7:41
Rainbow hurried around her living room, stepping over dirty clothes and torn magazines. Plastic coffee cups and bowls littered her couch and wooden coffee table, piling up everywhere except the sink. She bolted past her buzzing refrigerator and pushed aside several glass plates stacked on top one another on her kitchen counter.
“Ah-ha!” She snatched her ring of keys triumphantly. No dishes were keeping her away from this party - not today. With her keys in-hand, she flung the door open and strode out, peering down to check her phone again.
7:43
Rainbow groaned as she pulled up her contacts. AJ; Flutterbutt; Twi; Spike; Rawrity; Pinks; Work; Flash; Thunder. Her cheeks puffed out as her thumb dangled over AJ’s details. Was it too early to call? Maybe she was like Twi and would freak if she did. Or maybe AJ was like her, and didn’t care. How long does it take to ’get ready’? Was she overthinking it?
Fuck it. Rainbow tapped it and held the phone to her ear as she looked herself over. Cool knee-length jeans to show off her calves and accentuate her muscled thighs, blue tank top that clung to her abs in enticing ways and curled just above her waist showing a tease of skin, black unbuttoned leather jacket and boots. Awesome - just how she should be.
“Y’ello?” Came that wonderful country accent.
Rainbow leaned casually on her bike seat. “Hey, it’s me. You done yet, slowpoke?”
“Tch,” AJ scoffed. Even though Rainbow couldn't see her, she could hear the amusement in her voice. “Yourr tone was different when I was spankin’ ya earlier.”
That's hot as fuck. Rainbow snickered as she rubbed a hand over the torn leather seat. Briefly she looked around as they continued to talk, her eyes focused on the end of her fifteen-foot driveway. “Bad day, girl. Just you wait, you’ll see what’s coming. But for real, you ready? I’m usually not this late.” Yes she was.
A pause.
“Ah guess so. Where’m I headin’?” Rainbow could hear a door creak in the background, followed by loud footsteps on wood.
My bed. Rainbow thought wickedly. If she played her cards right, Rainbow might just be driving the farm girl to the party. “It’s 813 Boutique Road. I don’t know how to get to it from your farm.” She absolutely knew how to. Sometimes she’d ride through the farm as a shortcut. “But I’m pretty sure you can find your way around. Just look for the really rich people.”
“Ya don’t know diddly,” AJ playfully backfired, followed by a pleasant laugh. “Ah know where it is. I’ll be there in a few.”
Rainbow snapped her fingers. Damn. “Aaalright, see ya soon. Later.” Rainbow huffed and twisted her lips in annoyance as she ended the call. Apparently the back seat of her bike was to remain unoccupied. Pity. There was more than enough room for that hot ass.
Looking back and forth at the long road she lived on alone, she saw no cars. Barely anything drove by anymore. She got on her bike, fixed her helmet and kicked the rust-bucket to life. The poor thing coughed for a tenth of a minute before the engine settled to its normal hum.
Rainbow twisted the handle as she turned and the back wheel squealed on her dirt driveway before it bumped onto the road and thundered down the pavement.
She always enjoyed riding at night through her extremely underpopulated neighborhood. Her road went on for miles, with a thick layer of trees on both sides and the occasional nice wooden home every other half-mile. Cops were rarely a problem for Rainbow since the population could be counted on her hands and feet. She could go as fast as she pleased.
Which she did. Rainbow knew the road so well, she took sharp turns at blinding speeds as her jacket flapped wildly in the wind. The sounds of the engine were like a lion’s roar. Her neighbors, as few there were, knew very well what that sound meant - Stay inside, bitches. Your favorite neighborhood speed demon is here.
The bike whipped and weaved all over the pavement as she neared the drop of a very steep, very long hill. As much as Rainbow loved to speed down as fast as her bike would allow, that was where her neighborhood ended and Rarity’s began. A menacing black and white car could be seen in every parking lot, around every corner, and at the bottom of every hill - or so it seemed to Rainbow. Every time she wanted to do something cool, she’d get pulled over. Yet Rarity got away with driving way over the speed limit all the time. Go figure.
Reluctantly, Rainbow stayed in her lane and coasted down the hill. As she approached a stop light, Rainbow looked over the several gas stations and small grocery stores that she always shopped at. More importantly, she found no cop cars waiting for her. Well, shit. Wasted.
It was fortunate that Rarity’s house was so close. Two more lights, and Rainbow was on Boutique Road. It wasn’t rich by common standards, but any house that had more than one bathroom felt rich to Rainbow. Making her presence known, the loud and proud biker pulled back and rode a wheelie from the start of the road all the way to Rarity’s driveway where several cars sat. Her friends and her friends’ neighbors all knew the party had arrived.
Rainbow eyed up the house. It was a two-story home with a balcony, more bedrooms than people living there, long rooftops that Rainbow found great for star-watching, a huge backyard with a volleyball net and swimming pool, and a single-car garage. Seeing the garage open (Thank you Rarity!), Rainbow squeezed her way between the much more expensive vehicle and leaned her bike against the wall inside.
Looking around, Rainbow saw tons of toolboxes, rusted bicycles hanging on racks, a workbench, chains and bike parts. Rarity’s parents were really nice to Rainbow and let her use their garage to fix her bike, lest she have no way of getting around. As Rainbow looked over her dirt-machine, it was apparent that soon no tool would be able to fix it. The rear fender was non-existent, the front handlebars were slightly bent in, and months of dirt and grime littered the frame. It was begging for a hose.
Rainbow closed the garage door with the press of a button, and, not wanting to keep her friends waiting in agony, walked in the front door.
She went straight to the living room where everybody was already talking.
“Aaay, sup guys?” Rainbow greeted happily, tossing her jacket on the couch that Twi and Shy were sitting on. An identical couch was adjacent to it, which Rarity was sprawled out on, waving to the biker. Everyone looked so ready for fun. Not.
Twi had her face buried in a book and an iPad in her lap. The nerdy glasses, baggy sweatshirt, and shorts looked really cute on the caramel-skinned girl - but Rainbow didn’t focus on that. She mashed her palm against the nerd’s head, violently ruffling her black hair just for the heck of it. “Okay, Rainbow. You have my attention.” Twilight glared up at the athlete with bitter eyes. Despite that, a tiny smile curved on her lips. No one could look at Rainbow's face without smirking in some way.
“I got us a new girl.” Rainbow winked down at Twi, relishing the look of surprise she got in response. “She’s a country bumpkin, but she’s pretty cool. She’ll be here in a bit, so what do you girls say we initiate her?” Rainbow grinned between the three.
Shy brushed her extremely long pink bangs from her eyes and flashed a precious smile at the gleaming rainbow-haired girl. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Should we set up for the Dark Game?” There was just a tinge of reluctance in her eyes. She had never liked the Dark Game.
Rarity sat up from her couch and nodded. She had been combing her long, curly purple hair, and decided to let it down at the exact moment that she sat up for dramatic effect. It looked good on her, considering that her entire appearance was moneyed. Rainbow didn't exactly dislike Rarity - she just found it very difficult to get along with her. Plus, it was amusing making fun of her, and that was practically a Rainbow pass-time. “A new girl, lovely. We’d best get started before Pinkie hears about this.”
Pinkie heard about it.
“A new person!?” The pink-haired smile-machine barreled out of the kitchen and into the living room. She was in Rainbow’s face before she could turn and look. “Awesome!” The poofy-haired girl squealed with her hands clenched, bouncing inches off the ground.
Rainbow settled the girl into much smaller bounces as her hands pushed down on the party animal’s shoulders. “Chill. Chiiiilll. She’ll be here soon, so you guys set up the Dark Game. Cool?”
Pinkie’s head couldn’t possibly be nodding any faster. “Okey!“ She then grabbed Twilight and Rarity by the wrists and yanked them to the kitchen, then disappeared down the basement. Shy meekly followed behind. Once they were gone, Rainbow headed back to the front door and out onto the porch. There, she waited the next few minutes in the cool breeze of the usual Friday night.
The chugging noise of an old pickup driving down the street roused Rainbow from her stupor, and she grinned. A rusty farm truck for a rusty farm girl. How perfect.
Rainbow walked to the back of the driveway and directed AJ to park on the side of the road, the truck ending up stopping mostly on the yard. As AJ got out and walked around, she got a cat-call from a very colorful individual. “Wooo-weee, look at you.”
The farm girl’s hair was so damn thick and long, Rainbow had no idea how she was able to braid it. It softly bounced over her shoulder and against her bountiful chest. A open checkered flannel shirt hung loosely against her while the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a white, dirt-smudged t-shirt inside clung nicely to her torso. On those hard-working legs were some tight denim jeans and brown leather boots. But most noticeably, a brown hat sat on her head, completing the cowgirl look. It may have been stereotypical, but it looked damn good on her. It was driving Rainbow nuts.
“Look at me? Look at yourself. Ya come from a trailer park?” Her freckles danced on her lovely cheeks.
“Yeah, whatever. Come on, the party’s just getting started.” She gestured for her to follow as she led them between the luxurious cars and to the front porch. “Pretty cool place, right?” Rainbow asked as she opened the door and led the blonde beauty in.
AJ nodded at the rhetorical question. “Sure is,” she added as she left her hat on a coat-rack. As much as Rainbow liked the look, no-hat was much sexier. “Where’s everybody at?”
Rainbow grinned and beckoned her to the kitchen. “Basement, getting the game set up.”
AJ looked at her in confusion as they neared the steps, grabbing the flimsy metal railing. Talking and movement wafted up from downstairs. “What game?”
Rainbow grinned wildly as she looked over her shoulder. “The Dark Game.” The nature of her tone was such a devious one that she probably practiced it. A lot.
AJ cocked an eyebrow and looked around as they got to the bottom of the stairs. They were in a large room with white cement walls and cracked tile flooring. In the center of the room was some sort of heating/ventilation system with air ducts going up to the ceiling and disappearing into the walls. One wall had a massive white tarp nailed in. Underneath the stairs was a small hangout room with a futon and TV. To the left of the stairs was what had become the storage area for what had nowhere else to go. A vacuum cleaner, Christmas tree box, toolboxes, plastic shelves with tons of miscellaneous gadgets and tools that Pinkie never seemed to find. Scattered throughout the basement were old bicycles and metal folding chairs.
Rainbow quickly approached Pinkie, who had been busy moving a mini-trampoline to the storage area. “Yo Pinks. This is-”
“New girl!” The pink wonder leapt into the air and wrapped the cowgirl in a snake-grip. When Applejack winced at Rainbow, the colorful one just shrugged back with a smirk.
“Mah name’s AJ,” the farm girl greeted the shorter girl. “Nice to meetcha.” She wheezed a bit and massaged her ribs as best as she could with her arms pinned to her sides.
Pinkie let go and squealed. “Oh you’re gonna love the Dark Game, New Girl AJ! By the way, I’m Pinkamena But just Pinkie is fine! It’s totally gonna scare the crap outta you!” She gleefully exclaimed.
AJ arched a questioning eyebrow. “What's gunna scare me? The game, or you?”
“Yes!”
Rainbow and AJ shared a hearty laugh as Pinkie continued shoving the tiny trampoline into a corner. “The Dark Game is like Hide n’ Go Seek, just in total darkness.” Rainbow explained to a still perplexed AJ. “Trust me, lotta of fun. If we had more people it’d be hella cool.”
AJ watched as Rainbow’s friends fixed cardboard boxes over the four windows until they completely blocked the outside light. “More people?” The farm girl asked with a smile. “How big does this party get?”
Rainbow’s confident grin shone through. “Pretty damn big sometimes. Just depends on who comes. A friend brings their friends, those friends invite their friends. Like, a domino effect, y’know? Hey, Pinkie!” Rainbow called out to the host, who was busy putting small items on shelves. “What’s the record for most people?”
“Forty-two, Dashie!” Of course she'd been keeping count somehow.
Rainbow flicked her wrist. “There ya go.”
AJ frowned and then blinked down at the level-headed girl. “...Dashie?“
Her cheeks flashed a slight red hue. “Uh...Yeah! Rainbow Dash. Pinkie just puts a little ‘Eee’ on everyone’s name.” She then stroked her chin, staring at the blonde girl. “Hmm...Ayy-Jay-eee. Ayy-Jee. Aaaaay-eee...” She then snapped her fingers. "Jackie."
The country girl's level stare - apparently, she didn't like the shortening of Jacqueline to Jackie - made Rainbow swallow that name to never, ever use it again. Maybe. AJ then curiously looked at Rainbow’s friends as they made the finishing touches on the makeshift window-blinds.
As Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy approached with amiable smiles, Rainbow stepped between them and the new girl. “This is AJ. AJ, this is Posh, Nerd, and Tree-Hugger.” She introduced them with a wicked grin on her face.
Rarity rolled her eyes as she flicked her wrist, the gesture enough to get the prism-haired nuisance out of her way. “Rarity,” Posh corrected, shaking AJ’s hand with her dainty little palm. “Thank you for joining us, dear.“ Her chiseled lips formed a sweet smile. Rainbow had to admit, Posh knew how to make a first impression.
Twi bowed her head at the taller farm girl. “...Yeah, I am a nerd. But my name's Twilight-” she glared at Rainbow, then returned to her amiable smile “-and if I'm a nerd, then you're a dork.” She smiled at Rainbow.
“I'll take that..” Rainbow shrugged.
Shy’s outstretched hand was gently shaken by the farm girl. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, AJ. I can see you two are getting along great.” A cute, genuine smile slipped onto her lips. Shy’s most amazing quality was her politeness, no matter who she was talking to. She may have been a close cousin, but those genes didn’t reach Rainbow at all.
“It’s nice meetin’ y’all.”’AJ smiled from ear to ear. Her shoulder bumped into the athlete's side as she nodded at Shy. “Gettin’ along great.” She turned to Rainbow, who beamed back at her.
Rarity may have had a great smile, but her giggle was kind of super adorable. “Oh, you two. Let’s not keep Pinkie waiting any longer.” Her eyes squinted from smiling so...plastically.
“That is a great idea, Rarity! You should go first!” Pinkie exclaimed suddenly, as she suddenly appeared next to the group. Very...suddenly.
Rainbow and Twi shared a pleased smile at Rarity as the fashionista scoffed and tossed her hair aside. “I suppose...” she droned as she slowly waltzed upstairs.
As soon as she got to the top, she began to count. ”Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight...” Everyone bolted around the room. Shy scampered over to the futon and squeezed underneath. Twi scooted several chairs into a corner and made a little fort. Pinkie climbed up the heating vents to dangle from the ceiling. Rainbow dashed around the corner and to the storage area, shoving boxes out of her way as she made room on one of the shelves. AJ didn't move, too busy staring in awe at Pinkie, who could apparently climb walls.
The country girl ‘Eep’d’ as the basement went completely dark. ’Total darkness’, Rainbow had said. She'd meant it. AJ instinctively held her arms out to touch...anything. She jerked back when something touched her.
”Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen...”
“Shh!” Rainbow grabbed AJ’s hand again and led her into the storage area. The athlete had played ‘The Dark Game’ so much that she was completely confident in each step she took. Rarity’s basement had become second nature to her at this point. ”I know a spot where she’ll never find us.” Rainbow whispered.
AJ leaned in close as she took her steps much more carefully than the shorter, cocky girl. ”If ya say so...” the country girl whispered back.
“Ow! Shit!” Rainbow abruptly let go of AJ’s hand and toppled forward. Who the hell put that box there!? When AJ snickered behind her, Rainbow huffed and got to her feet, stopping right in front of the shelf she had newly renovated.
”Five, four, three...”
Rainbow quickly urged the cowgirl to climb onto the shelf until her back was against the wall. Then she climbed in after her, putting a Christmas tree box in front of her. While AJ and Rainbow couldn’t see a damned thing, neither could Rarity. But Rainbow knew exactly where she was and how to get there - she practiced this spot in her head all the time! It was on the second shelf in the storage area nestled against the stairs with just barely enough room to sit in. With a box in front of her, Rarity would have no idea where they went. They may call her a try-hard...but they weren't the ones winning.
Plus, Rainbow was snug tight against the farm girl. And oh how she loved it. The spot was technically meant for one person, but that’s what made it so intimate.
”Ready or not...~” Rarity cooed as her delicate footsteps creaked on each step. Rainbow and AJ struggled to contain girly giggles. If Rainbow didn’t know any better, they were practically snuggling. Damn I’m good.
The sound of tepid footsteps echoed through the room as Rarity made her move. And squeaked, “Bollocks!” as the sound of metal clanged to the floor. Many giggles filled the basement. “I hear you...wait-”
AJ and Rainbow froze in place, the athlete pushing back against the girl’s chest. Intentionally? Perhaps.
“...Pinkie, are you on the ceiling?”
”...no.”
Rainbow held back a laugh just barely.
“Ohf!” Pinkie’s grunt followed, as she undoubtedly fell to the floor. “...Yay! Good job~” Pinkie exclaimed cheerily as she sprinted up the stairs.
No one could hold back the laughs. When they died down to snickers, Rarity’s footsteps and “Ohf’s!”, and “Aha’s!” and most importantly, “Bollocks’!” grew more and more distant. Then AJ placed her hands on the smaller athlete’s elbows.
That, Rainbow had not been expecting at all. She swore the blood that had rushed to her cheeks lit them up like a lightbulb. ”You're right, this is a great spot,” she snickered just behind Rainbow’s ear.
Her lips displayed a big, dumb grin that she was glad no one saw. ”I kn-know, right...?” she whispered back. Was AJ flirting with her, or was Rainbow feeling something that wasn’t there? AJ’s hands were on her elbows! That had to mean something, right...? Or maybe there was no other comfortable place to rest them. And why was she getting so damn nervous!? She's freaking Rainbow Dash. She's supposed to be the one laying on the moves.
A quiet, tender voice emerged from the darkness, ”You got me, Rarity...Sorry, but I’m kind of stuck...I’ll just stay here until the next round, if that’s okay with you.”
Rarity’s pleasant giggle followed as she continued around the basement. Now it was Twilight’s fort versus Rainbow’s ultimate hiding technique. This might take a while.
Though, being snug next to AJ, it wasn’t so bad. ”So...how ‘bout them Lakers?” Rainbow whispered back to her shelf-buddy.
She could feel a silent laugh from AJ's chest. And what a magnificent chest it was, squished against Rainbow’s back. ”Ah don’t watch football, sugarcube.”
The shelf squeaked as her body quaked from the silent snicker. "Oh." She shook her head slowly. "Planning on joining any sports teams?"
"Prob'ly not." Rainbow felt her shrug.
The smaller athlete groaned quietly. "Why? You've got a great body, AJ."
"What makes ya say that?" The farm girl asked, and Rainbow had many, many answers.
None of them reached her lips. The two of them clenched their muscles as careful footsteps neared them. "Hmm...Could've sworn I heard an accent. And is that...cologne? Eugh," Rainbow's cheeks flushed as Rarity's hands touched along the shelf, her feet tapping boxes - the seeker was so close that her breathing was audible.
For what felt like a minute Rainbow held her breath, the entire basement totally silent. Until finally a pompous, "Hmph!" emanated from just a foot away. Rarity slowly left and (hopefully) headed towards Twi.
AJ and Rainbow shared a silent, hearty chuckle. Adrenaline was powerful, whether it's from riding bikes or hiding from a fashion priest.
"You win. I give up." Rarity finally squeaked. Moments after she did, the lights beamed on.
As Rainbow squeezed out of her tiny spot and helped AJ do the same, they shared a fist bump. "Told ya. Best spot in the business."
The farm girl shrugged. "Maybe for yoir scrawny butt," she smiled, watching as Twilight deconstructed her fort. Rarity was busy telling her how unfair it was. Shy was struggling to get out from under the futon in the super-secret hangout room.
"Ha-ha, fatass." Rainbow flipped the bird at the cowgirl before walking over and grabbing the futon. "Damn girl, you've got a big butt." The athlete huffed and lifted the futon with ease. Shy backed her way out.
"Thanks, Rainbow..." She flashed a sweet smile as she stood up and stretched her arms.
Rainbow snickered and walked over to the stairs. Pinkie was already at the top, bouncing up and down. "You're ready? Awesome!" She bounced.
The athlete returned to AJ's side. "You look bored,” Rainbow said flatly. When the farm girl shrugged, she added, "Yeah, it's a kid's game, but it can be fun with more people. And if we get fucked up. It's a blast when you're drunk and blind."
AJ chuckled. "Now that sounds like my kinda game."
"I'd say we go out and start a bonfire, but if we don't let Pinks get her turn, her hair would fall out." They shared a friendly laugh. Despite only knowing the party host for a couple of minutes, the farm girl seemed to get it.
"Where to this time?" The blonde angel asked with arms around her chest.
Rainbow rubbed her chin. "I think I got just the place..."
Rainbow sat alone in the kitchen, listening to the commotion downstairs. Behind the tarp against the wall was a great hiding spot - one of Rainbow's favorites, and it had worked well before. Except Pinkie was a vampire. Darkness meant nothing to her. Rainbow was found within a minute, while AJ was smart enough to lay on the ground. She was a quick learner.
Rainbow had a gameplan in mind before coming to the party, but upon reflecting how she reacted to AJ's subtle touch on her elbows and potential 'flirting' made her realize how half-baked that gameplan was. She needed a real plan, one she was familiar with, that she'd been using her whole life.
Wing it. Keep a cool, collected head, and whatever happens, happens. It'd gotten her this far...with...some success.
She stood up from the chair and walked back to the main living room. Both couches faced a square glass coffee table, and a huge TV sat on a black wooden stand. Along the right side of the wall was a glass sliding door and a screen door behind that, which opened to the back porch. One thing Rainbow could not pin Rarity's economic status on was any of the renovation on the outside of the house. That was entirely Pinkie's doing.
Because Rarity's parents were kind enough to allow their house to be the location for their get-togethers, Pinkie felt some sort of obligation to make the home more 'party adaptable.' She had cleaned up the weeds in the back yard and set up a volleyball net, built a wooden porch out of nothing but her two hands, and even managed to get a projector to play movies and games outside. The projector movies that played on the side of the house had become a legend in school for a while until eventually everyone had been to at least one party.
If they thought the projector was cool, they hadn't even seen 'The Fort.'
Rainbow opened the sliding door and walked across the porch. There were still some metal chairs lying about from the last party. When there were so many people to account for, sometimes it was best to leave the furniture outside. She walked behind the porch and grabbed a metal trash bin that Pinkie had re-purposed into a bonfire pit. It was a lot safer than making one out of rocks. There had been countless emergencies where newcomers didn't understand the rule, 'Don't jump over the fire.'
By the time Rainbow heard the rest of the group's conversation as they walked out onto the back porch, the athlete had already set up the bonfire. Metal chairs circled around the metal bin in the grass - the two cushioned chairs right by each other. Those were reserved.
"Anybody ever tell y’all that your scary?" AJ smirked at Pinkie.
The party fiend beamed up at her. "Totes! I just love seeing those funny expressions on your face, cuz they turn into the biggest smiles!" She waved her finger at AJ, to which she shrugged in response. Couldn't argue with that.
Rarity bowed her head at Rainbow, who was sitting in a nice, cushioned green chair. "Thank you for setting up the bonfire, dear. No one can start a fire as quick as you."
The athlete gave a thumbs up. "Ya got that right." She tapped her hand on a cushioned chair, identical to hers. "Take a seat, babe. It's story time."
AJ cocked an eyebrow as she obliged. Soon everyone else took a seat too, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
Twi scooted her chair closer and started poking at the burning cardboard with a stick. "Very nice fire Rainbow, it's perfect for smores,” she commented with a pleasant smile. Pinkie, without missing a beat, reached into her bulging purse and tossed bags of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars to the ground. "...Oh. Thanks, Pinkie."
Rainbow had stopped questioning where she got these things a long, long time ago.
Rainbow got a viable stick for roasting and stabbed a marshmallow on the tip. Dangling it over the fire with everyone else, she was the first to start up a conversation. "Why weren't there more people?"
Pinkie was in the zone, watching her marshmallow very carefully. "...Flash had a party, too. Something about his sports team, or something." She shrugged.
Her eyes lit up. "Ooooh, I know what." Rainbow huffed as she leaned back in her seat. "They let him back on the Basketball team." She sighed in distaste. It wasn't that she disliked Flash as a person, it was that she hated playing with him. He never passed the ball, would attempt ridiculous shots, and talked mad shit all the time. Not that Rainbow did any of those things...as much.
"Good for him," Twi smiled as she pulled her marshmallow back and made a picture-perfect smore.
Rarity slid one leg over the other as she attempted to carefully place the mess of white goo between her crackers. Rainbow noticed that she was purposely avoiding using her red polished finger nails. "I, for one, think that he is a nice guy. He may get a teensy bit wild at parties, but I don't hold it against him."
Rainbow cocked her head at the fashion priest. "Is it because no one pulls a one-eighty like you?" She gave a toothy grin as Rarity glared at her.
AJ seemed taken back. "You? I can't imagine ya gettin' all wild-like."
Rainbow was quick to add, "Oooh yeah. One time, there was this, like, popular guy at the party, right? She wanted to 'swoon him like two star crossed lovers'." The group laughed at Rainbow's hyperbole impression complete with batting eye lashes and cupped hands against her cheek. Rarity sat with a grumpy stare. "She drank, like, a whole bottle of vodka and started dancing on the coffee table singing Sweet Emotions. It was fuckin' legendary."
Not even the protagonist of the story could stifle a smile, while everyone else laughed playfully. "Well, even while a little tipsy, I can still sing better than you." She gave a firm nod to the athlete, which Rainbow returned with a daring smirk.
She kept that stare trained on Rarity for a good half a minute before shrugging. "Yeah, ya got me there. I'm more of a guitar person myself, anyways."
Rarity gave a triumphant nod before turning to Twi, starting up a quiet conversation with her. The same seemed to be happening with Shy and Pinkie.
Rainbow plucked her brown marshmallow off the stick and made her smore with a distinct lack of chocolate. "Having fun?" she asked coolly before chomping into her treat.
Those precious freckles danced on AJ’s cheeks as she nodded. "'Course. Thanks for invitin' me, it was...kind of ya." The look of genuine happiness in her green gems made Rainbow all giddy.
"No problem, dude. You're a pretty cool person. Ya fit right in." Her eyes squinted as she smiled. Fit right into my pants!
AJ seemed to appreciate that as she fixed both of her crispy marshmallows between two entire crackers and a bunch of chocolate. She paused and looked at Rainbow. "...Ya forgot the best part.” The farm girl gestured to Rainbow's half eaten treat.
She shrugged. "Chocolate is gross, dude. Unless it's mixed with peanut butter, then it's the tits." Rainbow snapped her fingers into a gun.
Shaking her head with a defeated smile, AJ filled her mouth with her treat. As she chewed, Rainbow took a deep breath and sat back in her metal chair, devouring her smore. She shouldn't be looking at AJ like that. It was way too soon to be getting any dumb feelings for the girl.
And why was she so not-cool around her? It was just a pretty blonde, dammit!
During her crisis, the rest of the group had started up another topic. AJ was in the middle of a story. "...Then Winona nipped him in the butt, dragged him off the porch and chased his scrawny butt all the way to the end of the orchard." Some laughs followed suit, as Rainbow slowly scooted closer to the fire. She needed the warmth.
"You sure deal with bill collectors in an interesting way," Shy was in a mix between a frown and a smile. If Shy, the epitome of kindness and hospitality, was laughing at you getting bit in the ass by a dog, then you must be truly evil. "But I prefer Rarity's grandmother's method. It was..." She snorted uncontrollably in a tiny fit of giggles.
When AJ cocked a questioning eyebrow to the fashionista, Rarity tossed her hair to the side as she started with her head held high. "Well, on a pleasant afternoon, I was sipping tea reading the daily when the doorbell rang. Answering it, I found a middle-aged man with a folder of papers in his hand. He had a nice enough smile and was very kind in his greeting,. When he asked to speak to my parents, I told him only my grandma was home. He said that substitutes."
"Grandma had a...scheme in mind. She played along with him as he explained all these complex bills to her and was asking questions about payments and what have you, but then suddenly urinated on the floor. Then, she had him clean it up. Then she had him almost clean her diaper. That's when he left, apologizing. What she said after was...well, Rainbow, if you will?” The group was filled with giggles when Rarity handed the story off.
Rainbow leaned close to the fire, her face and hands telling most of the story. Her voice was just a means of expression. "I shit you not, this old coot says, 'If he wants to try and bullshit me, then he's gonna have to clean up my shit first. Fuck 'em.'" She put on her best old-lady voice, and it definitely helped as everyone busted out laughing. Pinkie was laughing so hard that she had gone completely silent and was crying tears.
AJ shook her head as she wiped her tears away. "That's a good one. Your granny is a hoot."
Rarity smiled sweetly and nodded. "Indeed she is. It wasn't even pee! It was just a water bottle! Haha, dude got played so hard."
On a roll, Rainbow snapped her fingers. "Hey Pinks. You still never told them about the time we went camping. Remember that?" When Pinkie tilted her head curiously, Rainbow added, "You know! It was like, two months ago? With Sweetie and Scoots. It was the one time Shy didn't come."
Pinkie's eyes lit up. "Oh! I know the time! That's when I told the scary story about the noodle factory." She squealed in excitement. Settling down to a much more serious tone, Pinkie sat her half-eaten smore in her lap. It was her fifth one. "Well, it was more like a hiking trip, really. We were in the Everfree on a trail and had our tents set up. Mine was so cute! But I let Dashie and Scoots use it." Her whisper was obvious as she gestured to Dashie. "The little ones didn't want to sleep alone."
Rainbow flipped the bird with a smile. Pinkie continued cheerfully. "Everyone was sleeping in their tents, while I was snug as a bug in a rug on a tub-boat next to the fire. Then I had to...you know! While I was doing the business, I heard a growling coming from the bushes, and then a big black wolf jumped out! Its maw was slobbering with spit, coat ragged with scars and eyes black as the void."
Everyone was engrossed, while Rainbow sat back with a wide grin. "I thought I was dead. Gone. Done-zo! I cried for help and Dashie jumped out from the tent in her tighty-whitie-pajamas! She stared the wolf down, and then...She kicked it in the head!" Pinkie jumped to one foot and swung the other, cutting through the fire surprisingly fast. "Like that!"
Shy pouted her lips as she scooted forward. "Th...then what happened?"
"It ran away!" Pinkie exclaimed with arms wide open. "True story."
Rainbow took on the stares of disbelief with a smug grin, arms across her chest. "Did that really happen? You kicked a wolf in the head?" Twi inquired with a quizzical tone.
Rainbow nodded. "Had to protect the kid and Pinkie, dude. Maybe that'll teach you to choose your pets over hanging out next time," She teased at Shy, who dissolved into her seat.
"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle...That was mighty brave of ya." AJ looked on with admiration. Coming from the blonde angel, it inflated Rainbow’s ego ten-fold.
"Yep. It was pretty awesome." Rainbow smirked and started on the rest of her smore.
Then AJ added, "...but in your pajamas? Ah bet that was a sight." She grinned playfully, to which Rainbow mocked her laugh back at her.
Pinkie giggled and continued smashing on her deluxe smore. "Ifsh shonslhy shoo shold shheen shuh for!"
Everyone just looked at her cock-eyed, before Rainbow explained, "You should have seen the fort."
Rarity held back a relieved smile. She was no doubt glad they did not, in fact, see the fort. It was too much dirt for her. "Don't worry, Pinkie. Next weekend we can. I have many friends that will be attending. Also, I'm sure you will find it right up your alley." She looked at the farm girl.
Rainbow wiggled her brows up at AJ. "Oooh. I almost forgot about the fort."
AJ played a friendly smirk and gestured for her to continue as she chewed down the last of her smore.
"Down at the creek like, two minutes from here, Pinkie's been turning the whole damn place into the ultimate outdoor hangout. There's this ghetto tree house, a house made of rocks and junk wood, a bonfire pit, a dam made of cement and rocks, a big ass trench that I dug up with no help," her glare traveled between the rest of the group. ", and four ziplines. It's pretty much the shit."
"Tss..." AJ shook her head. "Now that sounds like a heckuva time. And ziplines, you said...?" She leaned to the side with a baffled smile.
Rainbow was about to retort, when Pinkie exclaimed, "Yeppo! I made them myself! There's two small ones for the party-goers who aren't really ready for the super fun stuff! Then there's the really, really big ones! All perfectly safe, of course." She gave her best toothy grin.
AJ looked really into it. She's dangerous. I like it. "Huh. I’ve never gone ziplinin' b'fore. That sounds aw'sum!" Rainbow's grin tripled in size at the country pronunciation of her favorite word. It was too sexy.
Pinkie bouncingly agreed. "I know! If only more people used them! It's pretty much only Dashie that does, and a few others on occasion. I'm so glad we have another physically active person in the group."
"Me too," Rainbow punched AJ's shoulder, to which the blonde responded by gyrating the joint. "I was trying to convince her to join some sports teams. She'd be a fuckin' beast."
Pinkie's face lit up at the country girl. "You're going to school with us!?"
"Uhh...yeah?" She answered with an arched eyebrow.
"Oh awesome!" She clapped her hands together excitedly, then hopped out of her seat and rushed into the house.
Rainbow sighed and leaned a little closer to the farm girl. "I'm serious though." When AJ rolled her eyes in response, Rainbow pushed on. "Seriously girl, you've got, like, some serious natural muscle on you. Ya got a great body type for any sport ya want, and...y'know, I could always use a partner."
That seemed to strike home. AJ took in a deep breath and pressed her back against the seat, her eyes traveling from the flickering flame to the colorful girl's ruby pools. "...I guess."
"Awesome." Rainbow pumped her fist in the air. "With us as a team, we'll be unstoppable, babe. Just you watch." The confidence in her voice and fire in her eyes was contagious, and AJ was infected before she knew that her face shared the same look.
Pinkie returned with sleeping bags and a little white box Rainbow recognized as the projector. "Let's watch a scaaaarrryyyy mooovvie!"
Rainbow got up from her seat and stretched her arms behind her back. "Sounds good, Pinks. What movie you got for us tonight?"
Fluttershy pouted her lips and twiddled her thumbs. "I hope it isn't Pet Cemetery..."
Pinkie shared a sympathetic smile with the shy girl. "No pets this time, Shy. Promise!" Shy's reassured smile returned.
Twi and Rarity silently stepped around the circle of chairs, smores in tow. As they, Shy, and Pinkie set up their sleeping bags, the pink host shouted, "Dashie, you have to share!"
Rainbow turned to AJ with an apologetic eye-roll. "You can have it, I'll chill on the ground." If she played her cards right, she could get AJ to feel guilty and let them lie together!
AJ cocked an eyebrow at the smaller athlete and shrugged. "If ya say so..."
Shit.
It was half an hour into the movie and Rainbow's ass was cold. Sitting on the soft grass was nice, for, like, ten minutes. Then it got damp, then it got uncomfortable, and then it was just crap. Rarity was kind enough to bring her a tiny blanket and pillow, but the damage had been done. Her ass hurt. The projector was set up in the very back and played some raunchy, crappy horror movie on Rarity's white house.
But all was not lost. As she laid on her makeshift bed, one leg bent, hands behind her head, looking cool as hell, she caught several glances from the country angel. That alone made the butthurt worth it, but the prospect of getting to lie next to her during a crappy horror movie was the dream.
Well, the real dream was something much dirtier, but that's beside the point.
"C'mon over, sugarcube..." AJ sighed as she opened up her sleeping bag and spread it out, making enough room for the both of them. She was so damn cool. Rainbow kept her brisk attitude though and shrugged in response, carrying her blanket and pillow with her.
"Thanks," Rainbow winked at the slightly taller cowgirl as she nestled onto the comfortable bag. When a scream filled the night, both the athletes perked up as Twi and Rarity clung to each other.
AJ laid her head back on her pillow, hands behind her head. Rainbow mimicked her.
Silence befell between the two as they watched the movie - or so Rainbow made it seem. She was glancing to the cowgirl every chance she'd get.
Natural. That's a good word for her. She's naturally cool. She's naturally built like that. She naturally has the voice of a choir. So it was natural Rainbow is attracted to her. Magnetized to her. Staring at her.
Rainbow shook her head and wiped her eyes. AJ looked over at her with concern. "Ya a'right?"
The troubled girl squeezed the bridge of her nose. She gave a curt nod. "Yeah. Just...thinking."
As she dropped her hand to the side and kept her eyes to the sky, AJ asked, "...Yeah? About?"
Rainbow's cool breathing kept her tone as casual as ever. Many things were traveling through her head, all on two opposite ends of a 'Do and Don't' table. The don'ts far outweighed the do's.
Fuck it. "You got a boyfriend?"
AJ snickered as she kept her gaze on the rainbow wonder. "Now why ya wonderin' a thing like that?"
Rainbow rubbed her tongue along her gums. Not having any real reason, she shrugged.
AJ was slow to respond. "Nah. Boys'r trouble. 'Sides, I just got here. I'd have to be one thirsty gal' to get into somethin' already." She chuckled playfully.
That was both relieving and crushing. At the very least...she wasn't taken. "Can't blame you. Most guys around here are fucking stupid, take my word for it."
"I wouldn't call ya stupid," AJ stuck her boot out and smacked Rainbow's, at which the colorful athlete finally dropped her gaze down to the cowgirl.
"Uhh, th-...Hey! I'm not a guy, dammit." She disguised her analyzation of the country girl's photogenic face as a menacing, challenging stare. AJ stared right back.
Lush, bright green eyes. They were captivating. They were something Rainbow must have. Her eyebrows were a great attribute to express her mood. Furrowed when angry (which Rainbow was growing fond of), then even more furrowed when she was challenged - like now. The girl wore all her expressions great, and she knew by a short once-over of the country-born, tanned skin beauty beside her, Rainbow had to have her.
"Ohuh...Thanks." AJ smiled with a tinge of red to her freckled cheeks, which made Rainbow blink suddenly, her dreamy stare dropping back to reality. AJ looked...uncomfortable? Surprised? Blushing?
Had Rainbow said something? The fuck did she say to her? "...wh-...what did I say?"
AJ blinked a couple times, confused. "Said my eyes were pretty. Do ya not hear yourself?"
Apparently not. Rainbow arched her back and squeezed her thighs together, groaning. For a brief, tiny, miniscule moment, she couldn't hold it in. She had slipped up and said something really, really stupid. Then she took a deep breath...and returned to AJ with a relaxed smile. "Yeah. They're gorgeous, I wish mine were like that."
AJ laughed playfully. "C'mon, mine ain't nothin' special. Yours are red. If aynthin', we should all be jealous of ya." She tapped her knee against Rainbow's.
The cool girl tapped her knee back, and their legs became pendulums, rocking back and forth. "Heh...Thanks. They are pretty damn cool." Looking over at AJ, Rainbow took a deep breath and said much quieter, "I'm glad we met."
Why ya say that?"
"I just...I dunno. I don't meet cool people, y'know? I mean, yeah, I met Pinks and she introduced me to those two, and now we're practically family, but like - I haven't met someone before, that I...y'know..."
"Connect with?" AJ finished.
"Yeah," Rainbow smiled. "Connect with. I've always been...Kind of alone. Being on top of all my classes gets boring after a while."
AJ rolled her eyes. "And there it is." Rainbow's infectious smile found its way on AJ's lips. "Can't go two minutes without talkin' 'bout how awesome ya are." Her knee hit Rainbow's extra hard.
The cocky athlete shrugged in response, her smug grin ever present. "Well, yeah. That's like, my thing."
"Well your thing makes it tough to take ya seriously."
Rainbow giggled as they continued their knee-pendulum for a little while longer, until eventually the cocky girl asked, "So where'd ya learn to ride a bike, and why'd you go to the track?"
"Me n' mah brother used to ride around the orchard on our bikes when we were lil' kids." AJ shrugged. "When I came back, he still had his. I wanted to let off sum steam, so I took it to down there."
"Tsk-tsk, had to use your brother's bike." Rainbow waved her finger at the bad cowgirl.
"Whooped your ass," AJ nudged Rainbow's shoulder. "Ya crashed more than me!"
Rainbow chortled and shoved the pushy girl's hand back. "Yeah, yeah. Yet I was still keeping up with you. That's how you know I'm the champion."
AJ rolled her eyes and swatted the champ's pointing finger away. "Uh huh. Champion mah ass, Rainbow. Speakin' of that," her gaze turned interrogative. "Who was that guy?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Dick? Some rich boy. Thinks he's hot shit." rainbow stuck out her tongue in disgust.
"Didn't he say his name was...Richard or somethin'?" AJ continued her questioning stare, to which Rainbow flashed a bright smile.
"Yeah, but I heard Dick was short for Richard, and you bet your sweet country ass I'm gonna call him Dick." She gave a thumbs up.
"Pff," AJ shared that infectious smile as she scoffed. "I don't know how ya'll get Dick from Richard."
Rainbow tapped her chin, having never really thought about it. She just liked using it to tease. When in doubt, ask Twilight. "Yo Twi," Rainbow looked over to the friend, who smiled back. "Where the hell do you get Dick from Richard?"
Twilight had to process that colorful sentence. "It was a weird process. During the thirteenth-century, they had to write everything on paper, so shortened names were very common. Dash instead of Rainbow Dash, Twi instead of Twilight, Pinkie instead of Pinkamena. That's what made Rich and Rick common names for Richard. Then it became a fun sort to rhyme names together, from Rich to Hitch, and Rick to Dick."
Rainbow couldn't deny Twi had a way of making anything interesting. But she would be shot before admitting something like that. "Uh, yeah there ya go." Rainbow turned back to the farm girl, who still looked somewhat confused.
"...why not just call him Dickard?" And then Rainbow died. Her lungs could not produce enough air to keep up with her need to laugh. Even Twi joined in with little snickers. "What?" AJ shrugged with a playful smile.
"I'm totally using that." Rainbow wheezed as she wiped away tears. Twi rolled her eyes as she turned back to Rarity, who both had heard enough about Dicks.
The country wonder rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well, ya didn't hear it from me."
Rainbow shook her head slowly as she recuperated. "S-so," she swallowed a giggle and looked up at the amused country vixen. "What were we talking about...?"
"How I was somkin' your ass." She played a smug grin on her freckle-dancing face.
"Yeah, yeah bitch. It was a bad day. I was distracted," she rolled her eyes. "-and besides. That shit's just a hobby. If you wanna try and beat me in something, try a sport I actually care about."
This girl had a lot of confidence as she crossed her arms. "Alright. I'll bet I can best ya in your favorite sport."
That was one hell of a claim. "You're on. I win...You do one thing for me, no matter what it is. I lose, I do one thing for you, whatever it is."
AJ rose an eyebrow, and perhaps wasn't sure what she had gotten into...but a smile spread across her face. "By the end of the month?"
"Sure. If ya back out, you lose. Same for me."
AJ extended her hand and shook Rainbow's deceptively strong arm. "Deal."
Rainbow sat back in her spot with a proud smile on her face. Easiest bet she'd ever made. In just a month, she'll be getting a kiss.