“Oh the horror. This is truly the worst thing that could have happened I might die” came a wailing from the middle row of seats of Fluttershy’s van. The tension already a bit high from the girls crammed in with their sleepover supplies.

“Oh for the love of apples, will ya be quiet, so ya hair got a tad wet it ain’t the end of the world Rarity” Applejack said beside the of the distraught fashionista.

Rarity turned to her with a shock expression as though she had been slapped in the face, from her perspective she was just, verbally. “Well I never. For some of us we do more to get ready than simply wash the mud off our shoes and throw on some tacky cowboy hat.”

Now Applejack was the one to feel the sting of a verbal slap on her check. “Tacky? I’ll have you know this is a Stetson the first name in western hats and beyond that this hat was a gift from my Pa, my dead Pa. So sorry if my family heirloom ain’t up to your standards.”

Rarity realized her mistake and hung her head in shame “My apologies Applejack. I forgot your parents had passed. I truly do regret what I said.”

“It’s fine. I shouldn’t have been so rude myself I know how hard ya work on ya hair and it really did look very purdy before the rain messed it up. Also we weren’t talkin when ma folks died Sunset had already driven that wedge between us. Erm no offence Suns-” Apple jack looked around before realizing where they were. “Oh yeah she ain’t here I forgot hehe” Applejack mistake helped break the tension in the vehicle.

Pinkie in the backseat spoke up “hey Flutter’s you got any music we can listen to in this bad boy”.

Fluttershy smile a bit and once she was completely stopped at a redlight she reached for a cd and handed it to Rainbow. “If it’s ok with everyone this is a old mix tape of some of my favorite songs. Would you mind putting it in Dasie?”

Rainbow perk up from the passenger seat. “Hell yeah what’s a road trip without some tune’s. Lets rock!” She put the disk into the cd player and hit play it took a couple of seconds before the first track began and the van was filled with music.

The girls looked at each other before Rarity asked the question on everyone’s mind “Um, Fluttershy darling what exactly is this.”

Fluttershy smiled as she replied “Oh this is ‘Desert Night Melody’ by Ancestral Footsteps the instruments are a native american flute and a didgeridoo. Can’t you feel the peace and serenity washing over you as you become one with nature.”

Rainbow Dash slammed her head down on the dashboard, hard.

Richard walked back into the kitchen after shedding the raincoat and boots he had been wearing slipping back into his regular black dress shoes. Sunset looked up from the cupcakes she had been frosting.

“Did you find it?” she inquired.

Richard replied by dropping his spoils on the table “I found it but I don’t know if that really matters. It looks like it has given it last.”

Sunset looked at the tattered remains of her book bag “Dang that thing has seen better days but I left my books at school and so long as I can salvage my pencils and stuff it’s fine.”

“What about your notes?” Richard asked.

Sunset looked a bit nervous “Ha, yeah about that I never really used them I mean I take notes but I never look back over them. I either get it the first time or not at all and when I do study I prefer to just use the text books.”

Richard smiled instead of chastising her for not studying her notes “I was the same way in school also I doubt you could read your notes at all.” He playfully punched her arm. “with that chicken scratch you call handwriting”.

Sunset laughed “Like yours is any better. I frosted the cupcakes after I showered but they look like crap, I can’t get it to look even.”

Richard looked at the cupcakes a mountain range on each one with ridges and valleys. “Yeah, those look like trash but so long as they don’t taste like it besides they were never gonna look or even taste as good as Sugarcube Corner’s anyway. Remember always under promise and over deliver. You didn’t even tell them we were making cupcakes so as long as they taste decent they’ll be a pleasant surprise. Speaking of which you should text them and make sure they’ll still coming that storm is getting bad and it looks like power is out throughout the city.”

Sunset nodded fishing her phone out of her pocket. “Good ideal, I’ll let them know we have backup generators and still have power.”

As Sunset texted her friends Richard went up stars to finish getting ready for the night. It may just be a sleepover but it meant the world to Sunset. This was a golden opportunity to prove to her friends that she really has changed since the Fall Formal. So he was gonna go all out, he was already in his black dress pants and shoes and his favorite gunmetal grey button up. He put on tie that matched the red in Sunset’s hair and put his father’s tie clip with a ‘B’ on it the first letter of his last name. A elegant vest and a pocket watch.

As he admired himself in the mirror he laughed “I look like a train conductor from they eighteen hundreds.”

He could wear a more modern suit but screw that he had to live up to the stereotype of his job so he looked at to tailcoats he had laid out. “Hmm, should I wear my a common frock dress coat or a shadbelly. If this Rarity girl is as knowledgeable as they say a shadbelly might give it away but then again actually connecting those dots would be impossible. Shadbelly it is, even if they realize what it is they won’t get why I’m wearing.”

With his outfit selected and his white gloves in hand was adjusting his tie when he heard Sunset call out to him “Richard they’ll almost here.”

He left his room with Sunset standing off to the side “Ok Sunny show time”

“Uh are y’all sure were in the right place.” Applejack was staring out the window it was difficult to see through the rain but she could tell they were far from the humble farm she called home.

Rarity was staring out the window as well but as Applejack look on with concern they may have taken a wrong turn Rarity looked out in awe. “We are on Blueblood Bulevard why this is home to some of the most prestigious people in Canterlot the most elegant and sophisticated houses. Why the only street with more impressive homes is Roy-”

The computer voice of Rainbow Dash’s phone GPS interrupted her “In 300 feet turn right onto Royal Road then 400 ft till destination on the right.”

Rarity squeal of joy almost deafened everyone in the car. After recovering from the ear shattering noise Applejack learned forward to look at the phone in Rainbow’s hand “Ya sure were in the right place I don’t think Sunset lives on the same street as the mayor.”

Rainbow was a bit confused as well but being too stubborn to admit she was wrong “Yes A.J I know you live on a farm but surely you know what a GPS is and if it says this is the place this is the place. I put in the address Sunset texted me and I just texted her to double check like a minute ago.”

Rarity finally tore her eyes away from the beauty outside. “While I am happy to get to see such exquisite homes I must agree with Applejack the only home on Royal Road is far too expensive for any high school girl to afford. Even Filthy Rich couldn’t afford it when he tried to buy it five years ago.”

Again the GPS voice interrupted them “You have arrived at your destination”
The girls all looked out of the windows though the storm and the rain at the building in front of them.

Rainbow finally admitted “Ok maybe I got the address wrong cuz there's no way in hell Sunset lives in this.”

Richard smiled as he saw the van pull up at the end of the driveway and stop. He put down the binoculars and stepped away from the window. “There here, and they stopped at the end of the driveway everything is going according to my plan.”

Sunset groaned beside him. “Is this really necessary?”

Richard picked up two drop cords. “Oh yeah this is totally necessary.”

“It’s really not.”

“Yes it is”

“No, No it’s really not”

Richard capitulated “Ok it’s not but it will be cool as hel- um hades.”

Sunset sighed “ugh, first of all I’m a teenager you can cuss around me I know you cuss when I'm not around, second did you have to dress like that I told you that you don’t have to wear all that crap, and third please don’t scare off my friends being... you know, you.”

Richard turned to her “Ok first I don’t care if you're old enough to get the senior citizen discount at Applebee’s I won’t be the one to soil you innocent child ears, second I do have to dress like this I look ding darn dang good like this. I may look like a Victorian era train conductor but I look like the type of train conductor that all the ladies wishes would punch their tickets. If ya know what I mean.” Sunset made a fake gagging noise but Richard continued. “And third if you turning into a raging she-demon didn’t scare them off I sure as crimminy won’t.”

Sunset rolled her eyes “None taken”.

Richard was confused now “What?”

It took her a minute to realize the details of that exchange. “Sorry whenever my friends mention the whole she-demon thing they always follow it up with ‘no offense’ and I reply ‘none taken’.”

Richard nodded in understanding. “That makes sense but like, you did become a she-demon but you apologized and I forgive you so now it’s just stating a fact so sorry I didn’t say ‘no offense’ or whatever”.

Sunset shook her head “No. it’s fine it’s kinda refreshing actually”.

“Ok then now that that’s out of the way let's light this candle.” Richard brought the to plugs closer and closer till.

“Are you sure the back up generators can take that?” Sunset questioned.

Richard huffed as he turn to face Sunset “It’ll be fine don’t worry about it.”

Sunset reached into a drawer and pulled out a flashlight “Bet we’ll need this.”

Richard looked at the flashlight she waved in her hands. “The generators can handle it so it’s fine don’t worry about it.”

Sunset smirked “Bet.”

Richard glared “It’s fine”

Her smirk almost doubles in size, oh how Richard hated that that face right now it’s smug aura mocked him. “Then bet”.

He put the plugs down “Oh you want to- ok, ok.” He fished a twenty out of his wallet and licked his hand to wet his forehead and stuck the bill to his head.

Sunset replied in kind doing the same with her own twenty. “ready?”

Richard picked up the plugs “three”

Sunset glared at him determined to win “two”

Richard eyes burned with fiery determination “one”

Sunset’s face would have been intimidating if it wasn’t for Andrew Jackson chilling on her head still she smirked definitely “Go.”

Richard plugged the cords together the light flickered but soon kept the bulbs cast their judgement they glowed on and in the basement the generators hummed on.

“Ha told ya!” Richard yelled triumphantly.

Sunset stuttered “Well um technically the lights did go out for a moment so-”

Richard interrupted “No, nope, nah hah, stop talking pay me”.

Sunset groaned as she handed over the prize with it went a piece of her honor. “Fine but if your gonna do this just please don’t do the accent.”

Richard stuck the two twenties into his wallet as he turned away from Sunset to walk to the door. “No promises”.

“Ugh!” she groaned as he walked away.

Richard now stood by the door in the entryway he double check that his clothes were absolutely perfect before slipping on his white gloves. It had grown much brighter outside and the booming could be heard thru the walls. He downed a glass of water swishing it in his mouth and gurgling to get his voice ready. He stood ramrod straight his feet heel to toe. He pushed out his chest and stuck his nose up just a bit. It all fell apart as he laughed but he immediately returned to the pose and wiped all emotion from his face. Finally the doorbell rang out “Show time.”

The girls sat in the van staring in awe and disbelief at the home in front of them no one even paying attention to the to the Navajo man singing the ancient songs of his tribe. Applejack was the first to speak up “Ok this can’t be the place. Sunset invited us to a sleepover at her house but this here is what ya’d call a castle.”

Indeed the home in front of them did seem to have more in common with a castle built atop a hill overlooking the city while the details were obscured by the rain and the darkness, it was clear it had tall towers reaching into the sky and the gate to the long driveway was flanked by two statues of unicorns laying down their horns pointing towards each other.

Rainbow begin looking at her phone trying to find the text with the address Sunset had sent, Pinkie stared in awe while Rarity tried to snap a picture of the most famous home in Canterlot.

Fluttershy looked at the home nervously “Oh I hope we find Sunset’s home soon if this storm gets any worse I don’t know how safe it will be to keep driving.”

Rainbow having no luck finding the text through the sea dick jokes threw her hands up in frustration. “I don’t know where we’re supposed to go.” She leaned back in her seat feeling like she had let her friends down. Fluttershy couldn’t just take them all back home by then it really would be too dangerous to drive they were in this mess because she insisted she could get them there all so she would have a excuse to ride next to Fluttershy in a lame attempt to reconnect with her oldest friend.

Fluttershy put her hand on Rainbow’s leg, the only thing she could easily reach while in her seat belt on and Rainbow leaning up against the door. “It’s ok we'll figure this out some how”

Her soft voice was almost enough to calm Rainbow down till she remembered it was that same angelic voice she had let down which then just made her twice as angry at herself. “How unless Sunset starts shooting off fucking fireworks we’ll never find the damn place.”

At that moment Pinkie felt a shiver run thru her body a itch on her butt and a sneeze that refused to come out, it was obvious what this meant. She turned towards the house shouting “guys look.”

All the girls who had turned towards Rainbow Dash returned to the house to find nothing changed. Rarity hoping the legendary mystery owner of the home and subject of much gossip as no one knew anything about them was the most disappointed to see the same thing she had moments ago “Pinkie darling whatever are you talking about?”

Before anyone could reply fireworks shoot into the sky filling the dark stormy sky with color as the home lights up with columns of lights stretched to the clouds, the gardens light up with vibrant colors. Lasers shot from the unicorns horns spinning around as the gate they guarded swung open to let the van and the stunned girls in. On the house itself lights spelled out ‘Welcome To Sunset Shimmer’s Sleepover’.

All the girls jaws were on the floor of the van as the dark night became as bright as day it was like they were suddenly in Los Pegasus looking at the famous neon glow of the city. Fluttershy began to subconsciously drive forward like like a moth to all the light. Finally Rainbow kicked her feet up on the dashboard “Knew I was right” the others were still too shocked to disagree.

As drove up the driveway they parked the van under a drive through portico which gave them the opportunity stay dry as they got out and got their stuff. They work in stunned silence unloading the van before moving up the door.

They walked up to the door and Rainbow Dash pressed the doorbell. It was mere moments before the door was opened by a man in a tailcoat with white gloves. He showed no emotion as he looked a them down his nose. He spoke with a posh British accent “Greetings ladies I am Richard, Miss Shimmer’s personal butler allow me to welcome you to the Setting Sun Manor.”

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoyed it please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought. I’ll try to post a new chapter at least once a week on Wednesday as I start my work shift on Thursday