A Haunted House

The bell rang in Canterlot High, signaling the end of the day and students all around the school stood up to rush home. It was Friday after all. The weekend was officially here, and no teenager wanted to spend another second of it at school. And it wasn’t just any weekend, it was Nightmare Night weekend. Sunset Shimmer wasn't in a hurry though, her friends would be waiting for her at the statue in front of the school.

Their little group had plans for the weekend. Or, more accurately, they had plans to make plans for the weekend. Nothing solid yet. They'd probably just have a Nightmare Night themed sleepover, either at Pinkie's or Sunset's home, depending on what Pinkie's family was doing.

Sunset walked outside into the sun to see her six friends already at the statue. Her paced walk turned into a light jog as she made her way to them only to slow down suddenly as she caught the voices from them.

“What's it gonna be AJ?” Rainbow said in a mocking tone.

“You've gone completely insane, Dash!” came Applejack's answer.

“What's going on here?” Sunset asked quietly.

Twilight sighed and adjusted her glasses. “They're having a dare competition again.”

“Yes, but this time Rainbow has gone way too far,” Rarity added.

Sunset noticed Applejack's furrowed brow and red face, as well as Rainbow's smug grin. “What is it this time?”

“Dashie dared AJ to pull up her skirt right here,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“WHAT?”

Fluttershy flinched at the loud voice.

“I know, right?” Twilight deadpanned.

“Everyone here thinks that's completely inappropriate, except you Dash,” Applejack bellowed angrily.

“I don't,” Pinkie offered.

“Why's it inappropriate?” Dash asked ignoring Pinkie. “I did it, why can't you? Too chicken?”

“You’re wearin’ yoga shorts under your skirt, it’s not the same!” Applejack shouted, her face turning bright red and clenching her fists. Rainbow Dash just grinned for response. Sunset figured she should step in before something blew.

“AJ, obviously you don't-”

But before she could finish, Applejack grabbed onto the hem of her knee-length denim skirt and pulled it up hard. Each of her friends went blank in the face with shock, even Rainbow, as she revealed her green cotton panties and strong smooth thighs. She held that pose for several seconds, squeezing her eyes closed as the angry red on her face slowly turned into an embarrassed blush.

When she finally let her dress fall back into place, there was a long awkward silence. Applejack broke it herself. “I did it. What now, Dash?”

Rainbow Dash stumbled over her words, blushing, before managing to form a sentence. “I didn't think you'd actually do it.”

“Do you know what that means?” Pinkie Pie asked enthusiastically. “You're tied again!”

“I do think AJ is in the lead,” Rarity said. “It’s hardly fair to compare that to what Rainbow is wearing.”

“Damn it,” Dash cursed under her breath.

“I just don’t understand sometimes,” Twilight mumbled to herself, as Dash and AJ started thinking about the next dare.

“Alright then,” Sunset sighed. “I'm sure this'll go on all weekend so just one rule. Rainbow Dash, no more dares like that!”

“It's ok, Sunset,” Applejack said before Rainbow could protest. “I already came up with the perfect dare.”

“Bring it, AJ!” Rainbow replied.

“I dare you to stay the night at the old haunted house!”

Rainbow snorted mockingly, Pinkie Pie gasped loudly, Fluttershy hid behind her hair and Twilight simply rolled her eyes.

“Haunted House?” Sunset asked.

“The old decrepit house just out of town, just at the edge of White Tail Woods,” Rarity explained. “It's been empty since who knows how long, and people say it's haunted.”

“It's the most haunted house in town!” Pinkie Pie squealed.

“I think it's the only one in town, actually,” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Technically there's not a single haunted house in town, considering ghosts aren't real,” Twilight said, mostly to herself.

“Yeah, ghosts aren't real,” Rainbow Dash snickered. “Come on, gimme something better.”

“Maybe they aren't real,” Applejack said. “But staying at that house is still daring, especially during Nightmare Night. And if there's no ghosts, then what do you have to be afraid of?”

“But what if ghosts do exist?” Fluttershy asked quietly. “Is it really worth the risk?”

“Obviously ghosts don't exist,” Twilight told Fluttershy. “There's been several studies on the paranormal and almost all “haunted” locations have a logical explanation as to why they make a person feel unnerved, like pulsed magnetic fields, infrasound, or, in cases of old decrepit houses, even some types of toxic mold growth.”

Sunset hummed in thought. “But, what if it is haunted? Hear me out,” she quickly asked before Twilight could interrupt. “I don't mean ghosts necessarily, I mean, what if it's Equestrian magic?”

“Darling,” Rarity said. “Not everything is a magical emergency. You should relax sometimes.”

“I know,” she replied. “But just, I don't know how to not think about these things. Besides, it's possible, right? A haunted house wouldn't really be the weirdest thing we've encountered, right? It's worth it to at least check it out.”

“I suppose you're right,” Twilight agreed.

“So we're all going,” Rainbow Dash asked, staring coldly at Applejack.

“I guess we are,” the cowgirl replied.

“Umm,” Fluttershy interrupted. “Do we have to?”

“Of course not, darling,” Rarity assured her friend, putting her hand on her shoulder. “You don't have to come if you don't want to.”

“Obviously not,” Sunset agreed. “But I would still ask you come. If it turns out to be a magical emergency, we might need your help too.”

Fluttershy hesitated. She didn't want to go into a known haunted house, but she also didn't want to let down her friends. Rarity grabbed onto her hands and held them tight.

“Whatever you decide, we understand,” she said. “And if you do decide to come, we'll be there with you. You'll have nothing to be afraid of.”

The rest of the group give agreeing nods and encouraging words. Fluttershy was so nervous that she couldn’t get a word out so instead she just nodded.

“Do you guys know what this means?” Pinkie jumps up enthusiastically. “Spooky scary sleepover party!”