I do not own the show My Little Pony. All of the characters are original characters of my design. If they share the name of another pony, it is purely coincidental. My ties to the show are very few, with Hearts & Hooves day being the main one. I also do not own any of the songs mentioned below.
Chapter 10
"Mousse, it's time to go!" Lamm Chop pranced in place. The floor protested quite loudly. He frowned slightly stepping to a more solid, less creaky, spot on the floorboards.
"No no no. I cannot do this!" A panicked Mousse whimpered from behind her door. "Not appearing like this…"
Lamm pressed his muzzle against solid oak wood. "If Nebula made it, it should be fine."
"It is fine, just not on a homely mare like me."
"Psh. I'll be the judge of that. Let's see it!" He backed up. "I'll even close my eyes."
"Mmm…very well." A defeated sigh emitted from the other side. Rusty hinges creaked as she shuffled out into the hall. "You may behold this monstrosity."
"Okie-dokie!" He slowly opened one eye, then the other.
Mousse sat slightly across from him forelegs covering her face.
"Now now, it isn't so bad. Erm," He ran a hoof over his chin, studying the offending article.
She squirmed uneasily under his scrutinizing gaze.
"A red plaid bubble dress isn't so bad after all." Lamm concluded. "Plus we're near the same time period!"
Mousse lowered her forelegs. He was indeed correct. Lamm Chop wore a suit jacket that could only be described as kaleidoscope vomit. With a tie-dyed necktie to pull the whole shebang together.
"Good heavens. How do you even pull that off?" Mousse stared in horrified awe.
"Breathtaking isn't it?" He struck a pose. "Would've gotten the matching tiger-patterned tights to go with it, but they'd cost extra 'cuz I'm too big." Lamm Chop pouted, more amused than upset. "So I think this is enough. It's all in the confidence."
"That's kind of not my thing." Mousse made a face adjusting the thick black belt around her middle. At least the plaid wasn't a scratchy material.
"Wrong. Every time you answer a question right with no hesitation, you're confident in your own ability. So come on. Stand up, head high! And work. That. Strut!"
…...
Tommy skipped along, headed towards the cafeteria with Teensie perched on his back.
"Hey Tommy, look at that." Teensie-Meenie whispered, poking the side of his neck.
"Huh?" He turned then froze. "What the heck?" The mule's lengthy ears perked forward curiously.
There, a few paces away, strutted Lamm with Mousse not far behind. It was an extremely exaggerated movement. Their heads lunged forward and back much like a duck, and their elongated strides didn't help their appearance. Poor Mousse strained, concentrating so hard on making it perfect that it was comically pitiful. Lamm held back laughter, crinkled eyes held straight ahead. How was he supposed to know that she'd take him seriously?
Teensie shook her head. "It looks painful."
"Naw, it looks like fun!" Tommy scrabbled into line behind Mousse. He fumbled at first, then quickly matched them strut for strut. This sway-backed gait wasn't suitable for a dragon to ride, so she flapped to the ground.
"Come on Teensie, this is great!"
She tilted her head. They seemed to be having a good time…all save for Mousse. Then again, Mousse had no idea what swag was. So why not.
…...
By the time Spiff and Holler reached the cafeteria, there was an incredibly long line. Everypony in it seemed to be doing some sort of funky saunter. Spiff made a face. Who'd start something so cult-like as this? A quick glance answered his suspicions. Lamm. Of course. He bumped Holler had subconsciously started to join in.
The white-tailed deer shot him a dirty look. "Hey! It looks like fun."
"Sorry for saving your sorry rump. It's just that Hi Voltage is recording the whole debacle."
She glanced about, confused.
"Up there." He tilted his head slightly.
Holler's eyes widened. He was right. With a high quality camera and everything. "Oh, if Brute-ish got her hooves on a copy of that…" Holler shuddered.
"I would've personally handed her the copy." Spiff chuckled.
"You wouldn't! Actually, you would."
"Thank goodness the doors opened. Smoulderdash has no idea that I know what he did." The irate Pegasus in the rafters drifted down and shot through the entrance.
A loud trilling beat picked up tempo.
"Wait for it…wait for it…" Shouted a pony ahead of them. Spiff guessed that it was Lamm again.
"Almost there…"
The music stopped.
"Boo!" Holler shouted back.
Several ponies shrieked, completely startled as it started back up again in an intense bass drop. Now it thudded, vibrating the walls, shaking the floors, rattling the roof. It pulsed its way into any heart that beat.
"Yea! That's where it's at!"
"Dang. Lamm sure knows how to pick 'em." Holler bounced slightly.
Spiff attempted to recover from musical aftershock.
…...
"Sweet sassafras Joy! Turn that blasted thing down! They'll go into cardiac arrest."
"What Hank? Crank it up?" Joyful Noise rushed to the dial. The music swelled in volume.
Hank grimaced. Might as well let the horde in. There should be an entrance fee next time. He dodged a few spiraling paper hearts (dislodged by the beats) and threw open the double doors.
Lamm Chop strutted in first. Hank eyed his colorful getup skeptically. And was Mousse trying to rock the lumberjack look?
"You Hank, ya forgot to dim the lights. I didn't set up the projectors for nothing!" Lamm shook his head.
"On it!" Joy hit a switch.
"That's the stuff." Lamm nodded as the blacklights kicked in, sending rainbow flecks of light across the dance floor. "Come on Mousse, there's the snack table! I bet you've never tasted Cinnamon Bun's red velvet confectionaries."
Hank rolled his eyes. The job of doorman was utterly pointless.
Hi Voltage shot in, aimed on landing and nothing else. His jaw opened in silent shock as a bolt of dark matter firmly yanked onto his tail, throwing him backwards to the end of the line. Hank raised an eyebrow. He'd thought wrong. Doorman was the perfect job.
Tommy poked his head in. "We were next. Can we safely enter?"
"Yup." Puppet Master sat back.
"That's good. Look! Me and Teensie both decided to wear a bow of some sort by accident! Except mine is just black and boring. Not fancy like hers." He excitedly showed Hank his neckwear. "There wasn't time for a tux sadly."
Teensie had clambered back up onto Tommy's spine. She proudly puffed out her chest to display Nebula's handiwork.
"Uh huh."
"Yup! See you soon!" Tommy and Teensie whisked off to claim a spot on the floor. It'd get packed really fast.
After them, several other ponies milled in without any incident.
Cinnamon Bun, escorted by Smoulderdash, smiled at Hank and Joy as she attempted to worm out of Smoulder's wing hold.
A few more came in, then Spiff and Holler. Hi Voltage made up the rear.
"Thank heavens." Hank huffed, slamming the metal doors closed.
"Yay! Does that mean we can dance now?" Joy rubbed her hooves hopefully.
"Umm…sure." If what he did counted as dancing. It was more like spazzing.
…...
Cinnamon Bun weaved between writhing bodies as she scanned for a familiar face. She'd managed to ditch Smoulderdash at the snack table. As if she couldn't notice his low-key flirting with the other mares there. What a player. A flash of white passed her by. The paint mare slammed on the brakes, reversing slowly. Could it really be? Yes, that was him. "Blanco!"
He ceased his awkward shuffle dance and blankly turned towards her. "Yea? Who is this?"
"It's Cinnamon Bun! What're ya doin' here?" She patted the blind unicorn's shoulder to show her location.
"Oh hi! I came to hear how my lights turned out. How are they?" Blanco inquired, white coat glowing eerily under the blacklights.
"Tha laser show? Ah can't look at it without goin' blind. No offense." She did her best to avoid the stark beams of light waving above her.
"That's good. Kind of ironic in a way actually. I was afraid they'd be too random." Satisfied, he resumed shuffling. "If you'd point me in the direction of the punch bowl I'd be much obliged."
"Of course ah will. In fact, ah'll go with ya. Ponies are shore ta bump ah loner."
"Thanks man."
They pushed their way through the melee. By now, most of the dance-goers had fueled up. So the table created a little oasis island from the chaos. A few stragglers stepped aside as they approached.
"Tha cups are ta yah're left, an' tha bowl is right in front of ya." Cinnamon Bun left him to inspect the remaining cupcakes. She reached out a hoof to grab one when-
-Whomp-
Cinnamon Bun yelped in surprise. Hi Voltage had dropped down and snatched her up. Her yelps morphed into furious bellows. "Ya stupid oaf! Lemme go!" She wiggled fruitlessly, hind legs dangling in open air.
"Ha, I figured that you'd complain about the dress first!" The electric-bolt maned Pegasus mused, hovering.
"Oh, yah're not Smoulderdash." She ceased flailing. She hated Hi Voltage slightly less.
"Darn right I'm not. That jerk switched numbers, so I'm stealing you back." He huffed.
'Thank goodness he's athletic, or we'd have tailspun under all this weight.' Cinnamon Bun thought to herself glumly.
"Hey! Hooves off my girl you greasy lightning!"
"Busted." Hi Voltage muttered swooping low to avoid a dive-bomb by Smoulderdash. "Come and get her you cheater!"
"I stole her fair and square!"
"Yeah? Well I justly stole her back."
Cinnamon Bun, noticing how close the ground was, renewed her wiggle antics. Yes! She slipped free from Voltage's grasp and plopped right next to Blanco. Apparently, he'd been talking to himself for the past few minutes, believing her to still be there.
Up above them, an all out brawl started between the equally jealous jocks. Voltage didn't mind her escaping. It meant he had more free hooves to swing at his nemesis.
…...
"Man, you done got us thrown out." Hi Voltage whined at Smoulder. The two pegasi sat out of the cafeteria, spying through the tiny wired windows.
"And she's teaching blind boy how to square dance. Seriously?! She's never once asked me if I wanted to learn." Smoulderdash ruffled his wings indignantly.
"That's because she was too busy thinking about me." Hi Voltage snickered.
"Doubt it you baby-proofed socket."
"Oh yea?"
"Doubt it."
"Well, I doubt she thinks about you."
"Doubt. It."
"Okay, that's it. Square up!"
…...
Lamm Chop had danced with pretty much every pony group present. He'd tried to drag Mousse with him at first, but she had no interest in intermingling. So after the song was over, he'd check in and see how she was doing. "Come on, you know Spiff and Holler. Just for one jamout?" Lamm half begged.
"Erm, okay. They seem to be our comrades…" Mousse wasn't a bad dancer, she just didn't like groups.
"Goody! They're the only ones I haven't joined yet." The large earth pony weaved between bodies. He reached the duo fast enough. Thankfully, he made a momentary path wide enough so Mousse could hop through no problem.
An intense dubstep fired up.
"Oh jeez, is this another 'Cotton Eyed Joe' remix?" Spiff shuddered.
"I wish! Cinnamon Bun's a good teacher of it for sure. Blanco's got it down-pat." Lamm swayed slightly. "No, this is a remix of 'Fireball'." He spun then smoothly cha-cha'd up to Holler. "Let's show em a thing or two!"
Holler laughed. "Hay yea boy! Spiff doesn't enjoy partner dancing." She took his outstretched hoof and was rewarded with an impressive twirl.
Spiff had no idea how Lamm did it. He easily took somepony's date then returned them without either partner throwing a fit. He couldn't help but feel a pang of possessiveness over Holler as he watched them perform complicated Spanish spins and jumps. Mousse observed as well, but her emotion was just embarrassment. She refused any one-on-one dancing, too afraid she'd mess up. She wanted to, but her self-consciousness wouldn't let her break free from her shell. At least he seemed happy.
As the song ended, Lamm brought back Holler. "Woo-hoo! That was epic!"
"Wasn't it though?" Holler seemed to glow with positive energy and adrenaline.
"Nothing's better than breaking it down to your favorite song." Lamm Chop exclaimed to Mousse, eyes sparkling. "Or, in this case, someone else's favorite song."
"Wait wait, hold up. How'd you know her favorite song?" Spiff broke in, completely nosey.
"I go to a lot of Hoofball practices. Of course I'll ask him to tweak the play list." Holler snorted, thwacking him solidly on the shoulder. "Not like you care enough to ask me that kinda thing."
"I might." Spiff rubbed a foreleg.
"Calm down man. Lamm is not going to steal me from you, don't worry. Although I'll admit your concern is cute." Holler smirked.
"Well this got awkward! Come on Mousse, I'd be honored if you danced with me for a while." Lamm bobbed his head to a new rhythm.
Mousse nodded, converging with the crowd to find a new spot.
"Forgot to tell y'all that you look absolutely fly. Nice lilac tux my dude. And Holler, great ocean blue sundress. Blue is in right now! Ciao!" Lamm waved, then turned to go after Mousse.
"Glad somepony noticed." Holler grinned at the still silent Spiff, smoothing her dress.
Spiff just pouted. He felt like he was failing, and wasn't sure why.