//------------------------------// // Peeking at Pretty Pastel Ponies // Story: Wondercolt Weekends // by BlueBook //------------------------------// Sunset pulled the tie of the pink bathrobe tight around her waist and wiped the fog from the mirror. Sighing, she cringed at the bag-eyed figure that met her there. She’d been up far too late, and by the end of the night, Dash’s PlayBox’s monitor had burned out her eyes. Next time she’d ask her to change the screen brightness. Still, it made for an awesome livestream no-sleepover. Gathering up her wet hair and slicking it back, Sunset shuddered as rivulets ran down her back. Groping blindly for a towel, she found nothing but a bare towel bar. Grumbling, she stuck her head out the bathroom door. “Rainbow? Where are the towels?” “Hall closet!” came the answer from the bedroom. Sunset rolled her eyes. The hall was lined with doors. She scanned the nearest three, and settled on the one to the right of the bathroom. Surely that was the one Rainbow had meant. Inside a single lightbulb illuminated a row of shelves running front to back, revealing a room deeper than Sunset expected. But that wasn’t what had made her jaw drop. It was the tens, hundreds— no, innumerable, “Pretty Pastel Pony” figures in every color of the rainbow. Posters of ponies plastered the walls, and the remaining space filled with plastic storage boxes, and there wasn’t a speck of dust on any of it. Sunset closed the door, hair still dripping water onto the wooden floors. Dash opened her door, and walked out into the hall. “It’s the door on the…” She turned to face Dash. “Oh,” Dash’s face flushed. “I… I…” Sunset stepped towards Dash, arms outstretched. “I didn’t mean to snoop. I only peeked. I’m sorry.” “I know that,” Dash snapped and shot a glare Sunset. Sunset paused and put her hand to her cheek. For a moment, her body stiffened. Then it relaxed, and she chuckled. “Oh, Dashie, it’s okay. You like girly things, so what? No reason to be embarrassed.” “That’s not… You don’t—” Dash turned her back on Sunset, body quaking. “I am so not even talking with you right now, Sunset Shimmer!” Confusion flashed across Sunset’s face. “What did I—” “Just stop talking!” Dash stamped off down the hallway back to her room and slammed the door. Sunset sighed and opened the correct door, the one to her left. There wasn't much she could do now, except dry herself off. This situation didn’t need to get any worse than she’d already made it. She just needed one more thing. Wrapping a towel around her hair, Sunset tiptoed down the hall and rapped on the door. “RD?” There was no reply, only the sounds of angry, shuddering breaths. She drew a breath herself and knocked again. “Uh, hey, RD? My dress is in there, so if…” “So what? You’re wearing my bathrobe,” Dash growled. The door locked with a deafening clack. Sunset stared at the embroidered blue monograph on the breast pocket of the robe. Of course the bathrobe had her name on it. Honestly! So egotistical; worse than Rarity. Everything always had be about her! She clenched her fist and raised it above her head, ready to pound on the door. Instead, she grabbed her arm and brought it back down again. Easy, Shimmer, easy. Deep breathes. Think this through, see it from the other pony’s point of view, just like Twilight taught you. She tried, but her mind’s eye was clouded by ponies, row after row of them neatly arranged on risers like a cavalry regiment at attention. She shook her head to clear it. What was it about them that was a problem? Sunset sighed. The problem wasn’t the ponies, it was herself. Whatever it was that was bothering Dash; she had caused it and she’d have to patch things up, even if she didn’t understand. Glancing back at the door to the private hall closet, Sunset smirked. Maybe? Maybe it could help. ~~~ Dash glanced down at her phone. It’d been twenty minutes, and Sunset still hadn’t knocked on the door. “Hey…” Tentatively, Dash cracked the door open, peeking out. Sunset wasn’t in the hall where she expected her. But the door to the right of the bathroom was wide open. Why that… After I just! But why? Dash eased the door shut, and with her back against it, crumpled to the floor. The distinctive flat patter of wet, bare feet on hardwood floors broke the aching silence. Dash crossed her legs and straightened up. “Well at least she’s got good hearing.” “I’m a horse, remember?” came the muffled response from beyond the closed door. Dash bit her lip. “Sorry… I forgot.” A sigh came in reply. “Look, that’s not what this is about, is it? I mean the real horses here kinda weird me out, but it’s not like your toys…” “Nah,” Dash wrapped her arms tight around herself. “That’s not it.” “Do you want to talk about it?” Dash clamped her eyes shut, but in spite of herself she shook her head. “Not really.” “Okay.” The pause between Sunset’s responses were momentary, but to Dash they felt eternal. “Well, then, can I come in? I still need to get dressed.” Dash stood up, then collapsed face down on her bed with a groan. Hugging her pillow, she rolled her head towards the door. “Yeah, sure. Come on in.” The door eased open, with a gentle squeak of the hinges. Sunset’s head, hair still damp from the shower, appeared from around the frame. “Hey.” Dash bit her lip. “Hey.” The rest of Sunset slipped through the doorway. Dash saw she cradled a small plastic pony toy, a white bodied one with aqua hair. Although she couldn’t see it, she knew its outsized hindquarters were emblazoned with pink flowers. “So…” Dash smirked. “You brought Queen Mary Lee?” Sunset sat cross legged on her sleeping bag and handed the pony to Dash. “Morale support?” Dash extended her hand towards the toy, but quickly withdrew it. She rolled over, turning her face to the wall. “I’m good; you can hold her.” Dash felt the mattress sag as Sunset sat on the edge of the bed. She ignored her and continued. “She’s really old, ya know. Came in the first playset.” “Huh. So she was your first?” “I was just a dumb kid, and that playset was so stupid. It was a stable! What kind of queen lives in a barn?” Sunset laughed. “None I know of.” Dash laughed nervously and rolled over to face Sunset. She wanted to talk to Sunset about it, but couldn’t; the words weren’t there. How could she admit to being that uncool? Instead, she muttered, “You know, if you pull her tail—uh—she sings.” Sunset glanced quizzically at the toy, then looked back at Dash. “Uh, that’s… Okay then.” “Yeah, kinda weird. Dunno who thought that was cool.” Dash held out her hand, and Sunset placed the figure in it. Sitting up, Dash pulled the familiar toy’s tail. The pony’s head moved from side to side, eyes blinking slowly. Its mouth flapped unconvincingly, out of sync with the words it sang in a sugary voice: Don’t be sad! Be happy! Let’s sing The Happy Song and cheer up! That song: Dash had heard it so many times that she closed her eyes and, unconsciously, mouthed the words. Happy, happy, happy! My name is Marry Lee. Happy, happy, happy! I sing so cheerfully. Happy, happy, happy! I love everybody. Happy, happy, happy! Is how I want to be. “Ugggh…” groaned Dash as she held her head. “I am such a loser!” Sunset laid her hand on her back. “Dash, you’re not—” “Yes, I am.” Dash spoke to the floor. “Here I am, hanging with the coolest person I know, and I’m still doing this kid-stuff. Total loserdom!” “Dash…” Sunset cracked a smile. “It’s alright. Liking kid-stuff doesn’t mean you aren’t cool.” “I”—Dash’s voice wavered—”I guess, but it’s weird, isn’t it? Nobody still likes ponies, but me. Guess I’m still just a dumb kid.” “Dash…” Sunset put her hands on her friend’s shoulders. “You aren’t a dumb kid for liking ponies. You know everything about them. That’s not dumb at all. In fact, it sounds pretty cool to me.” Dash looked up. “Really?” “As the coolestpony you know,” Sunset chuckled “you have my word.” Dash smiled. “Thanks. That means a lot.” Sunset stood and offered Dash her hand. “Plus, your ponies are pretty cute.” “They are, aren’t they?” Dash rose from the bed and started towards the door. “Well, uh, I’m gonna grab some breakfast.” Sunset nodded, bending down to unzip the duffle bag laying on the floor. “‘K. Be dressed and down in a bit.” Dash opened the door and stepped into the hallway. But instead of trotting downstairs, she paused. There was one last thing she had to say, so she stuck her head into the room once more. “Hey, Sunny. Thanks for being 120% awesome!” Dash spotted the bathrobe lying at Sunset’s feet a second too late. A blush spread across her face. Sunset clutched her shirt to her chest. “Damn it Dash, no peeking!” “Sorry!” Dash spun around and hurried down the stairs. “Next time, I'll knock!”