//------------------------------// // Who's Up for a Quick Game? // Story: Just a Friendly Game // by veryoriginalponyname //------------------------------// Just a Friendly Game By veryoriginalponyname "Ahhh, we couldn't have picked a better day for this," Twilight Sparkle sighed happily as she laid down on the picnic blanket and placed her hooves behind her head. The five mares surrounding her did exactly the same. "Ain't a cloud in the sky," Applejack said as she nibbled on a piece of straw, her stetson pulled over her eyes. "You're welcome," the smug voice of Rainbow Dash sounded off. The cyan pegasus had her magenta eyes hidden behind a pair of jet black shades. "Oh, and this sun is just doing wonders for my coat!" Rarity said with a pleasurable sigh. "And again, you're welcome," Rainbow Dash said with the same level of smugness. "Um, actually, wouldn't Princess Celestia be the one to thank for that?" Fluttershy asked in her usual soft voice. "Wouldn't be able to see the sun if I hadn't cleared the clouds," Dash pointed out. "Oh, well... I guess that's true... but-" "We're those cupcakes yummy or what?" Pinkie Pie asked abruptly, as if she were trying to prevent a debate over just who was ultimately responsible for the beautiful weather. "I mean, they took me forever to get just right because I wanted these one's to be extra super duper yummy because, well, you know, I'm always trying to top myself, and when I had Mr. Cake test one out for me he was like 'Pinkie, if these were any tastier my mouth would explode!' And I was like 'Ew, I don't want that! That'd be messy!' So now I'm all worried that I'm adding too much sugar even though I've always thought there's no such thing as too much sugar and if I don't add enough they'll taste yucky and I don't know which is worse: cupcakes that are yucky or cupcakes that are so good they'll make your mouth explode and then he told me it was just an expression and I was like 'You silly filly! Getting me all freaked out over nothing!' And then I-" "Pinkie, they were delicious!" Twilight cut her off there before she could run out of air. "We wouldn't expect anything less from you." "Oh... goody!" Pinkie said happily. She gave a quick stretch and sighed happily. "Everything was delicious," Rarity added. "Rainbow Dash, those dandelion sandwiches were among the best I've ever had! I never knew you were such a skilled sandwich maker." "Well, I'm full of surprises," Dash said proudly. "Honestly though, sandwich making? Not really that hard." "Tell that to my sister," Rarity said in a slightly bitter tone. "The little darling nearly burned down my boutique for the third time while scooping ice cream for herself." "Jeez," Applejack muttered, shaking her head. "Maybe ya oughta jus' keep 'er outta the kitchen from now on, Rare." "Mmmhm," Rarity hummed lazily. "Let's not have any negativity now, dear; it's a beautiful day, we should enjoy it while we can." The group let out a simultaneous contented sigh, then fell silent again. They spent the next few minutes just enjoying the peace and quiet of this beautiful day they had in the middle of Ponyville Park. It was the first time in a while that their personal schedules had freed them up to hang out together as a full group. No work, no personal commitments, no big epic journey to save the world... just a completely open day for them to do whatever they wanted. They had settled on a picnic, something simple and relaxing, and as luck would have it, the park wasn't particularly crowded that day. So they whipped up some food, gathered in the park, enjoyed a nice meal while conversing a bit about what was going on in their personal lives, and essentially just savoring this moment they had together. Just a nice, relaxing day for the heroes of Equestria. About five minutes passed, and Twilight could've just about fallen asleep right there on the picnic blanket. But the sudden movement of the pony next to her caused her eyes to snap open. Rainbow Dash had just briskly jumped to her hooves and was rummaging around in her saddlebag with her head, letting her shades slide off her eyes. Before long she pulled out a brown leather oval shaped ball with little bite marks all around it. She spat it onto the ground in front of her and tossed her saddlebag aside. "So, who's up for a little game of Hoofball?" She asked excitedly. Immediately, Pinkie Pie leaped to her hooves with a wide grin on her face. "Me me me me me me me!" She cried, bouncing up and down joyfully. "Heh heh, shoot, sounds like a fun thing ta do right 'bout now," Applejack said as she pushed her hat back over her head, spat out her piece of straw and stood up. Dash smiled eagerly at her two earth pony friends, then turned to look at the others. Her smile faltered a bit when she saw they had made no effort to get up. Fluttershy looked nervous and fidgety, Rarity appeared as though she hadn't even heard them, and Twilight just looked downright confused, as if she hadn't even heard of Hoofball. Dash frowned and gave each of them a gentle prod with her hoof. "C'mon, guys! We need all six of us to make it a three on three game," she pleaded. "It's like a requirement to play Hoofball at a picnic! Everypony does it!" "Darling, do I really appear to be the kind to take part in such a brutal sport?" Rarity asked lazily. She hadn't even bothered to open her eyes. "Um, I'm not really much of a Hoofball fan myself," Fluttershy said meekly, hiding behind her pink mane. "I actually don't know the game all too well either," Twilight admitted rather sheepishly. "I mean, I know the basics, but..." "I'll help ya get the hang of it, Twi. C'mon!" Dash pressed. "Maybe you three can just toss it around and I'll watch," Twilight suggested. Dash rolled her eyes. "Boooooring! I brought my Hoofball with the intent to play an actual game with all of us, not toss it around like a wimp." "It's super super super fun, girls!" Pinkie said gleefully. "C'mon now, I think ya'll can do with a little physical exertion," Applejack added. "Yeah, because I haven't gotten enough of that since I moved to Ponyville," Twilight quipped. "Hey, think of this; you can write a letter to the Princess about your first experience with Hoofball!" Dash said. "You can tell her what you learned, how well you played, and that it brought you closer to your friends or something." Twilight sat up at that idea. She rubbed a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. "Well, I don't know if that kind of letter would qualify as a friendship report. But then again, I haven't sent her a letter in a while, and I've heard her mention a few times that she's a fan of Canterlot's Hoofball team. She might get a kick out of reading about my first experience with the game..." she pondered that for a few seconds more. "Ah, what the hay. I'll give it a shot!" She leapt to her hooves and joined the others. "All right!" Rainbow Dash gave her a hoof-bump as she approached them. "Well, we've got two on two now. Is that good enough?" Twilight asked. "Pfft, no way!" Dash shook her head. "Ya gotta have at least three on three for it to be any fun at all." She then turned to her fellow pegasus. "C'mon, Flutters! Up and at 'em!" "I... I really don't want to," Fluttershy whimpered, eyes shifting about nervously, as if she were hoping something, anything, would come along and stop this whole thing before it could start. "Thank you for the offer though." "It's just a quick, friendly game! You're gonna have a blast, trust me!" "I'm... just not much of a sporting type. And everytime I see that game it looks so scary and brutal." "We're not playing like the professionals, Shy. We're just having a little harmless fun is all. It's not like we're gonna need to wear the pads or anything." Fluttershy just shook her head and tried to let her mane hide her face. Before Rainbow Dash could attempt any more persuasion, she was knocked aside by a pink blur that sped right up to Fluttershy's face. The shy pegasus was met with the puppy dog pouting face of Pinkie Pie. "Oh, Pinkie, please don't do that," Fluttershy pleaded as she attempted to retreat further into her mane. "I-I don't like seeing you that way." Pinkie Pie's bottom lip began to quiver. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Pwease, Fwuttershy, pwease?" She begged in a high pitched, whimpering voice. "It's no fun without you." Fluttershy just couldn't do it. She was powerless against a face like that. I wonder if this is what The Stare feels like... She sighed in defeat and poked her head back out of her mane. "Oh... alright. For a little while, I guess..." Pinkie immediately perked up. "Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! We got Flutter-Butter!" She cheered. Fluttershy got up and joined the others, still looking very unsure of herself. Rainbow Dash smiled proudly at her shy friend, and then turned to look down at Rarity. "And then there was one..." she said ominously. Rarity opened her eyes and gave Dash a heated glare. "Rainbow, dear," she began calmly. "There is not a force on this planet powerful enough to convince me to take part in that beastly game. And there is also most certainly nothing you can say to convince me otherwise. You best save yourself the trouble and just do what you can with what you have. I am not playing and that is final." Dash just stared at her for a moment. Her appeared to be frustrated, but there was also a sense that she was pondering something. "Nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, huh?" She finally said. She gave a quick shrug. "Alright, then," she flapped her wings and took off into the air. "Be right back!" She called back to them as she disappeared into the sky. Rarity watched her go with a slightly worried expression on her face. "Now where is she going?" She asked. "Beats me," Applejack replied with a shrug. "Listen, Rare, maybe ya oughta just swallow yer pride and give it shot. It's a lotta fun, and you'll get a good work out from it! Yer inta stayin' fit, ain't ya?" "I get more than enough exercise with my morning aerobics, thank you very much," Rarity replied haughtily. She closed her eyes and began to relax again. "Rarity, um, I think maybe you should really consider just playing for a little while," Fluttershy suggested meekly. "Or else Rainbow Dash might find a way to make you play that's... not very nice." "Hmph, she doesn't scare me!" Rarity scoffed. "As Celestia as my witness, I shall not be intimidated! I shall not be moved!" The four mares looked at each other uneasily for a few moments, unsure of where this could possibly go. It was at that time they noticed a cyan form in the air flying towards them, dragging something behind her: a big, grey rain cloud. "Rainbow Dash, what are you-" Twilight began, only to be silenced by a look from the pegasus. Dash brought the cloud directly over Rarity, who opened her eyes at the sudden blocking of her sun. "What in Equestria is-" she started to say, cutting herself off when she saw dark grey mass floating above her, and the wickedly grinning face of Rainbow Dash peeking out from behind it. "I'm not asking you anymore, Rare," she said in a dangerous tone. "I'm telling you. You're playing Hoofball with us... or else..." Rarity glared seethingly back up at her so-called friend. "What is that?" She asked in a low tone. "Uh, a rain cloud, duh," Dash explained. "I always keep one hidden somewhere in case I need it." "You snotty little..." Rarity growled, her teeth gritted in rage. "If you don't get off your flank right this second... you're entering a world of rain..." Dash threatened. Rarity began to panic now. She'd just had her mane styled that morning and rain would just absolutely ruin it! All she had to do was roll out of the way as quickly as she could. She could be faster than Dash if she wanted to be. But the brash pegasus seemed to read her mind and acted quickly. "Pinkie!" She cried. Without a word, Pinkie Pie leapt towards Rarity and pinned her down tightly. Rarity struggled as best she could, but it was no use; the pink pony was stronger than she appeared, and was keeping her pinned with little effort. "Pinkie, you monster!" Rarity screamed, sounding on the verge of hysteria. "Sorry, Rarity, it's for your own good!" Pinkie said with a creepy smile. "You'll get wet too!" Rarity cried. "Hee hee. I love the rain!" Pinkie smiled even wider. "You have to the count of five, Rarity," Dash said as she got into position to buck the cloud. "Don't think I won't do it!" Rarity tilted her head up to look at her other three friends. To her horror, Applejack, Twilight, and even sweet Fluttershy looked rather amused by the whole situation. Fluttershy, in particular appeared to be doing her best to stifle giggles. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU THREE! HELP ME!" Rarity cried. "Rare, I think yer blowin' this whole thing outta proportion," Applejack said with a smirk. "Come on, Rarity! It'll be fun!" Twilight encouraged. "Think of your mane!" Fluttershy added a mock horrified voice. "OHHHHHHH, I HATE ALL OF YOU!" Rarity shrieked dramatically. "AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU ALL..." "One..." Rainbow Dash began counting. "RAINBOW, YOU EVIL..." "Two..." "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS! NEVER!" "Three..." "I'LL NEVER TAKE YOU TO THE SPA AGAIN!" "Four..." "I WILL COME AFTER YOU! I SWEAR I WILL!" "Fffffffffiiiiiiiiii..." "REEEEAARRRGHHH! I'LL PLAY! I'LL PLAY!" Dash lowered her hind legs and smiled victoriously. "Yes!" She cheered, pumping her hoof in triumph... directly into the side of the rain cloud. That was all it took... Rarity screamed as a torrent of water came crashing down on her, soaking her instantly, destroying her perfectly coiffed mane. Pinkie had leapt out of the way in time, leaving her friend fully exposed to the downpour. Truth was she wasn't actually too crazy about getting rained on; it made her poofy mane feel weird and icky. She just had to make Rarity believe otherwise. Rainbow Dash looked horrified; she had not meant to do that. She quickly gave the cloud another hit, and the rain stopped instantly. She quickly pushed the cloud away and gave Rarity her most apologetic look. The ivory unicorn just lay there upon the wet picnic blanket, staring wide-eyed with horror up at the pegasus. For a moment, it appeared as though she hadn't fully comprehended what had happened. Then... her eye's began to narrow, her cheeks began to glow red, and her body began to shake with rage. She slowly lifted herself up, not taking her eyes off Dash for a second. "Uh, heh heh," Dash chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof. "I'm, uh... really really sorry about that, Rare. It was a total accident, I swear. Please don't be too upset about this! You were gonna get a little messy anyway!" Rarity slowly advanced on Rainbow Dash, who had dropped out of the sky and began backing away. She felt she should bring herself down to Rarity's level to apologize properly, but it was doing absolutely nothing to soothe the enraged unicorn. Soon, Dash found herself unable to back up any further as she bumped into one of her friends, who wouldn't move for some reason. Probably because they felt she deserved whatever Rarity had planned for her. Thanks a lot, guys. The soaking wet fashionista took that opportunity to push her face right into Dash's. All Dash could do was smile nervously, which she felt couldn't have been a lamer response. She could practically make out the individual drops of water on Rarity's face, and they almost appeared to be boiling with the heat coming off her head. Nearly half a minute passed before the silence was finally broken by the fuming Rarity. "You... are... going... down." Her voice was low, calm, and genuinely unnerving. And that was all Dash needed to hear to revert to her usual confident and determined self. It had worked; Rarity was going to play Hoofball with them. If only all those stallions who had the hots for her could see her now. And on top of that, she sounded like she really had the will to win. Dash was more than cool with that. If Rarity wanted to bring it, then let her bring it! The Dash was always prepared! "We'll see, won't we?" She said in a mocking tone. Rarity pulled her face back from Dash's and turned to look at the others. They all stared back, looking rather nervous and antsy, as if they weren't exactly sure what they just witnessed. Rarity gave them all a confident and slightly sinister grin. "Play ball!" She announced grandly. Nopony bothered to point out that she was thinking of the wrong sport at the risk of taking a forehoof upside the head.