//------------------------------// // Four Tune Four // Story: Friendship is Weird // by Local Loco //------------------------------// With the weekend finalized, Ponyville was bustling with ponies at work. One pony had brought a wagon to the center of town. Her wagon was modified to act as a small stage for her to perform on. With her starry cape and hat, she climbed to the stage and boasted. “PONIES OF PONYVILLE! I the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie shall deliver a buffet of magic and sorcery that you will MARVEL at until the end of time!” The mare threw down a smoke bomb, causing ponies to watch in anticipation of what would happen next. She pulled a rabbit out of a hat, separated three conjoined rings, and with an audience participation from a tubby colt, she sawed them in half and put them back together. An orange earth pony dragged a white unicorn closer to the events on stage. “Look Cookies, stage magic! Entertainment!” “Quite right Hope, quite right.” The unicorn agreed rather calmly. A massive blue Pegasus followed the two. “Ah but this is not entertainment. These are the many feats of the GREAT and POWERFUL TRIXIE LULAMOON!” The unicorn on stage boasted some more. “Not even the maw of a chimera strikes fear into one as GREAT and POWERFUL such as myself.” “Boo!” A light blue Pegasus mare with rainbow mane and tail heckled the stage magician. “Talk about feats? I flew so fast I broke the sound barrier with a rainbow boom. I don’t need to bring out a monster to show I can do that! Boo!” “Perhaps I should show you personally how great and powerful the great and powerful Trixie is?” Trixie’s horn glowed with magic, enveloping the rainbow Pegasus, Rainbow Dash, with her magic, causing her to fly wildly while Trixie laughs. “Show? Great?” The gears were turning in Hope’s head. His eyes widened as he rushed the stage and squeezed his hooves against Trixie’s cheeks, causing her magic to dissipate. “Talent show! Talent show! Talent show!” He looked over at Rainbow Dash, who had just steadied herself in the air. “Talent show! Talent show! Talent show!” He then faced the audience. “Talent show! Talent show! Talent show!” There was a brief silence until some of the ponies in the crowd started to join in on Hope’s chant. It wasn’t long until the uproarious chanting garnered the attention of Mayor Mare, who was looking for the source of the noise disturbance. She too got on the stage. “Excuse me.” She said to Trixie. “Ponies of Ponyville, your mayor has heard you and will be making an impromptu talent show for the weekend. We’ll have sign-up sheets as soon as they are available, but for now can we keep the volume on low?” The mayor explained. The ponies in the crowed kept their mouths shut as they nodded their heads. “Good. See you this weekend!” With that said, the earth pony mayor mare went back inside town hall. Murmurs started, some ponies talking about the talent show while others talking about Rainbow Dash and Trixie. Trixie scoffed. “A talent show? The great and powerful Trixie has all the natural talent that she will SWEEP the competition.” “Natural talent? What kind of pony saws another in half without proper practice? That’s why I will win the talent show.” Rainbow Dash said. “I think it’ll be fun! Don’t you think it’ll be fun.” Hope trotted off the stage to Alto and Cookies, ignoring the two bickering mares that are still on the stage. “What do you guys want to do for the talent show? Music? Baking?” Alto gives a nod while Cookies merely sighs. “My dear Hope, no pony would sit around for almost an hour to watch baking.” The white unicorn, Cookies N Cream, informed his earth pony friend, Hopeful Journey. “Ain’t sure ‘bout ya’ll, but I find watchin pones bakin to be fascinatin.” Alto, Cookies, and Hope turn around to find their daisy yellow earth mare, Lucky Horseshoes. “Wazzit ‘bout a talent show?” The four of them begin to trot away from the wagon stage where Rainbow Dash and Trixie are still bickering, causing the audience to disperse. “Looks like we’ve got a couple days before the weekend. We should all do music!” Hope suggested. “Don’t Octavia and Vinyl have a lot of different instruments in their home?” The stallion looked at Alto, who nodded in response. “Well, alrighty then, this talent thingamajig’ll be a big hoot!” Lucky said. “Well actually I ain’t ever touched an instrument in my life but it’ll be an experience dats fer sure.” “That’s the spirit!” Hope exclaimed excitingly. “And how about you, Cookies? Thinking you’ll join us on our musical marvelous mayhem of massive word that starts with the letter M?” Cookies sighed. “Hope, I don’t know how to play any instrument.” “But you can sing.” Immediately defeated, Cookies takes the lead. “Let’s just go to the music club already.” It didn’t take long for the four of them to reach Octavia and Vinyl’s house on the outskirts of Ponyville. Usually, the sounds coming from inside were a combination of cello and synth, but something eerie was being played inside their house. Alto was the one who opened the door as the other three with him were a bit hesitant. Inside the house, they could see Octavia and Vinyl staring at Lyra as she used her magic to create spectral claws to move around two metal rods on a radio looking box. The movements corresponded to the pitch and volume being emitted from the strange item. Lyra looked over to the door and waved, stopping her magic and the sounds in the progress. “Hey Al!” The light green unicorn with golden eyes waved. “Absolutely mesmerizing! And you say that they had this at the costume shop?” Octavia interjected. “Totally! The owner said that they only ever use it for nightmare night and I thought it was just SOOOOOOO cool that I, you know, bought it off him.” Lyra bragged as she played another eerie tune. Lucky and Hope approached the thing with amazement. “What in tarnation is dat thing?” Lucky asks pointing her hoof at the noise emitting box. “That, my little pony, is called a theremin.” Lyra said with a bit of pride to her voice. “See, this pole makes the pitch higher, while this pole effects the volume of the noise. While most ponies would have just used their hooves, having nimble appendages like claws or fingers would be more accurate to the noise you want to make so I used these magic hands to play it.” “A… what?” Cookies entered the room slightly perturbed by the sights and sounds in front of him while his two curious earth pony buddies look at it all in awe. “Never mind the explanation. We came because the mayor had just announced a talent show thanks to Hope instigating a chant to quell an argument. I guess we’re joining you three on your musical crusade then?” “Join a talent show? No no no the Ponyville Experimental Music Club is a professional club. We’ve been practicing every day and it wouldn’t be fair for those without the time to prepare. However,” Octavia explained as she grabbed hold of her cello and headed for the exit. “I have no qualms about temporary ending the PVEMC until the talent show ends so that some of us may show off our own musical talents. Good day.” And with that, Octavia took her leave. There was a bit of silence in the room before Lyra continued playing the theremin much to the amazement of Hope and Lucky. Cookies put one of his hooves to his head and sighed. Meanwhile, Alto went over to a closet in the room. Inside it were a bunch of different instruments and Alto had pulled out a guitar and a bass. He nodded over to Vinyl who nodded back and put on her head phones. Alto placed the Bass up against Hope while he placed the guitar up against the nearest wall. Next Alto went to set up a drumkit, after placing a stool Alto had lifted Lucky and sat her at the drumkit, taping the drumsticks on her hooves. At this point, Hope and Lyra realized what was going on. Hope picked up the bass and leaned up against the wall while Lyra took her leave with her theremin. “Well, you guys seem busy. I’ll just prepare a presentation for the talent show then. See ya!” Lyra left with a goodbye. “Alright! We’re gonna ROCK Ponyville!” Hope began strumming on the bass and stopping so he could scream: “ROCK! HARD! ROCK! Can I get a rock hard?” “Umm, Hey Al, whatchu meanin when ya’ll place me in this hot seat?” Lucky asked. In response, Alto lead her drumstick taped hooves to each of the drums and cymbals and showing her how to use the kick pedal for the bass drum. Lucky moved her own hooves and was able to get a good beat ending off with a cymbal clash. “Golly, Al, I sure have a knack for this her beat’em up instrument.” Lucky said as she continued bashing the cymbal. “It’s great that my friends are able to play their instruments, but I need a song to sing if I were to be a singer.” Cookies sifts through a stack of records in the corner. “Which band should we play songs of, Al, Tweezer or Metalopera?” He pulls out a blue record holder and a black record holder to which Alto shakes his head at him. “Come on Cookies! This is a TALENT SHOW! We can show our musical abilities AND writing capabilities. Now let’s do this again but I need you to be the one to say ‘this is how you rock hard’ and then we’ll work from there.” Hope said eagerly. Cookies sighed. “Sorry, Hope. I do not want to make a fool out of myself on a weekend. Not when Sky could be watching. However, if we were to stick with original music, I’d prefer asking Alto to write one.” “Awww but I like writing stuff.” Hope said a bit dejected, but he got a reassuring hug from Alto. “Thanks, big bro. ALRIGHT LET’S JAM!” Hope, Alto, and Lucky had a jam playing their instruments together in Octavia and Vinyl’s house. Without any lyrics to sing, Cookies had gone over to Sugar Cube Corner as a volunteer baker for the rest of the day. Four days until the Ponyville talent show. Cookies N Cream had been woken up, not by the sound of his friend, Hopeful Journey, but by a consistent pounding of his house’s doorbell. The unicorn stallion got out of his bed, wrapped his black and white checkered scarf around his neck and opened the door with a yawn. He is greeted by a daisy yellow earth pony mare who is his friend, Lucky Horseshoes. She is still hitting the doorbell over and over. She smiles at Cookies after a while, still hitting the doorbell. “Oh hey, Crem! Are ya’ll ready to sign us up fer da talent showcase thing?” She looks back at some buildings that have posters for the event on them. “Looks like they’re takin signins at the city hall. I ain’t much a writer so I came fer help signing us up. Early bird getting da werm an all dat.” Cookies yawned. “Alright then, take the lead then.” Wiping his hoof against the opposing eye, Cookies followed Lucky through town. “Yepper, this thing’s getting da word ‘round. They even posted them info things in the train station and on one of the trains itself. Whatcha thinkin the mayor is thinking pulling out all these stops?” Lucky asked as they passed more and more posters for the talent show. “Publicity and tourism, my dear Lucky. At least that’s what one of my father’s hometown associates says with regards to advertisements. I think that’s how most ponies heard of the Cream brand. At least, in the hair care and public safety department.” “Never heard of no Crem hair before, Crem. Appleoosa ain’t one of them fancy gay ted communisms ya’ll benn livin in.” “It’s not a gated community. The gates at Sire’s Hollow are merely decorative and don’t keep any pony from entering contrary to what you may have heard.” Cookies yawned. “Ponies would see a closed fancy gate and they’d assume they can’t get in. Pegasus can fly over it I tell you.” “Yeah, yeah, whatever ya say, Crem. Ain’t ever been to fancy fine towns and such. Mostly Ponyville and Appleossa with a visit or two to Canterlot. Now Canterlot on the other hoof has its doors open when ya’ll leave that their train station.” Cookies let’s out another defeated sigh. “Very well then. I never got the chance to ask Alto nor Hope about your musical jam sessions yesterday. Has a coherent song been formed yet?” “Well, we did play all through the night to the point Octavia had come back to kick us outta da house. Most the time we spent goofin and gaffin, but Hope got us to play his song.” “The ‘Rock Hard’ one?” “Yepperooni.” Lucky said with an eager smile and a nod. “He said he needed to work on the in-between main lyrics that you’d be singing.” Cookies groaned. “Please tell me that Alto was working on a song for me to do.” “Well, I mean…” Lucky muttered. “Al would get a grand piano out of that crystal of his. Don’t know what any of that stuff is, Crem. Why does it become a piano?” “Oh that? Father gave that to him for his birthday. The Concerto Crystal. Through the power of imagination, it brings to you the instrument of your heart’s desire. Very powerful, very rare, but father has his ways in generosity as well.” “When will ya think he’ll come back to Ponyville? Your father I mean.” Lucky asked. “Father is only readable to a select few. Not even my mother understands him and I think that’s why she fell in love with him. But at the very latest is the Grand Galloping Gala.” Cookies shook his head for a moment. “Enough about my family, Lucky. What about your family? You mentioned you were the youngest of seven, are they all at Appleoosa, or have the baby birds flown from the nest, as it were?” “Well…” Lucky began. “Elder sister, Cobbles, works as a Canterlot Cobbler cobbling horseshoes for the fine and fancy there. Silly Filly went down to Los Pegasus to start an entertainment career. Over in Manehatten is my sister Hand Grenades. HG works at the police force over there. Fishsticks is a fishermare in Van Hoover, don’t know why we ponies need fish though. Roma is still in Appleoosa. She always has this longin look in her eyes like when you get that look when that big Pegasus that out drank North.” Cookies blushed as he heard that last part. “And then there’s Ballot!” “BALLET!” A daisy yellow earth pony with a chic golden mane and short tail yelled at Lucky from a table with a banner that says ‘Talent Show Sign-ups’ with a few ponies lined up. “See, she’s right over there!” Lucky pointed over to the mare at the table. “Hey sis!” Cookies followed Lucky as she approached the mare at the table. “Back of the line!” The mare sternly told Lucky with a piercing look with her blue eyes. “There is no line-cutting special treatment just because your family. Or that you became some form of royal special service.” The mare muttered. “But-” “No buts. Back of the line.” Lucky and Cookies went to the back of the line while the mare at the table took a look at the sign in sheet. “That’ll be good, miss Melody. Thank you.” As they waited in line, Cookies looked over at Lucky. “So, Ballet is the sister who lives in Ponyville, then?” He asked. “More ‘r less. Politics and all dat jazz sends her all o’er Equestria like your marefriend.” “M-m-marefriend!?!?!?” Cookies eyes finally woke up, but his mane and tail drooped down to the ground. “I do not have marefriend, Lucky, so I have no hint at whom you are referring to. Nor do I have any cream to bring back my mane and tail to its illustrious swirl.” “Now I ain’t much of the knowledge haver of romance as Roma, but you and that big mare lady at yer birthday gave each other them goo-goo eyes and did the ol’ rough and tussle in the bushes.” “THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED!” Cookies yelled before he covered his mouth with his hooves. Some of the ponies in line gave him odd looks to which Cookies just waved them off with a smile before turning to Lucky. “Miss Sky and I were rolling around in the dirt together like we were foals again.” “Ain’t da both ya older than us? Born hours apart? Sounds like dem sol mates if ya ask me.” Cookies let’s out a defeated sigh again. He couldn’t argue against some pony like Lucky, he knew that. “I guess I must admit that I do hold a greater feeling towards her than any pony else, however there has never been a confession of love and therefore no marefriend.” Cookies explained in a hushed voice. The line moves forward a bit as Lucky starts staring around at all the ponies. Near the front of the line was Trixie who Lucky could barely hear her boasts of how great and powerful she is through some of the murmurs in the line. At the very least the line isn’t that long so Lucky had to find a less awkward way to pass the time. “Oh! Almos’ forgot.” Lucky said as she looked over to Cookies. “We got a name fer our group.” “I’ll humor you and ask what that name is. What is it?” Cookies asked. “Well, we put it to a vote. Hope wanted us to be the Neon After Party Express, because he liked the word ‘Nape’ and I said that we should be called Fourtune.” Cookies looked at her waiting for her to continue. “That’s it?” Cookies asked. “Yep. I said ‘well, der’s four o’ us and we play a tune so we shoud be Fourtune’ and Unanimously it won the vote.” Cookies just stared at her in silence for a bit as the line began to move forward. “That’s… rather clever. It makes me want to make one of those chocolate bits and put the number four on it… maybe for the talent show. Good name, my dear Lucky. Good name.” “NEXT!” “Oh hey, we’re next. Hey Ballot!” “Ballet. Names and talent?” The mare at the table said sternly. “You know me, Ballot. (My name’s Ballet.) It’s yer yunger sis Lucky Horseshoes! And this right here is Cookin Crem. And we’re in a band!” “That’s great that you were able to make friends outside Appleoosa, but you can’t write. I was talking to the friend of yours. The name of this band?” While the two sisters had talked, Cookies was already in the filling out the form on the table. “Oh, we need to put that on there as well. We’re Fourtune.” Cookies said as he spelled out 4Tune on the paper. “That’s all, miss Ballet. Now Lucky, if you need me, I shall be practicing baking those treats for our performance.” Cookies trotted himself away from the line, heading back home. “ALRIGHTY CREM! SEE YA AT PRACTICE TOMORROW!” “Please don’t hold up the line, Lucky.” Three days until the talent show and Cookies N Cream is on his way to Octavia and Vinyl’s house to practice with his friends today. Despite not seeing them when he got out of the house that they all live in, Cookies had assumed that they were at Octavia’s since that is where they last got together. When Cookies knocked on the door, he was greeted by Octavia herself. The only other pony inside the house was Vinyl who is in the corner of the room listening to the music that she produces. “Oh, Mr. Cream. I would have thought the others would have informed you last night. I’ve decided to practice in the privacy of my own home and politely asked them to practice their lovely tunes elsewhere.” “I’ve been busy baking all day yesterday, Miss Melody. I haven’t seen Hope nor Alto between now and the last time I saw them and we live in the same house. I don’t suppose you’d know where they might have relocated?” Cookies asked as she hands the mare a chocolate coin with a 4 on it. “Not really.” Octavia took a bite out of the gimmick chocolate. “If they didn’t head on over to your place afterwards, then perhaps they went on over to miss Horseshoes place?” “The library? You’d think they’d use such a place to make noise. Rather counter intuitive for a library if you ask me.” “Ponies in Ponyville don’t read in the library, they merely borrowed books to read elsewhere. Besides, the covers of the books absorbs sound, so you can be as loud as you want and don’t disturb the public.” Octavia looks at the insides of her house. “If we had the space for bookshelves, we would have chosen to live more closer to the residential district, but alas we needed the space for instruments.” “I appreciate the input, Miss Melody. I shall not disturb you any longer.” Cookies said goodbye as he rushed off to the tree Library. Bursting open the door, he announces himself. “I’m here for practice!” “Practice what?” The voice of Mareian asked. The inside of the library only had the Pegasus mare librarian, Facing North and Scales the dragon. The two of them were playing a game of chess when Cookies barged in. Scales moved one of his pieces with a smug grin only for Mareian to move another piece immediately. “Check.” “Oh, I was…” Cookies looked around the library. “Is Lucky here?” “Lucky? She told us she’d be at your place. Did you not see her on your way here?” Mareian informs Cookies. Scales moves another chess piece, visibly sweating. With a swift motion, Mareian moves another one of chess pieces. “And that’s checkmate.” “Gah!” Scales lifted his arms as if he were about to flip the chess board, but held back and frustratingly started putting the game away. “Unfortunately, not. Speaking of which.” Cookies pulls out a bag of his chocolate Fourtune bits. “We’ll be performing at the talent show this weekend under the band name ‘Fourtune’ and I made these to commemorate the performance. Or market the performance. Whatever they shall be used for, I have plenty left and the time to make more.” He gives the chocolate to Mareian and Scales, unwrapped. Mareian eats it nonchalantly while Scales looks at it with amazement before placing it on one of the shelves. “Band? Never heard you guys play before.” Mareian says with her usual snark. “I can assure you that Alto, Hope, and Lucky are extremely talented with how they play, at least from what I’ve seen from them. I just don’t have a song to sing with them yet.” “Heh, well chess may not be my forte. I can sing.” Scales said with a grin. “They don’t call me ‘Scales’ for nothing.” “I thought they called you ‘Scales’ because you’re a dragon.” “Tch. That’s what they want you to think. A poor little dragon like me couldn’t possibly sing the hearts out of all the ponies in Ponyville, right? Well, that’s what I’m gonna do at the talent show.” Scales pulls out a record that has a stylish pony on the cover. “I will be singing the latest song by Countess Coloratura. They will know what it means to be ‘razzled’ and ‘dazzled’ and they’ll be cheering my name over the course of the night.” Cookies laughs. “That’d be wonderful Scales. Perhaps if Fourtune gets popular enough we could have you do backup vocals.” Scales snaps his claws and points them in a cool way at Cookies as he gives the unicorn a wink. “Anytime, Cream. Anytime.” Mareian rolls her eyes as the two share their excitement for working together. “Well, thanks for the chocolate and all that, but your band isn’t here. You should probably go to town hall and see if they came by to get their instruments pre-checked for the event. They gotta know whether or not you guys are prepared for the event at some point.” Cookies let’s out a troubled sigh. “I guess that’s a start then.” Cookies turns towards the exit. “Wish me Luck.” “You’ll need it.” Scales and Mareian said in unison. Cookies had no luck finding his bandmates and friends that day. He met up with EC, the mayor, and Lucky’s sister at town hall, but they did not see them so he left them the Fourtune chocolate coin. He stopped by Sugar Cube Corner, but the Cakes nor Pinkie Pie saw his friends. Leaving behind chocolate coins everywhere he went, Cookies was unable to find out where his friends went. At the end of the day, he returned home where he found Lucky, Alto, and Hope sitting at the bar island in the kitchen. Each of them drinking a cup of water. “To the song!” Hope said raising his cup. “To Fourtune.” They all took one big sip of their waters and took a big gasp of air. “Oh hey, Cookies. Where have you been?” Cookies was left flabbergasted. “Where have I been? Where have YOU been!?” Cookies angrily said. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I’ve been searching all over for you so that we could all practice together, but I never saw either one of you today until just right now.” Hope looked over at Alto and then over at Lucky before finally looking back at Cookies. “Did you check the basement?” Hope guided Cookies over to a trap door down to a cellar like basement. The carpeting on the floor is very soft and along the walls are bookshelves with hundreds of books. The door to the basement has an extendable stairway with padded steps. “Sound proof cellar…” Cookies muttered. “I know! Alto found it a couple of days ago and has been slowly building up the place to play music. I can’t wait to see the Ponyville music Club play here.” In the back of the cellar is a stairway to a pair of double doors that presumably go to the backyard. “My apologies, my dear Hope. I had been extensively busy the past weeks getting used to living in Ponyville that there are still some new things I need to discover.” Cookies apologized before looking over at Alto. “So, what song will I be singing today?” Alto pointed his wing at Hope, who had a piece of paper in his mouth containing the lyrics to the song he wrote. Cookies let out a light chuckle. “I’ll humor you, this time, but I will be singing your song at the talent show.” Cookies uses his magic to pull the lyric sheet out of Hope’s mouth. “Cookies’ will sing my song! Cookies will sing my song!” Hope gleefully sang as he hopped in a circle with a confused Lucky Horseshoes. Cookies carefully read the lyrics, trying as hard as he could to read Hope’s bad calligraphy and slight misspellings, but as he read further and further on Cookies eyes shown with amazement. “This is remarkable! I thought your song was a bit… to tell you the truth I thought it would be nothing but screaming the same words over and over, but this taught me not to prioritize one friend’s work over another.” “I’m getting one of them deja moments. Didn’t EZ learned about being judgmental about a friend’s predetermination.” Lucky questioned. “Oh no, I was there for that. It was more about assuming things about your friend based on past experiences. This is more about relying more on one friend than the other when both are equally helpful and being able to appreciate the work of both, in a sense.” Hope said. “Hey Cookies, you should write what you learned to Princess Celestia like EC did!” “Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll have time for that before the talent show.” Cookies laughed with his friend. “Speaking of ‘Fourtune’ I made these for our group.” Cookies pulled out the sack he had held the chocolate bits in only to find that the sack had been emptied after he gave them all away to the ponies in Ponyville. “Oh…” With that, Cookies collapsed, exhausted from searching for his friends all day. “Looks like Mr. Worrywart over exhausted himself, isn’t that right, doctor Alto?” Hope looked at his brother who nodded in return. “Verily well do, shall we discharge the patient to their room.” The Pegasus and earth pony carried their unicorn friend on their backs like a stretcher before taking him over to his room. Lucky is left alone in the kitchen. She looks at her cup of water before finishing it in one chug. “Welp, time to head on home.” The next two days before the talent show had been filled with Cookies making a boat load of coined chocolate, all while memorizing the lyrics to Hope’s song. The other band mates would practice and invite Cookies to join in when he had the time. Hope had visited Rarity to get the group some costumes since she had already got their measurements ready for the Grand Galloping Gala, informing them that their costumes would be ready in no time at all. With everything set to go, the day of the talent show arrives. “GOOOOOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOORNINNNNNNNG EQUESTRIAAAAAAA Check one, check two, Mic Check here live broadcasting from Baltimare for Equestria Radio. Word has gone around that Ponyville has started an impromptu talent show. Stage magic, music, athleticism, knowledge, oooooh boy Ponyville sure seems to be the bright spot of talent this week. Unfortunately, your favorite voice of the weekend cannot make the showcase due to how impromptu it all is. But you know what isn’t as impromptu, fillies and gentlecolts? That’s right, this year’s best young flyer’s competition shall be announced by yours truly. With the assistance of my wonderful agent, Mouth Piece, she was able to convince the Wonderbolts that an earth pony like me can hold the voice to lead the Pegasus into battle. Hahaha just messing with ya, though I’m certain I saw my earth pony mail mare participate in last year’s competition. With a final word, we here at Equestria Radio are holding a surprise raffle. Just send us your name and we will draw a lucky contestant out from a hat and send you a correspondence ASAP. Now back for today’s hits.” “Hope, could you please turn off that racket. I need this batch of Fourtune cookies to come out perfectly. So, I’d need complete concentration or else they’ll burn.” Cookies told Hope as he continues to make his chocolate bits for the talent show. Hope responds in kind by turning off the radio. “Thank you.” “Hey Cookies, Alto, Lucky and I are going over to get our manes and tails done for the performance. Don’t worry about yourself though, we based our color scheme on you, but can you go see Rarity. She has our costumes for the show.” Hope said to Cookies as he and Alto begin to leave the house. “We should be back in an hour or so for one last band practice before the show ok bye.” With the information given to him, Cookies first finishes his final batch of chocolate coins before the show. He heads on down to Carousel Boutique where he finds Rarity with a clothes rack holding four rather comfy looking black and white outfits with three of them accompanied by black and white checkered scarves. One of them has a short, black cowboy hat. The mare looks over at Cookies with a shocked expression. “My word, Cookies!” Rarity exclaimed. “You look like you haven’t gotten an ounce of beauty sleep for the past week.” She pulls out one of the mobile mirrors from one of the dressing rooms to show Cookies how he looks. He has black under his eyes and his hairs are a bit frayed in certain areas. “It’s been a busy week, Rarity. Care for a chocolate?” He offers her a chocolate bit but Rarity is unamused. Sighing for the hundredth time of the week, Cookies used magic to apply some eyeshadow, darkening his eyes as he puts on the band’s outfit. The outfit was a black marching band jacket with white highlights. He takes one last look in the mirror. “I’d say the color really matches the atmosphere.” He said wrapping his scarf in a more of an ascot form. “Looks like Cookies is ready for a night out on the town.” A familiar voice sent chills down Cookies spine. “I know we said we’d meet on the weekend, but even I don’t have a dress with me.” At the boutique entrance stands Sky Sonata, her head barely missing the doorway. “Then perhaps we can get you one, darling? You would look good in white, but unless you were getting married, I’d have to advise against that.” “Purple.” Sky said. “I like purple.” “Then one purple dress coming right up, darling. But first I shall take your measurements.” Sky looks over at Cookies for a moment. Cookies face blushing red until his curl of a mane droops down into a straight look. “Now THAT is a look. I think that Sunlight Glitter had that same look back at school. I think Hope takes a big influence from her.” Sky says as Rarity begins to measure her body. Cookies feels the need to look away. “S-sorry for staring. I wouldn’t be surprised. Hope had really tried his hardest to be friends with that girl. Plus, the outfits were his idea. We’re performing at the talent show tonight. A band called ‘Fourtune’ since there are four of us and we play our own original tune.” Cookies used his magic to bring a chocolate bit up to where he thought Sky’s face would be. “I-I made these for the band’s debut.” “Oooh snackies.” Sky gleefully chomped on the chocolate bit. “Staring? Ain’t nothing wrong with staring, Cookies she’s just doing her job. Plus, most ponies don’t wear clothes anyway so it’s not like you’re seeing anything naughty.” As she says this, Cookies eyes were fixated on the measuring tape pressing up against the mare’s blue body. His eyes going all along her neck following the measuring tape. “Well, um, if you don’t mind. I do like looking at you… RESPECTFULLY, you know keeping eye contact with the one you are talking to should be done and … uh enjoyed by both parties.” Cookies said, his eyes visibly conflicting as to whether or not to look Sky in the eyes. “Oh yes. RESPECTFULLY…” Sky said as she then muttered some words that were inaudible to Cookies, but Rarity started blushing profusely as Sky moved her lips. “Well, it looks like I’ve got all your measurements, you two should get going, wouldn’t want to be late to whatever it is the two of you shall be doing today. Ta-ta!” Rarity said in a rushed tone. Her face blushing harder than Cookies was not too long ago. She closes the door on them once before opening her doors again to place the costumes that Cookies had come to pick up on his back before closing the doors yet again. “This is rather inconvenient then.” Cookies said with three scarfs draped over his head. Sky chuckles. “Let me help you.” While Sky removed the scarf from Cookies head, Cookies had expected her to use her wings to assist him. When Sky uncovered Cookies eyes he could see that she had used her mouth and that the two of them were now face to face. Cookies could feel her warm breath on his face. He couldn’t blink, even if he wanted to. The two differing ponies stared at each other for a few seconds. “Boo!” Sky said unprovoked, but still Cookies remains unblinking for a few seconds more. “Oh, I have to go to give these clothes to the others. They should be ready for me to drop on by for their costumes.” Cookies excused himself as he heads towards the day spa, unknowingly being followed by Sky. At the day spa, Hope, Alto, and Lucky have just gotten their mane and tails dyed and stylized by the spa employees. Hope’s rounded pompadour red mane had been turned into a four-pointed black mohawk that has two right angled branches at the end of each point, tipped off with a bit of white. His tail remained the same but dyed black with a white streak going through it. Lucky had her mane and tail dyed black with white tips and a streak going through her tail though her blond roots were more visible than Hope’s. Alto’s mane remained the same with the only differences being a streak of black going down his cloudy mane in the shape of a lightning bolt. Alto’s tail on the other hand was shaped into a lightning bolt and completely dyed black. The three of them are currently getting their faces painted, with Lucky and Alto receiving black accents and eyeliner and Hope just getting a big white lightning bolt on his face. As they are doing this, the alicorn princess of the night is lounging on one of the nearby seating arrangements, looking at them all. “I can’t wait to see the look on Cookies’ face when he sees us. I don’t think he’d be able to recognize us at first glance.” Hope said with an eager smile on his face. “Ya’ll think I can go to Sweet Apple Acres like this an’ not get tossed out at first sight?” Luna smiled at her friends. “I’d say that you all are looking quite nice. It makes me excited to see you perform at the talent show tonight.” “It’s great to see you here in Ponyville, Luna.” Hope said with an even bigger smile on his face. “It feels like every single pony I know out of town comes and visits on the weekend. Like last weekend, my sister, Sky, she’s just under your sister’s height and her mane and tail flow along the wind like clouds instead of whatever Celestia does with her hair” “Blue bodied? Blue eyes? Cutie mark of a bird singing to the clouds?” Luna questioned Hope, who nodded at all three of her questions, though Luna had a lot of worry in her eyes. “Oh, you saw her in her dreams? What does my sister dream about?” Hope asked as one of the employees places the final touch to Hopes face lightning bolt. “Thank you.” “Well, she doth hath dream quite like young Alto there. Less visually and more definitive auditory stimuli.” The Alicorn said with a bit of a pause here and there to find the right words to give to Hope. “Very emotional filled dreams.” “Wow. I wish I had such dreams like by siblings. All I dream about is spending time with all my friends. They sometimes make it hard to tell from reality though.” “Oh, but thou hast the finest dreams. You shouldn’t abandon them to be similar to your kin. I have, learned that the hard way. Just continue being yourself, Hopeful.” At that moment, Cookies came bursting through the door, magically placing an outfit to each of his bandmates. “That’s one for Hope, one for Alto, and one for Lucky plus her hat. The talent show is today so let’s get one last practice in before. Alto, I trust that you finished your song?” Alto nodded at Cookies in response. Cookies was surprised to see Princess Luna at the Spa as well. “Hello Princess Luna.” “Good day, Sir Cream. Doth thou fair well?” “Indeed so. Care for a chocolate bit commemorating my friends and I debuting a musical performance for the night?” Cookies uses magic to levitate a chocolate bit towards Luna only for it to be swiped by a long blue wing. “Yoink!” Sky said before gleefully chomping the chocolate. “Cookies, can you stop waving those around, I have a bit of a sweet tooth.” She chuckled. “Heh… bit… Oh, hey you’re that mare that went into my dream that one time. Like what you saw?” “Ummm… Thou doth protest too much. I hath many a pony to check on in the dream realm and thought there was a problem but there was not so I thought it best to let you alone.” “Oh, I say, doth not protest enough!” Sky laughs as she wraps her hoof around Luna. “What say you to seeing a performance with me, tonight? Starring these fancy looking ponies right here!” Luna looks at the group, all the members looking like they could be on the cover of a goth punk magazine. “Ah feel a bit shorter without mah hat. Thisin a bit off the top, innit?” Lucky asked Alto who had just shrugged at her. “Cookies, are you letting your hair down for the performance? What about your delectable ice cream mixer of a swirl?” Hope asked his friend. “Not enough time for that, Hope. Time is not on our side at the moment so we should return home for one quick practice before heading down to the theatre.” “Oh, don’t worry about us getting in you guys’ way. I think me and your princess friend here should do some… ‘sisterly bounding’ as it seems. We’ll see you at the show Cookies.” Sky said to the group before they all left, waving for some of the spa employees over to her. Over at the soundproof basement, Alto, Hope, and Lucky get their instruments ready for practice while Cookies stands over near Alto. “So, where is the song you have been working on, Alto?” Cookies asked his friend. Alto responds by grabbing a piece of paper laying around with his wing and offering it to Cookies. He eyed the lyrics his friend wrote, reading every word until he raised an eyebrow. “Alto, some of these lines are said over another one, do you plan on Hope to be shouting over me?” Alto is holding another piece of paper on his wing. On it is a depiction of what appears to be Cookies and Sky Sonata on the piano with the smiling faces of Lucky, Hope, and himself underneath the piano. With his other wing, he brought the pencil up to Cookies’ and Sky’s faces and drew a love heart with them in it. Cookies bit his lip and looked away. “Nah, as much as I would love to duet with Cookies, I much prefer my role as song writer slash bassist slash background singer. Don’t want to hog the spotlight.” Hope interrupted. “Der hogs be where now?” Lucky asked. “Never mind all that. Let us, as Hope would say, show these ponies how to Rock Hard.” With Cookies saying that, the band practice finally began. The talent show is ready to go at the Ponyville Theater. The attendance was high with some ponies whispering at Princess Luna attending. By her side is Sky and both of them had dark makeup on with Luna having her mane all starry and wispy. Some Pegasi are placing a number of clouds inside the theater for one of the performances. Backstage are a litany of ponies ranging from Trixie setting up her stage magic to Lyra and checking a projector making sure all the slides are in place. And Scales was there with a record player. Fourtune was behind one of the curtains on stage left where no pony in the audience could see them. “Fillies and Gentlecolts! Ponyville Theater proudly presents the show you asked for a couple days ago: THE PONYVILLE TALENT SHOW!” Ballet came out on stage to introduce the show. “And we have some of Ponyville’s best here to give it their all. So please give a warm welcome to our first contestant: RAINBOW DASH!” Ballet took an exit to stage left, smiling, and waving until she was out of sight before she grabbed a nearby trashcan and started dry heaving. “There there, sis.” Lucky consoled her sister. “Ya did great out there.” Ballet pulls her head out of the trash to look back out at the stage to see Rainbow Dash waving with a smile on her face, exiting the stage towards them. “Great, can’t have a minute of respite.” She gulps before entering the stage again to introduce the next act. “So, did you guys see that?” Rainbow dash asks the group. “Not really.” Cookies replies as Hope and Alto shake their heads. “Just as the audience isn’t supposed to see us, we in turn cannot see when you fly into the audience. “Nice! So fast you didn’t even notice. Ever so closer to doing a sonic rainboom just by flying.” “ah sonice watsit?” Lucky asked. “Beg yer pardon?” “Oh, taking credit for an obviously natural phenomenon, are you?” Trixie comes by overhearing the conversation. “Every pony knows that the so called ‘sonic rainboom’ was caused by two powerful magic users engaged in an epic battle.” Trixie swoons. “One day I will show you that I am GREATERER and POWERFULERER than two unicorns.” “Hey, blue wizard hat thing. Keep it down.” Ballet returned, back to her senses seeing something amiss. “Also, you’re the finale of the show, go to the dressing room and not back here making noise.” She said to Trixie before looking over to Rainbow Dash. “And you already did your act. Both of you back to the dressing room.” “Fine. I’ll just take a nap. Wake me up when I win this shindig by a landslide.” Rainbow Dash puts on a pair of sunglasses that were lying around on before heading off. “Oh, but why can these nobodies stay here with you?” Trixie said, catching the nerve of Ballet. “Nobodies?” Ballet asked in a hushed angered tone. “One of them happens to be my sister. The other ‘nobodies’ are a borderline mute, a fairly sophisticated mare, and a kind young stallion. So far, they haven’t been a bother. But YOU are. I can call Amethyst Star right now and she’ll organize the security to properly escort you out of the theater before you say ‘great and powerful’ so get to the dressing room before I make that call.” “The only call the GREAT and POWERF-” “Hey Amethyst, is security available?” Ballet said into a headset. Trixie’s eyes widened before she zoomed off backstage. “No, I just wanted to prove to some showboat that I don’t bluff. Everything is fine, thanks.” Ballet let out a sigh. The next act had finished their performance leading to Lyra coming on stage with a theremin and her projector. “Good evening Ponyville! My name is Lyra Heartstrings. I came to live in Ponyville from Canterlot not too long ago. I have done studies on mythical creatures and the one that caught my eye were these creatures called ‘human beings’ and they used to live on the other side of a magic rainbow.” The projector turns on revealing the first slide being a drawn stick figure with an arrow pointing at the end of the stick figure’s arms labeled ‘hands.’ “See, humans have these little appendages called ‘hands’ and they are a bit like the claws that a dragon or a gryphon has, but these digits that they have are not for clawing an enemy’s face off but instead for much more nimbler actions.” Lyra heads to the theremin and uses her hoof to play it a bit while she conjures up a pair of spectral hands that would also play it as well. “Such as instruments. Using your hooves to play something with complex movements such as a theremin or a guitar would be a struggle to play unless you had years of practice… or wings… or magic… But that’s beside the point. For you see…” Lyra sings a song about her fascination for these mythological creatures and the types of things that they are able to do. “Well, ain’t that a hoot. Thisin being one of them edutainment talents ya’ll only see in the school house. I luved those days.” Lucky reminisced. “At least, she was able to introduce herself.” Ballet looked at the schedule list. “You guys are called FOUR tune and yet they have you here as the fifth act. Talk about ironic.” “Hey, sis, didn’t the Mayor set this up? Ya’ll know where she’d be? I want to ask her if that’s her real name like how Mareian’s name is Facin North an’ all. Whatcha thinkin her real name is?” “Who? The Mayor is busy dealing with a problem with the mailing service. Apparently, there’s some kind of raffle going on in Baltimare and the mail mares have been overloaded with letters. I hear some ponies have been sending more than one letter at a time.” “Ay, don’t be goin’ lookin at me. I only sent seven yesterday. I just so happened to have been up at 3am to hear the first announcement fer da raffle.” Lucky admitted. “I’m a stallion by the way.” Cookies interrupted. “Apologies, the name is Cookies Neapolitan Cream. Despite my elegant stature I can confirm that I am indeed a stallion.” “My sister says stallions have blocky snouts while mares have curvy snouts. Cookies has a blocky snout and must be a stallion.” Hope added. Ballet placed her hoof on Cookies snout before putting it on her own snout. “Yeah, short, and blocky snout. Can totally tell the difference.” She said in a sarcastic tone. Lyra had finished her informative song on humans leading to the pony audience to erupt in an uproarious applause. Lyra took a bow as a pony tossed a rose over at her. She took her exit stage left with a happy smile on her face as she traded places with Ballet, who gulped as she made her way on stage to introduce Scales performance. “Alright, gang. We’re the next act. Get your instruments ready.” Cookies said as Hope and Alto strapped on their bass and guitar over their shoulders. Lucky went over to her drum set that was on a wheeled platform. They all are behind the main curtain so that “Don’t forget these.” Cookies used his magic to give each his friends one last bit before the performance. “I guess you could say that tonight, we’ll be making a fortune.” The group of friends laugh with each other as Scales ends his singing talent by accidentally setting the main curtain on fire, revealing the band. “Oops.” Is all that Scales says before running off. Cookies took a look at the scene in bafflement. Ponies had shocked and terrified expressions on their faces. Some of them calling out the fire. With a deep breath, Cookies enveloped all the fire into a magical bubble that slowly shrank. He unwrapped the chocolate bit and tossed it in his mouth along with the fire. Cookies flips his mane after swallowing, bringing his mane back to its usual swirl form. “Delicious.” The roars and cheers of the audience were louder than Lyra’s. “Hello every pony. We are Fourtune, here to bring you the fortune of song and the fortune of snack.” Cookies releases his bag of chocolate bits onto the audience, creating a rain of candy coins. The audience reacts with overwhelming joy. “My name is Cookies Neapolitan Cream. With me are my great friends. Hopeful Journey on the Bass, Alto Tenor on the guitar, and Lucky Horseshoes on the drums. We’re here to teach Ponyville how to Rock Hard.” “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!” Lucky screamed counting to start the song. (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) All the music in the world Converges to the same verse and the same song So turn that tune into a swirl Come on up and jam right along Not everything is soft like all those lilac dreams A Rough and tough instrumental strum can give you all you need to (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) Grab a drum or a guitar and add a piece of metal And let your heart shred out a tune With the music score you have to settle Now play that song out to the moon. It may not be the choice you first came up with That lovely taste, the flow, the fame, You have it (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) (ROCK!) (HARD!) (ROCK!) This is how you rock hard (ROCK HARD!) And we showed you how to rock hard. Cookies was breathing heavily. He had put a bit of head movements and twirls into his dance routine to entertain the crowd. The silence was deafening. And so was the ravenous cheers a few seconds after the song ended. “I LOVE YOU, COOKIES!” Screamed a mare in attendance. “I LOVE YOU, ALTO!” Yelled another mare. “I LOVE YOU, MR JOURNEY!” “AND I LOVE YOU TOO, WHOEVER SAID THAT!” Hope replied with a cheery smile as he started posing for the fans. A pink unicorn with a three-diamond cutie mark and a purple mane and tail took center stage. “Attention all in attendance. Due to the recent fire, we will need every pony to evacuate the building. Since the fire has already been taken care of, we would still need to replace the curtain. Think of it as an early intermission and go get some fresh air.” Cookies, Hope, Alto, and Lucky were loitering around the backstage exit. All of them silent especially after what happened at their performance. Their emotions are mostly all over the place. Hope, per usual has a big happy grin on his face. Cookies has a hoof on his head, constantly sighing. Lucky is staring at her hooves that still have the drumsticks taped on them for the performance, her face as confused as ever. Alto is the most relaxed of the group, maintaining the same face he’s had since they performed with a bit of a smile. “There you guys are!” A voice came from around the corner of the theater. It was EC, who was followed by Mareian, who had a tub of popcorn in her wings. “Are the four of you well? I am sorry that Scales started a fire, I didn’t know what he was thinking.” “Pretty cool entrance though.” Mareian said as she tossed some popcorn into her other wing which had Scales hiding underneath. “Was some pretty quick thinking from you, Cookies. Eating fire is not something I’d expect from some pony like you.” “It was a trick I used for kneading dough. Pressing out all the air while keeping the dough inside of my magic, though instead of dough it was a fire.” Cookies explained as he pressed his hoof harder into his face. “Did either one of you scream something at us?” “I was laughing during the whole thing.” Mareian answered “Can confirm.” Scales affirmed. “I was assisting the lighting team during the show. We were in a soundproof room, so there is no way you could have heard anything we said.” EC explained. Cookies sighed. “This mental anguish is a bit too much for me.” “Oh, don’t be like that Cookies. That was fun!” Hope gleefully said. “You should listen to my brother.” Sky said. She was on top of the theater roof as she slowly descended down using her wings alongside princess Luna. “Whatever you heard it was probably Luny and I acting like your biggest fan. Right Luny?” Luna ashamedly blushed, covering her face with her hooves as she reached the ground. “I must say thou performed the most stellar of musical performances.” “See, really big fan. We even got all gussied up to match you guys. No pony else did that.” Hope wrapped his hooves around Sky and Luna. “Look Cookies, our first fans! You are the best fans a pony could ever ask for. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Sky gently pushed her brother off herself and Luna. “Easy bro, you guys really knocked our socks off tonight.” Sky laughed showing her hoof to Cookies. “Though we didn’t have the time to buy striped socks for the show.” “We would have had striped socks, but Alto said that it would get caught in our instruments, though Cookies could have worn some, right?” “The week has been very busy, my dear Hope. The thought never occurred to me until right this moment.” Cookies said, hoof still firmly planted on his face, unable to see those around him. “Since, w’all finish our setup backin there, ya’ll think I can go back t’ mah usual hat and bandana?” Lucky asked. “If you want, you can, Lucky, but we still need to stay for the curtain call.” Cookies sighed. “Can we all enjoy a calm moment together after a rather thrilling scene, please?” The group looked at each other before snuggling up against the small unicorn stallion. Cookies started to feel more relaxed as he took his hoof off his face and laughed. “Thank you. I needed that.” “You could say that again.” Sky whispered into Cookies’ ear. She had sat herself in a position where she was above Cookies; her hooves wrapped around his to keep him steady as he tried to jerk himself away on instinct. “No, no please. My ears are sensitive. Haha.” Cookies said laughing as he is able to tumble out of the pony snuggling pile. Unfortunately, Sky had her wings wrapped around him so the two would go off tumbling and rolling around with Sky whispering things into Cookies ear. “Those two are rather close, don’t you think?” Mareian asked to which she got confirmation from the others with Alto holding up the image he had drawn earlier that day and nodding. “Thou wouldst be surprised with the dreams thine friends have.” Luna said staring at the two rolling ponies. “They hold two very opposing dreams of each other being blatant fantasy and surprising realism.” “Don’t spoil who has which dream, the idea of that crazy Pegasus having normal dreams and the polite unicorn having fantasies so far from reality that he can’t comprehend the thought that she’s actually interested in him.” Mareian interrupted the princess of the night. “Also, you mentioned having some kind of dream gathering amongst friends in my dream a few nights ago. Are we doing that tonight?” “Alas, there be conundrums in Canterlot for a coronation to place me as an official princess, and I hath come to Ponyville for a marvelous makeover.” Luna said, wiping off some of the dark make-up. “I do enjoy the lavishness of the day spa though. The workers the provided luxurious product for my mane.” Luna strokes her starry mane. The ponies enjoy the time they had together watching two of their friends roll around in the dirt as one whispers in the ear of the other to tickle them. It wasn’t long until Hope overheard an argument around the corner. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” Hope quickly trotted around the corner to see two blue mares arguing. “Were the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie a Pegasus, she would have not used clouds to showcase speed. Those clouds would have stopped the fire from spreading in the first place!” “Oh, the fire was stopped alright. With unicorn magic and I didn’t see you out there putting it out. WAIT I did see you. You were running around in a panicked state screaming for your life!” “I’ll have you know that my hat and cape are NOT fire retardant. I leave the fire fighting for the fire fighters since that is their job!” “As AWESOME as fighting fires would be, MY job is to clear the clouds from the sky. What’s YOUR JOB!?” “Uncultured. You wouldn’t know a magician if one were staring right at one!” “And you wouldn’t see a magician if you looked in the mirror!” Rainbow Dash and Trixie were in a heated argument it seems. Hope finds his place to speak. “I enjoyed your stage magic, Trixie.” Hope said causing Trixie to shut her mouth and blush. He turns his head to Rainbow Dash. “And I don’t think that the fire is on the fault of any pony here let alone you, Rainbow Dash.” He wraps his hooves around the two mares in a big hug. Trixie remains blushing flustered while Dash rolls her eyes. “Besides, this is an event where we can have fun sharing the things we love doing with each other. To me, this isn’t a competition. It’s getting to see ponies do the things they are passionate about.” Trixie continues to blush while Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow. “Perhaps the great and powerful Trixie was acting a bit rash. Mistakes happen and there is no blame in making mistakes. No pony can be perfect.” “It’s fine. Sorry for hassling you about what you do. I think that having passion in something is totally cool.” “Yay! Forgiveness!” Hope sang gleefully clapping his hooves, releasing the two from his grasp. “Weren’t you backstage when the fire started? How was it delt with?” Trixie asked out of curiosity. “OH, Cookies took care of that, easily. He ate the fire.” Hope told the two in the most casual way one could possibly say that. The two mares’ eyes widened. “It was everywhere and the Cookies grabbed all the fire with his magic, shrank it, and ate it with the Fourtune branded chocolate bit.” Cookies pulled out his bit only to find that it had melted in his coat pocket. “Whoops.” He wipes the chocolate off on his outfit. “Well, good to see things are working out. You’ll do great out there Trixie!” Roughly an hour later, the theater had reopened and continued the talent show. Octavia put on a stellar classical cello performance, Pinkie Pie played a bunch of instruments together while riding on a unicycle, even Lucky’s sister Ballet was able to get a dance out there though her eyes were closed the entire time. The showcase had ended with an illusionary performance by Trixie. It wasn’t long before the ponies in the audience casted their votes for the best talent. A line up of all the performers were upstage as Mayor Mare entered from stage right. “Sorry for being late, every pony. There was a bit of a mix-up at the post office that needed mayoral intervention. No pony is going to miss their letters in my town.” Mayor Mare said at the center stage garnering an applause. The pink unicorn from before placed a box in front of the mayor with three envelopes labeled 1, 2, and 3. The mare uses her magic to open the letter and showing it to the mayor. “Thankfully we are able to count the ballots. Thank you all for participating in tonight’s event. In third place we have…” The mayor squinted her eyes at the paper in front of her. “TRIXIE LULAMOON!” A spotlight shone on Trixie who gasped in surprise at her placement. She sheepishly smiled as she approached centerstage. “The Great and Powerful Trixie appreciates you.” She said as she waved towards the audience. “In second place we have…” The mayor adjusted her glasses before her eyes widened. She looked over to the unicorn holding the letter. “That’s second place right? THAT many votes? Ahem…” She coughed. “In second place is Lyra Heartstrings!” The audience erupted into a massive applause, startling the mayor while Lyra smiles and bounces her way downstage. “And finally in first place is…” The audience didn’t need to hear what the mayor was going to say. They kept chanting “Four-tune” as the mayor carefully read the placement. “Taking first place by one vote, is none other than Cookies N Cream, Hopeful Journey, Alto Tenor, and Lucky Horseshoes. Otherwise known as FOURTUNE!” The audience explodes into an absolute deafening applause. The four ponies took a bow as the audience began chanting for an encore, much to Hope’s joy and Cookies dismay. Hope quickly bolted backstage and brought back all the instruments and tossed Alto’s Concerto Crystal at the center for it to form into a piano. Alto slyly placed the notes and lyrics on the piano. “Ahem. Thank you all for voting Fourtune tonight for the talent show. I especially would like to thank my dear friend, Hope, as he was the writer for the last song.” Cookies thanked his friend, as the crowd cheered. “Our next song is written by Alto Tenor. He wrote it to be a duet, and seeing how the lyrics are written we’d need to have a mare sing the other half. Lucky would volunteer, but she said she liked just playing the drums a bit more than singing.” “Hehe. Ya’ll got dat rite!” “So would a… lovely m-mare in the…” Cookies was about to ask but a tall, blue Pegasus mare had stood up and got on stage. It was Sky Sonata with her mane caught in a pony tail. “Well, I guess that settles that. Fillies and Gentlecolts: Sky Sonata.” The audience clapped with some very suggestive whistling as the two sat together on the piano seat. “Didn’t know you played piano, mister baker.” Sky whispered into Cookies ear, which twitched in response. “I don’t.” “Well thankfully I do.” Once there was a Stallion He ruled the land with the heart of a lion Until one faithful day she met a mare with quite a contrast temper There was a mare who had ruled with an iron hoof Not one could stand before her without looking aloof Until she met a guy who cooled her ember He stood there strong unblinking King inside of the danger zone She stood there laughing since she’s no longer alone Then the King (Then the Queen) Started speaking to the mare (Made the king her favorite toy) He would sing (She’d turn him green) Her a song as he longingly stared (With her constant teasing filling her with joy) And that’s the story Of a feisty queen and the kind king The king had loyal servants The queen received such loyal service And she would find life is more than just war The queen had a lot of fun But the serious of this was never done Because she found her heart at her core The king would bring a wedding ring and propose on the grand floor The queen had been super flustered busted, but she want more And so the King (And So the Queen) Became OH SO very Happy (Had accepted his proposal) He could just sing (She had turned pink) But a song right now’d be sappy (felt a tickle in her nostril) There ends the story Of a hot-head queen and calming king As the performance continued, Mayor Mare found her way to the sound booth where EC had been working. “I’d say that’s a successful night, just look how happy every pony is.” “My friends sure are happy out there.” EC said as Alto began to play a guitar solo mid song. “I’m happy that they could find a way to strengthen the core of their friendship.” “Yep. Don’t forget we’re having a meeting to discuss Ponyville’s current situation this week.” EC acknowledged what the mayor said with a nod as the two of them stared back at Cookies and Sky being rather close on the piano. “Friendship, eh? Friendship is weird.”