads to the fridge
>”You want anything to drink?”
“Just soda’s good, thanks!”
>”Gotcha,” she says, bending over to grab you your soda
>You, of course, get a quick glance at her plump booty, barely restrained by tight-fitting Mom Jeans™
>Sweetie notices you looking, and she mimes stabbing you with her fork
>You shrug—hey, how can she blame you?
>Rarity, oblivious of all of that, is staring daggers into you
>”What did you do to my sister?” she whispers
"What do you mean?" you ask, the picture of smug. "I just got here."
>Rarity scoffs
>She takes an extremely angry bite of her dinner as you serve yourself a big steaming portion of casserole
>The girls' mom plops down across from you, beaming
>She fixes you in her gaze, a sly smile playing on her lips
>Oh, she definitely knows

>You answer her smile with one of your own, trying your best to look innocent even though that’s pretty much impossible, what with her daughter’s lipstick smeared all over your mouth
“This is really good, ma’am.”
>The older woman giggles, waving away your compliment
>”Oh, please, it’s just three ingredients. And please, call me Cookie.”
“Sure thing! Thanks again for having me. I haven’t had a good dinner in forever.”
>”Aww, you’re so sweet! Just tell me if you need anything else, okay?”
>Cookie is positively beaming at you now
>Looks like that ol’ Scoots charm has her hooked
>Sweetie sinks lower in her chair, looking like she wants to melt into the ground
>Next to you, Rarity just rolls her eyes
>You shoot he a sly glance
“That’s a cool shirt.”
>Rarity glances down, as if only now considering what she’s wearing
>The slightest hint of pink touches her cheeks
>”Ah, yes. I… still have a bit of a soft spot for that type of music, I suppose.”
>”More than a bit,” Sweetie mumbles. “You still have a Never Shout Never post up in your room.”
>”For old time’s sake! It’s nostalgic.”
>”Mm, whatever. She used to be absolutely *obsessed*,” Sweetie whispers to you
>”I was not obsessed, I just liked the kind of music that was popular at the time! Every girl my age had a pop-punk phase, it’s perfectly natural.”
>Sweetie gives her sister an absolutely vicious grin
>Cookie, meanwhile, just has a tired “my daughters are going at it again” look on her face
>She gives you a sympathetic smile
>”Most girls your age didn’t cut half their hair off, though.”
>Rarity’s face goes from delicate-pink blush to deathly pale
>”Oh, don’t you *dare*.”
>Sweetie winks at you
>”Wanna see some pictures?”
>”Sweetie, do not! I’m serious, if you let those pictures see the light of day—“
>But Sweetie is already up and running towards the living room
>Rarity sprints after her, but her fuzzy socks slip on the tile and send her sprawling dramatically over the floor
>”No! Sweetie, no!”
>From the way she’s overreacting, you’d think her sister were on her way to join ISIS, or something
>Sweetie grabs up a plastic photo album and sprints back towards the dinner table
>”No, no no no! Please, Sweetie, I’ll do anything, noooooo…”
>Sweetie flips it open, and you get an eye-full of middle-school Rarity
>She was surprisingly gangly compared to the model-esque figure she has now, with an awkward, pimply face nothing like the beauty queen you know now
>She’s sprawled across the couch—the same couch you saw her sprawled across earlier—and holds the camera in a moody stare
>Her jeans are incredibly tight around the thighs, but flare up near her feet, which are clad in heavy boots, even indoors
>Her chest is covered by a ripped Papa Roach t-shirt, with striped elbow-length gloves covering her arms, and she has a spiked collar around her neck
>Honestly, you think her outfit is kinda badass
>But her hair, holy shit
>Three quarters of it is shaved off, and the rest is died in horrible shades of yellow and green
>For a moment, all you can do is stare
>Then you burst out laughing, and Sweetie joins in
>Even their mom has to hide her smile
>”She begged me to let her get it dyed. And she dressed like that all the time, even when she was by herself.”
>Rarity curls into a ball on the floor, her face in her hands
>”It was a phase! I was just experimenting! Besides, you’re not one to talk. Mall-goth.”
>Sweetie glares
>”Hey, at least I wasn’t some kinda pop-punk poser!”
>”Oh, it is *on*.”
>Rarity and Sweetie descend into petty insults, the kind that only siblings can lob at each other
>Cookie just sighs, shrugs, and serves you both some more dinner
>She must be used to all this, by now…

>After the two sisters eventually calm down, the four of you finish dinner
>You help clear the table, which earns you even more points with Sweetie’s mom
>Cookie positively enamored with you by the end of things
>”You wanna stay a bit longer, Scoots?” she asks you just when everything’s finished. “I know you’ve probably got plans with Sweetie, so if you wanna spend, you’re more than welcome.”