The van hit a bump, and everyone inside jostled.
Up in the front passenger's seat, Applejack held onto her hat, then looked towards the rear compartment. "Sorry for the cramped ride, y'all!" She bore a freckled grimace. "This here gas guzzler ain't exactly a seven-seater." She smirked to her left. "Right, Big Mac?"
"Eenope." Smiling, the young man gripped the wheel in strong hands. He turned the vehicle down a country road, kicking up dust and leaves.
"Ooomf!" Rarity winced, brushing scrunched shoulders with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. "Well, while it's not exactly comfortable, I've certainly tolerated far worse."
"I dunno what you're talking about!" Pinkie Pie giggled and wriggled in place. "This brings back memories of sharing a sleeping bag with my sisters!"
"All four of you to a sleeping bag?" Rainbow rasped, being pressed tightly against the van's right sliding door.
"Hehe! Yeah! We liked to pretend we were making a pie sandwich! Haha! Get it?"
"Yes, well, thank goodness we all brought our own sleeping bags," Rarity exhaled.
"We'd have a lot more breathing room if you brought even less stuff with you!" Rainbow grumbled.
"Oh!" Rarity huffed, bumping elbows with Rainbow Dash. "Well, excuse me miss Soccer Queen! Just who was it that brought an entire bulging cargo net full of balls that took up half the trunk space?"
"Those are dodge balls, Rarity!" Rainbow smirked. "I wanna teach you gals how to play for keeps! Just in case the school board makes it a competition for next year's Friendship Games!"
"As if I'll ever be caught dead playing such a brutish sport!"
"Hey, either you toss 'em or you eat 'em!"
"Ugh! Rainbow, honestly!"
"Yeesh..." Applejack glanced back with a wry smirk. "Simmer down, y'all. Am I gonna have to fetch the hose when we reach the ranch?"
"Heheh... eeyup."
"Yes," Fluttershy breathed. "Let's calm down. This is a beautiful day, and I'm glad to be spending it with my friends."
"Heeeee..." Pinkie smiled across the cramped van, bright-eyed. "Same here!"
"Twilight?" Fluttershy looked to her left. "How are you doing? Are you comfortable?"
Twilight could barely breathe. It was not for lack of room, although she was in a tight space. Rather—every breath she took was inevitably filled with the intoxicating scent of jasmine perfume...
Perfume... that was wafting off of Sunset Shimmer's womanly shoulders just centimeters away from Twilight's quivering nostrils.
Fluttershy blinked. "Twilight? Everything okay—?"
"YesI'mFineThanks." The girl sat tight like a lavender pillar, hands folded in her lap, tiny fingers interlaced with one another. Every jolt and bump of the car ride caused her left shoulder to rub soft and softer against Sunset's short jacket sleeves. "Mmmmmmm-how long until we get there?"
"Hehehe..." Pinkie Pie winked. "Does somebody need to use the little girl's room?"
"... ... ..." Twilight's cheeks flushed even harder. "Something like th-that..."
"Wow, Applejack..." Sunset's face was practically pressed to the other sliding door's window. She brushed her crimson bangs out from before her eyes and smiled peacefully at the passing scenery. "I never realized it before... but this land of yours is amazing."
"Heh! Ain't it the truth?"
"It's just so... serene and beautiful." Sunset glanced to her right. "Don't you agree, Twilight?"
Twilight Sparkle blinked, her glasses resting crooked on the bridge of her nose. "...yes..." She breathed, forming a delirious smile as she gazed at her friend. "Absolutely... b-beautiful..."
"It almost..." Sunset sighed, a contemplative look settling delicately across her feminine features. "...almost reminds me of home."
"That... that's a good thing, right?" Twilight stammered.
"Heh..." Sunset smiled. "It is now."
Twilight smiled too. Her eyes traveled down.
Sunset's right hand rested on her right knee.
Twilight bit her lip. She glanced up at Sunset, then down at Sunset's hand. Nervously... daringly... the girl reached her lavender wrist out. It snaked through the air, paused, delicately kneading the air with pensive fingers. Then—as Twilight felt a thick thunder pulsing against her eardrums—she lowered her hand stealthily towards Sunset's—
Just then, the van veered to the right.
"Whoah!" Rainbow's voice cracked.
"Gah!" Rarity yelped.
"Weeee!" Pinkie cheered.
"Oooomf!" Twilight's face was smooshed against Sunset's right shoulder. Seconds later, the van jolted to a stop. Twilight adjusted her glasses in time to see the edge of a barn and a two-story farmhouse. The smell of hay and apples filled her nose. "Huh?"
"We're here!" Applejack jubilantly proclaimed. The van's interior instantly cooled from a crisp breeze as both sliding doors swung open. The girls stumbled out.
"Ah!" Rarity gasped. "Thank goodness! Breathing room!"
"Omigosh! Omigosh!" Fluttershy's voice squeaked. "Look at the pretty, pretty horses!" Her light footsteps scampered across the crunchy grass.
"Dun get too close to 'em, now!" Applejack called out. "And keep yer distance from the one with a red coat! He's a real kicker!"
"Hey, Pinkie Pie," Sunset spoke, stretching her limbs as she stood outside the van. "Want to help me carry the sleeping bags in?"
"I was born to carry sleeping bags!"
"Heheh... sure thing." Sunset made to walk away—but she scuffled to a stop upon seeing that a wilted, breathless teenager still remained inside the van. "Oh. Hey. Twilight. You okay?"
"Uhh... y-yeah!" Twilight nevertheless winced. "Guess my legs are a little stiff from sitting cramped for so long."
"Need a hand getting out?"
A lump formed in Twilight's throat. "Mmmm... m-maybe..." With her four eyes locked on Sunset, she reached a dainty hand out... waiting with bated breath... trembling—
"Httt!" An athletic blue arm reached in, grasped Twilight by the hand, and hoisted her swiftly out of the van. "Gotcha!" Rainbow Dash smirked. "There ya go, girl!" She smirked, ruffling Twilight's violet updo. "I never leave any of my friends hangin'!"
"Uhm... no." Twilight gulped, standing pigeon-toed besides the van. She watched with sad eyes as Sunset walked towards the Apple Family ranch-house, carrying four bags in her strong arms. "You wouldn't be loyal if... you d-did."
"Dang straight!" Rainbow spun around and ran to the rear of the van. "Alright! Where are my balls?"
"Hey Twi-Twi!" Pinkie chirped from the trunk. "Wanna help us carry our stuff into the house?"
"Sure..." Twilight Sparkle sighed, adjusting her glasses. "Sure thing, Pinkie..."
"Here! Think fast!"
"Huh?" Twilight turned around—only to have a pair of large, fluffy sleeping bags launched into her bosom. "Whoah!" She fell back in the grass. "Ooomf!"
"Heeeeey! Nice catch!"
Twilight's crushing over Sunset is giving me Twibetes. Fekkin' adorable.
I can't help but think of something... mature.
Why, Rainbow, they're right between your... Oh wait. My bad. Never mind.
A less . . . dignified writer would have had Twilight's face shove right into Sunset's boobs.
6761973 That's more or less how I would have wrote that. Ha, boobs.
Buckin' THIRST.
Something tells me that, before this sleepover is done, poor Twilight is going to have a meltdown!
If Twilight were not crushing so hard, I think she would have got a warning from Sunset's words. She needs to remember that Sunset is an alien and, one day, may want to return to her homeworld and her own kind. She could be setting herself up for heartbreak. Of course, you never think straight when you're in your first crush, do you?
Hmm. So far so good. And I haven't been able to say that with a story on this site for a long time.
Though, I noticed one minor detail you may want to gloss over. Neither of them could compete in the next Friendship Games, because the competition happens once every four years. An easy fix. though.
Craine...
6762983 I do believe said balls are firmly in AJ's possession at the moment.
Oh, Twilight. At least buy her dinner first.
That sounds like a personal problem, Dash.
Big Mac and Fluttershy both approve of hosing down Rarity and Rainbow Dash.
not going to lie, I had some interesting thoughts go through my head when I read this
Those only happen every four years, so no luck.
I'm sorry I haven't matured past the point were I can stop making everything an innuendo it's just really hard.
6762983 Bruh omfg that was so intense. FIRE.
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At least I'm not the only one snickering at RD here…
Rainbow ! Are you kidding me!
uh the freindship games are every 4 years
Insert "Where are my balls" joke here.
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Did you do that on purpose or am I even worse than you?
Yeah, well I was born to set fire to wooden stairs.
7067947 Don't worry. Here, you are practically expected to make jokes like that when THAT kind of line shows up. It just wouldn't be natural not too.
The Friendship Games happens every four years.
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https://youtu.be/kyOw9yXt_CM
y’know, this excerpt, taken out of context, might raise a few eyebrows 🤨