Buried by the Shoreline

They pulled up to a free parking space.

Fluttershy sat comfortably inside of her cute, multi-colored punch buggy, but Sunset Shimmer was the one who was in the driver's seat.

Fluttershy told Sunset, "Now, put it in park..."

Sunset rolled her eyes, and went for the stick shift.

"Good..." Fluttershy excitedly cheered her friend along by saying, "Very good! I never doubted you for a second."

"Uh, huh," Sunset responded pleasantly. "I've got the hang of it now. It's just... your car drives so quirkily..." They got out, and looking back, Sunset also voiced, "It's got way too many frilly, flowery decals, too."

Fluttershy gasped, and replied, "Oh... why, thank you so much, Sunset!"

Sunset chuckled lightly, and then began helping. "I'll get the blankets and the cooler."

Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer then walked in sandals together down towards the beach, and they firstly enjoyed the crisp sounds of the waves as well the chirping seagulls. They next sensed the smell and distinct taste of salt water looming in the warm air, and Finally, there was the soft and hot sand that moved around underneath their toes.

Fluttershy wobbled as she took another step, and grabbed hold of Sunset Shimmer's hand. "I'm, uh... a little unsteady. Hold onto me?"

Sunset Groaned, "Guh, I hate that song!"

Fluttershy regained her balance, but they still held hands. "I dunno," Fluttershy said. "I think it's kinda nice."

Sunset walked backwards, and with the light beaming brightly against her back, she told Fluttershy, "I think you're kinda nice..."

This earned the red haired girl a laugh from her friend, and as they kept going along passing by hill after sandy hill, a dazzling combination of red and pink colors could be seen cascading down the long, stretching horizon.

They calmly jogged together, and as they rounded the waves, they eventually spotted a lighthouse. There was also a peaceful looking clearing of flat sand just ahead, and Fluttershy then recommended, "Right here seems pretty nice, don't you think, Sunset?" She turned around. "Sunset...?"

Fluttershy saw her friend with her sandals off, and her feet were already dipped in the refreshing saltwater.

Fluttershy came up to her, but didn't yet wish to go in. She asked Sunset, "Don't you think?"

"Uh, say, Fluttershy?" Sunset turned back around only to make an odd sounding request. "Bury me..."

There was an awkward pause.

"In the sand?" Fluttershy asks timidly, "Now? Already? But, Sunset, we haven't even gotten our towels set up yet or anything! I'll gladly give you a dirt nap as soon as this is done."

She gestured with her arms for Sunset to come on out of the water. "Fine," pouted Sunset. "That assertiveness elective you took is really paying off."

Their spot was set up fairly quickly, and while Sunset took care of the battle against the umbrella, Fluttershy handled the radio.

"Ha! Take that, and stay there," Sunset said after double checking her work. After Fluttershy had finally found a good station for them to listen to, she heard Sunset make that same exact request again from earlier.

"So you'll bury me all the way up to my neck in the sand now, right, Fluttershy?"

She seemed a bit eager about this, so slowly, and gently, Fluttershy therapeutically asked, "Why... do you want to be buried so much, Sunset?" She twiddled her thumbs as she voiced, "You're... honestly kind of confusing me right now."

The girl with the red and brilliantly yellow hair sighed for a short amount of time, and then hastily explained, "It brings back memories, alright?"

Fluttershy couldn't think of anything else to say, so she simply took Sunset back down to the shoreline. They began digging, and Fluttershy ventured to ask, "What kind of memories?"

There was a lump within Sunset's throat. "I, uh... Well, umm..." She looked up towards Fluttershy, and admitted, "There's... a lot of memories that I have... of being buried on a beach. I hadn't realized it before, but I've had so... many of my friends... I've been buried by lots... of people..."

She looked down, and away for a moment. Fluttershy asked her, "You mean... ponies, don't you? This was one of your favorite things to do, wasn't it?"

Sunset smiled just as they finish making the hole. In Sunset went, and then, she giddily squealed with excitement. "Even though we're so close to the beach, I actually haven't done this in what feels like ages!"

Fluttershy asks her in preparation, "I'll start with your legs. Are you ready, Sunset?"

The girl in the hole nodded with anticipation and a toothy grin, and just as the grains were filled up to her ankles, Sunset sighed very contently. "Ohhh... Fluttershy, have you... ever tried this?"

"When I was just a little kid," she admitted. "Umm, I remember being a little bit afraid at the time."

Sunset nodded while elevating herself with her elbows. As she waited patiently for Fluttershy to finish up, she enjoyed just being on the beach for as long as she could. She then asked, "You brought sunscreen, right?"

Fluttershy's smile dissipated, and she said, "Oh, umm... Let me go check. I'll be right back!"

Sunset was already completely covered up to her neck with sand, but she didn't mind at all.

"This was... It used to be... so nice. Just as expected, it still is," she said softly. The wind kissed just her face and arms, and the whooshing of the nearby waters helped sooth Sunset Shimmer that much more.

"I'm back," Fluttershy called out, reawakening Sunset from a momentary, three second nap. "Good news! I remembered to pack the sunscreen after all!"

Sunset's friend came on over to nestle right next to her.

"Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Sunset?"

There was a very short pause. Sunset broke the silence, and said, "I always... used to visit the beach with Princess Celestia..."

"Oh," Fluttershy replied. "I assume that you must have such lovely memories of your time with her. Right?"

"Nope! There was fire, explosions, bombs going off, and cheese went everywhere."

Fluttershy gasped while holding her hand up to her mouth, and there was another short pause. The two of them then began laughing together, and Fluttershy was soon saying, "Seriously, though... Tell me about it."

"Okay, okay," Sunset said while blushing. "She... pushed me pretty hard at first, but as I did better and better, I began to impress her. We even... bonded sometimes, and then one day, she... she actually invited me to the beach...! I was... just so surprised."

"She then proceeded to bury you," Fluttershy finished.

"Yep... although with magic, it was a whole lot quicker. Ever since then, I've just... got this thing for being buried all the way up to my neck in sand." The two of them smiled at one another, and Sunset then kindly requested, "Could you... also be sure to bury my arms, Fluttershy?"

She got back to work while saying, "Sure thing, Sunset Shimmer... Try not to fall asleep again."

Sunset giggled as Fluttershy began blocking the sun, and she then said, "You have no idea... how much I missed this feeling."

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