//------------------------------// // The Little Lantern // Story: Dashie is a Punk Rocker // by Dalkrin-the-Wanderer //------------------------------// "Well girls," Twilight said, as she adjusted the connections for her keyboard. "We're here. Harmony's first live show! I'm so nervous." "What's to be nervous about?" Rainbow Dash said, nonchalantly flaring her wings. "We're awesome. There's no way they won't love us!" She looked over the others with her usually cocksure grin in place. Twilight was still fiddling with the connections to her keyboard and Applejack was tuning the snare head on her drums. Pinkie however was simply bouncing in place grinning like a loon, her usually poofy hair now set into a tall Mohawk which swayed with each leap. Just next to her, the Bass guitar was just where it was sat when they arrived. "Pinkie," Applejack said, looking up from her kit. "Y'all tuned up over there? I ain't seen you lift a hoof to that guitar since we got here." "It'll be fine. I've neeeever EEEEver had a problem with Fish before," Pinkie Pie said, without pausing her joyous leaps. "Oh! I'm just so excited! It's almost as exciting as that time I saw Twilight for the first time and was all like--" she let out a gargantuan gasp "--but only 'almost'." Twilight stopped for a moment and thought about what Pinkie had said. "Wait... 'Fish'?" Pinkie blinked and then giggled as she replied, "'cause its a bass Guitar!" "Five minutes to curtain," came the voice of the proprietor of the Little Lantern Restaurant where they were to have their first show. Rainbow Dash stood and took her guitar off of it's stand and laid it across her back. "It's just about showtime," She said, her grin widening at the prospect. "Let's knock 'em Dead!" "Right behind ya' Sugar cube." "Oh! it's gonna be so much fun!" "Okay... I think I'm ready now. Let's go." The stage was lit up with a bright spot light, the owner of the establishment standing behind a microphone and beaming with excitement. Behind him was a thick velvet curtain and behind that was Rainbow Dash and company, waiting with baited breath for their cue. "Fillies and Gentle-Colts! Mares and Stallions, the Little Lantern would like to thank you all for coming out tonight to see our live entertainment! I'm sure you've all heard this new Punk Rock that our Gryphon neighbors have been going nuts for, well now we have some of our own! Let me be the first to introduce you all to Harmony! An all Equestrian Punk Band!" A brief moment of applause greeted his announcement and he gestured to the wings where the stage hoof began drawing back the curtain. The spotlight fell on the four friends. Rainbow Dash stood at the forefront, her eyes narrowed at the crowd in an aggressive expression. Her rainbow mane was divided by color and set into spikes and she wore a tattered canvas coat with studs and chains seemingly clinging to it at random. Beside her, Pinkie wore her usual grin but her hair was Mohawked, and she wore spiked fetlock bands on her forelegs. Twilight, for her part was fidgety and nervous. She wasn't wearing anything special unlike her friends and finally, Applejack wore a black stetson instead of her brown number and the red bands in her mane and tail were missing. Rainbow Dash stepped up to the mic and smiled out at the crowd. "Glad to see you could make it every pony. Cause tonight, you're gonna witness history in the making." She scanned the crowd for a moment and spotted the rest of her friends seated together at a table near the front. Fluttershy was whispering animatedly to spike who was wering the first and likely only Harmony tee shirt. Rarity was gazing around at the patronage looking mildly disgusted by the dirtly looking young ponies that had deigned to attend, but when she caught Rainbow's gaze she gave an encouraging smile. "I guess some introductions are in order," At that cue, Applejack began clacking the drumsticks together in a quick tempon and shouted "1,2,3,4!" on the four, the rest joined in. Me and my friends get no respect. What does Daring Do that we neglect? We be puttin' all our foes in check, But me and my friends get no respect. So what? Who cares? We're doin' it how we like. I'm singin' into my mic, a magically enchanted mic. Who's gonna save the world? Who's gonna save the days? Who's gonna stop those villians when they make their evil plays? Who's gonna make it better with chaos drawing near? Who's gonna chase down Nightmare Moon, and bring back Luna free and clear? You know who I'm talkin' about, We're here for you without a doubt, so all you need to do is shout HAR-MO-NY! We try to further justice without making waves, And to subvert the baddies in some subtle ways, But sometimes we get lost and have to find a way, to use our magic elements to save the day. So what? Who cares? When a supervillain plots to send an army of lobsterbots to tie you up in sailors' knots? Who's gonna save the world? Who's gonna save the days? From Discord, Nightmare Moon and that King Sombra anyway? Who's gonna make it better with chaos drawing near? Who's gonna chase down Nightmare Moon, and bring back Luna free and clear? Who's gonna stand for justice, when bad guys break the law? You know who I'm talkin' about, We're here for you without a doubt, so all you need to do is shout HAR-MO-NY! As the final notes faded out, Rainbow looked out over the crowd excitedly. For a moment there was silence before a surprising voice shattered it. Fluttershy was whooping and cheering louder than any could have expected of her and soon the whole crowd was joining in the ovation. "Aw yeah! now, let's keep this show going, what do ya say folks? Ready for some more?" Rainbow asked the crowd, only to be nearly deafened by the cheer she received. She snapped around on her rear hooves to face the band, "Alright pinks! you're up! knock em dead!" "Oh I would never do that! if they're dead then they wouldn't be able to enjoy our music!" Applejack just rolled her eyes and began to count time with her sticks again. "1,2,3,4!" "GO!" Well the foals are all hopped up and ready to go They're ready to go now They've got their surfboards And they're going to the discotheque a go go But she just couldn't stay She had to break away Well Old Gryphonia really has it all Oh yeah, oh yeah Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now Well She's a punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Well the foals are all hopped up and ready to go They're ready to go now They've got their surfboards And they're going to the discotheque a go go But she just couldn't stay She had to break away Well Old Gryponia really has it all Oh yeah, oh yeah Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now Well She's a punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Punk punk, a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker Dashie is a punk rocker now The reaction of the crowd was only more pronounced this time around as they got used to the music. Rainbow Dash was feeling the energy from them in every fiber of her being. Looking over her shoulder, she spied Twilight grinning nearly as wide as Pinkie Pie was and AJ was smiling out at the crowd, breathing heavily from her rapid drum work. "Well, we've got one more original song before we have to move on to a couple covers to finish out the night, but Twilight worked really hard on this one and I think It turned out alright. So here's one for all you nerds out there tonight. You ever wonder why the sun shines? It's not just because of Celestia!" "1,2,3,4!" The sun is a mass of incandescent gas A gigantic nuclear furnace Where hydrogen is built into helium At a temperature of millions of degrees Yo ho, it's hot, the sun is not A place where we could live But here on earth thered be no life Without the light it gives We need it's light We need it's heat We need it's energy Without the sun, without a doubt There'd be no you and me The sun is a mass of incandescent gas A gigantic nuclear furnace Where hydrogen is built into helium At a temperature of millions of degrees The sun is hot It is so hot that everything on it is a gas: iron, copper, aluminum, and many others. The sun is large If the sun were hollow, a million earths could fit inside. and yet, the sun is only a middle-sized star. The sun is far away About 93 million miles away, and that's why it looks so small. And even when it's out of sight The sun shines night and day The sun gives heat The sun gives light The sunlight that we see The sunlight comes from our own suns Atomic energy Celestia has revealed that the sun is a huge atom-smashing machine. the heat and light of the sun come from the nuclear reactions of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and helium.* The sun is a mass of incandescent gas A gigantic nuclear furnace Where hydrogen is built into helium At a temperature of millions of degrees "Who said punks can't be smart too?" Rainbow challenged no one in particular. And so the night went. They covered a few popular songs, one by Sapphire Shores and the other two by The Featherhead, a popular Griphonian punk band and as the night came to a close, Rainbow Dash had never felt more alive. As they were about to head off stage, a unicorn approached Rainbow Dash. "Excuse me, Ms. Dash, but Might I have a word with you?" He said, gesturing towards the backstage area. As she glanced over to her friends he spoke agian. "In private?" "Er, sure?" She said. "Hey girls! I'll meet up with you outside. I'll just be a minute," she shouted back at them, getting nods back from them. She followed the unicorn behind the curtains and immediately asked what was on her mind. "So, what's this about then, Mr..." "Ah! Yes of course! My name is Gold Record with the Gold Record Recording Studios. I'm sure you've heard of us." Rainbow Dash was blown away. "What! Heard of you? You're the company that discovered Sapphire. You're like the best in the business!" "That's right Miss Dash and that's why I've pulled you aside tonight. I want to sign you on for a recording deal," Said Gold Record with his most winning smile. Rainbow nearly fainted dead away. "Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh! Wait till I tell the others! They're gonna be so stoked! One show and we're getting a record deal!" "Ah, not so fast Miss dash, I said I wanted to sign YOU on. far as I can tell, the others are just holding you back. we can get you a new group that'll stand back and let you bet the front mare you were meant to be!" Rainbow Dash stepped out of the back entrance of the Little Lantern and shrugged off her canvas jacket which she promptly tossed into a garbage bin and with a mighty shake of her head, mostly collapsed her hairdo. This brought much confusion among her friends. "What's the matter Dashie?" pinkie asked, a concerned frown gracing her features. "Did you not have fun?" "Nah pinks, I had a blast, but I don't think the rock star life is for me after all. I'll just stick with going for the Wonderbolts. I hear they're holding tryouts for their training camp next month." "Really?" Twilight asked, a bit nonplussed. "You were all about it before we left. What happened?" "I'll tell you later, eh? You girls wanna go grab a late night snack at Sugar Cube Corner? I got a mare on the inside..." This was met with a chorus of approval from all present.