Chapter 5: Welcome to Mane Melody
In Maretime Bay, ponies are walking into a salon of some kind. This salon is a white brick building with light pink trim and a dark gray roof and its establishment's logo is made up of two music notes each shaped like the letter "M" in the front of it.
An earth pony named Posey, who is a yellow earth pony with light brown hooves, she has a pink tail tied in a green bow, and similarly a pink mane tied back in a ponytail with a green bow, her eyes are green and she wears a beaded necklace with a five-leafed clover, and her Cutie Mark is a ring of six pink tulips with green stems, came into the salon, where she saw Pipp on a stage at the end of the mall as she started to sing.
Over time, Pipp opened up a salon run by her, since styling is more her thing and have a gift in styling, she wanted to share that gift by opening up her own business, and thanks with the help of her friends, she finally got the shop in her own image, with a stage to hoof for her singing talent to entertain the ponies coming in, so they can enjoy the song and get their styles as well.
(Let Out Your Light Song)
Clickity clack, who's that?
It's your girl Pipp, styling with a brand new track
Pipp sang as she flapped into the air as she flew to Posey.
Setting up shop, got a brand new gig
With colors that pop and a drip so big
She then put Posey in a hairstyle machine and went to her friends for their style.
Come in and get your hooves buffed, your mane puffed
Everypony's getting their tail fluffed
Pipp went to Sunny first as she twirdled her around and styled her mane with a ponytail on top of her head while sipping a drink as Sunny smiled at her new look. Pipp then went Sunset next as she twirled the Alicorn around and got her a style of pigtails, which Sunset finds amazing, loving her new mane style. Pipp then went to Hitch and twirled him and gave him a mane cut with results Hitch on getting a mane style that his mane is combined to the side, Hitch smiled as he looked at his mane new style.
Dance to the beat, dance to the beat
Who could ever sit still with a groove this sweet?
Pipp then went to an empty seat, she suspected her sister, Zipp, would be sitting there for her mane style, but she wasn’t as Pipp looked around for her.
Behind the stage is Zipp, hiding from her sister. She doesn’t mind her sister running a business, but when it comes to style and makeup, she would rather not, she likes her mane the way it is, and she can’t let her sister change it. So she is hidden from her to protect her mane and tail from being changed.
Zipp hides furthing into the stage as Pipp was looking for her, wondering where she’d go.
A place you can go
Where you already know
You can find your pony flow
When you step through the door
Putting aside finding Zipp for now, Pipp then showed Izzy a mirror that somehow made selections of the main styles of her or anypony choosing. Izzy found it amazing and made a funny face for a little humor as Pipp was searching through the sections, wanting to see what fit Izzy the most. When Izzy turned her head around, Pipp picked a section with her mane down with a crown with stars and hearts. Izzy loved that section, which caused Pipp to twirl Izzy around as she got said mane style, but since she got her head turned, the style covered Izzy’s whole face, not that Izzy’s complaining, finding it great. Izzy then took out her homemade phone that she made with her ‘Unicycling’ skills as she placed all five stars on it for the review of Pipp’s salon.
On the stage, Pipp, along with an Earth Pony Mare and a Pegasus Stallion, the Pegasus name is Rocky while the Earth Pony is named Jazz, dance on stage as they sing together to their customers.
Try something new, take a chance, just believe it
Let out your light, shining bright, can't you see it?
The ponies in the salons are getting their manes that match their styles as they gave the five star review for Pipp’s salons as they all sing together.
Woah-oh-oh, oh-oh, woah-oh-oh (Hey!)
Woah-oh-oh, oh-oh, woah-oh-oh
The four of the Mane 6 join in the song as they sing, while Zipp keeps trying to hide from her sister for trying to touch her mane as she failed to hide while holding a pillow to cover her face. Seeing that her hiding spot didn’t work, Zipp saw her sister coming towards her. She freaked out and ran away from her, Pipp saw her sister with a smile as she tried to catch up with her, wanting to give her style her mane.
Try something new, take a chance, just believe it
Let out your light, shining bright, can't you see it?
At Mane Melody (Hey!)
At Mane Melody
The ponies in the salon sang together as they showed their styles of their manes as they sang. Posey, with a new mane spike style, walked to the door after her new mane style was finished as she brought out her phone and gave out a review star, three reviews stars.
Pipp heard the pop and saw the three review stars, shocking her as she never had three stars in a review of somepony before. “WHAT!” She yelled out as she landed on the ground with the thump as she looked at Posey, the ponies around looked at her as Posey looked on with a confused expression. See tried to go with it as she corrected what she said. “What... a... l-” she gulps nervously as she continues. “Lovely review, heh. Thank you... so much, Posey.” She said with a creepy smile expression as she was about to explode as she looked at Posey.
Sunset saw this as she thought to herself after watching the whole thing with a weird expression. ‘After seeing how Pipp reacted, she reminds me much of Rarity if her fashion designs didn’t go through or make a hit. I guess Pipp takes her fashion style seriously as much as Rarity takes her fashion designs seriously.’ She thought to herself as Pipp's reaction reminded her of how Rarity would react if nobody loved her fashion designs.
Posey looked at Pipp for a moment as she smiled nervously as she opened the doors and then jumped through it as the door shut.
Pipp regains her compuse as she calms down a bit, finding that review nothing to worry about as she spoke out. “So. Who is ne-ext?” she sang as she asked who is next for their manes to be styled.
The doors then opened, revealing Phyllis Cloverleaf, CEO of Canterlogics and mother of Sprout Cloverleaf, as the ponies gasped at the sight of her. “I am.” She said to Pipp, stating that she is next.
Sunset saw Phyllis as she narrowed her eyes at her in a hateful manner. Ever since they restored the magic to Equestria and brought the three tribes together, Sunset and Phyllis really don’t see eye to eye with each other that much. For Phyllis, she is okay with Sunset but when it comes to her talking about her business about her Canterlogics and her interviews, she is not one pony to get along with much if Sunset keeps countering her Canterlogic business ideas. For Sunset, she really don’t like Phyllis for what she did to Sunny with the whole ani-unicorn and pegasi traps and using her and other ponies as guinea pigs to test out her so called security machines, especially after giving Sprout too much power that cause nearly chaos to pony kind with his plan of his robot mech and army of ponies by his side, and most of all, not believing Sunny and her father’s history of the true history of old Equestria of Twilight and her friends, thinking they were never real really put Sunset over the edge, especially since she heard rumors of Phyllis reviewing shops and then close them down the next day for a simple thing she doesn’t like the minute they just reopened, that just not right. They come to terms sometimes but not all the time for someponies who have different points of views.
Sunset then turned to Sunny as she saw Phyllis as well as she said in a dry tone. “Tell me I’m seeing things. Because I swear that Phyllis overthere.” She said to Sunny in a hateful voice.
“No, Sunset. We all see her.” Sunny said in a shock tone as well as Sunset groan, knowing that Phyllis is really here.
Phyllis then walked through the salon as various ponies whisper to each other in fright as they told each other rumors of how Phyllis came to grand opening businesses, to inspect the business to see if they are great or not since she is a CEO. And if she didn't like them, she gave them bad reviews and shut them down the next day after the grand opening. Rumors had it that she shut down five salons in one month, which is shocking to say the least, seeing how that CEO doesn't like those kinds of certain salons and wanting to see how Pipp’s salon is to see if it’s okay or get shut down.
Pipp and Phyllis looked at each other as a tumbleweed if cut up manes blew past them. Phyllis stares at Pipp like some kind of wild west show down while Pipp is scared that hope she gets a good interview from Phyllis.
Phyllis then turned to a simple alicorn as Sunset stared at her as well, making in even match staring contest in a tense standoff, a moment of silence later, Phyllis was the first to speak. “Hello, Sunset.” Phyllis said in a calm tone.
“Hi, Phyllis.” Sunset replied back with the same look. “What brings you to this grand opening of Pipp’s salon?” She questioned rhetorically.
“Oh, just wanting to see how this business goes. And I want to see the stylist as well to see how great of a stylist she can be.” Phyllis replied.
“Well, I can see that.” Sunset replied to her as she walked up to Phyllis as she gave her a look straight to her face. “Just so you know, I’m still ticked off from you after what you did to Sunny, not believing the true history of Equestria with her father, only believing a lie to it, using Sunny and other ponies as test subjects for your ‘precious’ products, humiliate Sunny in front of everypony during the Canterlogic incident, and not to mention giving Sprout too much power just so he can gain control. You and I may come to terms, but I got my eyes on you.” Sunset pointed out in a tense tone as she walked away back to Sunny and the others.
“I can see that.” Phyllis said in a little nervous tone but kept it hidden, Sunset was still ticked off from her all right, and she understood that, she felt guilty for her actions and tried to make up for it by dismantling the ani-unicorns and pegasi traps to make up for it ever since they first met after their first adventure, it’s slow going but it’s a working progress. Phyllis then turned back to Pipp as she spoke to Pegasus. “So, you're the new stylist in town?” She asks as she adjusts her glasses.
“That's me!” Pipp cheered with a smile. “Welcome to Mane Melod--” She tried to sing the title but was interrupted as Phyllis chuckled.
“We'll see about that.” Phyllis said to Pipp as she smirked at her.
Pipp gulped nervously, thinking that if she got a bad review from Phyllis, the CEO of Canterlogic, she would lose her salon in a day.
Phyllis then came to a salon seat as she sat down and looked at the mirror as she put her phone down while Pipp came next to her as she inspected Phyllis’ mane. “So…” She started out with a nervous chuckle as she continued. “Um, what can I do for you?” She asks Phyllis for a request as she is nervous to think straight.
“Surprise me.” Phyllis pointed out, which caused Pipp to freak out even more as Phyllis continued. “You know, this place used to be a restaurant until I reviewed it.” She said to Pipp, recalling the time when this place used to be a restaurant before it became a salon. “Free all-you-can-eat pizza? Puh-lease!” She added as she recalled that this place used to be a pizza place.
“Uh... yeah.” Pipp said nervously but a little surprised that the salon that she owned now used to be a pizza joint as she looked at Phyllis' phone, which had the review stars option on it as she looked at it nervously as she turned on a haircut machine.
“Before that, it was Fancy Filly Fashion Boutique, Painting Palomino's Pottery Café... oh, and a salon actually.” Phyllis listed out the business that she reviewed in the past of the same building they are in now, which didn’t put Pipp’s mind at ease. “Hair Today, more like Out of Business Tomorrow!” She laughs as Pipp brought the haircut machine as she cut off part of Phyllis mane, which the CEO didn’t realize.
Pipp saw what she did as she gasped in shock, seeing that she made a bald spot on the back of Phyllis' hair. She backs away as she whimpers nervously, and then runs out the door as it shuts, with Sunny, Sunset and Zipp seeing this as Pipp was too nervous to focus.
Zipp followed after her as Sunset turned to Sunny. “Distract Phyllis while we get Pipp!” She whispers to Sunny as she runs out the door to follow Zipp and Pipp to calm Pipp down.
Sunny then grabbed two Kiwis from the beverages Jazz was passing on the cart. “Hey!” She called out as Sunny didn’t listen, to find a way to distract Phyllis long enough for Pipp to get back as she splatted the kiwis into Phyllis’ glasses. Blocking her vision.
“Ugh!” Phyllis cried out in surprise at the kiwis that Sunny put on her. “Oh, good, now there's food on my face.” She groans, never really having done that part of a salon before.
“They're fruit!” Sunny corrected her as she laughed nervously, trying to act like it’s part of the salon. “And very good for all those wrinkles!” She added as she waved her hoof in a cheer.
“Huh!?” Phyllis asked in shock that Sunny told her about the winkles thing, thinking that she’s old. Sunny then realize what she said as she chuckles nervously, trying to by enough time for Sunset and Zipp to find Pipp before things get worse and before Phyllis realize she have a cut up bald spot at the back of her head.
Zipp and Sunset are looking for Pipp, trying to find where she goes as they search the front of the salon, they turn to the left side of the salon as they hear distressed painting. They turned to their left again and saw Pipp hiding in an alleyway next to the salon as the two ponies came to the distressed Pegasus.
“Pipp! There you are.” Zipp said in relief that her sister didn’t go that far. “You have to come back inside.”
“Yeah, as much as I like how Phyllis’ mane is at the back of her head.” Sunset snorted, liking the bald spot on said CEO pony. “You have to finish up her mane, and if she finds out that you gave her a bald spot, she’ll shut down this salon in a heartbeat.” She informed that if Phyllis finds out she has a bald spot, she will immediately shut down the salon the second she sees that bald spot.
“I can't!” Pipp cried out as her mane if a little friz out, and had a mental breakdown for her screw up. “You two saw what happened--I took a huge chunk out of her mane!” She then sighs as she continues. “Who's the style icon now?” She said in a sarcastic voice as she hit her head against the wall.
Zipp and Sunset look at each other, trying to see who gets to speak first. Sunset then spoke. “You first.” She said to Zipp, going to let Zipp have a sibling talk to Pipp first before she spoke out her words of wisdom when Zipp was finished.
“Thanks, Sunset.” Zipp said to the Alicorn as she turned to Pipp. “Pipp, you are a style icon. Always have been, always will be.”
“Zipp is right, Pipp. I mean this wouldn’t be the first time a stylist or a fashion designer screw things up.” Sunset spoke next as she spoke from experience from Rarity from the human world and the pony Rarity Twilight told her about. “You may not know this, but when Twilight told me about Rarity wanting to expand her fashion business throughout, she had to come up with some inspirations to live up to the dream. But before she became famous with fashion, she had a few screw ups with her dresses, the looks, and even the mane styles as well. Like when she was making dresses for her friends for the Gala back in the day, they asked her to make some changes for their liking. But then it turned out to be a disaster as the audiences found their dresses disturbing.” She told them about the time when Twilight’s friends were excited for their first gala, they made Rarity change the dresses she made for them but ended up in disaster that nearly made Rarity lose her spirit of being a fashion designer.
Pipp then turned her head as she listened to their words and was moved by Sunset’s as well. “Rarity was a stylist like me in a fashion way, and her friends nearly ruined it with their opinions of her dresses?” She asked as she was curious about what happened next.
“Well, yeah. The dress was so bad Rarity nearly stopped her fashion business if her friends didn’t realize what they had done.” Sunset continued. “But, after a few forgiveness and comforting words from her friends, Rarity's fashion spirit was brought back up and made up for that mistake by revealing the original dresses to the crowd. They cheered on for Rarity’s fashion creations, as she kept going on her fashion empire that spread throughout Equestria back in the day. Rarity kept going and finally achieved her goal, she may have hit a few bumps, but she kept going, no matter how many mistakes she made.” She said as Twilight told her about Rarity’s fashion empire that spread throughout Equestria and made her dream into a reality, something the Human Rarity would most heartily agree with her pony counterpart.
“Sunset has a point, Pipp.” Zipp added as she continued. “So, you shaved one bald spot... Big whoop! See all that confidence and swagger?” She pointed out as she, Sunset and Pipp turned to the crowd of the ponies Pipp had styled their manes from her salon.
A unicorn pony then squeals in delight at the mane style as the ponies around Maretime Bay admire Pipp’s work in style as they are loving it.
“You brought that to Maretime Bay.” Zipp added. “You did that.” She cheered on Pipp's styling skills.
“I did...?” Pipp questioned while still having her face on the wall as she looked at Posey from earlier, looking at the mirror to sheck her spikey mane style as she admired it.
Posey was busy looking at her mane as a Pegasus mare named Maverick Mauve, came flying down. “Hey, nice new 'do, Posey.” She called out to Posey as said earth pony trotted away, commenting on the new look Posey got with a smile.
Pipp then smiled at seeing that her styling skills are great to everypony. “I did!” She cheered as she got her head off the wall.
“Of course, you did. And I love these Pigtails, they looked great on me by the way.” Sunset added to the mane style Pipp gave Sunset earlier. “Now let's get back inside so you can work your magic.” Sunset added she, Zipp and Pipp walked right back into the salon.
In the salon, Sunny has been busy keeping Phyllis distracted as she used a brush and a hairdryer on Phyllis’ mane with said mare still have kiwis in her eyes, but it resulted in Phyllis’ mane being all poofy out as Sunny was trying to keep her distracted but she is not that good of a stylish as Pipp is as she whimpers and half heartly sings nervously as Phyllis kept talking about the businesses she shut down.
“Then there was the Museum of Unnatural Hoof-story, the twenty-four-hour trampony-line park, the Golden Tree of Knowledge…” Phyllis was on and on of the businesses she saw and shut down from her reviews, not knowing that Sunny messed up her mane.
Behind the two ponies, Rocky and Jazz watch and are nervous from the fact that if Pipp doesn't get back, the salon will close down if Phyllis sees her mane like that.
The door opens as Pipp comes in with a determined look, ready to finish what she started.
The ponies, along with Hitch, gasp at Pipp’s return and determination. Sunny gasps and smiles at Pipp’s return as said Pegasus walked to where Sunny and Phyllis are as Zipp and Sunset looked on with proud smiles to the determined Pegasus.
Sunny laughs as she is glad that Pipp is back as she steps back for her to take over as Pipp cracks her hooves and stretches before she gets the haricutter and hairdyer, ready to get started with a determined look.
(Continued Let Out Your Light Song)
One, two, three, four
Bring that tail right through the door
Pipp then reclined the seat Phyllis was on as she wet her mane with soap and water as she washed it down to get rid of the poofiness.
Five, six, seven, eight
You're not leaving here 'til you feel great
Pipp then brought more tools as she then ruffled Phyllis’ mane in determination to get it done as she is styling the CEO’s mane with four tools at the same time, which the first two sets she started out and the other two which are with a brush and a straighten iron, while fixing Phyllis’ mane.
Shine bright, sparkling glow
Flick that mane with a flow like woah
She then bit down on the mane as she straightened it out with the straightening iron and cut a piece of loose hair that was sticking out as Pipp smiled at her progress.
Vibe... you're on it
You're a brand new pony so flaunt it
Hey
Pipp continued to brush, comb, blow, straighten out until she covered Phyllis’ mane and got the hair dryer blowout machine on top of her as she twirl Phyllis around and did some style as the ponies in the shop gasps at Pipp’s amazing work as she struck a pose on the stage, holding the haircutter machine in her left hoof.
Zipp then smiled at her sister’s inspiration as she looked into the mirror, thinking she should get Pipp to do her mane after all. Sunset looks on with a smile of pride, seeing so much of Rarity in Pipp when she accomplishes something with style and fashion.
Pipp then took off the kiwis in Phyllis’ eyes as the CEO looked at her reflection as she tried to process how she looked. “It's... it's...!” She tried to find the right words for it.
Sunny was biting her hoof nervously, hoping that Phyllis would love it as Jazz came to Sunny side, filing her hoof that she was biting earlier as she is nervous as well.
“It's... exactly the same…” Phyllis pointed out as Pipp brought her mane back to the way it was before it was messed up, Phyllis brought out her phone for the review stars, thinking over her mane style while everypony, san Pipp and Izzy while Pipp is smirking and Izzy couldn’t see what is happening with her mane blocking her eyes sights as she turned her head side to side to know what is going on. “Just the way I like it.” Phyllis announced as she pressed the five stars review, making her business good as she walked out the door, her bald spot is covered with curls as he flipped her mane side to side, but caused the curls behind her head to fall, revealing the bald spot.
The ponies gasps in fright, hoping that Phyllis won’t notice it. But to their relief, Phyllis walked out the door as it closed. Pipp may not have taken care of the bald spot, but at least she got the perfect reviews she needed to keep her salon running as the ponies in the salon cheered and wooped in victory over Pipp’s success.
Sunny, Sunset and Zipp came to Pipp’s sides. “That was amazing, Pipp. I knew you could do it.” Sunny congratulated Pipp’s success.
“Not to mention you really put your act together when it comes to style.” Sunset added. “If Rarity was here, she would ask you to style her mane the best you can do and maybe hire you for mane styling to go with her fashion empire.” She added with a smile, knowing that Rarity would hire Pipp in a heartbeat for her greatest talents in mane styling, and having a smirk that Phyllis will have a bald spot for a while.
Pipp then takes a deep breath as she speaks out with a smile. “Thanks for covering for me, Sunny. Thanks for giving me some inspiration for me to keep going, Sunset. And thanks for always being there for me, Zipp. You're the best sister ever--” She then gasps as her eyes sparkled in seeing Zipp sitting in a salon chair with a smile, without hiding this time, wanting to give Pipp the chance to style her mane. Pipp came straight to her sister’s side as she spoke. “Really? You never let me style your mane!” She cheered out, remembering those times that Zipp never even once let her style her mane before.
“Mm.” Zipp said with a smirk, letting her sister style her mane for once.
Pipp inhales in excitement. “Oh, my pony.” She called out as she brought Zipp to a mirror to see which option she would style her sister’s mane with. “I always thought you'd look amazing with a pony perm, or like, okay, a manehawk or maybe in a different color!” She selects the options of mane styles to Pipp, who cringe at the sight of them, having second thoughts about this. “Okay, okay. How do you feel about bangs?” Pipp suggested to Pipp by showing her bangs style, which caused Zipp to regret her choice on letting Pipp style her mane, but there was no turning back now.
Sunset saw this as she chuckled to the sisters as Pipp was selecting through the styles to see which fit Zipp the most. “She is more like Rarity than I gave her credit for. Talk about the more things change the more they stay the same, and I’m loving this with my new friends.” She said to herself as she smiled, seeing that these ponies remind her more of Twilight and her friends back in the day, and smiled fondly at the memory as their spirits lives on as the group enjoyed the rest of Pipp’s salon while also waiting for Pipp to finish Zipp up for the rest of the day.
End of Chapter 5.