MLP: The Portal 2
Chapter 17: Pony Show
"This is it, Alex. Are you ready?" Rarity asked, placing a hoof on his back as they waited behind the stage for the show time to come. Alex took several deep breaths.
"Yeah. I'm ready." He answered with a nod, his voice a little shaky.
"How are you feeling?" She asked. Alex chuckled a bit.
"My heart's racing. Did the altitude get higher or something?" He chuckled. Rarity giggled a bit, patting him on the back reassuringly.
"You're going to do great. I'm going to go ready the crowd, and we'll all come out shortly. Don't forget your cue, darling." She said with a smile before going up onstage to speak to the crowd.
"Woo! This is it man, the big time." Evan said, coming over.
"Yeah. This is it." He said, exhaling heavily again as he tried to get a grip on his nerves.
"And now, ladies and gentlecolts, the new and improved Pony Tones!" Rarity announced.
One by one the other members came out from either side until they all stood onstage. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Alex were the center three with Torch Song and Big Mac to Alex's right, and Evan and Toe Tapper to Fluttershy's left.
Alex's eyes scanned the audience. It was a much bigger crowd than what he was expecting. It looked like practically the whole town was there to see them perform. The butterflies in Alex's stomach began to flutter around much more violently, but they all to a breath and began to sing.
They started off with Find The Music In You, since everyone in the audience would already know that song. Alex was added in for the background melody, while Evan had the full time role of providing the beat for each and every song.
The audience's expressions showed familiar smiles as they moved their heads side to side to the tune. Alex looked around and saw his friends up in the front row. He nodded to Rainbow Dash as the song went on, coming to a satisfying end. The audience clapped for them.
Rarity and Alex exchanged a glance as they started their next song. Alex took the lead this time, and Rarity stepped back to let Alex and Torch Song into the middle. The audience looked much more interested as now they were listening to something new. Alex sang:
"You've been running 'round, running 'round, running 'round throwing that dirt all on my name. 'Cause you knew that I, knew that I, knew that I'd call you up. You've been going 'round, going 'round, going 'round every party in L.A. 'Cause you knew that I, knew that I, knew that I'd be at one. Ohh.
"I know that dress is karma. Perfume regret. You got me thinking 'bout when you were mine. Oh ooh. And now I'm all up on ya, what'd you expect? But you're not coming home with me tonight."
As Alex finally reached the chorus, he began to stamp his hoof to the beat along with Evan while Big Mac sang the bass melody. The audience began to follow along, nodding their head in approval. Evan picked up the beat, continuing on before passing it off to Torch Song.
Torch Song continued the song while Alex jumped over to background vocals. As they sang, the audience got much more into the song, starting to move to the beat along with the Pony Tones onstage. This continued on through to the end of the song.
The audience applauded them after they finished the song. Alex stamped his hoof a few times to count them off, and Evan switched the beat again. Big Mac started the bass melody once again, and Alex followed his lead. They moved so now Toe Tapper and Rarity were in the center.
Once they had taken their positions, Evan started them off, and Toe Tapper led the song first:
"Hey. What's the matter with your hair? Hey yeah. Hey. What's the matter with your mind and your sign? Yeah. Oh oh oh. Hey. Nothing's the matter with your head, baby, find it. Come on and find it. Hey yeah yeah. With it baby 'cause you're fine and you're mine and you look so divine."
With this set up, all of the background vocalists joined in with him in singing the chorus:
"Come and get your love! Come and get your love! Come and get your love! Come and get your love!"
Alex switched it up into the next verse, and Rarity took over the lead vocals, following the precedent Toe Tapper had set. Alex grinned, tapping his hoof to the beat as the song continued. Soon the audience was following his rhythm straight through the second chorus.
All of the Pony Tones began to tap their hoof now as they went through the bridge, all singing while Alex and Fluttershy did the background. They did the chorus and one more Toe Tapper verse before they finished up the song.
The audience applauded them once again, much more emphatically this time. They all had large smiles as they switched up one more time, this time with Alex back in the center. They began a slower melody, and Alex took a breath before beginning to sing:
"Going out tonight. Changes into something red. Her mother doesn't like that kind of dress. Everything she never had she's showing off. Moving too fast, moon is breaking through her hair. She's headed for something that she won't forget. Having no regrets is all that she really wants."
All of them paused for a moment, taking a breath before providing the background to Alex singing the chorus as a solo:
"We're only getting older, baby. And I've been thinking about it lately. Does it ever drive you crazy just how fast the night changes? Everything that you've ever dreamed of disappearing when you wake up. But there's nothing to be afraid of; even when the night changes. It will never change me and you."
As Alex continued the song, he saw that the audience was practically entranced by the performance, swaying side to side to the music while listening to the words. Fully relaxed now, Alex just had to mentally prepare himself for the bridge.
When it came, everyone else stopped, and he sang completely unaccompanied. Alex went for it as strongly as he could, allowing his voice to reverberate at certain parts. It worked, for the audience looked amazed as the music continued.
Once more they went through the final chorus, finishing off by all of them holding out the last note and gesturing out to the audience. Seeing that they had finished, they all erupted into the largest applause of the show. All of the Pony Tones members took a bow and went backstage together.
All of them cheered joyously once they were backstage. They all exchanged hugs and compliments and expressed their happiness for how well the show went.
"That was so awesome! We killed it!" Alex exclaimed happily.
"Man, that was so cool. And they were all feelin' it!" Evan said, sharing Alex's excitement.
"Everypony did a wonderful job. Especially you two," She said to Alex and Evan. "You two were really the coup d'etat today." Rarity complimented them with a grin.
"Thank you, but everyone did a fantastic job. You all got your parts exactly on cue, and it sounded pretty amazing up there. I'm really glad and really thankful that you invited us to perform with you." Alex said thankfully. Evan hummed in agreement.
"Well, it certainly doesn't have to be the one time." Rarity pointed out.
"What do you mean?" Evan asked.
"Well, the group and I were discussing, and we were thinking that, should you agree, we could take this performance of ours on a tour. We certainly need you two to come with us. What do you say?" She asked. Alex and Evan glanced at each other.
"I'm in if you're in, bro." Evan said.
"Oh, I am so in. I am all in." Alex said.
"Wonderful!" Rarity exclaimed.
"This is going to be a great revival for the Pony Tones." Toe Tapper said happily.
Just then, Twilight and the others came in to see them. Rainbow Dash quickly rushed over to Alex, hugging him tightly.
"That was so awesome! It sounded so great! You sounded great!" She said to him excitedly. Alex giggled and returned her hug.
"Thanks, babe. It really turned out well."
"I didn't know you had a singin' voice on ya like that, sugarcube. I was mighty impressed." Applejack complimented him.
"You all did a wonderful job. Definitely we'll have to make time for one of the other shows on the tour." Twilight said with a giggle.
"You already knew about the offer?" Alex asked with some surprise.
"Well, of course we knew." Starlight said with a chuckle.
"And now that we've had such a successful show here in Ponyville, I think you two should prepare yourself for the limelight that awaits you." Rarity said with a giggle.
"Limelight?" Alex asked, not understanding.