One Bolt, Spreading Harmony

by Boltsinger

Emergency Fun!

The skies over Ponyville were a dull gray, with clouds bulging from the rain stored inside. Underneath them, Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo made their way to the Carousel Boutique with a carton of ice cream magically floating beside them. As the Alicorn raised her hoof to knock, more hoofsteps came up behind them. “I guess we ain’t the only ones who got this idea, huh?”

Twilight looked over her shoulder, seeing a pair of Earth Ponies making their approach, likewise bearing a carton of ice cream. She let out a giggle, bringing her own contribution forward. “I guess so. Rarity certainly needs it right now.”

Applejack nodded solemnly, stepping up beside her friend at the door. “Yeah, she’s not been outta there since the weddin’. I’d be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t startin’ ta fret a little.”

"I can't even imagine how Rarity feels, gettin' dumped like that." Apple Bloom stated, looking up at the carousel for which the boutique was named.

Scootaloo gave a knowing nod. "Two words, Apple Bloom. Not. Good." She nudged her head I the direction of the vanilla oat swirl in her mother's magic. "What do you think the ice cream is for?"

"Alright, now, shush!" Applejack interjected. "We're here ta support Rarity, not remind 'er of what happened!"

The fillies' heads recoiled a little, ears falling low with guilt. "Sorry…" they simultaneously answered.

Twilight smiled back at them. "Apology accepted.” Her horn flared up with delight, opening the door to allow the ponies in. “Now let's get in there and make our friend--" The sight of the boutique stopped them cold. The showroom was dark, with numerous outfits in a state of disarray. Some barely stayed on their hangers, others simply lay in a heap on the floor. Gems were scattered about, and a layer of dust covered everything in sight. "... smile?"

"Hoo boy…" Applejack began, her expression becoming less than confident. "This is gonna be harder 'n I thought."

---

Twilight, Applejack, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders stood by Rarity's canopy bed, four sets of eyes wide with shock at what lay before them. "She's hardly gotten out of bed for the last week." Sweetie Belle whispered before stepping up to the bed. "Rarity? Are you awake?"

""Go away…" came the muffled whine of a forlorn fashionista.

"But we have company!" the younger sister declared, tugging on the blankets. "Twilight and Applejack…" She bit onto the covers, pulling harder. ".. and Apple Bloom… and Scootaloo!" With one more, solid yank, the blanket flew free of the bed, sending Sweetie Belle stumbling back to land on her rump. "All so they can cheer you up!"

Twilight placed her hoof on the bed. "It's true, Rarity. We're worried about you."

"An' we brought ice cream!" Applejack added, holding up her carton of the treat. "We all know how ya like ta pig out whenever yer mopin'!"

“Oh…” Rarity raised her head to look at her guests, revealing a face more disheveled and neglected than they had ever seen. Mascara had run down her cheeks in numerous streaks, with her eyeshadow smeared all over her face to the point where her entire forehead looked blue. She smiled weakly at her friends, turning herself around to face them properly. “That’s so very sweet of you. Sweetie Belle, could you be a dear and put it in the freezer with the rest of the ice cream?”

“The… rest?” Apple Bloom repeated, raising a curious eyebrow.

Sweetie Belle sighed, wondering how she was to fit any more into a freezer already packed to the point of near-bursting. "You don’t wanna know.”

Rarity bent down to place a kiss on her sister's forehead, sending her on her way and looking to her friends. "I'm… sorry for the state that I'm in… I just… haven't had the energy to do anything lately. Can't rightly explain why…"

"Yeah, you do look more tattered than the dry patch o' the east orchard after a windstorm." Applejack deadpanned, earning a hard nudge from the Alicorn beside her. She looked at Twilight with a raised eyebrow. "What? Just 'cause I mean ta help cheer ‘er up, that don't mean I ain't gonna tell it like it is."

“Oh, no, it’s fine.” Rarity dismissed, floating the blanket back over herself. "I'm sure I can get things done…" She paused for a moment, as of choking on her words. "... alone…"

The visiting mares winced at the last word, giving each other a worried look. "Applejack, can we talk for a moment?" The pair turned around, Twilight's wing draping over the farmer's back. "We have to do somethin about this. I honestly don't think I've ever seen Rarity this depressed before!"

"Me neither." She affirmed, sneaking a peek over her shoulder. "I've seen 'er feelin' down before, but this… I dunno if I wanna leave 'er all by herself."

A hoof reached up to tap the orange mare’s side, turning her attention to Apple Bloom. She looked to the older ponies with a smile on her face. “Ya know, I think I might have an idea…”

---

The very next day, the door to Carousel Boutique opened once again, this time giving way to an orange stallion with a purple dragon on his back. Spike took wing immediately, heading for the stairs with his claws cupped around his mouth. "Hey Sweetie Belle! We're heeeere!"

"Be ready in a minute!" the filly called back amidst the sounds of fussing. "Come on, sis! You said you'd get up for this! I even did your makeup and everything!"

"All right, all right!" Rarity replied, the clamor of hooves shuffling to the floor accompanying her voice. "But I don't see why you need me to walk with you to the castle when Spike and Boltsinger are here to pick you up."

"Trust me, it's very important that you come with us today." Sweetie Belle stated, appearing on the stairs with a reassuring smile.

With a long sigh, Rarity stepped up behind her sister, her face and hair back in their typical state, save for the downward curl of her lips. "Well, I suppose it has been a while since I was out and about." She looked to the dragon below with the weakest of smiles. "It's lovely to see you, Spike. I'm sorry we haven't caught up... since…" Her smile quickly faded, a worried hoof starting it's way back up the stairs. "Oh, maybe I shouldn't go with you… I'd only bring you down and--"

"No way." Spike interjected, coming to a landing next to the mare. "There's no way you could ever bring me down, so don't you try to get out of this!"

"Besides, wouldn't a walk through town looking as fabulous as you do be nice and refreshing?" Boltsinger suggested, giving his friend a small smirk.

The fashionista’s smile returned, sending her the rest of the way down the stairs. “You know, flattery will get you everywhere.” She lit her horn, opening the front door and looking outside. “All right. Sweetie Belle, gather your things. Let’s be off before I change my mind.”

The walk to the castle was filled with idle conversation, Spike keeping pace with Rarity at the head of the pack while Boltsinger whispered back and forth with Sweetie Belle. Everywhere the group looked, ponies were clearing the streets of clutter, meeting their gaze with a smile and a wave and offering up comments on how nice it was to see the couturier out and about after so long. Upon their arrival, the doors swung open, with Apple Bloom leading the way to meet the group halfway in.

“Yer here! Yer here! Yer here!” the yellow filly cried, skidding to a stop in front of Rarity. “Oh, I’m so glad you came!”

“Um… yes... I’m here.” she replied, tilting her head with a hint of confusion. The young pony’s face had a somewhat lopsided smile, showing an excitement usually reserved for her fellow Crusaders. Odd that it would be on display for her. "Are you alright Apple Bloom?"

"Of course I am!" she answered, springing enthusiastically into the air. "Why wouldn't I be? Everypony made it!"

An awkward grin forced its way onto Rarity’s muzzle. “Yes… well… I’m glad you three get to have your little slumber party.” Her hoof pointed delicately at the exit, slowly turning her body to match. “Well, I really must be going. I’ve got to be back before the--” Thunder rumbled in from outside, turning the mare’s eyes to pinpricks. As she looked through the door, a torrential downpour began, thick enough that she could hardly see past the front steps. “--rain… starts…”

Applejack took a place at her friend’s side, swinging her foreleg dejectedly. “Aww, shucks! The rain’s started!” She put her hoof around the Unicorn. "Guess we'll just hafta sleep over too, huh?"

“Oh, crabapples! You’re right!” Boltsinger affirmed with a feigned groan. “I guess I’m gonna have to go tell Twilight.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Wait a minute…” She looked around, finding each pony in the foyer with a strange kind of smile on their faces. Her eyes narrowed as she stomped over to the orange stallion, putting her hoof on his chest with a glare. “You planned this.”

The Pegasus recoiled, his ears flattening as his rump hit the floor. “What? Me? No! I didn’t--... No!” He raised a wing, pointing a single feather at the smallest Earth Pony in the room. “It was Apple Bloom.”

Rarity’s eyes drifted toward the redhead, her eyes putting the shock she felt on full display. “... A-- Apple… Bloom?”

The filly in question smiled wider, bouncing forward to present herself to the mare “Now that yer here, we can get this slumber party started!”

"A... slumber party?" the ivory mare repeated.

Boltsinger's wing came to the back of his neck, a sheepish grin showing itself as he looked away. "The beds are already set up for you."

The room fell silent for a moment with all eyes on Rarity. Her mouth hung open, eyes misty once more with the upturning of a wobbly lip. “A… slumber party?” She lit her horn, pulling Apple Bloom into her outstretched forelegs. “Of course it’s a slumber party!” She let out a few staggered breaths, wiping her eyes as she looked down at the filly. “All right, then, let’s have a slumber party!”

---

“Is this what I think it is?” Rarity wondered, her hoof on her chin as she looked closely at a book that Twilight floated before her.

“Why yes! Yes it is!” Twilight replied with a high-and-mighty look about her. She opened the book, scanning its contents before holding it close. “Slumber 101: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask, the very same book from our first slumber party! Which means...” She grinned over the top of the tome, switching her attention between Rarity and Applejack.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Means this party's gonna be 'officially' fun, right?"

“Exactly!” The Alicorn clapped her hooves excitedly, cycling through the pages again. “We’re going to play truth or dare, eat s'mores, have pillow fights, makeovers, everything! Nothing but nonstop fun the whole evening!"

"Wait a minute…" Scootaloo started. She took the book for a moment, searching frantically until she found a specific page. "You mean we're doing everything?"

"Mmhmm." the royal replied, her eyes closed with a confident smirk. "Absolutely everything."

The orange filly's eyes shrank. "Even… even the s-s-scary stories?" She held the book to her mother’s face, open to a page with a group of ponies in an eerily-lit room.

"Oh, don't worry, Scoot." Boltsinger chimed, patting the filly's back. "I'll be here too, so you won't have to be afraid of anything."

"Yeah! Bolt and I are gonna be waiting on you girls hoof and tail all night!" Spike added, proudly resting his fists on his hips beside Rarity. "You'll gonna want for--" A chill crept up the dragon's spine as the eyes of Twilight, Applejack, and Boltsinger fell upon him. He began to slouch, scratching the back of his head. "I mean… We'll take care of you."

“Speaking of which, why don’t we get the girls something to snack on?” the stallion suggested, beckoning him along with his wing. Spike chanced a look back at the fabulous fashionista with a nervous claw raised to his chin. Boltsinger put his wing around the dragon, guiding him to the door. “I think they can handle themselves.”

With a small sigh, Spike gave his wings a flap and plopped onto Boltsinger’s back. “Yeah, I guess so...”

When the door finally closed, Rarity turned to the royal, a small simper gracing her muzzle. “You’re lucky to have them, you know that?”

Twilight pulled her daughter close, smiling sweetly at her forlorn friend. “I know. But we’re not the only lucky ones.” She lit her horn, floating the book near. “We have each other, all of us, no matter what.”

“Truer words’ve never been spoken!” Applejack declared, raising a celebratory hoof.

“Yeah!” cried the Crusaders, following the farmer’s lead.

Applejack lowered her hoof, looking around with an almost wicked grin. “Now, why don’t we get this started? I got a hum-dinger of a tale fer y’all that’s sure ta knock you outta yer seats!”

---

"And then…" Applejack continued. The bedroom was dark, lit only with a single lantern in the middle of a circle of ponies as the door began to creak open. Applejack sat, hooves raised, over the light to add shadows to her features. "When she looked around… She saw that all the apples in the orchard…" Apple Bloom chewed on her hooves beside her sister. "... had a bite taken out of 'em!!!"

The Earth Ponies let out a simultaneous scream, Apple Bloom jumping back in terror while the rest of the ponies simply laughed. With a curious head tilt, Apple Bloom leaned forward. "Why're y'all laughin'? That was really scary!"

"Maybe for an apple farmer!" Scootaloo retorted between guffaws.

"You think starvin' from lack of apples ain't scary to everypony else?" the yellow filly continued, hugging her sister's foreleg. "I just about ran fer cover thinkin' ‘bout it…”

Rarity’s laughter slowed to a halt as her hoof met her chin. “It sounds terrifying, yes, but not really…” She twirled her hoof in the air for a moment before pointing at the farmer filly. “... relatable.”

“Just like that ghost that got in the mannequin an’ haunted all them costumes, right?” Applejack teased, eliciting a giggle from the two.

Twilight beamed at her friends’ laughter. “Maybe I can come up with something with a broader appeal, then?” she suggested, magically pulling the lantern toward her.

Scootaloo’s ears drooped, her hooves slowly shuffling her away from her adoptive mother from the dread of it all. “You don’t mean…?”

“Oh, I mean it.” the Alicorn affirmed, her smile turning wicked.

A sinister chuckle came out of Applejack. “An’ she’s pretty darn good at tellin’ ‘em, too!”

A whimper forced its way out of the young Pegasus, who looked around for some form of comfort. Everypony around her, though, had a deceptive smile on their faces, even despite their offered hooves. She let out a sigh, sitting alone between her mother and Rarity. “Okay… G-g-g-go ahead…”

The Princess of Friendship rubbed her hooves together, leaning toward the Crusaders. “So… Have any of you heard of the Winged Wraith of White Tail Woods?”

“N-no…” Scootaloo answered.

“Can’t say I have.” Apple Bloom affirmed.

“Nope.” Sweetie Belle stated.

Twilight chuckled to herself. “Neither did three other fillies. Until it was too late!" A little whine came from the little Pegasus, bringing a snicker out of the royal presence. “For you see, there was a night, years ago, when three little ponies decided to go for a late night walk in the woods, not knowing what they would find.” She knelt by the lantern, spreading her wings to cast a shadow on the ceiling. “What seemed like an ordinary night was filled with the hooting of owls...” An owl’s call pierced its way through the doorway, a loud clatter following behind that caused a wince in the Crusaders. “When they looked back at the trees behind them, one such owl perched on a branch above… staring at them with yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Despite the sudden chill down their spines, the little ponies thought nothing of it. ‘Just a bird,’ one had said, and they continued their walk…”

Scootaloo raised a hoof, looking hopefully around the room. “Aaaand then the walk went perfectly fine and they all went home happy, right?”

Twilight gave the small Pegasus a warm smile and a shake of the head. “Not quite.” Her smile returned to its sinister state. “The fillies did go on, and the trees grew thicker as they went. The hooting got louder, and more erratic, so they looked back one more time and… The owl had gotten closer, or so it seemed. The glowing yellow eyes were larger, and staring… right… at them!” She gave her wings a flap, putting the lantern out entirely and lighting her horn to create a pair of lights on either side of her. At the same time, another hooting noise came through the door, accompanied by a screech that made everypony shiver. “They sprang into a gallop, focused on the path ahead of them, but the woods had gotten dense.” The light of her horn dimmed, the eyes behind her vanishing so that all they could see was her head, face totally obscured by her bangs. “Before them was a thicket of pitch black…” The light blinked out, leaving the room in darkness with thunder sounding outside. “And when they turned around…”

With a flash of lightning in the window, the door flew open, letting a screeching cloaked figure in to flit about the room. It crashed into the walls, sending books from their shelves and twanging one of the canopy bed's many lightning rods. Everypony in the room, Twilight included, let out a shrill scream at the sudden presence, the Alicorn and her daughter simultaneously diving under a pile of pillows.

"Could you just calm down for five seconds?!" cried an irked baritone. The lights flipped on as Boltsinger shot into the room, coming to a hover next to the screeching figure. "I'll get it off of you if you'll just let me!" He pulled on the black cloth, tearing it away to reveal Owlowiscious and Abu hooting and screeching while wrestling with one another. Down on the floor, Applejack, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle looked up with confused expressions.

"Wait a sec… That wasn't planned?" Applejack inquired.

Rarity chances a look at the trembling pillow pile. "So that's why she…?" A smile cracked onto her muzzle with a snort of stifled laughter, eventually giving way to an uproar of delight from every wingless pony in the room.

Twilight and Scootaloo poked their heads out of the fluffy mass, both squinting at their respective friends. "What's so funny?" they simultaneously asked.

Boltsinger pulled on Abu's tail, separating him from the flustered avian. "Okay, that's enough!" He held out a foreleg for Owlowiscious to land on while Abu climbed onto the other. "Owlowiscious, I know Abu ate your chocolate mouse. But that's no reason to lash out like that." He turned to the simian with a stern glare. "Abu, apologize." A sorrowful squeak came from the monkey's mouth, earning a haughty hoot from the owl. The stallion returned to the floor, making for the doorway. "Now, let's get you a replacement treat, shall we?"

As the door closed, a flush of red came across Twilight's face, sending her retreating back into the pillows. "I think scary stories are done now…"

Amid the laughter, Rarity wiped away a joyful tear, leaning back on her foreleg. “Oh, Fancy Pants would have hated something so crude! Can you just imagine? A noble pony like him sitting on the floor and screaming at absurd little stories?”

Applejack gave her knee a hard slap, bending over and holding her stomach. “Yeah, he’d prolly just start fussin’ about every little detail!”

Twilight crawled halfway out of the pillows, pulling Scootaloo close and resting her head on her hoof. "Not like any of us would know anything about that, would we?"

The fashionista let out another chuckle behind her hoof. “Yes, of course not!” A soft sigh followed her statement, her eyes looking back on better days. "Though I bet Paradigm would have loved it. I guess we'll never--" Rarity was cut off by her own voice as a pillow flew in her face. Moving the down-filled plush out of the way, she eyed an orange-coated apple farmer with a smirk on her face and a hoof extended.

"Now none o' that mopin', ya hear?" she commanded, pulling another pillow from the pile. "We're here ta have a fun time, an' next on Twilight's list is…"

"PILLOW FIGHT!!!" cried the Crusaders. The fillies each leaped from their spots, taking a pillow in their teeth and gathering at the center of the room. In mere moments, down feathers and laughter filled the small space between them.

“You call that a pillow fight?” Rarity wondered, showing her friends a confident smirk.

Twilight’s face formed a crooked smile, her horn igniting to lift the entire pillow pile overhead. While the young ponies swung their weapons of choice, a looming shadow filled the room. When the fillies looked up to the source, a veritable dome of pillows cloaked in blue and magenta magic floated above them. “This is a pillow fight!” the Princess corrected, rearing up and flailing her forelegs as half of the pillows came raining down on them.

The Crusaders let out a playful scream, diving out of the way of the fluffy torrent towards the nearest adult. Each pair of them gave a glare to the others, lowering their stances and readying their pillows. Before anypony knew it, plushy projectiles flew about the room, be they flung by magic, bucked by farm ponies, or dropped by a petit Pegasus, the master bedroom became the most playful warzone anypony had ever seen. The sounds of laughter and flailing bedding filled the room, holding their attention as the door opened wide.

In walked Boltsinger, a bright smile on his face and a tray of six glasses in his wing. “Sorry about the debacle with the pets, ladies! I got you some cocoa to--OOMMPF!” A flying pillow cut him off, smacking him in the face and forcing him to drop the tray as the impact sent him stumbling. He pulled the offending comfort away, looking down at the mess beneath.

The pillows still in the room stopped in midair, all held by Twilight’s magic as she looked at the doorway in fear. “Oh no…”

With a quick look back at the pillow, then back to the mess, his eyes narrowed. “Oh, it’s on, now!” the stallion declared. He gripped the pillow in his wing, perpetually swinging it as he slowly stepped forward. Twilight took a tentative step back, launching a single pillow at him. With a single wing-flap, it was pushed back, and with a single sweep, it was in his wing, twirling like the other with a dark chuckle echoing out.

Beads of sweat dripped down Twilight’s face, her horn tripling in brightness. “Hey, girls! New plan! Whoever can take Bolt down wins!"

Rarity and the Crusaders delivered a war cry, resuming their assault on a new target. Boltsinger let out a cry of his own, knocking away every pillow pelted at him with a precision typically unseen from the stallion. All the while, Applejack stepped over to Twilight, raising a hoof to the Alicorn's ear. "I get that it's all fun 'n games, but ain't it a might unfair ta be gangin' up on Bolt like this?"

"Normally, yes." She confirmed, sending another down-filled missile at her husband. "But you haven't heard the horror stories I have!" She shuddered for a moment, an image of the orange Pegasus plowing through a slew of royal guards, down flying everywhere, before landing on the alarmed faces of Celestia and Luna. "The biweekly royal pillow battle will never be the same thanks to him…"

Applejack's head tilted in a frustrating level of confusion. "Biweekly royal what now? Not sure I--" The Earth Pony was quickly silenced as a pillow hit her in the side, knocking the wind out of her and sending her a few feet away in a heap. In her place stood a cackling Boltsinger, twirling his pillows triumphantly with his forelegs kicking the air.

"Applejack! No!" Twilight briefly reached for her friend, looking back at what her husband had left in his wake, abject horror overtaking her expression. “Oh my gosh…”

Scattered throughout the room lay three fillies feigning agony, a desperate Rarity extending her foreleg out to the princess. “Twilight, please! You must avenge us!” she pleaded, dragging herself forward with her hoof. “You must!”

“Yes, Twilight…” Boltsinger began, turning to face her with a sadistic smirk. “Avenge them if you can!” He took a step forward, twirling his pillows anew.

“You asked for it, Bolt!” the Alicorn assured, her horn flaring with an intensity that covered every pillow in the room save the two her spouse was swinging. She rose into the air before him, her ammunition swirling around like a miniature storm. "Just don't complain when I beat you!"

Twilight thrust her head downward, sending her pillows swarming at the stallion, who in turn, let out a yell and charged. He charged forward, batting away plush after plush, feathers flying into a veritable cloud around him that he plowed through like it was nothing. With one leap, he was hopping on the bedding bombardment, steadily making his way toward his wife. "Come on, honey! You can do better than that!"

She simply smirked, letting out a giggle. "You're right! I can do better!" With a flare of magic, all of the pillows Boltsinger had beaten aside rose once more, circling around to assail him anew.

"Clever!" he admitted, jumping above the new stream of softness. His wings spread wide and flapped, letting the pillows fall into his waiting forelegs as he spun in the air, knocking away pillow after pillow in a constant stream.

"You haven't seen anything yet." the princess said under her breath. Unbeknownst to the Pegasus, a single down feather came to life with her magic, rocketing toward him amidst the larger swarm. In an instant, Boltsinger inhaled sharply, seizing in midair. The assault likewise ceased, moving to the floor as the stallion's body went completely limp, flopping on the plush below with a dejected look on his face. Twilight haughtily stepped up to the stallion, her expression becoming the very definition of smug. “Not so tough now, are you?”

"You cheated…" he spat, his face turning to a pout.

"I just knew my opponent." she corrected, her magic lighting a small section of his wing to remove the down from his down. In an instant, Boltsinger's body seized again, jumping into the air before landing in a heap once more. She brought her face close to his, their noses meeting for a moment. "I think you taught me rather well, don’t you?"

A soft smile made its way onto the Pegasus’ face, his gaze fixing itself on her eyes. The two lingered in each others’ eyes for a moment, a swooning sigh until… “Ahem!” Rarity coughed, snapping the couple from their trance. The fabulous mare had a knowing grin on her face with her fetlocks crossed. The Cutie Mark Crusaders poked their heads out from behind her, alternating between giggling fits and smooching noises. “Don’t mind me, of course. I’m just admiring the fruits of my labor so long ago.”

The spouses instinctively reeled back with a deep red lining their faces. “We should… probably move on.”

Rarity shook her hoof between them, looking bashfully away. “I really don’t mind, dear. Honestly.” She poked the floor with her hoof, her smile weakening a little. “I’m just glad some of my romantic machinations were successful…” With an audible sigh from Rarity, a silence fell upon the room once more. All eyes turned to the forlorn fashionista, with many minds racing for what to say.

At long last, Applejack opted to break the silence. “Yep…” She worked her way to her hooves. “It’s definitely time ta move on.” She dusted herself off, picking the Slumber 101 book up from the desk. “Now, what’s next?”

“Hmm… If I remember right…” Boltsinger began, pulling himself up with a wing on his chin. “Wasn’t it…” His pupils shrank as the memory arrived, his hooves scooting toward the door. “You know, I think I’d better get you more cocoa. Those last glasses got spi--”

A yank came to the stallion’s tail, drawing his attention to the blue aura surrounding it. His head turned to Rarity, whose sad smile had switched to a snarky smirk. “Oh, don’t worry about that, Bolt.” She lightly tugged on him, causing his face to tense up. “You can’t possibly be scared of a little mud, can you?”

Boltsinger let out a nervous laugh, attempting to pull himself away. “I mean… This whole thing was for you girls! I’m just here to be… um… The server!” His legs began to move at a scramble, scraping against the hard floor to no avail. “I should totally go do that for all of you and pleasenotgetcoveredingoop…”

“Oh no, Bolt…” she pressed with a sneer, flicking her horn ever-so-slightly. “After the enthusiasm you put into our last activity, there’s no getting out of it.”

Applejack gave a confused look to the Unicorn, stepping up to her and adjusting her hat. “Wait a sec. Goop? Y’all don’t mean…” Rarity answered with a simple nod, sending the roughest mare in the room back a step. “I dunno, maybe subjectin’ Bolt… and me… ta that kinda thing would be a little--”

“No, Rarity has a point.” Twilight interjected, producing a jar of a green substance and joining the group. “He’s gotten fully involved with our fun. We might as well let him do everything with us!”

“That’s a great idea!” the younger Unicorn chimed in. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom joined on either side of Rarity, each displaying an ecstatic grin. “I bet you’ll be beautiful!”

Scootaloo shrugged, taking a good look at her father. “I dunno. Seems like he’d just look green.” She looked back and forth between the jar and the other orange ponies in the room, a little tension building up in her features as well. “In fact, I think maybe I should help Bolt get the next round of snacks!”

“Well ain’t that a sweet idea?” Applejack affirmed, picking the Pegasus off of the floor. “I think I just might join ya!” She pulled him free of the magical aura, leaning close to his ear. “On my signal...” The three orange ponies shared a silent nod, kicking the floor and breaking into a-- “RUUUUUUUUN!!!”

The ponies barrelled down the hallway, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. With a great giggle, a quartet of pursuers galloped after them, a magenta flash lighting up the way ahead. Skidding to a stop, Boltsinger turned to a nearby window. “This way! Only one of them can follow us here!” He opened it up to the storm, beckoning to his compatriots.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, slamming the window shut. “Are you kiddin’?” She motioned to her side, noting a distinct lack of appendages. “Not everypony here can fly!”

“Exactly! They’d never expect it!” he retorted, putting his foreleg around her and reopening their escape. “It’s not the first time I’ve flown with you!”

“Now wait just a cotton-pickin’ minute!” The farmer struggled in his grip, her hind legs dragging against the floor. “Don’t I get a say in this?”

Scootaloo hopped onto the mare’s shoulder, pointing back down the hall. “They’re catching up!” She bounded off of them, teetering closer to the opening as she gave her wings a hard flap. “Just go already!”

The filly’s flap sent a gust of wind into her elders, rocketing them out the window with a simultaneous scream. Further feathers unfurled as they fell, the stallion’s own wings doing that which came naturally to slow their descent. As their hooves splashed into the mud below, Applejack looked up at the descending Crusader, moving her hat aside to see her. “Wow… She sure has come a long way…”

“I know. Isn’t it amazing?” Boltsinger confirmed, wiping away a tear with a smile. His hold on his friend tightened just a little, pulling her closer. “So… proud…”

Applejack rolled her eyes, wiggling her way to freedom. “All right, that’s enough gushin’ fer one night. We’d best get back in, else we’re just gonna catch cold and ruin Rarity’s evenin’.”

“I guess you’re right.” he agreed, standing up with a sigh. He met his daughter halfway, pulling her into a hug as they came to the door. “So, once the door’s open, we run, right?

“Right.” the girls repeated, faces filled with determination.

“Okay. On my mark, then.” He put his hoof on the door. “One…” He began to push, feeling the large oak entryway slide along the floor. “Two…” The orange trio’s faces grew tense with anticipation as the door opened wide. “Thr--” The charge found itself cut short as a glow of magenta, blue, and green surrounded them,freezing the mud-covered ponies in place. Their eyes looked ahead, spotting Twilight, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle sauntering tauntingly toward them.

“Well this just won’t do, now will it?” Rarity teased, examining the filth her friends had subjected themselves to. “And here we just wanted to make you look beautiful. And now you’ve gone and covered yourself in muck.”

“Ain’t that no diff’rent from what you were gonna put on us?” Applejack asked.

“Nuh-uh! Rarity was gonna use a mud mask!” Sweetie Belle replied, her magic flickering a bit. She took a deep breath, holding her head up and regaining her composure. “It nourishes your skin and rejuvenates your complexion.”

Rarity nodded, moving over to Applejack. “That’s exactly right, Sweetie Belle!” She brushed her hoof along the mare’s muddy foreleg, examining it with mild disgust. “A far cry better than this icky mess.” She flicked her hoof, clearing some of it away. “Honestly, I don’t know how you tolerate it.” She took a step back, her comrades in beautification joining at her side. “Well, I guess now you’ll have to wash up before we begin, won’t you?” As their assailants fell upon them, the orange trio let out a veritable symphony of screams.

---

After an hour of what Boltsinger could only describe as ‘torture’, the group sat on the bedroom floor. Boltsinger lay slumped over, his face covered in a green substance. Scootaloo leaned against her adoptive father, sitting on her rump with a green face filled with terror. Applejack trundled over to flop beside them, a cucumber slice over each eye. “Are we done now?” the three of them asked, rolling onto their backs as a mutual giggle sounded around them.

Twilight, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle, all them sporting curlers along with their mud masks, sat up from their giggle fit. “I suppose you’ve all ‘suffered’ enough for one night.” the Alicorn stated, lighting her horn and poofing away the beauty supplies. She pulled the book forward, flipping through it with vested interest. “So, who’s up for Truth or Dare?”

Scootaloo jumped from her spot, sending her horned friend a smirk. “I got one! I dare Sweetie Belle to go splash in the mud!”

Sweetie Belle met the smirk in kind, springing to her hooves. “You’re on!” She galloped toward the door, leaping for the knob before a blue aura held her in place.

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity shouted, pulling the filly back. “Think about what we’ve just finished doing! Do you really want to ruin it on some dare?”

“But it’s part of the game!” she spat back, struggling in the magical grip. “I gotta do any dare she tells me!”

“It’s true.” Twilight started, floating the book over to her. “You have to--”

“‘Answer any question honestly and do whatever anypony dares you to do.” Rarity concluded, pushing the tome aside. “Yes, I understand.” She released her hold on the filly, looking away with a scoff. “But I don’t have to like it.”

“Well, I like it, and that’s what matters.” Sweetie Belle stated, lighting her horn and the door handle respectively, making ready to pull as the door swung open before her.

“Who wants s’mooo~ooores?” Spike asked, standing on his toes in the doorway with a platter of ingredients raised high.

Sweetie Belle reeled back, her eyes falling upon the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. In that instant, all thoughts of mud and dares flew out the metaphorical window, her horn igniting anew and snatching the platter. “I do! I do!” She pranced to the center of the room, giggling like a filly half her age before falling to the floor as her best friends joined her.

Rarity looked on the younger ponies with a chuckle and a smile, turning to the entering dragon. “Spike, you really are a life-saver sometimes.”

A tinge of red graced the reptile’s cheeks as he came to sit next to her. “R-really? How so?”

A flutter of eyelashes and a brilliant smile crossed the fashionista’s features as she took a moment to look at the young drake. “Oh, it’s no big deal. I just think it’s sweet that you’re always there to save the day.”

The redness increased, causing the dragon to wave a claw in front of him. “Aw, shucks, all I did was bring marshmallows…”

The mare’s smile turned serene as she looked around the room, spotting the Crusaders looking like they were ready to pounce on the incomplete treats before them. “Yes, well, here’s an idea...” Before the petit ponies could pounce, she floated the platter up, standing tall and moving to the center of the room. “How about instead of the potentially icky Truth or Dare, we have a nice relaxing and clean game of ‘Truth and S’mores’ instead?”

The idea forced a laugh out of Twilight, who looked over to Applejack. The blonde mare shrugged. “What the heck. This whole shindig’s for her, anyhow.”

“Alright, then, Truth and S’mores it is!” the Alicorn announced. “Who wants to go first?”

Apple Bloom’s hoof almost immediately raised. “I got one!” She gave Scootaloo a sly look, her hoof sliding under her chin. "Scootaloo, you've been flyin' with Rumble a lot durin' yer free time. How d'you feel about 'I'm these days?"

The pink-haired filly's pupils shrank, looking around the room as myriad smiles formed on everyone's faces. Finally, Boltsinger rested on his fetlocks, sending the biggest grin of all. "Now that is a good question!" he said, leaning in closer. "How do you feel about Rumble?"

"Well, um…" the feathered Crusader started, her eyes darting around as her face began to redden. "I mean, I like him, but I mean I don't know if I like him or like like him. He's a good flyer and he taught me a lot of neat stuff… and…" She pointed her hoof back at Apple Bloom. "What about you and Tender Taps, huh? Any more of those dates?"

Applejack let out a burst of laughter at the question, tussling her sister's mane. "Only about ev'ry month fer the past year!" She pulled her into a tight hug, nuzzling her close. "I still can't get over how grown-up an' adorable you look, gettin' all fixed up fer yer sweet little crush!"

Apple Bloom squirmed in her sister’s grip, pushing her way out with a glare at the mare. “Excuse me, but ain’t that my question?” She popped out of the hug and onto her rump, looking down and rubbing her forehooves together. “I mean ya pretty much answered it for me, but…” She leaned forward, swiping the closest ingredients and mashing them together before shoving them in her mouth. “WhaabouffRardee, huh?” she asked, spitting bits of cracker as she spoke.

Rarity put her hoof over her heart. “Oh, me? Well, you know…”

With a large gulp, Apple Bloom wiped her mouth. “Not that! Yer the guest of honor and ya haven’t even gotten to play the best game!” She took another set of ingredients, placing the chocolate and marshmallow as carefully as possible,then slowly lowering the top cracker into place and squishing so carefully that not a drop falls to the floor. Finally, she presented Rarity with a functionally perfect s’more. “So… Why don’t you pick the next victim?”

Rarity flashed a brilliant smile, opening her mouth wide and eating it right out of the Earth Pony’s hoof. She raised her head high, face covered in marshmallow and chocolate as she let out a satisfied hum. When she finally finished, she looked around to see nothing but shocked faces. She giggled, wiping her mouth. “What? You just eat them!” The circle of ponies burst into laughter for a moment, coming to a quick halt when a white hoof pointed at a blue-maned stallion. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something for quite some time!”

“Wait what?” he replied, pointing to himself. “I’m not sure if I count. I’ve just been--”

“You’ve been involved ever since you whacked me in the face with a pillow!” the blue-eyed mare interjected, straightening her foreleg. “You’re as much a part of this game as anypony!” She looked at the dragon next to her, brushing her hoof against his swiftly-reddening cheek. “And any dragon.”

“Alright, fine.” Boltsinger stated with a sigh. “What’s your question?”

“Alright.” Rarity crossed her forelegs, looking at him with a playful glint in her eye. “If you hadn’t gotten together with Twilight, who--”

“Fluttershy.” came a simultaneous deadpan. Rarity shook her head for a moment, staring straight into Twilight and Boltsinger’s smirking faces. The couple looked each other in the eye, sharing in a giggle.

The designer’s jaw dropped, her hoof shakily pointing at them. “And… Twilight?”

“Flash Sentry.” they confirmed, again in unison.

“How do you know this all so readily?”

With another collective laugh, the pair beamed at her. “Because we talked about it, of course!”

Rarity looked away in a huff, her gaze lingering on the royal ponies. “Yes, of course you tell each other everything, don’t you?” Her head began to droop, her forelegs shuffling against each other. “Last time my partner told me his feelings…” She rose to her hooves, moving to the mirror lined with memories. “Not that I’ve ever had good luck where the boys are concerned…” She held herself there for a moment, shutting her eyes tight. “Why do they all leave me…?” Looking into the mirror, the forlorn fashionista saw concerned faces surrounding her, with her mane half-covering her face budding tears threatening to stream down. She turned on another smile, turning back to her friends. “But, I digress! Bolt, you’re next.”

Boltsinger looked at the floor, resting his head on his hooves. “I mean… I dunno what to ask…” A silence fell upon the room, the air becoming thick and stifling. With one look at her older sister, Sweetie Belle moved to sit next to the stallion, hiding her mouth behind her hoof as she whispered in his ear. “Gotcha. Thanks Sweetie Belle.” He took a deep breath, standing up and putting a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Rarity, my question is for you.” He wiped a tear from her eye, brushing her hair aside to get a look at her face. “How are you feeling?”

Rarity reeled back, moving the orange hoof aside. “How am I feeling?” she repeated, eyes going wide. “You want to know how I’m feeling?” She looked around at the gathering, receiving a nod from each pony she saw. “After all of this distraction, you want to know now?! Fine!” She looked in the mirror again, eyeing the photos all around. “I feel greedy.”

Twilight and Boltsinger exchanged a worried look.

“Every stallion I’ve had my eye on, all of them have left me in the dirt! No matter what I did, no matter how much effort I put in, they leave…” She began pacing around the room. “I thought Fancy Pants would be different, that he would stay with me, but no! He couldn’t stick with me! He was too stuck in how things are supposedly supposed to be!” Her brow furrowed as she moved to a trot. “And then… I spent so much time helping him change his image, separate himself from the one thing he thought defined him! We made a connection, and whenever I saw him, he was always smiling!”

Applejack scooted up to Twilight, leaning close to her ear. “Is she still talkin’ about Fancy Pants?”

“I’m not sure.” the Princess answered, eyes fixed on Rarity.

By an empty pillow, Spike stood up, producing a tiny box and staring at it. “I’m pretty sure…” he whispered, stowing it away and heading for the door.

“And then…” Rarity continued, slowing down with her head hanging low. “He left it all behind…” Her rump hit the floor with staggered breaths. “He left me behind… I love him so much… and he left me…” She hunched over, burying her face in her forelegs as her sobs began in earnest. “Why…? Why did he leave me…?”

In no time at all, Twilight, Applejack, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo fell upon the distraught mare, nearly covering her in their embrace. Boltsinger stood close by, ready to join in at a moment’s notice. One figure in the group, from the Pegasus’ perspective, was conspicuously absent. And here I thought he’d be the first one to join the hug… He looked back at the rest of the room, spotting a purple tail disappearing out the door.

---

“Gotta pack light!” Spike told himself, digging through a chest of possessions in his room. “Only the essentials!” He pulled a large ruby from the bottom of the box, plopping on the floor. “This is essential, right?”

“Gotta have a snack for the road, I guess.”

“Right!” he affirmed, tossing the ruby up to land in his waiting mouth. With an almost comical gulp, he dove back into the box. “Gotta make sure I have everything I need!” He sat up for a moment, scratching his chin. “Hmm… How long is it even gonna take, anyway?”

“I’m planning on it taking a while. But it’d still be good to come back and check in after sometime.”

The dragon nodded, climbing out of the box. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Thanks--” He paused for a second, looking over to the door to see “Bolt?! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with Rarity?”

Boltsinger smiled from the doorway, walking in and sitting by the reptile. “Probably for the same reason as you.” He looked back toward the master bedroom, turning down the corners of his mouth. “I can’t stand to see her like this…”

“You’re telling me.” Spike replied, retrieving the box again. He opened it up, gazing at the ring inside. “Fancy Pants told me to make sure this gets into the right hooves… But I don’t even know where those hooves are.” He hopped to his feet, stowing the box and raising a determined fist. “So I’m gonna go find him, no matter what it takes!”

"I figured as much." the stallion stated. He flapped onto his hooves, offering a wing to the young dragon. "We should probably wait until tomorrow before we set out, though."

Spike cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'we'?"

"You didn't expect to do this alone, did you?" Boltsinger asked, raising his foreleg with a smirk. "You haven't been flying nearly long enough to tackle long distances. And the search will go a lot faster with both of us investigating."

Scaled brows furrowed in contemplation at the bluenette's words. Boltsinger presented a good point, especially given that he had no idea where to begin. “What about Nova?”

“One mom, six aunts, the Cakes, Trixie, Sunburst, and even ‘Mama Celestia’ in case we really need her.” he explained, giving off a haughty snort.

“And your helping the farm?”

“They don’t actually need me there. I just help out and they give me bits.”

“Speaking of bits…”

“Wallet’s full.” He waved his hoof tauntingly. “Come on, gimme another.”

A groan forced its way out of the dragon’s mouth, his fist clenching. After another moment of thought, his arms fell limp. “Alright, fine. We’ll go together.”

Boltsinger beamed, scooping Spike up with his wing to sit on his back. “Good! I’ve been worried about Paradigm for a long time anyway.” He exited the room, breaking into a canter down the halls.

As the duo sped through the castle, Spike looked behind him, clenching his fist as tight as he could. “Don’t worry, Rarity. I’ll make it right. I’ll make sure you never have to feel that way again!”

Author's Note:

FINALLY. I've had this one in my head for almost a year now, and I finally got it done! Not exactly how I wanted, but still good.
I'm coming to realize that the amount of time it took for this to come out may become the norm as I settle into my own mind of late. Life is hard but I'm getting through it. I'm just glad I can still bring this to you! The next story arc is one of the most involved I've even conceived. I haven't even figured out what all goes on in it yet! But I will be working long and hard on making it as good as it can possibly be!
I hope you enjoy it!