//------------------------------//
// Princess Beach Party 
// Story: Princess Twilight Meets New Friends 
// by Lonely Fanboy48 
//------------------------------//

“What is it?” Twilight asked, Sour Sweet.

“Since we’ve haven’t seen each other for a while, how about you join us in a game of volleyball?” Sour suggested.

“And you can bring Wallflower and Juniper to join,” Sunny added.

“If you must,” Sugarcoat added.

Twilight felt relieved that they were willing to accept Wallflower and Juniper to join a game of volleyball. It seemed that friendships were starting to blossom.

“Thanks. What’s with the decorations?” Twilight asked, pointing at the yellow and blue balloons that were tied to the poles that held up the net.

“Just to add to some of the festivities,” Lemon explained.

There, in the other court, Twilight saw Timber and Gloriosa.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be at your post?” Twilight asked.

“Actually, we got off almost a half hour ago. So, we thought we’d spend the rest of the day with you,” Timber said.

“Plus, we would never pass up the chance to join a beach party,” Gloriosa said.

“Alright. It’s time to pick teams,” Indigo said, “I call captain.”

“You called captain last time!” Sour said.

“And we won last time. What’s there to complain about?”

“Point taken.”

“And I’ll be captain of the other team,” Flash volunteered. “First pick: I want Twilight.”

“No fair! Why do you get Twilight on your team?” Indigo said.

“Actually, I’ve never played volleyball before,” Twilight said.

“Okay, nevermind. Keep her,” Indigo said. “I’ll pick Sour.”

“Since I don’t know anyone else here: I’ll pick you,” Flash said, pointing to Wallflower.

“Sugarcoat. Over here,” Indigo said.

“You look like you have a good arm. You’re with me,” Flash said, pointing to Lemon.

“And you’re with me, Sunny,” Indigo said.

“Two left,” Flash said, as he looked over the two remaining players. “I’ll pick...You.”

Juniper trotted over to Flash’s team.

“And look at that. Timber’s the last to get picked,” Indigo gloated.

“Doesn’t matter to me. I just want to have fun playing,” Timber said, as he walked over to Indigo’s team.

“Why do you have to say stuff like that? You’re taking all the fun out of competing,” Sour said.

“Speaking of fun: why don’t you join in, sis? I bet they could use an extra player on their team,” Timber said to Gloriosa.

“Now you’re getting into the spirit of things,” Sour said.

“No. I think I’ll just watch on the sidelines, and cheer for whoever’s winning,” Gloriosa said.

“You’re about to do a lot of cheering for us, then,” Indigo said. “Alright, here’re the rules: the ball goes over the net, no running out of bounds, and the first team to three wins. Everyone cool with that?”

Everyone affirmed agreement to the arrangement.

The two teams walked to their respective courts. Indigo slowly tossed the volleyball up and down in her palm.

The other team eagerly awaited the moment the ball would fly to their court.

With a sudden jerk, Indigo tossed the ball high in the air, jumped toward it, and struck it over the net.

The game was on.

Everyone on Flash’s team tensed as soon as the ball was in the air, but it completely passed the second it entered their court.

Flash’s eyes followed the ball, his focused mind determining the exact path to where it would land.

It was coming directly in front of him.

Balling his fists up, Flash struck underhand to send the ball flying back over the net.

Sugarcoat darted forward to slap the ball back over the net with both palms.

Wallflower saw the ball was coming for her. She psyched herself up to send it back over the net, but was taken off her feet when the ball struck her in the chest.

“Yeah! Score one for the winning team!” Sugarcoat said, as she high-fived the rest of her teammates.

“That shouldn’t count! I got hit!” Wallflower objected.

“You knew the rules when you agreed to them: no running out of bounds, and the first to three wins. The way I see it, nobody ran out of bounds, the ball went over the net, and it’s one point for us,” Sour said.

“So, that’s how they want it, do they?” Twilight thought to herself. “Everyone, over here,” she bade her team.

“What is it?” Juniper asked.

“I think I know how we can get them back with their own rules,” Twilight began.

In the other court, Indigo’s team watched the others all huddled up.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Sunny wondered.

“Who knows? Who cares? Whatever they do, we’re winning,” Sour said, as she rolled the ball in her palm.

With a whistle, she got the attention of the other team, before serving the ball.

For the brief time they had discussed their new tactics, the others were barely ready for what they had in store for their opponents.

Juniper fumbled with the ball when it found its way to her. With a simple bop, she sent the ball over to Twilight.

Twilight readied herself for what was next. She crouched like she was going to send the ball high.

Indigo’s team readied to block high.

The fakeout had worked. When the ball came her way, Twilight thrusted her palms forward, sending the ball rocketing underneath the net, and hitting Sour Sweet in her chest.

After Sour was knocked over, the ball bounced back over the net, and was spiked into Indigo’s court by Flash.

The ball drove hard into the ground, right next to where Sour was grieving over her injury.

“And a point for us!” Twilight cheered.

“No! The ball went under the net!” Indigo pointed out.

“Actually, as I recall: the rules say the ball has to go over the net. And after it went under the net, it bounced back over, and was hit into your court,” Juniper said.

“And, oh, nobody stepped out of bounds, and it’s one point for us,” Wallflower finished.

Indigo’s team glowered at how the rules had turned against their favor.

“You know, in all fairness, those were the only rules you said,” Timber said to Indigo.

“I know. Well, if it’s a dirty game they want, a dirty game they’ll get,” Indigo replied.

Sunny was one step ahead of Indigo. She had already gathered supplies from the sidelines for their game.

From her seat at the snack table the others had set up for the party, Gloriosa watched as the rules suddenly bent in an interesting direction.

“Glad I’m sitting this one out. Looks like they’re in for a rough game,” she thought to herself, as she ate another salami and olive kabob, and placed the empty toothpick onto a plate with the others. There were enough leftover toothpicks to make a six inch figure of a unicorn.

Timber took the ball, and struck it over the net.

Lemon Zest rushed to get the ball, and struck it back, only to be met with an unpleasant surprise.

Sunny had knocked a second ball over the net, and struck Lemon’s perfect serve out of the air. And she continued to knock a third ball over the net, followed by a fourth.

“What kind of dirty trick is this!?” Lemon shouted.

“The kind that’s perfectly in line with the rules!” Sugarcoat answered, as she returned one of the serves from the other court.

It was pandemonium. Each team was working doubly hard to keep the volley of balls from landing on the ground. Both were equally determined not to let the other score a point.

Twilight knew this madness could not continue. Keeping the rules in mind, she focused on one ball that was coming toward her and knocked it out of bounds, right into the surf.

Flash and Juniper both had seen what she had done, and followed suit, knocking one more ball out of bounds each. One ball went flying to the parking lot. The other landed in front of a couple of young boys, who happily took the ball to start their own game of volleyball with their other friends.

Wallflower saw the last remaining ball come flying toward her, and ran backwards to reach it.

“I got it! I got it! I don’t got it!” Wallflower shouted, when she realized the ball was too high for her to reach.

She was suddenly lifted by Lemon crouching between her legs, and standing up. Now sitting on Lemon’s shoulders, Wallflower was able to reach the ball and strike it back over the net.

Sunny knelt in the sand, allowing Sugarcoat to run, place a foot on her shoulder, jump, and slap the ball back over the net.

Flash placed his palms on top of each other, allowing Twilight to step on his hands and lift her high over his head.

Twilight struck the ball back over the net, where Timber slid through the sand and knocked the ball straight up into the air.

Still on Lemon’s shoulders, Wallflower reached over the net and caught the ball in her hands, before dropping it to the ground.

“Fault!” Sour declared.

“Over the net, not out of bounds!” Juniper retorted.

It was true. Now, Flash’s team was winning by one point. If they scored once more, it would be over for their team. Now was the time for Indigo’s team to step up their game.

“Alright, team! No more playing nice! It’s time we show these chumps why we’re the district champs!” Indigo said.

“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Timber said.

“Shut up and start winning with us!” Sour shouted.

Indigo raised the ball like she was going to strike it over the net.

Everyone on Flash’s team readied to retaliate.

Before Indigo struck the ball, Sugarcoat grabbed it from her teammate’s hand and hid the ball behind her back.

Sour passed behind Sugarcoat’s back, followed by Sunny, Timber and finally Indigo. When they all had passed, none of them had the ball.

Flash’s team watched as the others continued to shuffle, catching only glimpses of the ball passing between them like a mad shell game.

Sunny was right against the net. She pulled her hand out from behind her back, and jumped, as she spiked the ball over the net.

Flash’s team rushed to save the spike.

Juniper dove forward and bopped the ball with her fists. Only the ball did not bounce. What they all thought was the ball actually turned out to be a wadded up towel.

“It’s a decoy!” Juniper shouted.

Twilight gasped when she saw the actual ball come hurtling over the net. She rushed to save it, only to bump into Lemon, who had also run to catch the errant ball.

Both tripped and tumbled, landing in a heap as the ball bounced off of Twilight’s back, then to the ground.

Indigo’s team cheered loudly. The score was even once more. The next point scored by either team would win the game.

This was it. All stops had to be pulled.

Twilight narrowed her eyes.

Indigo wriggled her fingers.

Flash padded the ball in his hand.

Gloriosa chewed on her hors d'oeuvres, and added another toothpick to her unicorn figurine.

Flash heaved the ball toward the net.

Timber rushed to save it.

Lemon intercepted the ball before it crossed the net, and sent it over to Wallflower.

Wallflower struck the ball over the net where it was less crowded.

Sunny placed her hands together, allowing Sour to vault off of them and knock the ball to the other court.

Juniper saved the ball and beelined it to Wallflower.

The ball beelined between the members of Flash’s team like an errant pinball, until it flew high over the net from an indeterminate member.

Indigo spiked it right back over.

Flash knocked it back.

Indigo spiked again.

The two team captains shot the ball back and forth between one another, neither one letting up the assault.

Indigo jumped and wound up her arm for one final, powerful blow, and spiked the ball one last time.

Flash had no time to react. The ball hit him square in the chest, and bounced away.

Twilight dramatically dove for the ball. She aimed her fists squarely at the ball, and slid across the sand.

She was going to make it. This was going to save the game.

Twilight hit the ball hard and true, sending it into the air. Sending it into the air, out of bounds, right toward the snack table.

Gloriosa had her back turned when she became aware of a rapidly approaching presence. Turning around, she shrieked when she saw the volleyball rocketing toward the table.

“MY UNICORN!!!” Gloriosa screamed.

The ball landed directly on top of the toothpick unicorn’s horn, puncturing its surface and exploding with a loud pop.

“Our ball!” Flash shouted.

“Our victory!” Indigo shouted next.

Both teams ran over to the snack table, and investigated the remains of the volleyball.

“Looks like game, set and match. No way are we playing with this thing,” Timber said.

“Then who wins? We can’t have a match without a winner,” Sugarcoat said.

“I think in a way, we all came out as winners. By playing as best we could, we all made something better out of ourselves, regardless of how many points we scored,” Twilight said.

“I don’t buy it. I’d rather have won,” Sour said, as she stuffed her face with the snacks that were laid out.

It seemed like some things truly never changed. In the meantime, Twilight was going to enjoy the snacks that her friends had set out.