//------------------------------// // Round I // Story: Dare! (Or Truth) // by Autumn Jade //------------------------------// A van drove down the highway, holding seven girls, all new graduates of Canterlot High School. They were heading toward a campsite they had reserved for the night, all were excited and ready for a night of fun, "Ooh! This is so exciting! We finally graduated and we get to spend the first weekend of adulthood together camping!" Pinkie exclaimed with a giggle as she sat up and looked back at Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack, who were sitting in the back row of the van. She had previously been leaning against her girlfriend, Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Yes...remind me again why we have to take a campsite two hours from town again?" Rarity asked. "Because it was the cheapest one we could find," Applejack replied. "Why?" Rarity asked, arching an eyebrow. "The website said the place was haunted or something," Twilight added, rolling her eyes as she continued driving down the road. "What you don't believe in ghosts and spirits, Twily?" Sunset asked with a smirk, looking at her girlfriend from the passenger seat. "Ghosts? Spirits?!" Fluttershy squeaked, "Maybe we should stay in a hotel..." "Of come on, Flutters, that stuff is baloney, don't worry about it," Rainbow snickered, before wrapping her arm around Pinkie and pulling her against her. The pink teen complied with a smile. "Well, I believe in it. I mean, I did come from a world of magical ponies and mythical creatures. If magic exists then why not ghosts too?" Sunset said with a smile, the others thinking about the statement as Twilight continued to push the vehicle down the highway. By the time the girls arrived at their campsite, the sun had started to set, giving them a small fraction of time to set their camp up, which Twilight was happy to organize, "Okay. If Sunny, Rainbow, and AJ set up the tents, then Pinkie and I can get some firewood while Rarity and Fluttershy-" "Make this place less...unsanitary. We'll set up chairs and blankets," Rarity piped, interrupting Twilight's instruction, much to her frustration, though she didn't let it show. "Right...well, come on Pinkie," Twilight said, and the two made their way to find some firewood. "Do you really think this place is haunted?" Pinkie asked, skipping next to Twilight down the path, the two stopping only to pick up wood. "Of course I don't, Pinkie. That's ridiculous," Twilight replied, adjusting her glasses as she picked up a small bundle of sticks she found lying on the ground. "Sunset believes it!" Pinkie giggled, smirking as she silently stuck a twig in Twilight's ponytail when her back was turned. "So? She might be my girlfriend but I don't have to believe everything she does," Twilight replied, rolling her eyes playfully, "You don't believe everything Rainbow says do you?" "Well, no. Guess you have a point huh?" Pinkie laughed again, trying to keep her eyes off the small branch sticking out of her friend's hair, she continued snickering as they began walking back to the campsite, deeming they had enough firewood for the night. "This looks amazing girls!" Twilight praised as both Pinkie and herself dumped the firewood in the firepit that was centered between the circle of chairs Rarity and Fluttershy had set up. A yard or two back, three tents were set up. One for Twilight and Sunset, one for Pinkie and Rainbow, and the biggest one for Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity. "Yes well, I for one can't stay a whole weekend out here sitting on logs or worse...the ground! We'll be much more comfortable on these lawn chairs," Rarity announced, proud of her work. "I even added these nice throw blankets in case the wind picks up," Fluttershy added, a small smile on her face. "Well, what should we do now?" Sunset asked, approaching with Rainbow and Applejack behind her. She stopped by Twilight and crossed her arms. "Hmm...well it is getting dark. Maybe dinner then we can play a game or two!" Pinkie suggested, and the others nodded with a smile or smirk. They all loved how childish Pinkie still was, even as an adult, especially Rainbow Dash. The fire crackled in the soft breeze, though the summer wind was warm, the couples of the group sat together, blankets around the pair to keep them close together, "I forgot how much a love marshmallows," Pinkie laughed as she pulled another one from the pack and popped it in her mouth. "Yeah well, I think you've had enough. If you have another sugar rush I'll never get to sleep!" Everyone laughed at Rainbow's comment, the latter huffing and rolling her eyes before smiling and pulling Pinkie against her and rubbing her arm, "You're lucky I love you." "I know," Pinkie giggled. "Well, Pinkie suggested a game or two. What should we play?" Fluttershy asked after the laughter died down. "Hide N' Seek?" Pinkie suggested immediately. "No way! If we weren't in the woods maybe, but here, absolutely not!" Rarity snapped, blowing that idea out of the water. "Never Have I Ever?" Rainbow asked. "We've played that enough times to learn how much of a pervert we all are already haven't we?" Sunset replied with, a faint color coming to her face. "Fine...oh! What about Truth or Dare?" Rainbow retorted, a wide smirk growing on her face. "Ooh! I love that game!" Pinkie exclaimed. "It couldn't hurt right?" Fluttershy added. "Sounds good ta me. Did ya bring any cards?" Applejack questioned, looking at Rainbow, who nodded. "Of course I did!" Rainbow said triumphantly as she reached into her backpack and pulled out a stack of cards and seven pens, "Huh...I don't remember packing that many pens," She muttered, before shrugging it off and handing everyone six cards and a pen, "We can do three rounds, so if we all do three truths and three dares we'll have plenty variety," "Nice thinking, Dash!" Twilight complimented as she started writing on her notecards. "Can we try not to get too intimate though? You know...keep it clean?" Pinkie perked up as everyone was writing, "Since four of us are in a relationship?" "Agreed," "Yes, definitely!" "That would be appreciated..." After everybody finished writing they walked over to the picnic table that lied just behind Fluttershy's chair. They separated the truth and the dare cards in two separate piles, which Applejack mixed up, "Alright who wants to go first?" Applejack asked. "I will!" Pinkie volunteered. "Alright. Truth or dare?" Applejack asks. "Dare!" Pinkie smirked before grabbing a dare card, "Awww come on! Seriously?!" She groaned in annoyance. "What's it say?" Twilight asks. "'Kiss Sunset,' My guess is that Twilight wrote this and she hoped she'd get it," Pinkie said, looking at Twilight, who was scarlet, giving them their answer. "Well, you have to do it!" Rarity giggled. "Finnee..." Pinkie stood and walked to Sunset and grabbed her shirt collar, and pressed their lips together. Though blushing, Sunset returned then kiss, which only lasted a few seconds before they pulled apart, and Pinkie returned to her seat, "Your turn, SunShim!" Pinkie giggled, and the latter sighed. She couldn't believe that absurd nickname hadn't run its course yet, and at this point, she didn't think it ever would. "Truth or dare, Fluttershy?" "Truth...please..." Shakily reaching out, she read her card,"'Tell your guilty pleasure,'" Fluttershy read before glaring in Rainbow and Pinkie's direction, "What happened to 'keep it clean'?" "I didn't write that!" Pinkie insisted, holding her hands up. "I didn't either," Rainbow added, shrugging. "Well, who did?" Nobody spoke up, only shrugs or confused looks were what Fluttershy got in return,"Well, you gotta answer nonetheless," Applejack reminded her friend, who sighed. "Fine...sometimes I...uh..." "Come on, Flutters! We are grown women we won't judge you!" Rainbow encouraged. "Well...sometimes I...touch myself in the shower..." Fluttershy whispered meekly, blushing, and everyone nodded, knowing not to make jokes or push for details from their shy friend. After a moment of silence to compose herself, she continued, "Um...Rarity...truth or dare?" "Dare," Rarity said quickly. She didn't like doing stupid dares her friends made, but it was better than revealing dark secrets, especially with a certain blonde playing. She sighed and picked up a dare card, and instantly regretted her choice as a blush spread across her cheek,"'Makeout with Applejack,'" She looked at Applejack after glaring at her friends, who all smiled back innocently, they all knew Rarity liked Applejack, "Who wrote this?" She looked at Twilight who shook her head. "Wasn't me," Sunset swore. "Nope," Rainbow said. "Sorry, I didn't write that..." Fluttershy whispered, still shaken from her revealed secret. "Not me," Pinkie shrugged. "Sure wasn't me!" Applejack promised, and everyone knew she wasn't lying. "Well, if I didn't write it and nobody else did then how did it get here?!" "Let me see that," Sunset said, taking the card and examining the crude, deep writing, "This isn't anyone's handwriting..." She said, "Go on and do the dare Rarity, I gotta check something," Pulling out her phone, Sunset began to research something. Meanwhile, Rarity was blushing as she turned to face Applejack, who smiled awkwardly at her. The two slowly leaned in and closed the distance between them. A spark seemed to emit from between them when their lips touched. Applejack wrapped her arms around Rarity's neck and pulled her closer. The kiss lasted nearly a minute before the girls intervened. At least, Rainbow did, "Okay lovebirds! Get a room before you start undressing!" The two pulled apart blushing, and looked away from each other in embarrassment, blushes lining their faces. Rarity looked up after a moment, "T-Twilight...truth or dare...?" "Um...dare," Twilight reached out and took a card then gasped at what it said, "No! I'm done! I'm not playing this anymore!" She exclaimed as she stood up, "Whoever wrote this is sick!" "What's it say Twilight?" Applejack asked, confused and at full alert from her friend's panic. Twilight gulped and took a deep breath, "It says...'Break Rainbow's leg,'" Everyone but Sunset, who was still busy scrolling through her phone, gasped. "What?! Who the hell wrote that?!" Rainbow spat in anger. At first, everyone could only exchange glances, silence filling the area. "Nobody." Everyone turned at the sudden sound of Sunset's voice, "What do you mean nobody?" Fluttershy asks, arching an eyebrow. "The game wrote it..." "Sunset I am not in the mood for another one of your pranks to scare me!" Twilight snapped, glaring daggers at her girlfriend. "I'm not, Twilight. I promise. Listen to this article I found,'For years, people have played the classic childhood game "Truth or Dare," but what they don't know is that the game is real. Once a game is started, it must be finished, and you must do the dare and tell the truth. There are three specific gameplays that have been recorded throughout the years. The first played in 1994, was played by a group of six friends, by the end of the game, only one person was still alive. She committed suicide three months after the game ended. In 2004, another game, also played by a group of six people, ended with one survivor as well. She still lives today, but her only comment was that the game gets harder and more fatal throughout the three rounds, and advises the players to be wise. The latest record of this deadly game took place in 2009, where miraculously, three people survived out of the eight players. They live together in an unknown location and refuse to speak to anyone about the tragedy.' Guys... This game is real!" Everyone sat in shocked silence, Twilight the first to speak, "Well...if that's all true...then that's how the cards changed. Hang on, the cards!" Snatching the piles off the table, Twilight searched the note cards and frowned, "They're all blank!" "The game must write our dare or truth based on what we say," Rainbow said. "So...so I have to..." Twilight gasped as she dropped the stack of cards on the table when something hit her foot. She leaned down and picked up the object, which upon standing up, found she was holding a bat, "It has a message engraved on here....it says...'Do the dare, or the dare does you...'" "Wait, what?! You're actually gonna do it?!" Rainbow yelled, standing and backing away from Twilight, who was tearing up. "I...Do I have a choice?" She looked to Sunset. "No...listen. There are rules...They aren't nice rules either,'There are three rounds and seven rules. Rule number one, tell the truth. You lie, you die. Number two, do the dare, or the dare does you..." Everyone listened in horror at the trouble they had gotten themselves into while paying attention to the information Sunset was supplying them with,"'Rule number three, you must complete the game in three days, or you all die. Number four, you only get one truth, and as the game gives you worse dares as the game progresses, it is advised to use it wisely. Number five if you say you won't/can't do the dare, the dare does you. Number six, the game will follow you wherever you go. Finally, number seven, you are not playing the game, the game is playing you,'" "So...if I don't break Rainbow's leg...the game will break mine?" Twilight asked, clutching her bat tightly. "Seems that way...though with as evil as this game seems...it could do worse." Twilight looked to Rainbow, tears running down her face," Dash...I...I have to!" "No way! If you do this, my athletic scholarship is dead! I can't lose that!" "Rainbow! Listen to yourself!" Sunset yelled, standing up and approaching Rainbow, "Don't you understand what well...what you have gotten us into?!" "Me?!" "You suggested this game, and this is where it took us! Now listen, if Twilight doesn't do this, the game could break her leg, or both of them or worse! Would you rather have your leg broken, which can heal, or the possibility of both of hers broken or worse and not knowing if it'll heal?!" "I..." Rainbow hesitated,"...Fine! Just...get it over with..." Releasing a shaky breath, Rainbow walked over and sat down on an empty side of the picnic table, laying her left leg across it, Pinkie was instantly at her girlfriend's side, squeezing her hand. "I...I...I'm sorry Rainbow! I...I wish I didn't have to!" She cried as she approached the table, the bat shaking in her grasp. "I know..." Rainbow looked away. "Wait...her leg? So...do I just smash where her knee is or...?" The girls gasped when their phones lit up, the same text message on each phone. One hard smack on her thigh, knee, and shin Twilight started to bawl as she leaned against Sunset, "I...I can-" Sunset covered Twilight's mouth with her hand before she could finish. "You have to..." Twilight sighed shakily as she approached Rainbow again, "Where do you want me to...first?" "Thigh...shin...knee..." Rainbow whispered, biting her lip. Twilight nodded and brought the wooden bat above her head, "I'm sorry..." She whispered before bringing the bat down as hard as she could on Rainbow's thigh, a crack was heard as Rainbow screamed in pain as she clung to Pinkie, who held her, everyone shedding tears as they watched their friend be forced to torture another friend. Twilight panted for a few minutes before raising the bat again and slamming it down on Rainbow's thigh, another crack and scream following. Twilight raised the bat again but this time Rainbow stopped her. "Wait...just...just give me a second..." Rainbow whispered clinging to Pinkie as tears ran down hers, and everyone else's faces. After a few minutes, Rainbow sniffed and looked at Twilight,"...Okay...I'm ready..." Rainbow really wasn't but she knew it couldn't be more painful than the last two blows. Twilight raised the bat, positioning it over her friend's knee, then came down as hard as her strength would allow. Rainbow was wrong. The pain was the worst imaginable. She released a bloodcurdling scream into Pinkie's chest as a loud crack echoed through the forest. Twilight dropped the bat and collapsed against Sunset crying as she repeatedly muttered, "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..." Rainbow whimpered as she remained frozen, crying into her girlfriend's shirt, "Alright. We have three rounds and three days. We'll finish the first tonight, do round two tomorrow, and the final on Sunday. We work together, okay?" The others nodded at Sunset's instruction, "Okay Twilight, pick who's next...let's get this over with for Rainbow's sake..." "Sunset...truth or dare?" "Truth," She replied almost instantly. She had meant to choose dare, but the fear of what her dare would be kept her from picking it. She picked up a card,"'What are your intentions for, Fluttershy?'" Everyone's eyes widened, their attention on the amber woman, "None of course! She's my friend," Once again, everyone's phone lit up. Liar. "Sunset...just tell the truth...please. I won't be mad..." Twilight said, placing a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Fine...I like her. I have a small crush on her, and I've even imagined sleeping with her, but I would never cheat on you Twilight I promise!" Twilight nodded and Fluttershy blushed, "Okay...Pinkie Pie. Truth or dare?" "Um...dare..." She replied, before bringing a lawn chair to the table and with Applejack's help, laid Rainbow on the chair before picking up a card, and gasped. She dropped the card and backed against a tree, "No no no no!" She cried, fresh tears running down her face. Rarity, being the closest, picked up the card and read it. Her eyes widened, but she sighed and read it for her,"'Stab Rarity's eye'...Do it, Pinkie..." "What?! Rarity no!" "You have to!" She replied, walking over and grabbing a pocket knife from Applejack's bag and handing it to Pinkie, "If you don't the game will do it to you and worse! Nobody is going to die if we follow the rules! Now do it!" "Wait!" Applejack yelled, "Rares, lay down first, it'll stop the blood from going everywhere," Rarity nodded and laid down on a lawn chair, which Applejack had tilted to keep her body in a near perfect horizontal line, "I got an eyepatch and some gauze in here you can use..." Applejack added, then sighed. She couldn't believe she actually had to use her first aid kit for anything more than a scratch. "R...ready?" Pinkie asked, looking down at Rarity as she towered over her. "As I'll ever be I guess..." Rarity replied, sucking in a deep breath. Pinkie nodded and aimed the knife above Rarity's right eye, before pulling away, shaking her head, "Pinkie you have to!" Rarity yelled. "No!" "Do it or I'll do the same to Rainbow!" Rarity yelled. Her comment made Pinkie scream in anger, "No!!!" and thrust the knife into her friend's eye and yank it back out. Rarity's screams were what snapped her back to reality. "Rarity I... I'm sorry!" "It's okay..." The fashionista heaved as Applejack placed the gauze over Rarity's eye and taped it down, then placed an eyepatch over it for extra support. "You okay, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Yes...yes I'm okay just...let me lay here for a moment... Oh...uh, Applejack...truth or dare?" Rarity knew the quicker they finished the stupid round the faster they could get to a doctor, and she was all for rushing this evil game. "Dare," She replied, and grabbed a card from the table,"'Burn your hand in the fire fer twenty seconds,'" Without thinking she responded, "No way! I won't do it!" "Applejack no!" The girls all yelled, but too late, and the country girl gasped as she was suddenly forced to the ground, her arm from the elbow down landing inside the fire pit. Screaming, she tried to force her arm away as it was practically cooked alive, but she was unable to. "Applejack!!" Rarity screamed, tears pouring from her eyes, though her right eye's tears were red, as she jumped from her seat and clasped her arms around her waist and pulled as hard as she could, and after the twenty seconds were up, Rarity was able to pull her away, the two landing on top of each other on the ground. Everyone gasped at the arm, which was now covered in blisters and burns. Crying, AJ leaned against Rarity, hugging her burning arm. "Here," Twilight said, "Hold your arm out," Obeying, Applejack stuck her arm out and only flinched, as her arm was mostly numb when ice cold water was poured over her burns. She sighed at the coolness as she closed her eyes, and laid her head on a blushing Rarity's shoulder, who wrapped her arms around her in return. After bandaging Applejack's arm, everyone turned their attention to Pinkie, who was rocking back and forth slowly on her bottom. She had her arms around her legs, which were pressed tightly to her chest. Rarity led her burned friend to the picnic table and sat her down before crouching next to Pinkie, "Darling...I'm okay. I promise. I'm not mad at you..." Rarity said gently, pulling Pinkie to her feet and into a hug. "I know...I...I just hate this game so much...what if we don't all survive?!" "That's what we're trying to prevent, but we have to work together. Okay? Come on, let's check on Rainbow Dash," Nodding, Pinkie and Rarity walked to the chair Rainbow was in, only to find her eyes closed, "Dashie?" Pinkie asked, collapsing beside her, fearing the worst. She grabbed Rainbow's shoulders and shook her, tearing up, "Dashie!?!" "Ugh...what?" Rainbow groaned, eyes fluttering open, then gasped when she felt Pinkie's arms wrap around her neck and fresh tears dripping on her shoulders. "Don't do that! I thought you...I thought you were dead!" "Sorry sorry!" Rainbow returned the embrace, rubbing the normally bubbly teen's back sympathetically,"I'm just feeling tired..." "Guys, three of us need a doctor, but we gotta finish this round first, so who's next?" Sunset intervened, crossing her arms with a worried expression covering her face. "Sorry...I forgot to ask...uh...Fluttershy. Truth or dare?" Applejack asked, looking at the friend sitting next to her. The whole time since the game had started, Fluttershy hadn't moved from her spot, her body trembling in fear. "I don't wanna play!" She squeaked, burying her face in her hands. "None of us do, but we don't have much of a choice..." Twilight replied, sitting next to her shy friend and pulling her into a hug, which Fluttershy returned. Once they pulled apart, Fluttershy sighed and weighed her options. She had a dark secret she couldn't risk revealing, and if she got truth, she knew she'd have to,"...Dare," she said, at last, surprising everyone, but nevertheless, she picked up a dare card,"'Drink the liquid'? What liquid?" Fluttershy asked, then the group turned when they heard a pouring sound. A champagne glass was now laying on top of their cooler, a deep colored, almost black looking substance inside. Being the only volunteer, Twilight approached the glass and lifted it up and sniffed it, "Blood. Animal blood specifically. Not sure which one, but I'd assume pig's or something," Fluttershy's face flushed green, "What?! I have to drink all of that?!" "Guess so. At least yours is easy," Twilight shrugged. "Not for me! I...I..." She shook her head. The girls all exchanged glances, then Rarity smiled, "What if we help her? None of the rules say we can't share the dare! We can split it seven ways with these, and all drink it together," Rarity explained, grabbing seven red solo cups from the package of them next to the cooler. "Sounds good to me," Rainbow complied. "Me too!" Pinkie smiled. "Will, that work Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. "The...the less I have to drink the better..." She whispered. Everyone smiled and Twilight placed the seven cups side by side and poured a small amount of the blood into each cup until the glass was empty. "Well lookie there! Barely a mouthful each," Applejack said. She herself was glad she wouldn't have to drink much, and she knew everyone else was too, but they wouldn't dare to say it, knowing Fluttershy would feel bad. After handing Rainbow her cup, Pinkie got hers and the others joined, "On three," Sunset said. "One," Rarity started. "Two," Twilight continued. "Three!" Fluttershy exclaimed, and everyone quickly chugged their drinks, coughing at the taste. "Can...can we throw it up?" Twilight asked, holding her stomach once everyone was done. "Well, we drank it, so the dare is done...yeah we can!" Sunset said as she followed Twilight in throwing up the contents of their drink, everyone, especially Fluttershy, quickly followed. "Rainbow...you're the last one, then we can go to a hospital..." Fluttershy began, sitting next to her friend, "So...truth or dare?" "Truth," Rainbow said, and everyone sighed in relief, not wanting their brash friend to hurt herself more. Fluttershy nodded and handed her a card. Rainbow read it out loud, not bothering to quietly first,"'Tell who you cheated on Pinkie with,'" Rainbow's eyes widened, "I never cheated!" Instantly, everyone's phones lit up. Liar. Pinkie looked at Rainbow, "You lie, you die! Please just tell me! I'll forgive you I promise!" Pinkie begged, looking at Rainbow with pleading eyes. "I...I can't!" You lie, you die. "Rainbow Dash, I will never forgive you if you let yourself die over this! Who did you sleep with?!" Pinkie screamed, tears forming on the brim of her eyes. Rainbow squeezed her eyes closed before yelling, "I slept with Fluttershy two months ago!" Everyone froze, staring at either Fluttershy or Rainbow with wide, shocked eyes. Sunset broke the silence, "Let's just...get to the hospital before someone bleeds out..." Nodding, Sunset, being the second strongest, since AJ currently unable to use both arms, lifted Rainbow bridal-style into her arms and carried her to the car, while everyone else packed up as quickly as they could, before Twilight turned on emergency lights and sped down the highway toward the closest hospital.