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// Chapter 4: Ain't No Party Like A Pinkie Pie Party 
// Story: Lost Cause 
// by guitarguyjoe 
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	I wasn't sure how, but I knew that I had to make money. However I had looked all over Ponyville and found nothing. So, I would have to look outside of ponyville for a job, but where?
I had helped Rarity for the next hour or two before she had decided she was finished. Thus, I announced I would be leaving for the afternoon to explore the town.
After three seconds out the door I found myself face to face with The pink mare from before.
She proceeded to say "Hi again!" in a loud voice that startled me considering I hadn't seen her, causing me to fall onto my back.
"WHA-oof!" I shook my head and saw her giggle.
"Heehee did I scare you. I would expect someone like you to be scaring people considering your cutie mark is a shadow. What exactly is your cutie mark for anyway."
I attempted to answer, but she quickly shushed me before I uttered a syllable.
"No time for that. We've got a party ready to welcome you to Ponyville. Come on."
And with that she proceeded to grab my hoof and pull me to a building that looked like a gingerbread house. As we entered I found that everypony in town had come.
I stood there in awe for a few moments then I looked to the pink mare and smiled. "Thank you,... Pinkie." Thank Celestia I recalled her name.
She waved a hoof at me. "Aw, it was nothing. Now come on everypony. Leeeet's PARTY!!" With that I looked at what appeared to be a makeshift stage and on it was the famous DJ-PON3 doing what she does best. After a few minutes I found myself bumping into a familiar figure.
"Oh. I'm sorry." I heard the shy mare barely over the loud beats by the DJ.
"It's ok. Hey you're the mare I saw in the boutique today weren't you. Fluttershy, right."
She nodded and soon enough another butter yellow pegasis came up to us, this one a stallion with a golden mane. "How are you doing my dear?" he said.,
Fluttershy smiled at him. "Oh, I'm fine." I looked between the two and based on how she acted around me at first, I knew she knew him.
"Hey there. I'm Umbra." I extended my hoof to the pegasis and he smiled and shook it.
"Fallen Star at your service." We retracted hooves and Fallen Star continued on with the party.
I smiled then realized something. "Fluttershy?" I asked "You don't know where I can find a good paying job in this town, do you?"
Fluttershy pondered this for a moment, but frowned. "Not really. You could ask Twilight though. She knows just about everything that goes on around here. She's a purple unicorn with a pink streak in her mane and tail."
I smiled and thanked her as I made my way through the crowd again.
After a few minutes I had little luck in finding this Twilight... right up until I found the dance floor.
She was doing a dance that I could only compare to the two stallions on Hooftube trying to do the Macarena.
I smiled, because it was both ridiculous and adorable. I walked over to her and tapped her shoulder. She turned to me and I took note of her lavender eyes. "Twilight Sparkle I assume." I yelled barely over the speakers.
She gave me a shy smile as she yelled, "Yes. Um, do I know you?"
I smiled "My name is Umbra. I am new in town and I was hoping that you could help me find a place of employment."
Her smile changed to a friendly one as she realized my intent. "Oh! Well, I could always ask around town if anypony needs help, but I can't gauruntee anything.
I nodded to her, "That's all I needed to hear. Now continue your fabulous dancing madam." She blushed and nodded as we parted ways.
I proceeded to navigate through the dance floor. I almost made it out until I bumped into an orange earth pony.
"Oof" we both said as we proceeded to hit the floor. I shook my head and looked down to see nothing but a blonde mane adorned with a stetson.
"Sorry miss," I began as I stood up "I didn't mean to throw off your groove."
She chuckled "No worries partner," I extended a hoof and helped her up and noticed her emerald eyes.
"My name's Umbra, and you are?"
"I'm Applejack, but you can just call me AJ"
I smiled "Well it's a pleasure to meet you AJ"
She tipped her stetson and we carried on with the festivities.
A while into the party I noticed a familiar ivory coat. I trotted over to her and smiled. "Finished with those suits miss Rarity?"
She looked to me a smirked. "No deary, just taking a break. Are you done 'exploring town'?"
I laughed. "Almost, I ran into a few ponies here and learned some names. One being the pink mare snorkling in the punch."
She stiffled a giggle and pointed to a cyan pegasis behind her. "This is Rainbow Dash-"
"The fastest, coolest, most awesomest pony you will ever meet!" interrupted Rainbow Dash.
"Fastest, huh?" I smirked "Kinda pretentious aren't we?"
She looked me dead in the eyes. "I have a reason to be too."
I smiled, and thought to myself "This mare shows spunk, I like her."
I backed away and looked to miss Rarity. "Well let's not just stand here there's plenty more party to enjoy."
And with that everyone started cheering as the party got into full swing.