Chapter 1
Starlight Glimmer watched as every wave approached her and retreated back to the ocean. She wasn't close enough to let them wash over her front hooves, though she would rather keep them dry. She inhaled through her nostrils, taking in the scent of the sea, and let it all out in one slow sigh. "Doesn't the ocean smell nice and salty?", she inquired.
"Indeed, my dear, Starlight.", a mare said from behind. The pink unicorn turned around to see Trixie Lulamoon, her marefriend. She had a lavender bandana with sparkles around her neck, she also wore two diamond earrings hanging from her ears, along with a magenta flower in her right one. "This beach is simply divine. Not just the sand, but the ocean too. I just love it!"
"I love it too.", another mare said. The two unicorns turned to see their marefriend, Maud Pie, sitting on a red picnic blanket under a blue and white striped umbrella. Maud wasn't wearing anything, she wasn't wearing her usual blue jacket with the black belt that keeps it tight. Her whole grey body was exposed, along with her cutie mark, which is a rock. Her eyes were exploring the small specs of the sand. "The sand is mostly my favorite part of the beach."
"That's good to hear.", Starlight said, as she and Trixie walked over to the third mare in their marefriend group.
"Explanation?", Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow.
Maud stood up on her hooves and faced her marefriends. "Sand is considered a rock.", she started. "Well, just a bunch of tiny rocks. It's a granular material composed of finely divided rocks and mineral particles."
Trixie walked up to Maud's left side. "That's what I love about you, Maud.", she cooed, kissing her cheek. "You've always had the brains when it comes to rocks."
"She's often had a thing of lecturing her family with a shakedown.", Starlight chuckled.
"Thank you both.", Maud said. "I appreciate the compliments and affections." She recieved kisses from her two marefriends on both cheeks.
Trixie looked down at the sand, then back up at Maud, and tapped her chin. Then, an idea popped into her mind. "Hey, I just thought of something fun to do!", she chirped.
Maud and Starlight glanced at Trixie. "And what's that?", the grey mare asked.
"How about we bury somepony in the sand?!", Trixie suggested excitedly. Her two marefriends agreed.
"But, who?", Starlight inquired.
"Maud!", Trixie declared.
Starlight's jaw slackened a little and looked at Maud. "Maud?", she asked. "Why Maud?"
"Why not?", Maud asked Starlight. "It's not like I would have any problem with it."
Trixie giggled. "Of course.", she said. "It seems you're outnumbered, my dear, Starlight. In case, you were going to vote for somepony else. But, at least Maud thinks it's a good idea."
Starlight looked at Maud, then rolled her eyes with a smile. "Oh well, to hay with it.", she said with a shrug.
Trixie widened her smile and nodded towards a spot on the sand - a gesture to walk over there. And so, the pink and blue mare did. They began to dig up some sand, until there was a one-inch, pony-sized hole.
Maud walked over to the lower end of the super-steep hole and scanned her eyes around the empty space that was left for her. "Looks ample.", she inspected.
"Well then, my love, just lay down right here and relax.", Trixie said, gesturing to the steep hole she and Starlight dug.
Smiling, Maud walked into the hole and laid down on her back with closed eyes. It allowed her two marefriends to start packing sand upon her, her midsection, bombarded with with chunks of sand. Her forelegs were pressed against her sides, as the pressure from the sand took it's course. She can hear Trixie and Starlight giggling quietly, as her two lovers worked their ways down her back hooves and tail. They finally finished off the rest of Maud's tail with one last pack of sand that was made from two from both mares. Maud's burial was complete, with only her head remaining out of the top end of the pony-sized sand mound.
Trixie stood up on her hooves. "Well, that was fun, was it?", Trixie asked.
"Shhhh.", Starlight said in a whisper, as she shot up onto all fours. "Look at her." She pointed to Maud's snoozing form. "We don't want to wake her up. She looks like she's enjoying it."
"See?", Trixie asked, now with a whisper. "I told you she'd enjoy it. Shall we take a walk, so we don't disturb her?"
"We shall.", Starlight said with a nod. She and Trixie started their walk. As they did so, the pink unicorn looked back, noticing that Maud didn't stir at the sound of pitter patter of hoofsteps getting quieter in her hearings. She then turned back forward, continuing her trip with Trixie.
It had been fifty minutes passed, and that was the moment when Maud had finally woken up. The slightly darkening sky was in her view after her eyes fluttered open. She looked down to see her buried body. "Huh.", she said blankly. "Must've fallen asleep." She noticed that her two marefriends were not in her presence. "Oh, Starlight and Trixie probably went for a walk." Her ears perked up at the sound of a wave coming toward her and retreating back to the sea. "Oh boy, I hope they return soon, it seems that the tide is coming in."
"Oh, you're awake!", a voice exclaimed.
Maud turned to see Trixie and Starlight, who had came back from their walk. "Oh, you're back.", she said.
Trixie laid down on her back on the pony-sized sand mound. She turned to face the head in the sand with a teasing glance. "So, how did you enjoy your relaxing burial?", she asked.
"Very relaxing.", Maud said. "It even keeps me still, like a rock."
"Oh really, you like how it's keeping you still, do you?", Starlight asked, sitting down at the lower end of the sand mound. She took a piece of popcorn from a medium sized popcorn bag that she was holding in her hoof and popped it in her mouth. She bought it from the boardwalk.
Maud nodded in response. "Oh yes.", she said. "Something I should lecture my family about."
Trixie chuckled. "Well, you know Pinkie Pie, she'll enjoy anything, especially if you tell her about this.", she said.
Maud nodded again. "No doubt in that.", she said. "But, let's not do this when it's near night time."
Trixie and Starlight gave blank stares to each other, then to the slightly dark sky, then to Maud. "Why?"
"Night time is when the tide comes in.", Maud said. She turned her head to the left and saw a wave approaching her and her two marefriends, then heading back to the ocean.
Starlight saw how close that wave was. "You know what, Maud's right, I think it's time we pack up and head on back to the boardwalk.", she suggested, getting up on all fours.
"Oh yeah, totally.", Trixie said, getting on her hooves as well. She used her magic to fold up the blanket and close up the umbrella.
Maud waited patiently for one of her marefriends to come and set her free from her sandy cocoon. But, instead, she watched them started walking away all of a sudden. "Ahem.", she said, clearing her throat. "Aren't any of you going to come over here and uncover me?"
Trixie tapped her chin in thought. "Actually, you're going to have to get yourself out of that.", she said. "You can't come to the boardwalk with us until you dig yourself out."
Maud tried to move her forelegs, but they would budge. "It's not working, the sand's too hard.", she said.
Starlight turned to Trixie. "I'll stay with her until she's out.", she said. "And when the tide comes in."
"Alrighty.", Trixie said to Starlight with a wink. "Might as well be on my way." She galloped away, giggling.
Starlight turned back to the buried pony. "Come on, Maud, I thought you'd be stronger than this.", she teased. "You don't have much time, just at least try."
Maud tried moving her forearms again, then her tried to sit up, but there was no smidgeon of luck for her. "Come on, Starlight, can you at least dig me out or teleport me out?"
"Is asking me to help you all you can do?", Starlight asked.
"Yes.", Maud said, nodding her head. "I'm asking nicely, Starlight, please help me out. I'm one of your marefriends. You wouldn't leave your marefriend to drown, would you?" She gave a soft smile.
Starlight looked up at the sea, that was inching closer, then back down at Maud. "Well, if all you're going to do is constantly ask me after failing your attempt to escape, then I guess this is it for you." She started backing up. "Don't forget me and Trixie love you." She kissed her hoof and blew it off to Maud, before turning around and dashed off to the boardwalk.
"Trixie. Starlight.", Maud tried to call for the two mares in her usual monotone talk. Unfortunately, they were already far enough to not hear her and the incoming waves were getting louder in her mind. She tried calling again. "Girls." Nothing. She pressed the back of her head against the sand as hard as possible. A wave splashed against her face. "Somepony help. Help. I can't break free." Nopony came. Another wave splashed her in the face. The whole ocean was rolling onto shore. Maud wanted to call for help one last time, but it was too late for her. Her eyes slid shut and took in a breath, before her head went under, along with her buried body. All the pounds of water soaked up the sand. It prevented Maud from trying to move. There was no use fighting, just lay still until it was time to let the water fill her lungs.
Then, in a flash of magic, she was set free from her sandy grave and onto solid concrete. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up and looked around. "Phew.", she said, letting out the breath that she was holding in. "I thought I was a goner for a second." She looked up to see Trixie's irritated face. "What?"
"Will there ever be a time where your face changes emotion?!", Trixie growled. "You were supposed to be freaking out!"
"Well, what was the big idea leaving me behind to drown?", Maud asked, getting up onto all four hooves.
"We weren't actually going to.", Starlight explained. "We just wanted to see how you would react if we left you buried in the sand when the tide was coming in. But, apparently, it didn't turn out well."
Maud smiled to her two marefriends. "Well, I'm glad you one of you teleported me out of there.", she said. "Thank you both." She gave each of her marefriends a kiss on the cheek.
Trixie calmed herself down as she touched her cheek. "Yeah, I'm glad too.", she said. "We should do that more often." She turned to see Starlight's face, that had just sunk. "But, lets not leave them to drown when the tide rolls in."
Starlight took a breath through her nose. "At least, I know it's not going to be me.", she said.
Trixie sighed and hung her head. "Welp, I guess that's me.", she said. "Why does it always have to be me next time?"