It was late afternoon when I emerged from my house again. Freshly showered and feeling a little bit better, I walked slowly through town, enjoying the warm weather. Having been given the rest of the day off thanks to Bon Bon, I had decided to use it in order to take care of some personal business. Right now, I was on my way to Rarity’s.

Ponies milled about the marketplace, doing their daily shopping. It was a relaxed atmosphere, friendly chatter and warm smiles all around. There was talk about the upcoming Fall Festival, and you could feel the excitement in the air. If there was one thing these ponies loved, it was a celebration.

I was looking forward to the Fall Festival as well. Bon Bon had even given me the Festival off, saying that Lyra had volunteered to help out, so I was free to do whatever I wanted. Seeing as I arrived in Equestria during the Running of the Leaves and then had spent the next couple days in the hospital under surveillance, I hadn’t actually gotten to experience it. This time however, I planned on enjoying the games and activities, as well as taking part in the running. I wasn’t sure how it was supposed to clear the leaves from the trees, but it would be fun nonetheless.

Hopefully it would help take my mind off the events of last night.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I crossed Mane Street and was just making my way around the corner of Berry’s shop when a pink blur nearly collide with me. I heard a loud gasp and suddenly Pinkie Pie was in front of me.

“Malley!” she chirped, a large smile on her face. “You’re back!”

“Aye, I’m back,” I said with a smile and a nod of my head. “Hi, Pinkie, how you doin’?”

“What are you doing here, Malley? I thought you were gonna be up in Canterlot for another day or so!” she said, an ear twitching sporadically.

My smile faded slightly. “There was a… change of plans. I came back early.”

“Oh,” Pinkie said, her smile fading as well. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Her ears splayed back for but a second before perking up again, her smile returning. “So, does that mean you’re gonna come over to Twilight’s this evening? All the girls will be there!”

“You all gathering at the library?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. “Why? Fall Festival isn’t for another week.”

“For a sleepover, silly!” Pinkie said, jumping up and down. “Applejack finished harvesting her apples the other day, so we’re gonna celebrate! And what better way to celebrate than with friends, games, and sleepovers! You wanna come? Huh? Huh? Huh?” With each new ‘huh’, she bounced on her hooves.

“I don’t know, Pinks,” I said, chewing on my lip. “It sounds like you gals already have this planned out. I don’t want to intrude…”

“Oh, come on, Malley!” Pinkie chirped, hopping around me in little circles. “I’m sure the others won’t mind! Applejack’s even gonna bring some of her cider~!”

“But…”

“Please~!” Pinkie begged, hopping in front of me and then pouting, her eyes large and watery.

I bite my lip, trying to steel myself, but I failed almost immediately. Hanging my head, I sighed before nodding. “Alright, you little bòcan, I’ll be there.”

The look of sadness immediately left Pinkie’s face, and she jumped into the air. “Yippie! We’re gonna have so much fun!”

“What time do I need to show up?” I asked as she came back down to earth.

“We’re all meeting up there around sixish!” Pinkie chirped. “Don’t worry about bringing anything! Applejack and I have it all covered!”

“Alright, I’ll see you then, I guess,” I began to say, only to have Pinkie gasp loudly halfway through. Staring at something over my shoulder, a large grin suddenly split her face before she disappeared in a flash of pink and confetti. I turned quickly to try and see what had caught her attention, but she was gone by the time I had looked.

Turning back around, I shook my head before laughing softly. “Probably saw a new pony.” Putting my hands in my sweater pocket, I resumed my journey and made my way towards the distant Carousel Boutique.

The bell above the door chimed as I entered, and I heard a voice call out from the back. “Just a minute!” A few seconds later, Rarity walked out of the backroom with a smile on her face. “Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique—oh, Nora. It’s you.” She gave me a warm smile before her eyes suddenly widened and the smile turned sad. “Oh, Nora… it’s you. Oh… oh dear. I take it if you’re here right now then…”

“The date didn’t go so well,” I finished softly with a nod of my head.

“Oh, darling,” Rarity gasped, covering her mouth with a hoof. “I’m so sorry. And you spent so much time preparing for it too. I guess she just wasn’t interested.”

“It was more my own fault actually,” I muttered, dragging a sneaker across the floor. “I wasn’t the best date in the world.”

Rarity blinked, lowering her hoof. “What do you mean?”

“I… I really don’t want to talk about it right now,” I said. “I’m sorry, Rarity. It’s just… not now. Maybe later, but I just want to forget it at the moment. It wasn’t the best night.”

She nodded her head. “Alright, darling. I understand. Just know that I’ll be here if you ever want to talk about it. How about I schedule us a spa trip sometime next week and we can talk and relax?”

“That… that doesn’t sound half bad actually,” I said with a half smile, rubbing the back of my neck.

“Splendid!” Rarity said, the smile returning to her face. “Now then, I’m assuming that you didn’t come just to tell me that the date didn’t go well. How may I help you?”

“Ah!” I perked up and began to rummage around in my sweater pocket. After a few seconds I pulled out the small bag of makeup that I had taken with me to Canterlot.

“I wanted to return this,” I said, holding the bag out for her. “They were nice, but I don’t think I’m gonna be using them again anytime soon.”

“Oh no, darling,” Rarity gasped, quickly shaking her head. “I couldn’t. Those are yours!”

“But, I don’t need them anymore.”

“No, Nora,” Rarity said more firmly. “You paid for them. I couldn’t possibly take them from you. They are yours now, you keep them. In fact, you could use them to catch another pony’s eye, if you’d like”

“But, I… fine,” I groaned before giving up and slipping them back into my pocket. Rarity might not be willing to take the makeup back, but I could always trick Sweetie Belle into taking them later. She’d either keep them herself or return them without Rarity knowing. Either way, I didn’t want them anymore, and I highly doubted that I would ever find myself in another situation that called for their use.

“I know you’re not used to applying makeup, darling, but it wouldn’t hurt to spruce yourself up from time to time,” Rarity said, batting her mane absentmindedly. “I’m sure another mare will come along and possibly sweep you off your hooves, er… feet. It’s only a matter of time.”

“I’m bi,” I mumbled, my brow furrowing. Suddenly, I didn’t like the direction this conversation was going. Rarity tended to get lost in her own little fantasy world when it came to romance, and I didn’t want anything to do with it at the moment. Besides I didn’t need to find another pony to love, especially not at the moment.

“After all,” Rarity continued, “‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. The Princess might have been a bust, but there are plenty more mares out there. Just give yourself a week or two to recover, and then go out there and get yourself another one! Oh, it’s like the old tales, a lonely mare searching for her mate, all while the world around her conspires to—”

Yeah, there she goes again. Definitely time to bail.

“Okay, well...” I said, interrupting her. Slowly inching my way backwards, I gave her a weak smile. “Listen, I hate to just pop in and leave like this, but I ‘ave the rest of the day off of work and still ‘ave some stuff to do before it gets much later. I’ll see yer at Twilight’s later this evening, alright?”

“Oh, y-you’re going?” Rarity asked, blinking as she was brought out of whatever fantasy she had found herself in this time.

“Aye,” I nodded, still moving towards the door, “I bumped into Pinkie on my way here and she invited me along. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all, darling,” she said, waving a hoof at me. Her eyes slowly drifted to a dress on a stand by the door, and a small frown crossed her face. “It might take your mind off of your recent… troubles. Did I really use blue for that?”

“That’s the plan,” I said, causing her gaze to focus on me again. I grabbed the door handle and twisted. “So, I’ll catch you later, ‘kay?”

“Certainly,” Rarity said in a distracted manner as I pushed the door open—the bell chiming again—and slipped outside. “Oh, and if you happen to see Sweetie Belle, send her home please! I don’t need her breaking her leg again.”

“Can do!” I said before closing the door with a ‘click’. I then leaned against it and sagged, sighing heavily. “Oh, thank god.” I stayed like that for a few seconds before pushing myself off of the door and peering through the window. Rolls of fabric were flying around the room in a whirlwind of cloth as Rarity dissected the dress that had caught her eye upon my leaving.

I watched her for a little while longer before turning and slowly walking away from the Boutique. Heading towards the marketplace, I decided that I should probably do a little shopping before the stalls closed for the evening. As I walked, I reached into my hoodie’s pocket and began to rummage around. After a few seconds my face lit up and I pulled out a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, I glanced at the words scribbled on the paper. Luckily, the list wasn’t as long as it usually was, and I only had to pick up a couple of things.

“Let’s see,” I hummed as I ran my eye down the list, “Garlic, onions, peppers, carrots. I’ll need to stop by Berry’s to pick up some more milk as well. Don’t need any apples, still working on the apples Applejack gave me last week. Thyme? Why did I put that down… oh yeah, for the stew. Hmmm, Roseluck’s probably already closed for the evening… maybe I can get some from—GAH!” I yelped as a weight suddenly landed on my back, causing me to stumble. The smell of freshly cut grass filled my nose as something soft gently nuzzled my cheek.

“Hello, Nora,” a soft voice whispered in my ear, the warm air sending a shiver down my spine. Strands of pink hair fell in front of my face as the nuzzling continued.

“H-hi, Fluttershy,” I said as I regained my balance. Turning my head, I was confronted by a wall of yellow fur and feathers. “How are you doing today?”

“Better now,” she said as her forelegs slowly wrapped around my neck and she settled comfortably on my shoulders. “I was looking for you yesterday, but couldn’t find you.”

“I was in Canterlot,” I replied as I started walking again.

“Really?” she said as she finally stopped nuzzling my cheek and pulled back, allowing me to finally turn my head fully and look at her face. She gave me a curious look, her cyan eyes wide with wonder. “Why were you up there? T-that is, if you don’t mind me asking.” A small blush crossed her face and she glanced away, fidgeting nervously.

“I was there on personal matters that… didn’t turn out as I had hoped,” I said, feeling like a broken record. Seriously, were all of my friends gonna ask me the same thing before the day was done? It was bad enough it happened, but repeating the events over and over again wasn’t making it better. In fact, it was getting rather annoying.

Some of my feelings must have shown in my face, as Fluttershy shrunk back.

“O-oh… sorry for, um… b-bringing it up,” she squeaked, her ears pressing against her head.

“It’s fine, Fluttershy,” I said softly as I continued walking.

“W-well, regardless, I’m glad you’re back,” she said before she began to gently nuzzle me again.

We continued that way through the marketplace for several minutes before my legs began to tremble. I wasn’t that strong of a person, and with ponies being only slightly smaller than me, carrying Fluttershy around was similar to carrying a small child. I could bear her weight for a short amount of time, but after a while, it was too much.

Pausing, I glanced over and gave her a strained smile. “Hey, uh… Fluttershy? Could you… could you get down, please?” She looked at me like a kicked puppy, her ears splaying back. Slowly, she extracted herself from me and fluttered softly to the ground.

“Thanks,” I sighed, giving first one leg a shake, then the other.

As I continued walking again, Fluttershy trotted up beside me. Sticking close to my side, she had her shoulder pressed against my hip, her wing brushing my legs as I walked. When I looked down at her, she had a small smile on her face, and would glance up at me ever few seconds, a small blush on her face.

“It’s lonely when you aren’t here,” she said after a few minutes of silence.

“What about your other friends?” I asked as I eyed the products on a nearby stall. The counter was mostly empty except for a couple of pears that were positioned in a small pile in the center of the display. I wondered briefly in Applejack would help me make some cider out of them if I bought them. It had been a while since I had some pear cider.

“Oh, they’re usually too busy to do stuff,” Fluttershy said, dragging a hoof along through the dirt as she walked.

“What about Rarity?”

“She has her dresses,” she said, fidgeting slightly. “I… I don’t like going over there when she’s making dresses. She usually wants me to model in them.”

“Well, what about the others?” I asked.

“Um… Fall is usually a busy time for everypony,” Fluttershy said, brushing her wing against my legs. “Applejack has the harvest to deal with, Twilight helps organize the Fall Festival and the Running of the Leaves, Rainbow is working with the other weather pegasi to get the winter weather schedule ready, and Pinkie’s making treats with the Cakes for the Fall Festival.”

“Well, don’t you have stuff you could be doing as well?” I asked. “What about your animal friends? Don’t they need your help?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “In the Spring I help the animals wake up after their hibernation, but they don’t need help in the Fall. They just return to their burrows and get ready to sleep. The only thing I have to do is help the injured ones, but there aren’t any this year.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“W-well, yes. Of course it is!” she said, gaping at me. “I hate the thought of any of my animal friends being injured, especially when they’re trying to get comfortable for a good, long rest!”

“Then, there you have it,” I said with a smile. “Besides, from the sounds of it, you girls are having a get together tonight.”

“Oh yes, the sleepover,” Fluttershy said, closing her eyes and nodding. A few seconds later her eyes shot open and she gasped. Turning quickly, she looked up at me with a wide smile on her face, her tail wagging back and forth. “Are… are you going as well?”

“That was the plan,” I answered with a nod. That caused her smile to grow, as well as her tail to swish about faster.

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” she squeaked, pressing her hooves to her cheeks. “I… I had hoped, but… oh, I… I need to go get ready. I need to—oh, excuse me please!” With that, she hurried off, practically hovering across the ground as she flitted through the crowd.

As I watched her go, I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. I was suddenly hoping that Applejack was bringing some of her alcoholic cider. I had a feeling I was going to need it.

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

The sun was just beginning to set when I arrived at Twilight’s. Knocking on the door, I only had to wait a few seconds before the door swung open and a smiling face greeted me.

“Hello, Nora!” Twilight chirped before freezing, her eyes widening comically. “Wait, Nora? What are you doing here—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted, holding up a finger. “Please, Twilight, just don’t. I’m back from Canterlot. Pinkie invited me. I need this to take my mind off of... it. Don’t.”

Licking her lips, Twilight nodded before stepping aside and allowing me to enter. “Right. Of course. Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” I said as I stepped over the threshold. I scratched her behind the ear as I past, a place I found out she liked several months ago. A smile spread across her face and she leaned into my hand for a few seconds before closing the door and following after me.

I glanced around the main room as I removed my shoes. Twilight had laid out blankets and pillows in a circle in the center of the room, as well as several sleeping bags. Rarity was already present, resting comfortable on one of the more plush pillows. She perked up as I entered and gave me a quick wave. “Well, hello again, Nora dear.”

“Hey, Rarity,” I called back, returning her wave. I glanced around again before my eyes landed on a pair of tables set up off to the side of the blanket circle. They were already covered in treats, cookies, cakes, and brownies placed in creative displays that made my mouth water. There was also already bottles of cider placed in a couple of buckets of ice. But… I thought Pinkie said Applejack was… why are they here already?

Seeing my confused expression, Twilight explained. “Applejack has already been here. She dropped them off before going back to grab some more. I put them in ice to keep them cool. You can have one if you’d like.” Upon nodding my head, her horn lit up and one of the bottles lifted itself out of the ice with a soft ‘clink’. The cap popped off and flew over to the wastebin as Twilight levitated the drink over to me.

“T'anks,” I grunted as I took the bottle. Eyeing the bubbling amber contents for but a second, I placed the bottle to my lips, threw back my head, and drained half of it in a single, long gulp.

As I lowered the half-empty bottle, I smacked my lips, a thoughtful look on my face. It was alcoholic alright, but it wasn’t that strong. It would do for now though.

Taking another, more chastised sip, I shuffled over and sat down on a blanket on the opposite side of the circle as Rarity. I crossed my legs before throwing a blanket over my lap. Sitting cross legged with a skirt was a bit revealing, but the blanket took care of that.

“So, Nora,” Rarity piped up as I got comfortable, “are you, perchance, feel any better than you were earlier?”

“No,” I grunted, lifting the bottle to my lips, “but I’m working on it.”

“I see,” Rarity hummed, pursing her lips before trailing off. An awkward silence fell, and Rarity shifted uncomfortably on her pillow as she looked everywhere but in my direction. I didn’t care though. I was just content to sit there and nurse my bottle.

The silence was eventually interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Coming!” Twilight chirped as she trotted happily to the door and opened it. There was a brief muffled conversation before she stepped back and allowed the new pony to enter.

Fluttershy had a small smile on her face as she glanced around the room, only for the smile to widen when her eyes landed onto me. She did a weird hop-flutter jump through the air and landed beside me.

“Fluttershy, darling,” Rarity greeted her with a smile, “so nice to see you again.”

“Hello, Rarity,” Fluttershy said with a hum, snuggling up against my side. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week!”

“As have I,” Rarity said, nodding her head twice. “After filling out so many orders, it’ll be nice to just relax and be with friends.”

“Indeed,” Twilight said as she walked over and sat down on one of the pillows. “Now, we just need to wait for the others to return and we can get started.” No sooner had the words left her mouth then there came a flurry of knocks on the door. However, before Twilight had a chance to stand up to answer it, the door flung open and Pinkie Pie bounced in… followed by a white unicorn with long light blue hair with white streaks.

The mare took several steps into the library before pausing, suddenly aware of all the eyes on her. Her ears splayed back and she lowered her head slightly, taking a step back. “I… I’m sorry. I’m not interrupting anything, am I? She said it would be fine.”

“Certainly not,” Rarity said, giving the mare a curious look, “but if I may, who are you?”

“I’m—” the mare began, only to have Pinkie jump in front of her, a large smile on her face.

“Her name is Majestic Sky,” she chirped, bouncing in place, “and she’s new in town! I saw her when I was taking to Malley, so I went to greet her, but I think I scared her, so I was going to throw her a big ‘Welcome To Ponyville And Sorry For Scaring You’ party, but she didn’t want a big party because she said she was shy, so I was all sad because I wouldn’t be able to throw her a party, but then I remembered our slumber party was tonight, and I thought ‘Pinkie, why not bake two cakes with one oven’, so I invited her and here we are!” She gave one finally bounce before stopping and giving Twilight a grin that threatened to split her head in two.

Twilight looked someone had just slapped her with a fish, blinking owlishly at Pinkie. Fluttershy and Rarity looked equally bewildered.

“...Right,” Majestic Sky said, giving Pinkie a flustered look. “What she, um… what she just said.”

“‘Bake two cakes with one oven’?” I breathed, laughing airily. “That sounds horribly like a innuendo.” Beside me, Fluttershy squeaked, a small blush spreading across her muzzle.

“I’m sorry if I’m intruding, but your friend insisted I come along,” Majestic said, giving Twilight an apologetic look as Pinkie pronked further into the room. “I told her I didn’t need a party as I wasn’t going to be here long, but she was very, very persistent. I can go if it’s too much trouble though.”

“No, it’s fine,” Twilight said quickly, snapping out of her daze and giving the mare a warm smile. “It was just... unexpected is all. You’re more than welcome to join us. Please, come in and have a seat. Anywhere is fine. And help yourself to some food from the table too.”

Giving Twilight a grateful smile, Majestic made her way slowly into the library, glancing around curiously. She plucked a cider from an ice bucket as she passed, eyeing the contents closely before popping the cap and taking a tentative sip. Finding it pleasing, she took another, larger sip as she continued to look around the library. Her eyes eventually landed on me, and they widened.

Used to this kind of reaction when ponies meet me for the first time, I just sighed and shook my head.

“It’s okay, I won’t bite,” I said moodily. Unless you are into that kind thing, I added silently.

“Forgive me,” Majestic said, clearing her throat. “I just wasn’t expecting… you.”

“Most ponies don’t,” I sighed again before taking a sip from my bottle.

Majestic paused before continuing to make her way across the room. She made her way to a pillow beside Rarity—right across from me—and, giving it a quick fluff, she sat down stiffly, her head held high. After getting herself situation, she glanced up at me again only to notice Fluttershy who had until just now been hidden from view, snuggled up beside me. For a split second, I could have swore that Majestic’s brow furrowed and a look of annoyance crossed her face, but when I looked again, her expression was relaxed.

“So,” Rarity said, giving Majestic an inquisitive look, “I don’t mean to pry, but where are you from? I recognize the accent, but I can’t place it at the moment for the life of me.”

“Oh, um… I live in Canterlot,” Majestic said.

“Canterlot? Really?” Rarity asked, perking up, her eyes beginning to glisten. “Of course! I should have known. Oh, it’s such a lovely city, isn’t it? I would simply love to live there. If you don’t mind me asking, what is it you do there?”

Majestic bit her lip, her ears splaying back slightly. “I, uh… I’m part of the… the weather team. Yes, the weather team.”

“But, you’re a unicorn,” Twilight said as she settled back down upon her pillow.

Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and turning my head, I watched as Pinkie raided the snack tables, stacking a plate high with sugary treats. Balancing it impossibly on her head, she grabbed a bottle of cider in her mouth before skipping over to her own blanket and sitting down.

“I help plan the weather, not make it,” Majestic explained, gaining a little more confidence. “Other ponies get to do the fun part. I might not have the most exciting part of the job, but somepony has to do it.”

Just barely listening to the conversation, I watched in awe as Pinkie began to shovel food into her mouth at an alarming rate. There was even a sucking noise as the cookies and cupcakes disappeared down her gullet. I don’t think I’ve seen garbage disposals destroy food faster than that.

“Certainly, darling,” Rarity said with a nod, “What brings you to Ponyville? Are you here to help with the weather schedule?”

“No,” Majestic said, shaking her head. “An… acquaintance of mine sends me letters about her experiences living here, and it seemed like a nice place to visit. My… boss gave me a couple of days off, so I decided I’d come and see what all the excitement was about.”

“Well, you certainly picked a good time for a visit,” Twilight said, smiling warmly. “Although, if you had come a week later, you could have enjoyed the Fall Festival as well.”

“Oh yeah!” Pinkie said loudly, crumbs flying from her mouth. “You have to come to the Fall Festival! We’ll have so much fun—”

crack

We all jumped as a loud crack echoed around the room, and the front door shook. A stream of muffled swearing came from the other side before it was pushed open. Applejack trotted in first, three barrels strapped to her back, shortly followed by Rainbow, who was carrying two barrels. Rainbow was rubbing her head and grumbling under her breath.

“Most ponies tend tah open doors with their hooves, Rainbow, not their heads,” Applejack snickered, slipping the barrels carefully off her back and placing them beside the snack tables.

“Shut up,” Rainbow grunted, dropping off her barrels as well. “I couldn’t see where I was going with these stupid barrels in the way!”

“Sure,” Applejack laughed, shaking her head. Turning, she pushed her hat back and gave Twilight an apologetic look. “Sorry it took longer than Ah originally thought. Ah had tah put Applebloom tah bed first.”

“That’s fine,” Twilight smiled. “Everypony else is here, so we can get started!”

“Sweet!” Rainbow cheered, perking up, her head injury forgotten. Jumping into the air, she grabbed two of the cider bottles before flying over and planting herself down beside Pinkie.

Applejack made to follow her, but paused upon spotting me.

“Nora, you’re back!” she said, a large smile spreading across her muzzle. I started to return the smile, only to have her next question wipe it from my face. “How’d your date go last night?”

Across from me both Twilight and Rarity winced, and I felt Fluttershy stiffen against me.

“Not as planned,” I grunted. “I had hoped… well, it doesn’t matter what I had hoped now.” Lifting the bottle to my lips, I drained the remaining liquid before placing the empty bottle down beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Majestic’s ears splay backwards and she stared down at her hooves.

“Ah, Ah see,” Applejack said, giving me a sympathetic look. “Well, that’s behind you now. You’re among friends here.”

I gave her a weak smile and a nod.

Walking around the circle of blankets, Applejack sat down beside Rainbow. As she settled down, she glanced at Majestic, only to do a double take a couple of seconds later. “Whoa, nelly. Didn’t see ya there. What’s your name, partner?”

As Applejack got acquainted with Majestic, I got to my feet—earning me a small pout from Fluttershy—and made my way to the snack table and grabbed another bottle of cider. Popping the cap with a grunt, I took a sip before heading back to my spot in the circle.

As I sat down, Rainbow pumped a hoof in the air. “Alright, we’re all here! Let’s get started!”

“Okay, Rainbow. Calm down,” Twilight said as she levitated a large glass bottle into the center of the group. Scooching around in order to close the circle, she asked, “does anypony know where we last left off? I don’t remember”

“Oh! Oh!” Pinkie gasped, bouncing up and down on her pillow. “It was Rarity’s turn! She got turned into a dragon!”

“Oh, right,” Twilight muttered, scrunching up her muzzle. “Spike kept asking me to turn her back into one again for a day. Right, so that means that Rarity starts.”

“Very well,” Rarity said, lowering her own bottle of cider. Taking the empty glass bottle in her magic, she gave it a quick flick and sent it spinning.

“Spin the bottle?” I asked, an eyebrow raising. “What? Are we gonna snog one another? Cause if that’s the case, I’m gonna have to sit out.”

“Of course not,” Pinkie scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It’s truth or dare, silly!”

"Truth or dare?” Majestic asked, blinking in surprise. “I can’t say I’ve ever played that before.”

“What? Never!?” Pinkie gasped, staring at her in shock. “We’ll have to fix that!”

The bottle began to slow before coming to a stop pointing at Rainbow. The pegasus stared at it for a brief moment before a smirk crossed her muzzle.

“Dare, of course,” she said, puffing out her chest.

“Alright then,” Rarity hummed, taking a dainty sip of her cider. “Let’s start off with something simple, shall we? I dare you…” Her eyes drifted over Dash until they came to rest on her mane. A smirk played across Rarity’s face. “I dare you to put your mane up in a bun for the rest of the evening.”

The confident smirk left Rainbow’s face, and she stared at Rarity wide-eyed.

Leaning down, I whispered in Twilight’s ear. “What’s the penalty for not completing a dare?”

“They have to drink one of the potions I have in that box,” Twilight whispered back, pointing to a crate off to the side that I had somehow missed earlier.

“That’s it?” I asked, scrunching up my face. “That doesn’t seem like a very good punishment.”

Twilight smirked. “That’s because you don’t know what the potions do.”

“Anything bad?”

“No, but you’ll probably not enjoy it.”

Grunting softly, I returned my attention back to the game. Rainbow was fidgeting with her hooves as she chewed on her lip. Giving Rarity one last glance, she sighed before crossing her forelegs and pouting. “Fine! Get it over with.”

With a squeal and a smile, Rarity lit up her horn. In a flash of light, Rainbow’s mane was done up in a proper bun, all the colors of her hair twisting and swirling together in a breathtaking display. A pair of hairsticks were sticking out of the bun. Where Rarity got them on such short notice I had no idea, but, if I was being honest with myself, Rainbow pulled the look off fairly well.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, darling,” Rarity said as the magic around her horn faded. Beside her, Pinkie shoved a hoof in her mouth to stop herself giggling.

“That’s a nice look for you, Potato,” I said, snickering around my bottle of cider. “Very… sophisticated.”

Rainbow glared at me before leaning down and kicking the bottle with her hoof. It immediately flew into a tight corkscrew, spinning like a top.

“Easy, Rainbow,” Twilight admonished. “You don’t need to hit it that hard. You’re going to break it.” Twilight’s look of annoyance shifted to one of surprise as the bottle slowed and came to a rest pointing at her.

“Alright, egghead,” Rainbow sneered. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” Twilight said after a moment’s hesitation.

“I dare you to rip a page in one of your books,” Rainbow said, smirking at the librarian. Reaching over, she pulled a random book from a nearby shelf and slid it over to Twilight.

Twilight stared the book with wide eyes, a look of horror on her face.

“R-rip a page?” she squeaked. “In a book?”

“That’s right,” Rainbow said with a nod. “Rip and tear.”

“But… I-I, I mean, can’t I…”

“Come on, Twilight!” Pinkie said. “You can do it! It’s either that, or drink one of the potions!”

“A-alright,” Twilight stuttered, shakily picking up the book in her magic. She hesitated before flipping the book open to a random page. Licking her lips, she grabbed the page in her magic, but paused, a pained look flashing across her face.

“Come on, sugarcube,” Applejack encouraged softly. “Just get it over with quick. Like rippin’ a bandage off.”

Swallowing thickly, Twilight nodded before closing her eyes and jerking her head. A tear, barely an inch in length, appeared on the page.

“There,” she said, breathing heavily. “Done.”

“What?!” Rainbow cried, “but… what?!”

“Well, you never did say she had to tear the page from the book, darling,” Rarity said. “She did tear a page in the book, so she did complete the dare.”

“Oh come on!” Rainbow huffed as she flopped back on her pillow. “Ugh... fine.”

Majestic laughed softly, shaking her head with a small smile on her face.

The game continued for a few more rounds with everyone choosing dare. Applejack was forced to sit on her hat, Rarity was forced to lick Pinkie’s hooves, and Pinkie was forced to consume an entire bottle of cider through straws she shoved in her nose

I had just returned from getting my third bottle when, as I was sitting down, the bottle stopped spinning and pointed at Majestic.

“Truth or dare, Majestic?” Pinkie asked, a large smile on her face.

Majestic blinked several times, cocking her head to the side. “O-oh, um… dare, I guess.”

“Hmmm,” Pinkie hummed, swaying back and forth with a dopey smile on her face. Five empty bottles were scattered around her, and she was nearing the bottom of her sixth. Three straws were sticking out of it, and I wasn’t sure if any of them were the straws that had been up her nose. I hoped not.

Several seconds past with Pinkie humming to herself before she suddenly perked up. “Oh. Oh! I know! I dare you—” She paused dramatically “—to kiss Nora!” she finished quickly, turning and pointing a hoof straight at me. “Yeah, kiss Nora!”

I froze, the bottle of cider halfway to my mouth.

Majestic stiffened, her eyes widening in shock.

Rarity choked on her cider, nearly spraying it out her nose.

“What?!” Fluttershy yelped, jerking up and bumping her head into my knee.

“Pinkie! Why would you choose that for a dare?” Twilight cried as Rainbow rolled around on her back, laughing.

“Because it’s a dare, silly,” Pinkie giggled, “and to help cheer Malley up as well! Besides, she didn’t want to snog earlier, so now she has to!”

“Darling, ignoring the fact that you’re asking Ms. Sky here to kiss somepony she doesn’t even know, do you really think it’s a good idea to have her kiss Nora, especially after what happened last night?” Rarity asked.

A confused look crossed Majestic’s face and she turned to look at Rarity. “Wait… what?”

“Of course!” Pinkie chirped with a hiccup. “This will take Malley’s mind off of the date. She likes mares, and here’s a cute mare.” She motioned to Majestic who winced, her ears pressing against her head.

Rubbing the spot on her head that had hit my knee, Fluttershy frowned. “Pinkie, that’s not fair to Nora… a-and of course, Ms. Sky here.”

“If she doesn’t want to do it, she doesn’t have to,” Pinkie said with a shrug. “She could always choose to drink a potion.”

“That hardly seems fair,” Twilight huffed, scrunching up her face. “I suppose a dare’s a dare, but still.”

“Well, what do you think, Majestic?” Pinkie asked, turning to face the unicorn.

She was staring at me with narrowed eyes, chewing on her lip. There was an odd look on her face, one that I couldn’t quite place.

After a long silence without her giving an answer, I sighed and, closing my eyes, shook my head.

“It’s okay,” I muttered, taking a sip from my bottle. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to. It’s not something I haven’t dealt with before. No one really wants to kiss the freak—mmph!” I was cut off as something soft pressed against my lips. Blue and white hair suddenly filled my vision, and it took me a second to realize what had happened, but when it finally registered, my eyes shot wide open.

Majestic’s eyes were closed tight as she kissed me, her soft lips pressed firmly against mine. I could feel them part, her tongue brushing tentatively against my lips, asking permission, but I was too stunned to accept. She didn’t push however, and after a few seconds she pulled back, breaking the kiss.

“There,” she breathed. Turning, she made her way back to her position in the circle, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at her, their jaws on the floor. As she stepped over the bottle, she gave it a kick with one of her hind leg, sending it spinning. She sniffed, giving Pinkie a pointed look before settling back down upon her pillow and focusing on the spinning bottle. Grabbing her cider, she took a sip.

I just sat there, my mouth hanging open as my brain tried to restart. The act had been so sudden that I hadn’t had time to prepare myself. I didn’t even see her move; one minute she had been sitting on her pillow, the next her lips were pressed against mine. Shakily, I lifted a hand and brushed my lips with my fingertips. There was a slight tingle still present, and upon licking my lips, the faint hint of raspberry danced across my tongue.

“Moving on,” Majestic said, snapping all of us out of our daze. Glancing down, I saw the bottle had come to a stop pointing at Fluttershy.

“Truth or dare?” Majestic asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Fluttershy sputtered, a large blush still on her face as her eyes darted back and forth between me and Majestic. After a few seconds, she found her voice again. “D-dare!”

“Whoa, hold on,” Rainbow cried, flapping her wings a couple of times. “Are we all gonna pretend like that didn’t just happen?”

“Well, Pinkie did dare her,” Twilight mumbled, a blush on her face as well.

Still in a daze, I drained the remainder of the cider in my bottle in one swing, trying to hid the blush that was threatening to spread across my own face. I knew that the kiss was just a dare, and I didn’t even know this mare, but I was still flustered nonetheless. It was a damn good kiss. I might have to have another round with Ebony later.

“Dare?” Majestic asked, still giving Fluttershy a bemused look. “Well then… I dare you…” Slowly her eyes drifted over to me, and she hummed softly. “I dare you to wear Ms. O’Malley’s socks.”

Immediately, blushes exploded across the faces of all ponies present.

I closed my eyes and silently groaned.

“T-that might be going a little far, dear,” Rarity stuttered, her face red. “Despite Nora’s… racy fashion tendencies, not all of us are comfortable wearing such things in public.”

“Oi told yer, oi wear dem ter keep me legs warm. Nathin’ more!” I snapped before clearing my throat. “Just because you ponies view them as risque doesn’t mean I do. Back home, socks were common attire.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow scoffed, waving a hoof. “You humans and your weird clothing fascination.”

“Fuck off, Potato,” I growled. “Why do all the dares have to involve me?”

“As Ms. Pie stated earlier, she doesn’t have to do the dare if she doesn’t want to,” Majestic said, rubbing a hoof idly on the ground. “She can alway drink a potion—”

“I’ll do it,’ Fluttershy said, her voice unnaturally firm.

All eyes turned to me, and I sighed.

“Fine, but I want them back,” I grunted. Reaching down, I slipped a hand into one of my socks and began to slid it down, exposing my pale leg. I tossed it to Fluttershy before pulling the other sock off as well. A shiver ran up my legs as they were exposed to the chilly air, and I pulled a blanket over them, wiggling my toes against the warm fabric.

Fluttershy quickly pulled them over her forelegs, her cheeks tinted pink. They were too long for her, and the ends scrunched up around her shoulders. The black fabric stood out in high contrast against her light fur.

Once she was done fidgeting with the socks, Fluttershy sat back down beside me, admiring her new attire. Reaching out a sock-covered hoof, she gave the bottle a tentative shove, causing it to barely spin.

“A little more force, Fluttershy dear,” Rarity chimed, the blush slowly fading from her cheeks.

Nodding weakly, Fluttershy nudge the bottle again harder. This time it actually spun, albeit not as fast as it had for the others. As it twirled, I thought I saw her push her muzzle against the fabric of the socks and take a deep sniff, but when I glanced over, she was just looking up at the me with a content smile on her face.

Mentally shrugging, I returned my attention to the bottle, only to blink in surprise when it quivered to a stop while pointing at me.

Beside me, Fluttershy gasped happily.

“Yay!” she cheered, clapping her socked hooves together. “Truth or dare, Nora?”

“Eh, why break the streak,” I said with a shrug. “Dare.”

A large smile spread across Fluttershy’s face and she ‘squee’d excitedly.

“I dare you to sing us a song!” she said with a giggle.

I stared at her for a few seconds before turning to Twilight. “What do the potions do if I drink them?”

“I can’t tell you,” Twilight said with a small smirk. “It would ruin the surprise.”

I looked at Fluttershy’s smiling face before turning back to Twilight. “Do I have to do it?”

“You could always drink a potion.”

“The last potion I drank from you turned me into a black bear,” I grumbled. “The only one who could understand me was Fluttershy and she spent three days taking care of me before she let you guys know there was a problem.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“The potion was supposed to cure my motion sickness.”

“You could always just sing,” she said with a shrug.

Turning back, I stared at Fluttershy’s hopeful face for a long moment before sighing heavily.

“Fine… okay, I’ll sing,” I grunted. “Just stop with the face.”

As I got comfort, the others gathered around, hopeful smiles on their faces; Majestic gave them all a mystified look. Closing my eyes, I ran a hand through my hair, taking several deep breaths to prepare myself as well as calm my nerves. I can’t believe I’m doing this…

Clearing my throat, I racked my brain to come up with something to sing. I quickly settled on a song that one of my sisters used to sing to me whenever I was anxious or sad. Something told me that it was perfect for the moment, and I felt a warm feeling began to spread through my chest. Taking one last deep breath, I exhaled slowly before opening my mouth and singing softly.

Come o’er the hills, my bonnie Irish lass,

Come o’er the hills to your darlin’,

You choose the rose, love, and I’ll make the vow,

And I’ll be your true love forever.

Red is the rose that in younger garden grows,

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne,

but my love is fairer than any.

‘Twas down by Killarney’s green wood that we strayed,

When the moon and the stars they were shining

The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair,

And she swore she’d be my love forever.

Red is the rose that in younger garden grows,

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne,

but my love is fairer than any.

It’s not for the parting that my sister pains,

It’s not for the grief of my mother

‘Tis all for the loss of my bonnie Irish lass,

That my heart is breaking forever.

Red is the rose that in younger garden grows,

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne,

but my love is fairer than any.

As I sang, I kept my eyes close, pretending to myself that I was alone and not being stared at by seven ponies, one of which I didn’t not know. I tried to keep my accent from bleeding in too much, as I didn’t want to have to sing it again due to them not being able to understand me. As I finished the song, I just sat there, my eyes closed. After several seconds of silence, I slowly opened them.

Everyone was staring at me, different levels of delight on their faces. Pinkie was smiling with her head tilted to the side, while there were tears in Rarity and Fluttershy’s eyes. Majestic just stared at me in awe, her mouth hanging open and slight red hue splashed across her muzzle.

I glanced around at all of them before tentatively asking, “D-did… did oi just ‘ave one of those Moment of Harmony things?” Upon Twilight nodding, I swore. “Feck! Oi ‘ate when that ‘appens. Oi can never ‘ear the music!”

That seemed to snap Majestic out of her daze. “W-wait, what? You can’t hear the music during a Moment of Harmony?”

“No,” I growled, crossing my arms over my chest subconsciously. “Oi can’t. Oi can’t ‘ear the music, and oi don’t know the words. Ponies always get upset with me when a moment ‘appens because I appearently ‘miss my cue’. Can’t come in on time if oi don’t know when oi’m supposed to sing.”

“B-but you had a moment just now!” Majestic pointed out.

“Yeah, oi do well by meself. No one ter disappoint,” I grunted. Throwing the blankets off of me, I got to my feet. “Oi need a drink,” I muttered.

“Wait, Malley!” Pinkie said quickly. “You got to spin the bottle!”

Pausing, I turned back around and, bending down, gave the bottle a spin with a flick of my wrist. As it spun, I made my way over to the snack table and grabbed another cold bottle of cider. Upon thinking about it, I grabbed a second one for good measure before heading back to the circle just as the bottle was slowing to a stop.

“Alright Potato,” I said with a grunt as I sat down again. “Truth or dare?”

Rainbow glared at the bottle. “Dare.”

“I dare you to not respond to anyone unless they call you ‘Potato’ tomorrow,” I said before taking a long draw from the cider bottle.

She turned her glare to me, before huffing loudly.

“Fine,” she growled as she reached down and kicked the bottle to get it to spin.

I smirked, only to groan as the bottle came to a rest pointing at me again.

“Truth or dare, Nora,” Rainbow sneered, an evil grin spreading across her muzzle.

Like hell I’m falling for that, I thought as I took another sip of cider. Swallowing it, I looked at her. “Truth.”

She blinked in surprise before the diabolic grin returned.

“Alright then, truth,” she giggled. At her words, the bottle began to glow blue.

“Uh, what’s it doing?” I asked.

“It’s enchanted,” Twilight explained. “It makes it so you can’t lie if you pick Truth, and it makes it so you have to answer the question.”

“And you couldn’t have told me that before?” I deadpanned.

Twilight gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry?”

Sighing, I turned back to Rainbow. “Alright, ask yer question.”

“Nora,” Rainbow said slowly, her smirk growing, “you seem a little stressed. Have you had a good rutting lately?”

Gasps (and a giggle-snort from Pinkie) traveled around the circle at the question. I could only glare at Rainbow as the glow around the bottle increased.

“Rainbow!” Twilight yelped, her eyes wide and ears pressed against her head. “No, Dash, just no. I’m drawing the line—”

“Yes,” I said mechanically, hating myself for saying it even as the words slipped past my lips. “Earlier today, in fact.” As soon as I got control back, I clamped a hand over my mouth but it was too late.

“WHAT?!” came cries from around the circle. Majestic’s head shot up and she stared at me wide-eyed. Fluttershy whip her head around so fast I heard a soft ‘crack’. She gaped at me, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Rainbow pressed her hoof to her muzzle, trying to hold back her laughter.

The bottle glowed again.

“Oi… oi ‘ave a toy from Bad Stallions,” I said through gritted teeth. A large blush spread across my face and I buried my face behind my blanket-covered legs. “Oi needed some stress relief after last night.”

At that, Rainbow burst out laughing and fell over on her back, kicking her legs in the air.

I groaned into my legs.

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

The party began to peter out around one in the morning. Bodies were strewn across the blankets and pillows, everyone passed out due to the cider. Pinkie was buried upside down in a small pile of all the empty bottles she consumed. Rarity was curled up on her cushion, Applejack using her as a pillow. Rainbow had taken up residence in a small alcove on the wall, a blanket wrapped around her in a simile of a nest. Her bun was now disheveled, the odd strand or two of hair sticking out in random directions. Twilight had taken the book she had been forced to vandalize and was now using it as a pillow. Fluttershy was nestled nearby, her face buried in her sock-covered forelegs.

I leaned against a pillow, a blanket wrapped around me to help fight off the chill slowly filling the room. A half-full bottle of cider rested in my hands, and I was still nursing it. I wasn’t sure what number I was one, but I think this was my ninth. A melancholy mood had settled over me, and I was content to just sit there in the darkness, staring at the enchanted bottle that was lying forlorn in the middle of the carnage.

Sighing, I raised the bottle to my lips, only to pause as the soft sound of hoofsteps reached my ears. Glancing up, I blinked in surprise as Majestic slowly materialized out of the darkness. I had thought she had either fallen asleep somewhere, or had left the minute Pinkie had fallen asleep.

She sat down in front of me and stared, her magenta eyes glowing softly in the gloom. It was kinda eerie.

“Uh… can I help you?” I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the ponies sleeping around me.

She just continued to silently stare at me.

I fidgeted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. “Um…”

“Ms. O’Malley, we need to talk.” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. She continued to stare at me, a neutral look on her face, although her ears were splayed to the side in a nervous fashion.

“Um… o-okay?” I stuttered, licking my lips. “What do you want to talk—”

Suddenly magic began to creep up her horn, the golden strands of energy absent their usual glow. A gentle light filled the room as her body disappeared in a muted magical aura. The others shifted in their sleep, Twilight even mumbling before rolling over, but none of them woke up.

I held a hand up in front of my eyes, wincing in discomfort at the sudden glow, soft as it was. As the light faded, I lowered my hand and glanced at Majestic in confusion, only for my eyes to widen in alarm. My heart nearly stopped in my chest.

There, sitting where Majestic used to be, a small frown on her face, was Princess Celestia.

Author's Note

The song that Nora sung can be found and listened to here!