//------------------------------// // Preparing the Trip // Story: In The Forest // by Darkness Moon //------------------------------// Sunset took the Dazzlings to the house of Lemon Zest. The four girls were happily talking about their vacation to the forest. "The first thing we'll do tomorrow is buy tents, ones with roof covers to not get wet, and sleeping bags" Sunset said. "We also need the first aid kit: cotton, gauze, medication, bandages, band-aids, essentials, etc" said Adagio, reading the list. "Don't forget about the food! We'll need knives, forks, spoons, plastic cups, and a mini grill" Sonata said. "Don't forget the basics Sonata, like the hammer for the stakes, wire tweezers, and a portable shower" said Aria. "We'll take care of the rest tomorrow" Sunset said, stopping at Lemon's house. "We're here!" Sonata said excitedly. "Have fun, I'll see you at the mall in the afternoon" Sunset said. "Goodbye Sunset!" said Sonata, getting out of the car. "Bye" said Aria, following her girlfriend. "Don't let them fight" said Sunset. "Calm down, I won't" Adagio said. "I'll see you tomorrow" she said kissing her girlfriend, then left the car. When Sunset left, the Dazzlings entered the house. Their friends were in the living room waiting for them. "What took you so long?" Indigo asked, annoyed. "Stop complaining, Zap, do not start with your moods" said Sour. "Can we stop fighting and have fun?" Sunny said. "She's right, let the party begin!" Lemon shouted excitedly. Later, the Shadowbolts girls had fun at their party; despite their fights, their arguments, and differences, they had a good friendship. Especially Sonata and Lemon. Both had much in common. They spent hours at Lemon's karaoke. Also Aria's friendship with Indigo and Sugarcoat. They looked a lot like tastes and personalities. The three girls were absorbed in the Lemon's new video game for three players. And as for Adagio, she had a very good relationship with Sour and Sunny. At the party, Sunny painted Adagio's nails, and Sour combed her hair. "How do you have so much hair?" Sour asked. "It's a gift, I guess" said Adagio, a little proud. At that moment Adagio's phone rang. "Give me the phone, please" said Adagio. Sour Sweet handed her phone, and Adagio saw a message from her girlfriend, she could not help smiling in front of her friends. "I know that smile" said Sunny, smiling. "You're seeing someone?" she asked. "Actually yes, we've been dating for almost a year" Adagio said, pride in her voice. "Who is he?" asked Sunny Flare. "She" said Adagio. "Oh, that's... new, you did not tell us before" Sunny said, surprised. "I had my reasons. You don't have to like it, I just hope you respect it" said Adagio. "Of course, Dazzle" Sour said. "Then, who is it? Do we know her?" she asked. "You could say that" said Adagio. "You have to tell us more about her" Sunny said. "I will, though there is not much to tell" Adagio said, sending messages to her girlfriend. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunset's house was as noisy as Lemon's. Rainbow and Pinkie were playing Sunset's new video games, Rarity was painting Twilight's nails, Applejack and Fluttershy were having fun watching Spike and Onix play. Only Sunset was away from the group, preparing in the kitchen for her guests... in addition to seeing the messages and photos that her girlfriend sent her. "Sunny! Come and play with us!" said Pinkie. "I'm coming!" said Sunset. She came into the room with snacks, bowls full of fritters and goodies, with some drinks as well. "I want it to be tomorrow" Rarity said excitedly. "You're very excited" said Sunset. "Of course darling, I've wanted to travel to Manhattan forever" said Rarity. "And now I'll go with one of my best friends" "I really appreciate your invitation Rarity, but I do not want to be a nuisance to your family" said Twilight, adjusting her glasses. "Of course not darling, I told you before, it's no trouble. I'm glad you're coming with me" said Rarity. "So, you got everything ready for the trip?" Sunset asked, sipping her drink. "I do, I have everything ready for tomorrow" Fluttershy said, stroking Spike. "I still not, I will when I get home" said Rainbow, concentrating on the game. "Remember we have to be up early Rainbow, or we'll miss the flight" Fluttershy said softly. "I know, I know, don't worry" Rainbow said. "I'm so super ready for the ApplePie meeting!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "ApplePie?" said Twilight, confused. "Applejack, Pinkie Pie, duh!" said Pinkie. "Okay, okay, as Pinkie said, I'm also looking forward to our families getting together" Applejack said, stroking Onix. "What about you Sunset? Are your friends and you ready for your trip to the forest?" Rarity asked. "I've been talking to them," Sunset said, with the cell phone in hand. "They tell me everything is ready" she said. "And to what forest will they go?" Rainbow asked. "I do not remember the name, but it's supposed to one of the best campsites" Sunset said. "Talking so much about the vacations makes me sleepy," Spike said. "Can we go to bed?" he asked. "He's right, we should rest" said Sunset. "It will be a long day tomorrow for all of us" Once they finished their games and the food, the Rainbooms got ready to sleep, in a few minutes, they all fell asleep. Except Sunset. The messages from her girlfriend and her friends did not let her sleep, but they soon finished saying goodbye, and went to sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning, both parties were over. All the friends had left. That afternoon, the Dazzlings were sitting on a park bench in front of the mall. Sonata and Aria talked about topics of interest and Adagio was super concentrated on her phone, waiting for messages from her girlfriend. "It's taken so long, when will she get here?" Aria said, a little impatiently. "She said she'll be here soon, do not start with your moods" said Adagio. "Calm down Aria, Sunny will be here soon" Sonata said. "All right. But do not call Sunset 'Sunny' anymore" Aria said. "Why?" she ask, confused. "Because I get confused and think you're talking about Sunny Flare, just say Sunset" Aria said. "Oh! You're right, I didn't even think of that," Sonata said. "But then why don't you tell Dagi that?" she ask. "What?" said Aria. "I don't call her Sunny" Adagio said. "I call her Sunsy" "How cheesy" said Aria. "You call Sonata: 'Nata', that's more cheesy" said Adagio. "Shut up!" said Aria, annoyed. "Make me!" Said Adagio, equally angry. At that moment, Sunset appeared. "Girls, fighting again?" asked Sunset. "She started it!" Adagio and Aria said at the same time. "I'm glad you got here just in time Sunset" Sonata said, relieved. "I'm glad too Sonata, now if they have finished fighting, we can enter the mall?" said Sunset. Once everything calmed down, the four girls walked into the mall and started shopping. "Sunset! Can I bring marshmallows?" Sonata said. "Sonata, we can not carry food on the plane" Adagio said. "Don't worry Sonata, when we get to a store you can buy all the marshmallows you want" said Aria. "Aww, thank you Ari," Sonata said, hugging her girlfriend. "Yeah, yeah, you're welcome" said Aria. "Well, now we have everything we need for the trip" said Sunset. "We just have to prepare everything to take the flight" she said. "What time is our flight?" Adagio asked. Sunset looked at her watch. "Well ... now it's 12 pm... In four hours," she said. "Then we must hurry" said Aria. "Right, let's go home and get everything ready" said Sunset. They paid all their stuff, left the mall, and Sunset's car took them home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When they got home, they quickly prepared everything. They also decided to take a bath and change clothes. Later Sunset was the first to be ready. She waited in the living room for her friends. After a few minutes, Adagio and Aria went down to the first floor. "Are you ready?" asked Sunset. "Relax, we're still on time" Aria said. "It's two hours before our flight, and it takes us an hour to get through the airport, and an hour to actually get to the airport, we will not be on time!" Sunset said impatiently. "Calm down honey, we'll be there in time" Adagio said, approaching her girlfriend. "We're still on time, don't worry" she said, kissing her girlfriend. "Okay" said Sunset, a little calmer. "Wait, where's Sonata?" she asked. "Here I am!" shouted a voice. Sonata was coming down the stairs with her suitcase ready, and in the other hand she carried Onix. "Sonata, Onix will not come with us, leave him in his cage" said Aria. "Onix will come with us Aria" Sunset said. "Really?" said Adagio, surprised. "Yes, that's why I bought this" said Sunset, presenting a small animal cage. "I thought you said the forest could be dangerous for him" said Aria. "I know, but I can not leave him alone. Besides, I do not have anyone to take care of him" said Sunset, approaching Sonata to take her pet. "Onix will join us" "Yes!" said Sonata excitedly. "Well, now that everything is ready, can we leave?" Adagio asked. "Yes, let's go" said Aria, walking to the door. They left the house. This time, they took a taxi heading for the airport. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At last they arrived at the airport. They got out of the car. The four girls entered the place to wait for their flight. There was enough time after security they decided to eat something. "Girls look what I bought!" Sonata said excitedly. The young siren showed a book that said: "Survival Guide* by Eric Leblanc". "A survival book?" Aria asked. "Yes! I got one for each of us!" said Sonata, handing over the books. "This is very useful Sonata, we can use it in the forest" said Sunset. "Yeah, that's good you sometimes think" said Aria. "Hey!" said Sonata, annoyed. "Because you always do" said Aria. Sonata responded with a hug to her girlfriend. "You two have a very weird relationship" Adagio said. "You and Sunset do too" Aria said. "But I do not spend all day fighting with her" Adagio said. "But she hit you with a rainbow" Aria said, smiling. "It's different!" said Adagio. "Stop fighting, it's time to go" said Sunset. Once they calmed down, the four girls went with the other passengers. After all the inspection of their stuff, all the shopping, they finally got to board the plane. Fortunately, they all sat nearby, Adagio and Sunset on the right side of the aisle, and Sonata and Aria on the left side. After a few moments, the plane took off. The four girls were happy to travel together on vacation. It was going to be a great trip. Everything was fine, nothing could go wrong.