//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Stuck // by LuminousR //------------------------------// The six mares were laying side by side on the wooden bottom of the little boat stargazing. Well five of them were laying on the wooden bottom, Rarity said that it was really, “Unladylike and distasteful, darling.” So now Rarity was laying on her cushions towards the back of the boat, with Fluttershy on her right. Applejack was looking at the beautiful night sky. She always found some kind of calm when she looked at the twinkling stars in the dark blue sky, it reminded her of her parents and of the times when she was young and carefree. When she would just lay in her orchards with her parents and Big Mac at night and stare at the stars that looked so far away yet felt so close. Like she could almost touch them if she reached out. Applejack sighed. “The sky is so beautiful at night; Princess Luna must work so hard to make this sky look perfect. It was a great idea to spend the night like this, Twi,” she said softly, turning to Twilight Sparkle on her left. “I know right! I got to make so many cupcakes for tonight. This is the best night ever!” Pinkie Pie screamed, confetti flying out of seemingly nowhere, disrupting what calm they had been laying in in the past few minutes. The loud noise made Fluttershy flinch and move towards Rarity, away from Pinkie. Pinkie was lying to Fluttershy’s left and Twilight to her right. Twilight chuckled lightly and said, “Well I am glad you guys are having fun. I thought this was a good way to relax and spend some time together.” Rainbow Dash, who was laying towards Applejack’s right, popped her head on her hoof and turned towards the girls, “Yeah, it sure was good to come out at the sea and relax. Especially after my awesomely spectacular practice at the Wonderbolts headquarters earlier today, I definitely needed some rest. You guys should have seen me; I was flying rings around the others." Rainbow said, as she flipped her mane back with her hoof that wasn't supporting her head. The other four rolled their eyes but still had smiles on their faces. While Pinkie was busy day dreaming about the cupcakes since she had mentioned them. After a few minutes of quiet Fluttershy said, "I sure had a nice time with you girls. Don't get me wrong, I love all the animals that I take care of very much, but um... sometimes I get tired. And I never really get time for myself, cause I'm always looking after the animals. So, it was really um... nice to be out with you, thanks girls." Rarity smiled at the girl. "I hear you, darling. Our lives sure are busy. Between saving the world on a regular basis and our daily responsibilities, we barely get time for ourselves lately," she said, then sighed, "But as they say, all good things must come to an end. So, I guess we girls should be heading home now, it's pretty late." The other girls all hummed as Twilight sat up, "Alright then girls, let's get home." As Twilight was getting the boat ready so that they could leave for the shore. Dash came up to Applejack and said, "You know, AJ, your hat is looking really good today.” Applejack turned to her and raised an eyebrow, “Dash, it is the same exact hat I wear every single day.” Rainbow chuckled nervously and said, “Yeah but I think tonight it has a special shine to it…” Applejack narrowed her eyes and told her, “Dash, you are not getting any more cider. You have already had too much cider for one night.” Rainbow tried to pretend that she wasn’t just trying to get the cider but her acting only lasted a second and then she groaned and said, “Aww nuts, AJ why do you always do this? I swear I will even pay you as soon as I get home, just one more cup of cider?” Applejack snorted and turned away from Rainbow, “You know I don’t care for the bits, Dash. It is for your health. And no more asking, you know my answer will remain no.” With that Applejack walked away to go help Twilight set up everything so they could leave. Rainbow Dash pouted and sat down with her arms crossed. Pinkie jumped over to her, “What is it, Dashie? Why the looong face?” She asked, while pulling Rainbow’s face as if to show how long it looked. Rainbow Dash just turned away and grumbled, “AJ won’t give me any more cider.” Pinkie looked at Rainbow for a second with her head tilted, then giggled, “You are so silly. Hehehe,” she said, then just skipped over to where Rarity and Futtershy were having a conversation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Twilight got done setting everything up to leave for the shore, she looked up to say, “Alright girls, we are all ready to leave. Let’s go!” Soon as those words left her mouth, her horn started glowing as she started to pull the anchor of the boat up and in the boat. The girls cheered and Twilight started the little engine and began to give directions as Applejack steered the boat accordingly. Rainbow Dash stretched and yawned, “So, as you girls get us to the shore I think I’ll just take a nap for the while. Wake me up when we reach.” She curled up towards the back of the boat and was snoring already. Rarity rolled her eyes, “That mare could sleep no matter where we are or what we are doing,” she said, even though Rarity herself was feeling quite tired. Looking at Rainbow sleep, Fluttershy yawned herself and then blinked. “Yeah, it has been a pretty long day, I feel a little sleepy myself. But I still have a few things to do even after I get home. The animals need to be fed before I put them to bed, then I have to clean up after the animals and then I can go sleep myself.” Rarity looked at Fluttershy sympathetically, “Oh my, you poor dear, I wish I could help you but I still have to finish a customer’s order by morning and it is already very late.” Then she smiled, “Though I did thoroughly enjoy our evening together today. It was a good stress reliever.” Fluttershy just smiled at her. Rarity then turned to Pinkie who was just leaning on the edge on the boat, staring at the sky. “Pinkie, darling, what are you doing over there alone?” Pinkie turned towards Rarity and smiled big, “Oh Rarity, come here! Come here! Look what I made.” Rarity sighed but went to the pink pony’s side, and looked at where the party pony was pointing; towards the sky. “See, I am making a birthday party with all these pretty, sparkly stars. Look! Look! There is the big birthday cake, those on the top are streamers, and those floating on the side are lots of balloons by the treats table. See? Isn’t it fun?” The fashionista kept looking at the sky as Pinkie pointed at different parts of the night sky. She saw no shapes or cakes as Pinkie was describing. To her, it was just a sky full of stars, scattered randomly. Though she did see some really gorgeous dress designs, she needs to remember them so she can make some dresses as pretty as the ones she saw in the stars. “Yes, darling. I see what you mean but I don’t see any party, though I do see some fabulous dresses.” She grinned at the sky. Pinkie stared at the sky for a second with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape, then she grinned as wide as she could and said, “Oh yeah! Pretty!” Rarity turned to look at the pink pony with a raised eyebrow, but Pinkie didn’t take her eyes off the sky. Rarity knew that her super energetic friend was just saying it but she didn’t really see any dresses in the sky. She then chuckled lightly, shaking her head and turned to look at what the other girls were doing. Rainbow Dash was still taking her “nap” though the way she was sleeping, looked like she planned to sleep for at least a whole 2 days. Fluttershy was sitting a little to her right on the opposite side of the boat, which wasn’t much distance, at max it was probably 6 feet between her and Fluttershy. Their boat was pretty small. The quiet, pink maned pegasus was hugging herself like she was slightly cold. Looking at her Rarity realized that it was actually quite chilly out here even though just 20 minutes ago it was really nice and warm. Finally the elegant unicorn turned to her last two friends. Twilight and Applejack looked like they were having a conversation. Though it didn’t look like your everyday happy conversation. They both looked pretty confused and slightly worried. Twilight was looking at the map with squinting and slightly worried eyes. Applejack was looking ahead but she looked worried and she looked like she was talking to Twilight about something that wasn’t right. “Twilight, sugarcube, I don’t mean to worry you. But see we have been cruising for about 40 minutes now and I still don’t see any sign of any land for as far as I can see. And I am sure when we stopped where we did it only took us barely 30 minutes from the shore to get there,” Applejack said, her tone conveying the growing concern that she was feeling. Twilight was trying to suppress the worry the she felt at hearing those words. She squinted down at the map that she was holding in her magical aura. She was certain that she was going on the exact path that they came from, until now. Now she doesn’t even know where they are and what direction they need to head in to get to their home, or any patch of land for that matter. Twilight looked up and around to confirm Applejack’s words. She couldn’t see any king of land or any silhouettes that would indicate that there is something there. All she saw was water without end on all sides. And it wasn’t like it was a dark night either. The full moon was shining bright in the sky, along with the many twinkling stars. The alicorn pony dropped the map from her magical grip. And rushed to the side of the boat, that maybe, just maybe she would see any signs, any land, anything that would say that they aren’t just stuck in the middle of nowhere, with water on every side for miles on end. She didn’t see anything to calm her nerves. Twilight rushed to all sides of the boat looking, trying her best to just see anything at all. She found nothing. But her worried look and pacing did caught her other three friend’s attention. Fluttershy came up to Twilight who was standing towards the back of the boat looking out at the distance, looking lost and worried. “Um… Twilight, I don’t mean to be rude but is everything alright? You don’t look so good,” Fluttershy said in a nervous tone. Twilight didn’t reply for a few seconds, in the mean while Pinkie and Rarity also came up to the two friends to see what all the fuss was about. Twilight sighed and turned to look at Applejack who was still at the steering wheel of the boat, reflecting the worry Twilight was feeling, “Girls, I don’t know what to say, I think we are lost.” The girls all gasped, but Pinkie sounded more like she scream-gasped, which Twilight doesn’t even know how that is possible. “What do you mean that you think we are lost, darling? What is going on?” Rarity asked looking just as worried as Twilight but hoping that maybe she heard something wrong. All this noise and commotion had finally caused that rainbow maned pegasus to wake up from her nap. “Hey guys, what is all this ruckus about? Can’t you see that I am trying to nap here,” she said but as she turned to look at the looks on her friends’ faces, all her sleep went away in the blink of an eye. She was on her hooves and walking towards her friends in a second. Her loyalty showing through the worry in her eyes. The other four turned towards her and before anyone could say anything, Pinkie screamed, making Fluttershy flinch, “We are lost in the middle of the sea with nowhere to go.” For a second Rainbow was just stunned, then she blinked and asked, “What do you mean we are lost? Weren’t you reading the map, Twi?” Twilight sighed, “I was, I thought that we just have to go straight back where we came from but apparently when we were all just stargazing the boat probably rotated gradually and I think instead of going back we went in the opposite direction then what we came from. Now it wasn’t just a straight route from the shore to where we were, otherwise I wouldn’t have been using the map in the first place. Now I have no idea where we are at all and… and I don’t even see any land in sight. I have no idea how we can get home now and it is all my fault.” Twilight said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears all of a sudden. She looked so exhausted and worried and the self-guilt wasn’t helping any. “Oh darling!” Rarity exclaimed, as she went to put a hoof around Twilight. Rainbow felt bad for the girl, she knew how Twilight was. That girl always put too much burden and guilt on herself, just so other’s don’t worry about anything. As long as her friend’s were happy, Twilight didn’t mind doing anything and everything. “Listen, Twi, it’s alright, this isn’t your fault. Honestly it could of happened to any of us. It wasn’t like you knew that the boat had turned the other way around. Don’t beat yourself over it, girl. We know you wouldn’t do any such thing, this was just an accident.” Even though Rainbow was saying all these things, she herself was slightly worried. Though she wasn’t worried too much, she knew she was awesome and that when she is there no one has anything to worry about. Pinkie moved up to hug Twilight from the other side, “Yeah, Twilight, don’t worry, it’ll all be okay. And please don’t cry, I don’t like it when my friends are sad. When we get home, I will make you 100 different flavored cupcakes so you can be as happy as ever. Cause you know, cupcakes make it all better.” Pinkie smiled really big as she squeezed Twilight. Twilight wiped her eyes with her hoof and chuckled lightly, the pink pony always had a way to make people smile. “Thanks, Pinkie. I know they will. Your cupcakes always make it all better,” Twilight said, as she smiled at all her friends. “Aww how adorable are all my girls.” Applejack said from behind them, smiling as well. All the girls tuned to look at her. The other five smiled at her. “Hugs everyone! Hugs now!” Said the pink pony, smiling as the six friends hugged. Twilight sighed, “I am sorry that we are in this position girls, I didn’t mean to. But I promise if we work together, I know there is nothing that can ever stop us.” “You girls are the best. I love you all,” stated the shy pegasus, quietly, with a small smile. All the other girls sighed happily as they hummed in agreement and hugged close one last time and then separated to stand back. “Alright then, what’s the plan now?” Said Twilight, straightening herself up. “I mean I could say that we should keep going but I don’t even know which direction we went in and where do we have to go to get back home,” Twilight sighed. “I mean I could fly over and look where we are and which direction we need to head in but it’s too dark for me to see anything right now from that high in the sky,” Rainbow said, as she looked around clearly for the first time herself, since she got up. Applejack looked at the Rainbow Dash for a second, for the first time since they all came out tonight, did she notice how beautiful the rainbow maned pegasus really was. He gorgeous magenta eyes twinkling in the bright night sky, and her bright multi-hued mane flowing in the gentle night breeze over the sea. Applejack blinked and shook her head, what was all that she just thought? She shook her head once more to get completely rid of all the crazy thoughts in her head and then looked at her friends, “Well I don’t see how we can get home right now, as it’s way too dark to know where we are going.” The girls looked around and then looked back at each other, Twilight opened her mouth to say something but Pinkie beat her to it. “Oh I know!” Screamed the pink pony with joy. “We can have a boat sleepover! It’ll be the best night ever!” She said excitedly. The other four looked at her then chuckled at the pink pony’s randomness and excitement. While Fluttershy didn’t find much humor in it, as she looked around worriedly. Even though she hasn’t every done it before, she was still sure that a sleepover on the boat with water on all sides around you and no land near by wasn’t the best idea. Still she tried to push her uncomfortable feelings away and tried to relax. Twilight turned to Fluttershy and stop chuckling as she looked at her worried face. “Fluttershy, is everything alright?” She asked her with concern. Fluttershy looked at Twilight then turned to look at the floor of the boat as she sighed and unfurled and furled her wings once. “Um… it’s nothing, girls. Really. It’s just that I have this uncomfortable feeling, I don’t want to be a pessimist but I don’t think that this is… um… that this is a good idea to sleep on the boat,” She said, hiding behind her mane. Twilight sighed, “I know Fluttershy, I know how you are feeling. But it’s our only option. I mean we could still keep going but I don’t even know which direction we need to head in. I don’t want to get even further away from where we already are.” Fluttershy looked down but Applejack came up and put an arm around her, “Buck up, sugercube. I know it ain’t the most preferable of places to spend a night but I know if we are all together, everything will be alright.” Applejack smiled at Fluttershy smiled back, as all the other girls stated their agreements. “Okay then,” Said Twilight, “Now that that is all settled, everyone get in to positions and lets go to sleep. It’s already very late and I want us to get going first thing in the morning so lets get some rest.” Twilight walked to the middle of the boat and then shivered as a cold breeze went by, “I know it will be a cold, hard night but we can sleep in pairs to share body heat and it won’t be as bad.” “Pffft! Oh come on, darling! Do you think I would have traveled without some picnic essentials, like blankets?” Rarity said proudly, as she walked to her not so little travel bag on the other side of the boat. “Though I only brought three blankets so I guess we will still have to sleep in pairs but it won’t be as cold,” She said, smiling as she took out the blankets and laid them down in front of the others. The other five looked surprised but relieved too as they were grateful that they won’t freeze to death in the middle of the night. “Wow Rarity, you sure got your game on point, tonight.” Said Rainbow Dash, while she went to help Rarity with the blankets. The purple maned unicorn chuckled and flicked her hair, “Well, what can I say, Darling. I am pretty good at paying attention to little things.” She smiled, then turned to the other girls and away from her bags. “Oh and no offense to any of you girls but I will be sleeping with dear Fluttershy here. If she doesn’t mind that is.” Rarity said. Fluttershy smiled and said, “Not at all.” As she walked up to the fashionista, at the other side of the boat. Rarity squealed and said, “Oh perfect, now I don’t have to worry about someone hogging all the blanket in the middle of the night or kicking me in my sleep.” Rarity was already getting started on fixing the cushions, she was laying on earlier, and one of the blankets, for herself and Fluttershy, towards one side of the boat. As soon as those words left Rarity’s mouth, both Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled, “Hey! I don’t do that,” At the same time. The elegant unicorn just chuckled at them and kept on fixing her and Fluttershy’s sleeping place. “Okay then, if you two do that, then I guess you should sleep together. You both can have a tug-of-war with the blanket.” Twilight said, looking at the two mares while smiling. Applejack just sighed while Rainbow turned away but was internally glad that she was going to be sharing a blanket with Applejack tonight. Not that she doesn’t love all her friends equally, because she does. It’s just that Applejack is a little more special than her other four friends. Rainbow Dash has no idea why but she has always felt more attached with the gold mare and bright orange fur with an extreme love for apples. Rainbow Dash chuckled as she thought of the last thing, who would have known that there could be a pony who could love apples so much. “Yay! Me and Twilight are sleeping together. You know they say if you sleep with someone super smart then when you wake up, you will be as smart as them. So now by morning I will be as smart as Twilight,” The party pony said while bouncing in her place. The other three looked at Pinkie with wide eyes for a few seconds then just dismissed her as this was a regular thing in their lives now, the pink pony’s randomness. Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash and smiled, “Alright then, sugarcube, guess it’s you and me now. Better get to fixing our sleeping place.” Rainbow dash hummed in agreement and brought the blanket to the front of the boat, where the steering wheel of the boat was and laid it down. “Okay then, AJ go to sleep and don’t pull my blanket, okay?” Applejack came up to Rainbow dash and chuckled. “Dash, you know we are supposed to share, right? Also, we gotta cuddle, sugarcube, ‘s what Twilight said. Don’t worry, I’ll keep ya warm,” Applejack said with a wink. Rainbow dash knew Applejack was just joking but still she blushed, just the thought of sleeping under the same blanket as Applejack made her feel like this. Though she wasn’t sure why she blushed, because Applejack is just her friend. What is she even thinking? She was glad it was so dark outside, it hid her red cheeks. “Yeah, well I am pretty hot myself, I don’t need your heat, Applejack,” She said, turning to look at Applejack and sticking a tongue out at her. Applejack rolled her eyes but she was chuckling, “Alright then, Ms. I-am-so-Hot. Better get in the blanket before this cool breeze burns out the hot fire in you.” Applejack smiled big but Rainbow just flicked her tail at Apple jack and then got under the blanket and turned to one side. Applejack stretched, removed her hat, put it by her head and then got under the other side of the blanket, with her back to Rainbow Dash. A few minutes later Rainbow turned her head back to look at Applejack when she thought that she was asleep. And very gently and quietly she moved back until her back was touching Applejack’s. Rainbow sighed and turned her face back around and soon went to sleep. Applejack felt something warm touching her back and realized that Rainbow Dash had just moved so their backs were touching. She just smiled and kept her eyes closed, glad where she was, waiting for sleep to take over her soon. Rarity and Fluttershy were already asleep. Rarity on her back where as Fluttershy on her side, turned away from Rarity. Both of them sharing the cushions and the blanket that Rarity brought along. Pinkie was also sleeping beside Twilight, spread out on her back under the blanket and snoring loudly. Twilight yawned and looked at the sky, looking as the bright stars that were in the sky earlier were all but hidden under the thick dark clouds of the night. She wondered for a second whether it is going to rain, but then immediately dismissed the idea. She had asked Rainbow to check with the weather team to make sure there wasn’t going to be any rain in Ponyville or around the town, for 2 days at least. She just closed her eyes and yawned once more as she pulled the blanket closer to her and went to sleep. . . . But what all of them forgot to check or do was make sure that they threw down the anchor of the boat so it doesn’t float away in the cold rough waves. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------