//------------------------------// // Chapter 27: The Slumber Party // Story: The Cassandra Chronicles // by CassandraMyOCisBestpony //------------------------------// "I hate manual labor" whined Rarity, "I can't believe we have to take these branches down, especially now when it looks like it could rain any minute." "For tha hundredth time Rarity," said Applejack exasperatedly, "we gotta take th' branches down because they might get blown off in th' storm, and th' reason we gotta do it now is 'cause ah forgot ta do it earlier. Braeburn came over, an' we were havin' a roll in th' hay- I MEAN, talkin' about apple related stuff." Rarity stewed and returned to turning the branches into little sculptures. "Fer pete's sake Rarity, as long as yer commitin' a serious racial slur by usin' magic for earthpony work, why ain't ya usin' it to help me break th' branches?" "Because I hate you." Applejack was hurt, but she couldn't argue with the logic. Suddenly, a huge clap of thunder startled them, and they ran under a picnic table for safety. "Whoa nelly, we gotta find shelter!" "Look over there, it's Twilight's house! We can crash there." ***** Cassandra was helping Twilight with a friendship essay that was due tomorrow, when Rarity and Applejack knocked on the door. "Oh hi girls" said Twilight. "Cassandra, I'll give you three sessions of practice kissing if you let us crash here" begged Rarity. Normally, it would've taken five to make that happen, but Cassandra gave Rarity a discount because of her wet mane. Rarity was lucky to have a friend to teach her such exemplary generosity. "I have an essay due for the Princess that I really should finish" said Twilight. "This is an opportunity to get firsthand friendship experience" replied Cassandra, "Tia will understand that that's more important than her dumb essay." "Great! I have a book on slumber parties that I've been waiting to break out!" She rushed off to get the book. ***** "So first on the list is to give each other makeovers!" said Twilight. They got out the face mask and began plastering each other's faces. "Hoooooooooold on just a consarned minute!" said Applejack, her brain practically shorting out from thinking too hard, "Why did ah hafta wipe the mud off mah feet while y'all get to put mud on yer faces???" "Because we don't want to get it on the floor" said Cassandra, putting slices of cucumber over her friends' eyes, "hence why we've put newspaper down and we're slathering it on our faces, not the bottoms of our hooves." "I'd offer you a cucumber, but it might remind you of Braebrun" said Rarity. They burst out laughing. Applejack rolled her eyes, "Why don't y'all just move on to th' next thing?" "Okay then" said Twilight, "next is s'mores making." * "So you place the graham cracker perfectly on top, and voila!" said Rarity, finishing up her masterpiece of a s'more. It was decent but Cassandra did hers better. "Why all th' fuss, ya just eat'em!" said Applejack. She snarfed down Rarity's s'more and burped loudly. "Can we please just leave her outside?" moaned Rarity "We're supposed to be cordial for Twilight" said Cassandra, "I know you don't have the godlike level of tolerance that I do, but try, ok?" "For you, I would do anything" said Rarity. "Time to play truth or dare!" said Twilight. "Rarity, ah dare you ta ruin yer mane by goin' outside!" said Applejack. Rarity cursed under her breath, but obliged. A few seconds later she came back in, dripping wet and burning mad. "Rarity, for what it's worth, I think you look really good with a wet mane." said Cassandra. Rarity could hardly keep her balance after the adulation of getting complimented by Cassandra, "Y-you like it??? I can keep it wet all the time if you want. How about you show me just how much you like it?" she batted her lashes. and laid her head in Cassandra's lap. "Later, you're dripping on me" said Cassandra, gingerly moving her friend's head, "for now, why don't you just dare her back in kind?" Rarity grinned wickedly, "I have just the thing. Applejack I dare you to put on a frilly dress." "Seriously, that's the worst you can think of?" said Twilight. "Mah turn!" said Applejack. "Cassandra, ah dare you....." she trailed off, she couldn't think of any dare that would frighten the brave and beautiful Cassandra, so she decided to go with the next best thing, "ah dare you ta kiss me!" "I use my 'Get Out of Dare Free' card." said Cassandra. "What in tarnation? Ya don't get a 'Get Out of Dare Free' card!" "It says I do right here in the rules" said Cassandra pointing to a passage in the slumber party book, "see? 'Get Out of Dare Free' card." "Consarn it! Ah really wish ah knew how ta read. Fine, truth then. Would ya rather be holed up with us, or th' other three ponies?" "The other three. What? Were you expecting that to be a hard question?" "My turn" said Twilight, "Rarity, I dare you to eat Applejack's apple pie." "I would darling, but I don't think there's any left after Braeburn had his fill." "Screw you" said Applejack. "Not for all the tea in China. Anyway it's my turn. Applejack." "Truth." "If you could have a one night stand with anypony- "Cassandra!" "BESIDES Cassandra, who would it be?" "Hmm, that is a doozy... ah guess ah'd choose Button's Mom." Cassandra whacked Applejack in the back of the head, "what the fuck is wrong with you? She's a married woman!" The others agreed. A clap of thunder rang out, startling them. "Ah've had just about enough o' this storm!" said Applejack irately. She picked up a twelve-foot metal pole, "ah'm gonna go out there and teach that storm a lesson!" "I gather this isn't the first pole you've handled today" snarked Rarity "Shut up Rarity." She slammed the door behind her. The others watched through the window as she jabbed and poked at the clouds. "Hey Rarity, stop being anal-retentive" said Cassandra, remembering they had an educational quota to fill. "Ok, thank you for teaching me this lesson." said Rarity A peal of thunder & lighting pierced the air, electrocuting Applejack. "What say we quit while we're ahead and turn in for the night?" said Cassandra, exhibiting her typical level of genius. The others agreed of course. "I should tell you" said Twilight, "I only have one guest bed, so I'll have to cast a duplication sp- OW!" Rarity had jabbed her in the side. "I mean, there's no duplication spell so you two will have to share a bed." "We'll make do." said Rarity.