//------------------------------//
// "I guess you learn something new every day." 
// Story: Sapphires 
// by ArtieStroke 
//------------------------------//

	"What's that?" Twilight asked, a little puzzled by Sunset's words.
"Oh, nothing much," Sunset replied, "I guess I just always thought sapphires were named for a different reason."
This piqued Twilight's interests, as the two of them started trying to find their tent.
"Why, what'd you think was the etymological origination of the word?" 
Sunset gave Twilight a raised eyebrow in response, before chuckling and humoring her, "I dunno- kinda figured they were named after the poet."
"The... poet?"
Sunset nodded, "Yeah, you know- Sappho? Greek, wrote a lot of poems," she paused a moment, "Also very much a fan of the ladies."
Twilight blinked, before her purple face started to flush red, "Oh- oh! Oh..."
"Yeah. That Sappho."
"So, uh..." Twilight fidgeted with her hair a bit, before asking, "What made you, uh... think that?"
"Wishful thinking, I guess," Sunset replied, grunting as she adjusted the strap of her heavy bag, "I've always been more of a fan of blue-ish colors. And as for most of our lady classmates, well..." She gestured around them, "We're not exactly hurting for attractiveness, are we?"
Twilight laughed a little nervously, "R-right, yeah. You know, I didn't realize you, uh..."
Sunset didn't respond, just looking at Twilight as she waited for her to finish her sentence.
"Didn't realize...?"
Twilight cleared her throat, "That- you know. You were that open about your sexuality."
A moment passed. Then Sunset burst into laughter.
"W-what's so funny?!" 
Sunset wheezed as she doubled over, waving a hand out in front of her to try and stay balanced. She then wiped a tear from her eye.
"Oh my god, Twilight have you even SEEN me when we've all been hanging out? I could give Rainbow Dash a run for her money in the 'hella gay' department!"
It was at that moment, the past few months of Twilight's life finally made sense



	"I'm just saying- the spiked up hair? Giant laser blasts? You two were totally like an anime during that fight!" Rainbow Dash said, pointing the straw to her milkshake for emphasis. Twilight sank down in her seat a little , but it went unnoticed.
"Just saying- or just 'saiyan', am I right?" Pinkie said, nudging Dash as she slurped up the last of her own drink. Fluttershy giggled.
"See? Pinks knows where it's at!"
"While I can hardly endorse the, er, 'anime-ness' of the incident, I will say those ensembles the magic endowed you two with were certainly breathtaking." Rarity piped up, getting the dreamy look she got when thinking up a design.
Sunset nodded, "I can second that. Thigh-highs and a corset? Man, take me now."
Rarity rolled her eyes, "Sunset, please."
"Hey, don't pretend you weren't thinking it too!"
"Y'all are incorrigible, sugarcube."



	"Alright, let's hit the hay folks." Applejack said, shutting down the game system. It was Twilight's first sleepover night at Pinkie's house, and so far it had been pretty fun. Playing games, pizza, friendly socialization- Twilight could get used to these.
"Aww, you're only quitting now because I was winning!" Dash complained. AJ rolled her eyes.
"Knowin' when to fold 'em's a skill in of itself, Dash. 'Sides, I gotta leave early tomorrow to help with the harvest."
Dash blew a raspberry, before grabbing her sleeping bag and tossing it on Pinkie's bed.
"Ah-ah-ah- You're sleeping on the ground, this time." Rarity said, as she dug out her eye mask, "Remember what happened at the last slumber party?"
"Oh, come on- that wasn't my fault! Sunset was the one getting fresh!"
"Don't hate the player, hate the game," Sunset said from across the room. Pinkie laughed.
"Don't worry, Dashie- there's always time for that in college!"



	"I'm not so sure about this," Twilight said, as she tried on a third swimsuit Rarity and Sunset got for her. As much as she wanted to be prepared for anything at Camp Everfree, it seemed a little... much.
"Aw, come on Twilight- it looks great on you!" Sunset said, gesturing to the small pink two-piece she was in. Rarity hummed.
"Now now, Sunset- fashion is just as much about being comfortable with what you wear as it is about making a statement. I might have a few one-piece suits that should do the trick..."
Sunset boo'ed from her seat on the changing room bench.



"Oh."
Sunset finally managed to get a handle on herself, taking a deep breath and letting it out calmly, "It's okay, Twilight- I guess some social cues take a while to pick up on."
Twilight nodded quickly, hiding her blushing face behind a Camp Everfree pamphlet, "Y-yeah. In hindsight, I guess it was pretty silly of me not to notice."
Sunset hip-checked Twilight playfully, "Well, hey- now you know, and knowing's half the battle, yadda-yadda."
She sighed, before putting her hands behind her head, "Besides, it's not like you were interested in me or anything, right?"
Twilight blinked, stammering, "W-wha- I don't- what do you mean?"
Sunset jerked a thumb back at the gazebo, "You seemed pretty chummy with Woody back there."
It was finally time for Twilight to roll her eyes, "And you make fun of MY observational skills..."
"Oh?" Sunset, looking Twilight in the face as she started to walk backwards in front of her, "What's that supposed to mean."
"I'm just saying," Twilight started, avoiding direct eye-contact, "It might be hard to form a correct hypothesis without all the available data."
Twilight then blinked, adjusting her glasses and squinting into the distance, "Oh- our tent!"
She rushed forward, quickly joined by Sunset. 
"Yep, that definitely looks like a sapphire to me," Sunset said, comparing the symbol on the tent to the one on her card. 
"Sapphire tent for Sapphic friends," Twilight, adding the last bit on with only a hint of nervousness. Sunset quirked an eyebrow at her, before grinning and opening one of the flaps.
"Well then, ladies first."