The air was cold, crisp. The sky was clear, blue, with a few clouds. There was frost on the ground, crunching underhoof as the foals marched over.

"Isn't this fun?" Quartz climbed up the mountain alongside the others, eyes bright in the morning.

Pulse looked about with wide eyes. "It is," he agreed. "It's cold." He could see the temperature on a little gauge in his vision. "Are you all safe?"

"We'll be fine." One filly waved off the concerns, then pointed at him and Quartz. "I'm surprised that you colts haven't gotten cold."

Quartz chuckled at that. "I'm used to it." He hugged the jacket around his front. "And I'm dressed for it." He looked to Pulse. "But you aren't. Aren't you cold? Metal ponies get cold too yeah?"

Beat kicked aside a small snowball. "It's not cold enough to stop us. Maybe if it started a snowstorm for long enough?" She smirked. "Until then, we just gotta keep moving and not slow down."

Pulse was about to respond, but his eyes caught on something. He trotted forward a few steps, peering off the side of the mountain towards the plains below. "Everything looks so far away."

A filly threw an arm over Pulse. "Because it is. We've climbed nice and high." She drew Pulse in a moment before letting him go. "And we're almost there!"

The fillies giggled at their antics as they climbed. They were right. The summit wasn't much further. Quartz and Pulse took in the scenery together, alongside the girls, but Quartz was quick to grab Pulse to drag him into the campsite.

The colts and fillies set up their tents, then gathered around a small fire pit. Beat strutted up to the pit. "Gather wood. I will display a new trick I've learned." The moment there were a few logs there, she glared hard at them, her eyes glowing with a bright light right towards the middle. A moment later, the logs caught fire. She turned off the lasers with a laugh. "Impressive?"

"Very." Pulse poked the fire with a stick. "That is a new ability. Can I do that?" He stared at the fire, then closed his eyes. He opened one experimentally and sighed when nothing happened. "I cannot yet."

Quartz ruffled Pulse. "Ah'm sure ya will someday." He leaned in closer. "You're cool even if you don't do no eye fire."

Pulse vibrated rapidly. "Thank you."

One filly giggled at the colts. "Aren't they so sweet together?" That earned laughter from her sisters. Quartz blushed at the words but didn't look away or shrink.

Beat watched them with far less mirth, keeping a close look on the two colts. Quartz appeared to be an entirely good sort, but Beat had seen the worst of colts before. Quartz could not be trusted yet. She cleared her throat. "I am pleased you all chose to come camping." She nodded at each of them. "Now that the fire has been started, we are officially camped. We will stay here for one night. We will have stories and s'mores." She grinned widely at them, then sat back, her job done. The others took up conversation about what they planned to do for the remainder of the day.

One filly thrust a hoof in the air. "How about a game of truth or dare?"

A second filly burst out laughing, but then shrugged. "Sure. Who would wanna go first?"

Beat's eyes opened slowly, her inner engine clicking on. "I will," she murmured, voice soft but strong. She took one already abandoned bottle of soda and placed it on the ground. "This will be our deciding device. Please put other trash in a bag for taking back down the mountain." She spun the bottle, then grinned. "The bottle will pick who must go first."

All eyes were on the bottle as it spun in place slowly. They all leaned in as the bottle span wildly, slowing down to point at Pulse.

Pulse squeaked at being picked, looking up at his sister. He thought fast and raised a hoof into the air. "I choose truth."

One filly snickered at that. Beat raised a hoof to her chin. "This is a heavy responsibility." She could feel it, knowing she could get the truth out of Pulse. "What do you like about Quartz, the most, the absolute most."

Pulse looked to Quartz with wide eyes. "What do I like? I don't know. He's nice to me, he likes playing with me, we have fun together." His eyes half-closed as he considered the question. "The most, um. He always waits for me. Some ponies hurry ahead of me, but not Quartz. He's ready to go at my speed, even if I get a little confused. That's my most favorite thing about him." Pulse settled back into his seat with a satisfied sigh.

Beat nodded, her mind going over his answer as she scanned his face. Her eyes fell upon Quartz, who blushed lightly at the praise from Pulse. "I am satisfied. It is now your turn."

Pulse took the bottle, then spun it around. He leaned in, watching where it landed. "Who will this be?" The bottle slowed and stopped on one of the fillies, who sat bolt upright. The filly leaned in, one hoof pointing at herself. "I choose dare. Do your worst, Pulse."

Pulse perked up at the invitation. "Alright." He tapped a hoof against his lips. "You will go up to the tree over there." He pointed towards a nearby evergreen, standing tall in the otherwise rocky mountain top. "At its roots are mushrooms. You must find three."

Beat's eyebrow rose at her brother's command. "What is this?" She held up her hooves. "We are already camped. Why have her forage for food?"

Pulse inclined his head. "It's my dare."

The filly laughed gently. "It's his dare," she agreed, trotting towards the tree in search of the mushrooms. "Be right back!"

Pulse bobbed his head once. "Yes, she will." He took out a small notepad and began to draw on it.

Quartz leaned in. "What are you drawing?" His ears perked when Pulse drew back, revealing his picture. It had barely started, but Quartz could see the horizon on it. "You're drawing the camp?"

Pulse smiled shyly. "Yeah. I wanna draw more things while I'm out here. Momma said she likes the ones I've drawn before."

Quartz's ears perked at that. "Well, I like them too. Show it to me when you're done, okay?"

The filly returned with mushrooms in a basket. "Ta da!" She dropped them not too far from the fire. "Which means It's my turn." She grabbed the bottle and span it with a giggle. "Who will this land on?"

The other fillies leaned forward eagerly, as did Quartz.

The bottle landed on none other than Quartz, much to Pulse's elation. "Truth, or dare?"

The filly nudged him. "I get to ask that. Truth, or dare! I will be mean either way, but pick your poison."

Quartz considered this. "Ah will go with truth." He sat back. "Give me your best shot."

"You are friends with Pulse." Her eyes narrowed and she leaned in. "What do you like the most about Pulse, for real, what's the most important thing?"

Quartz laughed at that, cheeks going bright. "Well, he said that about me. Guess it's only fair." He threw an arm over Pulse, drawing the metal colt closer. "He's like a little brother to me, but we aren't brothers. Um." He frowned with thought. "I like how innocent he is, and I want to protect that. He's, uh, special to me. I always feel safe when he's around, even when I'm guarding him."

Pulse giggled, unable to stop himself as he vibrated from Quartz's words. His eyes were shut, and his frame shook with joy. "Thank you, Quartz. I love you too."

Quartz's blush only grew worse. "I, uh, love you too."

The fillies let out a chorus of aws together.

Beat's mind was a whirlwind. Quartz was good, and kind. It was all she needed to know. This colt would not harm her brother the way her heart had been harmed. She relaxed in place, taking a stick towards the mushrooms and put them into a small pot over the fire. "These are edible and will make a fine snack for our biological members."

One of the fillies sniffed. "Well, that was cute. Can we get back to campfire games, please?"

Pulse giggled from Quartz's hooves. "Yes. Quartz, it's your turn."

Quartz grinned as he reached for the bottle, giving it a good twirl. "Let's see who gets asked next." He sat beside Pulse, one foreleg behind him. The bottle spun in place with clattering clicks against the rocks.

The foals leaned in close, watching the bottle go around and round, until at last it came to rest on another filly.

Quartz leaned towards the filly. "Truth, or dare? I won't be mean to no filly. Wouldn't feel right."

The filly turned up her nose. "I'm a pony like everypony else here. You'll treat me the same! I take a dare, and don't make it a wimpy one like your soft friend gave."

Pulse gasped with shock. "Soft friend? I am harder than any biological pony here."

Quartz rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah dunno. Um." He considered the filly and what he knew of her. "Okay." He clapped his hooves. "I dare you to hop on one leg until you get to somepony else and give'm a kiss."

The filly blinked. "Hop on one leg?" She stood up, wobbly, then hopped once and nearly fell over.

The rest of the foals started laughing at her expense as she made it towards Pulse.

Pulse watched, shaking a little in place. "Am I going to get kissed?"

The filly nodded at that. "Yes." She hopped in close and gave Pulse a quick peck on his cheek. She dropped onto all fours with a sigh. "That was harder than it should be." She flashed a sudden smile. "I'm the first filly to get a kiss on him." She returned to her seat, looking pleased with herself. "And I get to go next." She swatted the bottle.

The bottle went around, and around, and around, until finally it stopped and landed on none other than Beat. Her metal eyes blinked as she looked up. "Oh, me?"

"Yes you! Truth or dare?" The filly bounced up and down. "You have to pick one."

Beat stood. "I pick truth."

"Boooo!" The fillies complained together.

Quartz held up his hooves. "Hey now! She picked a thing. Let's let her pick that."

The filly who's turn it was considered Beat. "You looked distracted before. Tell us what you were really thinking about."

Beat froze. She had thought there were no truths the fillies would ask that would bother her, but they had gone right for a weakness. "Um, well." Her mind spun. "It is about colts." She glanced towards Quartz, who was leaning forward, intrigued. "I had a crush on one, once." Her eyes fell. "But he was cruel and I was hurt."

The filly flipped one ear back, shrinking a little. "Oh, that's what you were thinking about?"

Beat nodded as the others grew more subdued.

Quartz cleared his throat to try and break through this awkwardness. "Ah'm sure whatever colt it was, wasn't worthy of you."

Beat glanced towards him, then sighed. "Thank you." Silently, she awarded Quartz a few more points. That had not technically been the truth, but close? She inwardly cringed at breaking the rules, even if only in her own heart.

Beat grabbed the bottle, spinning it around. It spun, and spun, and spun. The others leaned in, watching it with anticipation, until finally, it came to a rest. It was pointed at the only other organic colt there. "You. Which do you select, truth or dare?"

Quartz looked from her, to Pulse, then back. "Ah'll pick truth, 'cuz that's the last one you had." He shrugged. "It only seems fair."

Beat's mind was on fire. She could just ask Quartz something, a fine chance. "You met Pulse on living day, and that day has passed. Did you prefer them when they were alive?"

The question took Quartz off-guard. His jaw dropped and he sat there for a long moment, unable to come up with a good answer. "Uh. That's a hard question. Ah think they're both good ponies." He waved wildly at Pulse. "Yer only one pony! Just meant when you're alive or metal. Both of those are good. You were softer when you were alive, but I can feel th' same pony, smiling at me."

Beat took this in, her mind processing the words, coming up with the answer. She smiled and nodded. "Good." Quartz got a few more points, higher on the chart than most colts ever did. "It is your turn."

The game proceeded smoothly until a filly got a turn pointed at Beat. "Truth or dare, Miss Beat?"

Beat considered the options. "I choose dare."

The filly giggled wildly. "Great. I dare you to kiss Quartz on the lips!" She pointed between them.

Beat inclined an ear. "It would be unfair to force my brother's special somepony to cheat."

Quartz went so red he looked ready to pass out. "Um! Never said we were that close!"

The filly rolled her eyes at that. "Yes you did. Now kiss!" The fillies were chanting it together. Beat looked towards Quartz, whose blush only continued to intensify, as she came closer.

She leaned in, touching cold metal nose to his warm living one. "I will kiss you with your permission. Am I permitted to continue?"

Quartz gave a tiny nod. "Yeah." His voice squeaked, but he didn't draw back. The fillies were still chanting, watching.

Beat leaned in, closing her eyes, pressing lips to his. It was no chaste cheek smooch, but a full and proper kiss.

Pulse's eyes grew wider and wider at the display before them. He fidgeted in place, unable to take his gaze away. "Wow."

The kiss ended and Beat drew back. "The dare has been completed."

Quartz was left panting and shaking, eyes unfocused. He fell over when Pulse crashed into him. "I never saw a kiss like that!"

"That is a lie." Beat shook her head as she returned to her spot. "Mother and father exchange such kisses frequently."

"Well, yeah." Pulse threw up his arms. "But they're adults! I never saw somepony our age do that." He hugged firmly against Quartz, clutching close.

Quartz wrapped his forelegs about Pulse and drew him back into a hug. "That was good. Ah liked that." He nuzzled against Pulse's neck with a sigh. "Too bad it ain't my turn."

"Why?" Pulse sat up. "Do you want a kiss?" Without a pause, Pulse went in for that kiss on the lips. His was light, but there was no doubt as to its meaning.

Quartz clutched at Pulse, then slowly opened his eyes. "Ah wanted that." He gave a light yelp when smooched by fillies. It seemed everypony at camp would get a turn kissing him amid laughter from them all.

Beat kept her thoughts to herself, but she was smiling. She'd been close enough that there was no pretending it hadn't been enjoyable for both of them. She'd done her little bit to get Quartz and Pulse together.

Author's Note

They're all adorable, I'm just saying. Which pony is cutest?

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