//------------------------------// // Old Flames And Nude Opportunities // Story: Camp Naturally // by Enclave2277 //------------------------------// Chapter 16 Administrator’s Cabin, Camp Everfree After enjoying a light breakfast of yogurt and granola, Flash Sentry decided to head over to his girlfriend’s cabin to see what she was up to. Right around this time of the day, Gloriosa liked to tend her vegetable garden behind the administrator’s cabin and go through a few sets of yoga. Today was no different. As Flash had expected, he found Gloriosa near the tomato patch with Rufus close by, assuming the Warrior Pose on her yoga mat. Her eyes were closed and she looked completely at peace. There was even a faint viridian aura radiating from her body. Flash felt a pang of guilt knot up in his stomach. He had no desire to interrupt his girlfriend’s moment of relaxation, but there was something very important that he needed to discuss with her. A conversation which Flash, in good conscience, felt that he could not put off any longer. With grim determination in his stride, the camp counselor made his way over to Gloriosa, wrapped his arms around her stomach, and placed a gentle kiss along her neck. She giggled happily and turned around to cup his cheeks, then pressed her lips against his in a loving kiss of her own. “Good morning, Flash. Care to join Rufus and I for a few sets?” Flash looked down at the Honey Badger and chuckled. The little guy was trying his best to imitate what Gloriosa was doing, but with little success. His quadrupedal body simply wasn’t designed to move that way. Even so, it was the effort that counted. When he fell onto his stomach, Gloriosa crouched down and ruffled his fur. In response, Rufus licked her fingers. “Sure. I don’t see why not. But—uh—there’s something I need to talk to you about…” Gloriosa exhaled, leaned forward, and grabbed her ankles. “This is about Sunset, isn’t it?” “Yeah. I’m sorry that I have to bring up my ex, but since she’s staying at Camp Everfree… it complicates matters. You see, I ran into her yesterday while I was fixing up the bat houses. Chrysalis was with her. They were going for a swim together, I think.” Gloriosa stood up and began to lift her leg into the air. “C’mon, Flash. There’s no reason you need to beat around the bush with me. I promise that I won’t get mad about whatever it is you’d like to talk about regarding Sunset. I know that the two you were really close before she decided to… end her relationship with you. There’s bound to still be some lingering feelings shared between the both of you. Am I wrong?” Flash looked down at the ground and sighed. “Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that I still love Sunset. And a part of me always will. She holds a special place in my heart and nothing will ever change that. But I don’t love her the way I love you now. Whatever romantic feelings I had for her are decidedly in the past.” “That’s very mature of you, Flash. I’m proud of you. But! I sense a caveat in there.” Flash rubbed his neck. “Isn’t there always? My main concern is the way she acted yesterday. For whatever reason, Chrysalis decided to transform into me. And—erm—well, Sunset decided to fondle her ‘penis’ to test if it was real or not. EHEM! Sure enough, it was…” “Ok. So, Sunset didn’t actually do anything to you is what you’re saying.” Flash’s cheeks turned bright red. “She didn’t! But the way she was stroking Chrysalis—it was really intense and… intimate. The unadulterated love I saw in her eyes, that’s not something Sunset could have possibly faked. I think she might be interested in reconnecting with me.” Gloriosa pressed her hands together and pushed them forward. “It seems to me that she’s keenly interested in rekindling the old flame you two once had. Have you told her about us yet?” Flash blushed even harder and shuffled his feet in the grass. “No, I haven’t. I don’t even know where I would start. Telling her that we can’t be together the way she wants will break her heart. Sunset’s been through so much in the past few years, I just… don’t want to see her hurt again.” Gloriosa wrapped her arms around Flash and hugged him tightly. “That means you’re a good person and an even better friend. Tell you what: why don’t you take the rest of the day off and figure out how you’re going to break the news to Sunset. I know it’ll be tough and there will be a fair bit of pain involved too, but it has to be done. She deserves to know the truth.” Flash’s entire body sagged. “This whole situation sucks. I know she kind of ignored me the last time we were staying here, but I can hardly blame her for that. Sunset had more important things to worry about than hooking up with her ex. I guess… thinking about my talk with her is just delaying the inevitable. Once we finish up our sets, I’ll head over to her cabin.” Gloriosa nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. “If you think that’s what’s best for Sunset, then I support you one hundred percent. Just remember: I’ll be here at my cabin if you need someone to talk to or snuggle afterwards. Good luck.” After receiving an affectionate kiss along the underside of his chin, Flash waved goodbye to Rufus and Gloriosa. While he made his way over to Sunset’s cabin, Flash heard a soft bark behind him. It was quickly followed by the tickling sensation of a honey badger’s tongue lapping against his ankle. Flash knelt down in front of Rufus and patted his head. “Thanks for the support, little guy.” Rufus barked twice and began wagging his tail. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay with Gloriosa? What I’m about to do isn’t going to be very fun. Exciting? Well, that remains to be seen. Just don’t be surprised if Sunset gets upset.” Rufus dug his paws into the ground and struck a brave pose. “I suppose there’s no convincing you otherwise. Ok, buddy. Let’s get going.” Even with an emotional support badger by his side, Flash walked over to Sunset’s cabin at a sedate pace. It gave him some extra time to think over what he was going to say to her and take a few deep breaths to try and calm his nerves. When Flash finally stood in front of Sunset’s cabin, his heart pounded inside his chest. His mouth became dry and it was suddenly a lot harder to swallow. Flash felt his balls shrink so rapidly that he was afraid they were going to crawl up into his stomach. Regardless of his obvious discomfort, he persevered and knocked on the door. Only a few moments passed until Flash heard the telltale sound of bare feet pattering against the wooden floor. Sunset was home, apparently, and about to open the door. Rufus must have heard her as well because he swished his tail back and forth a few times in anticipation. Flash thanked the little badger for his support and patted his head gently. He wasn’t sure if Rufus could even understand him, but the young man told the baby badger that this was something he had to do alone. Rufus looked slightly saddened by the news but barked once in affirmation. Before Flash could so much as wave goodbye, the furry trickster was already making his way back to Gloriosa’s cabin. Presumably, to get more affection from her. When Sunset finally opened the door, after what seemed like an eternity, the fiery-haired nudist greeted her former lover with a broad smile. Flash rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a polite smile in return. He prayed to whatever deity happened to be listening in at the moment that she didn’t notice how much of a nervous wreck he was. “Hey, Flash! It’s good to see you again. Come on in and make yourself at home. Ehehe—sorry about the mess. I was just finishing up breakfast when you knocked on the door. Do you want any Coco Krispies? There’s still plenty left in the box.” “Nah, I’m good. I already had breakfast earlier.” Flash watched as Sunset gobbled up the rest of her chocolatey cereal, slurping up the remaining milk left in the bowl in a most unladylike manner. He actually giggled out loud at her for a brief moment. Sunset may not have been the most refined woman around when it came to table manners or being girly, but that was part of her charm. After cleaning herself up, Sunset stood in front of Flash, rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet, and gazed at him expectantly. “You’ve got great timing! I don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day. Would you like to hang out or something? We could always take a hike together! That sounds fun… right?” Flash rubbed his hands together. “Sunset, I didn’t come over here to have fun. We need to talk.” “Oh. This is one of those serious kinds of talks, isn’t it?” Flash frowned. “I’m afraid so. I’d rather not drag this out, so I’ll cut straight to the chase: Gloriosa and I are dating now. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner, but there just wasn’t an opportune moment to tell you. Plus, I wanted it to be private.” “You are?” Sunset asked with a slight quaver in her voice. “Yes. It’s true. I wouldn’t say that it was love at first sight, but Gloriosa and I deepened our relationship the more time I spent around her and the camp. She really is an amazing woman. Not that you aren’t amazing too… I just—ugh—why does this have to be so damn difficult?!” Tears began to form in Sunset’s eyes. “I should have seen the signs. You tried to reach out to me about getting back together the last time we were here and, like a complete dumbass, I didn’t pay attention. FUCK! I’m such an idiot! Why didn’t I just listen when you—” Flash took hold of Sunset’s shoulders and rubbed them gently. “You’re not an idiot. Sure, I’ll admit that I desperately wanted to be your boyfriend again but you had a lot on your mind. Saving everyone who was staying here was way more important. Including Gloriosa! Without your help, she would have become a monster. There’s nothing to be sorry for, Sunset. Whatever wrong you think you did; I forgave you for it a long time ago.” Sunset threw her hands into the air and screamed. “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST BE ANGRY WITH ME LIKE A NORMAL PERSON?!! Why do you have to be such a… nice guy? Even when we were still dating, I always asked myself what I ever did to deserve someone like you.” Flash pulled Sunset into a warm embrace and ran his fingers through her hair. She returned his embrace with equal enthusiasm and wept quietly. “Because that’s not how love works. All relationships are a two-way street, Sunset. Take for example: the way your partner sees you. It isn’t necessarily how you see yourself. Trust me, there wasn’t a day that went by when I asked myself the exact same question you just did. You were the light of my life.” “I thought we had a shot at getting back together,” Sunset croaked, “Especially, now that you’ve finally decided to give naturism a chance. I was beyond excited when I found out you were working here but I wasn’t sure if you still had feelings for me. While we were at the beach, I thought back to all the happy times you and I had together. In that moment, my mind focused on only one thing: your happiness. I suppose, that’s why I got a bit carried away…” Flash kissed the top of Sunset’s forehead. “I could tell. And for what it’s worth: I’m flattered that you still felt so strongly about me, Sunset. It really did make me happy. Um—even though watching you caress Chrysalis that way was pretty embarrassing. But! I want you to know that I still love you. Just not quite the same way I did before. Does that make sense?” “More as a friend, you mean.” Sunset mumbled dejectedly. Flash cupped Sunset’s chin and looked her in the eyes. “An incredible, talented, beautiful, kind-hearted friend who would do anything for the ones she loves. I don’t want you to sell yourself short, Sunset. There’s plenty of people out there who would want to be your girlfriend.” “Yeah? Name at least three people. Then I’ll be convinced.” Flash let out a frustrated sigh. “You know I’m not Dean Cadence. I don’t keep a list of potential partners for everyone on hand. Sunset, you’re missing the point. Just because the romantic spark between us has fizzled out, doesn’t mean you should take yourself out of the game. Please, promise me that you won’t start drinking to excess and work yourself into a depressive stupor like you did right after the Fall Formal.” “Flash, I don’t do that anymore. Not since—” Flash’s expression became serious. “You may say that, but I need you to promise me. Right here. Right now. I don’t want to have to be the one to drive you to the hospital again.” Sunset grasped his hands and nodded vigorously. “I swear, I won’t! Celestia as my witness.” “Very well, then. I will do everything in my power to hold you to that promise, Sunset. Even if you end up hating me for it. Do you understand?” Sunset looked down at her feet and blushed. “Yes, you’ve made your point.” Flash took Sunset into his arms and hugged her one more. They stood in each other’s embrace for a while, content to savor the warmth of their bodies and the sense of comfort it gave them. Flash’s heart nearly shattered in two when he heard Sunset begin to cry again. It was painful to listen to, but he didn’t regret telling her about how he felt and his relationship with Gloriosa. After one final kiss to her lips, Flash parted Sunset’s cabin and made his way back to the canteen for a cup of coffee. If nothing else, the hot beverage would help to reinvigorate his frazzled nerves. He was both emotionally and physically exhausted from the conversation; a direct result of the amount of effort he’d put into moving it along. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d heard Sunset sobbing into her pillow while he walked out the door. Flash wanted nothing more than to rush back inside and embrace his former girlfriend, but he knew that he couldn’t be the one to comfort her. It was up to Sunset’s other friends to do that. And, of course, she would need to put in some effort to pull herself together as well. Sunset awoke sometime later in her bed, swaddled in a bundle of sheets. With an irritated groan, she rolled over and took a look at the clock. A few hours had passed since Flash left and she had somehow managed to cry herself to sleep. Even though she preferred to stay within the confines of her comfortable bed, Sunset absolutely hated feeling grody. One of the first things she noticed was that her skin was all clammy and her hair had become matted. Add to the fact that her eyes were so bloodshot and sore that it hurt just to blink, she figured that a hot shower was in order. The former unicorn was no stranger to social bathing. It was a common practice that dated back thousands of years amongst all the races of Ponykind. Crystal Ponies, in particular, had a fondness for public bath houses. They were unrivaled in their splendor and scale anywhere else in Equestria. Sunset had never been to one personally, but she heard stories of how amazing they were. Despite her cultural inclinations, there were times when Sunset just wanted to be alone in the shower… or bath, depending on how much she wanted to pamper herself. That’s why Sunset had insisted on reserving one of the deluxe cabins that actually had its own shower/bath unit installed. They were considerably more expensive to rent, but well worth the extra cost in her humble opinion. After wiggling out of her sweat-soaked bedsheets, she plodded over to the bathroom, closed the door behind her, and pressed the button to activate the built-in spray nozzles. Not but a moment later, the nozzles sputtered to life. Sunset sighed in relief when she felt the hot water cascade down her entire body. She took her time lathering up and scrubbing whatever needed scrubbed. It wasn’t as though she was in any hurry to go anywhere for the rest of the day. After she dried herself off, Sunset walked over to the window and took a peek at the rest of the camp. Since it was only a little after five o’clock, there was plenty of light left outside to see everything. Including a certain poofy-haired siren, who was headed straight towards Sunset’s cabin. A soft knock on the door confirmed Sunset’s suspicions. Her little scuffle with Adagio earlier made Sunset wary of the older woman’s intentions, but she didn’t seem threatening. In fact, from what Sunset could tell, she was carrying a takeout bag and two bottles with her. Sunset bit her lip and stared at the door for a few seconds. Was Adagio really the person she wanted to talk to right now? Probably not, Sunset supposed. But what harm could it do? Adagio knocked again, this time a bit louder. “Hello? Are you in there, Sunshine? I know that I’m quite likely the last person in this entire camp you’d like to talk to right now, but… I brought dinner! If you’re still busy wallowing in self-pity, I can always come back later.” Sunset opened the door and gave Adagio a half-hearted smile. “Hey, Adagio. As you can clearly see, I’m a bit of a mess right now but… I wouldn’t mind some company. C’mon in.” Adagio didn’t need to be told twice. She scampered into Sunset’s cabin and placed her takeout bag and drinks onto the table. After rifling around in the bag, she presented a container filled with chicken fingers and what appeared to be poutine. The siren motioned for Sunset to sit down, and when she did, Adagio slid the containers over towards her placemat. Sunset took hold of her fork and stared at the delicious food arrayed before her. Adagio didn’t wait for Sunset to start; she immediately began digging into her bacon cheeseburger. “Whenever I feel down in the dumps, greasy comfort food always makes me feel better.” Adagio mumbled while stuffing a few curly fries into her mouth. Sunset took a small bite of her chicken finger. “Uh—thanks. These are really good.” “You can thank Wallflower for that. She made all of this food on her own. Can you believe that? I gotta say: ole’ Butter-Buns sure got lucky with that one. Nabbing a dorky, anxiety-ridden girlfriend who can cook like this is nearly unheard of! Oceans~ This burger is orgasmic!” Sunset wiped her hands on a napkin and sighed. “Yeah. Lucky.” “Triton’s Veiny Cock! That was a poor choice of words on my part. Forgive me, Sunset Shimmer. My ability to read the situation is not quite as honed as I’d prefer…” Sunset rolled her eyes. “You mean: like not bothering to tell me that Flash was already dating Gloriosa before I got here? That sure would have been nice to know!” Adagio stood up and slammed her palms against the table. “Excuse me?! It’s not my fucking job to keep tabs on all the human staying here! I had no idea those two were an item. What? Do you think that I get my jollies from being some creepy voyeur who stalks nudists all day long, hoping to catch a glimpse of some X-rated PDA?” “For all I know, maybe you do. You’re not exactly the most virtuous person, Adagio.” Adagio narrowed her eyes at Sunset. “Let’s get something straight, sister: I prefer being watched instead watching other people, got it? There’s a distinct difference between the two.” Sunset facepalmed. “Ok, that was just a little bit too much information.” “Oh, really? As I recall, you didn’t seem to have a problem eyeballing my pussy while we were at the beach. I could practically taste the lust radiating off of you! Admit it! You think I’m hot.” Sunset’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson. “Well, that’s because you spread your legs apart!” “HA! I didn’t hear a denial in there~ It is as I suspected then. You’re bisexual.” Sunset nibbled on some fries and looked down at her feet. “Fine, you got me there. I’ll admit that my barn door swings both ways, as Applejack would say. And—erm… you are exceptionally beautiful, despite your less than stellar personality. But! Don’t think that means I’m gonna take you out on a romantic date anytime soon. You’re totally not my type!” Adagio waved the half-eaten burger in her hand. “You flatter yourself, sweetie. I wouldn’t dream of dating you in a thousand years. However, I do appreciate the compliment. That being said: I didn’t come over here just to stuff your gullet full of fried morsels. How are you feeling?” “Like a turd that’s been jammed into a blender…” Adagio giggle snorted. “And here I thought that the ‘bedraggled’ look was in this year.” “Adagio, I’m being serious! I feel like my heart’s been torn out!” Sunset shouted. “Alright! There’s no need to get your non-existent panties into a bunch. Getting rejected is never fun. Especially, when it’s by a person you’ve known for a long time. I suggest that you focus your efforts on moving forward, instead of lingering on the past. Other than that, I don’t know what else to tell you. I’ve never been very good at dealing with relationships.” Sunset slumped in her seat and took a swig from the drink Adagio had provided her with. She was surprised to find out that it was one of her favorites: a virgin cocktail piña colada. Sunset hummed happily while she sipped on her beverage, wondering just how Adagio had come across such information. She suspected that either Flash or Fluttershy must have told her at some point. If Sunset was being totally honest, it was more than a little odd listening to Adagio dole out life advice. Even more so that she’d actually taken the time to care about someone other than herself. Now that Sunset was feeling a little livelier, she finished up her chicken fingers and poutine with renewed gusto. She’d only eaten a bowl of cereal for breakfast and skipped dinner entirely. She chugged down the remainder of her drink, left the table, and plopped onto the couch. Even though it was a warm, pleasant evening, Sunset wasn’t quite sure that she wanted to go outside and interact with anyone else just yet. She picked up her phone off of the coffee table and began browsing through its contents half-heartedly. While she was scrolling, there happened to be an old picture of Flash and her when they were on a date right around Hearts & Hooves—Valentine’s day. It was when they couldn’t get a table at a famous Italian restaurant in town, and they decided to go to a hole-in-the-wall Ramen Shop instead. Much to their surprise, the food was superb and they had a great time. Sunset smiled sadly, remembering all the good times she’d shared with Flash. Just as Sunset was about to scroll through more pictures, she yelped out loud when she felt Adagio’s tongue run along her inner thigh. Suffice to say: it was dangerously close to her privates and Sunset was afraid that the lascivious woman wouldn’t pick up on her discomfort and go straight for the honeypot, so to speak. When Adagio suddenly stopped, Sunset clamped her legs together and glared at the siren. A fierce blush colored her cheeks. “ADAGIO, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ABOUT?!” The poofy-haired woman plopped onto the couch next to the Rainboom and rested her feet atop Sunset’s lap. “Calm down, Sunshine. I noticed that you had a little schmutz of gravy on your thigh. You’re welcome, by the way. I went ahead and licked it off for you. It was delicious~” “That’s what napkins were invented for! You can’t just… do something like that without warning me first. Especially, when you were licking so close to my—” Adagio crossed her arms behind her head and reclined on the couch. “Snatch? Pssht! Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it. My tongue has pleasured more souls than your mortal mind can possibly fathom. By the way, I love whatever bodywash you’re using. I was getting mostly citrus mixed with a slight hint of cinnamon afternotes. What brand do you use?” “It’s just regular bodywash that I picked up at the store. Nothing special. And I didn’t even use that much today in the shower. But—uh—I think the brand was called: Clearwater Springs.” A shit-eating grin that could put a Great White Shark to shame adorned Adagio’s lips. “Oh ho~ Am I to understand that the delectable scent I picked up just now was your own natural musk? One must wonder if it is, perhaps, a carryover from your unicorn days. Interesting. Very interesting indeed! Why, it is my distinct pleasure to be acquainted with such a lady killer!” Sunset buried her face in her hands to avoid eye-contact with the siren that currently sat next to her. The gesture was also designed to conceal the ever-intensifying blush that colored her cheeks. Even when she was still just a filly, Sunset had always been sensitive about the way she smelled to others. Her keen intellect being what it was, made Sunset acutely aware of how potent her pheromones were from the very onset of puberty. It was a trait said to be exceedingly rare amongst unicorns but more prevalent within earth pony populations. Adagio laughed after teasing Sunset’s thigh with her foot. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, sweetie. You should consider it a gift! Over the centuries, I discovered that quite a few of my siren traits carried over to this world as well. Like my near impenetrable immune system, enhanced physical strength, and agelessness, to name just a few. While I’m not nearly as powerful as I was in my natural form, I consider all the traits an indispensable boon.” Sunset slowly uncovered her face and met Adagio’s gaze. “Sorry, Adagio. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. It’s just that my pheromones have always been a sensitive subject for me. And just in case you’re wondering: yes, they do seem to affect humans. Both male and female. Granted, it’s not quite at the same level of intensity as with ponies, but definitely noticeable.” Adagio’s expression softened. “Poor thing. Heat season must have been very difficult for you.” “Ugh! You have no idea! I always hated wearing clothes when I lived in Canterlot. But if I didn’t cover up my backside during heat season, my tail would waft the scent all over the place! Like I said before, the effect is a lot less intense in my human form… but tends to be more noticeable whenever I’m naked. Uh—you know, since there isn’t anything down there to mask the scent.” Adagio leaned forward and patted Sunset’s head. “For what it’s worth, I think your scent is very pleasant. I’d be more worried if it wasn’t because that’s precisely how pheromones are designed to function. I wonder: what did Flash Sentry think of it, hmm? Did he enjoy your flavor too?” “That’s none of your damn business!” Adagio chuckled. “Oh, well. You can’t fault a girl for trying. Keep your secrets then~” After clearing her throat, Sunset leaned back on the cushion and sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the rest of my vacation without feeling like I’m walking on pins and needles. It’s not like I can just avoid Flash the whole time. He works here for Celestia’s sake!” “You need to stop obsessing over Mr. Boy Scout and start enjoying yourself. Don’t you have other friends you could hang out with? Like Butter-Buns or that Purple-Princess lookalike?” “Fluttershy? Yeah, I guess I could hang out with her. But she’s the only other person I know around here other than Wallflower. And the both of them are usually quite busy. As for Twilight: she isn’t a—she wouldn’t enjoy staying at Camp Everfree. The lack of dress code would make her feel uncomfortable. Twi wouldn’t visit unless she had a REALLY good reason…” Adagio smirked and nudged Sunset’s arm with her toes. “Ah ha~ I sense a caveat buried in there. What, pray tell, would constitute a really good reason?” Sunset chuckled nervously. “Ah—well, I imagine she’d want to study Chrysalis in greater detail. The only way she’d be able to do that is by setting up a temporary lab at Camp Everfree. Which, of course, requires her to actually be here in order to operate it. I don’t know, Adagio. It’s probably not a good idea to entice her with that information. Twilight’s shy and easily flustered when it comes to nudity. She has a lot of issues with her body image.” “The complete opposite of her royal counterpart, it would seem.” Sunset frowned. “To be fair, this world’s Twilight isn’t a native-born Equestrian like we are. She grew up with an entirely different set of cultural standards and social taboos. I can’t exactly blame her for being a little squeamish about… certain things. It took her a long time before she even got used to idea of me being a dedicated naturist.” “Or perhaps it was specifically you, naked, that had her flustered.” Adagio muttered to herself. “Huh? Did you say something? I didn’t quite catch that.” Adagio got up off of the couch and stretched her body like a cat. “Nothing, sweetie. I was merely thinking aloud to myself for a moment. If Twilight being here means so much to you, then I would suggest that you simply explain what’s at stake in the most direct way possible. Don’t mince words. Be blunt. Leave no question as to what Twilight would be getting herself into.” “But what if she—” Adagio placed her finger over Sunset’s lips. “Pure speculation! How do you know for certain that Twilight Sparkle will say no to your proposal? That’s right! You don’t. Based on our brief conversation thus far, I assume that you two are very close friends. If that is indeed the case, then I can’t imagine that her saying no will significantly impact your relationship. Correct?” Sunset nodded slowly. “Good. You respect each other’s boundaries and limitations. Tell her how you feel about the situation and why you believe it would be a good idea for her to stay at Camp Everfree. That’s all there is to it, Sunset Shimmer. The worst that can possibly happen is she says no.” Feeling slightly embarrassed, Sunset stood up and rubbed the back of her neck. “I never thought the day would come when I would actually listen to the advice of a siren. But you’re right, Adagio. Sitting here, worrying about what she’ll say won’t do me any good. I’ll have a chat with Chrysalis to see if she’s ok with the plan, then I’ll skype Twilight about it.” Unused to being praised with such sincerity, Adagio tried to come up with a response that didn’t sound overly sarcastic or condescending. Before she got the chance to say anything, however, Adagio felt Sunset wrap her up in a surprisingly warm embrace. The siren awkwardly wrapped her arms around her former foe and massaged her back gently. Sunset responded with what sounded an awful lot like a pleased whinny (which Adagio found endlessly amusing) and began to nuzzle her cheek against Adagio’s chest. When they finally broke apart, she noticed that Sunset had begun crying for some reason. “Thanks, Adagio. I’m really glad that you decided to come visit me tonight.” Adagio’s face turned beet red while she fiddled with a strand of her hair. “YES! Well, I—ehem—I just wanted to make sure that you were ok after all that nonsense with Flash Sentry. I’d best be off now. Tree Hugger wanted to go out for an evening swim after dinner. Goodbye!” Sunset watched the siren while she made her way towards Tree Hugger’s cabin. Adagio really isn’t so bad once you get to know her better. I mean, sure: she’s still kind of arrogant, tactless at the most inopportune times, and a shameless tease to top it all off. But I might have misjudged her. Heck, after what she did for me tonight, I might even consider her a true friend now. Twilight Sparkle sat at her computer, pouring over the latest test results from her ‘Thaum-Reader’. It was a device that she had developed recently to measure the power output and effects of magic on other objects, living creatures, and the environment itself. The field of study was brand new and Twilight was doing her best to make an impact on the scientific community by championing the cause of introducing the wider world to magic, and subsequently, magic users. She wanted scholars and ordinary people alike to see that magic wasn’t just a myth; it was a force that thrived on earth and could be used for practical purposes, so long as one was smart about it. Despite her dogged enthusiasm, Twilight was not without her critics. Introducing new concepts to the fields of physics and science, always drew plenty of skepticism amongst her peers. When one factored in her age: a fresh-faced twenty year old, not many people took her seriously… yet. Twilight Sparkle had just recently graduated the prestigious Manehatten Institute of Technology, or MIT for short, with a doctorate in theoretical physics and applied computer technology. Many of the older graduate students had looked down on her while she attended classes at MIT, simply because she was so much younger than everyone else. On the worst of days, their scorn made Twilight feel alienated, like her keen intellect was a curse rather than a gift. Nonetheless, she persevered and managed to graduate with honors. Although her career looked bright and hopeful with job offers pouring in from multiple interested parties from both the academic and technology sectors, Twilight’s social life was anything but. She was nearing her twenty first birthday and she’d never even been on a date before. She was still a virgin too. That’s what happened when one devoted their life to science. Even so, she enjoyed spending time with her friends from Canterlot High whenever the opportunity arose. Lately, however, she’d been working herself to the bone and hadn’t gotten a chance to reconnect with everyone for quite some time. It saddened her greatly. But at least the rest of the girls understood that she was busy working on an important project. Twilight finished reading the report and pressed the enter key to save the results as a document. After sending a quick email to her sponsors, she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. The clock at the bottom, righthand corner of the computer screen stated that it was 6:20 pm. Had she really been working all day? Twelve hours didn’t seem all that long when you were busy. Twilight got up from her chair, removed her scrunchie, and shuffled over to the bathroom that was connected to the laboratory. When she looked in the mirror, a pair of bloodshot, lavender eyes greeted her. Her hair was still presentable, if a bit frazzled around the edges. But after lifting her blouse and giving her chest a tentative sniff, Twilight decided that a hot shower was in order. After she finished bathing, Twilight toweled off, donned an oversized t-shirt, and slipped on a comfortable pair of cotton panties. It was her preferred choice of attire for bedtime and just lounging around the lab or her house. At least, when no one else was around. Twilight tended to dress more modestly when in the company of others: such as Rarity or Rainbow Dash. Intellectually, the young scientist knew that she’d didn’t have a healthy attitude when it came to her own body image, but it was a mental hurdle that she’d never quite been able to mount. She couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of her best friend and unrequited crush: Sunset Shimmer. Sunset was beautiful, confident, friendly, and far more comfortable in her own skin than Twilight. The former Equestrian even went so far as to lounge around in the nude during sleepovers or whenever any of her friends came over to visit her apartment. Even though it had taken a vast amount of willpower for Twilight just to get used to seeing Sunset naked without having a nervous breakdown, she supposed that was normal for naturists. The only other being occupying the space with her currently was Spike. Since he was a trusted pet and companion, Twilight felt far more at ease showing her frumpy physique around him. She couldn’t even count how many times Spike had seen her in the buff, but that was irrelevant. He was a dog. Human nudity had never been a big deal to him. After all, he never wore any clothing himself. Save for his dog collar and the occasional Hearth’s Warming doggie sweater. Spike nuzzled his snout against Twilight’s leg. “Did you finish your report yet?” “Mhmm. It’s finally done after I put about twelve hours’ worth of work into it.” Spike swished his tail back and forth along the floor. “Twilight, I don’t mean to sound rude but… you look exhausted. Sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen for that long, can’t possibly be good for you. C’mon. It’s time to relax. I’ll bet you forgot to eat dinner again too.” Spike’s statement was promptly answered by Twilight’s rumbling stomach. “Ehehe. Yeah, I guess I did forget. Thanks for reminding me, Spike. How does pepperoni pizza sound?” “Sure! I’m game. Just make sure you don’t order any anchovies. I HATE THOSE!!” Twilight cocked her brow in confusion. “Since when have I ever ordered anchovies?” “Well, not you specifically. Shining Armor ordered them once when you were still at school. He seems to really like them for some reason. I think they’re gross. Euughhh. SO FISHY!” Twilight giggle snorted. “Don’t worry. I’ll be extra careful when I place the order.” It didn’t take long before the pizza delivery man arrived. Twilight was so exhausted and hungry that she’d completely forgotten that she was only wearing a t-shirt and panties when she opened the door. The pizza man merely raised his eyebrow while Twilight awkwardly handed him the money, suggesting that he’d probably seen far worse during his tenure. Nonetheless, Twilight was utterly mortified at being seen in such a state of undress in front of a total stranger. After placing the pizza box on the kitchen table, Twilight buried her hands in her face and began to hyperventilate. She was barely wearing anything and the pizza delivery guy had seen her! It was enough to make Twilight want to bawl her eyes out right then and there. Luckily, Spike came scrambling up the stairs to comfort his mistress in the nick of time. He hopped up onto her lap and rested his head against her stomach. She responded by hugging him closer to her body. “How could I have done something so stupid?!” Spike licked Twilight’s arm. “Everything’s going to be ok, Twi. Seriously! It’s not a big deal. I’m sure the pizza guy has seen far worse than a college-age girl answering the door in just a pair of panties and t-shirt. Take a deep breath, count to ten, and clear your mind.” “I know you’re right, Spike. I just—it’s not easy for me to get over my body image issues. Every time I see someone looking at me like that, it feels like they’re making fun of me. Judging me. They might not say anything aloud, but they’re probably thinking: ‘Take a look at that gangly, awkward nerd. She barely counts as a girl, let alone a woman’. I hate feeling this way about myself, but it’s not something that I can simply ignore.” Spike’s ears drooped. He knew that it was nearly impossible to come up with a counter-argument that was satisfy Twilight’s anxiety-addled mind. Instead, he took a different approach. “Hey—uh—why don’t you have some pizza? Maybe that’ll help make you feel a little bit better. If nothing else, it will fill your empty tummy.” Twilight did as she was told, albeit slowly. The pizza was tasty but Twilight had a difficult time enjoying the meal as much as she would have had her insecurities not reared their ugly head. Just as she was washing down her second slice, Twilight’s phone rang. The indicator said it was an incoming video call from Sunset Shimmer. Hesitantly, Twilight swiped her finger across the screen to accept the call. Sure enough, Sunset appeared just a few moments, completely nude and in full HD clarity. Twilight felt her throat become dry all of the sudden. “Hey, Twilight. How’s it going?” Twilight chuckled nervously. “Oh—erm—hi, Sunset! I’m just eating some pizza with Spike.” “Cool. I know this is a little out of the blue, but I’ve got an important question I need to ask.” Twilight bit her lip. “Sure. Ask away.” “The thing is: there’s a unique situation that’s come up at Camp Everfree. That is to say, we have an actual alien living on the premises now. Totally mind-blowing, huh?” Twilight’s eyes widened in surprise. “WHAT?! When were you planning on telling me this?!” “Uh—right now? Sorry that I didn’t say anything sooner, but I didn’t want to be rude to Chrysalis. That’s the name of the alien, by the way. She’s real nice and friendly. Anyway, Chrysalis has agreed to let you study her as much you could possibly want. There’s a catch though: you have to stay at Camp Everfree to do it.” Twilight’s stomach bunched up in an icy knot. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Timber and Gloriosa recently convert the camp into a naturist resort? Based on research I’ve conducted in the past, I have to assume that there are certain regulations that need to be followed in order for it be qualified as such. That is to say: I would have to be… n-naked if I intended to stay there.” Sunset rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled awkwardly. “You’re right, Twi. That would be part of the deal, I’m afraid. Um… if you don’t feel comfortable committing to the ‘dress code’, then there’s no pressure. Look, I know this is a difficult decision for you. But I figured that you’d jump at the opportunity to study an extra-terrestrial being and her magic.” “Is she in the room with you right now?” Twilight asked quietly. “Yeah. Would you like to talk with her?” When the young scientist nodded, Sunset handed the phone over to Chrysalis. It took everything in Twilight’s power not to let out a girlish squeal of excitement. The alien woman was quite the exotic beauty, if Twilight was being honest. Everything about her was way too real-looking (including the gratuitous view of her bare breasts) to be just props or cosplay. If that wasn’t enough to convince her, Chrysalis took the liberty of demonstrating her magical abilities by levitating a coffee mug around the room. Chrysalis smiled at Twilight. “Was that a sufficient enough demonstration for you, Twilight Sparkle? If you require more convincing, I can always morph into—” “No, I’m pretty girl! Erm—I mean, pretty good. Yeah. That’s TOTALLY what I meant. Ehehehe. Would you mind handing the phone back to Sunset please?” Twilight got yet another eye-full of a naked woman’s body, except it was Sunset this time while she adjusted the phone. It made Twilight’s cheeks flush with a combination of embarrassment and excitement. She hoped that Sunset wouldn’t notice. “So, what do you think, Twi? I know this is a lot to process but I really hope you’ll come join me.” “Excuse me? Did you say join you?” Sunset nodded. “Mhmm. You can bunk with me in my cabin. It’ll be like a sleepover!” Twilight felt like she was going to throw up. “Newton’s Apple! I’m so nervouscited right now! I don’t know if I can—no, I have to be brave and bold! It’s what any scientist worth her salt would do in this situation. O-ok, Sunset. I’ll go. Just promise that you’ll be extra patient with me.” “Of course! When can I expect you to arrive?” Twilight burped loudly and immediately covered her mouth. “Sorry! A bit of indigestion there. I can’t give you an exact estimate at this time. But—ah—once I arrange my transportation modus with Shining Armor, I’ll shoot you text and let you know. Does that sound acceptable?” “No problem. See ya later, Twi!” Once the call ended, Twilight paced around the room in an anxiety-ridden panic attack. “Oh Gods! I can’t believe I just agreed to stay at a nudist camp! And I’m rooming with my crush, no less! WhatamIgonnadoWhatamIgonnado… WHAT AM I GONNA DO?!!!” Spike sighed and brushed his paw against Twilight’s ankle. “Breathe, for starters.”