//------------------------------// // Collecting Seashells // Story: Starlight's First Vacation With Her Friends // by CAPTAIN YOSHI HD //------------------------------// The group arrived at the beach. The sun was in the sky shining bright like a huge light bulb in the air. There weren't many seagulls flying through the sky, so it'll be less annoying, not so much squawking. The beach is supposed to packed often, because it's Summer. But, this time, it isn't. It's so unusual. Thankfully, there's enough space around for everypony to have play time on the sand. "Well, were here.", Twilight said. "Can't you just smell the air. It smells fresh on the beach. Either that, or is it the sunscreen making the smell." "Nah, it's the smell of the salty ocean.", Spike said. "Starlight, are you sure you never been to a beach before, but heard of them?", Rainbow Dash asked. "Yes.", Starlight said. "I've never done any activities on the beach before. What exactly do you girls do?" "Well, Starlight, there are a lot of fun stuff to do on the beach, I go around and collect seashells, Rarity lays down on the sand - which is not really an activity, Rainbow Dash surfs in the waves, Pinkie Pie plays catch, Applejack swims in the water, Fluttershy walks around the area, and Spike plays in the sand with his toys.", Twilight explained. "I assure you, Sugarcube, you'll have lots of fun here.", Applejack said. "Yeah, you and I are going to surf in the huge waves to make everypony jealous.", Rainbow Dash said. Starlight chuckled. "I wouldn't exactly make anypony jealous if I was really good at something, Rainbow.", she said. "If I were to brag, I would make somepony insanely jealous, but I'm not doing that." "I would play catch with you, Starlight, but you're going to have to use your hooves to throw the ball.", Pinkie said. "If you bounce it off your horn, it would pop, and I don't want it to pop. I had this ball for eight years." "Pinkie, if it were to pop, I'd buy you a new one.", Starlight said. "If you're going to buy Pinkie Pie a new ball, it would have to be the same as that ball.", Fluttershy said. "It has to be a pink ball, because pink represents her name and it's the color of her fur." Starlight looked at Applejack and Rarity. "She has a point, you know, Sugarcube.", the farmer said. "I agree with Applejack, Darling.", Rarity said. Spike glanced at Starlight's body, thinking she'll get a sun burn. "Do anypony ever put sunscreen on Starlight.", he asked. "I put sunscreen on Starlight before we left, Spike.", Rarity said. "There's no need to worry about a thing." "Are we going to find a spot or are we going to waste our time talking about the beach?", Twilight asked, trying to get a move on with her friends. The group walked on the soft sand. Spike breathes slowly as he moved his toes in the sand. Fluttershy, however, didn't feel the sand, because she was wearing her seashell shoes. If she's wearing seashell, why isn't she doing the same Twilight's going to do, such as collect seashells. Rainbow Dash was in mid-air, flapping her wings, so she's not touching the sand. The sand may be hot, but it didn't bother Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, or Rarity. As for Starlight, she was jumping, feeling the burn on her hooves. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!", she yelped. "The sand's so hot! Somepony get a blanket!" Twilight lifted Starlight up with her magic and Rarity quickly set up the beach blanket. "There you go, Darling.", the white unicorn said. Twilight gently put Starlight on the blanket. "You okay?", she asked. Starlight used a towel to brush the sand off her hooves. "I'm alright, Twilight.", she said. "So, since we're here, what do we do?" "You can do whatever you want, Starlight.", Twilight said. "We already had lunch, so feel free to do whatever." She grabbed her bag and put it around her neck and over her shoulder. "You want to collect seashells with me?" "Sure.", Starlight said. She got off the blanket, once again feeling the heat of the sand. She took a deep breath, getting used to the sand being hot, because of the sun beaming down on it. "Guess this isn't that bad after all." The two walked off, keeping their eyes out for shells. "Bet I'll find a larger shell than you.", she said, cheekily. "Bet you don't.", Twilight said, raising her eyebrows up and down and making Starlight chuckle. As they collected seashells, Starlight wondered how long Twilight went to the beach. "You know, Twilight, I'm kind of curious.", she said. "How long have you been to the beach?" "I've been to the beach since I was a filly, Starlight.", Twilight said, picking up a shell. "My foal sitter, Cadence and my family taught me every activity about the beach. We collected seashells by the shore, we built sand castles, and swam in the water. Whenever Mom's resting on the sand, trying to catch a tan, me, my brother, and Cadence sneak up to her and bury her in the sand. My mom loved being buried in the sand since she was a filly." "Wow, your mom is pretty much a sand lover.", Starlight said, picking a shell up. "Does it help her relax more?" "Yes, because the sand's so warm as always.", Twilight said. "Did you have a trip to the beach in recent times?", Starlight asked. "The first time me and my friends came to the beach was a month after me and Spike moved to Ponyville.", Twilight said, picking up another shell. "We were going to stay for three hours, but we cut the time short, because poor Spike got pinched in the finger by a crab." But, how can a crap pinched Spike's finger that easily? Was a crab's claw that strong to hurt scales? Twilight read something in book about sea creatures, and she found a strange creature called the 'bulk crab'. It's a strong crab that can pinch anything, whether it's thick and thin. "Oh my gosh.", Starlight gasped. "Was he okay?" "The crab was still holding on to the finger when me and my friends got to him.", Twilight said. "Fluttershy used the stare on him to make him stop, then she lead him back into the ocean. When we got home, I put a bandage on Spike's finger to make it feel better. Everything was fine at the end, but apparently, the vacation was ruined." "I'm sorry to hear that.", Starlight said sadly, picking up another shell. "As for the last vacation, there was tornado.", Twilight said. "Luckily, none of us were hurt."