> The Mane Six Regret Playing Truth or Dare > by Diamond_Emblem > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: Just an Average Slumber Party > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- On this particular Saturday night, most ponies in Ponyville would be getting ready to attend the Star Night Festival, searching for their tickets, cancelling last minute and giving their ticket to a friend, or meeting up with friends to enjoy a night on the town. Twilight Sparkle, however, was just finishing up the last preparations for another perfect slumber party with her friends. “The kitchen should be the last place with stuff for the slumber party,” Twilight said, flicking the switch to illuminate the room as she entered. “Let’s see, I remembered to make raspberry punch with a hint of jasmine, just like how Fluttershy and Rarity like it,” she said aloud, opening the fridge door with her magic. Her fridge was separated into four sections: fruit, vegetables, dairy and other drinks. The punch she had made earlier was right where she had left it, thankfully untouched. As she moved the punch bowl with her magic to a silver tray on a wooden counter, Twilight spoke to herself. “Pinkie Pie will be bringing cupcakes and I know I bought a new bag of hay chips the other day. I hope Spike and Starlight didn’t eat too many the other day. If they did, I guess they couldn’t help themselves. They definitely seemed to enjoy the latest book series I recommended them.” Twilight blinked, losing focus for a moment. “Hay chips! A bowl for the hay chips! Cups! Got it!” She shook her head and opened the cupboards, her magic guiding all items onto the tray. “And I can’t forget the ladle for the punch!” Trotting out of the kitchen in satisfaction, Twilight glanced at her list while carrying the tray beside her. “I think I forgot to add the blankets and pillows onto my list.” She stopped in her tracks and stared at the end of the scroll, where she should’ve added the items. For most occasions, the mare would begin to hyperventilate on the spot, yelling loud enough to stop parties in Canterlot. She laughed at her forgetfulness. “I’ll ask Spike to right it on my list for next week,” she said to herself, going back into a trot to the official slumber party room. The official slumber party room was the one where Princess Luna had attempted to find the Tantabus in the dreams of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and as Twilight entered the room, she couldn't help but sigh at how many wonderful memories she and her friends were going to make again. “Back to work,” Twilight told herself. She lowered the tray onto the floor, opening the bag of hay chip and dumping them into the bowl and placing the ladle into the punch bowl. “Blankets and pillows,” she mumbled as she left the room and headed to a closet down the hall. When she came back with an extra two blankets and two pillows for each of her friends, she wondered, Maybe we could play some good old fashioned board games or go stargazing at the balcony. That'd be relaxing, and I'd love to show the view to everypony. She found Starlight waiting in the doorway to the slumber party room. There was a nervous expression on her face. Her eyes were staring down at her hooves and her eyebrows were furrowed, as if she were frustrated with her thoughts. When Starlight realized Twilight had arrived at the doorway, she looked up, startled. “Sorry to bother you, Twilight,” the reformed mare apologized. “I know you’re probably busy with the slumber party. I just needed to talk to you.” “You’re not bothering, Starlight,” Twilight assured her, placing two blankets and two pillows on each bed. “I just finished getting everything ready so now I have time to wait. What is it that you wanted to talk about?” "Well, Spike and I have decided to go out to the Star Night Festival that's in Ponyville," Starlight explained. "Applejack told me about it earlier while I was helping her with her chores. I think it’s a festival that honors Princess Luna and it’s only here for the weekend." "That sounds great!” Twilight exclaimed. “Maybe I’ll go with somepony tomorrow. But besides that, it sounds like you’re being productive with your friendship outings.” When Twilight began teaching Starlight about friendship, she had suggested Starlight should go out at least once a week with a friend. So far, she had been making stellar progress and Twilight was glad she was teaching her pupil well. “Yep! It’s pretty great!” Starlight smiled but it didn’t last long. She rubbed her foreleg. “There’s actually something else I wanted to talk to you about.” “I’m all ears, Starlight,” Twilight said. “What is it?” “Well, I know you’ve been having slumber parties with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, everypony else,” Starlight said, worry growing in her eyes. “And I know you started having slumber parties with them every weekend ever since you stopped me from, well, you know.” “Mhm.” Twilight had suggested it a few days after she had invited Starlight to stay at her castle. The others were all for a slumber party to forget their worries, especially because it seemed like they seemed to be fighting with villains every other day. “And I know how important it is to spend time with your friends in order for you to get closer,” Starlight said, staring down at the floor. “Well, I guess what I’m trying to say is---I think I'm ready to join the slumber parties.” “Really?” Twilight’s eyes lit up. Starlight looked up. It wasn’t the reaction she was expecting. What had been playing in her head was Twilight apologizing, telling her the other ponies still didn’t feel comfortable around her and she should wait a few more months to be invited. “Uh, yeah,” Starlight replied, nodding quickly. “I feel like I’m ready to spend time with all of you now.” “Oh, I’m so glad to hear that!” Twilight exclaimed. “I’m sure everypony would love to have you at our slumber parties! You do seem like you’re ready for it after all the time you’ve spent working towards making friends.” "Could I come to next week’s slumber party if that’s alright?" Starlight asked hurriedly. "I don't know anything about slumber parties at all. I want to read about what exactly goes on at slumber parties." "To be honest, I tried that when I had my first slumber party," Twilight confessed, "and that didn't turn out so well. You can’t get all your answers from a book." "Oh. Alright." Starlight's enthusiasm seemed to deflate a little. "Does that mean I would have to wing it?" "All you would need to do would be to learn from everypony else," Twilight explained. "That's what I did." She embraced Starlight, feeling how the mare’s hooves moved hesitantly until she was hugging Twilight back. "I'll make sure to ask everypony to have you at next week's sleepover. After all, you're the reason we celebrate weekly." Twilight could sense Starlight's smile. "Thanks, Twilight," Starlight said. She let go, and Twilight did the same. "Thank you for everything. For the home at your castle, for your friendship, for teaching me everything I've learned about friendship, and for letting me have a fresh start." "That's what friends are for," Twilight said with a reassuring smile. "Hey, Starlight! We should get going!" Twilight and Starlight turned to see Spike run over to them. Spike waved around a poster, most likely one that announced the activities at the Star Night Festival. They’re having a constellation naming contest in an hour. With your studies and my time with Twilight, we could totally win!" “In a minute, Spike!” Starlight beckoned towards Twilight. “I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.” “Sure thing!” Spike walked excitedly towards the stairs. “This is gonna be an awesome night!” “I’m really glad you’ve managed to bond so quickly with Spike,” Twilight said. “Well, he does help me with my lessons in case you’re busy,” Starlight explained. “Have you ever invited Spike to your slumber parties.” “I have,” Twilight replied. “But when I asked if he’d like to, he said he wanted to help you get adjusted to life in Ponyville. Even Spike is glad to have you as a friend!” “Oh, really?” A smile spread across Starlight’s face. “That’s great to hear. Oh, I should probably get going now. Don’t wanna miss out on all the fun tonight!” “Have fun!” Twilight waved goodbye as Starlight headed down the staircase. The princess returned to the slumber party room and laid down on her bed, giddy about how wonderful everything was already going and her friends were set to arrive any minute. Twilight had a gut feeling that tonight’s slumber party was going to be the best one yet. As Twilight’s friends entered the room, she stood beside the doorway to greet them. “No pony’s gonna BELIEVE how amazing today’s batch of cupcakes turned out!” Pinkie Pie hopped into the room, her saddlebags overflowing with board games. A white box was strapped onto Pinkie’s back, most likely the newest batch of cupcakes she was exclaiming about. “No pony ain’t gonna believe my little sister had a helping hoof with those cupcakes,” Applejack said, trotting inside. “Everypony is going to believe how awesome I did in the academy today!” Rainbow flew past Applejack and Pinkie Pie as Rarity appeared in the doorway. “It sounds like we all have a story to tell this evening,” the fashionista remarked. “And mine is juicy, darlings, you’ll want to hear it!” “Who doesn’t want to hear your stories, Rarity?” Fluttershy asked, the last to enter the room. “Oh, I also would like to hear stories from everypony else.” Twilight trotted over to her bed as Rainbow Dash landed on her bed and said, “I bet no pony is surprised that Yours Truly managed to break another academy record!” "Another record?" Applejack asked as she unrolled her orange sleeping bag on the floor. During the second week of sleep overs, the group had told Rainbow Dash that the sleeping bags were unnecessary with their own beds in the room. She had persuaded them, telling the mares it would feel more like a sleepover with sleeping bags to sleep in. "Yeah, I know," Rainbow said smugly and stuffed her mouth with chips. “It was obviously meant to be!” “My turn, my turn!” Rarity squealed, her hoofs dancing as she dropped her gem-encrusted sleeping bag on the floor. She whisked out a magazine from her saddlebag. The magazine was from Canterlot’s newest and high-rising fashion blog, “Fashion Figures.”  On the cover was a picture of Rarity and Sassy Sandals presenting the newest dress that was rocking Canterlot Boutique. It was a slim, black dress, lined with diamonds and tightened with a purple waist. "Top 10 Rising Fashion Designers: Rarity Edition," could be read above the picture. Rarity squealed, "I've been featured on the cover of this week's Fashion Figures magazine!" "Wow! That's wonderful, Rarity!" Fluttershy said, sitting beside her buttercream colored sleeping bag. As she poured some raspberry punch into two cups, she said, "Recently, a friend I know has been looking for ways to make a statement. She's had rallies in Manehattan and Appleloosa. It's such a wonderful thing, looking for ways for the little creatures of Equestria to be noticed like one of us. I’ll be going to her rally in Trottingham on Wednesday to show my support." “She sounds absolutely delightful, darling!” Rarity exclaimed, accepting a cup from Fluttershy. “Who is this new friend of yours?” "Fawn Evergreen," Fluttershy replied, lifting her cup and taking a sip of the punch. "She's an amazing pony! I hope you all get to meet her someday." “What are Starlight and Spike doing tonight?” Applejack asked, turning to Twilight. "They went out to the Star Night Festival,” Twilight explained. “Speaking of them, Starlight mentioned earlier that she now feels comfortable enough to be spending time with us at slumber parties. How does allowing her to join our slumber parties starting next week sound?” “FINALLY!” Pinkie Pie yelled. A random party cannon could be heard from another room in the castle. “Do you know how much fun Starlight is gonna have with us? She’s gonna party like it’s her birthday!” “It’s about time Starlight’s learned to spread her wings,” Rainbow said with a grin, flexing her own pair of wings. “Uh, so to speak.” “Rainbow Dash! How impolite of you to speak of Starlight like that,” Rarity chided. “Starlight has been working very hard on learning friendship. These sorts of things take time, darling.” “It is nice to know Starlight is doing well,” Fluttershy commented. “And the more company the better, right?” Applejack asked. “Shoot, you might as well ask Spike to join us, too!” “Now that Starlight is joining us, I think Spike would definitely join us,” Twilight agreed. “I can feel the sappiness coming on,” Rainbow said, sticking out her tongue. “Come on, let’s play some games while the night is still young!” The night wore on as the friends chattered about the games they saw ponies playing in Ponyville and recounted old games they had played when they were younger, filling the room with fits of giggles. Twilight’s favorite game as a filly was War (With Pillows) with Shining Armor. She had created a book fort and had Smarty Pants as the fort's captain. Rainbow had played Runaway Rainbow with Scootaloo. Rainbow had to run away from Scootaloo and make sure she wasn't caught for fifteen minutes. Scoot always lost, but despite the losses, Rainbow explained, how much fun Scootaloo had playing. Pinkie shared how she had played Hide-and-Seek with the Cake twins. The game had taken a lot longer than Pinkie and the Cakes had wanted, but in the end, Pinkie Pie won. Fluttershy had seen some squirrels have a nut-collecting competition a few days back. Rarity didn’t play often as a filly, but the other foals her age would have a blast at making the biggest puddles of mud. Before long, an hour had passed and the mares were running out of games.  Twilight grabbed a cupcake that Pinkie Pie had brought as Applejack began talking about her childhood game. "As a lil' filly, Big Mac and I used to play Apple Truth Toss," AJ explained. "The goal was to toss an apple back and forth with your tail, and if you dropped the apple, the other pony asked ya a question, and ya had to tell the truth. I was so determined not to miss, I even trained outside of playtime." “Of course!” Rainbow suddenly exclaimed, shooting up from her sleeping bag. “How could we possibly forget the #1 played game at a slumber party?” “I know that face of your, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, raising a cautious eyebrow. “And now I have an idea of what game you’re thinking about.” “Oh! Is it Truth or Dare?” Twilight asked excitedly. Despite the bad experience the first time, she was certain if they were going to play it tonight, things would turn out differently. “Bingo!” Rainbow Dash said with a grin. "That's an easy game!" Pinkie said. "If you choose truth, somepony asks you a question, and you've got to be honest! If you choose dare, somepony dares you to do something, and you gotta do that dare that somepony dared you to do!" “Well, I’d certainly like to have a better experience than the first time I played,” Rarity said, recalling how the game had ended badly during Twilight’s first slumber party. “I’m willing to try it,” Applejack agreed, also remembering how Rarity and she had nearly ruined Twilight’s first slumber party. “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Fluttershy said. “Then it’s agreed!” Rainbow Dash flew to the door and faced the rest of the mares. “I say we should all go three times and then the game ends.” “What if somepony doesn’t want to do their truth or dare?” Twilight asked. “Then, uh, they’ll have to do both a truth and a dare for their next turn!” Rainbow answered. She planted her hooves onto the floor and grinned. “So, who’s wants to start off the greatest game of Truth or Dare they’ve ever experienced?” > Chapter 2: Who was Applejack Crushing On? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before Rainbow Dash could volunteer and inspire the rest of the mates to be brave and take a turn, Applejack raised her hoof. “I wouldn’t mind going first,” the farm mare said. “How brave of you, Applejack,” Fluttershy remarked. “I guess it’s kind of brave of her,” Rainbow said reluctantly. “Anyway, what’ll it be, Apple Butt? Truth or Dare?” “Since I’m the Element of Honesty, I guess I’ll do Truth for my first turn,” Applejack replied. “And Rarity can ask me any question.” “Hey! That’s not fair!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Anypony here gets to ask you a question!” "Is that a rule?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow. Rainbow glared at her. “Just get on with your turn already,” she muttered, pouring herself some punch. I gotta make sure to write a rulebook for the next time we play. “What’s the question, Rarity?” Applejack asked. The unicorn giggled lightly. “Are you sure you want to do Truth for your first turn?” she asked. Applejack’s confidence faltered. She glanced at Rainbow Dash, who was sipping her punch rather slowly. There had to be a sly grin hiding behind the cup. “I got this,” Applejack said with determination. Rarity giggled again. "Well, there's always been this one teensy bit of information I've always wanted to know," she said. "Go ahead, Rarity," Applejack insisted. There was no backing down now. And this should be easy. She was the Element of Honesty! Regardless of the question, it would be easy to answer. "For as long as I’ve known you, Applejack, there have been few stallions who seemed to go your way, including that Trenderhoof stallion,” Rarity said, lowering her cup. “But that doesn’t mean you have never had your eye on any.” Oh. Applejack exhaled slowly. It would just be one of those “Who do you have a crush on?” questions. Luckily for Applejack, there was no one she was interested in at the moment. “Who was the last stallion you had a crush on?” Rarity asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes as if she were an innocent filly. “That’s actually a really good question,” Twilight remarked. “Those kinds of questions can help friends bond and become more comfortable and trusting around them. Hmm…” Twilight used her magic to make a scroll and quill appear, scribbling something down as Rainbow Dash burst out laughing. “Rarity, Rarity. Applejack is the type of mare to focus more on Sweet Apple Acres and her chores than going on a date with some stallion,” she said. But much to the surprise of all mares, Applejack was blushing fiercely. “AJ?” Rainbow stopped laughing. “You’ve LIKED somepony before?” “Just because I don’t talk about going on dates often, doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it,” Applejack said, glaring at the speedster. “Ooo! Can I guess? Can I?” Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared beside Applejack. “Was it Double Diamond? Sheriff Silverstar? Gummy?” “Uh---” “Don’t worry, AJ, this mare can keep a secret,” Pinkie Pie said, putting her foreleg around her and winking. “Somehow I doubt it’s Gummy,” Fluttershy said quietly. “Come on, Applejack, we don’t have all day!” Rainbow Dash complained. “Alright, alright!” The farm mare moved Pinkie’s leg off her and stood up. This would be fine. Nothing serious would happen after answering, right? The last crush she had was over a year ago. At least, that’s what she hoped Rainbow Dash would think. Or not. “How about I do dare instead?” Applejack asked, her determination to finish her turn wavering. “Hey, you can’t change after Rarity just asked you!” Rainbow said. "But that ain't a rule!" Applejack argued, doing her best to avoid the question. "Arrrghhh!" Rainbow Dash growled in frustration. She was definitely going to write a rulebook with Twilight’s help before next week if she had to. “Calm down, darling,” Rarity said, taking out a hoof filer. “I’ll ask you again, Applejack, are you sure you want to do a dare?” “Absolutely.” Applejack nodded, hoping the dare didn’t have anything to do with dresses. "Applejack, I dare you to tell everypony here who your last crush was!" Rarity exclaimed. Rainbow Dash burst out laughing again. “Rainbow!” Twilight said, glaring at the pegasus. “That’s enough.” “Ahem, ahem, sorry.” She sat upright and cleared her throat, barely hiding her mischievous grin. “You can go back to Truth, Applejack, but you know I’ll ask the same question until I get an answer,” Rarity said. She sighed. “But I understand that perhaps this is a rather embarrassing question. If you want me to ask something else, I’ll understand.” Applejack sighed in defeat. “No, it’s fine,” she said. “I’ll tell.” The mares leaned towards Applejack as she spoke. “The last stallion I liked was over a year ago. Soarin.” An awkward silence filled the room. Fluttershy sipped some punch slowly as Rarity’s empty cup fell to the floor. Twilight put aside her scroll and quill. Several glances went Rainbow’s way, who seemed shocked to the core. “You mean Soarin from the Wonderbolts, one of Rainbow Dash’s idols since she was a filly? The Soarin Dashie is training with to become a Wonderbolt?” Pinkie asked, hopping onto her bed. “The one and only,” Applejack replied. “Hold on!” Rainbow suddenly exclaimed, flapping her wings. “Since when have you had a crush on Soarin? When have you ever met the guy?” “The first gala we went to, for one,” AJ said, rolling her eyes. “He was the only pony to take a gander at my apple dishes, my only sale. Before we went home, I went to pack up the stall and found him there waiting with a few other Wonderbolts. We talked for a few minutes and I took a liking to him. But I seldom saw him after that, so my crush on him faded easily. And that’s my tale.” “And you didn’t think to mention this?” Rainbow asked, suddenly pressing her muzzle against Applejack’s. “You talked to one of my idols! I barely got the chance to do that at the gala.” “You were upset about not getting to talk to them, so I didn’t mention it,” Applejack retorted, pressing her own muzzle back at Rainbow’s. “I wouldn’t have been mad!” Rainbow snapped, glaring. “Are we so sure about that? You seem mighty upset right now!” “I’m just surprised at how the Element of Honesty could decide on her own that keeping that secret was the best decision!” “I did it for you, Rainbow Dash!” “I didn’t ask, Applejack!” “That’s enough!” Twilight exclaimed, using her magic to move Rainbow Dash and Applejack to their respective beds. "Now that Applejack has finished her dare, it's time that we move on." A cold glare from Rainbow Dash told Applejack that the pegasus wouldn't be forgetting this betrayal. "Right," Applejack said quietly, readjusting her hat. "Yeah," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. What kind of a friend hides a secret about one of your greatest idols? "Who wants to go next?" Rarity asked, hoping the drama would begin to die down soon. It wouldn't. > Chapter 3: Twilight Acts Like a Princess > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I’ll go!” Twilight volunteered. “Give me a minute to think about this.” Seeing Applejack’s turn with truth already derail, she wondered how Starlight would feel if the mares were the one to ask her if she had liked anypony before. Twilight shook her head. She couldn’t think hypothetically. Starlight would be joining next week’s slumber party and it would be wonderful. No freaking out was allowed tonight. Tonight meant letting loose and having fun with her friends. And if she wanted to let loose… “Dare!” she exclaimed. “Do you have anypony in mind that’ll choose your dare?” Fluttershy asked, refilling her cup with punch. Let loose… Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be so bad, would she? Twilight glanced around the room and saw the speedster was flapping her wings impatiently, as if she already knew she was going to pick Twilight’s dare. "Alright, Rainbow Dash, is there a dare you have for me?" Twilight asked. “You bet I got one!” Rainbow replied. “Wait, really?” Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed. “That was fast.” "I dare you to spend one hour acting like Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Rainbow Dash declared. "30 minutes outside of this castle, and another 30 minutes with us!" "What?" Twilight's jaw dropped. She shook her head, trying to process the dare. "You want me to spend 30 minutes acting like a princess in Ponyville, and another 30 minutes acting like a princess with only the five of you?" “Yep! That’s exactly what Rainbow Dash meant!” Pinkie exclaimed, hopping excitedly on her bed. Rarity giggled. "Finally, a chance for Twilight to embrace the inner princess she’s been trying to bury for so long!” she said with vigor. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash, for this wonderful dare!” Twilight exhaled slowly. You're worrying too much. That's what Spike would have said if he were standing next to her. “Alright, Rainbow Dash, I accept your dare.” “Aw, yeah!” Rainbow hoof bumped the air in triumph. “I’ll give you five minutes to get ready. After that, we’re going with you to see how you conquer Ponyville as the Princess of Friendship! Er, not literally conquer, I mean” "Ooo! Field trip!” Pinkie Pie grabbed her saddlebag from underneath her bed. “Alrighty, what do we need? Binoculars, sunglasses, sunscreen, beach ball, portable grill, radio, swim vest, oh, and I can’t forget my permission slip!” As Pinkie listed every item, she yanked said item from out of her saddlebag, filling her bed to the corners with things perfect for a trip to the beach. When she took out the permission slip, the bottom line somehow included Gummy’s signature.    “I think you only need to bring yourself, Pinkie,” Fluttershy commented with a raised hoof. “Hmmm. That does make sense,” the party mare said as she rubbed her chin slowly. “Come, Twilight! I know exactly what you need to be wearing!” Rarity exclaimed, suddenly inspecting Twilight’s mane. “Oh, and we’re definitely going to have to do something about your mane.” “What’s wrong with my mane?” Twilight asked, stroking her tail. “Oh, really nothing, darling, I just need to do some very minor curling for it to look more like a princess’s.” Rarity led Twilight away from her bed as a confused expression grew on Twilight’s face. “But Cadence’s hair looks perfectly normal---” “No need to worry about that, you’ll look as regal as Princess Celestia!” The door to the room glowed with Rarity’s magic as it swung open and Rarity ushered Twilight outside. “Oh and I absolutely have to find you the perfect outfit. I hope the dress I sent to you for modeling is still in your wardrobe.” “Of course it is, why would in Equestria would I get rid of it?” Twilight asked. “Wait for us!” Pinkie exclaimed, hopping into the hallway, the rest of the mares following suit. Though a part of Twilight was less enthusiastic about the prospect of prancing around announcing herself as the Princess of Friendship, she smiled at the thought that her first dare seemed to be better than she could’ve hoped for. Maybe Applejack’s turn wasn’t a prelude to a bad night. Just relax and enjoy yourself, Twilight. Exhaling, Twilight allowed Rarity to open the door to her bedroom. “Let’s get started, shall we?” Rarity grinned giddily. “The night won’t be young forever!” "When was the last time you’ve seen anything this cool?” Spike asked, turning to Starlight. “Who knows,” Starlight replied. “If I had to, I’d say right now.” Starlight Glimmer and Spike were at the entrance of the Star Night Festival. Tall navy blue lamp posts were lit, scattered around blue-and-purple tents and booths. White and yellow flag banners were hung from a cord, tied to parallel lamp posts. Some banners had small jars filled with fireflies hanging from them. Ponies trotted from booth to booth, spending bits, leaving bitless or with a prize in hoof. Popcorn popping and baked bread wafted across booths, attracting lines of ponies hungry for a bite. Most importantly, ponies were having fun. An announcement went off from speakers found on most lamp posts: "The Constellation Contest will begin in half an hour. Telescopes will be provided as well as quills, ink, and paper. This competition is not the for the faint of heart, my little ponies! The biggest fans of constellations will have a greater chance of winning the grand prize, the latest telescope designed by Equestria’s top engineers and scientist: Wayfinder!" “Wayfinder, huh?” Starlight had to pause for a moment. “Didn’t Twilight mention it a week ago?” “Yeah, but Twilight found out about the telescope a week after it was released,” Spike explained as they entered the festival grounds. “Only fifty telescopes were made, so she never got the chance to get it.” “But isn’t she a princess?” Starlight asked. “She could ask the ponies who built it to make her one. All Twilight would have to do is say ‘I am the princess of friendship.’” “Twilight isn’t like that,” Spike explained. “She wouldn’t use her status as a princess to get her way and she always insists that everypony uses her name rather than her title.” “Alright then. So we better do our best to win that telescope for her,” Starlight said with a determined smile. “Yeah!” Spike exclaimed. “But since we have half an hour since the contest, is there any game you’d like to try?” “Me?” Starlight asked, blinking. “I’ve never went to a fair or a festival before.” “That’s alright,” Spike assured her. “We’ll walk around until you find something that catches your eye.” “Okay,” Starlight said, exhaling. Relax, Starlight. You’re supposed to have a good time tonight with a friend. Don’t freak out. This will be fine. They searched around the clustered booths, all of which were more entertaining than the last. One booth had a game where ponies would have to cover twelve moons with mud in thirty seconds. Another booth had a staring contest with a bat and though it wouldn’t appear to be a booth that would attract much attention, a crowd had gathered to watch Zecora and the bat for over ten minutes. After a few more minutes of looking around, Starlight spotted a booth with bright blue letters above it: Water Gun Balloon Blast! There were three shelves, lined with prizes. The first row had replicas of Princess Luna crowns and donut pillows. The second shelf was stocked with dark blue masks, as if for a masquerade, and blue-and-yellow striped rubber balls. The third row had Princess Luna and Princess Celestia plushies. The countertop ponies sat in front of was lined with water guns. Below the shelves were red-and-white target boards. In the center, where the bull's-eye would be was a hole. There was what looked like a deflated red balloon above every target board. Six ponies were already sitting, chatting and waiting for another two players to begin the game. “Do you wanna check this one out?” Spike asked. “I guess so,” Starlight replied with a nod. Starlight and Spike sat in the remaining empty seats. The booth pony said, "It's two bits per player." The booth pony was a mare, with light blue hair in a bun, a yellow coat, and magenta eyes. She wore a Star Night Festival uniform, consisting of an indigo shirt with a brilliant star embroidered on the left side of the shirt. "It's on me," Spike said before Starlight could take out her bits. “Are you sure, Spike?” Starlight asked. “It’s fine,” Spike assured her. “This is your first time at a festival. And as one of your friends, it’s my job to make sure your relax and not worry about a thing, including the bits.” “Alright. Thank you, Spike.” Starlight smiled shyly at the dragon. “Anytime, Starlight,” Spike replied, dropping four bits onto the counter. The booth pony scooped the bits off the counter and said, “Alright, my little ponies!...And dragon! The game begins in ten seconds!” A timer on the left wall of the booth started ticking down from 10…9…    Starlight turned to Spike, suddenly panic-stricken. “How do you play?” she asked frantically. "First of all, you gotta relax!" Spike said. "Hold the button on the side of the gun. You have to aim the gun at the bull's-eye. Your balloon grows if you get the water in. If your balloon pops, you win!" "Ready? Set? Go!" the booth pony said. Starlight barely had time to register the words as she instinctively held down the button. She aimed at the bull's-eye like Spike had explained, but the target board was moving. "Nopony told me the target moves!" Starlight exclaimed. "Some games do that, others don't!" Spike replied. Starlight managed to catch up with the target. She glanced up at her balloon as well as the others. Her balloon was catching up with the second biggest balloon. She went back to her target and focused on the movement. The water spewed into the hole and the balloon gradually became bigger. Bam! Alarms and blue lights went off. Starlight stared at her balloon and saw it was gone, pieces of it strewn all over the booth. "I won?" Starlight looked around. The other ponies clapped politely. Some left to play another game while others eagerly awaited to play another round. "Congratulations!" the booth pony said. "What'll your prize be?" Starlight looked up at the prizes, giddily wondering what she would take home. Is this what an average mare feels like? Winning prizes at a fair with a friend? Forgetting how she tried to ruin the whole world? “I’ll take the mask!” Starlight said. The booth pony climbed onto a stepping stool and grabbed the mask. She hopped down and handed Starlight her prize. “Thanks for playing!” She waved goodbye as Starlight and Spike got off their seats and left. "Wow! Congrats on the win!" Spike said. "Beginner's luck," Starlight said. She smiled. “But it was still super fun.” “Of course it was!” Spike spread his arms out. “Imagine how much more fun we can have!” A growling noise came from Spike’s stomach. “But, uh, can we go find something to eat for now?” he asked, a blush appearing on his cheeks. “Sounds like a good plan,” Starlight replied with a giggle. There was a booth with churros that Starlight desperately wanted to try, but the linee was enormous. Spike was disappointed that none of the booths seemed to have any roasted gems. They eventually found a booth with milkshakes and hay fries not too far from where the constellation contest would be taking place. They sat together with strawberry milkshakes and medium hay fries at the unofficial dining area, where several hay bales were neatly organized. They watched ponies begin to enter a large carnival tent painted with stars and a moon at the entrance. “You having fun so far?” Spike asked before taking a sip of his milkshake. "Considering I've played only one game and won myself a water gun, yes!" Starlight said. She popped some more hay fries in her mouth. "And shoon, we're gonna win that contesht!" "Everypony, look! It's Princess Twilight!" Starlight and Spike suddenly heard a pony exclaim. "Princess Twilight?" Spike asked slowly. "I thought you said Twilight never used her title," Starlight said, swallowing her food. “I know what I said,” Spike said. “We should probably see if Twilight isn’t brainwashed or anything. Uh, no offense.” “None taken,” Starlight said, brushing the comment off as she picked up her milkshake and hay fries with her magic. Starlight and Spike rose from the hay bales and moved towards the rising clamor, leading them to the entrance of the festival. A crowd of ponies gasping in awe and admiration surrounded Twilight. She was wearing a champagne colored dress, with short sleeves and ruffles, a train that trailed behind her for about a yard, and a high collar, the fabric hugging her body. Her mane was curled into a bun with a star pin in her bangs. Her crown was polished and shimmered in the light from the lampposts. She stood in a regal position, chest out, head held high, a welcoming smile displayed for the ponies. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy stood close to Twilight, giggling to themselves. “Well that’s something you don’t see everyday,” Spike said, pointing weakly towards Twilight. The Princess of Friendship apparently heard this comment, turning her head towards Spike’s voice with a graceful swivel. “Spike, my dear companion, it’s wonderful to see you here!” she said with an air of elegance. “I do hope you’re having an excellent evening here with Starlight Glimmer. It amazes me how marvelous my pupil has grown, allowing herself to rest from her studies.” “Thanks, uh, Princess Twilight,” Starlight said slowly. Burrowing her eyebrows, Starlight turned her gaze to Applejack. “What are you mares up to?” “Nothin’ much,” Applejack replied, waving a hoof. “Just daring Princess Twilight to act like a proper princess for a half hour or so.” “No way,” Spike said, his eyes widening. “And she’s really going to do it?” “Of course I will, Spike,” Princess Twilight said, lifting her hoof. “A princess must honor any agreement she has made, especially with her friends.” Several ponies murmured in agreement. “How wise,” one pony said, while another said “You learn something new about friendship every day.” “What brings you to this part of Ponyville?” Starlight asked. “If you don’t mind me asking, Princess Twilight.” The grace of her smile faltered for a split second. “My beloved friends believed I should spend some time with the ponies of Ponyville,” the princess explained. “The Star Night Festival has attracted a fair number of ponies to enjoy it, so great a number, they decided I should enjoy a portion of the festival with you all.” The crowd of ponies cheered as an announcement came on from the speakers. “Ladies and gentlecolts, the Constellation Contest will begin in ten minutes! Please begin to make your way to the Galaxy Tent for a chance to win Wayfinder.” “That’s our cue, Spike,” Starlight said. “We don’t want to be late.” She turned to Princess Twilight and the others. “What will you all be doing?” “You’d definitely win at that type of thing, Your Highness,” Applejack said. “You should do it!” “Perhaps,” Princess Twilight said, tapping her chin. “But I’d like to enjoy some games here.” “Are you sure, Princess?” Fluttershy asked, moving forward. “You’d usually say yes to this kind of thing.” Twilight turned around to face her friends. In a quiet voice, she said “I know. But I feel like we should keep away from Spike and Starlight. We shouldn’t be intruding on their night of fun.” “We’re not really intruding,” Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow. “We’re only going to be here for a few more minutes anyway.” “But Spike and Starlight respect our time together,” Twilight pointed out. “We should do the same. And besides, it would be too easy to win. Think about all the other ponies who would want to win.” “Are you saying you could beat me easily?” Starlight asked, stepping forward. Princess Twilight turned, a surprised look on her face. “That’s not what I intended to say---” “I think it’s clear what you were trying to say,” Starlight said. She smiled boldly. “So I challenge you to do the Constellation Contest!” Ponies hollered and looked to the Princess of Friendship, who seemed to be registering this challenge. “I don’t believe it’s in my place to---” “What’s wrong, Your Majesty?” Starlight asked, standing face to face with Princess Twilight. “There shouldn’t be if this is a friendly competition with one of your friends.” “Of course,” the princess said. She grinned. “So I’ll take you up on your challenge, Starlight Glimmer.” “Oh, and of course you are a princess with vast knowledge, you’d be comfortable with Spike working with me, and yourself working on your own,” Starlight said, grinning as wildly as Princess Twilight. “So we’re on equal footing.” “Sounds fine to me,” Twilight agreed. “May the best mare win.” She extended her hoof and Starlight reached out her own. They shook hooves as the crowd erupted into cheering again. “Ladies and gentlecolts, thank you for joining us tonight! My name is Nightgaze, your honored announcer for Ponyville’s Star Night Festival! We’re just two short minutes away from beginning the Constellation Contest!” The ponies that had gathered in the metal stands of the constellation tent cheered and stomped their hooves as Nightgaze finished her introduction. The mare smiled, her starry blue eyes glimmering mischievously in the dazzling limelight from the stage lighting hanging from the top of the tent. “Let’s go over the rules before we begin,” she spoke into the mic attached to her flowing inigo cape, nearly matching the shade of her coat. “The competitors have five minutes to identify as many constellations as possible. They must write down these constellations and write the coordinates of each constellation. Bonus points to ponies who can tell the year each constellation was named!” Stargaze welcomed the applause from the audience from the raised platform she stood on, large enough to fit a few dozen ponies on it. Surrounding the platform were several stations, each with one desk and one Star Finder telescope, the predecessor of the Wayfinder telescope.  Starlight turned to Princess Twilight’s station to her right. “Are you ready to be beaten by your own pupil, Your Majesty?” she asked with a cocky grin. Princess Twilight smiled slyly. “We’ll see,” she replied. “We’ll beat her, right?” Spike asked in a hushed voice as he dipped the tip of his quill into a jar of ink. “Don’t worry, Spike,” Starlight assured the drake. “One of the books I’ve been reading recently is about the newest constellations in Equestria. If Twilight isn’t up to date, we’ll be able to score points for new ones.” “Good thinking, Star,” Spike said, giving her a thumbs up and a smile. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie stood by Princess Twilight’s station before the competition began. It was Rarity who bowed and said, “Your Highness, I wish you the best of luck against our dear friends.” “Thank you, Miss Rarity,” the princess said with a quiet smile. “However, I believe our friends will need more luck than me.” “That’s the spirit, Princess Twi!” Rainbow flapped her wings excitedly and hoof-bumped the air. “You totally got this in the bag!” “Competitors!” Stargaze announced. “You have sixty seconds until the competition begins! Get your telescopes shined and quill in hoof!” “Have fun!” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced to the stands with the rest of the mares in tow. Back at Starlight and Spike’s station, the duo were hurriedly fixing the telescope’s range and organizing their quills and ink bottles. “C’mon, Spike,” Starlight said as she trotted in place, “let’s show the ponies what we got!” “I’m ready!” Spike exclaimed, standing beside Starlight, ready to scribble like a madpony.  “Count down with me, my little ponies!” Stargaze exclaimed. “Ten!” “Nine!”  “Eight!” “Seven!” With every number, more and more ponies joined in on the countdown, rising in their seats to get a glimpse at the fury the competitors were about to unleash. “Six!” “Five!” “Four!” Starlight could hear her heart pounding against her chest as sweat began to form on her forehead. “Three!” Spike stretched his arms as he took up a quill. “Two!” Princess Twilight straightened her crown on her head. “One!” All competitors tensed up as their five minutes were on the brink of beginning. “GO!”