//------------------------------// // Paper faces on parade // Story: Rhapsody in Orange and Black // by dramatic_spoon //------------------------------// Rhapsody’s magic hammered the doorknocker against the door. After a short pause, she hammered it again. After another pause, she prepared to hammer it again. “Rhapsody, enough.” Lyra scolded her. “But…” The door slammed open. An angry Time Turner stuck his head out and looked around, only to find Rhapsody. The filly’s aura lifted her bag up. “Candy?” she beamed. “…and if I say no?” Rhapsody paused. After a few moments of thought, she whipped out both revolvers and smiled again. “Candy now?” she paused a moment and cocked the hammers, “Please?” Lyra’s aura yanked both toy guns out of Rhapsody’s aura, “I told your father it was a bad idea to give you these.” She muttered to herself. “Its fine, they’re only popguns right?” Turner chuckled, “So unless she…I don’t think I should finish that sen…” He trailed off as he noticed the rest of the group. “…Rumble, that cut looks terrible on you.” “…What?” “I said it looks terrible. You’d look much better if it was slightly higher.” He paused, “Oh, and Garters. Show off the legs.” “You’re really creeping me out right now,” Rumble and Apple Bloom replied in unison. “It happens from time to time,” Turner shrugged, “Cheerilee likes it when I we-” “I don’t want to hear it.” Lyra interrupted, “Now, we’re here to pick up Slide.” “She’s almost ready.” Turner ran a hoof through his mane, “As for Cheerilee she’s also ready. She said the two of you were going to Rarity’s little get-together?” “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh nodded, “She didn’t invite you?” “She did, but I’m not really one for parties,” he shrugged, “I figured I’d just stay at home, pass out candy for all the little fillies and colts. Also, I rigged up little booby trap to scare them if they step on the wrong spot.” “What’s it do?” Rhapsody asked, taking her attention away from her confiscated popguns. “A figure of the headless horse will pop up.” Time Turner smiled, “Scares them all. I tested it on Cheerilee and Slide Rule.” His smile faded, “I’m sleeping on the couch until Heart’s Warming Eve at the latest.” “Or you can wait until the Summer Sun Festival.” Cheerilee smiled as she passed her husband. The school teacher was clad in a loose fitting yukata, with a wide-brimmed conical straw hat on her head and a boken at her side. Behind her, Slide Rule trotted out. The filly wore a white, full-body spandex suit, with several purple bolts and a clock emblem on each leg. “…Mac, why are you dressed like Sweeney Todd?” Cheerilee pushed the hat out of her eyes. “…I’m not Sweeney Todd.” He sighed. “We should go get Flash Bulb before it’s too late.” Lyra interrupted. “Isn’t Flash going to the party?” Cheerilee asked. “He got called up at the last minute and Trixie is getting ready for her show tonight.” “I promise I ain’t gonna point’m at anyone,” Rhapsody whined, “Maybe Tomahawk, but he’s a jerk.” “…Fine. But if you threaten anyone over candy, Rumble is going to take you straight home.” Lyra informed her daughter. Rhapsody’s aura snatched the two popguns and jammed them back into her holsters. --- Rhapsody, Slide Rule and Flash Bulb continued down the street. The two fillies kept stealing glances at Flash Bulb: the colt wore the miniaturized uniform of a Canterlot royal guard, fake sword at his side. “What?” he asked the others. “Where did you get that?” Slide Rule tapped the helmet, “Is it real?” “It’s my dad’s. Stop poking it.” “Why does he have a miniature suit of armor?” Rhapsody asked. “Because it was his dad’s.” “…Why doe-” “I don’t know.” Flash Bulb interrupted, “Mom just found it when she was digging things out of the attic for tonight. She thought it would be cute if I wore it.” “What were you going to be otherwise?” Rhapsody continued on. “Star-Lord.” “…Everyone wants to be Star-Lord.” Slide Rule muttered. “Not me.” Rhapsody shook her head, “I wanted to be Princess Eira.” “So how did you end up as a cowboy?” Flash Bulb asked. “They ran out of Princess Costumes.” The group stopped in front of the Carousal Boutique: the sounds of ponies talking and music blared inside. Lyra trotted to the door and banged her hoof against it. The door opened, and Rarity looked out. The fashionista wore her own maid uniform, complete with a pair of wire-frame glasses. Rhapsody, Flash Bulb and Slide Rule held out their bags and smiled. “Candy?” Rhapsody asked. Rarity smiled, “Nothing here, I’m afraid. At least not yet.” She turned back inside, “Thunderlane, would you be a dear and let Gem know her friends are here?” After a few moments, Rarity moved to the side and Lightning Gem came out. The three foals stared at her in surprise: the sulking filly wore a sky blue dress, complete with flowing, almost transparent cape. Atop her head was a ridiculous looking hennin, complete with an extravagant veil and she wore her mane in a single long braid. She looked at the others and her frown intensified. “Don’t ask.” The filly growled. “Oh don’t be like that, it looks wonderful,” Rarity mused. “I still think the hat is overkill,” Thunderlane trotted to the front door, carrying an empty cloth bag. The pegasus wore a black suit top, red waistcoat under it, along with a flowing black opera cape. On the right side of his face was half a white opera mask. He pulled the hat off of Gem’s head and placed the bag on her back. “Now you behave.” Thunderlane looked up at Big Macintosh, “Are you suppose to be the Artful Dodger or something?” “Why can’t anyone get th’ costume right?” Big Macintosh grumbled, “Hasn’t any other pony seen Th’ Threepenny Opera?” “…No?” Thunderlane frowned, “Why?” “I’m Macheath,” the stallion motioned towards himself, expecting a response. Everyone blankly stared at him. The stallion sighed and began to sing. “Oh th’ shark, babe, has such teeth dear/ An’ it shows them, Pearly white/ Jus’ a jackknife has ol’ Macheath, babe?/ An’ he keeps it outta sight/” Big Macintosh paused as Rarity’s face lit up in recognition, “Oh, Mack the Knife.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Are Pinkie and Popper here yet?” “No, I think Pinkie was going to stay at the bakery and help with the haunted house,” Rarity paused, “as for Popper and Tomahawk…well, just look behind you.” The foals spun around to see Written Script, Party Popper and Tomahawk. The older unicorn wore little more than a deep red cape. Popper wore a shiny metallic jump-suit, complete with a yellow head obscuring helmet. The front of the helmet held a small screen that slowly flashed an alternating patter of question marks, exclamation marks, a cupcake, Pinkie’s cutie mark and Pokey’s cutie mark. Tomahawk wore a red leather jacket, complete with satchel. At his sides were a pair of ornate, futuristic blasters, loaded with foam darts, and his face was obscured by a bronze mask, complete with glowing red eyes. The trio stopped and the two colts pulled their masks off. “This thing is really hot,” Popper panted. “That’s everyone then.” Lyra frowned, “Where’s Dash?” “Dashie’s off doing her…y’know, usual thing.” Written Script shrugged, “She said she’d come afterwards.” “Alright then, we’ll leave y’all to enjoy your party,” Apple Bloom motioned for the foals to follow her, “C’mon kids.” “Behave,” Cheerilee told the group. “Remember what I told you, Rhapsody.” Lyra reminded her daughter. “Try not to get too dirty, Gem.” Rarity paused, “By the way, Rumble that looks horrible on you. The cut is not very flattering; you should have asked me for help.” “I’d rather just forget about this.” He grumbled. Apple Bloom led the group away from the shop. While they walked Tomahawk smirked at Gem. “What?” Gem snapped, “I’m Princess Eira. I wanted to be Star-lord, but mom said no.” “Hah,” Tomahawk stuck out his tongue, “I knew it, I got the best costume out of everyone.” Popper said something, only for his helmet to render it unintelligible. “What?” Everyone looked at him. The colt paused and pulled off the helmet. “I said you better not tease her too much,” he paused, “She kicked your butt last time.” “…We’re not gonna talk about last time.” Tomahawk grumbled. “I’ll make a bet with you.” Gem cut off Popper’s response, “It’ll be a contest between the two of us. If I win, you have to switch costumes with me. If I lose…” “Then you’ll have to do girly stuff for a month,” Tomahawk flashed a toothy grin. “One week.” Gem responded. “Three. Otherwise no deal.” “Fine. Whoever gets the most candy wins, deal?” Gem stuck out a hoof. “Deal.” Tomahawk stuck out his own hoof and shook Gem’s. “…Do we get to be part of it? Popper asked. “I’m not.” Slide Rule interjected. “I’m gonna stay out too.” Flash Bulb added. “Me too.” Rhapsody nodded. “It’s just between the two of us then,” Gem responded, “You guys are the judges.” “Hey if you don’t hurry up, you’re going to miss the opening ceremony,” Rumble told them. “It doesn’t matter, it’s the same thing every year,” Apple Bloom grumbled, “I think th’ mayor’s been using the same, ratty ol’ clown costume since we were foals. Let’s just get started with th’ candy huntin’.” All the foals cheered in response.