//------------------------------// // 2. Carpe Diem // Story: Spectacular Seven // by Albi //------------------------------// “I still can’t believe you didn’t sleep with her.” Sunset rolled her eyes as she stuffed a towel into her knapsack. Shimmer laid across Sunset’s bed, arms folded behind her head and eyes toward the ceiling. Sunset had gotten exactly five seconds of peace yesterday before Shimmer barged into her room to hear all the details about the wedding. All of them. Sunset tried to leave ambiguous what had or hadn’t happened after the reception, but Shimmer refused to leave without a clear answer. “What, do you need to preserve your virginity to use your magic?” Shimmer continued, a minx-like grin on her face. Sunset dropped a bottle of sunscreen into her bag and pulled the strings, closing the top. “You seriously need to let this go, it’s getting creepy. What do you care if me and Twilight did it or not?” Shimmer sat up and picked up Spot, currently trying to press his nose into the knapsack. “Because you’re technically me, and I’m too hot to still be a virgin. Just look at you.” Turning to the mirror on the back of her bedroom door, Sunset took in her own visage. Shimmer had a point. With a tight black swim top emblazoned with a yellow and white version of her cutie mark, and a fiery skirt that showed off plenty of leg, Sunset was a force to be reckoned with. She looked back at Shimmer who wiggled her eyebrows. “Strut down the beach and you’ll have every boy drooling after you. Hell, I’d steal that outfit and do it myself if I wasn’t keeping a low profile.” Sunset picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder. “Thanks for the confidence boost, but I don’t need your help. What happens between me and Twilight and when it happens is seriously none of yours or anyone else’s business.” Shimmer flopped onto her back again. “You’re so boring.” “I’m also about to leave. Get out of my room.” With a raspberry, Shimmer rolled off the bed and carefully stepped around Sunset. She paused at the threshold and grinned over her shoulder. “You want money for booze?” “Go!” “Ugh, so boring.” She skulked back to her room, slamming the door behind her. Sunset pressed a hand to her forehead. “I can’t believe we’re counterparts.” She knelt by the bed and reached out to scratch Spot behind the ears. “But you love me more, don’t you?” Spot eagerly licked her palm. “Good boy!” She patted his head then turned to depart. The sun sat just over the rooftops when Sunset stepped downstairs. Rainbow had been adamant about spending the whole day at the beach, and it was at least an hour's drive with good traffic. Sunset was surprised Rainbow was willing to wake up this early. She was also surprised Selena allowed her to attend, albeit reluctantly. Sunset could still hear the cluck of her tongue and the exasperated mutter of, “Teenagers.” Was it irresponsible? Probably. But, Rainbow had a point: Tempest would have a hard time attacking them again two days after the wedding. Plus, the beach wasn’t like the resort; it was a wide strip of public space. Sunset imagined Tempest would want to keep some discretion.  There was also the fact that Sunset had burned Tempest’s shoulder. If the mask Moondancer sported was any indication, Sunset had left a considerable mark, enough that she hoped Tempest would be hesitant in attacking again. Even with all these factors, Selena had been slow to agree. She only yielded with the condition that Sunset had to report in every hour and be home by midnight, otherwise, she was grounded for the rest of summer. Sunset had never been grounded before and had no plans to start now. Her banishment/self-imposed exile didn’t count. Sunset walked into the kitchen, the smell of coffee wafting through the open room. On the counter next to the coffee machine was yesterday’s newspaper. It wasn’t the headline, but in the bottom corner of the front page, Sunset read: Disaster Disrupts DJ’s Big Day! Canterlot’s Goddess of Love and Fortune Mi Amore Cadenza aka Cadence had her wedding day interrupted by several mysterious circumstances. What at first appeared to be a case of cold feet soon revealed itself to actually be some sort of kidnapping attempt. A forest fire allegedly started by the same guilty party— The article continued on a later page. Sunset made a mental note to finish reading it later. She was curious to see how much the media had dug up, though she doubted they knew anything about Tempest, Moondancer, or any of the magic. Selena sat at the kitchen island. She switched between typing on her laptop and scribbling on a notepad, occasionally pausing to take a sip of coffee. “One second past midnight and you’re not leaving this house until the leaves fall. I don’t care if you are an alien prodigy with magical superpowers—I’ll find a way to keep you here,” she said without looking over her shoulder. Her tone was serious, yet somehow, Sunset knew she was hiding a smile, as small as it probably was. “You probably wouldn’t have to try very hard.” Sunset grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. “I’m off.” Selena looked over her shoulder. “And bring me back a soft pretzel, please.” Sunset gave her a thumbs up and departed. It was already a warm morning with wispy clouds stretching across the sky for brief moments before fading out of existence. To this day, Sunset couldn’t decide which was more fantastical: the fact that the weather controlled itself in this world, or that ponies controlled it in hers. She stood in the front driveway, waiting for her ride to show up. She didn’t have to wait long. An old green microbus straight from the 1960s, complete with a peace symbol painted on its right side came rolling down the street. It shuddered to a stop in front of Sunset, and the tailpipe coughed up a thick smog cloud. The door slid open, and Rainbow stuck her head out. “Get in, loser, we’re going surfing!” Like Sunset, she was already dressed in her beach attire: a black shirt with colorful streaks of lightning on the front, pink and black swim trunks, and a pink hat with a sun and clouds. Sunset clambered inside, squeezing past Rainbow to join Twilight in the back row. Rarity twiddled her fingers at them from the row ahead. She, too, was already dressed for the beach, wearing a purple vest and a sky blue skirt with fake diamonds hanging off the hem. The van smelled like fertilizer and cats, and the leather on the seats was scratched and stained. While the front windshield looked to be in good condition, the other windows seemed permanently grimy and reduced the outside world to a sepia blur.  Applejack sat in the driver’s seat while Fluttershy sat shotgun. “Welcome aboard, sugarcube!” Applejack said as she adjusted the overhead mirror. “Is this your van, Applejack?” Sunset asked, fairly certain she had never seen it at the farm. “It belongs to my parents actually,” Fluttershy said. “They usually keep it in storage unless they’re helping shuttle the residents at the retirement home.” “But, since they’re done using it for the week, we decided to commandeer it for operation: Carpe Diem Beach Day!” Rainbow said loudly, dramatically pointing ahead. “Putting ‘day’ at the end is redundant since diem means day,” Twilight said, exasperated. Her cheek rested in her hand and she had a dull look in her eyes. “You okay?” Sunset asked, taking her seat. Twilight sighed. “Yeah, sorry. I still just think this is a bad… bad… uhh….” She had lifted her head and turned to look at Sunset when her sentence died in her throat and her cheeks took on a crimson hue. Rarity turned and looked at them, her lips curling into an impish smile. “Oh my, first the tuxedo, now a swimsuit. We might be overloading poor Twilight.” In fairness, Twilight was also wearing what was, in Sunset’s opinion, a very cute one-piece bathing suit. The main body was indigo with two sets of pink dots running up the front. The bra area was striped white and blue and held in place by a ribbon and pink star. She also had on a light blue beach cap that really pulled the ensemble together. Twilight cleared her throat and pulled the hat down over her eyes, like it could hide her creeping blush. “You look great, Sunnykins.” “So do you, Sparky.” “Alright, let’s pick up Pinkie and get this show on the road!” Applejack yelled, pulling onto the road. The van lurched and the engine sputtered before settling in. Sunset hoped this old car could take them to the beach and back in one piece. It would be a noisy ride at the very least. While not as loud as her motorcycle, the van could have been mistaken for a lawnmower the way it rumbled through the neighborhood. Pinkie waited on the curb in front of her house, chugging a soda and frantically waving her hand as Applejack pulled up. She had a pink and white one-piece bathing suit with yellow bows running down the front. Beside her was a large red cooler. “I’ve got snacks!” she sang as she hauled it into the van and squeezed herself between Rarity and Rainbow. “Who’s ready for the greatest beach party ever?” Rainbow threw her fists into the air. “Carpe diem day!” “Again, redundant!” Twilight called from the back. They powered onto the highway, sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the shiny and sleek cars. Applejack seemed to be flooring it, but the old van barely kept up with traffic in the slow lane. Rainbow groaned and pressed her head into the back of her seat. “We’re never gonna make it at this rate!” “Have some patience, Dash,” Applejack said. “Ah’m sure the old gal just needs a second to warm up.” “No, this is as fast as it goes,” Fluttershy said simply. “Oh, oh! I know a song that will help time fly by!” Pinkie said. Rainbow clenched her teeth. “I swear, if you start singing—” “Ninety-nine bottles of pop on the wall! Ninety-nine bottles of—mmmph!” Rainbow took her cap and shoved it over Pinkie’s face. “No! Stop!” “We can try the radio,” Applejack suggested, fiddling with the dial. “The radio’s a little broken,” Fluttershy said. “It only gets the gospel and country music stations.” “Well, Ah’m fine with country—” “Applejack, I will climb over these seats and rip the radio out,” Sunset said, threateningly calm. Applejack’s hand dropped from the dial, and Sunset could see the annoyed pout on her face in the rearview mirror. Rarity gave an exasperated sigh. “I’m sorry, did we or did we not just play our own musical set at a wedding? Pinkie broke free of Rainbow’s smothering and gasped with an infectious grin on her face. “‘Perfect Day for Fun’ on three! One, two, three!” “Oh, aw aw oh, oh, oh, aw oh uh, “Oh, aw aw oh, oh, oh!” the seven started, sitting up straight in their seats. “Looking forward to some fun, “Knowing all our friends will come, “'Cause we're here to spend the day, “Everybody come and play!” Rainbow clapped her hands to keep the beat while they continued to sing. “Let's all pick a meeting place, “And we're gonna have to race, “Everybody follow me, “This is where we're gonna be! Pinkie stretched her arms around Rainbow and Rarity’s shoulders and pulled them in, squishing her cheeks against theirs.  “With my best friends, though we're different, “We feel like we still belong, “And every day it makes our friendship strong!” Sunset grinned and leaned against Twilight as they sang. Twilight leaned back, earnestly smiling for the first time all morning. “Let's go find some games to win, “Everybody's joining in, “'Cause we're having such a blast! “No one ever comes in last!” Sunset felt a familiar, warm tingle run through her, manifesting as her pony ears popped up on her head. One by one, the rest of her friends lit up and their pony features burst to life. Sunset saw Twilight’s smile falter, even as she continued to sing with the group. “Doesn't matter win or lose, “When we always are amused, “My friends stand out in a crowd, “Having fun and laughing loud! “With my best friends, we can depend “They will always follow through, “It's a perfect day for fun when I spend it with you!” Pinkie let out a squeal of laughter. “Are we the best band ever or what?” Rainbow leaned back in her seat, relaxing her hands behind her head. “That was so much better than that stupid soda song.” “We can still sing that one, too!” Pinkie offered. “Don’t you dare.” As the girls settled down, Twilight slouched to the side and cast her gaze out the dirty window. They passed by rolling hills dotted with leafy trees. “You okay?” Sunset asked. “Mm-hmm.” Twilight didn’t look at her. Sunset lifted a hand to Twilight’s shoulder. “Sparky—” Her fingers made contact against Twilight’s skin, and a familiar arc of heat raced up her arm and into her chest, hitting her soul. The line connecting her to Twilight drew taught, and Sunset inhaled deeply as her vision changed. She was on her elbows, staring up at the glowing runes on the medallion held before her. Her entire body trembled, no longer feeling the pain from her impact against the tree. Just a numbing cold that spread from her soul. In her mind's eye, she could see all her faults being laid bare, all of her failures and shortcomings.  Magic. All of her new friends had it. Moondancer had secretly had it for a while. How did she end up surrounded by so many extraordinary people? Where did she fit in in a world no longer governed by the laws and theories she had come to rely on? “Aw, are you feeling a little inadequate, Twilight?” a smug voice asked somewhere in the distance. “N-no… I…” Sunset ripped her hand away, breathing hard. It was Twilight’s memory, but the creeping chill of the Soul Lock resonated with Sunset’s soul, dredging up her own memories of when she had been subjected to it. Goosebumps rose on her skin. She shook herself off and focused on the warmth her aura of magic provided. “Did you… read my soul again?” Twilight had a familiar look of betrayal in her eyes. She moved a hand to where Sunset had touched her. “I’m so sorry! I forget that happens when I pony up!” Sunset said earnestly. “I don’t know how to not do that!” Twilight huffed and turned toward the window again. “This is why you all need training,” she muttered. After a beat she asked, “What did you see?” “What happened between you and Tempest before I showed up.” It wasn’t what Sunset saw that concerned her though—it was what she felt. Inferiority, longing, exclusion from her friends. Tempest had brought all of that to Twilight’s surface and Sunset felt it lingering, reawakened again by everyone’s impromptu pony up. Sunset wanted to say something, but the mood already sat heavy. Today was supposed to be a day of fun and relaxation and she had already muddled it. A pink hand holding a cupcake entered Sunset’s peripheral. Pinkie held out the chocolate frosted pastry to Twilight, a gentle smile on her lips.  Twilight’s dour expression softened and she took the cupcake into her hands. “Thank you, Pinkie. I’m sorry I’m being a buzzkill.” “You’re not,” Sunset said automatically. “It’s my fault I intruded again.” Her pony ears receded in a flash. She reached out for Twilight’s shoulder, but stopped halfway and returned her hands to her lap. “All right,” Rainbow said, thumping her fist against the top of her seat, “no more sad faces and no more relationship drama! From here on out, only awesomeness!” Twilight forced a small smile before nibbling on her cupcake. After a few bites, her smile became genuine. The rest of the girls powered down and lapsed into light conversations as the van chugged along the highway. Rolling yellow hills dotted with tall, leafy trees surrounded them on both sides. Being late Monday morning, traffic was good leaving the city, though they were occasionally honked at by faster cars trying to get around them in the carpool lane. Sunset listened in on her friends’ idle chatter, fidgeting her hands and stealing glances at Twilight, also choosing to listen instead of engaging. She didn’t look upset anymore, but Sunset felt a wall between them.  She glanced at her hand, lips pressed tight. Why is my magical ability the ultimate invasion of privacy? It was heavily ironic given the amount of harm Sunset could have done with it pre-reformation. The hills around them rose higher and the smatter of trees turned into a dense canopy. The road twisted around the emerald slopes and reminded Sunset of the path to the resort. After one more wide turn, the world opened up to them, presenting an endless horizon of blue water glittering under the afternoon sun. A strip of porcelain colored sand separated the land and sea and was already occupied by clusters of teenagers. The hills bordering the beach evolved into rocky cliffs coated in foliage, thick tree roots jutting out between the rocks.  The van passed by the road sign welcoming them to Horseshoe Beach. South of the road was a small cluster of houses and short buildings complete with a boardwalk. A Ferris wheel rose high above the squat, colorful collection. Sunset remembered when she had flown out here with Twilight on her newly acquired phoenix wings. Under the cover of darkness, they had soared up and down the coast and danced just above the lapping waves. Evidently, Twilight remembered too, for she slid her hand across the scratched leather seating and cupped it over Sunset's. She kept her gaze averted still, but Sunset felt a hole had been made in the wall. Applejack found a parking space near the town, and the girls unloaded their beach equipment. The shore stretched out on either side of them, dotted with teenagers and lifeguard shacks. Frisbees flew, dogs chased off flocks of seagulls, and volleyball nets had been erected, yet there were still large swathes of open sand. Surfboard in hand, Rainbow sprinted to the nearest open firepit and planted the butt of her board into the sand. “Perfect! And look at those waves!”  Rolling cerulean waves rose off the coast and glittered in the sun. Sunset could see surfers weaving across the rising tides and catching air off the waves’ crests. Rarity opened up her beach umbrella and set it into the sand. “Look at those boys,” she said with a purr, eyeing a group of guys playing volleyball without their shirts on. “Aren’t you and Flash still datin’?” Applejack asked. “That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the view.” “Speaking of views…” Twilight set down her duffle bag and pulled out a familiar piece of technology. Boasting a sleek silver shell instead of having its wires exposed, Twilight’s selfie-drone gleamed in the sun. “Ooh, what is it?” Pinkie asked, pressing her face against it. “My own personal invention,” Twilight said proudly. “A drone optimized to take the perfect selfie at the perfect moment. Behold, the Selfie Sensor! Name in progress, patent-pending!” She set it on her towel, then pulled out what looked like a digital watch and strapped it to her wrist. She tapped a button, and a blue light on the selfie-drone blinked before its four propellers and central fan began to spin. It achieved lift-off and hovered between Twilight and Pinkie. “Initial takeoff complete!” Twilight clicked another button on her watch, and her drone responded with a happy beep. She struck a pose as it turned its camera toward her and snapped a picture. “Ack!”  “Agh!” All of the girls covered their eyes, spots dancing over their vision. Sunset rubbed and blinked, eyes watering. “What the heck was that?” Twilight gingerly groped the air in front of her until she got her hands around the drone. “Something must be overcharging the flash. I’m surprised it didn’t short circuit everything.” “I’m surprised I’m not blind!” Rainbow said, still rubbing her eyes. Twilight sat down on her towel and pulled a screwdriver from her bag. “It just needs a minor adjustment. I’ll have it working in a sec.” Rainbow gave one head last shake. “You have fun with that. I’m gonna go catch some waves!” She grabbed her surfboard and sprinted toward the ocean. Rarity put a dab of sunscreen on her nose, then put on a pair of sunglasses and a sun hat. “I’m just going to enjoy the view for a little while,” she said coyly, settling into a beach chair that was angled toward the volleyball players. “Sandcastles!” Pinkie yelled. She finished downing another soda and took off to the surf with a pail and shovel in hand. Applejack sighed. “Guess I’ll go with her. Make sure she doesn’t bulldoze anyone.” Fluttershy held up snorkeling gear. “I’m going to go do a little diving.” Sunset watched her friends go their separate ways before looking down at Twilight. “You need any help?” “No thanks. This should be simple enough.” Twilight popped a panel open and pushed a wire over before poking a finger inside. There was a crackle of electricity, and Twilight yelped and snapped her finger free. “Raggle fraggle, dumb wiring!” she muttered harshly, pressing her finger against her lips. “We gotta work on your big girl words,” Sunset said. She picked up the spare surfboard Rainbow had brought along. “Guess I’ll go see if Dash has enough patience to teach me how to surf.” “Have fun,” Twilight said, shaking her hand out before fiddling with her drone again. ******* Moondancer’s fingers danced across the ivory keys in a slow, somber waltz, reflective of the piece in front of her. Eyes closed, she gave her hands free rein of the piano, and from years of diligent training, they performed perfectly, following the path of notes her mind had committed to memory.  From the open grand piano, dulcet, melancholic notes rose into the air and filled the music room. They bounced off the oak furnished walls and hit Moondancer, drawing her lips into a perpetual frown. She had tried to play something more uplifting, more upbeat. She could not find the energy to move her hands to a fitting pace required for such songs. As perfect as they were, they only wanted to waltz today, not tango. She supposed it was enough just to be playing; she hadn’t touched her instrument in a month. Coming in to play again, she remembered why. The melancholy she invoked was becoming too much.  Still, she did her diligence as a musician and finished out the piece before letting her fingers rest. The melody continued to drift through her ears, soft and faint… and… off-key? Moondancer opened her eyes. That wasn’t her mind playing echos against her ears. She tilted her head toward the door. Somewhere beyond it, soft music, albeit poorly played, drifted through the house. Moondancer scrunched her nose and winced at the prickle her scars gave her.  She flipped the page of her scorebook, glanced at the piece, and began playing, drowning out the other piano. It was another slow piece, but Moondancer increased the speed, trying to drown out the other piano. Still, in between her notes, she could hear the uncertain keys brushing against the door. When she finished her song, the uneven notes of the other player tumbled against her ears. “For goodness sake,” she said under her breath. Moondancer stood up and slammed the lid of the piano keys shut. She wrenched open the door and stepped into the hallway, the piano notes rising in volume. She followed it up the stairs and down the west wing to a room opposite of her father’s study. The door was open, and Night Shade sat in front of a black piano, not quite as large as the grand one in the music room, but loud enough to fill the whole house with its warble. Moondancer stood at the threshold with her arms folded, waiting for her father to stop tapping the keys with uncertainty, his lips pursed in concentration. “Whatever you’re playing, it sounds terrible,” she said flatly. He hung his head and sighed. “I know. It’s been a while since I played. And I was always better with the guitar.” Both he and Moondancer glanced over to the acoustic guitar framed on the wall, a relic from her father’s youth. “What exactly were you trying to do?” Night Shade tapped out a few more notes. “I was trying to remember the first song I taught you, see if I could go off my memory.” Moondancer raised an eyebrow. “What, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’? It shouldn’t be that hard to play.” He rolled his eyes. “I meant after you had learned the basics.” Moondancer tilted her head back in thought. She had learned a hundred different songs and movements since first taking up the piano. She played back the melody her father had attempted and tried to correct it. “‘Prelude in C Major’ by Bach?” Night snapped his fingers. “That was it!” He repositioned his hands and tried playing again. It better resembled the original song, but several of the notes were still off and he played at infrequent speeds. Moondancer winced at every off-key. “Is this your way of expressing your midlife crisis? Trying to recapture your vigor of youth by butchering innocent instruments?” Night slowed, repeating a string of notes in his attempt to get them all correct. “I admit, I’m a tad rusty.” “Just a tad?” “Everyone has to start from somewhere, Moondancer. I remember a little girl who banged on the keys and thought it was the greatest sound.” “Ah yes, compare yourself to a toddler. How humbling of you.” She clenched her jaw at another errant chord. “Perhaps this is why your parents didn’t let you join a band.” Night Shade turned his nose up. “I was quite good back in the day. I taught you the fundamentals, didn’t I? Mother and Father just didn’t believe a musician was a ‘respectable career unless you’re in the symphony.’” You also handed me off to a tutor as you did with everything else. Moondancer didn’t have the energy to vocalize her thoughts. She turned to leave just as Night neared the song’s crescendo, though it sounded less like a rising swell and more like a cacophony of keys falling over each other. “Stop! Stop!” she cried, whirling on her heel and marching toward the piano. “If you insist on playing music, the least you can do is play it right! Move over!” Looking taken aback, Night shuffled to make room for Moondancer on the bench. She shook her hands out and hovered them over the keys. “First of all, you’re playing the wrong keys. It’s C, E, G, C, E to start. You had your fingers in the wrong place and ruined the whole melody.” Moondancer tapped the keys at an even pace and repeated the first bar a few times. “See?” As she moved her hands back, Night leaned over and copied her movements, producing a more recognizable tune. “Better. Now, just move a finger to play D instead of E. Just like that.” Night smiled. “Look at how far you’ve come since I taught you.” “No,” Moondancer said strictly. “Don’t turn this into a moment. I’m only doing this so no one has to put up with your racket.” He deflated a little but said, “Either way, it’s nice to spend a little time with you.” “If you continue to speak, I will walk out of this room. I’d rather listen to your poor playing.” “Harsh but fair, I suppose.” Moondancer continued to instruct her father, showing how to position his hands and at what speed to play. Despite being only inches away from the man she detested, she didn’t hate the experience. In fact, teaching someone else how to play the piano was enjoyable. Her reprimands were gentle and she gave a word of praise when her father did well. After an hour of instruction, Night could play Prelude in a semi-decent fashion in Moondancer’s opinion. It was much easier on her ears at any rate.  She stood and dusted her hands off. “Well, all that’s left is for you to practice until it just comes naturally.” “Thank you, Moondancer.” He nervously cleared his throat. “Perhaps you could teach me another song tomorrow?” Moondancer strode toward the door. She paused at the threshold and nibbled the inside of her cheek. “Do not count on it.” She flicked her hand and walked out. ******* Sunset slowly raised her head from the ocean, eyes lidded in frustration. The cord tying her ankle to her surfboard tugged, showing her board was trying to drift away. She quickly grabbed it and threw her body across it. Rainbow paddled toward her with a grin that managed to look both smug and apologetic. “Hey, you managed to hang on for a little while that time.” “Don’t patronize me,” Sunset said flatly. She climbed up and straddled her surfboard. She knew learning to surf wouldn’t be easy, but she had still underestimated how hard it would be. Surfing wasn’t quite like snowboarding. Even if Sunset had only done it once, it was enough for her muscle memory to kick in every time she got on her board. She wasn’t sure yet what the difference was between the two sports, but whatever it was, it had her in the surf.  “What? It was a compliment.” By the rouge grin on Rainbow’s face, Sunset thought it was less a compliment and more a payback for her comments on Rainbow’s snowboarding skills way back when. Sunset grunted and paddled out to sea. She turned and faced the shoreline, watching the other beachgoers while she waited. Pinkie and Applejack had made good progress on their sandcastle; the outer wall and turrets were finished, rising up to Pinkie’s neck. Twilight was posing in front of her drone again, and Rarity had a sketchbook out. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen. The waves bobbed harder beneath Sunset and the swell started pulling her back. Rainbow shouted beside her, “Ooh, I think this is a big one!” Sunset leaned forward on her board and started paddling as the wave carried her up. Momentum gathered, Sunset shakily moved into a standing position, keeping her legs bent as she tried to find her center of gravity. Her board wobbled beneath her and her legs shook. She threw her arms out to the side to keep her balance.  The wave carried her until she was just under its crest, water raining upon her head. Most of her previous attempts had seen her wipeout here. Rainbow let out a whoop of delight beside her, then ripped down the wave, carving back and forth and spraying Sunset’s face with salt water. Sunset wiped some off, then flailed her arms again to maintain her balance. She gently leaned forward, willing her board down the wave. Her stomach dropped like she was riding a rollercoaster, and she let out a thrilled scream. She leaned to the left and tried to move her heel to turn her board. Instead, her foot slipped off the back, and the next thing Sunset knew, her face was toward the sky, watching the sun disappear behind a veil of water. She closed her eyes and pushed herself back to the surface, but a torrent of water punched her deeper under. Her ears nearly popped from the pressure and a stream of water found its way up her nose. She breached the surface with a mighty gasp and spluttered out a lungful of water. Her board drifted by and she latched onto it. Rainbow paddled up, real concern on her face. “You okay?” Sunset coughed one more time. “Yeah. Just getting my recommended salt intake.” “You hung on pretty well that time. Next time, don’t move your foot. Just turn.” “Easier said than done.” Sunset climbed onto her surfboard and wrung some excess water from her hair. She only managed two squeezes when the water grew excited and a new wave rose. She and Rainbow turned their boards toward the shore and paddled, matching the current’s speed. The wave carried Sunset up again, and she jumped to her feet, steadying herself and making sure she had firm foot placement. She pushed her board forward and cut down the cascade of water, Rainbow shouting out a compliment somewhere off to the side. Sunset leaned to the left again, keeping her heel stationary this time. Her board responded, and she banked left as the wave completely crested over her, wrapping her in a cerulean funnel.  Sunset looked up in awe as she surfed through the swirling tube. The ocean roared all around her, cheering at her first successful wave. Sunset could see open water at the other end of the tube and the contrast between the softer turquoise waves, and the darker teals layered over her head. “Wow,” was all she managed to say before everything crashed down on her. Spinning head over heel over and over again, Sunset lost all sense of direction. The waves battered her around like a piece of flotsam. Disoriented and desperate for breath, Sunset involuntarily gasped for air, receiving only another lungful of seawater. Her chest burned and her eyes stung and her arms thrashed.  Finally, the churning stopped, and though Sunset could hardly tell where she was, her surfboard leash pulled her ankle and guided her back to the surface. Sunset pushed through, spitting up water before taking in air. She latched onto her board and rested her head against it, switching between taking deep breaths and expelling more water. A hand patted her back, helping her empty her lungs. “You caught your first wave and had your first wipeout. I think you’re good for the day.” Sunset spat into the ocean. “Yeah, I’ve had enough,” she croaked. She could also feel bruises forming from all the times she had crashed against the water. Tomorrow would be a great day to lay in bed. Rainbow helped her back to shore, practically carrying Sunset across the beach. As they approached their camp, Twilight finally looked up from her tinkering and let out a strangled gasp. “Sunset, are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Was it Tempest?” Click! “No, don’t take a picture of her like that! Bad drone!” Sunset untied herself from her board and collapsed onto her towel. “The only thing that attacked me was a wave, Sparky.” “I saw you ride into that funnel,” Rarity said. “You looked like a natural… until you crashed at least. Are you sure you’re alright?” “Humans are usually seventy percent water. I’m now ninety-five,” Sunset grumbled. “Other than that, I’m good.” She angled her head just enough to see Twilight grab her drone around the middle. The camera flashed again, aimed at Rainbow setting down her board.  “You fixed the flash,” Sunset observed. “Yes, but now, the sensory apparatus apparently needs to be recalibrated. It’s taking awful pictures!” Twilight wrestled the drone to the ground and switched it off. When the propellers stopped rotating, she retrieved her screwdriver and popped open a panel. Rainbow opened the cooler Pinkie had brought and pulled out a soda. “Are you gonna be working on that all day?” “No,” Twilight said defensively. “I’ll be done as soon as it’s recalibrated.” Sunset sat up and tilted her head to the side, feeling a trickle of water drip from her ear. “You sure you don’t want any help, babe?” “Nope, I got this.” Twilight pressed her tongue between her lips as she tweaked the drone’s innards. Pinkie and Applejack returned, covered in sand and mud, yet with triumphant smiles on their faces. “My kingdom of sand is complete!” Pinkie said, planting her shovel in the sand like a flag. Sunset looked down the beach. Indeed, in the hour Sunset had been surfing, Pinkie had built a castle, a moat, and several sand buildings. They were currently under attack by a lone seagull. “Leave my people alone, foul demon!” Pinkie shouted, running back to her kingdom. “Ah’m gonna grab mah phone and snap a picture before it gets destroyed,” Applejack said, reaching for her bag. “No need!” Twilight slapped the open panel on her selfie-drone closed and jumped to her feet. “Gyro Selfie-Sensor version 1.1 is complete! It’ll take the picture for us!” She pressed a button on her watch, and the drone whirred back to life. It hovered in front of Twilight who stuck her fingers out in a victory pose and snapped a photo. Twilight quickly grabbed the drone and examined the screen on the back. “Yes!” she jumped and spun around. “It’s working perfectly!” Sunset patted her on the head. “Good job, Sparky.” “Yeah, cool stuff,” Rainbow said a bit flippantly, “let’s go take the picture before it does something else crazy.” Twilight hugged her invention as best as she could and stuck her tongue out. “Should someone go try and find Fluttershy first?” Rarity asked. “No need.” Sunset pointed down the beach. Seaweed in her hair and a starfish stuck to her shoulder, Fluttershy waddled down the beach, still wearing her scuba flippers. She joined them in front of Pinkie’s sandcastle. It looked more like a palace really, with domed roofs and a central tower as tall as Sunset. Pinkie had even drawn windows and doors onto it. “My my, Pinkie, you’ve really outdone yourself with this,” Rarity said, marveling at the wave patterns etched into the main structure. Pinkie bowed. “I probably could have done more, but high tide is coming in soon and that seagull doesn’t know when to back off!” The seagull squawked as it circled overhead. “Come down here and say that to my face!” “All right, picture first, then Pinkie can have her deathmatch with a bird,” Applejack said. Everyone gathered on either side of the sand palace and posed, Sunset and Twilight hanging on to each other. Twilight tapped her watch and the drone floated in front of them. “Say cheese!” Twilight said. “Cheese!” The drone took the picture with a soft click and flash. It hovered in place… then flew down the beach at surprising speeds. “Wait!” Twilight sprinted after it. “Stop! Bad drone!” Sunset facepalmed. “Good grief.” “Where’s it going?” Fluttershy asked. The drone flew up to a group of surfers coming back from the water. It came up to their faces, took a picture, then flew off again, narrowly evading Twilight’s wild grab.  “Come back here!” She mashed her finger against her watch, but the drone ignored whatever command she was issuing. It flew up to random people, took a picture, then sped off to the next closest target. Twilight finally managed to get her hands around it before it could enter a volleyball court. It struggled in her grasp, dragging her forward before she hit the off button. “Told you it would do something crazy again,” Rainbow said.  Sunset punched her shoulder before jogging over to Twilight. “Everything okay?” Twilight stood hunched over, her drone tucked under one arm and a hand on her knee. “Aside from needing to tweak this dumb thing again and looking like some crazy beach stalker,” she said between breaths, “I’m fine.” “Sparky, you’ve been tinkering with that thing all day. How about you take a break?” “But I’m so close! If I can just rewire the—” Sunset took her free hand and gave it a squeeze. “Genius scientists need to have a break. Remember why we came here in the first place?” “To goof off?” “To have fun!” Rainbow shouted behind them. Twilight straightened up and looked at her drone. The sensor light blinked a blue light back at her. She sighed. “Maybe you’re right. A little break can’t hurt.” “Yeah. We’ll grab a snack, sit down, and—” “Volleyball!” Pinkie yelled, running past them with a white ball nestled on top of her hair. Sunset shrugged. “Or we could play volleyball for a while.” Twilight scrunched her nose. “You know I’m not good at physical sports.” “Twilight, you fence. Fencing is a sport.” “Fair point.” Pinkie slid into one of the volleyball courts just as the previous party was leaving. She snatched the ball out of her hair and held it high above her head. “All right! Who’s ready for the butt-whooping of their lives! Beach Queen Pinkie Pie is taking all challengers, but there will be no survivors!” Rainbow punched a fist into her palm. “Get ready to get dethroned, beach queen!” “Dash, don’t encourage her,” Applejack said. “She’s already hyped up on sugar.” “I’m hyped up on life!” The teams were divided three on four: Sunset, Twilight, Rainbow, and Fluttershy versus Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack. Rainbow stretched out, rolling her shoulders before shooting her team a confident grin. “Don’t worry, we got this in the bag. I took the volleyball team to the finals junior and senior year.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dash, we know of all your famous sports exploits. Just try not to hog the ball.” “When I’m through, you’ll never want to see a volleyball again!” Pinkie shouted from the other side of the net. She wildly danced back and forth on her heels. “Wow, she’s really bringing the smack talk,” Fluttershy said. "Time to make her eat those words!” Rainbow yelled. “Serve it, Pinkie! Show me your worst!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Even with seven girls playing, the testosterone level is still high.” Pinkie served the ball, sending it high into the air. Sunset put her hands together and stuck her wrists out. She had never played volleyball before, but she had observed the team enough to get an understanding of basic form. The ball fell toward her, and Sunset bumped it back over the net. Applejack returned it with a solid hit and it came back toward Fluttershy in the back corner. She gave it a gentle bap, passing it to Twilight who floundered but managed to keep it airborne. Rainbow took over and sent it back across the net where Rarity was waiting to return it. As the ball came back up, Rainbow jumped and slapped the ball into the sand, tossing up a cloud of dirt. “One, zip!” she cheered, throwing her arms up. Pinkie scooped the ball up. “The enemy has struck the first blow! Prepare to return fire!” She delivered a powerful serve to the backfield, where Fluttershy threw her hands out to avoid getting hit in the face. The ball clumsily bounced out of her hands, and Rainbow tried to save it but hit it into the net instead. “Haha!” Pinkie threw her arms up. “Score one for the beach queen!” Rainbow grabbed the ball and squeezed it in between her hands. “Oh, it’s on!” What started as a friendly game slowly descended into a deathmatch between Rainbow and Pinkie, with the rest of the girls just doing their best to provide support. Sunset made some spectacular dives, and Fluttershy and Twilight helped keep the ball in the air, but it was Rainbow who returned it and made the scores. Pinkie’s team kept an even pace, with Applejack running between the front and back positions and Rarity proving to be no slouch in the athletics department. The score was ten to nine in Rainbow’s favor. Applejack served the ball, aiming for the center of the court. Sunset backed up to catch, but Rainbow beat her, sliding back and kicking up a cloud of sand as she got underneath it and served it back. Twilight coughed and took her glasses off. “Rainbow, be careful!” She pressed her hand against her eye to scrape the sand away. Rarity tapped the ball up with her wrists and set Pinkie up for a spike. With a maniacal grin, Pinkie leaped into the air and slammed the ball back over the net with a loud thwap! Sunset had one second to track its trajectory. She turned her head as the ball flew past her and opened her mouth, but it was too late. Wham! Twilight laid sprawled out in the sand, glasses in one hand, the other covering her right eye. Her hat had been knocked off and now rested next to the volleyball some feet away. Sunset was by her side in a heartbeat. “Twi, are you okay?” Twilight let out a slow and drawn out, “Owww.” Pinkie ran over, hands pressed against her bottom lip. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Rainbow sprinted to the cooler, grabbed a soda, and sprinted back, handing it off to Sunset. She gently sat Twilight up and pressed the cold can against her eye. “I hate sports,” Twilight said, disgruntled. “I’m super duper mega sorry!” Pinkie cried. Twilight took hold of the soda and got to her feet. “It’s fine. I’m just gonna go sit down for a little bit.” She trudged back to their camp. Rainbow rubbed the back of her head. “I think we can just call this a tie.” Pinkie nodded. “Yeah. It’s not fun anymore if someone gets hurt.” Sunset retrieved Twilight’s hat and dusted the sand off. She carried it over to Twilight who had seated herself down in front of her Selfie-Sensor again and was reaching for her screwdriver. Sunset knelt next to her and held out the hat. Twilight looked at it with her good eye. “Thanks.” She put down her soda to take the hat, showing off the bright red mark the volleyball had left on her face. “Does it hurt?” “It stings. And my face feels swollen.” Twilight sat her hat atop her head and picked up the soda again. “It’s fine. You girls go back to the game.” Sunset shook her head. “Nah, game’s over. Besides, no one needs to hear any more of Pinkie’s smack talk.”  “Yeah, I guess.” Twilight kept her head down, unscrewing a panel of her drone and poking her screwdriver inside again. “You’re not seriously going to work on that thing again, are you?” “What else am I going to do?” Twilight asked with an edge of agitation. “I already got hit by a ball; I don’t feel like drowning in the ocean.” “Well, you shouldn’t stay here working on something you can fix at home.” Sunset stood up and held her hand down. “Come on, let’s just walk around and enjoy the scenery.” Twilight looked up at her, squinting her good eye. “You want me to walk around like this.” “Please, Twilight, there are people with beer bellies and bad sunburns already bumming around. No one’s gonna care.” She looked down at her drone, sighed, and closed the panel. “All right. A little walk can’t hurt. Just let me grab my bag.” She put her drink down and tenderly rubbed her eye before standing up and grabbing her duffle bag. Sunset heard something metallic clink as Twilight tossed it over her shoulder. “Twilight… is your sword in that bag?” Twilight pulled the bag a little tighter. “I wanted to be prepared, just in case.” “Leave the bag.” “But—” “Leave. The. Bag,” Sunset said pointing from the bag to the ground. Twilight harrumphed but did as she was told. Sunset took her by the arm and led her away from the fire pit. “We’re going for a walk!” she called to the others.  The sun was halfway through its slow descent, drawing out the first orange hues of the coming evening. Even in its decline, the sun delivered a summer heat upon the world, countered by the cool breeze of the ocean.  Sunset led Twilight toward the town and boardwalk, passing other couples and kids rushing down to the water with inner tubes around their waists. Twilight occasionally rubbed her bruised eye, and Sunset would kiss it whenever she finished. Twilight sighed wistfully after the latest kiss. “Now would be a perfect time for a picture.” “You’ll get it to work soon, Sparky. Besides, you still got a few good pictures out of it.” “I know. I just wanted it to work perfectly.” “Nothing ever works perfectly the first time. Do you know how many spells blew up in my face before I mastered them?” Twilight made a small, throaty giggle before looking solemn again. “I know. I’m not usually this impatient with things.” They took a ramp off the beach and stepped onto the sidewalk. Tourist shops lined the streets, offering postcards, sunglasses, and swimwear. Twilight and Sunset popped into one of the small boutiques to try on hats and sunglasses and pose in front of the mirror. Sunset was tempted to buy a pair of sharp angular shades until she saw the price tag. Instead, she spent her money on ice cream cones, strawberry for her and mint chocolate chip for Twilight. They slurped them while standing in line for the Ferris wheel. It stood on the lip of concrete bordering the sand. They watched the open carriages make two full rotations before the riders were let off one carriage at a time. Sunset and Twilight stepped up into their booth and strapped themselves in. The wheel shuddered as it lifted them up one space so the next carriage could be filled. When all the spaces had been filled, the wheel began to rotate in earnest. It was a slow ascent but gave a fantastic, panoramic view of the horizon. The ocean stretched out like an endless sapphire blanket. With an appreciative sigh, Sunset leaned against Twilight. “This is nice.” Twilight leaned back. “Yeah, it is.”  The horizon shrank as their carriage descended and they drifted just above the ground before rising back up for a second loop. It was near the apex of their ascent when the wheel came to a forceful halt, sending their carriage swinging back and forth. Twilight latched onto Sunset’s arm until the swinging stopped. “What happened?” Sunset looked over the edge, seeing other passengers doing the same. A voice echoed out from a megaphone somewhere on the ground. “We’re experiencing technical difficulties with the Ferris wheel. We assure you you’re all perfectly safe and we’ll have you down momentarily. We apologize for the inconvenience.” Twilight made a growl in the back of her throat and slumped in her seat, crossing her arms. “Relax, Twi, we’ll be down soon,” Sunset said. She looked over the side again. “Ironically enough, if we were down there, we could probably fix it in a heartbeat.” “I guess it’s just good to know I’m not the only one having problems with technology today,” she said with a bitter eye roll. Sunset looked back at her. “You okay?” Twilight uncrossed her arms and curled her fingers. “I’m just frustrated. This is another unfortunate incident in a day filled with unfortunate incidents on a trip I thought was a bad idea in the first place!” Sunset turned her whole body toward Twilight. “Sparky, if I had everything go according to my old plan, I’d be lounging on a throne being hoof-fed strawberries. Instead, I’m stuck with my girlfriend on top of a Ferris wheel in a foreign world. Do you know what I call that?” “You better not say ‘carpe diem.” “Making the most of a bad situation.” Sunset scooted closer but left a small gap between them. “I know you didn’t like the idea of coming to the beach, but the point of it was to have fun. To forget we have a bigger problem to worry about and just be teenagers because it might be the last chance we get. Instead, you brought your sword with you and have been fussing over a science project the entire time.” Twilight tried to pull her hat over her face, cheeks turning red. Sunset lifted a hand toward her. “I’m not saying that to scold you. I’m just saying, today may not have gone the way you wanted, but you can still make the best of it. You’ll have plenty of time to work on your projects when summer’s over and… you know… you leave,” Sunset said, her voice fading. Twilight lifted her hat up and looked at Sunset like she was seeing her for the first time that day. “Oh.” She cupped a hand to her face and closed her eyes. “I can’t believe I didn’t think… I’m sorry, Sunset.” “Hey, you don’t need to apologize.” Sunset rested her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “I just want you to remember it’s okay to have fun, even during times like this.” “I know. I was trying with the Selfie-Sensor, but then it started malfunctioning and I guess I got hyper-focused. And I have this constant nagging that something’s going to go wrong.” She made a vague gesture. “And I guess it has.” Sunset smiled and shrugged. “It could be worse.” Twilight smiled in return and snuggled up closer to Sunset. “Yeah. It could be worse.” She kissed Sunset on the nose. “I’ll try to be a little more flexible this summer.” “Glad to hear it.” Sunset wrapped an arm around Twilight and looked out over the ocean again, watching the first stars appear in the dusky sky. ******* Only a pink blush remained in the sky when Sunset and Twilight got off the Ferris wheel and made it back to their beach camp. The bonfire pit had been filled, and Applejack was trying to get it lit. “There you two are,” Rarity said, marching up to them with her hands on her hips. “We were starting to get worried about you.” Rainbow walked over with an armful of smores sticks, a familiar raunchy grin on her face. “Did you two sneak off to—” “We got stuck on the Ferris wheel,” Sunset said pointedly. She snatched two sticks from Rainbow and handed one to Twilight. “I’m glad you’re both all right,” Fluttershy said, opening the marshmallow bag. “It was actually kind of nice,” Twilight said. Applejack stepped back as orange flames flickered in between the piles of wood. “How’s your eye, sugarcube?” Twilight lifted her hand to her face. “A little swollen, but it’s fine.” Pinkie ran over and smothered Twilight in a hug. “I’m super, super sorry again!” “It’s okay, Pinkie,” Twilight said with a smile. “I told you, I’m fine.” Up and down the shore, bonfires ignited and filled the air with the smokey scent of burning wood. The Spectacular Seven sat in a half-circle around their pit, a blanket with a spread of graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, and peanut butter in front of them.  Sunset speared a marshmallow on her stick and held it over the fire. She looked wistfully at the dancing embers. “I used to do this with Princess Celestia back in my world. We would sit in her room and roast s'mores in her fireplace. We could have asked the castle staff to just make some for us, but she always said they tasted better when you make them yourself.” “She’s right!” Pinkie pulled her marshmallow from the fire and blew it out. It was a perfect golden brown. “Summer s’mores are the best friendship food!” “And the best way to end an awesome day!” Rainbow cheered. She grinned at Twilight. “And you thought Tempest was going to attack us.” Twilight stared straight ahead at her toasting marshmallow. “I admit, I was a little paranoid. However, I believe a little paranoia is justified given what we’ve already gone through this year.” She side-eyed Rainbow. “But, I’m glad we got to have fun today.” Fluttershy held her stick with both hands and looked at her lap. “Do you think we’ll get to do this again?” Rainbow waved a dismissive hand. “Of course we will. We can’t be training all the time, right? We’ll still find time to roast s’mores and stuff, even if it’s just in the backyard.” “No, I mean… when we all go to college and start working.” Fluttershy’s eyes started to water. “Do you think we’ll ever just get to be together again when we’re all going in different directions?” For a few seconds, only distant laughter and the snap of the fire could be heard. Fluttershy wiped her eyes and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—” “No, it’s all right, sweetheart,” Rarity said. “It’s hard not to think about it sometimes. I know there was a time where none of us really spoke to one another, but it feels like we’ve been friends forever. It’s hard to believe once summer’s over, we’ll all be heading our separate ways.” “But that’s not gonna stop us from being friends,” Rainbow said, her eyes reflecting the fire. “Or hanging out!” Applejack nodded. “It might be fewer and far between, but we’ll make time for each other.” “Absolutely,” Rarity said. “Things will change, we can’t kid ourselves about that. Life is going to get in the way sometimes and we may not get to spend as much time as we’d like with each other. But that doesn’t take away from our friendship. I know I’ll be thinking of you girls every day.” “Yeah!” Pinkie jumped to her feet and pointed her stick at each of them. “And you can bet I’m gonna be there to celebrate every big accomplishment you guys get! Rarity opening her stores, Dashie going to the Olympics, Twilight getting a Nobel Peace Prize!” Twilight blushed while Sunset playfully rolled her eyes. “Only a Peace Prize? I’m expecting her to win one in physics or chemistry. Probably both.” She snorted when Twilight elbowed her. Rainbow clenched a determined fist. “And not just the good times. We’ll be there for each other when life really starts to suck. If any of you say the word, I’ll come running, I swear it!” “Agreed,” Sunset said. “Doesn’t matter how far I have to go. I’ll be there for you guys.” “Hear hear!” Rarity cheered, raising her burnt marshmallow. Twilight looked up at the stars. “Our lives may be unusual… in fact, they don’t make sense a lot of the time. But, I should be thankful. I really lucked out by finding friends like you girls.” “Spectacular Seven forever!” Pinkie cried before shoving a s'more into her mouth. The girls spent the next hour talking, laughing, and roasting copious amounts of s’mores. It was quarter to ten when they finished packing up, Sunset wrapping up Selena’s pretzel and stowing it into her bag. “Let’s get a move on,” she said, hoisting Pinkie’s cooler into the back of the van. “If I’m not home by midnight, I’m grounded. That’s never happened to me before and I’d like to not start now.” Rainbow paused, halfway into the van. “Aren’t you, like, banished?” “Self-exiled, doesn't count.”