//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: We Just Came to Party Down // Story: Chocolate Cake Shots, and Other Things You Discover in College // by Flutterguy89 //------------------------------// Chapter 2: We Just Came to Party Down! “Okay, let’s do this.” RD took a deep breath and turned the knob to her friends’ room and was immediately greeted by a blast of noise. “Welcome the most splendid, amazing, awesome party! Well, until the next one!” Pinkie exclaimed, pulling her chum into the room. She pressed a shot glass and a lemon wedge into her friend’s hand, all the while bouncing up and down. “Drink, drink, drink! Then bite the lemon!” A somewhat stunned Dash did as she was told, shivering as the liquor hit the back of her throat, and then biting down on the lemon wedge. “That tastes like-” “Chocolate cake! I know, just a couple of flavored vodkas add a lemon and then … BAM! CAKE!” Pinkie said as she led Dash through the sparse crowd of guests already milling about. RD recognized them as residents of the floor but beyond that she knew little of them, except that each of them seemed to be liberally enjoying Pinkie’s open bar policy. Pinkie brought RD to broken down futon and promptly plopped down on it, motioning for her friend to do the same “Uh thanks Pinkie.” RD had finally begun to get her bearings after the impromptu shot, and elected not to sit. Dash was still pretty sure she might catch something from that poor excuse for furniture. “So when’s Rare-Rare getting here?” Pinkie intoned excitedly. Dash snorted. “Last time I saw her she was staring into her compact, attempting to get her eyeliner just right.” RD rolled her eyes. “‘Can’t rush perfection, darling’” She added in an exaggerated version of her roommate’s high society manner. “Well, I hope she gets here stat, Operation: Friendship demands it! Oh and Operation: Friendship also demands that you drink, cause the way you two have been going at it I think a little social lubricant is required.” Pinkie nodded sagely. “So what can I do you for?” “Uh…. Got any cider?” RD asked, licking her lips slightly. Before she could even so much as begin to imagine the crisp taste of the frothy nectar, Pinkie pressed a bottle into her hand. “Thanks Pinks.” “De nada,” Pinkie replied, taking a shot. Rainbow closed her eyes for a moment and bobbed her head in time with the music, taking the occasional sip of her cider. Just then a thought occurred. “Hey Pinkie? Not saying the music is too loud or anything, and I love the whole open bar thing, but don’t you think the RA's will shut this whole thing down?” “Oh no no no, silly. I plan ahead! I gave all the RA's in the building some of my extra special cupcakes.” She was grinning ear to ear. “They are like my special cupcakes but, extra! They are probably neck deep in existential quandaries at the moment, either that or murdering a bag of Cheetos.” RD stood flabbergasted. “You drugged them!?” “No no no no….well yes, but in the name of friendship!” “You are one devious chick,” Rd smiled. “Oh I do declare you flatter me missus RD. You go on mingle, I’ll send Rarity your way so you two can bury the hatchet or what have you. I have to man the door, this party’s got a drink minimum that it is my sacred duty to enforce.” Pinkie then did a mock salute and prepared more of her chocolate cake shots. “Go get ‘em tiger,” Rainbow chuckled. Looking around the room she located Twilight, who was quietly journaling from the cavern that was the lower bunk of her bed. RD attempted a wave but Twilight seemed entirely too engrossed in her writing. ‘Huh, odd way to spend a party. Oh well, where’d cowgirl get off too…’ RD connected some thoughts and figured Applejack was probably on the balcony, so she set off to find her smoking buddy. ------------------- Fluttershy was a nervous wreck, but that was nothing new. ‘Oh…oh what do I wear?’ The entirety of Fluttershy’s wardrobe was spread across the floor. ‘I don’t want to attract too much attention….but I want her attention… I-I mean not like that! Well maybe a little…’ Despite her anxiety, there really were only two different options she could choose: normal or V-neck sweater, both too loose to be considered form-fitting. A high-school career mostly spent attempting to stay in the background had left her with few options in party attire department. Not that she wasn't beautiful, quite the opposite. In fact that was the reason her wardrobe was so bland. She had always been a bit of a beanpole, but when she blossomed she had curves to spare, in the places that most girls would kill for. Of course the last thing Fluttershy wanted was to make anyone feel jealous, that wouldn't be very nice, and as an added benefit she dodged any excessive attention. Finally making up her mind, Fluttershy grabbed a V-neck sweater, blushing slightly at the thought that her camisole would be visible through the still modest neckline. On the edge of her hearing she came the sounds of music and the feel of a thumping bass line, signalling that the party was well underway. “Okay Fluttershy, here you go…. You can do this…” She spoke aloud to herself seeking to strengthen her resolve. “Y-you can do this…you can... can do this…” Her mantra must have helped because the next thing Fluttershy knew she was outside Twi, AJ, and Pinkie’s door. She breathed out a shaky sigh and began to turn the knob. “Welcome the most splendid, amazing, awesome party! Well, until the next one!” Pinkie shouted at the new arrival, pulling Fluttershy into the room. Pinkie repeated the ritual she had with each new guest and pressed a shot glass and a lemon wedge into her hand. Fluttershy for her part simply let out a startled squeaked “Drink! Then bite the lemon!” Fluttershy obeyed, still partly terrified, swallowing the shot entirely too quickly. She felt it burn the back of her throat, and reflexively began to cough. “Bite the lemon, it makes it all better.” Pinkie encouraged, placing a friendly hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. Once more Fluttershy complied. “Wha-… that’s…that’s chocolate cake,” She managed as she looked down into the smiling face of the frizzy-haired girl. “Um… so you must be-“ “Pinkie pie, yep that’s me, at your service. Nice to meet you. The pleasure’s all mine. Clichéd greeting!” “Oh, it’s uh nice to meet you too. My name is Fluttershy.” Her soft tones were almost lost in the growing ruckus of the party, but Pinkie seemed to understand every word. “So you’re a quiet one, eh? Have no fear, your new friend Pinkie knows just how to accommodate those of your persuasion.” “F-friend?” Fluttershy stammered, but before she could fully process what was going on Pinkie had grabbed her hand and began leading her through the crowd. They stopped abruptly at the bottom bunk of a bunk bed where another girl with straight black hair sat journaling. “Yup, friends.” Pinkie said cheerily, “I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em. Now it is my solemn duty to introduce you to our resident quiet friend. Well, she isn't that quiet, I mean if you ask her about science junk she’ll talk your ear off, but I can see that you, my dear Fluttershy, are new to the party scene and if I were to just throw you onto the dance floor, what would you do?” “I… uh… I’d probably run and hide…” Fluttershy responded, hiding slightly behind her bangs. “Exactly, but judging by the awesome shade of pink your hair is, you must have some interesting stories, or something. I mean no one boring does that for any old reason.” Pinkie said nudging her new friend in the ribs. “Well…it’s kinda personal…”Fluttershy’s voice had grown smaller still. “Exactly! So here I am, wanting to know more about you, a timid girl with pink hair who seems scared half-to-death to be here. So what’s a Pinkie to do? Why be friends of course, and since the party isn't quite your speed, I’d like to introduce you to someone who is! She is also not as well acquainted with the party circuit, but I’ll make converts of you two yet! Meet Twilight Sparkle, egghead extraordinaire! Twilight, meet Fluttershy, shy girl with interesting past! I think!” Pinkie beamed as she presented the journaling girl with all the enthusiasm a carnival barker might employ to introduce their latest attraction. However unlike a paid professional, every ounce of enthusiasm was undoubtedly genuine, something which served to endear the manic party-girl to Fluttershy. ‘She’s crazy… but at least she’s being herself.’ Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel her lips twitch up into a little grin. “Well I’ll leave you two to it. I've got miles to go before I sleep, which is really a metaphor meaning I have to make a prissy girl knock back some shots before I can cut loose myself,” And with that the party fiend vanished back into the throng. “You’ll have to forgive my roommate for her bold actions, it’s just who she is,” Twilight said looking up from her journal. “I understand if this isn't your thing, it’s not really mine either. I suppose Pinkie already covered that, so rather than waste time with redundancies, come on up if you’d like. I've been dying to share this with someone but they have all made far too interesting subjects to interact with.” “Um... Subjects?” Fluttershy asked as she climbed onto the bottom bunk. Despite being with a stranger, the enclosed lower bunk of the bed felt safe. The rest of the party felt almost a world away. “Oh yes,” Twilight chirped happily, a big grin plastered across her face. “You see I’m conducting an ethnography of Pinkie Pie’s party. That is to say I’m taking field notes which I will later compile into a report or book or essay or something else academic in nature. I should really be observing this from some sort of blind. My mere presence could disrupt events, but i'm just going to have to risk it.” “Oh, um, that’s… interesting.” And a little unnerving if Fluttershy was being honest with herself. Twilight chuckled by way of reply, “I know, I know. It’s weird, but it’s how I cope with all of…” She motioned to the rest of the party, “…this." Fluttershy understood the feeling, everybody coped in their own way. "Hey want to help me with another experiment?” The budding scientist inquired. Fluttershy nodded a bit hesitantly, “ …It won’t hurt right?” “Hopefully not tonight, but who knows about tomorrow.” Twilight pulled what appeared to be a jug of orange juice. “This is what Pinkie calls a screwdriver, but I suspect they aren't usually served in gallon jugs. So the experiment is this: monitor the effects of alcohol from a first person perspective. After all, my big brother always said college was a time to experiment.” Fluttershy blushed and giggled a bit. “Um, Twilight? I don’t think that’s what people normally mean by that… but, sure I’ll drink with you.” It felt nice to have someone who was willing to just sit and talk in midst of the maelstrom. Twilight took a swig from the jug and passed it to Fluttershy, pulling only a slight face and she swallowed. “Hmmm… not bad, guess she knew I wasn't acclimated to anything particularly strong, she’s a sort of drinking genius,” Twilight mused before turning back to her companion, “ So, what does ‘experimenting’ mean, if I am to assume that the literal definition is imprecise?” Twilight asked innocently, pure academic interest in her tone. “oh… well you see…” Fluttershy had begun to blush heavily. “It kind of implies… uh you know, swinging the other way…” Twilight stared blankly at her pink faced companion. “Uh… it means…” Her voice dropped to a whisper and she began to speak very rapidly, “it-means-that-you-have-sex-with-the-gender-you-wouldn’t-normally-but-tends-to-especially-mean-girl-on-girl.” She bowed forward, letting her hair hide her blush. “Oh is that all?” Twilight replied nonchalantly, making a note in her journal. “Fluttershy, it’s your turn to drink.” “Oh, uh, yeah.” Fluttershy was a bit taken aback at the indifference of her new friend, but at the same time she drew strength from her it. 'No big deal to her... just relax...' She looked up at Twilight, gave her a weak smile and took a sip of the mixture. Despite a slight burn from alcohol, the flavor was primarily the pleasant tang of orange juice. “I think you are right about Pinkie. This is quite tasty...” As Fluttershy looked out over the party she noticed Pinkie ambush another guest. This one had meticulously styled hair and was dressed in a beautiful couture top. ------------------- The night was warm, but it was welcomed by RD. She stubbed out her cigarette and flicked it over the railing of the balcony. She took a deep breath of the night air and then killed the rest of her cider. She reached down and placed the empty bottle among numerous others on the floor of the balcony. "Done" “Alright, ah think you got one ahead of me, but ah got a sure fire way to make this more interestin’, sugar.” Applejack shot a little grin at her drinking partner. “All right, you’re on.” RD flashed a cocky grin. “Now here’s how we do this, ya take yourself a cider…” Applejack grabbed a fresh bottle out of a cooler she had stashed on the balcony. “Ya take a nice big sip…” AJ upended the bottle and took a generous gulp. “Then ya add a bit the ole number seven.” She took a hip flask out of her pocket and poured roughly a shot’s worth into the bottle. “That’s how ya make an applejack. Lowercase ‘a’ on that by the way. Now the story about how my ma' and pa' made me is a bit more complicated and no where near as gratifying.” “So double the alcohol in a single drink.” Dash said though her laughter. “Bring it on” As the two attempted to drink each other under the table (despite the lack of any physical table), Pinkie suddenly appeared on the balcony looking a bit sheepish. “Hey gals, uh Rarity made it and I gave her some amazing martinis. She said something to the effect of: 'drinking anything that has not been shaken is for...' uh, how did she put it, oh yes... 'Ruffians.' So I gave her some, and then another, and couple more after that. Anyway that was all to plan but now Operation: Friendship is in danger! Code red!” “Wait, slow down Pinkie. So she’s drunk, where’s the problem?” RD asked. “The problem is the six-foot something linebacker who, despite Rarity's attempts, won’t leave her alone!” “Son of a bitch,” Applejack swore. “Alright that’s a problem," Rainbow said gritting her teeth, "Rarity’s a prim pain in the asses, but she’s my prim pain in the ass! C’mon AJ.” -------------------- Were beds normally this squishy? Fluttershy bounced up and down a bit on Twilight’s bed and decided that yes they must be, and her bed would probably be this squishy too. “Uh…. Twilight, I think I’m okay with not drinking anymore...um, if that’s okay?” Twilight meanwhile was staring at her hands, “I feel… A slight tingling in my fingers…” Then as if suddenly hearing her companion she looked up, “Oh, oh yes... I think I may have had enough too. I seem to have stopped taking notes too. Oh well, I suppose we could always experiment with each other again.” Twilight giggled and replaced the cap on the jug. “I told you… oh that was a joke,” Fluttershy giggled along with her buddy. “I have to ask, what’s with your hair. Was it a coming of age ceremony or perhaps a personal rite of passage?” The gleam of scientific inquest suddenly shone once more in Twilight’s eyes. “Oh, well it was sort of a promise…” Fluttershy wrinkled her brow, fighting her tipsy state to do justice to the seriousness of her answer. “I mean it was a promise to me, so I suppose it was like a rite of passage… I mean it was for someone, but I thought I’d never see them again…” “Thought? Ooooo the plot thickens.” Twilight said with a drunken titter. Fluttershy blushed and looked away, but in doing so a flash of multicolored hair caught her eye. She tried to find it again. Fluttershy scanned the crowd mercilessly, until, at last, she could see her. Rainbow Dash. For the first time since catching a glimpse of RD in the hall, Fluttershy could see her in all of her glory. She may have grown up a bit from the last time Fluttershy had laid eyes on her, and the piercings were certainly new, but it felt like it fit. Dash would always be Dash. “Oh that doesn’t look good,” Twilight said following Fluttershy’s gaze. It was then that Fluttershy noticed that Dash was storming up to a burly jock with war in her eyes. -------------------- “Look here, if Rarity doesn't want to leave with you, she ain't gonna.” RD's voice was filled with passionate anger. “No you look here, little girl, I don’t think she knows what she wants, and I’m going to show her it’s me,” the boy spoke with a disinterested drawl that made it quite clear that he wasn't going to let some scruffy girl stand between him and his latest conquest. “Ugh, as if, you brute!” Rarity took a step behind RD, swaying a bit as she did, “And I’ll thank… hic… you to not talk to my roommate like that, she’s wouldn't know culture if it bit her posterior but…uh… what was I saying?” Rarity squinted at the large man, concentrating. “Oh yes…Screw you!” “Hear that? Now I think you have overstayed your welcome, Blue Balls.” Rainbow crossed her arms in smug satisfaction at her victory. “It’s Blueblood, you rainbow-haired dyke!” It all happened too quickly. There was a sickening crack and then Blueblood was lying crumbled on the ground. Judging by the blood flowing freely from her nose, Dash had head-butted the much larger individual square in the sternum. “Say that again asshole! Say it again!” Rainbow’s face was contorted in raw fury as she delivered a swift kick to Blueblood’s ribs, eliciting a groan from her fallen opponent. “Sugar, that’s enough!” Applejack held RD back before she could kick him again. Rainbow looked down on her handiwork, going limp in AJ’s grip. “Yeah… yeah I think your right. Pinkie, I’m sure you can find a way to dispose of this trash.” She wiped off her nose on the sleeve of her jacket, noticing for the first time that she was bleeding. “Hey Applejack, think I can go clean up?” “Yeah, RD, go on ahead,” Applejack replied as she loosened her grip, “Need any help?” “Naw, I got this.” Rainbow’s face was set in a somber mask as she stalked out of the room. She had made it maybe half way down the hall before the world in front of her began to spin. RD clutched the wall for support, before collapsing against it all together. “Note to self, count drinks next time….” -------------------- Fluttershy’s world had suddenly gotten a hell of a lot clearer. She watched in horror as RD attacked Blueblood, frozen in shock at the savagery. Yet, she felt that un-Fluttershy-ish voice whisper to her again. ‘Look at your Amazon! She is victorious! Take her now!’ She recoiled at her own thoughts, mentally pushing them down back into the dark, where they belonged. She closed her eyes and centered herself. Once she opened them again she looked around for Rainbow, but she was nowhere to be seen. “Twi-Twilight, where did Dashie…I mean uh RD go?” “She uh… She left,” Twilight replied, still very much shaken by the violence. At those words Fluttershy shot from the room. She heard Twilight call after her to wait, but there was no waiting. Rainbow Dash was hurt, she was bleeding. Simple nose bleed or broken nose, it didn't matter. Fluttershy couldn't let her nerves hold her back anymore. She needed to see her, needed to help her, needed to be there for her. ‘…Just like she was always there for me…’ Fluttershy found her sitting against a wall in the hallway, her nose bleed had slowed and two black eyes had begun to form. Fluttershy leaned down over Rainbow, “Please be okay… please be okay…” Rainbow’s eyes drifted open and Fluttershy could just barely hear her mumble, “Flutters... Pink?..How… What...When did you get hot?” Then she was out cold.