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// Red Dare 
// Story: Red Dare 
// by vaguememory 
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	Rarity pushed the door to the boutique open with her hoof and ushered Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash inside. "Quickly now— let’s get this over with," she said as they slunk toward the kitchen. Both Dash and Fluttershy exchanging looks of concern. Rarity ambled up to the counter where she picked up a long, sharp knife with her telekinesis, "What an ordeal," she complained, glancing down at her target. "It's a shame I have to do this." Holding the knife tip-down, she plunged the blade into her prize. A loud squelching noise sounded as red liquid dripped onto the counter. Rarity continued to cut across with the knife, moaning in horror as she did so, the sound of the knife sawing and making a slicing noise accompanying Rarity’s muttering. "Why am I doing such an awful thing to myself?" Rarity cried as both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash held back fits of devious laughter. Minutes went by and Rarity continued to cut while wearing a mask of pure disgust,her perfect white coat now spotted various shades of crimson. "Th-there," she said, dropping the knife and standing back in pure horror. "I did just as you asked, now please will you j-just leave me to shower off this filth?" she asked, close to tears, “I’m torn for already doing something that’s just s-so terrible!” she said. “Eew, it’s even in my ma-a-a-ane!” she shrieked as she skulked out of the kitchen.

 "Okay," Rainbow Dash said as she went to the red mess and ate some of what Rarity had cut up, "nice job with cutting it, watching you dirty your hooves was hilarious. Good job with the dare, Fluttershy," Rainbow said as she shoveled some of the dripping, fleshy material into her mouth, the messy pulp dripping down the corners of her mouth. She stopped chewing as she burst into a fit of laughter, “You’re a riot Rarity!” she said in a laugh before eating more. “Y’know, you’re really good at getting Rarity to do these things, Fluttershy! Fifth one we’ve gotten this week—mmmm, it tastes so good!” Rainbow stated as she ate ravenously.

 "T-thanks, Rainbow Dash; I thought it would be good," Fluttershy replied as she daintily took some pieces of the fleshy goodness, blots of red dripped down her chin as she slowly ate piece after piece. “Mmm,” Fluttershy moaned, “it’s so juicy, I can barely help myself,” she said as she grabbed another mouthful, “good job, Rarity,” Fluttershy turned, thanking nothing but empty space. “R-rarity? Where did you go? Oh no… you don’t think she’s angry, do you Dash?” Fluttershy asked in concern.

“Nah, she’s probably just going to get her shower, right Rarity?” Rainbow hollered, causing Fluttershy to flatten her ears in protest.

Loud clattering was heard coming from the upstairs of the shop followed by the creaking of door hinges. “What was that Rainbow Dash? D-did you say something?” Rarity asked nervously from the top of the stairs, the sound of cascading water following her voice. Rainbow, not wanting to yell, grabbed another bite before walking to the stairs, where she saw Rarity wrapped in a towel, her hair hanging limply to her side, the red stains still visible on her coat as she looked at her friend with an unsure stare.
.
“Well, that answers that,” Rainbow stated, looking to Fluttershy, “told you she was taking a shower, Fluttershy,” she said walking back to the kitchen. Rarity, confused, shut the door and went back to cleaning up herself. Rainbow noticed Fluttershy had cleaned the small mess on the counter and had placed the red slices in a container with a top. She continued to clean the floor and knife used by Rarity and threw the slices of flesh in the garbage.

“Aw, you put the watermelon away already?” Rainbow pouted, walking to the counter and taking the top off of the container and messily eating the fruit once again, much to Fluttershy’s dismay. Rainbow, noticing Fluttershy’s look of defeat, offered some, “Have some more, Rarity won’t want any after we made her get all messy and ‘uncouth’” she said, flexing her hooves in mock quotations, Fluttershy still didn’t move as she stared Dash down unamused with her messy eating. “I’ll even help clean up again, promise,” Dash said with a sly smile as more juice dripped on the floor. At that, Fluttershy began to smile before again reaching in delicately to eat some of the fruit, flicking some of the fruit’s juice at Rainbow as she reached for another cube of watermelon. Rainbow reached in greedily, grabbing a hoofful and cramming the melon-flesh in her muzzle, spitting the seeds and some juice into Fluttershy’s face and mane.

Fluttershy blinked rapidly, wiping juice and seeds from her eyes and nose, “Dash?” she said with a fragile smile. Dash, fearing she went too far, hugged Fluttershy tightly. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, what’s up?” Rainbow asked as Fluttershy returned her hug briefly before pushing away gently and reaching for the container of watermelon. She smiled at Dash and Rainbow returned the smile.

“Wh-what’s red and sticky all over?” Fluttershy asked with an inquiring eyebrow as she held the container of watermelon.

Confused by Fluttershy’s question and where it had suddenly come up she nonchalantly asked, “What?”

“You!” Fluttershy yelled playfully as she smashed the entire container over Rainbow’s head, the red as sticky juice flew everywhere around the kitchen and coated both in their entirety. 

Rainbow sat in front of Fluttershy, the bucket still over her head and started to giggle, the bucket muffling her laughs as her body quaked up and down .

Startled, Fluttershy removed the bucket— worried that she had hurt her friend— revealing a smiling Rainbow Dash. Rainbow and Fluttershy began to giggle before erupting into bursts of joyous laughter. They rolled on their sides, laughing as they each bumped into each other. Their giggles slowly died out as they lay on the floor out of breath, staring at the ceiling, which was coated in  melon-juice that slowly dripped down onto the floor.

“Rarity is gonna be mad,” Rainbow said, panting next to Fluttershy, “I’m assuming I’m going to be cleaning most of this up?” she asked cheerfully.

 Fluttershy just nodded and giggled as she stood up and offered a helping hoof to Rainbow, who gladly accepted. “Eh, it was worth it,” she said, hoof-bumping her friend.

“At least you’re the ones cleaning it up,” a voice cut in from the doorway, causing both to jump slightly and turn to see Rarity wearing a towel on her head. Smiling delightedly, she snickered lightly, “My, you two sure can make a mess without me, can’t you?” The two pegasai simply looked at her with bright smiles. “At any rate, I believe it is my turn to dare you,” Rarity said, pointing a white hoof at Rainbow Dash and smiled eagerly.

“Do your worst!” Rainbow said, smiling cockily at the unicorn before her. Rarity, unfazed by Rainbow’s confidence simply nodded.

“Good, then I dare you to hold on to Fluttershy for a whole minute,” Rarity harrumphed as her horn lit up. Rainbow cocked an eyebrow and laughed lightly.

“Really?! Hold on to Fluttershy for a whole minute? That’s it?” Rainbow laughed as she went to grab Fluttershy, who shied away from her grasp. “Fluttershy? What the hay? C’mere, I can’t lose this dare now!” Rainbow yelled at a panicked Fluttershy as she tackled her to the ground.
“R-r-rainbow! I-I-I don’t think that’s a good i-idea!” Fluttershy squeaked, trying her best to get away from the sticky mare.

Behind them, Rarity spoke, “Rainbow, I’d listen to her, you know,” she laughed as she levitated a bag of flour above the duo and released the contents just as Rainbow looked up to see a white ball of flour descend upon her in a soft poof! Rarity’s gleeful laughter was muffled due to the copious amount of flour that covered both pegasus ponies. Both ponies scrambled out of the pile of flour, blinking it out of their eyes. Rainbow looked to Rarity and chortled.

“Well played, Rarity,” Rainbow complemented, offering a hoof bump to her friend, Rarity returned the gesture delicately. Fluttershy began sneezing as the flour entered her nostrils, her high pitched sneezing causing the others to laugh wholly. “Guess we really have to clean this up now, huh?” Rainbow laughed, know the answer was a yes.

“If by ‘we’ you mean you and Fluttershy, then yes!” Rarity as she levitated cleaning supplies from the closet. She looked back to both Rainbow and Fluttershy who stared in complete disbelief at her. “What?”

The two looked at each other for a moment before they smiled devilishly towards one another. They stared back at Rarity and spread their wings to full length. “Wait… oh you two wouldn’t dare!” Rarity yelled, turning to the door to escape at full gallop. Just before she reached the door, her world rolled on its side before a thud landed her on her back in a pile of flour. “Aaahhhchooo!” Rarity sneezed, drawing up a large cloud of the white baking ingredient.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood over Rarity, laughing as they offered helping hooves that she gladly accepted. An awkward silence hung over the group until Fluttershy’s body started to quake with quiet laughter that slowly grew louder until the entire group was chuckled as they looked from one to another. White as snow, they stood laughing at how ridiculous they all appeared. Even Rarity had a slight makeover due to the watermelon’s juice she was tackled into by Rainbow and Fluttershy.

“Well, I don’t mind cleaning… i-if you guys don’t mind, that is,” Fluttershy said in a hushed tone. Rarity smiled at Fluttershy and levitated a broom to her and a dustpan to Rainbow, smiling politely and levitating another broom and dustpan herself.

“Let’s just get this cleaned up and go to the spa,” Rarity complained as she began brushing the flour up into a trashcan. “I could use the full spa treatment after we’re done with this job! Honestly, I think this is the messiest game of truth and dare we’ve had so far,” Rarity stated as she dumped a large pile of flour into the trashcan.

“Guess we’ll have to try harder next time,” Rainbow snickered from across the kitchen, “I’ll take you up on that spa offer so long as you don’t force me to get a hooficure!” she laughed, stopping to cough as she inhaled some of the baking product. Fluttershy nodded and began humming as the three got to work scraping their mess off of the floor and ceiling. Continuing to clean they were content with listening to Fluttershy hum a happy tune as they worked on the gargantuan mess. 

Outside of the kitchen window, a certain Pink Pony listened to the trio and began formulating a prank so large that even the greatest prankster would be in shock once the plan was executed. Cloaking herself in a nearby bush, she shuffled down the street. When she had reached her destination, a novelty shop, she leapt out, leaving a hollow shrub and several confused bystanders in her wake.