//------------------------------//
// Marble: Sleepover 
// Story: Chosen Love 
// by Just A Random Pegasus 
//------------------------------//

"See ya! We're headin' ta Twilight's! Also, Mac, Flim won't be workin' today. He can wait until Ah'm here ta start workin'. Understood?" Applejack called into the house as she stood next to Marble in the doorway. Big Mac rolled his eyes.

"Eeyup."

"Alright. Bye!" She said, closing the door. She sighed, starting to walk. "Mac isn't very happy with me."

"Well, he should come around eventually," Marble said. "Um... thanks for letting me borrow a sleeping bag, by the way," she said, trying to balance said sleeping bag perfectly on her back. 

Applejack nodded. "No problem, we have a lot. Anyways, Ah sure hope he does. An angry Mac is never fun, especially when ya have ta work with him."

Marble nodded. "Yeah. Well, I'm used to working with my sister, and she used to always be mad at everything."

Applejack chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Limestone terrified me when Ah first met her."

Marble nodded. "She terrifies just about everyone. Except Lightning." She giggled. "Well, he's used to her by now."

"Heh, yeah. But, anyways, Mac is gonna take awhile ta accept our new worker. Maybe, if y'all start datin', ya can reason with him. Ah certainly can't whenever he gets into one of these moods."

Marble lightly blushed. "Mmhm."

Applejack raised a brow. "Speakin' of, did ya try ta ask him out yesterday? Ah got so caught up in other things that Ah forgot to ask."

Marble's blush now spread across her entire face. "Um... I tried."

Applejack blinked. "Oh. Well, if y'all are really that nervous, don't pressure yourself too much. Though, Ah'm happy you're tryin'."

Marble smiled. "Well, thank you."

Applejack nodded. "No problem! So, are ya excited for the sleepover?"

Marble nodded. "Oh, yes. I have never been to a sleepover, actually."

"What?! Never?"

Marble shook her head. "No. I barely ever left the rock farm when growing up. This is the longest I've ever been away."

Applejack's ears shot up. "Wow. Really?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. Well, we'll make this the best sleepover, then!"

Marble's stomach danced with excitement. "Well, I can't wait, then."

Applejack beamed. "Ah'm glad! Pinkie probably has the same idea as me."

As she said that, the two approached Twilight's castle, Applejack stepping inside.

"Hello!" She greeted as she walked in, Marble walking in behind her.

"Hey, AJ! Hey, Marble!" Rainbow Dash greeted, flying up to them. "Good thing I flew out in time to catch ya! Pinkie, Starlight, and I are gonna play a prank on Spike. Wanna help?"

Applejack raised a brow. "When ya say 'prank'... what do ya mean?"

Dash held back a chuckle. "Well, follow me!" She said, flying away. Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Ah'll be followin' Dash, Marble. Ah'm pretty sure everyone else is in the throne room, which is right there," she said, pointing to said room. Marble nodded. 

"Alright," she said, walking over to the two large, golden doors after Applejack took her leave. She pushed them open, seeing Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy sitting on their thrones. The three turned to her, smiling.

"Hi, Marble! You can put your sleeping bag over there," Twilight said, pointing to a pile of sleeping bags. Marble set hers down, smiling at the three.

"Hello. May I sit somewhere?"

Twilight nodded. "Of course! Just take Pinkie's seat. I know she won't mind."

Marble nodded, sitting down on the throne with Pinkie's cutie mark. As she did, Rarity immediately raised a coy brow in her direction.

"So... have you asked Macintosh out yet?"

Marble blushed. "Um... I tried."

Rarity pouted. "Aww! I wanted to ask all about your relationship!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just ask Applejack things about hers?"

Rarity blinked. "Oh, right. I'll bug her later. I'm sure she'll be reluctant, though."

Fluttershy giggled. "She probably will be. Haven't we already prodded her enough?"

Rarity shook her head. "Fluttershy, darling, of course not! There's so much more we need to learn!"

As she said that, the doors slammed open, Starlight, Applejack, Dash, and Pinkie running inside as fast as they could, the four all laughing. 

"Girls, what did you do?" Twilight asked. Before she could say anything else, Spike burst the doors open with a red face, earning more laughter from the four. 

"Give the pictures back!" Spike said, stepping up to Pinkie. Pinkie giggled. 

"Oh, you mean... these?" She asked, showing a collection of pictures they had taken of Spike flexing and looking at himself in the mirror. Spike's blush returned as he stole the pictures from Pinkie's grasp.

"Yeah!"

Dash laughed even harder. "Wow, Spike. Those pictures are sure to draw mares in!"

Spike folded his arms. "Hey! I had a huge growth spurt last night and have been working out! I was curious!" 

Starlight giggled. "Now that I think about it, you are a lot taller."

Dash smirked. "Heh. Don't be ogling, Starlight. Your nerdy little coltfriend won't like it one bit," she said, winking as she giggled. Starlight charged a bit of magic onto her horn, lightly shocking Dash's side. "Hey!"

Starlight chuckled. "That's what I thought," she chirped, earning laughter from Pinkie.

"She got ya there, Dash!"

Dash rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm going to my throne," she said, flying over to her throne and taking a seat. Pinkie looked to Marble.

"Oh! I didn't know you were on my throne! I think we both can fit together!" She said, walking over and squeezing next to Marble. "That works!"

Marble giggled. "It does," she said, looking up at Pinkie. There were lines across her face and dark bags under her eyes. "Um... Pinkie, are you alright?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah! Why?"

Marble scanned her sister's face again. "Well... you look extremely tired."

Pinkie blinked. "Oh. Well, I have been working a bit hard on getting the wedding ready. Actually, now that I think about it... I've been barely getting any sleep."

Marble's eyes widened. "Oh."

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah. But, it'll all be worth it in three days."

Marble smiled. "I guess so. I'm excited."

Pinkie's face brightened. "I know, right?!"

"OH MY GOSH, SPIKE!" Twilight exclaimed, prompting everyone to look to her. Twilight was staring in Spike's back in shock. "You... You're..."

"What?" Spike asked. 

"You're... growing wings!" She said, poking to two bones sticking out from his shoulder blades. Spike's eyes widened. 

"...What? How?"

Twilight beamed. "Oh my gosh, this is so cool! I think it's because I might have accidentally caused you to not completely develop when hatching you from your egg when I was much younger. Your body was probably going to grow wings but didn't due to my intervention. So... that means that you're just late!"

Spike grunted. "Really late. Hold on, I gotta look in the mirror," he said, disappearing from the throne room. Dash smiled.

"Hey, this is cool! I'm gonna have a new flight buddy!" She said, doing a quick flip in the air. Twilight nodded.

"Yeah! So, anyways, we could discuss Spike growing later. For now, we have to get started on this sleepover!"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah! Let's eat cupcakes and party!" 

Marble smiled. "That sounds good."

Pinkie giggled. "Well, I'm glad you think so, Marble!" She said, pulling out a platter of cupcakes. "Here you go!" She said, handing the cupcake to her sister. Marble took a bite of it, smiling at first. After a second, however, confetti exploded from the inside of the cupcake all over Marble's face. Pinkie laughed really loudly, putting the cupcakes on the cutie map.

"So... who wants one?"

Rarity chuckled. "Oh... hehe... not me."





The afternoon had been quite enjoyable for Marble. Pinkie had a lot of fun little games, and Spike brought in a huge plate of nachos. Marble ate a fair share of those, officially making up her mind that typical Equestrian food is better than anything she ever had at the rock farm. Rock soup can get old after awhile.

Now, it was near nighttime and they were all sitting in Twilight's room, talking. The conversation eventually died down, silence plaguing the room for a second. Rainbow's laughter broke the silence, everyone turning their heads to her.

"What is it, Dashie?" Pinkie asked. Dash let her laughter die down a bit, a smirk still on her face.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that..." She started, reaching into her bag and pulling out a stack of papers. She fought to restrain her laughter. "I brought the fanfiction I wrote about AJ and Caramel!"

Applejack blushed, glaring. "Dash! Y'all are not readin' that!"

Dash raised a brow. "Oh, I totally am!"

Pinkie giggled. "I wanna hear it!"

Starlight chuckled. "Well, why not?"

Dash pointed to Applejack. "Ha! See? I got two votes!"

"But-"

"No buts! We're reading this!" She said, earning light giggles from everyone except Applejack. Dash scanned the first page, laughing. "Well, alright. So, I'll start:

"It was a hot, muggy day in Ponyville. Applejack could barely stand the heat, because she's not as awesome as Rainbow Dash is."

"Really? Ah can withstand heat!" Applejack interrupted. 

"Hey, shush, peanut gallery!" Dash said, sticking her tongue out at Applejack. "So, anyways: Applejack wanted to walk back to the barn, but, alas, she had fallen to the ground and couldn't walk! Luckily for her, a hot stallion named Caramel seemed to be walking by the orchard at the time. He lowered his blue gaze down to her, looking over her body, (which was no where near as awesome as Rainbow Dash's), and smiled at her.

"'Hey, AJ,' he said, a seductive tone to his voice. Applejack looked up to him, smirking. 

"'Hey, Caramel,' she greeted, licking her lips as she looked over his frame. 

"'Need help?' Her dream stallion asked. Though Applejack had almost too much pride to admit it, she nodded. Caramel flipped her over his back, walking her to the barn. Applejack hugged his neck, looking at his chocolate mane as steamy thoughts ran through her head. As they reached the barn and Caramel lowered Applejack on some hay inside, Applejack wouldn't let go of him. She kept her hooves around his neck, squeezing tightly. Applejack then lowered him down, biting his neck and-"

"Wow, a bit forward, huh?" Twilight asked, her cheeks already coloring. Rainbow huffed.

"Shush! We're getting to the best part!" She said, going back to her story. "So... biting his neck and earning a moan of surprise from him. Caramel immediately got the message, looking down to Applejack and sensually kissing her. He lowered his crotch towards her and his-"

Applejack had thrown a hoof to Dash's mouth, blushing madly. "Alright, we're stoppin' right here!"

Dash removed her friend's hoof, pouting. "Aw, come on! It was getting good!"

Rarity blinked. "Well... Dash, darling, that was probably the most rushed story I've ever heard. You can't enjoy the story, considering it moves way too fast. I can teach you how to make it better, if you like."

Dash shook her head. "Nah, it's good as it is."

Marble was currently still as red as she was when Dash read it, her mind wandering. She hated to admit it, but she thought of her and Mac in that situation...

"Hey, are you okay, Marble?" Pinkie asked. Marble blushed, nodding.

"Mmhm."

Pinkie giggled. "Well, alright then! We're about to play truth or dare: the special way!" Pinkie said. Marble titled her head, her cheeks still tinted red. 

"Um... how do we play the special way?"

Pinkie giggled. "Well, it's not too different. We all have three chickens, which are basically skips, but here's the special twist: you can sacrifice one of your chickens to ask or dare the entire group to do something! Also, if you want, you can sacrifice all three of your chickens, which will let you ask or dare the entire group, and no one will be allowed to chicken!"

Marble blinked. "Um... so, can you dare one pony and then waste more of your chickens so they can't chicken? Or-"

"It only works in group questions! I came up with this last time, considering it would be a lot better if everyone is forced to do the same thing instead of one person doing it by themselves and not being able to chicken."

Marble nodded. "Alright. I've never played any version of this game, so can you not pick me first?" 

Pinkie nodded. "Yep! So... who wants to go first?"

Dash raised a hoof. "I'll go!"

"Alright, Dashie. Who are you picking?"

Dash pointed to Twilight. "Twilight! Truth or dare?"

Twilight thought. "Hm... dare. Why not?"

Dash smirked. "I dare you to make my fanfiction into a fancy book!"

Twilight's eyes widened. "Um... that'll take a while! Is that even allowed?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yep! It's technically a dare! I mean, you can chicken if you want!"

Twilight shook her head. "No. The way this game goes, I'm saving them," she said, turning to Dash. "You'll get your book in a few days. After Pinkie's wedding for sure."

Dash hoof pumped. "Yes! I'll give it to you when I leave!" She exclaimed. "Now you go, Twilight!"

Twilight's eyes danced with amusement. "Well, alright... Starlight! Truth or dare?"

Starlight thought. "Hm... truth."

Twilight thought for a second, smirking. "What is... your favorite spell that you and Sunburst have worked on?"

Dash threw a hoof to her face. "Twilight, that was probably the most boring question you could ask!"

Twilight shrugged. "Hey! At least I didn't write a horrible fanfiction about my best friend," she said, sticking her tongue out. Dash gasped.

"Hey! It's a great fanfiction and you know it!"

Starlight rolled her eyes. "Can I answer now?"

Dash folded her hooves. "Fine. But I can't wait for Twilight to make it into a book for me."

Twilight giggled. "Don't expect it right away, Dash."

"Anyways," Starlight interrupted, drawing attention to her again. "My favorite spell has got to be the top illusion spell. If we both use it, we can make it seem like we're somewhere else! Well, only in appearance. It's really realistic, though! We once made it look like the inside of his house was a beach, and I tried to run into the water, but I ran into a bookshelf," she said, slightly blushing.

Twilight giggled. "Oh, that's always a fun spell."

Spike grunted. "Yeah, totally. Especially when you use it to prank me and I end up really confused and running into stuff because the room looks completely different."

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, that sounds like fun!"

Twilight gave Spike a smirk. "What? I gotta play pranks on you some time!"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. As long as I don't hurt myself."

Twilight motioned to Starlight. "Now, Starlight, it's your turn!"

Starlight looked to Spike. "Spike! Truth or dare?"

Spike thought. "Hm... dare."

Starlight blinked. "Hm... coming up with dares is hard."

"I can help!" Dash suggested. Starlight shook her head.

"Nah, I got it. Hm... oh! Spike, I dare you to walk up to a random mare in public and start flexing like you do in your mirror."

As she said this, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie completely lost themselves in laughter. Spike stared at Starlight with his jaw open.

"What?! That's so embarrassing!"

"You gotta do it! She dared you!" Dash said, laughing again. Spike shook his head.

"Nah. I can chicken, y'know."

Pinkie pouted. "Awww, and ruin everyone else's fun?"

Spike looked between them, grunting. "Fine. I should probably save my chickens, anyway," he said, walking to the door. The group followed him, all giggling.

"Well, go on, Spike. There's a mare right outside the castle," Twilight said, looking out the window. Spike groaned.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back in in a minute," he said, walking outside. The mares gathered around the window, watching him go up to the mare and start showing off his much less than stellar muscles. They immediately all started laughing as she furrowed her brow and walked away without a word. Spike walked back into the castle with a red face, everyone still laughing when he walked in. 

"Was that good?" He asked. Starlight nodded.

"Oh, yes. That was hilarious!" She said, making her way back to Twilight's room. The group followed her, Spike still a bit red. As they sat down, they were still all smiling, Spike trying to hide his blush as he spoke.

"Well, okay, I'm getting someone back for this. Marble, truth or dare."

Marble's eyes widened upon hearing her name. What should she pick? Deciding a dare would be risky, she made a wise choice, or at least in her eyes. "Truth."

Spike thought. "Hm... one a scale of one to ten, how hot and dreamy do you think Big Mac is?"

He certainly knew how to make Marble embarrassed, because her cheeks turned a dark shade of red. "Um... uh..."

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, come on, Marble! You have to answer!"

Marble bit her lip. "Um... t-ten?"

Giggles arose from the rest of them, Marble feeling heat rise all over her face. Spike sure knew how to make her embarrassed...

"Okay, Marble, now you pick someone!" Pinkie said. Marble nodded, a bit of the heat disappearing from her face.

"Oh, o-okay. Pinkie. Truth or dare?"

Pinkie thought. "Hm... dare!"

Marble found herself stumped. Pinkie would do anything that someone asked her on a normal day; how could she think of a good dare?

"Hm..." Marble thought some more, finally coming to an idea. Nothing much, but at least something Pinkie may be a bit hesitant to. "Pinkie, I dare you to lick the floor."

Pinkie nodded, doing as she was told. "Done! That was easy!"

Marble blinked. "Oh," she said, not expected something like that to be so easy for her. Well, then again, she's Pinkie. 

Pinkie gasped. "Oh, goodie! It's my turn!" She said with a wide smile. "I have a group truth, and will be sacrificing all three of my chickens so that no one can chicken!"

Rarity's eyes widened. "Oh. Well, Pinkie, what is it?" She asked, seeming a bit worried.  

Pinkie smirked. "All of you... need to tell me who you have a crush on."

Applejack immediately started laughing. "Ha! Ah did that the other day! It's your turn, y'all!" She said, laying back. "This'll be entertainin'!"

Rainbow Dash's face was currently red. "Well... maybe you didn't, AJ! Maybe you have a crush on Caramel!"

Applejack shook her head. "Nah. So, who's goin' first?"

Marble shrugged. "Well, you all already know I like Minuette and Mac."

Starlight nodded. "And I'm in love with Sunburst."

Pinkie nodded, smiling. "Yep! So... Spike! Who is it?"

"I don't like anyone anymore," Spike admitted. Pinkie blinked. 

"Really? But you're an older teenager now!"

Spike shrugged. "So?"

"You're supposed to have a bunch of cute little crushes!"

Spike shook his head. "Nope. Not this dragon."

Pinkie pouted. "Aw, fine. So... let's go with... Rarity!"

Rarity giggled. "Oh, me? Well, I suppose I should tell you."

Pinkie beamed. "Who is it?!"

Rarity swooned. "Oh, only the amazing stallion named Fashion Plate! He's just so... handsome..."

"Awww! Are you planning on asking him out?"

Rarity nodded. "Actually... I was planning on it next time I visited Canterlot!"

Pinkie gasped. "Wow! I hope it goes well, Rarity!"

Rarity nodded. "Oh, I do, too. He's a dream!"

Pinkie giggled. "I'll make sure you tell me everything! Anyway, who wants to go next?"

Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were all red, none wanting to speak up. Twilight looked between the two pegasi, deducting that both had a secret they seemed to not want to share. She sighed.

"Fine, I'll go."

Pinkie bounced where she was sitting. "Oh, I can't wait another minute! Who is it?"

Twilight tried to hide her face in her large wings. "Well... one of my guards-"

"Flash Sentry," Spike interrupted, causing Twilight to turn more red.

"H-how did you know?!"

Spike shrugged. "It's obvious, Twi. You think he's cute. I see how you look at him."

Twilight blinked. "Um..."

Pinkie giggled. "Aww! The princess and her guard! You're taking after your sister-in-law!" She said. Twilight completely hid her face.

"Ah... it's just a little crush," she mumbled into her feathers. Pinkie looked to Fluttershy and Dash.

"So... who wants to say next? You two are obviously hiding something!"

Dash looked away, Fluttershy biting her lip. "Um..." Fluttershy started, her face completely red.

Stars seemed to dance in Pinkie eyes. "Yessss?"

Fluttershy couldn't look at anyone. "Um... I like..." Anticipation hung in the room as everyone stared at her. "Um... D-Discord."

Pinkie gasped. "Oh. My. Gosh! That's so cute!"

Rarity giggled. "Wow, both Applejack and Fluttershy have fallen for a redeemed villain!" She looked to Fluttershy. "So... what made you like him? Isn't he super old, too?"

Fluttershy blushed. "Um... he just adds so much fun to my silent life. The perfect balance. Also, draconequui age much slower than ponies. So, he's only a bit older than me in pony years."

Twilight nodded. "That is very true. It's the same thing with alicorns."

Pinkie giggled. "Well, you two will be so cute! The Spirit of Chaos and the Element of Kindness; the perfect pair!"

Fluttershy blushed. "Um... thanks."

Pinkie smiled. "No problem! Now... Dashie~!" Pinkie said in a teasing tone. Dash blushed harder than Fluttershy did as her gaze wandered around the room.

"Uh..." Dash bit her lip. "So... I can't chicken?"

Pinkie shook her head. "Nope! How bad can it be?"

Dash groaned. "Ugh... fine! I'll tell you! I like Soarin!"

"Awwwww!" Pinkie remarked. "You two will be cute, too!"

Dash tried to hide her face with her wings, but it didn't work too well. "S-shut up! Let's stop talking about me!"

Rarity squealed. "But darling, there's so much to talk about!"

Dash shook her head. "Nope!"

As she replied, Pinkie gasped. "Oh. My. Gosh! I thought of the best idea ever!"

Applejack raised a brow. "What is it, Pinkie?"

"Well... since Twilight, Fluttershy, and Dashie seem reluctant about asking their crushes out... what if I host a party here tomorrow? It'll be a good break from wedding planning, and we can invite Twilight's entire guard, the Wonderbolts, Discord, and other ponies! Also, Big Mac and Minuette!" Pinkie said, winking at Marble. Marble blushed.

"Um... I would rather be in a relationship with Mac before approaching the subject of Minuette."

Pinkie pouted. "Aww, alright. But Mac is definitely coming, Marble!"

Dash blinked as she took in the whole idea. "But... The Wonderbolts can't come at such short notice!"

Pinkie shrugged. "Why not? You're off, that means they're off, too. You know their addresses, so how about you go over to their houses and invite them? It'll be fun!"

Dash grunted. "Fine."

Twilight smiled. "That actually sounds like a lot of fun, Pinkie! Also, my guard could use a little break."

Pinkie nodded. "Yep! That's a plan!"

Applejack nudged Marble's shoulder. "This'll be the perfect opportunity ta ask him out, ya know," she said with a wink. Marble blushed.

"Um... mmhm..." She replied, letting her mane hide the blush on her face.