“What's this movie called again?” Rainbow Dash sprawled out on a couch, feet propped up against the headrest and her head dangling over the side so she watched the screen from an upside-down perspective.

”Slow Boat to Helgstafjorden.” Twilight noted.

“Gesundheit.” Said Applejack from her corner.

“And how much more is there?” Rainbow Dash fidgeted.

Twilight looked down at her laptop, checking a number in the corner. “A hundred and twenty six hours.”

“You mean a hundred and twenty six minutes, right?” Rainbow Dash stared at the screen, filled by the prow of a ship sedately crawling its way up a pastoral (if somewhat bleak) river valley.

“No, it's a hundred and twenty six hours.” Twilight said. “Like I said, it's part of the 'Slow TV' movement. They, uh, filmed it in realtime.”

“Real boring time.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Hey guys, wha'd I miss?” Pinkie Pie bounced in from the direction of the bathroom, and then plopped down on a cushion directly at the foot of the screen. She looked up at the image of a boat's bow cutting through the water with rapt attention. She immediately picked up a gallon-sized styrofoam cup and started slurping away at the soda within.

“There was a seagull.” Rarity said.

“Auk.” Fluttershy corrected her.

Rarity blinked in confusion. “Beg pardon?”

“It wasn't a seagull, it was an auk.” Fluttershy murmured. “You can tell by the coloration.”

Rarity considered this, and nodded. “In that case, I suppose I'll have to take your word for it.”

“Aw, c'mon guys!” Pinkie Pie flopped backwards with a squeak. “Don't make this auk-ward!” She devolved into helpless giggles. “Get it? Get it?”

“Unfortunately.” Rarity deadpanned.

“So when do the pirates show up?” Rainbow Dash said. “There are like, pirates in Norway, right?”

Twilight rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Rainbow, when's the last time you saw a pirate movie that took place in the arctic circle?”

“Oh yeeeeeah.” Rainbow Dash said. “I guess Norway doesn't have pirates.”

Twilight smiled, taking satisfaction at having educated her friend. “That's right, Rainbow--”

“Norway has vikings!” Rainbow Dash said, triumphantly.

Twilight opened her mouth. Thought the better of it. Closed her mouth.

“You know,” Sunset Shimmer offered, diplomatically, “we can watch something else. I mean, I don't expect to watch all hundred-something hours of this.”

“No way! I don't wanna miss the vikings!” Rainbow Dash squeaked.

“Besides, there's a certain … pastoral quality to this.” Rarity said. “Hypnotic, even. There's aren't any characters or plot to speak of, but the cinematography is quite well done. Why, the picture's so clear it almost makes me feel like I'm there myself! Brrh.” She gave a shiver, and proceeded to scoot next to Applejack, casually draping one of the farmgirl's arms over her shoulder as she cuddled in for warmth.

“Uh.” Applejack said.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Don't fuss. You were simply the closest, darling. Plus, I imagine your peak physical condition makes you into a veritable furnace.”

“Kay?” Applejack said.

“Now now,” Rarity flicked a purple lock of hair behind her ear. “Don't think I'm being presumptive. If I wanted to get fresh, you would notice.”

“I guess you are pretty noticeable.” Applejack sank down a little lower in her seat, grateful for the shadows cast by the projector.

“Get a room you two!” Rainbow Dash said with a mild cackle.

Applejack said nothing. Instead, she used her free hand to hurl a pillow at Rainbow Dash with enough force to send the other girl toppling to the floor.

“Ooof!” No sooner had Rainbow Dash's face hit the carpet, she flailed herself back into an upright position. “That's it! Pillow fight!” She seized a couch cushion and launched herself acrosss the room. Rarity, in the unenviable position of being between the two combatants, only had enough time to let out an undignified squeal of dismay before Rainbow crashed into them hard enough to send their corner of the segmented couch toppling over.

“Oh, please stop!” Fluttershy said, aghast. “Someone could get hurt!”

“Yeah, keep it down!” Pinkie Pie said without taking her eyes off the screen. “You're gonna miss the good part!”

“Should we do something?” Twilight held a hand up to her mouth. “I feel like we should do something.”

“They'll be fine.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Don't touch the hair!” Rarity shrilled, and suddenly the designer was on top of the pile with a pillow in each hand, raining feather-filled blows on Applejack and Rainbow Dash like an ambidextrous lumberjack. “You don't know how long it takes to get it like this!”

“Probably fine.” Sunset Shimmer added.

“This is a disaster.” Twilight sighed.

“Please.” Sunset said. “Nobody's bleeding, nothing's on fire, and there aren't any ancient magical monsters threatening to destroy the world. That already puts us ahead of most of the times we all get together.”

“You have a point there.” Twilight said.

Before long, Rarity's vanity overrode her rage, and she abandoned her assault, dropping her pillows in favor of an emergency hairbrush she produced out of her purse. She retreated to seat herself beside Fluttershy (which was always Swiss-like neutral territory in these matters, per unanimous unspoken agreement). “If you ruffians are quite finished, I shall be enjoying the movie.” She noted, primly.

“Jeez, Applejack.” Rainbow Dash turned a wry grin on her friend. “Your girlfriend's weird.”

“You take that back!” And Applejack launched herself back at Rainbow Dash as 'pillow fight' progressed to more of a wrestling match. Thankfully, there weren't any folding chairs or turnbuckles available.

“Is Applejack mad Rainbow called Rarity weird?” Twilight mused aloud. “Or because she called Rarity her girlfriend?”

“It's probably better if we don't ask.”

“SSSSSSH.” Pinkie Pie turned and glared at the battling pair. “I'm trying to watch the movie. Keep it down!”

“Uh.” Applejack paused, mid-headlock.

“She started it!” Rainbow Dash wriggled free and pointed an accusatory finger at her blonde friend.

“Besides,” Pinkie Pie turned back to the rolling boat footage. “Everyone knows that if you're gonna have a real slumber party pillow fight, you've got to do it in sexy underwear. Duh!”

“Wait, what?” Rainbow Dash said.

“On second thought, let's just watch the dang movie.” Applejack acquired a bowl full of chips and clambered back onto the couch. That she happened to sit on the other side of Rarity was entirely coincidental, of course.

And so, the seven girls settled in to watch as the good ship Knuttson made its steady way up the Norwegian coast. Great rocky crags passed by on the right side of the screen, with open sea on the left, and the ship's bow railing in the middle. Every so often a bird would flap by, or a dolphin would surface, and Fluttershy would let out a delighted squeak and identify the animal, its favorite food, typical habitat, and mating habits.

“It's like we're watching the Nature channel.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Oooooh, could we?” Fluttershy clasped her hands together and looked at her friend, starry-eyed. “They just released a new documentary on deep-sea blobfish that I've been wanting to watch!”

“Maybe later?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“I'd like that.”

“You know,” Sunset Shimmer said, “I think this turned out well. I mean, who cares what the movie is, so long as we all can spend time together?”

“So do you want to watch Cornerstone next time?” Twilighed asked. She might've been blushing. Slightly.

“We'll see.” Sunset patted the back of Twilight's hand, and looked over the rest of their friends as, one by one, they began to doze off. “But right now, I think we're better off with the random button.”

“Because by leaving things up to chance it's kind of like embracing our destiny and learning more about friendship like you guys usually do?” Twilight said.

“Maybe?” Sunset turned her gaze back to the screen. “I was thinking it just lets us avoid an argument.”

“I guess that works too."