//------------------------------//
// Pentagramma - Part 1 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

"You know how to play, right?" Lemon Zest asked.
Applejack looked up from the table and at the deck of cards Sour Sweet was shuffling. "Yeah, I do. Played it a few times with the girls. I know the rules, don't worry about it." She shifted awkwardly from side to side in her chair, still a bit unsure of herself around the group.
Sunny Flare happened to come back down the stairs at that moment. She'd changed into her pyjamas, a heavy set the same colour as her hair if maybe a shade darker. She walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, pouring herself a glass of whatever it was that was in the pitcher. Applejack wasn't sure what it was. She just knew it was alcoholic, but not that strong. Fruity. The kind of drink Rarity would have scoffed at, Rainbow would have drunk straight from the jug, and Sunset and Fluttershy would have probably enjoyed the most. She didn't particularly dislike it, but she wasn't crazy about it either.
Indigo Zap pushed herself off from her sitting spot besides the sink and stepped back to the table. "Thanks for the dinner, by the way," she said as she sat down. That left Lemon Zest as the only girl still not sat at the table, but she seemed more intent on choosing what to raid from the fridge at that moment.
"Think nothing of it," Sunny replied. "Really, you should thank Applejack for helping out with it. She took care of the potatoes."
Applejack felt herself blush a little, and looked back at the surface of the table. "I just got here early, and thought it would be nice to lend a hand. Nothing special about that."
Sunny wordlessly hummed her agreement. "Perhaps you're right. What any reasonable friend would do in that situation." Had her tone left some doubts over what she was getting at, which it most definitely had not, the way her eyes set on Lemon would have made it abundantly clear nonetheless.
On the other side of the table, suddenly feeling everyone's attention on her, Lemon looked up over the pile of unopened wrappers of sugary snacks that vaguely and poorly imitated bread or proper cakes, past the twin bottles of soda flanking her, and stared at Sunny's face for a moment in confusion. Then she lit up and smiled. "Oh, right! That. Hey now, I helped with the cake that time."
"I remember that. She did." Sour beamed towards Applejack, then her too wide smile flipped into a hybrid between a grin and a frown. "As far as melting every vaguely gum-like piece of candy she could get her hands on into a pot counts as helping, at least."
Lemon crossed her arms, turning to the side with playful indignation. "The whole thing was gone by the morning after, so as far as I'm concerned it was a success."
"Only because the depth of your stomach defies science almost as much as your tastes defy reason," Indigo replied. "The only other girl eating that thing was too drunk to taste anything by that point. And I'm pretty sure she vomited later anyway."
After a moment longer of feigning, Lemon let go of her pose. The four former Crystal Prep students shared a quiet chuckle, and Applejack rubbed a hand over her arm, unsure of what to say.
Finally, Sour Sweet set down the deck of cards. "Shall we begin?"