Chapter 22
Sunset’s Cabin, Camp Everfree
Twilight Sparkle’s eyes slowly cracked open as she came back to the waking world. She groaned and smacked her lips a few times, disgusted by the sour throw-up aftertaste that lingered in her mouth despite drinking some ginger ale before she fell asleep. Still feeling light-headed and weak, the bookworm barely had the strength to get out of bed, let alone do anything else. A depressed sigh escaped Twilight’s lips when she remembered that today was supposed to be her big date with Sunset where she would finally confess the feelings she’d bottled up for years.
Somehow, she’d managed to ruin it. Her nervousness had led to an anxiety attack, which inevitably made her puke all over the place. It was neither cute nor endearing, just Twilight Sparkle being the socially awkward train wreck that she’d always been. With a frustrated huff, the purple-skinned scientist punched her pillow a few times. Far from being the catharsis she craved, Twilight felt even more light-headed than before and flopped back down on the mattress.
At least Sunset wasn’t around to see her like this. Pathetic. Weak. Disheveled. And naked in every sense of the word. Twilight wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball, have a good cry, and pretend that the outside world didn’t exist. She couldn’t though. Not now. Not after having come this far. In fact, the only reason she even considered visiting Camp Everfree and baring her gangly, nerd-physique for all to see was because Sunset happened to be there.
“How can Sunset be so confident about herself? It’s not fair…” Twilight whispered while she hugged her knees to her chest.
It could be said that Twilight had grown accustomed to the concept of causal nudity during her stay, simply because she’d convinced herself that everyone else was in a similar state of undress. Therefore, it would be illogical and abnormal for her to wear clothing (sans accessories) at a dedicated nudist camp. Safety in numbers, as it were. Classic herd mentality. The young scientist laughed mirthlessly at her analytical psychology skills. Leave it to her brain to come up with the driest, most textbook explanation to address her own insecurities.
Twilight’s heart thundered in her chest when her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. Panting slightly while clutching her breast, she turned her attention to the door and waited for whoever was on the other side to announce their intentions. It was probably just Sunset, she reassured herself, because who else could it be? Well, maybe Gloriosa or Timber. They were the only other people in the entire camp who had access to spare cabin keys.
“Twilight,” the muffled voice of Sunset Shimmer spoke, “Are you awake yet? I thought you might be hungry so—um—I got you a grilled cheese and some tomato soup from the canteen. May I come in?”
“I’M NOT DECENT!” Twilight blurted out.
Sunset cracked open the door and chuckled. “Don’t be silly, Twi. We’re both nude already. There’s no such thing as decent or indecent around here. I’m coming in.”
Sure enough, Sunset carried a tray with aforementioned soup and sandwich in hand. When she turned on the bedside lamp, Twilight winced, knowing full-well that she must have looked terrible. Instead of recoiling in disgust or making a comment to that effect, Sunset sat on the edge of the bet and scooted closer to her best friend. Twilight shuddered when she felt Sunset’s gentle touch upon her back, making little circles in an effort to help her feel better.
Twilight sighed. “No, I meant that I look—ugh—never mind. It’s just me being paranoid.”
Sunset wrapped her legs around Twilight’s lower back, and slid her hands around Twilight’s stomach. She finished by resting her chin against Twilight’s shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. I’d cuddle with you no matter what. Go on and eat some soup. It should be cool enough now.”
Twilight’s cheeks flushed pink. “But… I’m all sweaty and gross. Not to mention, my breath probably smells horrible. I haven’t had the chance to use any mouthwash yet.”
Sunset embraced her tightly and planted an affectionate kiss on her neck. “I don’t care about any of that stuff, Twi. All that matters is getting you to feel better. C’mon! You need to eat.”
Twilight let out a shuddering sob. “Oh, Sunset. I don’t deserve someone like you.”
“Shh. Hey, there’s no need to get upset. Shit happens, ok? I’m not mad that our date got postponed. Heh. I mean, I still get to spend time with you, so it’s cool.”
Unable to work up enough energy to form a coherent response, Twilight started nibbling on her grilled cheese and slurped on a few spoonsfuls of tomato soup. As expected of Wallflower and Smokey’s culinary expertise, it was delicious. Creamy, hearty, and with just a hint of basil. Twilight made quick work of the rest of her sandwich, and savored the rest of the soup. She only paused when she needed to take a drink, which was in the form of an apple juice box.
The added warmth of Sunset’s skin pressed up against her back, put Twilight at ease. Besides her breasts, Twilight could also feel the other woman’s heartbeat. It was an incredibly intimate moment that had formed from such an unfortunate one. Her own heart started beating faster. Butterflies flew around in her stomach, leading Twilight to break out in a nervous sweat. After swallowing a big lump in her throat, she reached over and grasped Sunset’s hand, caressing the back of the other woman’s palm with her thumb. Twilight took in a deep breath and tried to summon up as much courage as she could muster. It had to be now.
“Sunset, I love you with all of my heart. I… think to some extent, I always have. For years, in fact. And no, I’m not just talking about in a platonic way. You know, like a-a… paramour. GAH! What does this have to be so freakin’ difficult to say! I know this isn’t the most romantic confession or ideal circumstances to be confessed to but I felt like you deserved to know.”
Rather than answer with words, Sunset carefully took hold of Twilight’s cheeks and pulled her in for a tomato soup flavored kiss. Despite everything not going according to plan, Twilight giggled with joy while they continued. Neither of them wanted to take things to the next level just yet, so they savored the soft feeling of each other’s lips and tongues while they embraced. When the longtime friends finally parted, Sunset made a sound that was somewhat of cross between a sob and laugh. She quickly wiped her eyes, and hugged Twilight even tighter.
“I’m so happy you feel that way about me, Twilight. I’ve been wrestling with my own feelings for you as of late and I couldn’t think of a way to express them properly.”
The purple-skinned scientist blinked owlishly. “Wait. You have? SINCE WHEN?!!”
Sunset’s cheeks flushed an adorable shade of rosy pink. “Well—uh—not terribly long, I guess? Look… Twi, it’s complicated, ok? After breaking up with Flash, I didn’t really give romance too much thought for a while. But out of all my friends, I’ve always felt the closest to you!”
Twilight pouted by crossing her arms underneath her breasts and rolling her eyes. “Great! I’ve had a one-sided, mad crush on you for, like, FOREVER, and you just recently decided that I was girlfriend material. Hmph! Figures…”
Sunset rubbed Twilight’s shoulders. “C’mon, Twi! Please don’t be like that. You want me to say it? Fine. I love you too. And no, I don’t mean just as friends. I know that it must have been hard on you for me to have said that before and not meant it the same way you did. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m the one who should be sorry,” Twilight admitted, “I shouldn’t have unloaded my frustration on you, Sunset. But I had to make some pretty crazy decisions just to be with you right now. The least of which, taking all of my clothes off! I’m not confident about my figure like you are. Visiting a nudist camp, of all places, wasn’t on the Twilight Sparkle To Do List™ this summer. Or ever for that matter! I never imagined that I’d confess to you stark naked.”
Sunset nuzzled her cheek against Twilight’s back in a very pony-like show of affection. “I, for one, am really glad that you decided to stay here with me this summer. It makes this whole experience feel more vibrant and real, I think. Like there’s nothing between us but our skin. Oh, um—that sounded kind of weird, didn’t it?”
Twilight smiled. “I completely understand what you mean, Sunset. From an objective point of view, even I must admit that nude cuddling feels amazing! Perhaps, this whole naturist thing isn’t so bad after all. Very nerve-wracking for first timers, to be sure but enjoyable nonetheless.”
“Look at us. We’re such a couple of dorks.” Sunset snickered.
Twilight scoffed. “Whatever. That just means we were meant for each other.”
Sunset blew a raspberry on Twilight’s neck, making her burst into a fit of giggles. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Twi. Love you~”
“I know.” The nude scientist replied in a gruff voice.
Sunset raised her brow in disbelief. “Wait. Did you just Han Solo me?”
Twilight blushed. “Yeah. So, what if I did? I’ve always wanted to say that to someone I love.”
Sunset ruffled Twilight’s hair. “Alright, you scruffy nerf-herder. Let’s go take a shower together. I’m sure you’d like to freshen up before we go out on our date.”
“Really? Do you still want to have a picnic?”
Sunset nodded. “Sure. As long as you’re feeling up to it.”
Twilight bit her lip as naughty shower thoughts filled her mind. “Uh huh. I’d like that.”
Considering how small the shower was in Sunset’s cabin, the girls decided it would be better if they made use of the public one instead. Neither Sunset nor Twilight were opposed to showing their affection for each other physically, but they were hesitant to take things any further than kissing, hugging, and snuggling. Sex was profoundly more intimate and personal. They both entertained the idea on many occasions, yet neither woman wanted to discuss it openly for fear of making things awkward. It was with this mindset that they took a (mostly) platonic shower.
Twilight was under the impression that she’d been asleep for a long time. This, however, was not the case. A quick glance at one of the clocks in the locker room informed her that it was only a little bit past two thirty in the afternoon. The picnic had originally been intended for lunch, but she supposed that it could easily pass as dinner too. To that end, she volunteered to carry everything in her backpack. She hoped that the straps wouldn’t irritate her skin too much.
The young scientist chuckled at the thought. This was the first time in her entire life that she’d had to worry about the consequences of nude hiking. Even so, there was one more practical matter that needed to be attended to. Just as she’d done when going out in the forest with Chrysalis, Twilight donned a pair of purple socks and brown hiking boots.
Sunset stuck with a pair of plain, but comfortable-looking black sneakers. No socks, of course. The former unicorn never wore shoes or other footwear if she could help it. Twilight absentmindedly wondered if Sunset had ever attempted to hike barefoot like Chrysalis, only to find out that her human feet weren’t durable enough to handle such rough terrain.
“Man, it’s times like these that I still wish I had hooves.” Sunset remarked.
“Why’s that?”
Sunset chuckled bashfully. “Hehe. Funny story that is. The first time I came through the portal, I had no concept of human modesty. Well, let’s just say that I didn’t understand how soft human appendages were compared to pony hooves either. I had blisters and cuts for weeks! Don’t get me wrong; I still hate wearing shoes but I understand the necessity of them now.”
“Did you ever try to go hiking without them?”
Sunset waved her hand. “Nah, I learned my lesson by that point. I’m just thankful that most of the paths around camp are soft enough for me not to need them most of the time.”
Twilight rubbed her elbow. “When I was out in the woods with Chrysalis, she didn’t seem to have any issues. Then again, her body is probably much tougher than a human’s. She told me that her people evolved from ocean-dwelling arthropods. I have yet to test the parameters of her skin density versus kinetic—”
Sunset silenced Twilight with a kiss to the lips. When tongue wrestling became involved, the young scientist forgot what she was talking about and savored her girlfriend’s soft lips. When they finally parted, Twilight felt an electric tingle of excitement building in-between her legs. She paused for a moment and wondered why it was a lot breezier all of the sudden. With a horrified squeak of embarrassment, she realized that she’d become excited. Twilight tried her best to nonchalantly cup her hands over her privates in the vain hope that Sunset wouldn’t notice.
“Just making sure that you don’t go off on a biology lecture, Twi.”
A forced, unnatural smile spread across Twilight’s lips. She let out a loud, awkward laugh. “Nothing like a beautiful girl’s soft, sensuous lips to distract you from science! Am I right?”
Sunset raised her brow. “I suppose so. Who says I didn’t get as good as I gave?”
“Oh… well—erm—really? I-I didn’t think my lips were anything special.”
Sunset started walking towards the exit. “Don’t sell yourself short, Twi. I happen to enjoy the flavor of your lip gloss and—why are you walking like that? Did you pull a muscle or something?”
“HAHAHA. No reason. None whatsoever! I just feel like walking this way. Yeah!”
Sunset sighed. “We’ve been over this. You don’t have to cover yourself up around here. This is a nudist camp. And here I thought you were starting to get more comfortable in your own skin.”
Twilight slowly removed her hands and winced. “It’s not that I—”
Sunset blushed when she noticed how slick Twilight’s hair was. “Oh, shit! I’m sorry, Twi. I didn’t know you that were—uh—wet down there. Was that just from when we were kissing?”
Twilight snorted and did her best impression of a beefsteak tomato. “Yes. I might be a nerd but I have sexual desires too, ya know! Please don’t make this more awkward than it needs to be, Sunset. It’s been a while since I—relieved myself, so I’m a bit pent up right now.”
Sunset waved her hands. “No, I totally get it! Let’s just… start our hike and pretend this didn’t happen. Unless… you want me to take care of—”
“NO! I-I mean… um… not right now. Maybe later? I DON’T KNOW! I’M STILL A VIRGIN, SUNSET! How does one even properly respond to an offer like that?”
Sunset grabbed Twilight’s shoulders and rubbed them gently. “It’s ok, Twi. We don’t have to jump right into having sex if you’re not comfortable with it yet. I’m more than ok with taking things slow with you. That’s what being in a relationship is all about. Patience and understanding. Are you ok or do you need a minute to take a breather?”
Twilight let out a shuddering sigh. “I-I think so. Hooooo boy! Anxiety REALLY sucks.”
“Do you need an inhaler?”
Twilight dug into her backpack, pulled one out, and gave it a quick puff. “Ahh~ That’s better. I can finally breathe again. An emergency inhaler is always a must when performing any kind of physical activity. Or any activity for that matter. I’ll just go die of embarrassment now…”
Sunset ruffled Twilight’s hair and laughed. “Never change.”
The young couple held hands while they hiked through the forest together. Never, in Twilight’s wildest dreams did she ever think that something like this would ever happen. It was just so surreal. A warm, fuzzy feeling bubbled up in the scientist's chest that made her want to giggle out loud. Despite all of the awkwardness, Sunset didn’t seem bothered at all by the setbacks. Her attitude was tantamount to someone dismissing Pinkie Pie’s antics as “Pinkie being Pinkie”.
Up until now, Twilight had never truly appreciated how liberating it was to be nude in the great outdoors and enjoy nature as nature intended. She supposed that was the whole reason Camp Everfree was established in the first place but doing so in the company of the one she loved made the experience that much more significant. Twilight wondered if she’d ever be able to go back to clothed hiking after this. For a moment, she paused and scrunched her lips in thought.
“What’s on your mind? I can smell your brain frying from over here.”
Twilight jumped slightly; having been broken out her train of thought. “I never realized how amazing this was. You know, just—hiking out in the open air. I’ve been so preoccupied with my thoughts and anxieties that I didn’t stop to appreciate what not wearing clothes meant.”
Sunset smiled. “I’m proud of you, Twi. It takes a lot of guts for someone who’s not accustomed to this sort of lifestyle to admit that they enjoy being nude outdoors. Yep! The sunshine. The fresh air. The cool breeze tickling your skin. Nothing beats it!”
“Don’t forget the company.” Twilight added.
Sunset wrapped her arm around Twilight’s waist and pulled her into a side-hug. “How could I forget? Hmm. I must admit that I’ve always wanted a partner who would do naturist stuff with me. And—um—accept that aspect of my life without judgement or hesitation.”
“Sunset, I’m not so sure that I can be that partner for you.”
The fiery-haired girl caressed Twilight’s hip. “I think you’re doing a fine enough job as is. Look, Twi, I don’t expect you to change your habits overnight just to suit my needs. I was practically born a naturist. But look how far you’ve come! If nothing else, I want you to be more confident about yourself and, to an extent, your body image.”
Twilight blushed and looked away. “I’m nothing special. Just your average, gangly nerd. My boobs aren’t very big and my butt is practically flat. You’re way more attractive than I am…”
“Well, you’re special to me, Twi. Does it really matter what other people think? You’re beautiful in your own, unique way. You—uh—always have been. Heh. Wow. That was a super cliché thing to say, wasn’t it? Just goes to show that I’m not quite the smooth operator you think I am.”
Twilight leaned over and rested her head against Sunset’s shoulder. “But it did succeed in making me feel better. In my book, that means you’re smoother than creamy peanut butter.”
Sunset snickered. “Was that the best line you could come up with? Hahaha! That’s terrible!”
“Blame Spike for that one. He loves to eat peanut butter out of the jar but never learns his lesson. That fur brain always manages to get his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. I should film him doing it sometime and post it on Viewtube. It’d probably go viral, I bet.”
“For sure. I could always put it on before I start one of my game streams.” Sunset suggested.
Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. “We’ll see. Spike might even be up for doing a live stream guest appearance with us while you actually play.”
Sunset raised her brow. “Us? Hold up, Twi. I thought that you were uncomfortable being nude on camera? And don’t try to take back what you just said! You know I never stream clothed.”
The purpled-skinned nerd blushed and rubbed her neck. “I know what I said, Sunset. To be honest, being on camera with you was kind of fun? Just so long as you keep the creeps and perverts out of the chat, I-I’m ok with letting people see me. I think.”
Sunset pumped her fist in the air. “We’ll make a naturist out of you yet!”
Twilight remembered the grotto she’d come across while hiking with Chrysalis and wondered if Sunset would be up for a swim. She had to admit that skinny dipping was much more enjoyable because you didn’t have to worry about getting bogged down by a soggy swimsuit. Or remember to bring one along in the first place. You were ready to swim upon arrival. No changing room or annoying adjustments required. The efficiency of it appealed to Twilight’s logic-driven brain.
Towels were another matter, however. Twilight understood that she could technically let the air do all the drying but that took forever. Plus, she hated it when little bits of grass and other organic matter got stuck to her skin while it was wet. Given that it was late afternoon, going into evening, it wasn’t swelteringly hot outside but warm enough to still enjoy the water. With her mind made up, Twilight gently caressed Sunset’s back with her fingers.
“There’s a beautiful grotto up ahead that I found on a previous expedition. Would you like to take a swim with me?” Twilight asked her girlfriend with some hesitation.
“Sounds good to me. I’m up for whatever you are, Twi.”
When the couple arrived, Sunset didn’t waste any time kicking off her shoes and diving right in. The girlish peals of laughter that filled the air warmed Twilight’s heart and made her laugh in kind. While she was busy removing her glasses and shoes, Twilight caught a glimpse of Sunset as she broke the surface of the water. Her fiery hair wet and flowing down past her shoulders, skin glistening in the sunlight. She was like Aphrodite herself, emerging from the surf.
A rosy blush colored Twilight’s cheeks while she watched her girlfriend frolic around in the water. Sunset was so extraordinarily beautiful. Breathtaking didn’t even begin to describe what it was like to witness the former Equestrian’s natural grace. In that moment, Twilight realized that no amount of dresses, fancy lingerie, or jewelry could ever do her girlfriend’s figure justice. Rarity might disagree on several of those points, but Twilight simply didn’t care.
Sunset was perfect the way she was born. Wearing nothing but her birthday suit. Looking down at her own modest physique made Twilight question what Sunset found so appealing about her. Doubt began to grip Twilight’s heart while she struggled to take off her sweaty, purple sock. With a frustrated huff, she finally managed to peel it off and balled it up into her boot.
Twilight approached the water with an awkward gait. She didn’t want to accidentally cut her feet on a twig or a rock, so it was worth looking stupid in front of Sunset. Ever so gingerly, she extended her toe towards the water to test the temperature. Sure enough, it was significantly colder than Lake Clarity. Twilight surmised that it must have been because the grotto wasn’t directly under the sun, absorbing more ambient heat. Plus, it was later in the day.
Sunset splashed her hands in the water. “C’mon, Twi! Don’t be such a wussy! Get in already!”
Twilight did as she was told and wadded into the water until it reached just below her breasts. She shivered at how cold it was but was determined to swim over to her girlfriend nonetheless. A loud squawk escaped her lips when Sunset decided to dunk her underwater. Upon surfacing once more, Twilight wanted to be mad at her but Sunset’s smile made that all but impossible.
Sunset wrapped her arms around Twilight’s waist, rested her chin against Twilight’s shoulder, and embraced her girlfriend from behind. “I feel like I’m a princess in a fairytale or something. Spending time with my beloved, nerdy knight and just waiting for some mythical creature to come stomping out of the forest to interrupt us. Wouldn’t that be something?”
Twilight was acutely aware of Sunset’s erect nipples while they poked and rubbed up against her bare back. It made Twilight want to shiver with excitement but she tried to ignore the sensation and focus on talking with her girlfriend instead. “Knowing Murphy’s Law, and given how magical hijinks seem to follow us everywhere, I’d say that’s a distinct possibility.”
The fiery-haired nudist laughed and kissed the back of Twilight’s neck. “Totally! Twi, I’m sorry if I’ve seemed so clingy after your confession. Back in Equestria, special someponies typically show their affection for one another through physical gestures. Like hugs, kisses, and nuzzles. It just… feels right being close to you like this. Old habits and all that. Heh.”
“Sunset, you don’t have to apologize for that. I love being close to you too. Which—erm—brings me to a major relationship issue that we need to discuss sooner rather than later. We might as well address the pink elephant in the woods while it’s just the two of us out here.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
Twilight blushed profusely and wiggled her toes in the mud. “Regarding physical intimacy, I know that I want to make love with you but I’m terrified. It’s not that I don’t trust you to be gentle with me, I-I just… don’t want you to be disappointed. Back when I met Timber on the beach, that was actually the first time we’d ever seen each other naked before. We never engaged in… coitus during the course of our relationship. Mostly because I would—ah—chicken out.”
Sunset turned Twilight around and lifted up her chin so they were looking eye to eye. “If sex was the only thing that mattered to me, I wouldn’t have accepted your confession in the first place. I guess what I’m trying to say is that everyone takes intimacy at their own pace. Sure, I might be comfortable with my body and doing those—uh—sorts of things but that’s only because I’ve had some experience and know what to expect.”
“But you’re so beautiful and graceful,” Twilight responded with a heavy sigh, “I’m just… me. Knowing my luck, I’d end up making things awkward or kill the mood by being clumsy.”
Sunset rubbed Twilight’s back in an effort to calm her down. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your body, Twi. We’ve been over this. And as far as the first-time jitters are concerned, everyone goes through that. Totally normal. Try not to think about it so much, ok?”
“It’s not that easy, Sunset! You know how my mind works. I can’t just… stop thinking. That’s tantamount to asking me to stop breathing. Impossible! Oh, gosh. I… think… I might need my inhaler again. Damn it all! Why do I have to be this way?!” Twilight struggled to say while hyperventilating.
Sunset waded over towards the shore and fetched Twilight’s inhaler. After she was sure that her girlfriend had a few good puffs, she invited Twilight to come sit next to her. “The sun’s going to set soon, so we better build a fire now while there’s still light out. It’ll help us dry off and then we can make smores after we eat dinner. Sound good?”
Always prepared, Twilight had remembered to pack a fire-starting rod in her backpack. Kindling was another matter, but there were plenty of twigs and dried leaves around to help with that. In no time at all, they got a fire started after building a primitive, but effective fire pit using rocks. Twilight would have preferred a large blanket, yet she had to make due with a towel. At least it was better than sitting directly on the ground. The thought of creepy crawlies going anywhere near her privates was the stuff of nightmares. Twilight shook her head as she dismissed such thoughts. Dwelling on them would only make her more anxious and potentially ruin the date.
Sunset sat cross-legged on the towel, busy nibbling on a barbecue pulled pork sandwich. As expected, it was delicious and went well with the side of coleslaw. She giggled when a big glob of sauce landed on Twilight’s thigh, causing the scientist to huff with irritation. “At least you don’t have to worry about the barbecue sauce staining your favorite skirt, Twi.”
“One of the merits of nude dining, I suppose.” Twilight remarked while she walked over to the pond and used some water to wash off the offending sauce smear.
Twilight was thankful that the picnic was going about as smoothly as one could expect. She sighed to herself, knowing full-well that Sunset had evaded any further discussion of her inadequacies by getting her to focus her attention on getting the fire organized instead. Dinner too, offered its own distraction by way of excusing her from prolonged conversation.
But it was only temporary. They would have nothing left to do but cuddle by the fire, make smores, and watch the stars together. Romantic, yes but also a prime opportunity for love-making. Baring her body and heart to Sunset had been challenging enough for Twilight, she wasn’t sure she had the resolve to allow Sunset to explore her most intimate, private places.
“What am I going to do,” Twilight whispered to herself as she peered at her reflection in the water, “Sunset’s been so patient and understanding with me. And while I REALLY want to have sex with her, I-I don’t know if I have the courage to take the lead tonight. Just thinking back to the look of disappointment on Timber’s face when I told him that I couldn’t—”
Twilight yelped when she spotted something dark and furry scamper near the shore. Sunset had already finished eating and stood up to investigate what was going on. “Twi? Are you ok over there? Do you need me to help you with anything?”
“No, I’m ok! I think I… just saw something. I’ll go check it out.”
Sunset got back to opening the box of graham crackers. “Alright. Just holler if you need me.”
Upon closer inspection, the creature resembled Rufus but something wasn’t quite right. Its fur was completely black and lacked the white stripe honey badgers had along their backs. Twilight approached the beast carefully, lest she upset the thing and suffer getting her face clawed off. The nude scientist held up her hands as a non-threatening gesture and smiled.
“Shh. It’s ok, little guy. I’m not going to hurt you.”
The pseudo-badger chittered and raised its head. Much to Twilight’s surprise, it didn’t seem afraid of her and came over to nuzzle her ankle. “Haha! That tickles! Are you a relative of Rufus?”
“Not exactly. Although, I used his body as a template.”
Twilight fell onto her rump with a surprised squeak. “WHAT?! How can you talk?!”
The badger crinkled its snout in annoyance. “Twilight! It’s me, Chrysalis.”
After taking a moment to catch her breath, Twilight blinked in confusion. “Oh, w-well… I guess you must be practicing your transformation technique, right?”
“You could say that. Humans are easier to mimic because I have a similar body structure to them. As you can see, I have not been able to master animals just yet. The coloration is still off.”
Twilight picked Chrysalis up by the stomach and noticed that the skin around her snout and feet were green-colored, not black. “Huh. You’re right. Umm—don’t take this personally, but I thought your skin was charcoal-toned, not green?”
Chrysalis nodded. “Indeed. Most of it is. However, some parts, such as the interior of my anus and vagina, are actually green. Curious. It would appear the color transition is not an exact ratio from my bipedal form. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. I will make note of this.”
Twilight blushed while she put Chrysalis back down. “Oh. I didn’t realize…”
“Hmm? Well, it stands to reason. I never displayed either of those parts to you during our sessions. On purpose, at any rate. If you prefer, I would be more than happy to provide you with anatomical study of my—” Chrysalis responded innocently.
Twilight waved her hands as her blush intensified. “NO! I’m fine, thanks. You don’t have to go that far, Chrysalis. I didn’t mean to ask you such a personal question.”
Chrysalis cocked her head. “Personal, how? Genitals are merely another part of the body. No different than, say, an arm or a leg. Save that they perform vastly different functions. Oh, I see. This must be another one of those human social taboos that we discussed, isn’t it? My… apologies for making you feel uncomfortable, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight rubbed her arm. “Don’t worry about it. You didn’t know.”
Chrysalis sensed that Twilight was anxious about something. And when she looked over to where Sunset was sitting by the fire, she understood why. With a knowing smile, the changeling nuzzled Twilight affectionately alongside her leg. “It would appear that I must take my leave now. Go, Twilight Sparkle. See to your mate. I wish the both of you a pleasant evening.”
Before Twilight could get a word in edgewise, Chrysalis suddenly transformed into a black-feathered, Great Horned owl and flew away. Confused and slightly chilly, Twilight walked back towards the fire. “Since when could Chrysalis do that? Hmm. One thing’s for sure, I’m running some additional experiments the next time I see her.”
When Twilight got back, she laid down next to Sunset and they embraced each other while they cuddled. As expected, the stars were much more vibrant than in the city when they looked up at the sky. Less light pollution to obscure them. A contented sigh escaped Twilight’s lips when she laid her head against Sunset’s soft, warm breast. In turn, Sunset began stroking her girlfriend’s hair gently and hummed a wordless lullaby. Is this what being in love felt like? To feel safe and wanted in someone else’s arms? Cadence was probably a better person to ask, but in Twilight’s humble opinion, this was what she’d always wanted in a relationship.
Sunset planted a lazy kiss on Twilight’s lips, which they both enjoyed for a few moments. When they pulled away, the former unicorn hugged Twilight closer to her body. “This is really nice. I never imagined that I would spend my summer with you like this, Twi.”
“Are you sure it’s ok that we’re not having sex right now? I know you have needs…” Twilight asked hesitantly.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit horny right now. For a nerd, you sure know how to set the mood. Making love, underneath the stars by firelight. Sounds romantic to me.”
Twilight blushed and cleared her throat. “Well, yes. I-I suppose it does. All I ask is that you please be patient with me, Sunset. I promise that we’ll consummate our relationship. Just not right now, ok? I need a little bit more time to properly prepare myself.”
Sunset laughed. “What? With rose petals and an invitation?”
“No—erm—well, maybe. I’m not sure. Perhaps… I could arrange something to that effect? In any case, I meant to prepare myself mentally more than anything else.”
Sunset leaned over and kissed Twilight’s neck. “Whatever you do, I’m sure that I’ll like it.”
Twilight nuzzled Sunset’s cheek. “Thanks, Sunset. For being you and loving me.”