//------------------------------// // Round 1 // Story: Hearth's Warming Cards // by canehdianbacon //------------------------------// While everypony was getting ready for the night ahead, Pinkie Pie busied herself by dishing out the necessary amount of cards to the space that the friends were holding the game in. Pinkie had mentioned that the game may take a couple hours and that they may want to get comfortable. In response to this suggestion, Twilight, Rarity and Spike had gone upstairs to get pillows and blankets so the group didn't have to sit on the hard, marble surface of the floor. Twilight had told Applejack to put the kettle on, as they had agreed on having hot cocoa a little later. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sat with Pinkie Pie as she set up the game, waiting patiently for everypony to return. Though, Rainbow was having a bit of a tougher time waiting than Fluttershy was. "So, Pinkie. What's this game about?" Rainbow asked, obviously tired of waiting. "I think we should wait until everypony is here before we explain the game, Rainbow." Fluttershy interrupted. "Don't worry, Rainbow! I'm sure they'll be back any second now!" Pinkie said. A couple seconds after Pinkie made that comment, Applejack trotted around the corner in her stetson and turtleneck sweater. "Hey, y'all! Sorry that I took a little bit longer than I had hoped." Applejack apologized. "Twilight didn't exactly say where she kept her things." "It's alright. You're just in time! I think I've got everything set up now!" Replied Pinkie. As Pinkie finished her task, the two pegasi and two earth ponies observed the finished product. There were seven stacks of ten white cards laid out side-by-side around the area, the stacks forming a circle-like shape. In the centre of the makeshift circle were two stacks of black cards. It was hard to tell how many cards were in the stacks of blacks cards since there were clearly many in the stacks. Also in the centre were five stacks of white cards, these ones also holding many cards in them. Before the group could ask any questions, Twilight, Rarity and Spike came stepping down the stairs. Held in Twilight's magical aura were three purple pillows and four neatly folded blankets. In Rarity's aura were two more of the same pillows and three more folded blankets. Finally, Spike held the last two purple pillows, one in each arm. Joining the group, the trio gave out blankets and pillows to each one of their friends equally, leaving one pillow and one blanket for each pony and dragon. "Apologies for the wait, my sweets!" Rarity apologized. "No worries, you three!" Pinkie was quick to interject. "Go ahead and sit your tushes down at one of the decks that I laid out!" The remaining three friends hastily took their seats next to the remaining three decks to keep anypony from waiting any longer. Twilight was sat beside Spike, and beside him was Rarity. Beside Rarity was Pinkie Pie, then Rainbow Dash, then Fluttershy, and then Applejack. "Before you pick up your cards, let me explain the rules of the game first." Clearing her throat, Pinkie began. "In each of the white decks laid out in front of each player are ten cards! Those cards are yours to use! The game is played by rounds and each round, everypony takes turns being the Card Queen!" "What about Card King?" Spike asked. Pinkie took a second to think about Spike's suggestion but ultimately came to her conclusion. "Nah! We'll stick to the Card Queen!" Pinkie light-heartily replied, earning a sigh from the dragon. "When it's somepony's turn to be the Card Queen, they pick up a black card from one of the two decks in the centre. They then read out the question or the fill-in-the-blank statement on the card. The other players then have to use their white cards to try and find the funniest, wackiest, most fantabulous answer possible! Once they find the white card they want, they give it to the Card Queen. Once all the cards are in, the Card Queen reads out the answers and chooses the best one! After that, the respective player earns a point and then we rinse and repeat!" Listening closely to her instructions, her friends slowly nodded in approval while taking in the information. As everypony was beginning to understand what Pinkie had just explained, Rainbow took it into her own hooves to end the waiting. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this started already!" Rainbow exclaimed impatiently. Without further ado, Pinkie told everypony to pick up the white deck in front of each pony and dragon. Once all the white decks had been snatched from the floor, everypony's expressions changed from excited to horrified faster than Pinkie could ever say 'cherry-chimi-changa'. There was a long moment of silence before Twilight finally found the courage to break the lump in her throat. "...Umm... uh... P-Pinkie?" Twilight struggled. "Yeah?" Pinkie knowingly asked. "...What in Equestria are these cards?!" "What do you mean, Twilight?" "W-what do you mean 'what do you mean'?" Twilight's protests were interrupted by Rainbow Dash's uncontrolled laughter the was coming from across the confused alicorn. Rainbow's rapid gasps for air were beginning to cease when she tried to speak. "Twi...Twilight!" Rainbow attempted to speak through her laughter. "What are you complaining about? These are hilarious!" "Yeah, Twilight! Lighten up!" Responded Pinkie. This pulled Rarity's attention from her reaction to the cards in front of her, her expression as if she'd seen a ghost. "Excuse me, Pinkie Pie, but you cannot possibly think this is appropriate!" Rarity shouted, trying to sound reasonable towards her pink friend. Next to Twilight, Applejack was trying to hide her chuckles as she read the words on the cards that she hid behind her face. "...Oh boy." Applejack gathered herself. "This is definitely somethin'." Spike and Fluttershy, sitting across from each other, were not fairing very well. Fluttershy hiding behind her long pink mane and Spike covering his blushing face with his wings. "...Oh my." Fluttershy mumbled. Spike didn't want to draw any attention to him, both because he was afraid that Twilight was going to rethink her decision of letting him be here and that he was currently feeling very hot in the cheeks. Between Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and Rainbow's heated debate, Twilight did indeed try to rethink her choice. "C'mon, Twilight! It's gonna be fine!" Pinkie told the princess. "Yeah! You and Rarity agreed to it!" Rainbow added. "Yuh sure did, Twi!" Applejack said. Rarity listened to her friends as she couldn't find a way to argue against their collective encouragement. "Ohh... I suppose I did, didn't I?" Replied Rarity, biting her bottom lip in uncertainty. Twilight felt as if she was against the world as she tried to reason out of the onslaught of friendly arguments. However, after a half-minute, she succumbed to her friends with a sigh. "Ughh. Alright! Fine! We'll play!" Finalized the princess. Finally, with another great cheer from Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and lesser of a cheer from Rarity and Twilight, the group began their night a fun and debauchery. Pinkie began by leaning over to pick up a black card in her hooves. "Okay! I'll be the Card Queen first!" Announced the pink pony. "So, after you say the statement, the rest of us put in the white card, right?" Applejack asked. "Yuppers!" Pinkie confirmed, clearing her throat again as she began to read out the statement on the jet black card in the hoof. "What's that smell?" The group of friends began re-reading their cards as they thought to themselves and searched for the best possible answers. It didn't take long for Rainbow and Applejack to submit their answers to the patient Pinkie Pie. Soon after, Rarity levitated her chosen card over to her pink friend. However, it took the remaining Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy a little bit longer to find the will to participate. "Time's running out, you three!" Pinkie Pie teased. After a few more seconds, Twilight slowly levitated her card over to the Card Queen. This encouraged the last two players to quickly submit their cards, not caring too much about which one was submitted. "Alright, everypony! Let's get to it!" Pinkie said with her hooves full of her friends' submitted white cards. "What's that smell? Puberty!" The first answer received a few laughs from the friends, Rainbow being the centre of most of the laughter. Even Spike got a little chuckle from the unexpectedly tame card. "What's that smell? A foursome with the princesses!" Pinkie presented the next answer, this one earning much laughter and blushes alike from the group. "Ha ha! Does that mean you too, Twilight?!" Rainbow questioned. Twilight decided to ignore the question as she was far too concentrated on not showing the heated blush her face was sporting. "What's that smell?" Pinkie interrupted. "The hiccups!" Unfortunately, this answers didn't entertain the group as much as the last one. It did, however, help Twilight's blush die down and allowed her to breath. "What's that smell? D-Donut Joe's cum-filled eclairs!" Pinkie said, stuttering due to her laughter. Rainbow and Applejack howled in laughter as they rolled across the floor, trying to contain their breaths. Twilight's blush instantly returned even stronger than before as Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack laughed. Spike and Fluttershy did little to hide themselves anymore as they knew it would be useless against the game. "What's that smell?" Pinkie began again, now having gathered herself enough. "Sweaty, male farmers." Applejack had an especially strong scoff to this answer. "What's that smell? The rusty horseshoe of the Headless Horse!" Pinkie announced the final answer, this one not earning as many laughs as before. "Okay, so, now what happens?" Rainbow asked. "Now, I pick the best answer and whoever's it is gets the point!" Pinkie said, beginning to think of which one was the best. "Who had Donut Joe's cum-filled eclair?" Rainbow hesitantly put her hoof up, questioning her phrasing. "Uh-I did, Pinkie." Rainbow answered. "Congratulations! You got a point!" Pinkie shouted. "Yes!" Rainbow replied in realization, snatching the black card from Pinkie as a point. "Aww yeah!" "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot. Everypony has to pick up another white card from one of the five white draw decks in the middle, bringing everypony back up to ten!" Pinkie reminded. After everyone nodded in their understanding, Twilight raised a hoof to speak. "Yes, Twilight?" "I have a question", the alicorn spoke. "How many cycles of this are we going to play?" The pink pony took a moment to think on it while munching on a cookie she snatched from the table behind her using her mane. "Well, my dear student, this game is traditionally played with ten rounds in a session." Many of the friends cringed in the thought of enduring ten rounds of the frightening game. Fluttershy gave an especially loud squeak due to Pinkie's news, pulling her blanket up a little closer to herself. "Don't you think that's a little..." Twilight began, struggling to find the proper words. "Extreme?" Pinkie finished, "yeah, I know! Which is why I've been giving it some thought. This is all your first time playing this amazing game." Pinkie explained, gesturing to all her friends, "which is why, as a form of training wheels, I hereby declare that this game of Cards Against Equestria is to only have five rounds!" Pinkie announced into the spacious foyer, yanking a brown gavel from her mane and repetitively smacking it onto the marble floor below. "Okay, sugarcube!" Applejack shouted, "we all appreciated 'yer change in rules but Ah think that's enough of the hammerin'!" After quickly ceasing the loud cacophony by shoving the gavel back into her mane, Pinkie started the game again. "Alrighty, Rainbow! It's your turn to be the Card Queen!" Pinkie said to her left. Setting her white cards face-down at her hooves, Rainbow quickly picked up a black card and spoke in a clear voice. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by blank." Said Rainbow. "Ooh! Interesting..." Pinkie happily commented. After the players debated with themselves, cards were passed and levitated to Rainbow. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by the miracle of childbirth." Rainbow started, not getting very amused by the answer. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by vegans." For the first time in what felt like days, Twilight actually got a little bit of a giggle out of this answer. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by deadly food poisoning,” continued Rainbow. Most of the group got a little chuckle out of this one. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by Griffonstone politics,” Rainbow said, "lame.” "I'm not sure how that would affect a trip to Appleloosa at all." Agreed Twilight. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by dying." Rainbow resumed. "Yup. That'll do it." Applejack commented. "The class field trip to Appleloosa was completely ruined by inflammation of the frog." Rainbow said, sounding confused. "Uh... What?" "The frog is a part of our hoof, Rainbow. It's the triangular part behind the keratin of our hoof that expands down the back of the hoof and leg." Twilight elaborated. "Gee. Thanks, Princess of Vocabulary.” Rainbow responded. Applejack seemed amused by Rainbow's comment as the two shared a hearty hoof-bump. "Hey!" Twilight defended, "I am not the 'Princess of Vocabulary!'" "So, who wins, Rainbow?" Pinkie asked. "Umm..." Rainbow thought hard, "this round was kinda weak. Whatever, I'll go with the deadly food poisoning. Who had that?" "Ooh! Me me me! I did!" Shouted Pinkie. Rainbow passed the card over to Pinkie Pie, who was eager to stuff it into her mane. After every pony and dragon had drawn one more card from the white piles, Pinkie spoke. “Oh! Guess what? It's Fluttershy's turn!" Pinkie shouted yet again. Fluttershy was instantly brought back into the world as she froze as still as ice, yet feeling as hot as the fire that burned above her. "Oh-um... I-I don't think I need t-to be the-um... Card Queen." The poor pegasus stammered. "But you have to, Fluttershy! It's how the game works!" Pinkie retorted. "Please, Fluttershy?" Begged Rainbow. "We're all here with you in good company, pal." "It's okay, Flutters." Applejack added. "You don't have t'read the really bad ones if ya don't want to." Fluttershy contemplated over her options carefully as she hid behind her long, pink mane. Would she disappoint her friends by backing out of the spotlight she despised so much, or would she step out of her comfort zone and into the spotlight with her friends? After what felt like minutes, she made her ultimate decision. "I-I'll do it." Fluttershy confirmed. The shy pegasus leaned to pick up a black card from the centre of the circle. When she took it into her shaking hooves she read it out as loud as she could muster. "Daddy, w-why is mommy crying?" Fluttershy stuttered. Apart from Fluttershy, the group was quite amused by the question, offering some laughs and giggles. After a few more seconds of waiting, the pegasus was given all of her friends' answers. Taking a deep breath to ready herself, Fluttershy began her turn. "Daddy, why is mommy crying? Two hundred bits worth of c-cocaine." Fluttershy said. Even for a start, this sent the group wild with laughter, Rainbow clutching stomach while trying to regain her senses. "Twilight, what's co-", Spike began to ask. "Spike!" Twilight interjected before the dragon could finish that sentence. "It's... it's nothing." "Daddy, why is mommy crying?" Fluttershy paused before she went any further, clearly phased by the words ahead. Eventually, she managed to squeak the answer out. "My dad's dumb f-fucking face." If there was someone in the group other than Fluttershy who didn't go wild by the last card, they definitely went wild now. As Rainbow wheezed on the floor, even Twilight was laughing while her hooves covered her face from the world. Pinkie Pie was on her stomach while slapping the floor below over and over, the sound of hoof against marble-crystal resonating throughout the foyer. "Holy Celestia! That was too good!" Shouted Rainbow Dash. "You said it!" Pinkie complimented. "No, Fluttershy did!" Applejack added, earning a few giggles from the two. "Daddy, why is mommy crying? Crippling social anxiety." Fluttershy continued. Contrary to the last card, this one didn't earn any laughs from anyone, mostly because they were painfully aware of who was reading the cards. After a few moments of awkward silence, Fluttershy resumed. "Daddy, why is mommy crying? Magic overdose." "Huh. Is that even a thing?" Rainbow asked rhetorically. "Actually, it is!" Twilight, the Princess of Vocabulary, once again began. "Unicorns and alicorns can suffer from a form of overdose by tiring of magic use. This can result in massive migraines in most cases and in some, more severe cases, even a coma." While Twilight went on, Rainbow moved her fetlock up and down while sticking her tongue out, imitating the alicorn. "Okay, Ms. Cheerilee! Thanks, but I think that's enough!" Applejack said. Fluttershy halted their heated debate by continuing her previous task. "Daddy, why is mommy crying? The first grey pube." Much laughter was erupted from that answer as Fluttershy grew an uncomfortable blush once again. "Laugh all you want, but grey hairs are a big deal!" Rarity spoke up. The unicorn’s comment erupted even more laughter into the circle. "Why are you so concerned about grey hairs, Rarity?" Began Rainbow, giggling while she went. "You got anything to hide?" "You of all ponies should probably be concerned about the colour of your mane and tail, Rainbow." Rarity suggested. "I can definitely say that grey isn't part of the rainbow!" "And lastly, daddy, why is mommy crying?" Fluttershy said. "Surgical horn removal." Twilight and Rarity especially cringed at hearing that card, fearing for their horns' safety. "I think I'd prefer the magic overdose, myself." Twilight nervously said. "Me too." Added Rarity. "Me three!" Pinkie shouted, earning confused glances from her friends. "What?" "I think the 'dumb face' one wins." Fluttershy spoke. "Oh!" Rarity beamed. "I believe that's me!" Gently levitating the black card she earned from the pegasus, Rarity had reminded everyone to pick up another white card. Once everyone was ready, Applejack realized it was her turn. "Oh, yeah. I think it's my turn now." Applejack said, picking up a black card. "What's fun until it gets weird?" Once again, everyone began looking to the cards they held in their grasp as they hurried to get their answers in. Soon enough, cards were given to the farm pony as a few chuckles were shared throughout the group in advance. "Alright, y'all. What's fun until it gets weird?" Applejack began. "Eating ass." The unexpected kickoff had Rainbow and Pinkie laughing already, while Fluttershy squeaked and Spike still decided to remain silent. "What's fun until it gets weird? Getting inside up to the elbow." Applejack said in a monotone voice. However, she had realized how long it had taken her to understand the answer the second she finally got it. "Oh Celestia! That's 'jus nasty!" "Oh my goodness..." Fluttershy vocalized. "I don't know. It could be fun!" Pinkie admitted. "Though, I would have to wash my hooves real good if I ever wanted to touch cupcakes ever again!" "Pinkie, darling, please! Don't elaborate!" Rarity pleaded. "What's fun until it gets weird? Erotically preening pegasus feathers." Applejack continued. Suddenly, the attention in the room was then clearly drawn to Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Twilight, being the only ones in the group with pegasus wings. "Whaddya lookin' at me for?" Rainbow asked the multitude of shifting eyes. "I suppose it is kinda weird." Applejack said. "What's fun until it gets weird? Using every excuse to have sex on Hearts and Hooves Day." This is answer resulted in a few chuckles around the group. "What's fun until it gets weird? Third base." Fewer laughs were shared by the friends this time. "Well that was kind of a dud." Rainbow commented. "Don't you fret, Rainbow. There's still one more card." Applejack quickly responded. "What's fun until it gets weird? Having a penis." No one expected the sudden explosion of laughter in response to the final answer. Rainbow and Pinkie return to their places on the ground, laughing out loud. Twilight, Rarity and even Fluttershy got a few little giggles out of the answer. The only one that wasn't laughing was Spike as his blush returned with a vengeance, of course, being the only guy in the group. "I gotta pick that one!" Applejack said, after regaining her composure. A few seconds later, the singled-out dragon himself put up his claw, signifying that it was indeed his card. "That was your card, Spike?!" Twilight exclaimed. No more words had to be said as Spike took the black card he earned with haste and without making eye contact with the alicorn, wanting to move onto the next turn. After everyone had picked up a white card to add to their now even deck, Twilight levitated a black card into her hooves as she was the next Card Queen. "What gets better with age?" Twilight spoke clearly. "Oh, boy. Here it comes." "I guess you'll know pretty soon, won't you, Twi?" Asked Pinkie Pie. "If Celestia and Luna lasted as long as they have, surely you will too!" Twilight refused to answer her question and instead focused on getting all of her friends' cards into her magical grasp. "What gets better with age? Penis envy,” Twilight answered in a displeased tone. Several laughs were heard amongst the group of friends in response. "Yeah! No kiddin'!" Replied Applejack. Rolling her eyes playfully, Twilight continued, “what gets better with age? The amount of gay I am." Some giggles resonated through the circle as well as a few playful, knowing glances towards a particular rainbow pegasus of the group. "What gets better with age? A b-bigger, pinker vagina?!" Laughter had suddenly exploded throughout the friends yet again as Twilight struggled not to laugh herself. "I'm not sure if that is entirely true." Wondered Rarity. "Who cares?! It's hilarious!" Pinkie laughed. The laughter was soon to calm down to a halt as Twilight resumed her turn, "what gets better with age? Canterlot's standards of beauty." This card didn't spark much laughter from anyone, however, it did spark the attention of a certain unicorn. "In what way does it imply 'better'?" Rarity asked rhetorically. "If it implies the evolution of Canterlot's fashion business, I can definitely say that that is indubitably true." No one except Spike seemed to be paying much attention to Rarity's comment as Twilight continued. "What gets better with age? My worthless son." Twilight hesitantly said. "What th-." There was, once again, an extremely awkward silence that was present within the group. Suddenly heating up again, Spike took it into his own claws to break the silence. "I-it's just the game, Twilight. It's nothing." Spike told her. "To be honest, it was kinda funny..." Trying to lighten the mood, a few giggles were heard in response to Spike's attempted revival of the atmosphere. Having no hard feelings had, Twilight finished her last card. "...And finally, what gets better with age? Full frontal nudity." With the mood enlightened, many laughs were heard from the last card as Twilight began deciding on the winner. "I think..." Twilight thought. "Who had the bigger, pinker vagina?" "The vagina belonged to none other than moi." Pinkie said in a sultry tone. "I don't think that your phrasing is necessary, Pinkie Pie, darling!" Rarity demanded. "Of course it is!" Pinkie countered as the group laughed along with her. Spike crawled over to obtain a black card for his turn as the Card Queen when he asked, "are you sure we can't make it the Card King?" Spike asked Pinkie. "Nope! Tough luck, Spikey!” Pinkie quickly answered. Spike took a second to choose which one of the two black decks to choose from. Once he made his choice, Spike immediately blushed a bright, tomato red in contrast to his purple scales. "Um..." Spike hesitated. "W-when all else fails, I can always... m-masturbate to blank." The group didn't even have a chance to the choose from their cards as they exploded with laughter. "Oh no." Spike muttered. "Are you sure you still wanna read, Spike?" Twilight asked politely. Spike carefully considered what he was about to get himself into as his friends began searching through their own decks, eager to make the dragon as uncomfortable as possible. Even beside the drake, Spike could see Rarity's eyes scanning back and forth for her best shot at Spike's dignity. "I can do it, Twilight." Spike reassured his foster mother. "Just promise you won't hold back!" After Spike's nervous, snarky remark, Twilight joined her friends in searching for a way to make Spike's cheeks explode with embarrassment. After a very quick minute, Spike received all of his submissions from the ponies around him. "When all else fails, I can always masturbate to a sad hoofjob,” Spike said, a few laughs were had throughout the group from this card. "Does that even make sense?" Asked Pinkie. "Who's doing the masturbating here?" "Maybe Spike's masturbating to a porno of a sad hoofjob?" Rainbow added. "Can we please leave my name out of this?" Spike begged. "Tell that to the cards." Applejack told him. Groaning in defeat, Spike continued, “when all else fails, I can always masturbate to Queen Chrysalis' and Princess Cadence's secret sex tape." The reaction from the group was immediate as Spike finished announcing the answer. "Woah! What the heck?!" Rainbow shouted. "I suppose it does sound believable, though!" Rarity laughed. "Mhm." Fluttershy agreed. "When all else fails, I can always masturbate to Sassy Saddles' secret stripper sessions." "Wow! What a tongue twister!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I'm starting to see a little bit of a theme here," Twilight thought aloud. A few nods and mumbles of agreement were heard from the group in response to Twilight's inference. "When all else fails, I can always masturbate to fear itself." This card didn't get much of a reaction from anyone. Not even Pinkie Pie broke much of a grin, nor a giggle. "Sorry." Fluttershy apologized. "I didn't have many good cards." "At least you didn't make me suffer!" Spike complemented. "It may not have made you suffer, but that was so bor-!" Pinkie began, but got cut off as Rarity used her magic to pinch Pinkie shoulder to spare Fluttershy's feelings. "When all else fails, I can always masturbate to the ponies of Canterlot." Spike resumed. Unbeknownst to him, Rarity and Twilight avoided eye contact with the drake as they tried to stifle their laughs. "...And finally, when all else fails, I can always masturbate to..." Spike's eyes widened as he saw the card in front of him. The dragon's tomato coloured face returned while he tried to vocalize the sentence. Next to Twilight, Applejack knowingly laughed and snorted, trying to let Spike finish his sentence. "Um... when all else fails, I can masturbate to... m-mom." Spike stammered, covering his face after finishing the statement. Applejack released her breath that she held as everyone laughed out loud. Rainbow, Applejack and Pinkie ended up in a heated, entangled clump of laughter and tears as the three cried out to catch their breath. Even Fluttershy couldn't protect Spike's pride and let out of few good laughs of her own. "Oh my goodness!" Rarity cried, wiping her leaking mascara with a handkerchief. Spike rolled his eyes back and forth through the slits in his fingers that failed to hide his increasingly red face. What have I done to myself? Spike thought through the slowly decreasing laughter. "Okay, Spikey!" Rarity said. "Are you ready to decide the winner?" "I'm pretty sure it's obvious!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Spike didn't bother making it a challenge for himself as he just wanted to get his turn over with. "Whatever." Spike sighed. "The 'mom' card wins." "Yee haw!" Applejack celebrated, already having no doubt of her inevitable victory as she swung her stetson in circles in the air. After she had taken the black card that she had earned, everyone acquired another white card for their deck. Next, Rarity happily levitated a black card towards herself for her turn as the Card Queen. "Oh! This is going to be interesting...." Rarity cleared her throat. "How did I lose my virginity?" The group's laughter returned after hearing Rarity's card. "Oh yay! We get to pop Rarity's cherry!" Pinkie cheered. "I like cherries! The maraschino kind are the best! No, wait! Chimicherrychangas are the bestest! Even better than bestest, they're the bestest, cherry-est, cherry treat ever!" "Five bits says Pinkie's got a card related to cherries." Rainbow challenged Applejack. "You're on, Rainbow!" Applejack accepted. After some careful deciding, Rarity was given all of the cards necessary. Rainbow and Applejack were sitting impatiently in their places as they waited for the other to be proven wrong and earn their bits. "How did I lose my virginity?" Rarity began. "Summer Sun Celebration hangover parties." A few laughs were sparked from this card. "Wow! What a way to celebrate the princesses!" Pinkie said. "Do 'ya think this is linked to the 'foursome' card?" Rainbow asked. Applejack, Pinkie, and even Spike laughed at Rainbow's reference. "How did I lose my virginity?" Continued Rarity. "Sapphire Shores." "I can definitely imagine that!" Applejack snorted. "And how exactly do you think that is a likely scenario?" Rarity questioned. However, a few seconds after, she began to reject her question. "A-actually, don't answer that." "Are you sure you don't wanna know how you lost your virginity to Sapphire Shores?" Rainbow teased. "Quiet you!" Rarity demanded before moving on. "How did I lose my virginity? A big, yak dick!" Rainbow, Applejack and Pinkie were back to howling as they cried out in laughter. "I can imagine it now!" Pinkie cried. "Don't put that image in my head, Pinkie!" Twilight cried back in disgust. "Yak penises of Yakyakistan actually vary in sizes." Fluttershy said, timidly. The group went silent in response to the pegasus' unexpected comment. "I-it's just a little fact..." Fluttershy finished, blushing. "Thank you for your input, Fluttershy, darling." Rarity told her. "How did I lose my virginity? Various domesticated and not-so-domesticated animals." Rarity looked over to Fluttershy once again, not expecting her to make any more animal-related comments this time. "How did I lose my virginity? Balls." Rainbow and Applejack attempted to contain their laughter but it just ended up as a few snorts through their noses. "Hilarious." Rarity said in a monotone voice. "And lastly..." As Rarity hung on her words, Rainbow and Applejack were on the edge of their seats with their eyes wide and ears ready as they still held up their previous bet from earlier. "...How did I lose my virginity? One unforgettable night of passion." "Dammit!" Rainbow shouted in defeat as she lost her bet. "See? Told 'ya!" Applejack told Rainbow. "Alright, Rainbow. Live 'n learn. Hoof 'em over." "Jokes on you, I don't even have any bits on me!" Rainbow retorted. "What?!" Applejack shouted. "Oh, why you son of a-!" Applejack and Rainbow's heated fight was interrupted by a sudden high pitched, ear piercing sound coming from the kitchen. "Oops." Applejack said. "That must be the kettle." As Applejack stood up from her seat to go tend the kettle in the kitchen, everyone else got up from their seated positions. "I suppose a good stretch is in session?" Rarity suggested as everyone agreed. "And some hot cocoa!" Spike announced with pleasure. "So, who wins that card, Rarity?" Twilight asked. Rarity took about half a minute to think about her decision. "I suppose by popular opinion..." Rarity hesitated. "I'll go with the yak penis." Not too surprised with that outcome, Twilight gladly levitated the black card in her own direction. "In that case, I'll be taking that, thank you!" Twilight said. A little surprised by the fact that Twilight was the one to play that card, Rarity allowed Twilight to take it from her own magical grasp. After a minute of waiting a stretching limbs, Pinkie Pie asked everyone in the group. "So, is everypony enjoying this wacky, super duper fun game or what?!" Pinkie asked. Rainbow Dash strongly nodded in approval, while Fluttershy and Spike gave shy, weaker nods of their own. "It's questionable, but I guess it can be quite fun." Twilight admitted. "I am quite entertained, myself!" Rarity added. "I suppose I could recommend it for other occasions." After everyone had given Pinkie their current review of the game, Applejack called from the kitchen. "Hey, y'all! Who's in the mood for hot cocoa?" Applejack shouted. "Oh, you bet I am!" Spike responded as he began to fly to the kitchen. As the ponies watched Spike go, Pinkie asked again, "so, is everypony ready for round two?" Pinkie asked. "Aww yeah!" Rainbow replied instantly. Having yet to respond, Twilight looked to Rarity, who nodded in approval. The princess then turned the other direction to look to Fluttershy, who gave a nice 'yay'. "I think we're ready!" Twilight confirmed, as the remaining five of the group began trotting over to join Applejack and Spike in the kitchen for some much needed cocoa.