>Night finds you, as it often does, unable to sleep
>You lay sprawled amongst the thin, slightly scratchy sheets of the Camp Everfree cots, staring up at the ceiling of your cabin
>Across the room from you, Rainbow Dash’s cot is still empty; she disappeared into Rarity’s cabin almost an hour ago, and you haven’t seen any of her
>For a moment, a pang of jealousy stabs at you as you imagine yourself in Rarity’s place
>You *should* be Rarity’s place; you were Rainbow’s childhood friend, after all
>But no, you’re just boring little Fluttershy, somehow even more easily forgotten than Applejack
>You mentally punch yourself for thinking something bad about one of your friends and then sit up in bed, tucking your legs against your chest
>Yeah, sleep isn’t going to happen tonight
>You wrap your hands around your knees, hugging them as you wish, desperately, that you were home with your pets
>Having Angel here would at least make you feel a little less lonely…

>Eventually, you find you can’t stand being in the empty cabin anymore
>Still dressed in your pajamas (which are covered in little bunnies; they’re a little small for you now, since they were a present from Dash on your 10th birthday)
>The grasp whispers beneath your bare feet as you tiptoe away from the cabins, and down the narrow path that connects the cabins to Camp Everfree’s lake
>Around you, the trees seem to press in an imposing wall
>A squick of fear runs down your spine, but you let it pass through you
>Internally, you’re a little proud of yourself; old-Fluttershy would have been terrified
>Instead, once the fear leaves, you find yourself feeling strangely peaceful…
>Your friend Tree Hugger always told you that the best way to cleanse the bad stuff inside of you is to strengthen your bond with nature
>Granted, that’s how she solves all her problems, but still…

>The night is hot and muggy, the kind of weather that makes you feel like you’re breathing through a warm washcloth
>By the time you reach the water, you already have a thin film of sweat building up on your skin
>At the edge of the lake, you dip a toe in, letting the water’s refreshing cold seep into you
>It’s easy to trace a way around the perimeter, splashing through the shallow waters until you find a secluded section
>After a quick glance around to make sure nobody else is in view, you pull your pajamas off and slide your panties down, hanging your clothes on a nearby branch
>A gentle night breeze wafts across your skin, cooling the sweat along your chest and thighs
>You pause for a moment, letting the moonlight splash across your naked body
>Tree Hugger was right, you think to yourself
>This definitely makes you feel a little better
>You take timid steps to the water, keeping your head on a swivel
>As nice as it feels, the idea of someone seeing you like this is pretty spook—
>”Hey!”
“G-gah!”
>A voice over your shoulder startles you and you whirl around to face the stranger, ending up tripping over your own feet and falling backwards into the water
>You land on your butt with a splash, trying in vain to cover yourself
“I’m s-sorry!  I know I s-s-shouldn’t b-be here, I just… p-please don’t tell…”
>”Hey, hey, relax~”
>The stranger’s voice— a woman’s, which immediately starts to calm you down —is gentle and motherly, with a sort of pine-needle crispness to it
>You raise your head, hiding one eye behind your now-damp hair
>The camp counselor, you remember her name was Gloriosa, though you didn’t speak to her much, is walking towards you, wrapped in a towel
>You squeak out another apology, but Gloriosa shakes her head
>”It’s a beautiful night.  The last thing I’d do is yell at ya for enjoying it!”
>She pulls off the towel, revealing she’s completely naked beneath it
>”Besides, looks like we’re here for the same thing, right?  Hope you don’t mind a little company.”
>Your eyes lock on Gloriosa’s body: watermelon-crushing thighs, plump rosy breasts, and coiled muscle from years of teaching kids to rock-climb…
>She’s got everything that puts you, Dash, and most of your friends to shame
“N-no… tits not a b-big deal…”
>Gloriosa raises an eyebrow as she saunters to the water’s edge
>Despite the water’s chill, you can tell your face is beet red
“I m-mean… it’s not a big d-d-deal, heh… um, your hot skin… I m-mean come on in!”
>You hide your face behind your hair, shrinking into the water and wishing it’d just wash you away
>Gloriosa laughs, her voice as bright and clear as the moonlight currently dripping through her velvet hair
>She does a little twirl, giving you a brief view of her backside
>”Enjoying the view?”
>You let out a tiny “eep”
>”I’ll take that as a yes.  Hey, y’know, I’m not gonna complain.  I got this, and you better bet I *own* this.”
>She points towards her chest
“O-oh dear…”
>Gloriosa dips down in the water, sighing in content
>”And besides…”
>She half swims, half-glides up alongside you, little waves in her wake lapping at your chest
>”You’re not so bad yourself.”
“G-goodness, um, t-t-thanks… y-you too…”
>You’re blushing so hard you’re surprised the water isn’t steaming up
>Slowly, you lets your arms fall to your side, the shameful urge to cover yourself slowly dissipating
“You’re, um… s-sure that seeing me like this doesn’t b-bother you?”
>”Not at all!  I’ve got a real eye for beauty, you know.”
>She winks at you
>”Why else do you think I work in a place like this?”
>With a long, sweeping gesture, she points out the moon-drenched trees surrounding the lake
“H-heh, I guess that makes sense.  I’ve just, um… n-never been called that before.”
>”Called what?”
“Y-you know… beautiful…”
>You hang your head, letting your damp hair fall in front of your face
>”Awww…”
>Gloriosa reaches up and gently brushes it away
>”Well, I think it’s time someone let you know.  No sense in hiding a good thing, too.”
>Gloriosa’s hands trace their way along the back of your neck, brushing your hair back and, as a result, pulling herself in closer
>Her breasts just barely brush up against your collar as she adjusts you hair, arranging it at your back until she has a full view of your face
>”There.  That’s better.”
>She smiles at you, and you feel as if you’re falling into her wintergreen eyes
“Y-you can do anything you w-w-want to me…” you eek out
>”What’s that?”
“Ah!  I m-mean, uh… is there anything else you w-w-want to do?  Besides, um… touching my hair…”
>You’re accutely aware that her nipples— perked up from the chilly water —are pressing against your collarbone
>”You bet there is.  Hey, how about we go to a swim?  I’ll race ya to that log out there!”
>She gestures to the center of the lake, where a chunk of waterlogged wood drifts slowly across the surface
“I dunno…”
>”You sure?  There are these little families of frogs that live out—“
“L-l-little families of frogs!?”
>You cross your hands over your mouth, gasping
“That… that sounds s-s-so cute! But, um… I’m actually n-not that good of a swimmer…”
>”That’s no big deal.  C’mere.”
>Under the water, you feel Gloriosa hook an arm under your legs, grabbing you around your upper thighs
>She holds you securely against her chest, beaming
>”I can carry ya!”
“A-are you sure?”
>”Psh, I’ve carried *way* heavier.  You’re light as a feather!  I got this.”
>Gloriosa kicks off, cradling you against her chest as she kicks towards the center of the lake
>Around the two of you, the water’s glossy surface ripples with quiet, whispery little waves
>Your head ends up resting against Gloriosa’s shoulder, and her warm skin is a welcome contrast to the cold lakewater
>For a little while, you just stare up into the sky, letting yourself go limp in her arms

>When you reach the log, she lets you go
“Y-yah!  Wait, I c-can’t—”
>Gloriosa grabs ahold of your hand
>”Easy.  I’m not gonna let you go.”
“T-thanks.”
>You squeeze Gloriosa’s hand tightly as she pulls you up and onto the submerged trunk
>Up close, its massive size is revealed; the thing can easily support both your and her weight, and it barely even sinks an inch into the water
>It does roll slightly as you and Gloriosa settle atop it, and she keeps a tight hold on you to make sure you don’t fall
>The waterlogged bark is strangely slimy beneath your bare thighs and butt, but the view is breathtaking
>For a moment, you worry that someone will be able to see the two of you; but it’s dark, and at this distance, they probably wouldn’t even be able to tell that you and Gloriosa are naked
>Relaxing slightly, you scoot up next to your new friend, sitting just close enough that her freckled shoulder occasionally bumps yours
>You can see the glossy-black water stretching in all directions, the little ripples that trace across its surface all topped with silver moonlight
“W-whoa.”
>”Pretty great, right?”
“It r-really is.  Do you swim out here a l-l-lot?”
>”Pretty much every night, when there aren’t campers around.  It just…”
>She takes a deep breath, splashing her feet in the water
>”It just makes me feel so *peaceful*, you know?  There’s something so refreshing about just being one with this place, for a while.”
“Y-yeah.  I d-don’t get to do it much, but… it r-r-really took my mind off some b-bad stuff…”
>”Bad stuff?”
>A note of concern enters Gloriosa’s face
>”What’s wrong, Fluttershy?”
“Oh, um… it’s n-not a big deal at all…”
>You wring a lock of your hair between your hands, staring down at the water, where little curious fish leave ripple-trails as they zip past your and Gloriosa’s toes
>”Nah.  If anything’s bothering you, I wanna know!  Maybe I can help ya out.  Of course, if you’re not comfortable talking about it, I understand.  But I’d like to help, if I can.  I wanna make sure your time here is the best it can be!”
>She gives you an encouraging smile
“Well, um… h-heh, this sounds really stupid when I say it out loud.  But I, um… I’m not, you know, dating anyone.  And I f-feel… kinda bad about that.  All my friends are going out with s-someone, and it makes me f-f-feel like there’s something wrong w-with me that I’m not…”
>Gloriosa pats the small of your back
>”I know what you mean.”
“Y-you do?”
>Gloriosa’s smile starts to look slightly sad
>”I mean… why do you think I run the camp alone?  I don’t really have anyone either.  But hey, look at you!  You’re adorable.  Getting a boyfriend’s gonna be no problem once you—“
“G-girlfriend.”
>”Hmm?”
“I, um…”
>The blush is returning to your cheeks
“I w-want an, um… girlfriend.  Sorry if that’s w-weird to talk about…”
>Gloriosa just stares at you for a moment
>Then she throws her head back, laughing
>”No!  No, that’s totally cool!  I, well, if I’m perfectly honest… that’s kinda what I’ve been hoping for too.”
“R-really?”
>”Yeah, I think so.  I dunno, I really don’t have much time to think about, you know, being with someone.”
>Gloriosa fidgets with a damp lock of her hair, her rosy complexion getting even rosier
>”I’m just so caught up with the camp, most of the time.  But when the summer’s over, there’s all these weeks where just nobody’s staying here.  And, well… it gets a little lonely.”
>She nudges you
>”That’s when I really like to swim.”
“That s-sounds wonderful… and a little s-sad.”
>”It is.  I kinda wish I had someone to share this place with.  And, you know, I’ve never really really connected with a guy before.  Not in that way, at least.  So I kinda wouldn’t mind if I had a special girl to take care of the place with…”
>You open to your mouth to respond, but your words catch in your throat
>Gloriosa looks over at you, then freezes
>”Fluttershy.  Behind you.”
>You turn, looking down at the far end of the floating trunk, where a fat green frog is perched on the end of it
>”Look at her!  I think that’s the mom!”
“O-oh!  So cute!”
>The frog stares at you with wide yellow eyes
>Its stomach puffs out, and a single gurgled ribbit breaks the night’s silence
“If t-that’s the mama… does that mean there are t-tadpoles around?”
>Gloriosa’s face lights up
>”Yeah!  I bet it does!”
“W-we should swim out here again tomorrow!  During the day, and we c-c-could see them!  I bet they’ll be so little…”
>You can’t keep the squee out of your voice
>Gloriosa doesn’t even try to keep it out of hers
>”We totally could!  I bet they’re try to nibble our fingers!”
>She crosses her arms over her chest, giggling in excitement
>”I *so* can’t wait.”
“Me neither.”
>You lean back, finding yourself curled in Gloriosa’s arms
>She rests her head on top of yours
>”You know…”
“Y-yeah?”
>”How serious are you about looking for a girlfriend?”
“W-what?”
>”Like, would you be willing to consider anyone?”
“I… you… r-r-really?”
>”Really.  I’m down if you are.”
“But, um… I…”
>You feel Gloriosa tense up a little
>”If you don’t want to, that’s totally okay!  We wouldn’t get to see each other a lot, and I guess I’m a little bit old.”
“No!  N-no!  No I’d totally… um, if you want, I mean… you really… w-w-with me?”
>”Yeah!  You’re totally my type.  You’re sweet, adorable, you like nature…”
>Gloriosa nuzzles the top of your head
>”I’m totally into all of that.”
“M-me?  You… you r-r-really want me?”
>”Definitely.”
“W-wow… I d-didn’t expect… you really… w-w-wow…”
>You wriggle in her grasp, little ecstatic currents running down your spine
>Gloriosa hugs you against her in a silky, naked embrace
>”So… you do you want to?  We could just try it out, at least.  If you don’t want to, we wouldn’t have to keep going.”
>You look up, seeing a slightly hint of fear in her eyes
“N-no, I… I think I’d like that.”
>A relieved smile spreads across her face
>”Okay!”
>She squeezes you in an excited hug
>”I’m so glad!  Like, really glad!  You have *no* idea.  You’re so, agh, so perfect that…”
>Gloriosa blushes
>”Sorry, I’m getting a little carried away.”
“I w-wouldn’t mind if you, um, kept going…”
>”Yeah?  Well, I mean, you’re kinda way better than I deserve.”
“I w-was kinda thinking the same thing.”
>Gloriosa laughs, and you notice that her eyes are full of tears
>”I’m so, so excited about this.  I promise, I’ll be as good a girlfriend as I can!  Anything you need, just tell me!  I promise, whatever it is, I can take care of it.”
“Y-you don’t have to do that.  I’m just… I d-don’t know what to say.  I didn’t think anyone c-c-could actually like me… l-like that…”
>”Well.”
>Gloriasa grins
>”Here ya go.”
>You giggle, and the two of you fall silent, lost in the cozy silence and the naked embrace you share
“S-so, um… is this the part?”
>”What part?”
“Y-y-you know, where you, um…”
>Your voice drops to a whispered squeak
“Where you… k-kiss me…”
>”A kiss!  Right, how could I forget?  Man, I’m terrible at this!”
>Glorisa places her fingers under your chin, turning your face up towards hers
>”If I mess this up, just tell me, alright?  I wanna make sure it’s perfect!”
“I don’t think—“
>”Like really, anything at all.  If it’s not the best first kiss ever, we can redo!  Just let me know.  I haven’t really kissed much before— or at all —but I’ll totally get it right eventually!  Anything I do wrong, let me—“
“J-just kiss me already.  If, um… that’s okay w-with you…”
>Gloriosa obeys, and her delicate, hot mouth meets your trembling lips
>You go limp in her arms, feeling yourself almost melting into her embrace
>Gloriosa cradles you, one arm gently stroking your side as her lips massage yours
>When you finally break, stars swim in front of your eyes
>”Did I do okay?”
“T-t-that was… whoa…”
>You rest your forehead against hers, panting
“That w-was a good kiss.”
>Gloriosa breathes a sigh of relief
>”Awesome!  I wouldn’t mind trying it again, if you want—“
>This time, you initiate the kiss, gingerly touching your lips to hers
>She coos, bending her neck to return your kiss
>Both your arms loop around each other’s bodies, squeezing together in a tight embrace as you trade delicate kisses back and forth
>With each one, you can swear you feel a little of the dread that filled you earlier draining away, as if washed out, only to be replaced by an effervescent, glowing warmth, quite similar to the feeling you get from kissing Gloriosa
>Somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re aware that you’re eventually going to have to swim— or rather, be carried —back to shore, and that this simple night will end
>But excitement blossoms in your chest at the prospect of another night with her, if not *many* more nights with her
>The thought alone is enough to make you giddy

The End