Pinkie Pie was singing a cheerful wordless tune.

Pinkie Pie was singing a cheerful wordless tune, and Sunset wanted to strangle the girl.

“Darling, please, stop,” growled Rarity, her head pressed against Sunset's table. “Not all of us shake off a night like that...”

Twilight was quick to grumble her agreement with the designer, the group's newest member having buried her head in the cushions of Sunset's sofa to escape the light of day.

“Aww come on, it's not that bad,” said Rainbow Dash, pressing a cold glass of juice to her forehead. The athlete was very nearly Pinkie's equal in terms of hangover recovery, something that Sunset was a bit jealous of.

Twilight had seemed to take offense at Rainbow's taunt, the brilliant girl pulling her head from the sofa, striding across Sunset's apartment and standing by a window directly across from the athlete. Twilight's glare and bloodshot eyes screamed pure hatred to Sunset, the unicorn subtly motioning to Applejack that they should move...

“Don't you dare egghead...” said Rainbow, staring down Twilight as she took hold of the curtain that was Rainbow's only shield from a light that was far too bright. “Please?”

Twilight's vengeance was swift and terrible. Rainbow Dash screamed and dived away from the now open curtain, rolling across the carpeted floor as though the sun's rays would turn her to ash. Her point made, Twilight closed the curtain and resumed her investigation of the underside of Sunset's sofa cushion.

“Twilight's a bit mean when she's hung over...” gulped Sunset before moving back into the kitchen and pouring herself another cup of coffee. Caffeine would save the unicorn from the evils of the morning.

“Ah'm just wonderin' how she's hung over from just two shots...” said Applejack, the chuckled that accompanied her words cut short by Twilight's grumpy face springing up to glare at AJ. The farmer went silent and hid behind her stetson.

With AJ retreating and Rainbow climbing back into her seat Sunset took a moment to look over her other friends. Rarity remained at her position on the table, the poor girl having had more to drink the night before than any of them. Pinkie Pie was cooking happily, frying whatever she'd pulled from Sunset's freezer and promising a cure for their 'morning grumpies'. Sunset was just happy that she'd been able to convince Pinkie to wear more than just the apron that now dangled from her neck. The party girl had come out of Sunset's bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of panties earlier in the morning, and had been extremely reluctant to change that.

Sunset was having a rough time remembering what they'd all gotten up to the night before, but the unicorn had been quick to congratulate herself when she saw a blushing Twilight follow Pinkie out of her bedroom earlier. The new girl had deserved some fun and Sunset was happy that she'd helped nudge her in that direction. While it had seemed that Twilight had started her morning happy if in pain, Fluttershy was another story. Fluttershy had still been cuddled up to Sunset when the unicorn had woken everyone with her shocked scream, and the shy girl had taken a moment to realize that her face was pressed against Sunset's lace covered boobs. Fluttershy's reaction had been fairly predictable, she'd screamed and jumped half way across the room. Fluttershy was still blushing, and she seemed very determined to keep a large amount of distance between herself and Sunset.

“You okay Fluttershy?” asked Sunset gently, smiling at her friend. Sunset may have been a bit embarrassed about waking up half naked with Fluttershy but it wasn't the first time two members of the group had ended up cuddling through the night. It was in fact a rather common occurrence if Pinkie Pie brought anything to share. Sunset was at least glad that last night hadn't been a repeat of the 'special cupcakes' incident. None of them had been able to look at each other for a week after that one...

“Fine!” squeaked Fluttershy, hiding behind her hair.

As everyone sat down to eat the greasy, hangover curing meal that Pinkie Pie had prepared Sunset took a moment to look at her cell phone. The poor unicorn suddenly found herself blushing the same shade as Fluttershy.

She'd completely forgotten about the photos.

“So Pinkie, how's Twilight in the sack?” asked Rainbow Dash as the athletic girl put her plate into Sunset's sink. Sunset was fairly certain that Twilight was about to either strangle Rainbow, or faint. Possibly both at the same time.

“Well she's shy, and Twi just wouldn't put her hands places 'til I moved them there, but she's still fun!” giggled Pinkie, the party girl finally dressed and fiddling with her phone. “But since we didn't do much I'll let you know next time.”

“Didn't do much? Darling you were dragging her into bed,” said Rarity skeptically.

“Pinkie's Golden Rule,” sang Pinkie as she went towards the door, kissing Rarity on the cheek as she went. “Now, Pinkie's got a DJ to play... Bye girls!”

Pinkie was quick to dance out the door, her eyes glued to something on her cell phone. Sunset looked over to her blushing bookworm friend, the other members of the group already looking at her.

“Shit Twilight I'm sorry...” apologized Sunset, the unicorn moving over to hug her friend. Pinkie had very few rules about relationships, sex or partying, but her one important one; 'Pinkie's Golden Rule'. Pinkie was all about fun, including naked fun, but she was keenly aware that as she and her friends had grown older some interesting substances had started to appear at her parties, and so Pinkie had declared 'No first times if someone's drunk'. The bubbly girl would strip in front of someone, kiss them like their lives depended on it, and even go all the way to the very edge of sex, but she'd never cross that line if someone was impaired. The Golden Rule meant no one could ever claim to not have known what they were doing with Pinkie. And it incidentally meant that everyone in the room but Twilight had been sober as they'd asked Pinkie to join them in bed. Sunset included.

“Can we not talk about it?” groaned Twilight, leaning into Sunset's shoulder. “We made out... but she wouldn't... more...”

“So y'all just need to ask her without the booze sugar,” smiled Applejack. “Ain't like she'll turn ya down.”

“Yeah! First time I asked she didn't even wait until we got out of the school,” smirked Rainbow Dash, earning groans from Twilight and Rarity.

“Girls, as much as I appreciate the advice, I don't know if I'd have the nerve without the alcohol...” said Twilight sadly, the glasses wearing girl gathering up her sleeping bag.

“Nonsense darling, you need only be direct once, and then she'll be all yours,” smiled Rarity. “One heartfelt, romantic confession and voila!”

Sunset could almost see that scenario playing out in Twilight's head, and couldn't help but chuckle a bit as she saw Twi pull out a small notepad and start scribbling. The girl's helped her gather her things and wished her good luck before saying good bye. As Sunset hugged her newest friend she did her best to tell the girl to not over-think what she was going to do about Pinkie. The twenty five point list the unicorn noticed on the notepad telling her that the advice was probably falling on deaf ears.

“Girl just needs to do something brave, get Pink's attention,” said Applejack as she closed the door.

“Yeah, like show up at Pinkie's place in one of those crazy outfits Rarity slapped on us last night,” joked Rainbow.

“I thought they looked nice...” said Fluttershy quietly, blushing.

“Speaking of, Sunset would you be a dear and fetch them?” asked Rarity, the designer fixing Sunset with a firm look that made Sunset feel rather uncomfortable... and strangely thrilled.

“S-sure...” stammered Sunset, scrambling to her bedroom to retrieve them...

“We may be competing in this darling, but I do think you need to be more direct,” Sunset overheard Rarity say as she returned from her lingerie gathering mission. “She's wonderfully sweet, but not the most perceptive.”

“She ain't wrong sugar, girl's thicker than Dash is,” said Applejack as Sunset left the bedroom.

“Hey!” objected Rainbow.

“Who's not perceptive?” asked Sunset as she placed Rarity's lingerie on the sofa and joined her friends. For a moment Sunset was worried she'd somehow offended her new friends by trying to join the conversation, as they'd all gone remarkably quiet...

“The girl I like...” whispered Fluttershy, just loud enough to be heard.

“Anyone I know?” asked Sunset with a smile that she hoped was comforting. It didn't seem to work as Fluttershy was quick to retreat behind her hair. “Maybe I can help?”

“Ah don't know if Fluttershy is ready to tell everyone who the girl is, but I reckon you'd be a good person to ask,” said Applejack as she gently nudged the shy girl. “Tell Sunny 'bout your girl Flutters.”

Fluttershy took a moment to try and control her blush before she finally reappeared from behind her pink hair. “She's really smart... and she wants to help people so much... I mean she's had some problems before, but she's really trying to get past it... and she's so beautiful...”

“Sounds like you're nuts about her,” smiled Sunset. “I'm surprised she hasn't noticed yet, she must be as dense as AJ was saying.”

“Sugar, y'all have no idea...” muttered Applejack, biting her lips shut.

“You should just do something to show her, like bring her flowers or something,” said Sunset, resting her chin on her hand as she tried to both think of a way to help her friend and puzzle out who this mysterious love interest was. Twilight maybe? That would explain Fluttershy's reluctance to admit who it was, their be quite a love triangle between her, Twilight and Pinkie...

“Oh darling, that wouldn't work, dear Fluttershy has already been rather forward with her without luck,” said Rarity with a bit of a smirk. “I'm afraid nothing sort of Fluttershy pushing the woman against a wall and ravishing her is going to get the point across.” Fluttershy blushed wildly and retreated behind her hair again at Rarity's suggestion.

“Ah don't know how well that would go over with her...” said Applejack nervously.

“It sounds kinda exciting to me,” admitted Sunset with a hint of color coming to her cheeks. “Being pushed into some empty room, a girl pressing up against me... It's just so... dirty and passionate and hot...”

Sunset's friends were staring at her again. Applejack was blinking at the unicorn, shocked that her friend was excited by such a thing. Rainbow Dash was trying to hide a laugh behind her hands, clearly the sports star thought that Sunset had been reading too many of Rarity's books. Rarity had a worrying smirk on her face, like a cat that had been left alone with a sleeping mouse. Fluttershy was blushing, stammering and shaking, clearly trying to say something and failing.

“My first marefriend did something like that to me before we started going out...” blushed Sunset. “It may have made an impression on me...”

“Sunny, you must tell us that story some time...” giggled Rarity.

“Yeah, but maybe some other time,” said Rainbow as she lifted the still stammering Fluttershy from her seat. “Flutters promised she'd help me practice my trickshots today and I kinda need her conscious for that...”

It had taken the friends several minutes to gather Fluttershy's and Rainbow Dash's sleeping bags and spare clothes. If Sunset had been more perceptive during the packing she may have noticed Rarity handing Rainbow a bundled up set of red lingerie before wishing the two girls goodbye. With the others gone Rarity made her way to Sunset's kitchen and poured drinks for the trio, coffee for Sunset and Applejack, and a cup of English breakfast tea for herself.

“Darlings, I really must apologize to both of you,” said Rarity as she set the warm beverages before her friends. “I may have gotten a bit out of hand last night.”

“Shoot Rarity, ain't like no one's ever done a body shot off me before,” dismissed Applejack with a wave, the farmer taking hold of her coffee and gulping down a huge amount of the steaming drink.

“I was referring to my shall we say... forceful behavior,” clarified Rarity, a small blush creeping across her pale cheeks. A similar blush spread across Sunset's cheeks as she sipped at her own coffee. While the alcohol of the previous night and made much of the experience a blur the unicorn could remember bits and pieces of being near naked in front of the designer.

“I-it's fine Rarity... we were all a bit drunk...” said Sunset around her coffee mug.

“Shoot if ah had a buck for every time one a y'all did something crazy after the whiskey came out ah'd be able to buy another farm,” smirked Applejack, the farmer the undeniable drinking champion of the group.

“Yes, of course...” said Rarity quietly.

The trio found themselves sharing an awkward silence, both Sunset and Applejack realizing that they may have stumbled on something a bit more serious than a night's drunken escapades. Rarity looked downcast, some how both ashamed and disappointed at the same time. The designer's hands were clasped tightly between her legs and she was desperately trying to avoid eye contact with either of her friends. Just as Applejack was about to ask the designer about what was on her mind the farmer's phone let out a piercing ring.

“Sorry girls...” muttered AJ as she answered the small device, walking towards the other side of the room.

Sunset looked over at Rarity, trying to figured out what was going through her friend's head, trying to think of some way to help her. Rarity still hadn't looked up from her clasped hands, and it seemed like she hadn't noticed Applejack's slight departure. Sunset was sure that if she had noticed their friend leave them to answer her cell phone then Rarity would have been quick to admonish the farmer. Rarity had a pet peeve about people talking on their phones while others shared their company.

“They did what?!” shouted Applejack into her phone, shocking Sunset from her thoughts. “Ah'll be right there! Y'all keep the cattle out of the house 'til ah get there!” In less than a minute Applejack had grabbed her sleeping bag, not even bothering to roll it up, before bolting out the door, the only explanation she gave being that her sister and her friends and been doing something involving industrial blow torches and pumpkins.

As the door slammed shut Sunset slowly edged her way back to Rarity, sitting next to her friend and gently placing an arm around her shoulders. “Rare's it's alright, I mean sure you got a bit intense last night, but it's not like anyone got hurt or anything,” said Sunset as she held her friend. “Plus... well I did look kinda good in that lacy purple thing you put on me.”

Rarity looked up, staring into Sunset's eyes. “Darling, you looked so very far beyond 'kinda good',” said the designer, as though Sunset had just spouted some horrible blasphemy. “You looked absolutely stunning! Ravishing! Why if I had the chance I'd...” Rarity's voice seemed to die in her throat at the end, as though she'd just realized how far she'd gone.

“Y-you'd what Rarity...?” asked Sunset quietly. Sunset found that she either couldn't look away from the designer's intense eyes or didn't want to. Sunset had little choice in the matter as Rarity pulled away.

“Nothing dear...” muttered the pale girl as she moved away from Sunset.

“No, no, you started this Rarity,” said Sunset as she walked up behind her friend. “You were going to say something, so say it”

“Sunset...” said Rarity as she turned to face the unicorn. Rarity hadn't used a pet name. Alarm bells started ringing in Sunset's mind. “I have some very... specific urges...” Rarity began to explain, staring into Sunset's eyes again. “I want to control people... I want to make them do just as I say and... I want to make them my servants... I want to dominate them... it makes me feel so awful but I want to so badly... and when I saw you wearing that lingerie...” the designer's voice died off again, tears forming in her eyes.

“Rarity...” said Sunset as she pulled her friend into a tight hug, holding her close. Sunset just held her friend as she started to cry softly, Rarity desperately holding on to the unicorn as she cried out her shame. After a few minutes Sunset gently pulled back from the designer so she could look into her eyes again. “Rarity, I know you, and I know that you'd never let an... urge... like that hurt anyone, if anything you'd end up showering someone you controlled with fancy clothes and who knows what else.” The unicorn smiled as she gently wiped a tear from Rarity's eye and asked, “I'm guessing you've never even looked into this kinda stuff have you?”

Rarity gently shook her head, sniffing in a strangely refined manner.

“There are plenty of people that are into that kinda thing, and I'm guessing a lot of them would be happy let you order them around,” smiled Sunset, the unicorn trying to pull the designer from her embarrassment. Humans always seemed to get so secretive, embarrassed and ashamed over sex, and Sunset had been doing as much as she could to dispel these feelings in her friends. The look in Rarity's eyes showed that Sunset wasn't having as much of an effect as she'd have liked...

Sunset was not going to let her friend feel ashamed about what she wanted.

“Tell you what Rarity.... How about just for today... I'll let you boss me around...” Sunset said with a blush.

Rarity's squeal of joy quickly climbed into pitch that Sunset was certain got the attention of every dog in the city.

Author's Note

I'm not really happy with how this chapter turned out, as it seems that I have a bit of trouble writing moments that have the whole group there...

But hey, the next chapter is going to get really close to full blown clop and whatever the shipping name is for Rarity/Sunset.

So look forward to that.