//------------------------------// // chapter 13 // Story: Twilight Then, Twilight now // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Chapter 13- then... "Hopper! I thought you'd be working tonight." Avian greeted him. "How bout a table away from the stage? You know I don't like the noise." "Oh, sure Avian!" Hopper replied. "Heeey! Booker! Slick! Glad to see you guys here! And you brought Sureshot with you!" "Nah, we all arrived separately." Sureshot replied. "Though we seem to have brought these lovely ladies with us." Bronco replied, looking at the mares. The six suprised girls were stunned into silence, their cheeks turning a deep red. "What's going on here?" Rarity asked, confused. "Wait, you all know each other?" Twilight asked, bewildered. "Ain't that a kick?" Applejack added, rolling her eyes. "Oh, Avian! It seems your friends have met my friends!" Fluttershy said cheerfully. "That is so wonderful!" "We should have a party to celebrate!" Pinkie Pie replied, kicking her hooves up high. "Hey Rainbow Dash! I thought you didn't want to be bothered with guys?" Rarity whispered with a laugh. "Oh, shut up." Rainbow Dash growled back silently. "He had a nice Flank." After the performance, the twelve of them sat down at a table and ordered their meals. They then began to talk amongst themselves. "So all of you guys knew each other back in Canterlot?" Twilight Sparkle asked curiously. "What an odd coincidence." "Yep." Sureshot replied. "We all met at a mixed-pony type university, and attended classes together." "Well, Except for Slick Styles and I." Booker replied sheepishly. "We attended the Academia Magica, but he and I would come over, and hang out with these guys." "We were the terrors of the academy back then." Slick Styles said with a chortle. "Playing all sorts of tricks on the other students and faculty." "Oh, you guys were pranksters?" Rainbow dash asked. "That's so awesome!" "Yeah, we were terrible." Hopper continued. "One time we turned every frog in the biology lab pink, and released them onto the campus." "You shoulda heard Professor Trotfield whinny, when one of the critters hopped away with his toupee." Bronco snorted. "Wow, that's amazing!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "You saved all of those cute little froggies from getting dissected." "Yeah." Pinkie Pie agreed. "And that was a really funny trick to play!" "Just one question." Applejack asked Bronco. "What's that, mah purtty little filly?" Bronco asked, looking at her coyly. "How did a hoofhead like you get into College?" Stung, Bronco only scowled and snorted in response. "Applejack! Such an unladylike thing to say to a Stallion!" Rarity batted her eyelashes at Slick. "Sorry about that, dahling. My friend here can be a bit... crude, at times, to say the least." "That's quite all right, my dear." Slick replied. "I actually find her folksy, down-to-earth attitude rather... refreshing." The conversation went on like that for the rest of the dinner, until Twilight Sparkle moved to excuse herself and her friends from the evening. "Well, thank you for a lovely evening, gentlecolts." Twilight told them gracefully. "But my friends and I need to get up early tomorrow. So we'll need plenty of rest!" "Pleasant dreams, Miss Sparkle." Booker told her. "It was a privilege to have you tour our facility." "Thank you, Booker." Twilight replied, a tiny blush crossing her face. "I hope we can talk again soon." "Pleasant dreams, Miss Rarity." Slick Styles said with a graceful bow. "Thank You for making this such a wonderful evening, by gracing us with your presence." "Why thank you, good Sir." Rarity replied, as the Stallion pulled her chair out. "I had a simply delightful time." "Good night, Miss Fluttershy." Avian said to her. "May the morning find you as beautiful as you are now." Fluttershy squeaked something incoherently, and covered her face with her wing, to hide that her cheeks had tuned the deepest shade of red. "Seeyas around, Pinkie Pie!" Hopper told her with a grin. "Keep having fun!" "You too, Hopper!" Pinkie replied, cheerfully bouncing out the door. "I'll invite you to my next party!" "Stay Cool, Rainbow Dash." Sureshot said, high-hoofing her. "I'll see ya around." "Ya know I will." She replied, high hoofing him back. "Good riddance, ya'll." Applejack grumbled. "Ah couldn't agree more." Bronco grumbled back. The two groups left the tavern, and each went their own separate ways. ... "ARE YOU INSANE!" Rarity shrieked. "Acting up like that in front of six of the most amazing Stallions in equestria! Six of the most amazing, single Stallions in all of Equestria!" "Have to admit, AJ, that was pretty immature." Twilight Sparkle agreed. "I thought it was funny!" Pinkie Pie giggled, bouncing around the room. "You'd find a Shakesponian tragedy funny." Rarity replied sarcastically. "Listen, I just don't like that feller." Applejack snorted. "He's more stuck up than a pony with a sinus infection." "Well, you might not like Bronco, but I think the rest of us are impressed with what we saw." Rarity replied indignantly "Girls, listen... I know we haven't found many good dating prospects in Ponyville, but I really think we hit it off with these Stallions." "He said I was beautiful." Fluttershy said quietly to herself. "Well, Booker is really smart, and is a very interesting Pony to talk to." Twilight said dreamily. "He actually knew who Starswirl the bearded was, and could even name all of the spells that he created." "He thinks I'm pretty." Fluttershy muttered to herself. "That Hopper is really neat-o!" Pinkie Pie Squealed. "I've never met a Stallion who knows how have a good time like him!" "He thinks I'm kindest mare he's ever met." Fluttershy whispered. "What about you, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked. "What, Sureshot?" Dash looked at the other five nonchalantly. "Eh, he's all right, I guess." It would not be until much later that night, when Dash thought all of the other mares were asleep, that a fangirl squeal cried out. "I'm gonna have the coolest boyfriend ever!" "Well ah hate to remind you ladies." Applejack complained. "But we wern't sent up here tah get ahselves fixed up with fellers. The Princess sent us here tah do a job, and cept' for Twilight an' I, you gals have been actin like doe-eyed schoolgals, instead of lookin for suspicious stuff here in Tambleon." "Applejack is right, girls." Twilight replied, snapping back to the task at hoof. "Let's all get a good night's sleep, and get back to our investigation in the morning." ... "So I take it the plan goes well, Midnight?" Grogar asked his accomplice, whom he was meeting with in the wilderness outside Tambleon. "Just as I predicted." The unicorn betrayer replied. "I had previously studied the personality profiles of each of the six harmony bearers, and when I checked over the security clearance selection lists for ponies who would be allowed to live and work in the city, I made sure six stallions with compatible psychological profiles made the cut. If Bronco ensures the two groups come together, the silly little fillies will be too distracted, until it's too late." "Very good." the massive goat replied. "But are any of the Stallions besides Bronco your agents?" "Unfortunately, no." Midnight replied. "They are too 'good' to agree to work with my scheme if they were aware of it. They are my unwitting pawns. But worry not! Bronco will make sure they all meet up, and everything goes according to plan!" "Excellent!" It was then, that Grogar noticed Midnight's donkey servant bringing a small bell on a collar to him. "And what is this, that your lackey Bray brings before me?" "A gift, mighty Grogar." Midnight replied ominously. "One that will grant you enough magical power to rival even Luna and Celestia themselves." "Is that so?" The goat crime lord bellowed, slipping the collar around his neck. "Well then, by tomorrow evening, the city of Tambleon shall face it's doom!" The villain's laughter echoed across the Purple mountains.