Despite how much effort Twilight was putting in to keep herself calm and maintain her composure, Spike knew better as to just how excited she currently was. One simply didn't live with the mare for years serving as her number one assistant, and not pick up on the subtle -and not-so subtle- cues she gave off as a result.
Just beneath that paper-thin veneer, he knew Twilight was positively borderline giddy right now, and just barely able to keep the majority of her excitement contained. She was well-past the point of trying not to grin, and well on the verge of trotting in place with enough nervous/excited energy power at least one light bulb.
Not that he could blame her for being excited, though, as she had very good reason. After a particularly long and rough week, it was finally Saturday; Saturday evening to be precise. Which meant Applejack was due to arrive at any time for the slumber party.
In truth, Twilight probably needed this slumber party to happen more than even she realized. Possibly more than either of them realized. The majority of the last two weeks had been... well they'd been a mix of chaos and misery that'd make Discord proud and/or ashamed. The discovery of Pinkie's past trauma had really served to derail everything, leaving a lot of damage control and support that had to be done in its wake. And unfortunately it fell upon Twilight to do just that.
He'd helped where he could, when he could, and how he could, as he wouldn't simply leave her in the lurch like that. But for the most part it was Twilight who was tasked with performing the lion's share the of work that went into everything. Not simply with helping Pinkie, but making said help seem fun at the same time.
That was possibly the hardest part in all of this; figuring out how to make Pinkie's therapy fun for her. Granted, it was just doing stuff that Pinkie wanted to do while Twilight was bald around her, but it was still a lot of work, even if it didn't seem like that much to an outsider looking in.
To her credit, Pinkie helped clean up whatever mess they wound up making during her therapy sessions, so that made things a little easier for them to deal with, but there was still so much that only Twilight could do, and she was the one who had to do it. With her being the host, she had to put out the most positive energy for Pinkie's benefit, and that wasn't an easy task to maintain indefinitely. Sooner or later, something had to give.
So, yeah, Twilight needed this slumber party, and she needed it badly. She needed the downtime to just hang out with a friend and do absolutely nothing but relax. And the sooner Applejack got here, the sooner she could do just that.
Maybe they should've scheduled an approximate time for meeting up, rather than the ambiguous "before dinner" they'd agreed on when plans had been made. Not that the lack of a specific time had done anything to stop Twilight from periodically glancing up at the clock in an anxious manner.
"She's coming, Twilight," he assured her, "she said she'd be here for dinner, so she'll be here."
"I know Spike," Twilight replied, "I know she'll be here. It's just... I'm really excited about this."
"You don't have to explain it to me, Twilight, I get it. This is your first nude sleepover, it's a big step for you."
"It kind of is, isn't it?" Twilight agreed. "There's just so much that could happen tonight."
"Yeah, like you and Applejack actually having a great time tonight."
"You're right, Spike. that could definitely happen," Twilight agreed, before letting out a sigh. "Or we could-"
"No," Spike interrupted.
"But I-" Twilight tried again.
"No," Spike interrupted again. "Nothing is going to go wrong tonight, so you're not allowed to worry about what could go wrong tonight. So you just tell that part of your brain to shut up and take the night off; it's been working overtime with Pinkie anyway, so it deserves a break as much as you do."
"Spike-" Twilight tried to protest.
"Twilight," Spike all but growled, "either you stop worrying, right now, or you start running, right now. Your choice," he warned and made a deliberate demonstration of flexing his claws.
Twilight narrowed her eyes and glared firmly at Spike in response to his threat. "You. Wouldn't. Dare..."
Spike responded by taking a deliberate -bordering on menacing- step closer to where Twilight currently stood.
"Alright, alright, you win! Nothing bad is going to happen tonight!" she stated quickly in defeat. "You know, one of these days my skin isn't going to be so sensitive to outside stimuli like it is right now. You won't be able to threaten me with tickling forever."
"We'll see," Spike replied dismissively as he shrugged and folded his arms over his chest.
It could've proven to be a tense moment, if not for Twilight snorting shortly after.
"I think I needed that," she admitted.
"You totally did," Spike agreed. "Face it, Twilight, the hard part is already done. Applejack knows about you being a nudist, the only outcome that can be had is a good time tonight. We've got this situation in the bag."
"I guess it's just so easy to forget that at time," Twilight sighed, excitement momentarily forgotten as she slumped. "I'm so used to something always going wrong. It's just weird when things actually go right, or according to plan."
"You'll get used to it," Spike replied as he stepped close enough to pat her on the back.
Twilight, in turn, wrapped her foreleg around Spike to pull him into a hug, thankful to have him at her side in all this. Even just having someone else to talk to about this, someone who actually knew what was going on, helped make things so much less intimidating to contemplate.
And then the sound of the door chime was heard.
Twilight pulled back at the sound, and allowed for an unrestrained moment of excitement as she squealed with glee and proceeded to trot in place, leaving Spike to simply watch as she did so.
She finally composed herself once again, and with a quick flicking of her magic, was wearing a magical construct over her head that would look far more suitable for Vinyl Scratch than herself. It was composed of a set of purple energy headphones resting on her ears, with a visor that ran over her eyes, and what looked like a microphone extending down to her mouth.
Spike honestly didn't know it was possible for Twilight to smile harder than she was, but apparently it was possible.
"We're in the library, Applejack, come on in!" she called before allowing the construct to fade away, and proceeded to squeal and trot in place once again. "She's here! She's here! This is finally happening!"
Spike tried not to grin too hard, amused by Twilight's excitement, but he could only do so much. But in his case it was a smile based largely on a sense of relief, as it meant he didn't have to maintain the positive outlook all by himself for Twilight's benefit now. Now it could be self-sustaining or whatever, now that the ball had gotten rolling and set into motion.
Now that Applejack was here, things would be a lot easier. Now they could just relax and let things flow in whatever direction they went. Once Twilight managed to burn off all that excess energy, of course.
Hmm...
"Maybe we should go meet up with Applejack, rather than waiting for her to find us? That way things can get started sooner," he suggested, hoping the walk/trot/gallop to the palace foyer would prove sufficient to alleviate some of that aforementioned excess energy. "That way if she wants to go bald right away she won't have to walk all the way here, just to go back to the nearest available bathroom," he suggested further.
"You know what, Spike? That's a very good idea," Twilight replied with a wide grin.
Spike opted to leave the "naturally" unspoken as he quickly climbed atop Twilight's back and settled in for the ride to the foyer, thankful that he didn't have to suggest traveling there on hoof rather than teleportation to get the point across. If they had teleported there it wouldn't do any good, and they might actually wind up overshooting their target and winding up behind Applejack of all places.
But it was neither here nor there. Twilight was trotting out the door and down the hall at a reasonable pace, putting all that energy to good, physical use in her hurry to meet up with Applejack and get things started. They could meet, exchange small talk, and he could finally get started on dinner. He was optimistic about it.
Although that optimism failed as Twilight skidded to a halt, nearly colliding face-first with Applejack as she rounded the bend in the hallway. And that was just the start of their problems.
"H-hi, Twilight..."
It was more a matter of instinct and reflex, rather than conscious thought, that resulted in the amulet teleporting around Twilight's neck, cloaking her in the illusion of fur and feathers upon the realization that while Applejack was indeed present, she wasn't alone. Apple Bloom was also present, and looking quite uncomfortable with what she'd just seen.
It went without saying that her new spell obviously needed some work/modification.
The look on Applejack's face was of an almost apologetic quality as she looked back at Twilight in response.
"Sorry, Sugarcube, we sorta had an unexpected change o' plans happen on us."
"So I can see," Twilight replied, opting to keep her less than kind retorts to herself for the time being. "So what happened? Do we need to reschedule for next week?"
"Not if ya don' want to. Nothin' really happened, just.." Applejack replied and proceeded to give Apple Bloom a slight nudge forward.
"Applejack told me 'bout how ya were havin' a sleepover, an' what might be goin' on," Apple Bloom stated. "Ah was wonderin' if Ah could be here too, maybe get a better idea 'bout everythin'. She said Ah had ta ask ya if it was a'right."
Applejack nodded in agreement. "Yer call, Sugarcube. If ya don' want Apple Bloom here she can go back home, no problem. It's whatever yer comfortable with doin'."
Twilight sighed in response, unable to be mad with either of them, but still wishing this development could've come about earlier in the day, rather than being dropped on them like it had been. That wouldn't be asking too much, was it?
"I think that all depends on Apple Bloom herself," she replied as she turned her attention to the filly in question. "You understand I'm going to be walking around completely naked tonight, right? Are you going to be alright with that?"
"Ah dunno," Apple Bloom admitted uneasily, "but Ah'm here ta learn. So Ah can try ta be a'right wit' it, like Applejack an' Rarity did fer ya."
And there it was, the "L" word. At hearing this, Twilight could do little more than offer a friendly smile in response, despite the effort needed to do just that. She really couldn't ask Apple Bloom to do anything else. Nor would she try. She couldn't even see this as an interruption to their plans for tonight. It was just... a slight hiccup that could easily be overcome.
"Then I don't see why you can't stay for the sleepover and see how things go," she replied as the smile continued. "Just one question. Do you plan on keeping your fur on tonight while you observe and learn?" she asked.
Apple Bloom nodded quickly in response.
"Alright, that's no problem. But I'm going to be dropping this illusion now, just so you know."
Apple Bloom simply nodded in response but ultimately said nothing, not even as the illusion gave out with the amulet being removed. To her credit she did her best to be polite about it all, but was stuck somewhere between trying not to look at her, trying to look away, and perhaps even a bit of trying to look at her but in an indirect manner. It was all quite reminiscent of Spike's own reaction the first time he saw her in such a state.
"Alright," Twilight repeated and rolled her withers, before turning her attention back to Applejack. "Are you ready to get started?"
"As ready as Ah'm ever gonna be," Applejack replied.
"Right then. Apple Bloom, if you'd like to go with Spike and get set up in the library, I'll help Applejack get ready for tonight."
"So is Applejack goin' without 'er fur now?" Apple Bloom asked.
Twilight looked at Applejack, who nodded in response, before giving a reply. "She will be shortly."
"Oh," Apple Bloom replied. "Could Ah watch?"
The question had come entirely out of left field, leaving Twilight uncertain of how exactly to respond. From the look on Applejack's face, she felt the same way.
"W-well, Apple Bloom, that's not exactly a polite thing to be-"
"It's a'right, Twi'," Applejack interrupted and gave a dismissive shrug. "Apple Bloom's gonna be seein' all o' me perdy soon anyhow. She might as well see wha's involved wit' it."
At this point, Spike climbed down from Twilight's back and hopped down to the floor.
"Alright, you three go and have your fun. I'm gonna get things set up and then started working on dinner since we've got another guest to account for," he announced and proceeded to make his way to the kitchen, leaving the three of them to sort things out for themselves.
"Well then, I guess we'll get this party started," Twilight replied, "if you'll both follow me, we can begin."
The walk to the bathroom was as quiet as it was short, before the three filed inside in preparation for what was about to happen.
Apple Bloom more or less just stood to the side and watched as Applejack went over to the shower, turned it on, adjusted it to her liking, and then climbed under the spray after setting her hat aside. She was more focused on what was going on rather than what was being said, so she didn't really hear just what was said prior to the sound of Twilight's magic activating, followed shortly by the sight of Applejack's coat washing away as easily as one would wash mud right off of a shovel.
She really didn't know what to think, as it all just seemed to happen so fast; faster than she could properly process what she was seeing as it happened. The only thought going through her mind at the moment was how Applejack kinda looked like one of their pigs back on the farm, what with her mottled, pinkish skin fully visible now. Not that she'd ever actually say that sort of thing out loud, but the thought was still there.
"So that's all there is to it?" she finally asked as the shower was turned off.
"That's all there is to it," Twilight confirmed as Applejack vigorously shook herself much like Winona would after a bath, before grabbing one of the present towels.
"Wow," was the only thing that came to Apple Bloom's mind for a response. Actually seeing it done was a whole lot different from simply hearing Twilight's explanation, and mentally getting lost somewhere along the course of it. This was... well it was something else.
"Are you good, Applejack?" Twilight asked.
"Ah will be," Applejack confirmed as the gently patted herself dry. "Still feels a might strange bein' like this again, all furless an' such. But tha's how ya experience new things an' figure 'em out."
"So..." Apple Bloom spoke up slowly and turned her attention over to Twilight. "Do ya have ta be here ta cast the spell? An' if ya do does that mean ponies basically need ta ask yer permission ta go bald?"
"Hmm, that's actually a very good question," Twilight replied as she rubbed her chin in thought. "I hadn't considered that before, but now that you mention it, I guess I could see that sort of implication in it all. Of course that's not exactly what I want in the case. If ponies want to come in and shed their fur for a couple of hours to cool off from the heat the day, they shouldn't feel like they need my permission to do it. That sort of perspective might actually serve to detract the others from trying it for themselves if they wanted. I might have to look into that, and see if there's anything I can actually do about that; something that would let ponies do it for themselves if they wanted. that could, in turn, serve to help others as well. Thank you, Apple Bloom!"
Apple Bloom could do nothing to suppress the proud smile she had in response. Even if the subject was related to something she didn't entirely understand, the fact that she'd still wound up managing to help was hard to play off as being nothing.
"A'right, Ah'm good ta go," Applejack spoke up as she hung up the towel she was using. "Let's get this started. It's been hotter than the boiler room o' Tartarus all day long an' Ah just wanna cool off before supper."
"Well then, if everypony will follow me to the library, you're in for a treat. We have everything prepared for a nice, cool, relaxing evening. Spray bottles, cold compresses, the softest cotton sheets we could find, oscillating fans, and something brand new that shows a whole lot of promise," Twilight stated as she turned to lead the way out of the room.
Had she been paying closer attention, she would've realized the others hadn't yet followed her, and had more or less been left behind.
Apple Bloom could only look on as Applejack stepped out of the shower and into full, unobstructed view as she donned her stetson hat once more, leaving her uncertain of just where to look right at the moment. She knew she shouldn't stare, but the sight of her sister standing so casually without her fur on was just...
She knew she shouldn't stare, and she didn't want to. But at the same time she didn't want to look away either.
"Ya a'right, Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked as she stepped closer.
"This is all jus' so weird, seein' you an' Twilight walkin' aroun' all bald an' such like it's no big deal," Apple Bloom stated. "Ya look like, er..."
"Like a freshly sheered lamb?" Applejack suggested.
"Er, Ah was gonna say one o' the pigs, but that sounds a whole lot better," Apple Bloom replied.
Applejack chuckled in response. "Ah thought the same thing when Ah first saw Twilight. Although when Rarity first saw 'er, she said a plucked chicken because of 'er wings."
Despite herself, Apple Bloom laughed at that. The idea that Rarity might've actually said something like that was just too hysterical.
"A'right, let's get goin', Ah wanna park mahself in front of a fan an' get a damp towel on mah neck. The heat out was too much today," Applejack stated.
Apple Bloom simply nodded, already feeling less apprehensive about tonight than she had just minutes previously. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so weird after all.
With everyone reconvening together in the library, the first thing Applejack did was step over to Twilight's current position as she was in the process of telekineticly wringing out a soaking wet towel over a plastic tote filled with water and other towels in a similar state. She didn't even bother to ask, instead just lowering her head to allow for it to be placed on the back of her neck. Slightly chilled but not shockingly so, much to her delight.
"Wet towel, Apple Bloom?" Twilight asked as another was plucked out of the tote and wrung out of any excess water it still had.
"It sure looks like one," Apple Bloom replied. Laughter followed from the others in the room, before she realized her mistake. "Oh. Ah mean sure."
Even through her fur, the coolness of the rag could still be felt against the back of her neck as it was slipped under her mane, which was a welcome sensation right now.
Twilight then proceeded to ring out a third towel, and drape it over her own neck as well. "Much better."
"Ah'll say," Applejack readily agreed. This was nice in itself already, but she was still looking forward to more. "So what've ya got planned fer tonight, Twilight?"
"Well if there are no objections, I thought we'd start with dinner, hayburgers and fries, then maybe move onto dessert, and then whatever we might feel like doing to pass the time until we turn in. Reading, board games, lounging in the coolness, we can do pretty much whatever we want. There's no way this follows the standard slumber party structure, so we're more or less winging it, scary as that might sound."
"Ah reckon we can make do wit' that. It worked well enough the first time around," Applejack replied and shrugged, not seeing any point in changing a formula they already knew worked.
"Ah could kinda go fer a drink right now. Can Ah grab one from the cooler?" Apple Bloom asked and gestured over to where said item sat in the library.
"Oh! About that, there are no drinks in there. That's for the new thing I promised for tonight," Twilight stated. "If you'll be so kind as to follow me and turn your attention to the box fan."
The Apple sisters looked at each other in confusion, before following Twilight to see just what she was up to. She then proceeded to open the cooler, and started pulling a number of half-liter, frozen water bottles out, and proceeded to hang them on the fan.
"In simplest terms, what we have here is an air conditioner. The frozen water bottles are hung on the front of the fan with a stainless steel S-hooks and some rot-resistant nylon cord from Barnyard Bargains. The fan blade draws air in from the back, and pushes it out over the front, over the surface of the water bottles at accelerated speeds, serving to reduce the temperature of the air in the process as it passes over them," she explained.
"And that works?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Quite well actually. The air coming out is almost chilly in comparison," Twilight replied as she finished hanging the last of the bottles on the front. "See for yourselves."
The effect wasn't instantaneous as the fan was switched on. But the air coming out of the front end was undoubtedly cooler, and it wasn't long before it started producing goosebumps to appear on Applejack and Twilight's exposed skin.
"Well paint me yellow and call me a stick o' butter," Applejack chuckled, despite the involuntary shiver she gave from the cold air blowing across her. "Twi', Ah might have ta borrow this from ya fer Sweet Apple Acres sometime. This'd make sleepin' a lot easier some nights."
"Well it's still a work in progress, barely more than a concept at this point. But I certainly wouldn't object to you and your family using it if you'd like. Although... the coverage area isn't all that great," Twilight reluctantly admitted. "You might need five or even six of them to account for individual bedrooms, the parlor, and the kitchen. This design is really only good for one room at best."
"Any port in a storm, Sugarcube," Applejack replied and shrugged dismissively. Even if they only covered a single room, it would still do a lot more good than what they had right now.
"Alright," Twilight nodded, "I'll see what I can do. But for the time being I think I'll go and see if I can help Spike get dinner ready. You two sit down, cool off, and relax."
"If ya say so, Twilight," Applejack replied and gave another dismissive shrug, seeing no reason to argue with their most generous host.
Once again, the two sisters found themselves alone in the room.
"So, Apple Bloom, whadda ya think so far?"
"Well..." Apple Bloom paused as she tried to think of how to respond. Right now her thoughts were far too much of a mix of confusion. "Ah really like the air conditioner, it feels really good. An' Twilight's bein' real friendly an' all, so... Ah guess Ah'm enjoying myself so far?"
Applejack stepped closer and tussled Apple Bloom's mane with her hoof.
"Don' try an' force it, Sugarcube, it'll come to ya in time. Jus' give it a chance an' relax."
Apple Bloom nodded in response, more out of reflex to show she was listening, rather than fully comprehending the advice. She honestly hoped she could do that, but right now she wasn't so sure.
At the moment all she could do was hope Applejack was right, and that she'd get the answers she was looking for. Answers that hadn't come from Twilight's explanation, her conversation with Applejack, or her conversation with Rarity. If those answers actually existed, this was probably the best place to go about finding them.