The air cut by her ears like swift lacerations from a knife. The sun glinted against her goggles, bright rays shining on the horizon that seemed so far, far away. She could see the hills and valleys slowly disappearing behind tall willow trees, giving way to the row of man-made dirt ramps.
Rainbow’s bike touched down gracefully on the landing ramp, kicking up mounds of dirt as the engine hiked from a hum to a roar with a twist of the handle. She kept her sun-ray blurred eyes forward as she thundered around the bend, coming up to a series of small humps. Briefly she looked behind her to find a zig-zag line of bikers trailing her. That’s right, she thought proudly, sitting up from her mud-slabbed seat as she rode over the humps. Follow the champ, losers.
Rainbow found such joy in gunning around turns, flying down stretches of mud and feeling it slap against her back. She couldn’t feel the wind through her thick clothes, but she definitely felt the force and heard it whipping by. It was almost as joyful as the roar of the champ’s bike. Almost.
Rainbow found so much joy in her speed and adrenaline that she didn’t notice another rider creeping up until they were right next to her. A rider who, Rainbow assumed, had no idea who she was. Approaching another dirt jump, Rainbow gladly accepted the challenger - and pulled back, riding a wheelie the whole way up the mound.
The mystery driver, who had donned a red and white bike and an orange suit and red helmet, seemed to know what they were doing. When Rainbow lifted off the ramp mid-wheelie, the Mystery Rider gassed it. Both went soaring into the air side-by-side before landing on the soft dirt - except Rainbow’s landing had much more wobble from her front wheel. Okay, maaaybe a wheelie hadn't been the best idea.
Both lead riders stayed side-by-side as they rounded a corner, Rainbow on the inside and Mystery Rider on the out. Seeing another stretch of dirt ahead of them, Rainbow looked her opponent over once more. Their helmet and suit were old and worn, much like their bike, which had missing chunks in the fenders. Rainbow caught sight of something very peculiar: long blonde hair flowing out the back of her helmet. Then she noticed the Mystery girl was looking at her, waving her hand as she slowed down.
Rainbow refocused ahead - and immediately squeezed the brakes and turned, the bike skidding on the dirt completely sideways. She stopped just inches short of safety tape wrapping around the entire bend. The clamor of bikes roared past her as all the riders finally passed the champ, the Mystery Rider in the lead.
Now it wasn’t a challenge. A random girl comes to her track and takes the lead? It was going to be a fun duel, but now it was about setting an example. Nobody messes with the champ.
Rainbow pulled her bike up and kicked it back until the beautiful machine coughed and wheezed, the engine eventually firing to life. She twisted the gas before her feet even touched the bike, narrowing her eyes in concentration behind her helmet. You asked for it, bitch. I'm gonna take you down.
After one jump, the champ was at the back of the line. She counted six bikes before she’d be at the Mystery Rider’s side again. Twisting the handle back as far it would let, she wheelie’d on by two. They wisely got out of her way, and her front tire bounced back to the ground just before she lifted off another ramp. As soon as she landed with a slight wobble, right back up she went. With every small jump she made, it was another bike closer to her real opponent.
After the last small jump, Rainbow took the bend with seething aggression. The last rider between the champ and her backed off - good, I scared off their sorry ass - and Rainbow gunned it as fast as her dirt-machine would allow. It was plenty fast enough to tailgate the Mystery Rider, from the bottom of the huge dirt ramp, to where Rainbow’s front wheel touched her back. This time, they both landed with a heavy wobble.
The champ was fast to adjust, and to her surprise (and excitement), so was the Mystery Rider. They boosted it down the dirt runway with vigor, both side-by-side. Rainbow could barely keep her elation contained - someone was matching her speed! Rarely did anyone contest Rainbow’s tyranny on the track, and she’d longed for someone to contest her tyranny.
The champ had gained two full bike-lengths on the challenger, and as she approached the ramp, she squeezed and grounded her gloved hands into the handle. She lifted off into the air and let the gas back, enjoying the brief hang-time. Instead of watching the sun cast its wondrous light over the land, Rainbow chose to look back and watch the challenger. Who was this chick? Was she from out of town? What was she pointing ahead at frantically?
Curiously, Rainbow looked back at the ground. Everything in her seized; arms stiff, legs clenched against the frame, eyes squeezed shut, and thought to herself, Oh. Fuck. as the bike completely missed the landing ramp and smacked hard onto flat ground. It wasn’t a good bounce, Rainbow unfortunately discovered, and she went hurdling over the handle bars head first. Her face mask skidded against the ground as mud and grime smushed against her goggles. Her body flipped several times, though she was mindful enough to brace her arms and legs for each thud. Finally, her body rolled to a stop and she laid on her back spread-eagled. Her neck was stiff, her arms and legs felt three times heavier, and her tailbone felt a little weird - but all that went through her colorful head was, I hope the bike’s okay.
Then it drifted to other things. She’d just been shown up by a noobie. Some blondie from out of town probably. She didn’t feel like getting up for a while.
A figure came into view surrounded by a bright crescent light. A wave of majestic yellow hair blew in the wind like a woodland stream framing a perfectly-formed face with a firm yet feminine jaw and a slightly clefted chin. A face full of freckles closed in on Rainbow as cozy emerald eyes settled down close, blinking at the champ. Rainbow could barely understand the words that came out of the magical creature’s mouth. “Ya a’right, sugarcube?”
Her voice was so distant to Rainbow, and not because her ears were ringing. Her ears weren’t meant to hear something so amazing. Her eyes didn’t fare much better against her radiance. Caught in the sheer exasperation of the moment, the defeated champ nodded. When the gorgeous girl offered a hand, Rainbow grabbed it. “Thanks.” She wobbled to her feet, cringing as her back throbbed painfully.
Standing before this country wonder, Rainbow saw the Mystery Rider in a new light. Her stunning tanned skin, the constellations of freckles that dotted her nose, those lush leaf-green eyes with the little golden flecks that shone in the sun, and that shining gold hair. Rainbow’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest. When her freckles danced on her cheeks as she smiled, Rainbow could feel her heart racing on a dirt track of its own. Made of freckles. Because, suddenly, freckles were very, very attractive.
“Ya sure you're a’right? That was a heckuva crash.” The voice that was more heavenly than a choir of angels brought Rainbow out of her stupor. Quickly, she started pulling off her goggles and unfastening her helmet, choosing to bear the pain of her hurt muscles in silence rather than lose some cool points by complaining.
“Trust me, I’ve done worse.” The defeated champ pulled her sky-blue helmet off and whipped her rainbow-colored hair about. It was a sweat-swamp, much like the rest of her body. Noticing the country-girl’s attention to her colorful head, prism-hair grinned wildly and raked her fingers through her hair, forking it up until it stood on end in jagged rainbow whorls. “Name’s Rainbow.”
The new girl’s laugh shook her chest, though the sound was (sadly) drowned out by passing bikes. “Ya don’t say.” She extended her hand, freckles dancing once more across those tanned cheeks as she smiled and her eyes crinkling adorably at the corners. “AJ.”
Rainbow usually fist-bumped, but this was fine. This girl's grip was tough. “Look, uh. Sorry about almost wrecking you.” Rainbow grinned sheepishly and ruffled the back of her hair. “I’m the champ around here and I couldn’t let my reputation fail me.”
AJ kept glowing, like the towheaded angel she was. “Nothin’ to worry about, honey. I could tell you were the best ‘round these parts, bein’ in the front and all, so I challenged ya.” She shrugged, her freckles dancing just a tad more menacingly as she teased daringly, “And won.” A tiny smile played on her lips.
Rainbow’s laugh couldn’t be contained any longer. “Yeah, yeah. Enjoy it for now, because on a good day you’d be eating mud.”
AJ’s green eyes made a sparkling show that was better than any aurora borealis as she wiped mud from her goggles and gestured carelessly to the champ’s bike. “Then ya best get to havin’ a good day, else I’m gonna run laps around ya before ya can get on that piece of junk ya call a bike.”
Rainbow’s eyes flashed the same spark and she whipped her goggles, the mud splashing on the ground. “You’re on.”
The champ had finally found a worthy contender. AJ had the skill and talent needed to match Rainbow’s genius riding abilities. They were neck and neck most of the afternoon. While AJ was riding casually, Rainbow took corners as aggressively as ever, launched off ramps like a bat out of hell, and rode wheelies whenever possible. And when not possible. The champ kept up with the noobie despite wrecking just a few more times.
For a while, Rainbow had been riding solo. She, AJ, and a few other bikers were alone on the track as dusk began to fall. Rainbow could have ridden all night if gas cost pride instead of money. When she lifted off another jump, the champ saw AJ and a very familiar guy talking, their bikes parked beside each other. As soon as Rainbow landed, she spun back around kicking mud up her back and helmet, and went around the ramp. Rainbow parked, killed the engine and pulled off her helmet as she approached them.
With minimal light, AJ still looked angelic. True beauty keeps radiating at all times. “Haaay, Rainbow Crash.” The guy with short black hair and a (admittedly) handsome smile flashed her a smug grin. His handsomeness was lessened significantly by his superior tone. “You almost wrecked the noobie again. Keep it up, you’re on your way to getting kicked out again.”
AJ’s friendly mile towards him changed. “She already apologized,” the country girl spoke firmly, glancing at the now-grinning Rainbow. “Ya don’t need to patronize her.”
He rolled his eyes and nodded. Rainbow got to them with arms spread out. “Whaaaat? Come on, Dick. We’re all friends here, having a good time.” The champ’s rubies twinkled as she batted her eyelashes. “Besiiideess, she knows what she’s doing. Pretty good for a newcomer, right?”
Dick shook his head and held up a hand, stopping her. “That isn’t the point. You endanger people with your reckless driving. Shit, I bet your recklessness follows you everywhere you go. And what’s this about you being ‘The Champ?’” his fingers made quotation marks, his face baffled. Rainbow beamed at him.
AJ looked between the two confused. “Uhh...she isn’t?” She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at the faker. Rainbow beamed at her too. Seeing the country girl angry riled Rainbow up in ways she’d never thought possible.
“No,” he was quick to explain. “She’s a train wreck. Every time she’s here she crashes all the time, usually dragging other people into it. You just got lucky,” he flashed AJ a smile.
Rainbow narrowed her eyes on him. “Yeah, thanks Dick. Thanks for letting me explain myself.”
Dick gave a thumbs up and started for his wicked black and red bike. Rainbow couldn’t hide her envy of his sleek dirt-machine. It had so much power behind that humming engine - Rainbow could feel the beast purring from a while away. “Nice meeting you, AJ. And my name is Richard, Crash.” He tipped his helmet to her and swung easily over the bike seat, kicking it to life. The purr cascaded to a roar and he drove away.
Rainbow planted her hands on her hips as she looked at the blonde angel. A whole mess of thoughts were flying through her head, warning her of how bad an idea it was to look this girl in the eyes for too long. She's got a kind of magic about her. “So uh, where ya from?”
“Just moved here from Manehatten. Live up at Sweet Apple Acres not far from here.” She pointed past the dirt hill they were standing by, her finger making circles for ‘that general area.’
A grin curled across her lips. “Ooooh, cool, cool. That’s cool. Apples and stuff. Nice.” Rainbow casually wiped some mud off her chin, flicking it off her fingers. I totally ride through their farm all the time. Shit. “So, um, is your name really AJ?” She blurted out the first thing on her mind.
AJ huffed a self-conscious laugh and tugged on her choppy bangs. “Uh, no, not quite. Mah real name’s Jacqueline, actually. Jacqueline Apple.”
“Posh,” Rainbow commented idly, pretending to inspect her fingernails. Internally, however, she was wondering if this girl could literally get any more perfect. Jacqueline. How goddamn adorable.
“Oh, hush,” she fired back, trying and failing to keep a faint blush from rising to those starry cheeks. “Ain't like anyone ever calls me that. When I was little I couldn't say mah name right, so mah family shortened it to Applejack to make it easier for me. And then that nickname got shortened to AJ, and AJ stuck.”
“I see.” Rainbow glanced up to meet her bright gaze. “Applejack, huh? Can I call you something like that?”
Those golden brows drew together. “Depends on whatcha mean by somethin’.”
“I was thinking Crapplejack would do,” she said innocently.
Whap!!
“Okay, okay! Just kidding, geez.” Rainbow made a show of rubbing her shoulder, but she didn't really mind. “AJ is fine.” Better than fine, actually. It's cute as hell. “So,” she said with a sly grin, “do you go to Equestria High, or what?”
AJ nodded, blowing her alluring flaxen bangs out of her eyes. Apparently she'd already forgiven Rainbow her jest. “Sure do. Startin’ Monday. Mah folks think it’s a buncha horse hay, but I reckon there’s a thing'er two to learn.” Rainbow positively beamed back at her. They were going to to the same school! Frickin’ destiny.
“Uh huh, they only teach you what they want you to learn. It’s a bunch of crap, AJ.” The rainbow-haired wonder waved her hand dismissively. “But it’s a damn good place to make friends.” When AJ cocked an eyebrow, Rainbow raised hers in return and spread her arms innocently. “What?”
“That ain’t what I heard.” AJ expressed her distaste in her droll tone and her rapidly rising eyebrow. “Nothin’ but drama, far as I see it.”
Rainbow clicked her tongue and waved her finger at the farm girl. “You just gotta know where to look, babe. Tell you what, every Friday night, me and my friends have a hangout at this girl’s house. It’s, like, the party to go to. Cake, pizza, games, all sortsa cool stuff. You should totally come tonight.” She kept a cool, collected expression on her face as she shrugged, though her heart felt like it was pounding right out of her chest. "If you want." Oh, God, please say yes. Please please please.
The farm girl nibbled on her gums (something Rainbow never knew she loved, until now), and puffed out her cheeks (also something Rainbow never knew she loved), and finally shrugged. “Why the heck not?” Seeing Rainbow’s gleeful demeanor, AJ sighed with a resigned smile. “Where n’ when, sugarcube?”
Mmm...that's growing on me fast. “About ten minutes from here. Here, how about you give me your number and I text you it later?” Rainbow hoped in vain that the oldest trick in the book would work.
The farm girl smiled. “Sure! I ain’t got a cell yet, though. Call me.” As AJ recited her house number, Rainbow knew that she wouldn’t have had it any other way. She had jumped straight from texts to calls! Score!
It was difficult to force her big dumb grin down to a much cooler, laid back smile, but she managed. “Awesome! I’ll call you in like, an hour. Sound good?”
AJ nodded. “Fair enuf. I gotta go get ready anyways.” She gestured to her orange suit plastered in mud, most of it from being behind Rainbow. Nobody wanted to ride behind a bike with no rear fender. “I’m a mess.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Rainbow held out her hand. “I’ll talk to ya later.”
AJ took it, and was suddenly pulled in as their shoulders slammed into each other. “Ohf-” the farm girl huffed, looking at the grinning rainbow-wonder. “See ya later,” she smiled at the surprisingly strong girl.
Their hands slipped free and Rainbow snapped her a quick salute, running back to her bike. As she slipped her helmet and goggles back on, her mind quickly began to process all the nuances of her day. She had just met a girl who she was quickly obsessing over. AJ was already about to be a part of the ever-growing group of friends. Her eyes were driving her nuts. Her accent was driving her nuts. Her freckles, her hair, her competitive nature - her. She, in her everything, was driving her nuts. And they had only just met.
Friday nights were about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Author's Note
Listened to this the whole time writing the duel. It’s fuckin’ metal as fuck dude!
Cool
7:41
Rainbow hurried around her living room, stepping over dirty clothes and torn magazines. Plastic coffee cups and bowls littered her couch and wooden coffee table, piling up everywhere except the sink. She bolted past her buzzing refrigerator and pushed aside several glass plates stacked on top one another on her kitchen counter.
“Ah-ha!” She snatched her ring of keys triumphantly. No dishes were keeping her away from this party - not today. With her keys in-hand, she flung the door open and strode out, peering down to check her phone again.
7:43
Rainbow groaned as she pulled up her contacts. AJ; Flutterbutt; Twi; Spike; Rawrity; Pinks; Work; Flash; Thunder. Her cheeks puffed out as her thumb dangled over AJ’s details. Was it too early to call? Maybe she was like Twi and would freak if she did. Or maybe AJ was like her, and didn’t care. How long does it take to ’get ready’? Was she overthinking it?
Fuck it. Rainbow tapped it and held the phone to her ear as she looked herself over. Cool knee-length jeans to show off her calves and accentuate her muscled thighs, blue tank top that clung to her abs in enticing ways and curled just above her waist showing a tease of skin, black unbuttoned leather jacket and boots. Awesome - just how she should be.
“Y’ello?” Came that wonderful country accent.
Rainbow leaned casually on her bike seat. “Hey, it’s me. You done yet, slowpoke?”
“Tch,” AJ scoffed. Even though Rainbow couldn't see her, she could hear the amusement in her voice. “Yourr tone was different when I was spankin’ ya earlier.”
That's hot as fuck. Rainbow snickered as she rubbed a hand over the torn leather seat. Briefly she looked around as they continued to talk, her eyes focused on the end of her fifteen-foot driveway. “Bad day, girl. Just you wait, you’ll see what’s coming. But for real, you ready? I’m usually not this late.” Yes she was.
A pause.
“Ah guess so. Where’m I headin’?” Rainbow could hear a door creak in the background, followed by loud footsteps on wood.
My bed. Rainbow thought wickedly. If she played her cards right, Rainbow might just be driving the farm girl to the party. “It’s 813 Boutique Road. I don’t know how to get to it from your farm.” She absolutely knew how to. Sometimes she’d ride through the farm as a shortcut. “But I’m pretty sure you can find your way around. Just look for the really rich people.”
“Ya don’t know diddly,” AJ playfully backfired, followed by a pleasant laugh. “Ah know where it is. I’ll be there in a few.”
Rainbow snapped her fingers. Damn. “Aaalright, see ya soon. Later.” Rainbow huffed and twisted her lips in annoyance as she ended the call. Apparently the back seat of her bike was to remain unoccupied. Pity. There was more than enough room for that hot ass.
Looking back and forth at the long road she lived on alone, she saw no cars. Barely anything drove by anymore. She got on her bike, fixed her helmet and kicked the rust-bucket to life. The poor thing coughed for a tenth of a minute before the engine settled to its normal hum.
Rainbow twisted the handle as she turned and the back wheel squealed on her dirt driveway before it bumped onto the road and thundered down the pavement.
She always enjoyed riding at night through her extremely underpopulated neighborhood. Her road went on for miles, with a thick layer of trees on both sides and the occasional nice wooden home every other half-mile. Cops were rarely a problem for Rainbow since the population could be counted on her hands and feet. She could go as fast as she pleased.
Which she did. Rainbow knew the road so well, she took sharp turns at blinding speeds as her jacket flapped wildly in the wind. The sounds of the engine were like a lion’s roar. Her neighbors, as few there were, knew very well what that sound meant - Stay inside, bitches. Your favorite neighborhood speed demon is here.
The bike whipped and weaved all over the pavement as she neared the drop of a very steep, very long hill. As much as Rainbow loved to speed down as fast as her bike would allow, that was where her neighborhood ended and Rarity’s began. A menacing black and white car could be seen in every parking lot, around every corner, and at the bottom of every hill - or so it seemed to Rainbow. Every time she wanted to do something cool, she’d get pulled over. Yet Rarity got away with driving way over the speed limit all the time. Go figure.
Reluctantly, Rainbow stayed in her lane and coasted down the hill. As she approached a stop light, Rainbow looked over the several gas stations and small grocery stores that she always shopped at. More importantly, she found no cop cars waiting for her. Well, shit. Wasted.
It was fortunate that Rarity’s house was so close. Two more lights, and Rainbow was on Boutique Road. It wasn’t rich by common standards, but any house that had more than one bathroom felt rich to Rainbow. Making her presence known, the loud and proud biker pulled back and rode a wheelie from the start of the road all the way to Rarity’s driveway where several cars sat. Her friends and her friends’ neighbors all knew the party had arrived.
Rainbow eyed up the house. It was a two-story home with a balcony, more bedrooms than people living there, long rooftops that Rainbow found great for star-watching, a huge backyard with a volleyball net and swimming pool, and a single-car garage. Seeing the garage open (Thank you Rarity!), Rainbow squeezed her way between the much more expensive vehicle and leaned her bike against the wall inside.
Looking around, Rainbow saw tons of toolboxes, rusted bicycles hanging on racks, a workbench, chains and bike parts. Rarity’s parents were really nice to Rainbow and let her use their garage to fix her bike, lest she have no way of getting around. As Rainbow looked over her dirt-machine, it was apparent that soon no tool would be able to fix it. The rear fender was non-existent, the front handlebars were slightly bent in, and months of dirt and grime littered the frame. It was begging for a hose.
Rainbow closed the garage door with the press of a button, and, not wanting to keep her friends waiting in agony, walked in the front door.
She went straight to the living room where everybody was already talking.
“Aaay, sup guys?” Rainbow greeted happily, tossing her jacket on the couch that Twi and Shy were sitting on. An identical couch was adjacent to it, which Rarity was sprawled out on, waving to the biker. Everyone looked so ready for fun. Not.
Twi had her face buried in a book and an iPad in her lap. The nerdy glasses, baggy sweatshirt, and shorts looked really cute on the caramel-skinned girl - but Rainbow didn’t focus on that. She mashed her palm against the nerd’s head, violently ruffling her black hair just for the heck of it. “Okay, Rainbow. You have my attention.” Twilight glared up at the athlete with bitter eyes. Despite that, a tiny smile curved on her lips. No one could look at Rainbow's face without smirking in some way.
“I got us a new girl.” Rainbow winked down at Twi, relishing the look of surprise she got in response. “She’s a country bumpkin, but she’s pretty cool. She’ll be here in a bit, so what do you girls say we initiate her?” Rainbow grinned between the three.
Shy brushed her extremely long pink bangs from her eyes and flashed a precious smile at the gleaming rainbow-haired girl. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Should we set up for the Dark Game?” There was just a tinge of reluctance in her eyes. She had never liked the Dark Game.
Rarity sat up from her couch and nodded. She had been combing her long, curly purple hair, and decided to let it down at the exact moment that she sat up for dramatic effect. It looked good on her, considering that her entire appearance was moneyed. Rainbow didn't exactly dislike Rarity - she just found it very difficult to get along with her. Plus, it was amusing making fun of her, and that was practically a Rainbow pass-time. “A new girl, lovely. We’d best get started before Pinkie hears about this.”
Pinkie heard about it.
“A new person!?” The pink-haired smile-machine barreled out of the kitchen and into the living room. She was in Rainbow’s face before she could turn and look. “Awesome!” The poofy-haired girl squealed with her hands clenched, bouncing inches off the ground.
Rainbow settled the girl into much smaller bounces as her hands pushed down on the party animal’s shoulders. “Chill. Chiiiilll. She’ll be here soon, so you guys set up the Dark Game. Cool?”
Pinkie’s head couldn’t possibly be nodding any faster. “Okey!“ She then grabbed Twilight and Rarity by the wrists and yanked them to the kitchen, then disappeared down the basement. Shy meekly followed behind. Once they were gone, Rainbow headed back to the front door and out onto the porch. There, she waited the next few minutes in the cool breeze of the usual Friday night.
The chugging noise of an old pickup driving down the street roused Rainbow from her stupor, and she grinned. A rusty farm truck for a rusty farm girl. How perfect.
Rainbow walked to the back of the driveway and directed AJ to park on the side of the road, the truck ending up stopping mostly on the yard. As AJ got out and walked around, she got a cat-call from a very colorful individual. “Wooo-weee, look at you.”
The farm girl’s hair was so damn thick and long, Rainbow had no idea how she was able to braid it. It softly bounced over her shoulder and against her bountiful chest. A open checkered flannel shirt hung loosely against her while the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a white, dirt-smudged t-shirt inside clung nicely to her torso. On those hard-working legs were some tight denim jeans and brown leather boots. But most noticeably, a brown hat sat on her head, completing the cowgirl look. It may have been stereotypical, but it looked damn good on her. It was driving Rainbow nuts.
“Look at me? Look at yourself. Ya come from a trailer park?” Her freckles danced on her lovely cheeks.
“Yeah, whatever. Come on, the party’s just getting started.” She gestured for her to follow as she led them between the luxurious cars and to the front porch. “Pretty cool place, right?” Rainbow asked as she opened the door and led the blonde beauty in.
AJ nodded at the rhetorical question. “Sure is,” she added as she left her hat on a coat-rack. As much as Rainbow liked the look, no-hat was much sexier. “Where’s everybody at?”
Rainbow grinned and beckoned her to the kitchen. “Basement, getting the game set up.”
AJ looked at her in confusion as they neared the steps, grabbing the flimsy metal railing. Talking and movement wafted up from downstairs. “What game?”
Rainbow grinned wildly as she looked over her shoulder. “The Dark Game.” The nature of her tone was such a devious one that she probably practiced it. A lot.
AJ cocked an eyebrow and looked around as they got to the bottom of the stairs. They were in a large room with white cement walls and cracked tile flooring. In the center of the room was some sort of heating/ventilation system with air ducts going up to the ceiling and disappearing into the walls. One wall had a massive white tarp nailed in. Underneath the stairs was a small hangout room with a futon and TV. To the left of the stairs was what had become the storage area for what had nowhere else to go. A vacuum cleaner, Christmas tree box, toolboxes, plastic shelves with tons of miscellaneous gadgets and tools that Pinkie never seemed to find. Scattered throughout the basement were old bicycles and metal folding chairs.
Rainbow quickly approached Pinkie, who had been busy moving a mini-trampoline to the storage area. “Yo Pinks. This is-”
“New girl!” The pink wonder leapt into the air and wrapped the cowgirl in a snake-grip. When Applejack winced at Rainbow, the colorful one just shrugged back with a smirk.
“Mah name’s AJ,” the farm girl greeted the shorter girl. “Nice to meetcha.” She wheezed a bit and massaged her ribs as best as she could with her arms pinned to her sides.
Pinkie let go and squealed. “Oh you’re gonna love the Dark Game, New Girl AJ! By the way, I’m Pinkamena But just Pinkie is fine! It’s totally gonna scare the crap outta you!” She gleefully exclaimed.
AJ arched a questioning eyebrow. “What's gunna scare me? The game, or you?”
“Yes!”
Rainbow and AJ shared a hearty laugh as Pinkie continued shoving the tiny trampoline into a corner. “The Dark Game is like Hide n’ Go Seek, just in total darkness.” Rainbow explained to a still perplexed AJ. “Trust me, lotta of fun. If we had more people it’d be hella cool.”
AJ watched as Rainbow’s friends fixed cardboard boxes over the four windows until they completely blocked the outside light. “More people?” The farm girl asked with a smile. “How big does this party get?”
Rainbow’s confident grin shone through. “Pretty damn big sometimes. Just depends on who comes. A friend brings their friends, those friends invite their friends. Like, a domino effect, y’know? Hey, Pinkie!” Rainbow called out to the host, who was busy putting small items on shelves. “What’s the record for most people?”
“Forty-two, Dashie!” Of course she'd been keeping count somehow.
Rainbow flicked her wrist. “There ya go.”
AJ frowned and then blinked down at the level-headed girl. “...Dashie?“
Her cheeks flashed a slight red hue. “Uh...Yeah! Rainbow Dash. Pinkie just puts a little ‘Eee’ on everyone’s name.” She then stroked her chin, staring at the blonde girl. “Hmm...Ayy-Jay-eee. Ayy-Jee. Aaaaay-eee...” She then snapped her fingers. "Jackie."
The country girl's level stare - apparently, she didn't like the shortening of Jacqueline to Jackie - made Rainbow swallow that name to never, ever use it again. Maybe. AJ then curiously looked at Rainbow’s friends as they made the finishing touches on the makeshift window-blinds.
As Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy approached with amiable smiles, Rainbow stepped between them and the new girl. “This is AJ. AJ, this is Posh, Nerd, and Tree-Hugger.” She introduced them with a wicked grin on her face.
Rarity rolled her eyes as she flicked her wrist, the gesture enough to get the prism-haired nuisance out of her way. “Rarity,” Posh corrected, shaking AJ’s hand with her dainty little palm. “Thank you for joining us, dear.“ Her chiseled lips formed a sweet smile. Rainbow had to admit, Posh knew how to make a first impression.
Twi bowed her head at the taller farm girl. “...Yeah, I am a nerd. But my name's Twilight-” she glared at Rainbow, then returned to her amiable smile “-and if I'm a nerd, then you're a dork.” She smiled at Rainbow.
“I'll take that..” Rainbow shrugged.
Shy’s outstretched hand was gently shaken by the farm girl. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, AJ. I can see you two are getting along great.” A cute, genuine smile slipped onto her lips. Shy’s most amazing quality was her politeness, no matter who she was talking to. She may have been a close cousin, but those genes didn’t reach Rainbow at all.
“It’s nice meetin’ y’all.”’AJ smiled from ear to ear. Her shoulder bumped into the athlete's side as she nodded at Shy. “Gettin’ along great.” She turned to Rainbow, who beamed back at her.
Rarity may have had a great smile, but her giggle was kind of super adorable. “Oh, you two. Let’s not keep Pinkie waiting any longer.” Her eyes squinted from smiling so...plastically.
“That is a great idea, Rarity! You should go first!” Pinkie exclaimed suddenly, as she suddenly appeared next to the group. Very...suddenly.
Rainbow and Twi shared a pleased smile at Rarity as the fashionista scoffed and tossed her hair aside. “I suppose...” she droned as she slowly waltzed upstairs.
As soon as she got to the top, she began to count. ”Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight...” Everyone bolted around the room. Shy scampered over to the futon and squeezed underneath. Twi scooted several chairs into a corner and made a little fort. Pinkie climbed up the heating vents to dangle from the ceiling. Rainbow dashed around the corner and to the storage area, shoving boxes out of her way as she made room on one of the shelves. AJ didn't move, too busy staring in awe at Pinkie, who could apparently climb walls.
The country girl ‘Eep’d’ as the basement went completely dark. ’Total darkness’, Rainbow had said. She'd meant it. AJ instinctively held her arms out to touch...anything. She jerked back when something touched her.
”Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen...”
“Shh!” Rainbow grabbed AJ’s hand again and led her into the storage area. The athlete had played ‘The Dark Game’ so much that she was completely confident in each step she took. Rarity’s basement had become second nature to her at this point. ”I know a spot where she’ll never find us.” Rainbow whispered.
AJ leaned in close as she took her steps much more carefully than the shorter, cocky girl. ”If ya say so...” the country girl whispered back.
“Ow! Shit!” Rainbow abruptly let go of AJ’s hand and toppled forward. Who the hell put that box there!? When AJ snickered behind her, Rainbow huffed and got to her feet, stopping right in front of the shelf she had newly renovated.
”Five, four, three...”
Rainbow quickly urged the cowgirl to climb onto the shelf until her back was against the wall. Then she climbed in after her, putting a Christmas tree box in front of her. While AJ and Rainbow couldn’t see a damned thing, neither could Rarity. But Rainbow knew exactly where she was and how to get there - she practiced this spot in her head all the time! It was on the second shelf in the storage area nestled against the stairs with just barely enough room to sit in. With a box in front of her, Rarity would have no idea where they went. They may call her a try-hard...but they weren't the ones winning.
Plus, Rainbow was snug tight against the farm girl. And oh how she loved it. The spot was technically meant for one person, but that’s what made it so intimate.
”Ready or not...~” Rarity cooed as her delicate footsteps creaked on each step. Rainbow and AJ struggled to contain girly giggles. If Rainbow didn’t know any better, they were practically snuggling. Damn I’m good.
The sound of tepid footsteps echoed through the room as Rarity made her move. And squeaked, “Bollocks!” as the sound of metal clanged to the floor. Many giggles filled the basement. “I hear you...wait-”
AJ and Rainbow froze in place, the athlete pushing back against the girl’s chest. Intentionally? Perhaps.
“...Pinkie, are you on the ceiling?”
”...no.”
Rainbow held back a laugh just barely.
“Ohf!” Pinkie’s grunt followed, as she undoubtedly fell to the floor. “...Yay! Good job~” Pinkie exclaimed cheerily as she sprinted up the stairs.
No one could hold back the laughs. When they died down to snickers, Rarity’s footsteps and “Ohf’s!”, and “Aha’s!” and most importantly, “Bollocks’!” grew more and more distant. Then AJ placed her hands on the smaller athlete’s elbows.
That, Rainbow had not been expecting at all. She swore the blood that had rushed to her cheeks lit them up like a lightbulb. ”You're right, this is a great spot,” she snickered just behind Rainbow’s ear.
Her lips displayed a big, dumb grin that she was glad no one saw. ”I kn-know, right...?” she whispered back. Was AJ flirting with her, or was Rainbow feeling something that wasn’t there? AJ’s hands were on her elbows! That had to mean something, right...? Or maybe there was no other comfortable place to rest them. And why was she getting so damn nervous!? She's freaking Rainbow Dash. She's supposed to be the one laying on the moves.
A quiet, tender voice emerged from the darkness, ”You got me, Rarity...Sorry, but I’m kind of stuck...I’ll just stay here until the next round, if that’s okay with you.”
Rarity’s pleasant giggle followed as she continued around the basement. Now it was Twilight’s fort versus Rainbow’s ultimate hiding technique. This might take a while.
Though, being snug next to AJ, it wasn’t so bad. ”So...how ‘bout them Lakers?” Rainbow whispered back to her shelf-buddy.
She could feel a silent laugh from AJ's chest. And what a magnificent chest it was, squished against Rainbow’s back. ”Ah don’t watch football, sugarcube.”
The shelf squeaked as her body quaked from the silent snicker. "Oh." She shook her head slowly. "Planning on joining any sports teams?"
"Prob'ly not." Rainbow felt her shrug.
The smaller athlete groaned quietly. "Why? You've got a great body, AJ."
"What makes ya say that?" The farm girl asked, and Rainbow had many, many answers.
None of them reached her lips. The two of them clenched their muscles as careful footsteps neared them. "Hmm...Could've sworn I heard an accent. And is that...cologne? Eugh," Rainbow's cheeks flushed as Rarity's hands touched along the shelf, her feet tapping boxes - the seeker was so close that her breathing was audible.
For what felt like a minute Rainbow held her breath, the entire basement totally silent. Until finally a pompous, "Hmph!" emanated from just a foot away. Rarity slowly left and (hopefully) headed towards Twi.
AJ and Rainbow shared a silent, hearty chuckle. Adrenaline was powerful, whether it's from riding bikes or hiding from a fashion priest.
"You win. I give up." Rarity finally squeaked. Moments after she did, the lights beamed on.
As Rainbow squeezed out of her tiny spot and helped AJ do the same, they shared a fist bump. "Told ya. Best spot in the business."
The farm girl shrugged. "Maybe for yoir scrawny butt," she smiled, watching as Twilight deconstructed her fort. Rarity was busy telling her how unfair it was. Shy was struggling to get out from under the futon in the super-secret hangout room.
"Ha-ha, fatass." Rainbow flipped the bird at the cowgirl before walking over and grabbing the futon. "Damn girl, you've got a big butt." The athlete huffed and lifted the futon with ease. Shy backed her way out.
"Thanks, Rainbow..." She flashed a sweet smile as she stood up and stretched her arms.
Rainbow snickered and walked over to the stairs. Pinkie was already at the top, bouncing up and down. "You're ready? Awesome!" She bounced.
The athlete returned to AJ's side. "You look bored,” Rainbow said flatly. When the farm girl shrugged, she added, "Yeah, it's a kid's game, but it can be fun with more people. And if we get fucked up. It's a blast when you're drunk and blind."
AJ chuckled. "Now that sounds like my kinda game."
"I'd say we go out and start a bonfire, but if we don't let Pinks get her turn, her hair would fall out." They shared a friendly laugh. Despite only knowing the party host for a couple of minutes, the farm girl seemed to get it.
"Where to this time?" The blonde angel asked with arms around her chest.
Rainbow rubbed her chin. "I think I got just the place..."
Rainbow sat alone in the kitchen, listening to the commotion downstairs. Behind the tarp against the wall was a great hiding spot - one of Rainbow's favorites, and it had worked well before. Except Pinkie was a vampire. Darkness meant nothing to her. Rainbow was found within a minute, while AJ was smart enough to lay on the ground. She was a quick learner.
Rainbow had a gameplan in mind before coming to the party, but upon reflecting how she reacted to AJ's subtle touch on her elbows and potential 'flirting' made her realize how half-baked that gameplan was. She needed a real plan, one she was familiar with, that she'd been using her whole life.
Wing it. Keep a cool, collected head, and whatever happens, happens. It'd gotten her this far...with...some success.
She stood up from the chair and walked back to the main living room. Both couches faced a square glass coffee table, and a huge TV sat on a black wooden stand. Along the right side of the wall was a glass sliding door and a screen door behind that, which opened to the back porch. One thing Rainbow could not pin Rarity's economic status on was any of the renovation on the outside of the house. That was entirely Pinkie's doing.
Because Rarity's parents were kind enough to allow their house to be the location for their get-togethers, Pinkie felt some sort of obligation to make the home more 'party adaptable.' She had cleaned up the weeds in the back yard and set up a volleyball net, built a wooden porch out of nothing but her two hands, and even managed to get a projector to play movies and games outside. The projector movies that played on the side of the house had become a legend in school for a while until eventually everyone had been to at least one party.
If they thought the projector was cool, they hadn't even seen 'The Fort.'
Rainbow opened the sliding door and walked across the porch. There were still some metal chairs lying about from the last party. When there were so many people to account for, sometimes it was best to leave the furniture outside. She walked behind the porch and grabbed a metal trash bin that Pinkie had re-purposed into a bonfire pit. It was a lot safer than making one out of rocks. There had been countless emergencies where newcomers didn't understand the rule, 'Don't jump over the fire.'
By the time Rainbow heard the rest of the group's conversation as they walked out onto the back porch, the athlete had already set up the bonfire. Metal chairs circled around the metal bin in the grass - the two cushioned chairs right by each other. Those were reserved.
"Anybody ever tell y’all that your scary?" AJ smirked at Pinkie.
The party fiend beamed up at her. "Totes! I just love seeing those funny expressions on your face, cuz they turn into the biggest smiles!" She waved her finger at AJ, to which she shrugged in response. Couldn't argue with that.
Rarity bowed her head at Rainbow, who was sitting in a nice, cushioned green chair. "Thank you for setting up the bonfire, dear. No one can start a fire as quick as you."
The athlete gave a thumbs up. "Ya got that right." She tapped her hand on a cushioned chair, identical to hers. "Take a seat, babe. It's story time."
AJ cocked an eyebrow as she obliged. Soon everyone else took a seat too, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
Twi scooted her chair closer and started poking at the burning cardboard with a stick. "Very nice fire Rainbow, it's perfect for smores,” she commented with a pleasant smile. Pinkie, without missing a beat, reached into her bulging purse and tossed bags of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars to the ground. "...Oh. Thanks, Pinkie."
Rainbow had stopped questioning where she got these things a long, long time ago.
Rainbow got a viable stick for roasting and stabbed a marshmallow on the tip. Dangling it over the fire with everyone else, she was the first to start up a conversation. "Why weren't there more people?"
Pinkie was in the zone, watching her marshmallow very carefully. "...Flash had a party, too. Something about his sports team, or something." She shrugged.
Her eyes lit up. "Ooooh, I know what." Rainbow huffed as she leaned back in her seat. "They let him back on the Basketball team." She sighed in distaste. It wasn't that she disliked Flash as a person, it was that she hated playing with him. He never passed the ball, would attempt ridiculous shots, and talked mad shit all the time. Not that Rainbow did any of those things...as much.
"Good for him," Twi smiled as she pulled her marshmallow back and made a picture-perfect smore.
Rarity slid one leg over the other as she attempted to carefully place the mess of white goo between her crackers. Rainbow noticed that she was purposely avoiding using her red polished finger nails. "I, for one, think that he is a nice guy. He may get a teensy bit wild at parties, but I don't hold it against him."
Rainbow cocked her head at the fashion priest. "Is it because no one pulls a one-eighty like you?" She gave a toothy grin as Rarity glared at her.
AJ seemed taken back. "You? I can't imagine ya gettin' all wild-like."
Rainbow was quick to add, "Oooh yeah. One time, there was this, like, popular guy at the party, right? She wanted to 'swoon him like two star crossed lovers'." The group laughed at Rainbow's hyperbole impression complete with batting eye lashes and cupped hands against her cheek. Rarity sat with a grumpy stare. "She drank, like, a whole bottle of vodka and started dancing on the coffee table singing Sweet Emotions. It was fuckin' legendary."
Not even the protagonist of the story could stifle a smile, while everyone else laughed playfully. "Well, even while a little tipsy, I can still sing better than you." She gave a firm nod to the athlete, which Rainbow returned with a daring smirk.
She kept that stare trained on Rarity for a good half a minute before shrugging. "Yeah, ya got me there. I'm more of a guitar person myself, anyways."
Rarity gave a triumphant nod before turning to Twi, starting up a quiet conversation with her. The same seemed to be happening with Shy and Pinkie.
Rainbow plucked her brown marshmallow off the stick and made her smore with a distinct lack of chocolate. "Having fun?" she asked coolly before chomping into her treat.
Those precious freckles danced on AJ’s cheeks as she nodded. "'Course. Thanks for invitin' me, it was...kind of ya." The look of genuine happiness in her green gems made Rainbow all giddy.
"No problem, dude. You're a pretty cool person. Ya fit right in." Her eyes squinted as she smiled. Fit right into my pants!
AJ seemed to appreciate that as she fixed both of her crispy marshmallows between two entire crackers and a bunch of chocolate. She paused and looked at Rainbow. "...Ya forgot the best part.” The farm girl gestured to Rainbow's half eaten treat.
She shrugged. "Chocolate is gross, dude. Unless it's mixed with peanut butter, then it's the tits." Rainbow snapped her fingers into a gun.
Shaking her head with a defeated smile, AJ filled her mouth with her treat. As she chewed, Rainbow took a deep breath and sat back in her metal chair, devouring her smore. She shouldn't be looking at AJ like that. It was way too soon to be getting any dumb feelings for the girl.
And why was she so not-cool around her? It was just a pretty blonde, dammit!
During her crisis, the rest of the group had started up another topic. AJ was in the middle of a story. "...Then Winona nipped him in the butt, dragged him off the porch and chased his scrawny butt all the way to the end of the orchard." Some laughs followed suit, as Rainbow slowly scooted closer to the fire. She needed the warmth.
"You sure deal with bill collectors in an interesting way," Shy was in a mix between a frown and a smile. If Shy, the epitome of kindness and hospitality, was laughing at you getting bit in the ass by a dog, then you must be truly evil. "But I prefer Rarity's grandmother's method. It was..." She snorted uncontrollably in a tiny fit of giggles.
When AJ cocked a questioning eyebrow to the fashionista, Rarity tossed her hair to the side as she started with her head held high. "Well, on a pleasant afternoon, I was sipping tea reading the daily when the doorbell rang. Answering it, I found a middle-aged man with a folder of papers in his hand. He had a nice enough smile and was very kind in his greeting,. When he asked to speak to my parents, I told him only my grandma was home. He said that substitutes."
"Grandma had a...scheme in mind. She played along with him as he explained all these complex bills to her and was asking questions about payments and what have you, but then suddenly urinated on the floor. Then, she had him clean it up. Then she had him almost clean her diaper. That's when he left, apologizing. What she said after was...well, Rainbow, if you will?” The group was filled with giggles when Rarity handed the story off.
Rainbow leaned close to the fire, her face and hands telling most of the story. Her voice was just a means of expression. "I shit you not, this old coot says, 'If he wants to try and bullshit me, then he's gonna have to clean up my shit first. Fuck 'em.'" She put on her best old-lady voice, and it definitely helped as everyone busted out laughing. Pinkie was laughing so hard that she had gone completely silent and was crying tears.
AJ shook her head as she wiped her tears away. "That's a good one. Your granny is a hoot."
Rarity smiled sweetly and nodded. "Indeed she is. It wasn't even pee! It was just a water bottle! Haha, dude got played so hard."
On a roll, Rainbow snapped her fingers. "Hey Pinks. You still never told them about the time we went camping. Remember that?" When Pinkie tilted her head curiously, Rainbow added, "You know! It was like, two months ago? With Sweetie and Scoots. It was the one time Shy didn't come."
Pinkie's eyes lit up. "Oh! I know the time! That's when I told the scary story about the noodle factory." She squealed in excitement. Settling down to a much more serious tone, Pinkie sat her half-eaten smore in her lap. It was her fifth one. "Well, it was more like a hiking trip, really. We were in the Everfree on a trail and had our tents set up. Mine was so cute! But I let Dashie and Scoots use it." Her whisper was obvious as she gestured to Dashie. "The little ones didn't want to sleep alone."
Rainbow flipped the bird with a smile. Pinkie continued cheerfully. "Everyone was sleeping in their tents, while I was snug as a bug in a rug on a tub-boat next to the fire. Then I had to...you know! While I was doing the business, I heard a growling coming from the bushes, and then a big black wolf jumped out! Its maw was slobbering with spit, coat ragged with scars and eyes black as the void."
Everyone was engrossed, while Rainbow sat back with a wide grin. "I thought I was dead. Gone. Done-zo! I cried for help and Dashie jumped out from the tent in her tighty-whitie-pajamas! She stared the wolf down, and then...She kicked it in the head!" Pinkie jumped to one foot and swung the other, cutting through the fire surprisingly fast. "Like that!"
Shy pouted her lips as she scooted forward. "Th...then what happened?"
"It ran away!" Pinkie exclaimed with arms wide open. "True story."
Rainbow took on the stares of disbelief with a smug grin, arms across her chest. "Did that really happen? You kicked a wolf in the head?" Twi inquired with a quizzical tone.
Rainbow nodded. "Had to protect the kid and Pinkie, dude. Maybe that'll teach you to choose your pets over hanging out next time," She teased at Shy, who dissolved into her seat.
"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle...That was mighty brave of ya." AJ looked on with admiration. Coming from the blonde angel, it inflated Rainbow’s ego ten-fold.
"Yep. It was pretty awesome." Rainbow smirked and started on the rest of her smore.
Then AJ added, "...but in your pajamas? Ah bet that was a sight." She grinned playfully, to which Rainbow mocked her laugh back at her.
Pinkie giggled and continued smashing on her deluxe smore. "Ifsh shonslhy shoo shold shheen shuh for!"
Everyone just looked at her cock-eyed, before Rainbow explained, "You should have seen the fort."
Rarity held back a relieved smile. She was no doubt glad they did not, in fact, see the fort. It was too much dirt for her. "Don't worry, Pinkie. Next weekend we can. I have many friends that will be attending. Also, I'm sure you will find it right up your alley." She looked at the farm girl.
Rainbow wiggled her brows up at AJ. "Oooh. I almost forgot about the fort."
AJ played a friendly smirk and gestured for her to continue as she chewed down the last of her smore.
"Down at the creek like, two minutes from here, Pinkie's been turning the whole damn place into the ultimate outdoor hangout. There's this ghetto tree house, a house made of rocks and junk wood, a bonfire pit, a dam made of cement and rocks, a big ass trench that I dug up with no help," her glare traveled between the rest of the group. ", and four ziplines. It's pretty much the shit."
"Tss..." AJ shook her head. "Now that sounds like a heckuva time. And ziplines, you said...?" She leaned to the side with a baffled smile.
Rainbow was about to retort, when Pinkie exclaimed, "Yeppo! I made them myself! There's two small ones for the party-goers who aren't really ready for the super fun stuff! Then there's the really, really big ones! All perfectly safe, of course." She gave her best toothy grin.
AJ looked really into it. She's dangerous. I like it. "Huh. I’ve never gone ziplinin' b'fore. That sounds aw'sum!" Rainbow's grin tripled in size at the country pronunciation of her favorite word. It was too sexy.
Pinkie bouncingly agreed. "I know! If only more people used them! It's pretty much only Dashie that does, and a few others on occasion. I'm so glad we have another physically active person in the group."
"Me too," Rainbow punched AJ's shoulder, to which the blonde responded by gyrating the joint. "I was trying to convince her to join some sports teams. She'd be a fuckin' beast."
Pinkie's face lit up at the country girl. "You're going to school with us!?"
"Uhh...yeah?" She answered with an arched eyebrow.
"Oh awesome!" She clapped her hands together excitedly, then hopped out of her seat and rushed into the house.
Rainbow sighed and leaned a little closer to the farm girl. "I'm serious though." When AJ rolled her eyes in response, Rainbow pushed on. "Seriously girl, you've got, like, some serious natural muscle on you. Ya got a great body type for any sport ya want, and...y'know, I could always use a partner."
That seemed to strike home. AJ took in a deep breath and pressed her back against the seat, her eyes traveling from the flickering flame to the colorful girl's ruby pools. "...I guess."
"Awesome." Rainbow pumped her fist in the air. "With us as a team, we'll be unstoppable, babe. Just you watch." The confidence in her voice and fire in her eyes was contagious, and AJ was infected before she knew that her face shared the same look.
Pinkie returned with sleeping bags and a little white box Rainbow recognized as the projector. "Let's watch a scaaaarrryyyy mooovvie!"
Rainbow got up from her seat and stretched her arms behind her back. "Sounds good, Pinks. What movie you got for us tonight?"
Fluttershy pouted her lips and twiddled her thumbs. "I hope it isn't Pet Cemetery..."
Pinkie shared a sympathetic smile with the shy girl. "No pets this time, Shy. Promise!" Shy's reassured smile returned.
Twi and Rarity silently stepped around the circle of chairs, smores in tow. As they, Shy, and Pinkie set up their sleeping bags, the pink host shouted, "Dashie, you have to share!"
Rainbow turned to AJ with an apologetic eye-roll. "You can have it, I'll chill on the ground." If she played her cards right, she could get AJ to feel guilty and let them lie together!
AJ cocked an eyebrow at the smaller athlete and shrugged. "If ya say so..."
Shit.
It was half an hour into the movie and Rainbow's ass was cold. Sitting on the soft grass was nice, for, like, ten minutes. Then it got damp, then it got uncomfortable, and then it was just crap. Rarity was kind enough to bring her a tiny blanket and pillow, but the damage had been done. Her ass hurt. The projector was set up in the very back and played some raunchy, crappy horror movie on Rarity's white house.
But all was not lost. As she laid on her makeshift bed, one leg bent, hands behind her head, looking cool as hell, she caught several glances from the country angel. That alone made the butthurt worth it, but the prospect of getting to lie next to her during a crappy horror movie was the dream.
Well, the real dream was something much dirtier, but that's beside the point.
"C'mon over, sugarcube..." AJ sighed as she opened up her sleeping bag and spread it out, making enough room for the both of them. She was so damn cool. Rainbow kept her brisk attitude though and shrugged in response, carrying her blanket and pillow with her.
"Thanks," Rainbow winked at the slightly taller cowgirl as she nestled onto the comfortable bag. When a scream filled the night, both the athletes perked up as Twi and Rarity clung to each other.
AJ laid her head back on her pillow, hands behind her head. Rainbow mimicked her.
Silence befell between the two as they watched the movie - or so Rainbow made it seem. She was glancing to the cowgirl every chance she'd get.
Natural. That's a good word for her. She's naturally cool. She's naturally built like that. She naturally has the voice of a choir. So it was natural Rainbow is attracted to her. Magnetized to her. Staring at her.
Rainbow shook her head and wiped her eyes. AJ looked over at her with concern. "Ya a'right?"
The troubled girl squeezed the bridge of her nose. She gave a curt nod. "Yeah. Just...thinking."
As she dropped her hand to the side and kept her eyes to the sky, AJ asked, "...Yeah? About?"
Rainbow's cool breathing kept her tone as casual as ever. Many things were traveling through her head, all on two opposite ends of a 'Do and Don't' table. The don'ts far outweighed the do's.
Fuck it. "You got a boyfriend?"
AJ snickered as she kept her gaze on the rainbow wonder. "Now why ya wonderin' a thing like that?"
Rainbow rubbed her tongue along her gums. Not having any real reason, she shrugged.
AJ was slow to respond. "Nah. Boys'r trouble. 'Sides, I just got here. I'd have to be one thirsty gal' to get into somethin' already." She chuckled playfully.
That was both relieving and crushing. At the very least...she wasn't taken. "Can't blame you. Most guys around here are fucking stupid, take my word for it."
"I wouldn't call ya stupid," AJ stuck her boot out and smacked Rainbow's, at which the colorful athlete finally dropped her gaze down to the cowgirl.
"Uhh, th-...Hey! I'm not a guy, dammit." She disguised her analyzation of the country girl's photogenic face as a menacing, challenging stare. AJ stared right back.
Lush, bright green eyes. They were captivating. They were something Rainbow must have. Her eyebrows were a great attribute to express her mood. Furrowed when angry (which Rainbow was growing fond of), then even more furrowed when she was challenged - like now. The girl wore all her expressions great, and she knew by a short once-over of the country-born, tanned skin beauty beside her, Rainbow had to have her.
"Ohuh...Thanks." AJ smiled with a tinge of red to her freckled cheeks, which made Rainbow blink suddenly, her dreamy stare dropping back to reality. AJ looked...uncomfortable? Surprised? Blushing?
Had Rainbow said something? The fuck did she say to her? "...wh-...what did I say?"
AJ blinked a couple times, confused. "Said my eyes were pretty. Do ya not hear yourself?"
Apparently not. Rainbow arched her back and squeezed her thighs together, groaning. For a brief, tiny, miniscule moment, she couldn't hold it in. She had slipped up and said something really, really stupid. Then she took a deep breath...and returned to AJ with a relaxed smile. "Yeah. They're gorgeous, I wish mine were like that."
AJ laughed playfully. "C'mon, mine ain't nothin' special. Yours are red. If aynthin', we should all be jealous of ya." She tapped her knee against Rainbow's.
The cool girl tapped her knee back, and their legs became pendulums, rocking back and forth. "Heh...Thanks. They are pretty damn cool." Looking over at AJ, Rainbow took a deep breath and said much quieter, "I'm glad we met."
Why ya say that?"
"I just...I dunno. I don't meet cool people, y'know? I mean, yeah, I met Pinks and she introduced me to those two, and now we're practically family, but like - I haven't met someone before, that I...y'know..."
"Connect with?" AJ finished.
"Yeah," Rainbow smiled. "Connect with. I've always been...Kind of alone. Being on top of all my classes gets boring after a while."
AJ rolled her eyes. "And there it is." Rainbow's infectious smile found its way on AJ's lips. "Can't go two minutes without talkin' 'bout how awesome ya are." Her knee hit Rainbow's extra hard.
The cocky athlete shrugged in response, her smug grin ever present. "Well, yeah. That's like, my thing."
"Well your thing makes it tough to take ya seriously."
Rainbow giggled as they continued their knee-pendulum for a little while longer, until eventually the cocky girl asked, "So where'd ya learn to ride a bike, and why'd you go to the track?"
"Me n' mah brother used to ride around the orchard on our bikes when we were lil' kids." AJ shrugged. "When I came back, he still had his. I wanted to let off sum steam, so I took it to down there."
"Tsk-tsk, had to use your brother's bike." Rainbow waved her finger at the bad cowgirl.
"Whooped your ass," AJ nudged Rainbow's shoulder. "Ya crashed more than me!"
Rainbow chortled and shoved the pushy girl's hand back. "Yeah, yeah. Yet I was still keeping up with you. That's how you know I'm the champion."
AJ rolled her eyes and swatted the champ's pointing finger away. "Uh huh. Champion mah ass, Rainbow. Speakin' of that," her gaze turned interrogative. "Who was that guy?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Dick? Some rich boy. Thinks he's hot shit." rainbow stuck out her tongue in disgust.
"Didn't he say his name was...Richard or somethin'?" AJ continued her questioning stare, to which Rainbow flashed a bright smile.
"Yeah, but I heard Dick was short for Richard, and you bet your sweet country ass I'm gonna call him Dick." She gave a thumbs up.
"Pff," AJ shared that infectious smile as she scoffed. "I don't know how ya'll get Dick from Richard."
Rainbow tapped her chin, having never really thought about it. She just liked using it to tease. When in doubt, ask Twilight. "Yo Twi," Rainbow looked over to the friend, who smiled back. "Where the hell do you get Dick from Richard?"
Twilight had to process that colorful sentence. "It was a weird process. During the thirteenth-century, they had to write everything on paper, so shortened names were very common. Dash instead of Rainbow Dash, Twi instead of Twilight, Pinkie instead of Pinkamena. That's what made Rich and Rick common names for Richard. Then it became a fun sort to rhyme names together, from Rich to Hitch, and Rick to Dick."
Rainbow couldn't deny Twi had a way of making anything interesting. But she would be shot before admitting something like that. "Uh, yeah there ya go." Rainbow turned back to the farm girl, who still looked somewhat confused.
"...why not just call him Dickard?" And then Rainbow died. Her lungs could not produce enough air to keep up with her need to laugh. Even Twi joined in with little snickers. "What?" AJ shrugged with a playful smile.
"I'm totally using that." Rainbow wheezed as she wiped away tears. Twi rolled her eyes as she turned back to Rarity, who both had heard enough about Dicks.
The country wonder rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well, ya didn't hear it from me."
Rainbow shook her head slowly as she recuperated. "S-so," she swallowed a giggle and looked up at the amused country vixen. "What were we talking about...?"
"How I was somkin' your ass." She played a smug grin on her freckle-dancing face.
"Yeah, yeah bitch. It was a bad day. I was distracted," she rolled her eyes. "-and besides. That shit's just a hobby. If you wanna try and beat me in something, try a sport I actually care about."
This girl had a lot of confidence as she crossed her arms. "Alright. I'll bet I can best ya in your favorite sport."
That was one hell of a claim. "You're on. I win...You do one thing for me, no matter what it is. I lose, I do one thing for you, whatever it is."
AJ rose an eyebrow, and perhaps wasn't sure what she had gotten into...but a smile spread across her face. "By the end of the month?"
"Sure. If ya back out, you lose. Same for me."
AJ extended her hand and shook Rainbow's deceptively strong arm. "Deal."
Rainbow sat back in her spot with a proud smile on her face. Easiest bet she'd ever made. In just a month, she'll be getting a kiss.
"A smore without chocolate is like a Mustang without a V8!" Rainbow Dash claimed.
"I'm pretty sure most of 'em are V6..." AJ said.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and thought. "A smore without chocolate is like...cereal without milk!"
"I eat lot's of cereal without milk! Lot's of cereal is basically candy." Pinkie tapped her chin in thought. "I mean, Cookie Crisp, Oreo O's, Honey nut-"
"Okay. Uh..." Rainbow played with her hair roughly as she pondered. "A smore...without chocolate...is like a woman without tits!"
"But you're a woman." AJ smirked.
WHAP!
"Haha, you hit like one too." She teased further despite to Rainbow's embarrassed red cheeks. "I doubt the analogy you're looking for exists."
"Get back to me on that. I'll have something." Rainbow leaned back against the wall on two legs of her chair.
"Say, do ya think maybe we should be paying attention? I don't wanna fail or somethin'." AJ said.
"Oh I'm already done." Rainbow yawned and stretched.
"Wha? We were talking the whole time!" AJ snickered and shook her head. "Whatever ya say."
Pinkie leaned next to AJ like she had something to say. Because she did. "Weeeellll, you wouldn't guess it, buuut...Dashie is super smart! If you ask me, which I'm assuming you thought about it, well, I think some of Twi's brain glitter fell on her pretty little head when they used to study all the time."
"...Ya don't say? Study partners?" Pinkie wiggled her brow. "...Study buddies?" AJ turned her smirk over to Rainbow.
"You bark nice and all, and I would be struck by that comment under normal circumstances, buuuut...I'm done and you two have ten minutes to finish." Rainbow reached into her pocket and whipped out her phone. "I'm big chillin'."
"Tch..." AJ rolled her eyes and looked Rainbow up and down. "Hey. What's your hair color?"
"Yes."
"No- not...ya lil' shit-" AJ bopped the teasing Rainbow's knee. "Ya know what I mean."
"Hmm..." An evil smile slowly grew on Rainbow's lips as she thought. "You get one guess."
"...why can't ya just tell me?"
"Cuz it's fun." Rainbow shrugged. "I like making games from stupid shit."
"Ms. Dash, lower your voice and watch the language." Came the stern voice of Mr. O'Brian. Rainbow held up her hand and mouthed 'my bad.'
"Blonde." AJ said confidently. Pinkie snickered into her arm.
"Huh." Rainbow bit her gums. "Why you think I'm a blonde? Cuz I'm dumb?"
"Definitely not red, can't see you with brown, black doesn't seem right...plus, I think you'd look heckin' cute all blonde."
"Kuhh, pfft, heh..." Rainbow's cheeks burned up and she put the chair back on all fours, getting a bit closer to the buxom bronco beauty. "Finish your schoolwork...lazy ass."
"All right, all right."
Pinkie smiled at the two sitting there in silence, looking cuter than matching buttons. She took a deep, deep breath as she pondered...
"See ya later!" Rainbow waved to AJ and Pinkie and darted down the crowded halls.
As AJ was still waving, Pinkie leaned against a locker with a very telling smile. AJ looked back at her pink-haired friend and cocked an eyebrow. "What?"
"You two...are soooocuuuutteeee."
"Woooah, okay hold on now..." AJ laughed and held up her free hand. "Don't go gettin' the wrong idea. We ain't, uh...an item."
"Awww." Pinkie pouted and sighed. "Well, when it does become official, your ship has the full Pinkamena endorsement."
AJ blinked a couple times. "Wha?"
"I support the inevitable relationship you two are gonna end up in."
"...okay." AJ took a deep breath. "We ain't gonna...I mean, she isn't even like that."
"She doesn't like girls?" Pinkie clarified and AJ nodded. "Pfft. Pffthahahha! Bwwahahaahahahhaahahha!"
"..."
"Baaaahhahahahahaha!!!"
"Okay maybe she is like that but...I'unno." AJ rolled her eyes and leaned next to Pinkie. "Can ya try n' keep it hushed for me?"
"Hmmm...that will be very hard-" Pinkie let out a dramatic sigh. "-but yeah. I'll be quiet about your budding friendship."
"Friendship." AJ emphasized.
Pinkie giggled and booped AJ's nose before walking off to class.
"That girl is somethin' else." AJ sighed as she slowly, distractedly walk to her next class.
AJ was making her way to some club activity class thing that Rainbiw insisted she take. Her head was clouded with thoughts - a few of them about one particular young lady. Mostly about classes and just how much studying this is actually going to take. This school is way more involved than her previous.
"Oof!" She stopped still and looked to her side. A young man very fit and tall for his age was knocked on his butt, looking up at her with wide eyes. "Sorry 'bout that..I was a lil' distracted." She offered a hand.
"Hey, no problem..." He laughed and stood up with the help of another girl by his side. She was wearing a basketball jersey. "Damn you're tough. You didn't even budge!" He laughed looking her up and down. She was about as tall as him! "You workout?" He asked, gesturing to her shoulders and arms.
"...In a way, yeah." AJ shrugged.
"'In a way', she says!" He laughed again. He's got a pleasant, handsome smile on him. "Hey, hey. I'm Flash." He held out his hand. "Sorry for bumping into you like that. Late for practice." He gestured with his eyes to the girl next to him, who looked like she just got out of bed.
"Oh yeah?" AJ smiled and shook his hand. "I heard about ya." When Flash looked eager to hear more, AJ continued. "Couple'a my friends were talkin' about ya. Good things I promise."
"I'd hope!" Flash ran a hand through his hair and looked the country girl up and down. "Look I gotta head out, but uhh...look, you would kill it if you did like...any sport." He finger-gunned and was about to go on his way with the girl dragging behind...
"Huh. Rainbow, now you?" AJ laughed and played with her braided hair. "Thanks. I'll think about it."
"Hol' up," Flash held up a finger. "You know Dash?"
"Eeyup."
"Ssssoooo...does that mean you know Twilight?" Flash raised his eyebrows.
"...yes?" AJ cast a quizzical stare.
"Can you do me a huge favor tell her to text me sometime?" Flash gave a nervous, handsome smile.
"Tch," AJ rolled her eyes and whapped his shoulder. "Sure thing, chief."
Flash beamed so bright as he waved goodbye and went into a light jog down the hall.
"Hey." AJ suddenly whipped around to find the tired girl very close all of a sudden.
"Ever hear'a personal space?" AJ looked down at her messy yellow and orange hair and took a step back.
"You're friends with Rainbow?" She stared with baggy, tired eyes. AJ nodded. "Well don't be."
"Thanks for the advice, but last I checked this is a free country. I can be friends with whoever I want." AJ played a passive-aggressive smile.
"She'll try and get in your pants," the tired girl continued like AJ didn't say a thing. "be all sweet and cute, get bored, fuck it up, relapse, get wasted or...something new, who knows."
"Ya sayin' some pretty mean words about my friend, y'know." AJ clenched her fist. "Just who are ya anyway?"
"Lightning." Unintimidated, the orange/yellow haired girl stared straight up at AJ. "Her ex."
AJ's fist softened. She looked at Lightning a little differently now. Pretty short - compared to AJ at least, boys jersey, jeans, sneakers and a very cold, but honest look about her.
"Believe me...don't...I don't care." Lightning threw up her hands and rubbed her forehead. "Just remember. Rainbow Dash translates to Tragedy Lesbian."
"You're the only tragedy here." AJ shot back down at the girl.
"Heh...got me there." A small smile appeared then evaporated. Lightning walked in the direction Flash went, disappearing in the crowd of bustling students.
AJ, not wanting to be late, held her bag close to her chest as she walked to class. Club activity. Whatever it was. 'How can one lil' ol' girl have so much drama. She's not into me, though. That'd be...weird. Besides it's not like I'm crushing on her already. We just met.' AJ thought to herself. 'She is really really pretty though. And...smart? Apparently? And a total sweetheart. And she rides...'
AJ stopped and swung her head back. She let out a deep, deep sigh...then pushed all thoughts to the back of her mind.
