Twilight's Key Party

You are invited to attend a special key party at the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree forest. The party is at noon on the first day of Autumn. Come prepared for a good time!

This party is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bed) since the castle is not furnished.

Yours truly,
Twilight Sparkle

***

The newly crowned princess looked up at the Castle of the Two Sisters and shook with excitement. The last party like this had gone so well, she’d been thinking about it ever since. It wasn’t long until she decided to hold another one, but it took her nearly a year to get up the courage to send out the invitations; she had no idea how Pinkie Pie had done it. But now the day was finally here and she couldn’t wait to get started. There was much to do before the party started, so she trotted through the doors and got to work.

***

Applejack, sporting her usual ten gallon hat, started across the creaking bridge in front of the castle. She carried with her two green saddle bags and a sleeping mat across her back, like she usually did when she camped. Rainbow Dash glided next to her with her own bag, keeping pace.

“You sure you’re alright with this?” Applejack asked, “we don’t have to go.”

Rainbow Dash nodded her head. “Of course I am! Twilight’s been super excited about this party for months! There’s no way I’m gonna let her down.”

“But Twilight’s probably not gonna let us be partners again.” Applejack eyed her preferred partner. “And it’s not like we could ask either.”

“Yeah, I suppose not,” Rainbow shrugged, “but that’s why we made rules, right? No kissing, no licking, and no shlongs.”

“That’s no lickings others’ right? Others licking me is okay?”

“Yup. I just don’t want to think about where your tongue’s been when we kiss.”

Applejack nodded. “Eeyup. We’ll be just fine.”

The pair walked inside the main door. The familiar courtyard looked much better since they’d decided to clean it. Green grass stretched across the ground, centered between the six arches that lined the side walls. The back wall had two sets of staircases that lead to a ledge, behind which were the yellow and blue banners of the two sisters. The light of the afternoon sun made the courtyard look beautiful, and much less spooky than they had remembered it.

A smiling Twilight appeared on the balcony. “Hi girls!” she called out. “I’ll be right down!” She disappeared into a passageway off the back wall and reappeared shortly afterward in one of the lower halls. “I was just doing some last minute cleanup.”

***

A few minutes later, the main door opened again and Pinkie Pie bounced in with her saddle bags hanging on each side. On her back was a blue present wrapped in a yellow ribbon that seemed to float in the air with each of her bounces. Behind her was Fluttershy with her saddle bags.

The door began to close but was stopped by a white hoof. The door flew open as Rarity, hitched to a wagon, stepped in. In the wagon were several boxes and a rack of various clothes.

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all stood agape at Rarity’s load.

“What?” she defended, “I couldn’t decide what to wear!”

Rainbow Dash shook her head while Applejack smacked her own head with her hoof. Twilight smiled, “whatever floats your boat, Rarity.”

Rarity walked in further and unhitched herself.

“So is this where we’re gonna do it?” Pinkie asked enthusiastically. She bounced around, looking at the bright stone walls. “This place looks great when it's clean!”

“But the Castle of the Two Sisters?” Applejack questioned. “Isn’t this place sacred or somethin’?”

“Oh, don’t be so silly, Applejack. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna lived here a long time, and they were once young mares too, just like us!”

“What, like a thousand years ago?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Well, yeah. And things were a lot different then too. They had feasts, music, and special entertainers. Did you know they had courtesans?”

Rarity and Applejack shifted uncomfortably but Fluttershy wore an expression of confusion. “What are courte-”

“So!” Rainbow Dash cut her off, anxious to get started. “How’s this gonna work? Which rooms are we using?”

“The three rooms will be the library, the reading room, and the organ room.”

“What?” yelped, Rarity aghast, “the Royal Sisters used to sleep here! Didn’t they have a bedroom back then?”

“Yes they did, but it’s up there.” Twilight pointed to a stone tower that was missing half of its wall and seemed to sway in the wind. “I don’t think it’s safe.”

“I guess the reading room would do.” Rarity huffed.

“The organ room, isn’t that in the basement?” Fluttershy asked, with growing fear, “beyond the Hall of Hooves, across from the eyeless paintings? Where everything is dark and shadowy?”

“Don’t worry Fluttershy, you aren’t going down there alone,” Twilight soothed, “besides, you might not even get that room.” She looked up at the others. “So, are we ready to pick partners?”

They murmured words of agreement.

In a small puff of smoke, six cards appeared with an ornate golden design on the back. Levitating them with magic, she showed the faces: a pair of Princess Celestias, a pair of Princess Lunas, and a pair of Princess Cadences.

“We each draw a card, and whoever has the same card are partners.” She turned them over and began to shuffle them. “I’ve also picked out the rooms. Lunas go to the Organ Room, Celestias to the Library, and Cadences to the Reading Room.”

She fanned out the cards and the ponies looked at each other nervously. “So, who wants to go first?”

“Me me me!” Pinkie bounced over and drew a card with her hoof.

Rarity drew hers using magic, and Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack each took theirs, leaving Twilight holding the last one.

They all held out their cards and turned them over, revealing the pairs.

“I’m with Rarity?” Applejack complained, dropping her Celestia card.

“I’m with Applejack?” Rarity whined.

“I’m with Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with annoyance.

“I’m with Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie squealed in excitement, holding up her Luna card.

Fluttershy grimaced, but was secretly happy that she didn’t have to go to the Organ Room.

Applejack turned to Twilight. “Can we redraw, or somethin’? I don’t think these pairs are gonna work out.”

“I agree!” Rarity declared, walking over and trying to give her card back. “We should draw them again until we get better pairs.”

“Maybe we could just trade!” Rainbow Dash grabbed Rarity’s card out of the air, letting hers fall to the ground. “That fixes the pairs right up!”

Twilight shook her head. “No, the point of a key party is to mix it up and try new things!” She used her magic to grab the dropped cards and offered them back to their owners. “Just give it a try for a little while and see how it goes.”

Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash looked at each other. “Fine!” Rarity said, turning her nose up and snatching her card back. Applejack reluctantly took hers too.

Twilight Sparkle shook the remaining card. “You too, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash shot Applejack a pleading look, which was met with a helpless shrug. “Alright… I guess.” Rainbow took her card in defeat.

Pinkie Pie, ignoring Rainbow Dash’s hesitation, merrily hopped down the hall, the present still on her back, with her partner droopily flying behind.

“Come on, Fluttershy!” Twilight called, leading her partner up the stairs to the reading room.

Applejack eyed Rarity’s cart. “You gonna lug that all the way up to the Library?”

“Well I’m not very well going to leave it out here!” she insisted.

Applejack tucked her card into her bag. “Alright then, can I lend you a hoof?”

Rarity, with a little effort, levitated all of the boxes and clothing rack out of the wagon and carried them in the air around her. “No, thank you, I’ll do it myself,” she grunted, shaking under their weight.

“Fine by me.” Applejack shrugged and followed her up the stairs to the Library.