Chapter 11: Look Before You Sleep
In Ponyville, the gang of three Earth Pony Stallions eyed Warm Heart Tower.
“We should have struck while he didn’t have guards!” one of them said.
“It was your fault Gray!” another said. “You had to go and visit your mother back in Manehattan!”
“She was sick, Swipe!” Gray countered.
“Enough! We’re all back together again and we need to come up with a plan,” the first one, their leader said. “He has guards, but there’s gotta be some way we can get past them and break into his tower.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll think of something, Bright Wane,” Swipe said.
Bright Wane was a yellow stallion with a dark brown mane. His cutie mark was of a solar eclipse. He was the brains and leader of the thugs. Gray had a similarly colored coat to match his own name and a lighter silver mane with an oval cutie mark that was of a darker shade then the rest of his body with edges of light and dark on either side of it. Lastly, Swipe was blue and had the cutie mark of a fox tail. His talent was being sly like a fox.
“We’ll see what happens tonight, since the Pegasus ponies are scheduling a downpour,” Bright said. “That will mean few ponies will be out tonight. It could be good for us.”
Swipe smiled. “I have an idea then.”
…
A couple hours later the ponies in town were hard at work preparing for the upcoming storm tonight. It started out as a sunny day, but soon began getting blocked out as the Pegasi shifted clouds over the town and blocked out the sun. Below, Earth Ponies and a handful of Pegasi also worked as Fire watched with his guards and Mayor Mare.
“We need to prune the trees for the upcoming storm, or they might fall down on someponies house,” the mare explained. “I hope you don’t mind doing this sort of work?”
“Not at all,” Fire said with a sincere smile. “If it's to help ponies out and make sure nopony gets hurt I’m in.”
He looked at his guards, with Lieutenant Vine Archer saluting him.
“We’ll help however we can, your royal sheriffness sir!” Archer said.
Fire chuckled. Seems Vine Archer still had a sense of humor compared to most guards. That was good. Most of them were kind of boorish the way they just stood by unmoving until given commands.
“Help everypony take down those fallen branches,” Fire ordered.
“Yes sir!” they all said.
The sheriff prince and his guards/deputies got to work. Fire spotted Applejack and Rarity among the crowd working. Applejack used her lasso to pull a branch down while Rarity was a bit further ahead of her using her magic to levitate a branch.
“Howdy Applejack!” Fire greeted in a way similar to the country pony.
“Oh, Howdy Fire!” she greeted back. “Good to see you’re working as well!”
“Don’t expect me to not help out just cause it might be a little dirty?” Fire asked.
“Well, I know Rarity wouldn’t approve,” Applejack looking at the said unicorn and seeing what she was doing. “What in tarnation does she think she’s up to?
Instead of taking a branch down, Rarity had magically reattached it to the tree it came from and then spruced up the leaves to resemble a pair of ponies.
“Perfect!” the unicorn said.
Fire could admire the beauty of her creation, but Applejack didn’t. The Earth Pony took her lasso and grabbed hold of the branch and pulled it back down.
She then rounded on her friend. “Just take the broken limbs down, Rarity. Don't y'all care about nothin' other than prettifyin'?”
“Somepony has to,” Rarity countered with narrowed eyes. “You were making an absolute mess of the town square, Applejack.”
She gestured to the many branches on the ground.
“Yeah, well, the storm's gonna make an even bigger mess if we don't prune all these loose branches so they don't tumble down on anypony,” Applejack said.
Rarity looked up at the sky in annoyance. “I simply cannot imagine why the Pegasus ponies would schedule a dreadful downpour this evening and ruin what could have been a glorious sunny day."
Applejack sighed. “Think more practical-like, will ya? They accidentally skipped a scheduled sprinkle last week, so we need a doozy of a downpour to make up for it, is all.
At that moment rain began to sprinkle, much to Rarity’s horror.
“Oh no!” she exclaimed. “My wonderfully styled mane shall be ruined!”
“Ya shoulda hurried up and finished the job already,” Applejack told her.
Rarity began running around trying to get out of the rain. “Oh! Ah! Oh! Ph! It's coming down too fast! Ah! Oh! Oh! Ah! Help me!”
Applejack looked around and spotted a bench nearby. "Uh, there. Hunker down to yer heart's content whilst I finish things.
Rarity ran over to the bench but as soon as she looked under it, she went, “Oh, no, no, no!”
Fire who had followed her with Applejack saw the problem. Under the bench it was very muddy.
Applejack however didn’t get it. “What now?”
“I prefer not to get my hooves muddy,” Rarity pointed.
Fire could sympathize, he also liked to look his best. Of course, there were times when things demanded he make a small sacrifice.
Applejack was getting more irritated though. “Guh. There is just no pleasin' ya, is there? Everything's got to be just so."
Rarity scoffed. “Well, and how does muddying my hooves serve any useful purpose?”
Applejack put her hoof down. “Y'all wouldn't know useful if it came up and bit'cha.”
Rarity laughed. “That doesn't even make any sense.”
“Does so,” Applejack said.
“Does not,” Rarity said back and a bicker began.
“Does so.”
“Does not.”
Fire listened to the argument going back and forth and his mane began to light up in flames, causing a little steam as he was also hit by the rain.
“Enough!” he shouted.
He conjured up a rain shield like he had during the rain when Twilight and he had gotten the tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala. His red magic formed a layer above him that warded off the drops.
“Here Rarity, get under here with me!” he called to her.
She trotted over and gave him a grateful smile as she no longer felt the rain hitting her and she wasn’t getting dirty either. “Thank you, Prince Fire, your highness. Surely you agree with me on this whole mess thing?”
“Actually, I’m kinda with Applejack,” he said sincerely. “We need rain order to drink and sustain ourselves and our crops like she has. You can’t always have beauty, Rarity.”
The fashionista sighed, unable to come up with a counter.
“Prince Fire!” Vine Archer called. “We’re all done with what we can do for the town! We’d best head back to Warm Heart Tower!”
“I’ll meet you there!” Fire shouted. “Just need to make sure my friends get home safely!”
Vine bowed and began to walk off.
“Come on Applejack!” Fire said. “We should get going! The storm is gonna get worse!”
The Earth Pony glared in his direction, though it was meant for Rarity.
The unicorn returned the look. “What say we go our separate ways before one of us says something she will regret?”
“I reckon y'all are gonna say something you'll regret first,” Applejack said.
Rarity rolled her eyes in a ladylike manner. “On the contrary, I believe it shall most certainly be you who says something you will regret first.”
“I'm not sayin' anythin',” Applejack said.
“Nor am I,” Rarity said.
“Okay, we need to stop arguing and get a move on here!” Fire said impatiently. “If you aren’t gonna let me walk you both home peacefully I’m going home alone!”
“You wouldn’t abandon a lady to fend for herself, would you?” Rarity asked worriedly as he spread his wings.
“Not usually but when the lady is acting unrefined then yes,” Fire said.
“Me unrefined?” Rarity took offense at this.
“Yes, you two are just standing here fighting like a pair of fillies!” Fire said as he flapped his wings.
Both of them gave regretful looks for a moment but then glared at each other.
Applejack gave a shooing motion with her hoof to Rarity. "Y'all just be on yer way, then.”
“After you!” Rarity shouted.
Fire began to fly in the direction of his home while the two mares began to walk backwards while still glaring at each other. Then thunder crackled, causing the two to yelp and hug each other in fright.
“Perhaps we should stick together for now and find some shelter,” Rarity suggested.
Applejack nodded frightfully. “Uh-huh, perhaps we should. And fast.”
The wind was picking up fast. Fire sighed and was about to fly off when a powerful gust suddenly sent him flying backwards head over heels.
"Whoa! Whoa! Uh-"
He hit a tree right wing first and-
“Aah!” he cried out in pain before hitting the ground.
“Fire!” Applejack and Rarity both exclaimed.
They ran over and helped him up.
“You okay Fire?” Applejack asked.
Fire gritted his teeth. “I think I sprained my wing.”
At least he could still walk and use his horn. If only he knew teleportation magic, he could get them all home in a few flashes.
“Guess I’ll have to stick with you after all,” Fire said.
“Alright y’all. We need to get out of this rain!” Applejack said.
She immediately went under the bench she’d directed Rarity towards a moment ago.
“Heh. Nice and dry under here, sorta,” Applejack said looking down at the mud which was covering her hooves.
Rarity paced nearby and looked at the Earth Pony’s makeshift shelter in disgust. “Oh! Unacceptable!” she exclaimed
Fire sighed irritably as he stood under his shield.
Then a voice in the distance drew their attention. “Fire! Applejack! Rarity!”
It came again as Applejack slowly got out from under the bench and walked up beside them. “Fire! Applejack! Rarity!”
They looked for the source and saw Twilight looking out from the library nearby.
“Twilight?” the two mares asked.
Twilight beckoned them with a wave of her hoof. “Come inside, quick.”
They ran over with Fire’s shield still above them. Fire and Rarity both went in right away but Applejack stopped at the door.
“Whoa, nelly,” she said. “Is inside a tree really the best place to be in a lightning storm?”
“It is if you have a magical lightning rod protecting your home like I do. Come on in!” Twilight said cheerfully.
Rarity was relieved. “Hah! We are most grateful for your invitation.”
“Yes, we are.” Fire agreed.
Applejack also was in the same mood as she began to walk in. “Thank ya kindly for yer hospitality.”
Rarity, however stopped her and gestured to her muddy hooves. “Uh, do be a polite house guest and go wash up please, won't you?”
Applejack grumbled as she turned back outside. “If I gotta spend one more second with that fussbudget Rarity today, I can't
be held responsible for what I'm gonna do.”
Fire heard this and sighed as well. Things had been pretty tense just a few minutes ago. Hopefully it would smooth out. He followed Applejack outside briefly.
“Hey, don’t get too worked up about it,” he said. “I know Rarity is a lot more fancy smancy then you, but she is right. You really think Twilight would appreciate it if you got mud all over her home?”
She looked back. “I guess not. Alright guess this is one thing Rarity is right about today.”
Fire nodded and turned back inside. He was surprised to find Moondancer inside.
“Fire!” she exclaimed.
“Hey!” Fire said with a wave and a grin at his soon to be date. “What are you doing here?”
“Twilight invited me to have a slumber party!” Moondancer said.
“Yeah!” Twilight said before looking out the window. “Some storm, huh? The Pegasus ponies sure have outdone themselves this time. I hope you, Rarity, and Applejack don't have any trouble getting home.”
“It may indeed be a problem,” Rarity stated.
“Well, you're welcome to stay if need be. Spike is away in Canterlot on royal business so it was just gonna be me and Moondancer. You three should totally sleep over! We'll have a bigger slumber party! I always wanted one of those!”
Fire looked at her with a smirk. “Oh really, then how come you never invited anypony over before?”
“Oh, I was always too focused on studying,” Twilight said. “I did want too but whenever I was at school it slipped my mind.”
Fire nodded. That made sense. Though he was a little nervous being the only stallion with a group of four mares.
Rarity was likewise uncertain and blinked. “Oh! Uh, goodness. Uh, I do believe I have another engagement scheduled for this evening that completely slipped my mind until just now.” She laughed nervously. “Ah, silly me, I can't possibly stay here all night-“ She then spoke at a level where nopony would hear her. “-with Applejack.”
Twilight seemed to not hear her in her excitement. She levitated a book from the shelf above.
Rarity read its title page. “Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask.”
Twilight put a hoof to her heart. “My own personal copy. It's a fantastic reference guide. You should see the table of contents,” she then flailed her hooves excitedly and grew sparkling eyes. “I've been waiting for a chance to use it, and today is the day! This is gonna be so great!”
“Yeah!” Moondancer agreed with a smile.
Rarity once more laughed nervously. “Yes, uh, great.”
She looked out the window where Applejack was about to wash her hooves.
“Uh, your book happen to mention anything about including ponies of the opposite… gender?” Fire asked.
“Oh yeah,” Twilight said. “It talks about how couples have their own slumber special slumber parties and… well… you know.”
She blushed, as did all the others. Fire’s mind wandered back to the night of his birthday a couple years ago where he’d had a special time with Cadance.
“None of us are couples though so we just treat this as another slumber party.”
They all sighed in relief. The girls prepared makeovers as Fire read a book.
Applejack sooner entered the library with her hooves freshly cleaned. She gasped at what she saw. “What in tarnation?! Now wait just a goll-darn minute! Ya make me wash the mud off my hooves, but it's okay for y'all to have mud all over yer faces?
Rarity waved her hoof. “Silly! This is called a mud mask. It's to refresh and rejuvenate your complexion.”
“We're giving each other makeovers! Eee-hee!” Twilight giggled. “We have to do it, it says so in the book.”
“You and your books,” Fire said as he read one himself.
“What was that?” Twilight asked frowning at him.
Fire looked back at her. “Nothing. Its just that like I told you before, you can’t learn everything from books. I know you love them but some things are better learnt by doing.”
“Hmph!” Twilight huffed. “Maybe so but this is my slumber party and I’ll do it as I like it!”
“That’s fine,” Fire said.
Applejack saw the title. Slumber 101: Everything You... Oh hey, heh, would'ja look at the time. I gotta skidaddle on home quick. I'm powerful late for, uh, fer somethin'. Uh, g'night.”
The lightning crackled and canceled her plan of escape. “Or maybe I'll sit here for a spell.”
“Hurray slumber party!” Twilight clapped her hooves together. “And a big one too!”
Moondancer smiled at Fire through her mudmask. “How do I look, Fire?”
He looked. “I think I need to be asked that when your face is clean.”
She giggled. “Yeah you’re right. But how do you think I normally look?”
“Uh…” Fire hesitated, not sure how to respond without hurting her feelings. “Nice.”
That was true at least. She wasn’t bad looking in any sense, same with Applejack. Twilight was kind of pretty, but Rarity… oh she was gorgeous. Of course, Fire knew that beauty on the outside was one thing, but the real beauty came from inside. And they were all wonderful in that regard. Not perfect, but hey nopony was. Not even Fire’s mother.
Applejack then got the face mask put on by Rarity, much to her disgust. Cucumbers were then put over her eyes. “Blahch. What in the world is this for?”
Rarity sighed as she explained. “To reduce the puffiness around one's eyes, of course. You sure you don’t want to join us, Fire? A prince should take care of his looks after all.”
“Thanks, but I think this is more of a mare thing,” Fire said. “Now if I get puffy eyes right now I’d probably change my mind.”
“Understood,” Rarity said understandingly. “You stallions can do your thing.”
Fire wished he had another stallion here. Still needed to find one to hang with.
“I’m with Fire! Puffiness-schmuffiness!” Appleljack exclaimed. “That's good eatin'!” She then took the cucumbers off her eyes and ate them loudly.
Twilight giggled. “Hee-hee! Isn't this exciting? We'll do everything by the book, and that will make my slumber party officially fun! You’ll see Fire!”
The prince shrugged. “We’ll see. How bad could it really be… as long as we can all get along.”
He meant that for Rarity and Applejack as he looked over at them. They seemed to be making a little progress as he heard what they said.
“You certainly would not want to do anything that would ruin Twilight's very first slumber party, would you?” Rarity asked.
“Of course not,” Applejack said. “N you wouldn't either, I reckon?”
“So do we have an agreement?” Rarity asked, signaling for a truce.
Fire let out breath of relief while Moondancer was confused next to him.
“You betcha.” Applejack said before spitting in her hooves and extending it shake Rarity’s.
The Unicorn looked at the spit trailing down the hoof in disgust. “Oh! Gross! You know, there's messy and there's just plain rude.”
Applejack got in her face, angered. “You know, there's fussy, 'n there's just plain gettin' on my nerves.”
“ Fortunately, I can get along with anypony, no matter how difficult she may be,” Rarity stated.
“Oh yeah? Well, I'm the "get-alongin-est" pony you're ever gonna meet,” Applejack stated back.
“That's not even a word,” Rarity said.
Twilight appeared between them, still clueless to the tension as she wrapped her hooves around them. “This is going to be the bestest slumber party ever! Yay!”
“Yay.” The two mares said together.
Fire sighed and Moondancer leaned toward him.
“What’s going on between them?” she asked.
“They’ve been fighting since late this afternoon,” he told her.
“Oh boy. Hopefully they can get along and not ruin this slumber party,” Moondancer said.
Fire could only hope. They went about their slumber party. Since Fire was the only stallion he let them do their girly things which soon included put their manes and tails in wraps.
Rarity was pleased with the results. “So, how are you getting along over there, Applejack?”
Applejack frowned. “Just fine, Rarity.”
Twilight was still unaware of the tension. “This is so awesome!” She giggled then levitated her list. “Makeovers, check!”
She checked it off and then the hair wraps (or whatever those things were called that they used to wrap their mane and tails in) vanished. Fire didn’t know as he wasn’t a mare.
Twilight then looked at the next activity. “Ooh, it says here we have to tell ghost stories. Who wants to go first?”
“Ooh, that sounds like something I’d like!” Fire said as he put his book down.
“Me!” Applejack said with enthusiasm. “I'd like to tell y'all the terrifying tale of the prissy ghost who drove everypony crazy with her unnecessary neatness. Oo-oo! I'm sure y'all are familiar with that one?” She raised her hooves and made ghost sounds as she said it.
That sounded more like Rarity then a ghost. Great, Applejack was still upset.
Rarity shook her head. “Never heard of it, but I have a much better one. It's the horrifying story of the messy, inconsiderate ghost who irritated everypony within a hundred miles! Oo-oo!”
“That's not a real story. You made it up!” Applejack accused.
“It is a ghost story, they're all made up,” Rarity said.
Then the lights went out and all of them screamed at the unexpected turn.
Twilight then appeared between the two mares holding a flashlight.
“I've got one!” She said. “This story is called The Legend of The Headless Horse. It was a dark and stormy night, just like this one. And three ponies were having a slumber party! Just like us! Except we have five of course! And just when the last pony thought she was safe, there, standing right behind her, just inches away was... the Headless Horse!”
All the other mares gasped and held onto Fire who was a little shaken as well.
“Okay that’s a good one Twilight!” Fire said. “Now I think I’ll tell one.”
He shined his horn brightly so that the red magic shined through the library, giving it a bloody look. “It was just a decade after Canterlot Castle was first built. Back when… capital punishment was used fairly often in Medieval Equestria! My mother the now beneviolent Princess Celestia had to make examples of those that committed the most heinous crimes. The execution wing of the castle was the most feared place. It was said that is floors were forever stained with the blood of those were beheaded! But more terrifying still was the spirits of the executed criminals that haunted the wing. It was so bad my mother had to close it down and… trap the ghosts in there… forever!”
The mares screamed.
“Until they eventually escape and run amok across Canterlot as revenge!” Fire said before giving an evil laugh. “Wahahahaha!”
They were all shaking in their hooves.
“Ooh that was a good one Fire!” Moodancer said with a smile, though her ears were drooped in fear.
Twilight did another check off the list. “Ghost story, check. Now, who wants s'mores?”
They made them in the library fireplace. Applejack roasted her marshmallows while Rarity told Twilight and the others how to make ‘perfect’ smores.
“Then you place one marshmallow on the top of the chocolate and be sure it's centered—that's critical—and then carefully put another perfectly square graham cracker on the top. And done. Ta-da!”
It did indeed look perfect.
“Ooo!” Twilight exclaimed as she looked at the snack.
“Looks good, Rarity,” Fire said.
“Just good?” she asked blinking her eyes at him.
Fire chuckled. “Okay, it looks perfect.”
She blushed from that.
“Thank you, I hope these prove to be smores fit for royalty!”
Applejack, however, wasn’t impressed. “Nah, ya just eat 'em.” She popped the s’more into her mouth and made a delighted, “Mmm-mmm!” while also showing her chewing teeth covered in the food then belched.
Rarity sighed at the show of bad manners, and Fire frowned as well. “You could at least say excuse me.”
“Aw, I was just about to, but you interrupted me,” Applejack excused. “Pardon.”
Fire sighed again. Things were not going well at this slumber party.
Twilight, ever clueless of the tension, checked off the list again. “S'mores, check. Now the next item of fun we have to do is Truth or Dare.”
Rarity seized on the opportunity. “I dare Applejack to do something carefully and neatly for a change.”
Applejack was quick to respond. “Oh yeah? Well I dare Rarity ta lighten up and stop obsessin' over every last little detail, for a change.”
Fire shook his head in frustration. “Girls come on! Can’t you try and get along?”
He spoke in a low voice that only he could hear.
“I think the truth of the matter is that somepony could stand to pay a little more attention to details,” Rarity pressed.
“And I think the truth is somepony oughta quit with her fussin' so the rest of us can get things done,” Applejack countered.
“Um, I don't think this is how the game's supposed to work,” Twilight said as she went back over to the book, again her and her books. “You have to give an honest answer to any question or do whatever anypony dares you to do.”
Applejack quickly got an idea. “I dares you to step outside and let your precious, tidy mane get ruined again.”
Rarity gasped at this.
“You have to. It's the rule,” Twilight told her.
“Ha!” Applejack laughed.
“Fine!” Rarity said as she stepped outside.
They heard a faint crying outside and Rarity soon returned soaking wetting and her mane dripping. Applejack snicked and laughed. Fire quickly got a towel and wrapped it around Rarity who managed a smile.
“Oh, thank you Fire,” she said as she dried herself off. “At least somepony knows how to be sophisticated around here. But it will take me around five minutes of combing to get my mane back to my usual style!”
She then walked toward Applejack and backed her into a corner, a slight glimmer of vengeance in her eyes. “Okay. I dare Applejack to play dress-up in a frou-frou, glittery, lacey outfit.”
Applejack gasped and clenched her teeth before returning in a princess style outfit complete with a hat. “Happy?”
Rarity smirked. “Very.”
“Um, do I ever get a turn?” Twilight asked.
Fire sighed, unable to take it anymore. “Twilight seriously? Can’t you see that they are having a bad time?”
“What?” Twilight exclaimed, her eyes glistening. “Is my slumber party bad?”
“No!” Fire quickly told her. “This is good, its just… they’ve been having problems since this afternoon!”
Twilight’s mouth fell open. “Oh, I didn’t know.”
Fire took a breath. “Of course not. You weren’t there when they started arguing in the town square over prettiness and neatness.”
Applejack and Rarity were still too engrossed in their arguing to listen.
“I dare ya to enter the next rodeo when it comes to town,” Applejack said.
“I dare you not to enter the next rodeo that comes to town,” Rarity said.
“I dare ya to not comb your mane a hundred times before bed.”
“And I dare you to comb yours just once.”
“Oh I was hoping to do one more activity but maybe we should just call it a night and get some sleep?” Twilight suggested.
“That might be a good idea,” Fire agreed. “Maybe we’ll all feel better a good night’s sleep. I wonder how my guards are doing at Warm Heart Tower? Hopefully they’re not out looking for me in this weather!”
…
Vine Archer led his party through Ponyville. When Prince Fire hadn’t returned after a couple hours the guards had immediately assumed something happened. They all divided into groups of two, with four going out to look for him while the last two remained behind. Progress was extremely slow thanks to the storm, even with the aid of unicorn magic it was a struggle to move.
“You sure we should have left Warm Heart Tower?” the silver Pegasus Guard, Wind Strike asked.
“I left three guards, that should be enough in case Prince Fire Sword returns,” Vine Archer said.
…
Back at the tower, the two remaining guards stood in front of the door. Suddenly they saw someone in the window.
“Prince Fire?”
They went over and one of them opened it to find three masked Earth Ponies outside. They were on the guards instantly, pinning them down and tying them up.
…
Fire looked at Moondancer who had been quiet for a while. Twilight was working on a
“You okay, Moondancer?” he asked her.
“Yeah, it’s just so tense in here,” the shyer pony said. “I got nervous.”
Fire put his foreleg around her. “I know.”
Then Twilight came back. “Okay, I’m having Moondancee sleep in my bed then Applejack and Rarity can share the other one.”
She then looked at Fire. “Unfortunately, I don’t have a third bed but I managed create a hammock with a blanket and chair I transformed.”
Fire nodded. “That’ll be fine for tonight, thank you.”
She nodded back.
They all went to bed with Moondancer in Twilight’s bed, while Rarity and Applejack were in the guest bed, and Fire in his transformed hammock. He had a feeling that they should have separated the two arguing mares. And he soon proved right. In no time at all they were back at each other’s throats yet again.
“Keep your muddy hooves on your side of the bed!” Rarity told Applejack.
“My hooves ain't muddy,” Applejack told her.
“They were. There might still be a little on them,” Rarity pressed.
“There ain't. See?” Applejack showed her.
Rarity still saw something she didn’t like. “Eww!”
Fire put his pillow his over his ears in an attempt to mask the noise. They went on as they began fighting over the bedspread once Rarity pulled it over to her side. They continued for several minutes until finally Twilight snapped and sat up.
“Enough! It says right here that the number one thing you're supposed to do at a slumber party is have fun, and thanks to you two I can't check that off!” she said levitating the list once again.
“I've been tryin' my darndest to get along,” Applejack said.
“No, it is I who have been trying my best,” Rarity said.
“No, it was me,” Applejack objected.
“No, it was I!” Rarity stated.
“Me!”
“I!”
“I hope you're happy, both of you,” Twilight said angrily as Moodancer and Fire listened uncomfortably. “You've ruined my very first slumber party. The makeover, the s'mores, Truth or Dare, the pillow fight... I mean, is there anything else that could possibly go wrong? Maybe I should have just stuck with Moodancer who is probably feeling a bit left out!”
Moondancer blushed. It was true Applejack and Rarity being the center of attention… and just tension.
Lightning struck outside, proving something more could go wrong. It struck a treetop right outside, destroying the top wood.
“Sorry I asked,” Twilight said as she and Moodancer hugged each in fright under the covers.
They turned the lights on and looked outside, seeing the treetop swaying back and forth. It could fall any minute, they let out a shared gasp at this realization.
“Ya see?” Applejack said to Rarity. “That's why we needed to take down all those loose branches in town, not spiffy 'em up.”
Rarity looked remorseful. “But I-“
Applejack walked over to the window. “Outta my way, missy! Time's a-wastin'.”
She opened it and grabbed her lasso, spinning it over her head. However, both Fire and Rarity soon realized that if she were
to move the tree this way then-
“Wait! Stop! Don't!” Rarity tried to speak.
“No waitin'! No stoppin'! Doin'!” Applejack said as she flung her lasso. “And that, my friends, is what we call gettin' 'er done.”
She puled the lasso back in and-
“Aah!” Rarity cried.
The tree crashing down into the bedroom area. Now they were getting rain, cold wind, and blowing leaves inside as well a big tree in the middle of the room. Twilight and Moondancer both got pinned on the former’s bed. Applejack went down with the tree to main area of the library, swaying back and forth on her lasso.
Rarity was on the other side of the tree, using a book for cover from the rain that came in and trying to clean up the mess that had been caused by the tree. “I tried to tell you it would come crashing down in here.”
Applejack climbed back up to where she could see them. “Well, ya shoulda tried harder.” She then noticed the mess in the bedroom. Twilight managed to get herself and Moodancer out from under the tree on their bed. Her eyes spun and she shook her head.
“I'm mighty sorry, Twilight,” Applejack apologized.
“It's...” She paused and soon grew an angry face. “Well, it's not okay. There's a giant tree branch in the middle of my bedroom, and the book doesn't say anything about having a giant tree branch at your slumber party. Or at least I haven't found that entry yet. Ooh... ah!”
She began to frantically flip through the pages.
Fire sighed. “We don’t need a book to figure this out! Come on! We need to get rid of this tree branch!”
Applejack nodded. “You’re right, Fire!”
He growled as his anger reached a boiling point and he pointed at her. “Actually, this is your mess, so you can clean it up! I’ve had enough of you and Rarity being at each other’s throats today!”
He tried to fly out of the room but the pain still present in his wings caused him to go, “Ow!” and he fell to the floor, got up and retreated to a dryer area. Moondancer also got up and joined him, both of them frowned at the scene.
Rarity was busy trying to clean up the books and broken plant.
“What in tarnation are y'all doin' over there?” Appejack asked.
“Cleaning up this mess somepony made,” Rarity told her. “Who was that again? Oh, right, that's you.”
Applejack looked guilty then said. “We gotta do somethin'!
Twilight looked through the book. “Baking... BFFs... Brothers... There's nothing in here about branches.
“Twilight! You don’t need a book to figure that out!” Fire shouted.
“Then what am I supposed to do?” she asked.
“Simple! Help them get it out of the way!” Fire said. “I could maybe burn it away with a fire spell! But then… that would probably set the library on fire!”
“And it wouldn’t work since the branch is already wet!” Moondancer said. “Maybe we can transfigure it!”
Twilight grinned. “Ha maybe this isn’t the right book for this job then!”
She got out of her bed and went down with Moondancer to look for a book with a spell. Fire sighed again. Hopefully they could fix this. He was too frustrated to do anything but grumble right now.
Applejack tried to move the branch on her own to no avail. “Rarity, for pony's sake, stop sweatin' the small stuff and help me get rid of this thing!”
Rarity didn’t respond.
“I said hussle over here and help me!”
That didn’t work either. Finally, Applejack swallowed her pride and-
“Look, I'm sorry, all right?”
That got Rarity’s attention.
“What was that?” she asked turning around.
“I said I'm sorry!” Applejack said. “I shoulda listened to you when you noticed where this here branch would end up. Yer annoyin' attention to detail would'a saved us from this whole mess. But right now, ya need to stop bein' so dang fussy pickin' up all the little things and help me move the one big thing in here that actually matters! Please!”
Rarity looked at the wet floor. “Uh. Uh, but I'll get all icky.”
“Consarnit! What the... eh... you...” Applejack started to curse then caught herself. “I mean, yes, ickiness is often a side effect of hard work. But y'all need to get over it, on account I just can't fix this mess I made myself. I need your help.”
Rarity let out a frustrated “Oh,” then gave a determined expression. “Let's do this.”
She got closer, lit up her horn with magic and transfigured the branch into a set of pretty smaller branches that came in the shapes of animals and hearts.
“Hey, good one Rarity!” Fire said in approval.
She smiled at his praise then glared at Applejack who was about to kick the remainder of the branch attached to the window out. But seeing as that would likely damage the windowsill from Rarity’s look, she instead took it in her teeth and more gently got it down. This earned a smile from Rarity. Applejack then closed the window safely.
Rarity was happy for a moment then looked at herself. “U-ugh. Oh, I look awful.”
“Yeah, you do,” Fire said stepping forward. “But you also look like a mare that made getting that tree branch out of here much easier. I’m proud of you.”
She managed a smile. Then Applejack took some cucumbers bits and put them over Rarity’s eyes, making it look like she was in another mud mask, or mud bath.
“Better?” Applejack asked.
“Hmph, thanks,” Rarity said gratefully.
She reached out for Applejack blindly, the Earth Pony got closer to allow her to put her hoof on her head. They then hugged and Applejack motioned for Fire to join them. He smiled and put his hooves around them as well. It seemed they’d reconciled thanks to that tree falling in.
Soon Twilight and Moodancer returned.
“Oh, pretty!” Twilight said as she saw the leaf statues Rarity had transformed. “Where did these come from?”
“You use magic to turn the branch into smaller things?” Moondancer asked.
Rarity nodded. “Yes indeed. Now, I think we probably owe Twilight a make-up slumber party! And I need a bath!”
“I think we both do!” Applejack said. “No point sleeping when you’re all icky!”
They all laughed. They cleaned up and then the mares redid their slumber party while Fire went to sleep. He didn’t need a redo of the girly girl stuff they were gonna do with hopefully better results now that AJ and Rarity had gotten over their feud.
He awoke in the morning refreshed and seeing the girls had apparently been up all night.
“Morning mares,” he said. “Were you up all night?”
“Yes indeed. May have missed my beauty sleep but we had so much fun!” Rarity said.
“Kinda a shame you hit the hay,” Applejack said. “But I guess I can’t blame ya since most of what we did was kinda girly. You might have liked twenty questions and follow the leader though!”
“Maybe next time,” Fire said.
“We were thinking of having another one soon!” Moondancer said. “Maybe we can do more gender-neutral activities on that one. But I didn’t feel left out at least!”
“That’s good, Moodancer,” Fire said. “And I’m glad you all got along.”
She blushed at him. “So, you still on for the gala?”
He nodded. “Sure thing.”
“You’re taking her to the gala?” Applejack asked, surprised.
“Yeah,” Fire said.
“Well, I wish you both the most romantic evening,” Rarity said with a smile.
They smiled back. But as they looked away Rarity’s ears drooped. Confusion was in her, why did she feel this way?
Looking out the window, Fire saw the clouds were clearing.
“Now that looks like a glorious sunny day out there!” Fire said.
He made his way out and was surprised when Vine Archer appeared covered in twigs along with a Pegasus member of the Flame Guard.
“Prince Fire Sword there you are! We were looking all night for you!”
“You should have stayed at Warm Heart Tower!” Fire said cheerfully.
“Yeah, maybe we should have… you see… it was broken into.”
“What?” Fire asked.
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More good
The 2 of them were being ridiculous but instead of acting like adults and trying to fix things between them they kept trying for petty revenge for the fight. Petty revenge is a good tool for lessons of life but that doesn't mean you should just use whenever just because you are mad.
Ohh having someone break into HQ on your watch is not good for the employee record.