//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: A Surprise // Story: One's Past is Another's Future // by Masked_Frenchman //------------------------------// Neon continued to carry Random on his back while going back home. As he entered the now quiet town of Ponyville, it was night time. It seemed that the streets were cleared of everything, ponies and stands that use to be out. Neon shook his head as they neared Twilight's house. He found it odd to see the lights were out. "How odd, I thought she would have kept them on for us. Must have fell asleep." Neon thought to himself out loud. This must have woken Random up cuss he started to stir on his back. "Hey, you awake?" Neon asked quietly so that if he was still asleep he wouldn't wake him up. "Yea, I am awake now, can you let me down?" Random asked politely. Neon nodded to him and knelt down to allow him an easy way back on his hooves. As Random slipped off, he rubbed his eyes, trying to get the sleeping grains out of his tired eyes. "Where are we?" He asked confused. "Home, once we get back inside, we can get a good night sleep and end another chapter of our days here." Neon explained optimistically. Random looked around and looked upon the tree house that they were living in. "I would love to get some sleep." Random said with a lazy tone, slowly making his way to the door. Neon smiled gently towards him as he walked next to him. "Sleep sounds. . . so good right now." Random whispered, his eyes slowly closing as he approached the door. "Don't worry, now we are home to our nice, peaceful, quiet little home." Neon assured as he slowly opened the door. As the door opened, it greeted them with a loud creeking sound. "Geez, I never knew these floors were so loud. It's like they are trying to alert an ambush or something." Neon whispered annoyed. Suddenly, the lights came on all of a sudden and a whole bunch of ponies they have never seen were standing before them, surrounding them. "SURPRIIIIISSSE!!!!" they all shouted out. Neon fell to his flank being taken back by the sudden shouting. As his mind cleared and relaxed a bit, he took a quick look around to observe the scene properly. There were streamers all over the ceiling and balloons hanging on the railings and tables. Punch bowls and platters of a large selection of food displayed all around the room. Everyone was smiling at him and Random. "W-w-what is going on?" Neon questioned confused. "What is all of this for"? PinkiePie appeared out of the crowd and jumped up and down in front of him. "I am so glad you ponies finally made it! I was starting to worry that you guys were lost or something. But this is your 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. So welcome!" PinkiePie explained in a hyper manner and bounced off into the crowd. Neon shook his head as the party started to pick up and music started playing. "Hey man, I am sorry, I know you wanted to sleep and now we got this party right-" Neon started. He turned to Random who stood there frozen with his jaw dropped. "Random, are you alright?" Neon asked. A smile slowly spread on Random's face and his eyes gleamed with joy and energy. "Uhhhhhh, Random?" Neon asked slightly scared. Suddenly, Random just vanished, leaving a perfect outline of smoke in his place. "Did I just get bugs bunnied?" Neon asked himself. Suddenly, a hoof grabbed a hold of his shoulder and was pulled into the crowd. "Opps, sorry Neon, I meant to pull you alittle more gently. Anyway, let's dance!" PinkiePie shouted out and started to dance with Neon. Confused, Neon started to dance casually with her. After a few moments Neon started to get in the groove of things and couldn't help but smile as he pulled off his Dub-Step dance moves, which was alittle harder due to the fact of being a pony now. Pinkie looked at Neon's wings and gave a concerned look towards him. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt?" She asked kindly. Neon shrugged his shoulders as he kept on dancing. "I'm fine, just a scratch. I'll explain later" Neon replied carelessly. PinkiePie nodded and continued dancing the night away. After alittle while PinkiePie's eyes lite up and she turned to the back of the room. "Oh no, I forgot to bring out your present. Stay here, I'll be right back!" PinkiePie advised with excitement as she took off once again, leaving Neon standing there in confusment. "How in the nine circles of hell does she have that much energy?!" Neon asked himself as he stared off puzzled. He continued his dancing, getting use to the new form as another hoof touched him on the shoulder, this time just a tap. Neon spun around and saw Vinyl, A smile forming his lips. "Hey, what are you doing here?" Neon asked pleasantly surprised. "Well, this is a PinkiePie party, of course I am gonna be here. I was going to get some punch when I noticed over here." Vinyl explained. Neon smiled at her as he stared into her purple goggles. "So, do want to get a drink?" Vinyl asked, blushing alittle. Neon was surprised but nodded happily. As he walked over to the punch bowl with her, a thought popped into his head. 'You idiot. This is not the Vinyl you know and love. She is different. It is time to move on. Don't be confused by this one.' Neon thought to himself. But the thought was right. She wasn't the same Vinyl he loves and wants to spend his life with. Once they got to the punch bowl, Neon's anxious smiled faded away, replaced with a face of disappointment. "So, why did you decide to hang out with me?" Neon asked plainly. Vinyl shrugged her shoulders and looked away in a shy manner. "Well, uhh, I saw you at the DJ competition, and I loved your song. It was really cool. Well, ever since I saw you, I sorta wanted to get to know you. You know?" Vinyl explained. Neon politely smiled as she explained. 'She sounds like Vinyl, but she would never be shy about anything.' Neon thought to himself. 'Still. . . . . . ' Random partied with the crowd. Dancing alittle over here, alittle over there. Jumping around as if this was gonna be the last party ever. Random drank alittle of the punch, snacked on some of the food, he wanted to be every where at once. While he was out dancing around, he saw Neon talking to Vinyl at the punch bowl. But he seemed like he wanted to get away from her, or something. Ether way he seemed distressed. "Are you worried about Neon?" asked a familiar voice from behind Random. Confused, he turned around saw Princess Luna standing right behind him. "Oh, Princess Luna, I am sorry, I didn't know you were here." Random explained shockingly and he was about to kneel before her but was stopped by her hoof. He looked up to her and she held a kind smile upon her face. "No need for formalities tonight. I came down here to celebrate you and Neon's arrival here in Ponyville. So please do not feel the need to treat me any different than you would with any pony here. I come here as a friend tonight, not that of a princess." Luna explained, looking kindly down upon Random. "So, why did you come down. I am sure that you don't attend every party PinkiePie throws. What makes this one special?" Random asked politely. Luna gave a playful frown. "Why? Am I not welcome here?" Luna asked with alittle whimper in her voice. Random took a step back, waving his hooves back and forth in protest. "No! That's not it, I mean, It's just that-" Random started, but Luna's gentle hoof was placed on his shoulder to get him to stop. "I was just playing around with you. I think that is the term. But I do have a reason for wanting to attend this party." Luna stated, looking up at Neon. "I do not know why, but I can not help but to watch Neon from afar. I feel strongly attached to him, like I wish to be close to him. It is hard to explain, and hard to understand." Luna explained. Random looked at her shocked and his jaw dropped. She looked at Neon with love and care, wearing a loving smile to match her emotions. Random connected the signs and came across the conclusion. "You love him, don't you?" Random asked bluntly. Luna's face suddenly turned from dark night blue to flushed red. "W-w-what do you speak of? I am not experiencing any s-s-such emotion of any s-sorts towards h-him. I am simply. . . interested in him. As I am w-with any other p-p-pony." Luna explained, trying not to stutter but failed. Random smiled and looked up to her. "It's ok, I will not tell him." Random said reassuringly. Luna looked at him and then back up to Neon. "I do not think it is love, but maybe it is. I will ponder about these thoughts for the time being. Until then, do not think I love him, understand?" Luna asked with a hint of authority. Random smiled and nodded his head. Luna took a deep breath and looked back at Random. "Now, keep an eye on him. I have looked into his dreams. He misses home, a lot. I can not get in the way of his life, for it is against the rules to do such things. But just make sure he does not do anything. . . reckless. The last thing I want is for him to is to do something stupid." Luna explained. "You can count on me!" Random said encouragingly. Luna smiled down on him and continued to enjoy the party. Random looked back at Neon and frowned. "Poor Neon, I'm sorry." PinkiePie appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Neon. "Come on silly, I have a present for you!" PinkiePie exclaimed with excitement. As neon was dragged around by his shoulder, he was shocked and confused as all the ponies turned to him and PinkiePie. She stopped right in front of a huge object covered with a large cloth cover. It was easily bigger than him by at least 12 times. "Well, open her up!" PinkiePie encouraged with a gleeful smile. Neon looked at the covered object before him. 'I am gonna regret this, but let's just get this over with and go back to dancing.' Neon thought to himself. He turned to look over the crowd and they all smiled back in return, waiting in anticipation. He saw a glimps of Vinyl, and she was watching him as if to see his reaction, like she already knew what it was. "Alright, I'll do it." Neon thought out loud as he grabbed the cloth with both hooves and pulled off the sheet in one quick pull. As the cloth fell to the floor, Neon stared at his gift with awe and wonder. For what stood before him, was the most beastiest DJ booth he have ever seen. The speakers were bigger than him by at least three times, hold four of them. The booth itself was something that that the professionals had while touring. designed even with neon lights and laser projectors. "Do you like it?" PinkiePie asked excitedly. Neon couldn't speak, couldn't move. This is what he had always dreamed of, times five. This was the greatest booth he had ever seen. Better than anything the clubs he ever went to in the city. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. Once a single tear left his eyes and quickly traveled down his cheek, PinkiePie's smile disappeared. "Do you not like it?" PinkiePie asked depressed and confused. Neon's face lite up with the biggest smile he has ever worn his whole life as he looked up upon the most amazing gift he has ever received his entire life. "This- this is the most state of the art DJ booth! I have never even seen anything like this back where I am from! How did you afford something like this?!" Neon asked with confusion and surprise, looking over at PinkiePie who just smiled over to him. "Well, I didn't buy it. Vinyl was making it for you since that day of the DJ competition. She spent a few days trying to make this, and was still finishing up a few things while waiting for you to get here." PinkiePie explained with some excitement in her voice. "So. . . . do you like it?" she added. Neon looked over at Vinyl who looked at him with flushed cheeks and looked away. Neon smiled to himself and looked over at PinkiePie who waited for his opinion. "I love it so much, thank you PinkiePie! I thought that you were really weird for awhile, but now I can see your heart is in the right place. Thank you!" Neon exclaimed excitedly. He reached over and gave PinkiePie a hug which she gladly returned the favor. Neon turned to Vinyl Scratch and walked up to her. Her face got more and more red with every step as every pony was watching them to see what Neon would do. He reached over and gave her a caring hug, which she hesitated but returned the favor. After a quick moment he released his embrace and looked at her. "Thank you Vinyl, it means a lot to me." Neon added with a gentle smile and walked away. Vinyl smiled and watched him as he jumped up onto the DJ booth and turned it on. "Go ahead Neon, try it out." PinkiePie called out from the crowd. Neon smiled as he ran up to the new booth set up before him. He stared at all of the mixers, leavers, and buttons that decorated the stand. He spent a few minutes testing everything and fixing the settings for a new song he was working on when he was in the other world, it wasn't quiet complete yet, but he was gonna give it a try anyway. "This is a song that I was making for a darker kind of song, but I think that you guys, I mean ponies, will enjoy this song none the less. It isn't finished yet but I am gonna give it a shot." Neon called out into the crowd. He turned on the beat which was a fairly simple with average beat. He knew this song mostly required lyrics. so he grabbed the mic with his hooves and put it up to his mouth. "This song is called Bad Apple. I was making this song before I came here, so it is not complete. But I think you will enjoy it!" Neon called out as he took a deep breath and looked out over the waiting crowd and started to sing. The crowd listened deeply and started to continue to party to his music. Random listened and smiled to himself. "Well, this is a new one here. Nice beat thou," Random said to himself. He saw some one familiar in the corner of his eye, but when he turned to the figure, they disappeared in the crowd. "Hmm, I wonder who-" Random started, but then felt a hoof on his shoulders. He turned to see Twilight smiling at him. "Oh, hi Twilight. How are you?" Random asked politely. "I am good, thank you for asking. What took you guys so long? And why is Neon wrapped up in bandages?" Twilight asked curiously. Random chuckled to himself and shrugged his shoulders. "We sorta had a long day, hard to explain," Random explained shortly. Twilight looked at him with a puzzled look but then smiled. "Well, alright. Hope you are enjoying the party. PinkiePie put alot of work into it. She has been planing it all day." Twilight explained. "It really does seem like it. But yes, I am loving the party. She did an amazing job with it!" Random exclaimed with excitement. A hoof suddenly wrapped around his neck and shoulder. Random looked over to see PinkiePie's face an inch away from his own. "I am so glad to hear that! It wasn't easy, but thankfully you guys were late. So I had extra time to make the last minute changes. So anyway, I am glad you guys finally made it. I mean some ponies where saying they should go home that you guys weren't gonna make it, and I told them 'of course they will make it. They won't ditch there own party now, sillies.' so I managed to keep them here. But I am SOOOOO glad you like the party! I have a present for you too!" PinkiePie exclaimed excitedly as she started jumping up and down. she reached behind her and pulled out a box. Random looked behind her with a puzzled look on his face. "Where the hell did that come from?" Random whispered to himself quietly. PinkiePie looked at him, and to where he was staring and then back to him. "What are you looking at?" PinkiePie asked innocently. Random looked back up to her and backed off. "Oh sorry, it's nothing. So what do you have there?" Random asked quickly to try to change the subject. It worked. "Oh right, I forgot. Here ya go, open it!" PinkiePie said, handing the box over to him. Random looked at the box and looked at his hooves. "How do I open this?" Random asked slightly embarrassed. Twilight giggled to herself as PinkiePie looked at Random confused. "Sorry PinkiePie, he is not use to hooves where he is from. Here, let me get that for you." Twilight said kindly as she opened the present with her magic. The tape was gently peeled off and the wrapping paper ripped open, revealing a pink box. Random opened the box to reveal a dozen neon pink cupcakes with red frosting and blue sprinkles. "Wow, this is really colorful! They look so good!" exclaimed Random with hunger building up in his eyes and a joyouse smile formed on his face. PinkiePie smiled at him while jumping around him in a circle. "Oh yes. They are very special. I call them my 'Super Duper Energizer Cupcakes of Fun'. I love eating these!" PinkiePie exclaimed as she continued to circle Random. Neon finished up a second song and put the booth on auto play as he came over to see what was going on with Random and the two mares. He looked past Random's shoulder as he saw the cupcakes. "Oh no you don't. You do not do well with sugar, remember?" Neon reminded Random as he took the box away from him. Random turned back to him with big puppy dog eyes. "But. . . but. . . . but they look so good. . . please. . . . Just a few?" Random begged with a look of pure innocence. Neon looked directly into his eyes but looked away quickly. "Oh no. I am not falling for that again. You may have fooled me a couple times, but I am not falling for it this time!" Neon said sternly and looked back to him with one eye. Random kept his puppy dog eyes going and added some soft whimpering sounds. "I said no, Random. No means no, not keep going," Neon said with abit more authority in his voice. "Please. . . . . I'll be your greatest friend in the whole wide world," Random continued to beg. His eyes getting bigger and bigger. Neon looked back over to him, big mistake. After a deep breath, he gave the box back to Random. "YAAAA!!!!" He cheered and took one of the cupcakes out of the box and stuffed it right into his mouth. "Why do I have a feeling that I am gonna regret this," Neon asked himself as he watched Random shove another cupcake into his mouth. Neon cringed to the sight of Random shoving a third cupcake into his mouth and chewed happily when suddenly he stopped. Random dropped the box and let it fall to the floor without disturbing the other cupcakes. Twilight looked at him as his face froze. "Are you ok Random?" Twilight asked concerned. Random did not make a move, did not make a sound. Neon sighed and looked at Twilight with a straight face. "Just run. Trust me on this one." Neon advised. Twilight looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face and Random's pupils enlarged by at least triple it's usual size. Random disappeared without even moving, leaving an outline of dust in his image. Random was running everywhere and was everywhere at one time. With out warning, he started teleporting rapidly all around the room in rapid sessions. as soon as he reappeared in one spot, he teleported to another. Twilight stared at amazement as she watched him use so much magic at once. "How in Celestia is he able to do this?!" Twilight questioned in shock. Random teleported to Neon wearing a huge smile on his face. "Hey, do you think the ceiling looks amazing from your angle?" Random asked with large, beaming eyes. Neon raised an eye brow in confusion and then his eyes opened wide with fear. "Oh no. No! NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!" Neon shouted out. Before he could run away, Random launched him into the ceiling, again. "GOD DAME IT RANDOM!!!!!! I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!" Neon screamed out in anger. Random laughed at him as he teleported all around the room. Twilight faced hoof herself as she pulled Neon down from the ceiling. "Please tell him to stop doing that. I am not sure how many holes my ceiling can take," Twilight said with concern. Neon watched Random for a moment as he continued to teleport around the party and then glared over to PinkiePie as she looked at him in return. "YOU!!! What did you put in those cupcakes? Cocaine?!" Neon asked assertively. PinkiePie looked at Neon confused. "What is cocaine? It sounds tasty!" PinkiePie exclaimed, hyper as usual and unaffected by Random's new behavior. Neon face hoofed himself as he glared at PinkiePie. "It's a powder that you would use- actually, never mind. Just help me calm him down and knock him out," instructed Neon. PinkiePie looked at him with a slight frown on her face. "Why would you want to do that? He looks so happy," PinkiePie asked confused. Neon grabbed a hold of her shoulders. Random teleported to the ceiling, standing on it as if it was normal and a flash of light came out of his horn and fixed the ceiling. "There, all better!" Random exclaimed as he continued to teleport around the room. Neon looked up surprised but then looked back down to PinkiePie. "Listen to me very carefully. He is a ticking time bomb when he gets ice cream, and he was a hurricane. Now he has magic he can't fully control! What ever you put in those cupcakes. . . . he is now a freaking mobile doomsday device." Neon explained. A vine grabbed hold of him and pulled him up. As he was dangling from the ceiling, he saw an upside-down Random snickering at him. "Hey there Neon, whatcha doing? Oh wait, let me guess. . . . . . Just, hanging around?" Random said sarcastically. He slapped his knee laughing at his own joke. Neon crossed his fore arms across his chest in disapproval as he looked at the vines. "I've seen enough hentia to know where this is going." Neon said with disapproval. PinkiePie looked up at Neon and smiled up at him. "What is hentia?" PinkiePie asked innocently. Neon glared down at PinkiePie. "Shut up!" Neon yelled down from the ceiling. Random looked down to PinkiePie as well and smiled with a big cheerful smile. "The hentia he is talking about is when a girl get's caught by a monster with tentacles and the monsters normally will ra-" Random started. "Whoa whoa whoa there buddy! Do not be talking about that kind of crap. They do not need to know about that, alright?" Neon demanded. Random laughed as he turned back to Neon. "Your so funny Neon. Hey, I got an idea, how about we play a game of hide and-" Random started. He opened his eye's wide apart and his pupils returned to normal as his eye lids closed slowly and he fell to the floor, releasing Neon in the process. When he fell down, Shiva was standing over him. "Sorry I am late, how are you guys doing?" Shiva asked innocently. Twilight looked at Shiva and at Random and then back up at Shiva. "What did you do to him?" Twilight asked with concern. Shiva looked at her confused. "Nothing, I simply came over here, why?" Shiva asked confused. Neon got up and dusted himself off while looking at Twilight. "No, it wasn't her. He crashed on his own. He burnt up so much energy that he knocked himself out. He does this all the time, just normally not as fast," Neon explained to Twilight and PinkiePie. "Ohhhh," both Twilight and PinkiePie said as they looked down at Random. He laid down face planted on the floor, lightly snoring away. "He will be fine, on the other hoof." Neon turns to Shiva with a confused look. "What are you doing here?" Neon asked. Shiva looked at him with bedroom eyes as she leaned up to him until they were only an inch away from kissing. "Oh, I am sorry, am I not allowed to come to your welcoming party?" Shiva asked innocently as her cheeks flushed alittle bit, batting her eye lashes at him. Neon smiled nervously as he tried to back up but bumped into another pony. "Oh, I am sorry." Neon apologized. As he turned to see who he bumped, he saw that it was Vinyl Scratch. "Oh, hey Neon. What are you doing?" asked Vinyl. Neon looked at her embarrassed and his face started getting red. Shiva looked over Neon's shoulder as she wrapped one of her fore legs around his neck. "Oh, who is this? Do you already have a certain special some pony?" Shiva asked while pouting. Neon looked back to her, his face getting more and more red. "Shiva, stop doing that! Vinyl is just a friend," Neon tried to explain. When he looked back at Vinyl, she was lightly blushing but her eyes narrowed towards Shiva and walked off. "Vinyl?" Neon asked confused. Shiva smiled and backed off of Neon. "Sorry, sometimes I have alittle too much fun. Anyway, I have a present for you and Random, sort of a thank you for the help. We couldn't have gotten away with out your help." Shiva explained. She handed Neon a nicely wrapped box. Neon blushed again and accepted the gift happily. He unwrapped it with his mouth and opened the box. inside was a helmet, it looked brand new. It was midnight black with leaf green streaks on it. "What is this for?" Neon asked with a puzzled look on his face. Shiva giggled to herself as she looked into Neon's eyes, making him blush even more. "This is a helmet of our style. We wear these as sort of a war thing. Of course we haven't done that in ages. So this is a decoration. Unless you want to be my big, strong, brave warrior." Shiva whispered softly, sending a shiver down his spine. "Umm, thank you then, and I think I will keep this as a decoration if you do not mind." Neon explained. Shiva pouted at him playfully but backed away. "Oh fine, you no fun." Shiva said playfully. She smiled at him as she flipped her hair to the side. "Thanks to you, we were able to turn in that book. We actually got a huge pay load from that silly thing. So thanks to you and-" Shiva started. Random stood next to her with a creepy smile. "You said something about the book? Where is it?" Random asked in a creepy manner, looming over Shiva. She slowly turned to him slowly. "H-h-how? W-when did you g-g-get there?" Shiva stuttered in fright. Random rubbed his eyes and yawned. "I took a nap, sorry. Anyway, where did you bring that book?" Random asked, this time more natural. SHiva chuckled to herself and turned to him. "We brought it took Detrot, at the black market. Why?" Shiva asked puzzled. Random smiled with glee. "Got it, thank you for telling me. I am very tired, I am going to bed. See you in the morning," Random said quickly as he went to bed. 'How odd. Oh well, nothing new to be honest' Neon thought to himself. Shiva nudged his shoulder playfully. "Hey, I have to go. I was only allowed to be here for alittle while. So I will see you later there, sweet heart," Shiva said with a slight seductive voice. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, making him burn up with a blood red face. "So innocent, it's so cute. Well, good night." Shiva said as she went out. An hour or so later the party started dying down as ponies started leaving one by one. After awhile it was just Neon and Twilight left. "We are gonna have to clean this up in the morning," explained Twilight. Neon nodded in agreement. "Indeed. But if you do not mind, I am exhausted, I need to sleep." explained Neon as he headed to the basement. He waved a hoof to Twilight and headed downstairs. He curled up next to Random and with a smile he slowly fell into sleep. The next day Neon stretched to wake himself up cheerfully. "Alright, let's get up." Neon whispered to himself. As he opened his eyes he saw Random staring down at him with a sinister smile. "R-R-Random!! What are you doing?!" Neon asked startled. Random put his hoof to his mouth as he snickered. "Hey Neon, get your stuff together. We're going to Detrot!" Random stated with excitement.