Fingers, toes and tiny noses.
Chapter published 30th Jan 2013
******************************************
Lero had been standing idly outside of the home Lyra Heartstrings shared with her best friend Bon Bon for a least three or four minutes now. After taking one last chance to brush any long since cleared dirt from his work shirt and repositioning his tool bag over his shoulder for what must have been the hundredth time he lifted a fist to rap on the front door.
“Hey there, lover boy.” came an amused voice from very, very close behind him.
“Yaargh!” Lero must have jumped a mile at the sudden greeting. Turning he found the aforementioned earth pony standing behind him, wearing both a mischievous grin and a pair of heavily laden saddlebags.
“Long time no see.“ Using a forehoof she playfully poked the human in the leg. “Since you’ve been courting that floozy it’s like you just don’t have any time for little old me any more.”
Pushing the same forehoof against her brow the earth pony pantomimed a swooning motion.
“I’ve just been so neglected. I’m waaaaasting away.“ She whined.
Lero couldn’t help but break into a grin. In the few weeks since he and Lyra had started courting, his new amore’s housemate had warmed to him greatly and he’d been pleasantly surprised to find that the confectioner had one wicked sense of humour.
Dropping to one knee the human threw out one arm theatrically as he played along. ”My fair lady, how could I ever have neglected you so? But fear not, I am here now.”
“Oh, don’t give me that fiddle-faddle you rapscallion.” Bon Bon dramatically threw her nose up in the air. “You’re here to see that hussy and you know it.”
Clutching his hands to his chest as if deeply wounded Lero put on his best ‘begging forgiveness’ expression. “I’m afraid you have me bang to rights, dear maiden. I am indeed here to steal away your fair housemate, would that she deign to have me.”
“Gotcha.” The mare laughed, leaning past the human to open the front door. “Here, come on in. I think she said she’s free all afternoon.”
As the door swung open, Bon Bon’s ears suddenly pricked up and she started nodding her head in time to some otherwise unheard tune. “Oh, this is going to be good.” She grinned
Lero glanced around, straining his hearing as he did so.
“Somebody’s having one of those ‘song and dance’ moments again, aren’t they?” He asked.
“Yep, it’s Lyra. Come on, you don’t want to miss this.” The earth pony was practically bouncing on her hooves at this point.
Lero was kind of conflicted. Sure he was here to see Lyra, but all this singing still seemed a bit weird to him and he wasn’t sure that muscling in on some pony’s musical moment was the done thing.
“I… err, wouldn’t she mind us just going in and interrupting her song. I mean, isn’t that kind of rude?”
Bon Bon blew air through her nose in gesture of exasperation. “Look, you may not be able to hear it but if it was meant to be private I wouldn’t be able to hear it either. So either it’s for every pony within range or we’re supposed to be part of it. Now as I’ve got the sudden urge to get you in there I’m betting we’re both supposed to be part of this in some way. Either way this is going to be priceless, I can just tell.”
Quickly moving around to Lero’s side she pushed at his hip with her forehead, her superior earth pony strength easily forcing the human though the now open door. As they crossed the threshold she started to hum what Lero had to admit was quite a catchy little melody; a little showtune-y maybe, possibly a touch off broadway-ish.
As the human pulled his bag over his head and placed it on the kitchen table the shifting tools inside made a rather loud clatter. Luckily the rather noticeable sound of jaunty hoofsteps emanating from the room above them covered most of the noise.
“Hush, keep it down” Bon Bon hissed, motioning to the stairs. “This way, now shush.”
Cursing not for the first time the fact that ponies didn’t ‘do’ carpets, Lero slowly crept up the stairs. Enthusiastic singing could be heard floating down from the floor above them, while it was certainly a lot louder than he was accustomed to hearing from her, it was definitely that of the unicorn of the house.
The lofty strains of Lyra’s harp could be heard seeping though the almost closed door at the top of the stairs; the same melody that Bon Bon was humming wafted it’s way though the crack in the door. Though Lero was unable to exactly make out all the lyrics there was definitely something about brushing coats and styling manes going on.
Reaching the top of the stairs both pony and human came to a stop outside the door to Lyra’s bedroom. Reaching for the door handle, Lero’s hand was suddenly held back by Bon Bon grabbing his sleeve with her teeth.
“Whoa there, fella. Not quite yet.” The curly maned mare continued to bob her head in time to the music, her humming complementing the music seeping from behind the door. Lyra’s lyrics could be heard quite clearly now.
“Humans don't have wings or magic. They don't need it; they don't care!”
“Ok, now’s our cue”. Bon-bon gently pushed the door open, letting it swing silently inward on its hinges.
Peeking inside Lero was amazed to see the usually calm and composed Lyra prancing around the room on her back hooves; her lyre grasped in her forehooves while her magic plucked at the strings. Totally oblivious to her sudden audience she hopped from hoof to hoof, wiggling her dock in time to the cheerful melody being issued from her instrument.
“All they've got's imagination, new inventions everywhere!”
Leaning back to gather a big ol’ lungful of air, the exuberant unicorn upped her game. Lero had heard her sing a number of times and always been impressed but frankly this was taking it to another level. All she needed now was a hairbrush to sing into and the image would be complete.
”Babies, children, teens and elders, all alike have clothes to wear”
A summer hat laying on Lyra’s dresser suddenly span its way across the room, the unicorn’s magical grasp causing it to bounce up and down atop her mane in time with the music.
“It's so real to me…”
Lyra span herself in a little pirouette on her back hooves, finishing the move with a flurry that left her facing the bedroom door. Opening her eyes she found a snorting earth pony and a pink faced human avidly watching her little one-mare show. The summer hat and lyre both slipped from her magical grasp and dropped to the floor as her soon to be ex-best friend finally succumbed and burst into peals of laughter
As if realising they’d been caught in the act, the music of harmony quickly faded from the minds and ears of both ponies in the room, leaving the usually unflappable unicorn to face her audience alone. Sporting a blush so powerful it turned her mint green cheeks a lovely shade of pink, Lyra sheepishly bowed deeply as she squeaked out her final lyric.
“...anthropology!”
Well I had chapter six ready to go, then I decided I wasn't happy with it and sat down to redo it.... and then this came out instead.
Bugger!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4dWMxTWTXE
Linkie link for anyone who hasn't heard Lyra's song before. Out of all the MLP related fan music I've heard, this has to be my favourite. Well, this and 'Smile Song - Tombstone MIx'.
EDIT - just as a note, Lyra's not signing the lyrics exactly as they are in our 'real world', more a version that's relevant to her world. ie, she has no idea who the hay Barack Obama is and may not actually want to be a human herself. I just love the song and thought after the heaviness of chapter 5 we could do with some comedy.
Lyra's canon voice is now the voice of AwkwardMarina. It must be so.
You're a tease, and that was hilarious. I somehow suspected you'd use that one.
Awesome... nothing more need be said.
That is just so adorable I could just...
Does anyone know where can I purchase one of these? I am interested in taking one home with me today.
2043842
There's also this version, with some animation (rough storyboard animation, but it works).
I see what you did there
2043864 I second this motion. Mind i have a little present in the form of the business end of leros club that i uh.... acquired from the last chapter for anyone who disagrees.
2043842 2044026 I love that song though i hadn't seen that vid before. I like the storyboard feel to it... fits somehow.
s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/121/714/Celestia%20why%20cant%20i%20hold%20all%20these%20fanfics.jpg?1304981717
Xenophilia summed up
2044315
encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTld9APNbkB6PBuI23fx7Nuk0IricPiEcgBDE0t0dar5bltGDiqrw
Awe, no fair keeping his hanging on the previous chapter. ;P
What else needs to be said?
2044377 Teach me master
img846.imageshack.us/img846/3900/snapshot20110328201936.jpg
I am proficient in Shipping style and I am more than proficient in the exquisite art of the Clop
2044026
I see your storyboard, and raise you an animation!
BROWNISH HAIR AND TANNISH SKIIIN
WOULD IT BE TOO MUCH TO ASK
TO SEE THE WORLD THEY'RE LIVING IN?!
EVERYBODY TELLS ME THAT IT'S OLD AND FAKE MYTHOLOGY;
IT'S A MYSTERY...
ANTHROPOLOGY!!
...sorry, couldn't resist after that title.
Really weird for this to happen after what Lero and Lyra went through last chapter.
2043842 You mean instead of giving us resolution to that dastardly cliffhanger?
Well played Quiet Man...well played.
Bloody brilliant!
LOL, I was wondering if someone would do a tip of the hat to that song.
Would love to see that video finished too. GREAT!
2045636 This particular writer likes to jump back and forth through time. Think of it as a flashback.
..... Evil. Pure Evil. Now we have to wait longer for the resolution of what happens with Lyra and Lero in the hive...
2045636
OK, so in chronological order they go:
Sloppy dead
Fool on the hill
Tiny noses
Smiles part 1
Smiles part 2
Last embrace
...and the gaps between each vary from a couple of weeks to a few years. Of the *mumble vague number mumble* of chapters I have laid out here on my screen, about a third are set after 'Last embrace' with the rest slotting in somewhere between the others.
One of the rules I set myself when I started was that chapters had to be posted in the order in which they were finished (though I use that term loosely as I still need to bring 'Fool' down for a full tidy-up) and as I seem to be having chapters fighting each other for my attention I have very little idea which of them will be posted next.
Oooh, and to the person who asked about Sweetie's diet. For now let's just say her mother had some crazy food cravings while she was pregnant. ;D
Funny coincidences. I had never heard this song before two days ago, but I was actually listening to it on repeat just now right as I started reading this chapter.
2043864 I agree completely.
2048964
Apart from being a sound people make to help the dead move on (much like a death wail or a banshee's cry), keening's also a sound people can make when under stress or in pain. It's a bit like a growl from the back of the throat though more high pitched and a bit further down the neck. I found myself doing it when I broke my leg a few years ago.
Xenophilila crossingover with Anthropology?
The internet cant handle Lyra's greatness of this magnitude!!
i loved this song when i heard it especially the animation xD
2044862 I see your animation, and raise you an 3D animation!
www.thefreedictionary.com/ dock The solid or fleshy part of an animal's tail.
HAHAHA ... YES ... just ... YES .... ALL OF MY "YES" TO YOU SIR
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
ahem.
great job
Can't that hussy kill you from a hundred paces away?
*gasp* Bon Bon! Such language!
They also own Mountain Dew / 7up / Mirinda / Gatorade in drinks, and Lay's / Dotiros / Cheetos in snacks - and that's not all they own. Between PepsiCo, Coca Cola Company (Fanta, Sprite, Costa Coffee) and Unilever, they have like 95% of the market by the balls.
Learning that products which you thought were (and are often marketed as) direct competitors are all owned by the same parent company either directly or through holdings... it really opens your eyes, doesn't it? I mean, your choice - which competition is supposed to bring you - doesn't even matter, because the same people are getting your money either way... Free market my ass.