As my song ended, I received a warm round of applause, and more than a few looks of confusion. I figured that some of the references wouldn't be understood by a race of beings that usually went mostly naked anyway. Why have a name for something that nobody notices?
“Wow Louis, you really have an awesome voice! You should sing more often.” Dash was the first to greet me as I came back to the table.
“Yea! My Louie really can sing, you should hear him in the shower, and he ain't bad lookin in the shower either.” Pinkie leered at me, before my evil glare of retribution made her backpedal. “Oops, I mean Louis. Eheh. Not that I peek on you in the shower or anything...” She led off with an innocent whistle, looking away from me. I just rolled my eyes.
“Yea, my mom was big into music, and even made me take a few lessons. I hated it, even if I was good at it.” I took a swig of my drink to emphasize my ennui over the subject.
“Well I thought it was lovely, you should sing more. I read that the more you practice, the stronger your voice gets, and the greater a range one has. With a voice like yours, it could only get better!” Twilight practically gushed, causing me to lean back.
“Yeeah, not interested, but thanks for the compliment, princess.” I snarked in response.
“Oh, please, call me Twilight. We are all friends here!” She piped back, cheerfully. “But, I’m curious. What is ‘Freeballing’?”
This prompted a laugh from Dash, as she tried to explain. “It’s when you go around with no underwear on.”
“Okay, but isn't that what you do all the time, Dash?” Twilight returned, looking confused.
This earned a bit of a blush from Rainbow Dash, who sputtered, “I’m just sensitive, and they chafe, okay? Besides, it’s a bit different when a guy does it. Especially a human, with their stallion bits hanging out.”
This got a furious blush from the princess as she processed the image. “Bu-but, that’s. Eew?” She looked at me, eyes wide and pupils shrunken. “Is that why you wear pants all the time?”
“Oh-kay!” I decided to change the subject, “Dash, lemme have another shot of that whiskey!” As she hoofed it over to me I realized something. “So won't the owner get upset that we brought our own booze? I know most bars on Earth frown upon it.”
“Oh, no way! You already met the owner, Louis! There’s no way that Lyra will get upset at anything you do.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, and winked at me.
“Wait, Lyra owns this place?” I looked around in surprise, getting nods from the other girls.
“Why darling, why do you think she lives upstairs?” Rarity responded. And at that moment I remembered the entrance to the bar, a sign over the door proclaiming it ‘The Little White Lyre’, and wondering why the word ‘Liar’ had been misspelled. It all made sense now.
“Makes sense. So who else is up for a shot?” I looked around getting nods from Applejack and Dash, and a frantic nod from Pinkie.
“Aww, the apple stuff is all gone though!” Pinkie moaned.
I looked around, and sure enough, the bottle was not in front of me where I had left it before the song. Instead it was across the table, laying on its side, empty. Next to it was an equally empty seat.
“Umm, anyone know where Fluttershy went?” The only warning I got was widening eyes as I was suddenly wrapped in feathers. A warm muzzle nuzzled me from behind, and I went rigid as a soft, melodic voice whispered in my ear.
“Oh my, Pinkie was right. You really are a cutie, aren’t you?” I began to sweat, and not just from the incredible warmth of her wings. “I just want to take you home and cuddle you, like a big hairless bear!”
“Hey! Hooves off my man!” Pinkie yelled out, looking indignant.
“Watch out! She’s in ‘Cuddle-Wild-Animal’ mode!” Dash yelled out, holding back a laugh.
“Quick, somepony git something cute an cuddly to distract her!” “Applejack was my hero.
“Aww, you are just the cutest little shaved monkey, aren’t you? Momma wants to feed you and cuddle you, and sing you to sleep.” She soft voice only made me begin to panic more, and the overwhelming smell of apples and alcohol coming off her breath singed my nose hairs. This was one plastered mare I had wrapped around me, and her wings were far stronger than her frail appearance suggested.
“Okay, Fluttershy. Now we don’t want to piss off Pinkie, since I am her date tonight. You know how she can get.” My point was emphasized by a nod and a snort from the pink mare herself.
“Oh, that’s alright. I don’t think Pinkie would mind sharing. We are friends, after all.” The look of shock on my face was mirrored on Pinkie’s, but grew more stricken as Pinkie’s devolved into an evil grin while she stroked an imaginary beard in thought.
“Fuck no, don't even think about it!” I cried out, getting a fake pout from the pink mare.
“Okay Fluttershy, that’s enough of that.” I heard Dash say from behind me, before hearing a sound like a dog squeak toy, and feeling the wings around me pull away with a snap. “Hah! Works every time!”
I turned to look back at a rather smug looking Rainbow Dash, as Fluttershy blushed from nose to tail, while hiding behind her hair. “You grow up with a mare, you lean all her secret tickle spots.”
Just as suddenly, she let out a squawk like a startled chicken, and lept into the air, blushing furiously herself. “Ain't that the truth!” A proud Pinkie licked her muzzle from behind the startled pegasus.
“Okay, that was a little gross.” The princess interjected before things could escalate. “Fluttershy, why don’t you sing next, since you seem to be in an outgoing mood all of a sudden?
“Um, yes! I think I would like that very much.” She blushed, looking back at me one more time before approaching the stage.
“Dis gonna be good!” Proclaimed Applejack, as her friend talked to the DJ. “Fluttershy has one of the sweetest voices in all ‘Questria, but she’s always too shy to sing.”
“Oh yes, this will be a rare treat!” Rarity piped in, giving her own praise.
Suddenly all the house lights went out, leaving us in near darkness, as a spotlight illuminated the stage. One can only assume it was to help the now not-so-shy pegasus deal with her lingering stage fright, by hiding the audience. But then the music started, and we all forgot where we were as Fluttershy began to sing.
"Edge Of Everfree" -Fluttershy
As the song ended, there was a stunned silence as the siren song still held our minds in its lovely, feathered grip. And then suddenly the entire room erupted in cheers and hoof stomping, as the lights came up and left a shyly smiling pegasus basking the adoration of her newly won fans. With a squeak, she launched herself into a stage dive at the audience. The move caught the rest by surprise, and most moved out of the way, but myself, I was ready as she landed in my arms, flattening me to the floor.
“Ouch. Careful there Flutterbutt. You ponies aren't as light and fluffy as you look.” I chuckled as I tried to catch my breath. Soon enough her friends arrived to help her up as she blushed and apologized profusely.
“I am so sorry, I don’t know what came over me!” She stammered.
“Yea, next time use your wings, Fluttershy! You’re a pegasus, for Pete’s sake!” Dash laughed as she tried to scold her friend.
While we wandered back to the table, we all laughed, as the other patrons cheered her on, causing her to blush and hide behind her mane again. It was so damn cute, and I kept my hand on her back to reassure her. We felt like the entourage of some big time pop star as we shielded her from the ravenous fans. One stallion even yelled for her to sign his horn, getting a mug upside his head from his girlfriend sitting next to him.
Finally back at our seats, I got one more winghug from the yellow mare. “Thanks for catching me, Louis.” she whispered in my ear, before the death glare from Pinkie caused her to make that squeaky toy noise again as she smiled, before scuttling back to her seat.