Twilight's POV
The night was young, stars bright in the sky, untouched, the chilly breeze sending goosebumps up your arms, and young Twilight was in a very lovely purple dress. Oh, right, my point of view.
-Really Twilight's POV this time-
I stood outside of the mansion, which was blasting music that can be heard twenty feet from where it was, taking in the dancing lights that set it apart from the quiet neighbourhood.
Actually, there were no other houses around here, as Sunset's place is located bangsplat in the middle of the woods, to the point we had to use the Global Positioning System from my phone to get there. Yes, you read it right. And might I add, said woods is Everfree. Yeah, the Everfree.
Before dressing up, I told my family personally about attending, nervous out of my mind. They all exploded with excitement and glee, saying it's finally time I accept the concept of teenage life. So here I was, butterflies in my stomach, glancing out the van's tinted window to look at the intimidatingly large mansion.
"Finally. We almost got lost!" Rainbow stepped out of the van from the passenger seat, coming to stand beside me with her fists on her hips.
"You almost got us lost, thanks to yer "expertise,"" AJ stood beside the chromatic-haired girl then, pulling that half frowny half pouty face in mock upset.
"But we made it! I thought that was more important," Rainbow pointed out, to which Applejack just huffed and rolled her eyes at.
"Will you two please stop bickering like little immature children," Rarity scolded, standing in between the prismatic-haired girl and the Southern girl.
"It's all good natured, Rares, dun worry," AJ reassured whilst patting Rarity on the back gently.
"Very well," Rarity gave a little lopsided smirk towards AJ, whom blushed a bit.
I blinked surpringly at the exchange, but before I could say anything Pinkie piped in.
"What you guys talkin' 'bout?"
"I think we should just go," quivered Fluttershy from behind the bubbly girl.
"We just got here, silly," Pinkie laughed.
"That's why we should just go now because no-one will even know we're here in the first place," she whispered back, taking a frightened look at the mansion. She squeaked when she was suddenly grabbed away from us and tucked under Rainbow's arm, their backs turned to us. We couldn't hear them clearly as they were whispering, but I can tell Rainbow was reassuring Fluttershy.
"Do you think they have cotton candy 'round here?" asked Pinkie as she looked around, not bothering to trudge ahead of us knowing very well that we were waiting for Fluttershy.
"Darling Pinkie, you know Sunset is not the type to... Display any delicacy that fits in your tongue, especially if her parents are in charge of her own party. You know elegant people nowadays," Rarity replied.
"Alright," Rainbow suddenly jumped up and ran towards the booming mansion, "last one to the buffet's a limpet!"
"Wait up," Applejack zoomed after her, both laughing as their libidos were spiked with competency.
The others took the invite, with Pinkie skipping in tow with Rarity, saying, "I wonder if they have a pool too. I mean, it would be sad if there isn't, because my swimsuit and my spare swimsuit and my double spare swimsuit would be unfittible." Whatever that meant.
I gripped my arm in anxiety and started walking, somehow thrilled but at the same time nervous, Sunset engraved on my mind the whole time of our small journey. Passing by the parking lot, I wondered if Fluttershy didn't see it-packed with expensive cars, mind you-or she just chose to ignore it, but either way I hope we don't get a ticket for not parking in a safe zone.
Oh well, we're in the middle of the woods which means no cops for a mile.
A tight grip on my arm brought me to reality, looking beside me I saw Fluttershy biting her lip in fright, eyes swirling with uncertainty and fright as she took in the look of the mansion, the people now clear in our vision as we got closer to their vicinity. I held the tense hand on my arm and gave her a reassuring smile, although I knew mine was just as bad as her's. We were both flying nervous, and if I had to guess, this was her first time to ever get invited to a party, and the first time to actually come.
The sound of an unfamiliar hip hop song flooded my consciousness as we stepped through the door, eyes intimidated by blinding lights and noses attacked by the intoxicating smell of liquor and costly perfumes. I coughed slightly, not really used to it.
Finally locating the buffet table, I lead the slightly quivering Fluttershy to the food, reassuring her once more and held out a sandwich from the table, it looked like it came right out of a cuisine magazine. She smiled and timidly bit into it.
"Look at all the guests! They all look like they came straight from the most grand of cities! I see Manehattanites, Canterlot locals, even Abyssinians," Rarity gushed, giggling uncontrollably before fainting, and with Applejack behind her, was caught by the latter.
"Don't sweat your cahoots, Rarity," Dash snorted not at all ladylike, wolfing down the contents on the table with Pinkie. I'm certain that most of those food they probably don't know the name of, which made me giggle into my palm slightly.
Dash heard, looked at me, and winked, mouth still full. I rolled my eyes playfully at her then she went back to gobbling down whatever she could.
The guests, as Rarity so pointed out, were indeed in some form of formality. Granted, some-like those teenagers in the corner-were very... Let's just say, expressive and bold, but they're easily outnumbered by these ladies and gentlemen, who looked down said expressive teens.
In fact, some were the very powerful negotiators from all over the globe, CEO's, managers of successful companies, designers of all sorts, even famous artists! I would know because I read every article there is the internet has to offer. I'm exxagerating, yes, but I couldn't help the figurative speech. It's clear that the Shimmer family has some sort of title to be able to invite this many celebrities. And if so, how come none in our school knows?
Well, until now, that is.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost missed the rhythmic tapping on my shoulder.
"Hey, Twi-Twi! Wanna go somewhere?" A bubbly voice spoke behind me, the usual glee in it putting a smile on my face. Turning around, I faced Pinkie, who looked around as if no-one should be within earshot.
"But the others-" I said as I looked around, seeing Fluttershy occupied with Rainbow, and Applejack fanning Rarity with her hat, the look on her face practically saying, "I'd rather be elsewhere."
"-Are fine. Aunty Pinkie will be with you the whole time too, so you'll be fine too," she grinned at me, showing off her full set of non-scientifically pearly white teeth.
Sometimes I wonder what she really eats to have such a perfect body.
"Okay then, what do you have in mind?" I asked, but when she tugged on my arm to run past the busy crowd, I shrieked. Even so, I then laughed at the look of giddiness splattered all over her face.
"Pinkie, where are you taking me," I chuckled.
She looked back at me and gave me a smile, when we abruptly stopped on a slippery-tiled floor.
"Ta-da!" She grinned even wider as she flung her palms to the side, feigning what a host would gesture his welcome to his audience.
"Woah... Uhm..." My smile vanished as I glanced around.
The pool wasn't bad, really! In fact, it's not about the pool I'm downed at at all! It's the people. It turned out that most of the teens have moved here to the pool and were dressed in very revealing outfits. No wonder those "fancy people" preferred the indoors. Some had the nerve to make-out right in front of the public eye.
And might I add, the population of teens here outnumbered the aforementioned "fancy people" 3 to 1!
"No it doesn't, fancy people outnumber teens 2 to 1," Pinkie piped in, "also also, they're Sunset's parents' associates."
"What, how did you know I was thinking that?!"
"Just a hunch," she shrugged, the wide toothy grin only getting wider somehow.
I blinked at her in surprise, jaw ajar in disbelief. She suddenly sighed and looked at me seriously, which was an odd look on her.
"Look, Twi. If these people are what you're worried about, let me handle them. You know me, don't you?"
She didn't even give me time to answer before continuing. "Yes, you do! So you should know that I'll be here for you, no matter what," she paused, her solemn look giving way to a hint of a smile, "cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
I blinked again in surprise at the genuity and unusual undertone of her voice, before a grin suddenly broke out of her face.
"Okay," I barely was able to hear my own words, but I knew she heard me because her smile got even wider.
A few seconds of silence passed, with us just looking into each other's eyes, searching for the trust, loyalty, and honesty in them. They sure didn't disappoint.
Suddenly, she snorted, breaking the illusion as she cracked up once more, which I looked at her wierdly for. Although wierded out, I found her laughter quite compelling and contagious, so I didn't hold myself back.
Granted, people looked at us as they sauntered to their desired destinations, but we didn't give them mind and continued guffawing.
"Man, I didn't know I had that in me! I mean, I did but I didn't really, you know? Like, I knew but I was unsure 'bout it, ya know? Like that one time, I fired off a party cannon right at Principal Cadenza's face! Actually, that has nothing to do with it, but I wanted to tell that she's the principal to the readers not Celestia, I mean Celestia works at that Science Corp thingy with Luna experimenting on science and stuff, oh I so wanna-" I covered her mouth with my hand while looking around uncomfortably, the remaining words muffled by my palm. Sometimes, the nonsense she spews.
When she seemed to calm down, I reluctantly removed my hand and gave her a winning smile.
"Thank you," I said.
She blushed and grinned wholly, eyes glistening with happiness. I laughed at her childishly ecstatic look. She shook her head to focus before tossing me a not-so-revealling swimming attire, exactly the likes I would wear to a beach.
"There ya go, Twi-pal-buddy-ol'-fwen, there's a changing room behind you ten paces away, so ta-ta!"
"How do you know all these intricate details?" It's as if she lived here her entire life.
"Just a hunch!" I sighed, knowing I was never gonna get a real answer. I never do when it comes to her.
"Aren't you gonna change too?" I just shrugged the recent thought off, for I knew it would be a long, long, very long time before I find the real reason behind her eccentric self.
But she immediately resurrected the thought as she inhumanely spun around, almost making the fastest-spinning top jealous, chucked clothes almost unnoticed by her whirling. When she stopped, she did a gesture to present herself, now in a fitting pink swimsuit, smirking faintly at my flabbergasted expression.
As I mentioned, my jaw was on the floor.
"How did you-"
"Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, don't you ever learn."
---Time Skip; 19 minutes---
I never learn. At least, from people. And some books like novels. And maybe therapists. It's not that I'm a repetitive learner, I just don't understand a lot of things concering personal lives. I've never been much of a person before I transferred to Central Highschool of Ponyville, actually.
You see, as you probably already know, I was... Well, for lack of a better word, unsocial. I never payed mind to others, even if I knew they were talking to me. So, cold-hearted may also fit in your book of my personalities. It's not that I ignore everyone, just the very social ones. Popular students, sports players, even cheerleaders, for I know these people need their social skills to fit in their titles. Well, lest if these popular ones are the cold ones.
Back then in Canterlot High, second to sixth grade, I've only ever had one friend, and that's Moondancer Void. She was-or is, I've never heard of her ever since I left Elementary-very similar to me, in so many ways. She loved books as much as I, she even prefers quiet than loudness, she-
"Twi, you've been in there for 18 minutes!" Oh, right. I went really off-topic there.
Point is, after the top trick she did earlier, it attracted a lot of attention, so now my insecurities are back. Wait...
"You counted?!"
"Duh! Now out with you already!"
"Uh... I'm still changing!" Well, I have to admit, it wasn't convincing at all, but it was worth a shot, at least.
"I know you're done, Twilight!" Guess not.
"Please," I begged, "I don't wanna get out looking like this! I'm too fat!"
"No, you're not, you have a bottle figure, Sparky! Wanna see fat? Take a look at me!"
"I can't, the door's in my way!" Yes, nailed it!
"That's my point!" No...!
"What if they'll judge me, then?!"
"Twi, we've been over this, let me handle this. Wanna hear the truth?"
This got me to look up at the gap above the door, the only way to look outside from the changing room. And as expected, she answered without even hearing my answer.
"People will always judge you, whether you like it or not. It's up to you to react and determine their thoughts of you. You don't have to do it alone! We're here for you, heck, I'm here for you! So, stop worrying."
That got me thinking. She was right. As cliché and copyrighted as that sounded, I needed to face my fears head on. It's now or never!
Slowly pushing the door open, I glanced up at Pinkie from my crouched position whilst worriedly glancing at passer-bies.
"Atta girl! Now, come on, precious moments a' wasting!"
Pinkie took my hand and lead me to the pool carefully, with me glancing around from time to time in nervousness, but over time, I started to feel better as I realized no-one was paying attention to me. Pinkie took the first dive, emerging from the chlorine-smelling water to look up at me with the widest of smiles, which encouraged me to follow after her with a grin of my own.
The splash we made sent surrounding party-people in a fit of laughter as they took it as an invite for a water fight, with I and Pinkie being the main victims for their onslaught. After that little fiasco, I started feeling a little better about myself, when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of fiery yellow swirling amidst flamy red hair.
My heart filled with both dread and, unknowingly, excitement, as I whirled my head around to confirm my suspicion.
Sunset Shimmer.