Story: Party Planning
Characters: Poodle Puff x Lounge Lizard (OCs)
Synopsis: Poodle Puff is new in town, and like every Ponyville newcomer he gets roped to a signature Pinkie Pie party. Pinkie finds out that Poodle likes his friend Lounge Lizard, parties ensure.
~~*~~
Daytime had reached Ponyville on this warm morning, and the first rays of Celestia’s sun began to wash over the countryside. Small critters scurried and flew about as they did their morning activities, ponies came out of their houses, and the quiet town grew more lively as more and more ponies began their day. Whether it was running errands, hanging out with friends, or even baking some cakes, Ponyville was up and running on this beautiful morning day.
A certain black pegasus pony was enjoying this morning as well in his quaint Ponyville home. He basked in the warm glow of the rising sun for a few hours, enjoying the soft touch of its rays as he continued to sleep in his bed, covers pulled tight around him. When he finally opened his eyes to the bright rays, he greeted the morning by shuffling out of bed, throwing his shutters closed with a groggy moan. Falling back into bed with a “pomf”, he yawned and slept on.
*knock knock knock*
Sleep would not come easy today, as a loud rapping on his front door startled him, making him leap off the bed and faceplant into the hard ground, comforter falling on top of him. After squirming around for a moment and getting all tangled up, the pegasus poked his head out from underneath the comforter.
*knock knock knock*
“Hang on, I’ll be thuh....there in a second!” he called out, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. Struggling for a moment to free himself from the comforter, he gave up and instead used his wings to lift himself off the ground. Hovering haphazardly to the door, he shook his head multiple times in an attempt to stave off both fatigue and the comforter.
*knock knock knock*
Stopping at the door, he flung it open in irritation. “I SAID I was com-”
*smack smack smack*
“Ow! Hey! Stop that!” flinched the pegasus, trying to dodge Pinkie’s hoof .
“Hi Poodle Puff! I came over because I need a friend to help me shop for party stuff! I baked like, a bunch of cakes at my last party because I didn’t have enough for my last party and I need to bake a ton more for tonight’s party and a party without cakes is like a day without sunshine! Besides, you really need to get out more, because if you stay inside all the time you’ll be all alone and mopey and dusty!”
As Pinkie launched her verbal salvo, she walked through the house, throwing open the shutters and blinding Poodle Puff in the process. He shook his head a bit more, attempting to muddle through his foggy fatigue and comprehend the hailstorm of words Pinkie Pie just bombarded him with. “...Pinkie, what do you mean by ‘I should get out more’? I go outside all the time. Wait...how do you know about when I go out? I’ve know you for, like, two days.”
“You’re always by yourself and you always look so sad! A saddy waddy gloomy gloomypants, and that’s just not right! I can’t let a sad face go unsmiled! I will throw you a party!” With that, she put her hoof in the pegasus’s mane and ruffled it, eliciting an incredulous look from him. The black pony looked into her eyes for a moment and tilted his head, not quite sure what she was thinking.
“What do you have in mind?”
~~*~~
The shelves of Party Stable stretched to the ceiling and towered over the comparatively puny ponies below them, containing everything a hardcore party pony like Pinkie would need. Stocking ludicrous amounts of streamers, confetti, invitations, jumbo candy bags, and countless other party goods, the monochrome gray shelves held more party goods than Poodle Puff knew existed. Liberally air-conditioned and cheaper than apples, it was one of the pink pony’s favorite place to be.
As Pinkie Pie bounced around in her happy place, Poodle Puff trailed on behind her as if being pulled by an invisible leash. Considering he just flew his hyperactive friend all the way from Ponyville to Manehattan, he wasn’t exactly able to trot about like an energetic schoolpony. Normally he didn’t fly other ponies around, but there were no party stores in Ponyville and Pinkie said that it was “super duper extra urgent” that she get to one as soon as possible. Not like he would know; he’d prefer to stay away from busy hubs where tons of ponies gathered every day. The loudness, the crowdedness, the massive streaks and patters of color everywhere, it was overwhelming. Being sensitive to sound made him rather dislike being in places with a lot of ponies, and the explosions of bright colors all across the shelves would melt anypony’s eyes. He really didn’t like being amongst too many unfamiliar ponies and was feeling apprehensive about Pinkie’s latest upcoming party.
Poodle Puff looked around, not really absorbing what he was seeing. The black pegasus was in an aisle for invitations and candy. Various shopgoers were pushing carts or carrying baskets filled with all sorts of unrecognizable colorful party goods. Parties are fun every once in a while, but... why was he here again? What did he have to celebrate? He sighed and rubbed his forehead with his hoof. Maybe he shouldn’t go to Pinkie’s next party.
“No.” The black pegasus thought firmly, shaking his head rapidly as if to dispel bad and unwarranted thoughts. “Despite only knowing her a short time, and her eccentricities, and the fact she drags me everywhere, Pinkie is my new friend, and not going to her party would be like spitting in her punch. Besides, I could just stick with Pinkie Pie when everypony shows up to the party. She’s a good pony. Besides, her baking isn’t bad...maybe I could actually have some fun.”
Poodle Puff blinked as he mulled in his thoughts, and took him a moment to realize that a large shadow was creeping over him. Poodle Puff’s eyes and wings shot open and he jumped forward in shock, turning around and facing whatever had spooked him.
“Dear Celestia, are you alright? I’m sorry!”
The source of the shadow was another pony, but not just any other pony. Puff’s friend Lounge Lizard stood before him, his expression a mixture of amusement and apology. This purple unicorn sported a short and straight mane that was red-brownish in color (sangria, he liked to call it). His long legs put him several apples above the average pony, and he sported a horn slightly longer than a normal unicorn’s his age.
“Whew... yeah, I’m okay. Just need to... catch my breath.” the black pegasus breathed, still twitching a bit from the surge of adrenaline. “Don’t worry about it... it’s not like I kicked you or anything, eh?” Puff chuckled a little and gave a nervous smile.
Lounge Lizard chuckled back. “Well anyway, I saw you in the store and came over to say hi. I have to pay for this stuff,” he said, motioning to the bags on his saddlekart. “I’ll see you around Puff.” With a smile and a wave of his hoof, he stepped around the corner and out of sight.
Poodle Puff watched his friend turn around and leave, eyes drifting onto his flank as he left. “What, what?” the pegasus thought when he caught himself staring, shaking his head violently and taking a moment to think about Lounge Lizard. He’d known the unicorn for a little while now from a forum on the Ponynet they both frequented. After getting to know each other a little bit, they discovered they both lived in Ponyville, and met up the next day. Having a common interest in computers and video games, they formed a fast friendship. It was little surprise he felt butterflies in his stomach each time he was around the tall unicorn.
“Hi again!”, ejaculated Pinkie Pie as she leaped from around the corner, causing Poodle Puff to jump a second time.
“Jeez Pinkie, don’t scare me like that! Also, where did you go? You just disappeared for a moment there.”
“I’m sooooo sorrry for that! I had to step out and help a friend of mine express her true feelings for a colt she likes! She’s all like ‘he’s so handsome and courteous’ and he’s all ‘hurr durr can I take your order’ and she’s all ‘I like you!’ and he’s all ‘but I like colts!’”
Poodle Puff’s put his hoof on his head and rubbed it, bracing himself for yet another of Pinkie’s tidal wave of words.
“...but they decided to be friends after all and I was sooooo happy for her! Besides, I’m sooooo happy for you!”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because you are totally free to take that stallion out for a ride!”
“...what.”
“I saw how you were looking at Lounge Lizard!”
Poodle Puff shifted uncomfortably. Was he that obvious? “How do you mean? He’s my friend, we sometimes hang out, get lunch, talk about video games and stuff.”
Pinkie Pie gave a warm, knowing smile and patted his head. “No need to be shy! I know a lot of ponies, and it just makes me super duper sad seeing a pony who likes another pony but is too shy or afraid to say it! And I know everypony! That’s a lot of ponies! By the way, you should really put your wings down before somepony thinks you’re gonna frost my cupcakes!”
Puff blushed and forced his wings down with noticeable effort. The black pegasus looked down, something he did more often than he should. “...you’re right, Pinkie. I do like him a lot. He takes time out of his day to spend time with me, we have a lot in common. I can’t think of anything really flawed about him...” Poodle Puff looked away from Pinkie Pie for a moment, his face flushed. “Plus I mean, dat flank... damn.”
“That purple pony’s presenting a particularly pudgy posterior! I could watch it jiggle all day! They’re like party balloons, but they don’t pop!” Pinkie Pie giggled with a snort. Poodle Puff chuckled a little bit, which broke out into a few minutes of quiet but squeaky giggling.
“You know what, you’re right Pinkie. I need to tell him how I feel. But how should I go along doing it...” Puff pondered for a moment, looking at Pinkie’s bags of party goods. After a minute, his eyes widened, glowing with the beginnings of an idea.
“Pinkie...I need your help.”
~~*~~
Nighttime may as well have been daytime for Sugarcube Corner on this warm Wednesday. Pinkie Pie’s parties always got the place packed, as usual. Cookies, shortcakes, cupcakes, sarsaparilla, and punch were laid out in such large quantities they could feed a small country. Music by Equestria-famous Vinyl Scratch played on the speakers loud enough to shake the windows, threatening to separate the glass from their panes.
Poodle Puff was sitting on the edge of the roof outside, looking down at the ponies coming to the party. He wasn’t the most accomplished flier, but the pegasus did like being high up sometimes. It was very relaxing seeing the world below him, its features shrunk down to the size of dots from up above. Watching the ponies dancing below as he took a bite of the shortcake he brought up with him, Puff found a strange peace here despite the loud and thumping music.
“Why you all by yourself Puffy?”
Puff jumped a bit. Wheeling around in place, he saw that pink earth pony straddling the peak of the roof. How she got up here without wings, he had no idea.
“Jeez Pinkie, you need to stop doing that!”
“And youuuuuuuuuu need to stop sitting by yourself! This is a party! Move them hooves! Strut your stuff! Shake them flanks!”
Poodle Puff held out a hoof, as if trying to silence her. “Not yet. The guest of honor isn’t here yet. I want to see his face when...”
Pinkie hopped in excitement. “He’ll love it! I know he’ll love it! You set it up just for him, and if there’s anypony who knows what he likes, it’ll be you!”
Puff smiled a bit, and stretched his wings. “I think you’re right, Pinkie.” Suddenly, he spotted a familiar unicorn on the ground that was heading for Sugarcube Corner. “Oh horseapples, that’s him. Horseappleshorseappleshorseapples...”
Pinkie Pie slid down to the edge of the roof where Poodle Puff was, and gave the nervous pegasus a pat on the shoulder. Confidence raised, he made his descent from the roof to the ground. He quietly landed just around the corner of Sugarcube Corner, so as not to spook or seem creepy by landing directly in front of Lounge Lizard.
Lounge Lizard had just reached the front door of Sugarcube Corner. Although the unicorn found Pinkie Pie to be a tad too intense sometimes, her parties were fun. He especially enjoyed the free food. Free food was the best kind of food, after all! Truthfully, the only reason he came to this party was because Pinkie made him guest of honor for some inexplicable reason. He didn’t know Pinkie Pie that well, or many ponies really, but he knew the pink pony was master of throwing parties. But to throw one in his honor? He was truly perplexed and somewhat intrigued. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to stay there for an hour or two.
Lounge Lizard sighed anxiously as he slowly pushed open the front door. “Might as well grab some snacks and try to mingle,” he thought dully, reminding himself of how much he disliked to just “mingle”. Lizard, however, was not quite ready for what was in store of him inside the bakery.
The room was covered in party decorations of course, but these were quite different from Pinkie’s usual flair. The streamers, ribbons, and confetti were auburn and purple, just like his mane and coat were. Balloon animals that looked like origami-style paper cranes hung from various tables. Most interestingly, however, were the many flower baskets that sat on various tables; instead of being filled with flowers, they showed off many origami animals sitting on top of a clump of green tissue paper in lieu of actual grass.
“I’m so glad you made it Lounge Lizard!”squealed Poodle Puff excitedly as he ran up next to Lizard.
It was the tall unicorn’s turn to jump. Taking a moment to regain his composure, he turned around to face his friend with a smile. “Of course, I’m the guest of honor, apparently!”
“Yes! I set this party up just for you! Come on, let’s get some cake!” Poodle Puff exclaimed excitedly, flying circles around his friend. Lounge Lizard watched him curiously, wondering what had gotten into his normally reserved friend. He hadn’t seen the pegasus so excited since... ever. Confused but happy for him, Lizard followed him to the snack table.
After amassing two shortcakes, a trayfull of cookies, and half a gallon of punch, Poodle Puff found them a booth. Sliding into the booth, Puff eagerly helped himself to the many snacks, leaving Lounge Lizard to ponder how he could eat all those sweets and not get sick. Suddenly, something the pegasus said popped into his mind.
“Wait a moment Puff, you said YOU set this party up? I thought Pinkie was the one who did parties.”
Poodle Puff bounced in his booth seat in excitement. “She let me have a go at it this time! Of course she helped me pick out..well, just about everything, but the theme is mine, all mine!”
“Well... I have to say, you did a good job. I have to admit, I was not expecting inflatable balloon cranes.”
“So you like it?” Poodle Puff seemed to bounce even faster in his booth seat.
Lounge Lizard looked over his friend’s excitement and chose his next few words carefully. “This is all very...flattering. You put quite a lot of effort into this.”
Poodle Puff stopped bouncing. The other pony’s serious tone was a dead giveaway for what he was about to say next. Those awful words he did not want to hear, those that would make his efforts all for nothing.
The purple unicorn gave him an amused grin. “Now why are you so somber all of a sudden? It’s obvious that you like me.”
The pegasus gaped, his wings flaring out suddenly. “How...how did you...”
“Oh come on Puffy, it’s incredibly obvious. The themed party, the way you get extra nervous around me, staring at my flank... what, you think I didn’t see you doing that?” he teased, making Puff’s face go hot red.
Lizard took the initiative and leaned forward so that his face was barely a few inches from Puff’s, his front legs on the table. “You’re really sweet, Poodle Puff. You’re honest and true to how you feel and I like that.”
Poodle Puff gave a nervous smile. “Well, allow me to be ‘honest and true’ with this,” he said quietly, and suddenly grabbed Lizard’s head and pulled it towards his own. Their lips met, and the pegasus started giving Lizard some rather mouthy kisses.
After kissing for a few moments, their lips parted and they looked into each others’ eyes. “So...what do you think?” asked Puff, still smiling nervously, but with a bit of happiness as well.
“I think you need to work on your kissing, I swear I thought you were going to eat my face,” teased the unicorn, shaking his head in amusement and smiling. He then scooted over to the side of the booth Poodle Puff was sitting, and began to nuzz him with his head.
“I think you’re a good pony, Puffy” Lounge Lizard began, while the pegasus watched him, unsure of what he might say. “In the months that I have known you, you’ve always been honest and you have a big heart. I’d like to get to know you more.”
Poodle Puff’s eyes widened and he started to bounce in excitement again. Lizard just chuckled and pulled the pegasus close to him. “I’m quite happy too, Puffy.” They leaned their heads forward and were about to start kissing again when they both noticed that quite a few ponies were watching them, unreadable expressions on their faces.
“Um...”
Pinkie Pie bounced up to where the crowd was and, seeing the new coltfriends in each others’ arms, got even more excited than usual.
“So did they kiss, did they, did they?”
A blue unicorn with a wavy white-and-blue mane stepped out from the crowd, pulling out a heavy bag full of bits with a sour look on his face. “I can’t believe I lost that bet! I could have sworn the ridiculous party decor would never work!”
Pinkie took her freshly-won bits eagerly. “Bitches gotta get bits! I’m toooootally gonna buy a Pac-Mare machine with these!”
And then Poodle Puff took Lounge Lizard home and did him in--
THE END
Author's Note: The whole "Pinkie Pie steps out to help Twilight" scene was a reference to my BF's fic, here: http://www.fimfiction.com/story/673/Paper
You should read it, it's pretty good!