Coming Attractions

by Rouis

Chapter Four: I Know What You Did Last Summer Sun Festival

Long Haul sat down at the counter inside of Short Stack’s diner, his eyes slightly glazed over from exhaustion. “Haycakes.” He moaned, looking down at the empty coffee cup in front of him.

“Sure thing!” Java Chip chirped at him, filling the coffee cup then gently hoofing over to a booth filled to the brim with a hungry family. A tray of various foods balancing on each wing, trotting over carefully she tilted each forward slightly on the brim of the table letting the trays gently slide over towards the salivating ponies. “You folks enjoy those!” She happily said before trotting back over to towards the sleepy crimson pony. “So how is the old caravan treating you?”
Chip asked.

The still sleepy giant turned his head to face Java Chip before half talking, and half groaning. “It’s pretty good so far, there has been some repair work here and there, but I think Silver Screen and I can take care of that.”

“Great to hear! If you two ever need anything don’t be afraid to ask.” Chip reminded before heading off towards the kitchen.

Haul wondered how things were going for the green unicorn he had sent to the market earlier that morning. I’m sure he can't mess things up that badly. Haul thought. Hearing a bit of a clatter he looked down at the newly arrived stack of haycakes. The usual syrup and butter covered discs were different, instead having an intricate sun design using fruits. “Why the fancy treatment today?” He asked no one in particular.

“Well duh, Happy Summer Sun Festival! I mean the actual holiday isn’t until dawn tomorrow, but we kind of get a head start on things here.” No one answered in the form of an unusually stealthy Java Chip.

Long Haul lifted his syrup covered face up from the half annihilated plate of haycakes to give a pleasant reply. “Oh that’s nice, I just sent an easily offended hyperactive unicorn into the market on what sounds like the busiest day of the year.” The realization of the situation then made Long Haul almost choke on his breakfast. “What!” He screamed.

< Trottingham market square >

Silver Screen happily hummed to himself while making his way through the market, it hadn’t taken a genius to figure out that some kind of great festivity was going on today. Purple and gold sun banners adorned every shop front, while fillies and colts happily pranced about enjoying various festival foods. He looked back to make sure that all his purchases were still nice and secure, Short Stack and Java Chip had been kind enough to let them borrow their cart when they needed it. The cart was bristling full of wood, nails and other supplies to help get the caravan back into a condition that did not make the two ponies worry about their personal safety at night. Silver then spotted his final destination in the market, a small store whose front looked somepony let several cans of paint explode all over it. Pulling the list Long Haul had given him out of his saddlebags Silver had a look at the final items needed for work to begin. “Just need four cans of brown paint and I am outta here! I’ll have to ask long haul if we can come back and enjoy the festival just like everypony else.” Silver happily unhitched himself from the cart and looked back at it to make sure it was not going to roll away while he ventured inside, satisfied with what he saw it was time to open the door and check out the paint shop.

Once inside Silver noticed how many different types of paint there actually were for sale, thankfully for the easily distracted unicorn the paints in the shop were organized into rows divided by general shades. Silver spotted somepony who appeared to be familiar with the store, slowly he hoofed over to the yellow unicorn mare and asked a question. “Excuse me miss but-” Before he could finish however; the mare looked at him with a state of pure contempt her leafy green mane and piercing ice blue eyes only intensified her frightful visage.

“Do I look like I work here?” She snapped, causing the stallion in front of her to back away.

Silver tried to apologize to the strangely offended mare. “I-I’m sorry miss, if I distur-” Once again he was interrupted by the angry mare.

“Don’t even bother apologizing to me. It’s ignorant folk like you that place a stain on this perfect town. Ponies like you should Just. Get. Out!” She screamed before stomping her way out of the store. Other ponies in the store who had simply happened on the scene simply continued on in their business, as if this was some sort of regular occurrence.

Silver screen simply sat there on his haunches, looking like someone had told him the saddest secret in the entire world.

“I’m going to regret asking this, but are you okay?” A familiar yellow mare asked, as she trotted up to the shaking stallion.

“Y-your Long Haul’s friend Lemon Drop right?” Silver asked in a plain dead tone.

Drop had no time to escape from the sadness hug that followed. “Gah!” She yelled as the now wildly sobbing adult wrapped his forelegs around her, and mumbled something about mares being so mean in between the sniffing and sobbing. Lemon Drop tried to remember for the life of her what the large crimson stallion had done to his friend to get him to calm down. “Umm, there there?” She half consoled the pony, and half gagged on her own words.

Silver Screen calmed down slightly then let go of the young mare. “Thanks Lemon Drop I needed that. I see why Haul considers you a friend.” He said, then stood up and used a hoof to dust himself off. Before he could say anything else however; an angelic voice rang through the store.

“Lemon Drop! It’s time leave.” The sweet voice sang, its origin somewhere outside the store's front doors.

“Coming Mom!” Drop hollered back before looking back at Silver Screen. “Well, I’ve got to go. I’m sure you're not all that bad of a pony, you're just a little easily offended is all.” The yellow mare then turned around and left the store.

“Mares are so nice?” Silver asked himself before returning to the task at hoof.

< Meanwhile across town >

Long Haul sat inside where he and Silver never dared to tread, all he could do was observe his surroundings as he let fate take its course. “Nice place you have here.” He nervously said to the two ponies sitting in front of him.

“Thanks for the compliment neighbor.” Java Chip said before she shuffled her wings nervously. “Now what was it you wanted to ask us?” She replied.

“Yeah kid make with the explanations here, I don’t just take a 30 minute break the night before the Summer Sun Festival for nothing.” Short Stack added from his chair, one that sat raised so he could converse eye to eye with everypony involved.

Long Haul struggled not to make some kind of comment about the chair that would earn him another buck to the face, finally moving on he decided it was do or die time. “Oh yeah the proposition. I happened to meet the mayor during my trip to market yesterday, and Silver Screen and I are trying to start a performance troupe of sorts in town.” Long Haul paused for a moment to carefully word his next sentence, otherwise the whole plan was for naught. “I was hoping to give the mayor and his family a private performance in two days, and well I was also hoping you would provide some food which Silver and I will happily pay for.” Long Haul then looked to Java Chip and Short Stack, searching for some kind of sign that would indicate which way this was going to go.

The couple looked at each other and both smiled before Short Stack turned back to the obviously nervous crimson pony and spoke. “The Mayor huh, Is that it? Sounds fine to me.” He then jumped down from his chair and moved to head back to work. “Geez kid, thought you were going to tell me you had a bomb under the diner or something.” The small stallion then left the room, mumbling something about needed to prepare for a feast.

“Well I better get going then, preparations to make and all. Thanks for the time.” Long Haul said before giving a nod to Java Chip and exiting their house. “Phase two accomplished, now time for the easy work to begin.” He said to himself, rounding the corner of the diner to see Silver Screen trotting up to the caravan with a cart full of goods. “Hey Silver, Happy Summer Sun Festival apparently.” He greeted the pony before inspecting the cartload of goods. “Wow, looks like you got everything too, any problems in the market?” He asked.

Silver looked over to Long Haul and stared him down. “Just one thing, I ran into the most mean, evil pony ever at the paint shop! She snapped at me for no reason then left and was all like you need to get out of my town! The nerve of her, its like she thinks she’s best friends with the mayor or something and can do whatever she wants.”

“Don’t let her get to you, she isn’t anypony important anyway. Besides what are the odds you're going to see her again?” Long Haul tried to take Silver’s mind off of any depressing topic at all costs. “I’ll tell you what, we get most of the work done and maybe we can go into town and enjoy the holiday like everypony else.”

Silver perked up immediately at the promise of fun and merriment. “Sounds great to me, Let's get started!” The now eager unicorn replied before unhitching himself from the cart and using his magic to take out the first supplies needed.

Most of the repairs for the caravan went swimmingly. While the two ponies worked Celestia’s sun dipped down into the sky, while Luna’s moon raised up, giving a glow to everything, making it just light enough outside for the two to work. The first thing to get fixed was the door which never quite enjoyed staying attached to the rest of the structure. Next came patching up various spots in the roof which were missing the full amount of tiling here and there. Construction went by quickly and easily thanks to the combination of Silver Screen holding parts in place while Long Haul went to town with his hooves or various tools. It surprised Long Haul specifically how easy it was to grip certain things in the mouth. Long Haul then realised how horrible that would sound out of context and continued his work, hoping that Silver Hadn’t taken notice of his shocked expression.

Next came the painting, a task that Silver Screen was more suited to thanks to his budding use of magic. The brush streaked across the caravan’s exterior contained in a green glow leaving behind a touch up coat of brown paint, and finally once the paint had begun to dry Silver walked over to the cart ready to add the last purchase he had made after the paint store, one that had not been on the list. “Hold up Long Haul there’s one more thing I want to do. Close your eyes.”

Long Haul then closed his eyes and hoped that this next step did not involve any serious head trauma, hearing the noise of nails going into wood caused him to jerk slightly at each bang of what sounded like a hammer. After what felt like an eternity of waiting he was finally given the all clear to open his eyes back up.

“Okay you can open your eyes now!” Silver said with glee, hoping that this panic purchase would be approved.

Long Haul glanced up to where the hammering seemed to be coming from and noticed an etched sign now hanging from the side of the caravan. It displayed what looked like a reel of film unraveling, over and under the film were the words Coming Attractions. Long Haul contemplated the name for a moment before looking to Silver Screen and voicing his opinion. “I like the sign, but the name is just not growing on me. It kind of makes it sound like we are some kind of match making service.”

Silver screen pouted slightly before giving his rebuttal. “But, but the sign cost like a bunch of bits, and I really meant well with the name, and most of the other names I thought of sounded too sexual, here I can fix it!” Silver Screen then reached out with his magic and grabbed a brush then dipped it in a little bit of the black paint. Concentrating hard with his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, he then carefully added one word to the end of the sign. The finished project had the name changed to Coming Attractions Theater however; one could tell if glancing for more than just a second at the sign that the Theater portion was hastily added on. Silver once again looked over at Long Haul waiting for approval, widening his eyes and pouting his lips.

Long Haul facehoofed at the addition, but he still gave a nod to Silver Screen. “That’ll do pony, That’ll do.” He then gave Silver Screen a pat on the head before trotting over to the road. “Come on, if we hurry we might be able to get a good spot in the square for the ceremony.” The two ponies then began to make their way into town to try and enjoy the festivities.

< Trottingham town square >

Once the two were able to squeeze far enough into main square of Trottingham, they noticed just how many ponies had come out to watch the sun rising together. Ponies of all colors, sizes, and types watched as Mayor Lemon Lime trotted onto the stage, the whole square bathed in the orange glow of lanterns hung about.
Lemon Lime stepped towards the podium and microphone and cleared his throat before preparing his speech. “Ponies of Trottingham, today we come together to celebrate another year of togetherness, survival and prosperity. This year we saw not only the return our beloved Princess Luna, but also not long ago the return and subsequent defeat of none other than Discord. While his brief reign of chaos may have not affected us as badly as our friends closer to the capitol, we must always remember that for ponies to succeed as a whole, we must care for each other. That being said, I thank everypony for the contributions made this year to the Ponyville restoration fund, may their rebuilding be swift and safe.”

The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves for their mayor’s words, it was clear that he was a pony who could easily move a crowd. Silver Screen and Long Haul joined in cheers and stomps but then quieted down with the rest of the group when the mayor motioned to speak again.

“Yes we do indeed have alot to be thankful for this Summer Sun Festival, which is why I would like to also welcome my family on stage, I believe you all know my daughter and son Lemon Drop, and Lemon Juice.” The nervous mare that was Lemon Drop blushed as her father dragged her out in front of the entire town, her brother however was excited and happily bounced up after his reluctant sister.

Long Haul simply shouted “What!” at the revelation. His surprise however was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd.

Lemon Lime then pointed a hoof at the new mare trotting up on the stage, her ice blue eyes and green mane flowing as she trotted up and stood next to the sea of yellow that was her family. “Who could forget my lovely wife Lemon Tree” The mayor said as his wife waved a hoof at the crowd.

“What!” Silver Screen shouted before his face flushed red as he noticed the mare who had given him the cold reaction earlier in town. Once again however the crowd muffled any surprise in the stallions shout.

“Finally I would also like to extend a hoof of thanks to the gracious ponies who have prepared this year’s dawn brunch. Fillies and gentle colts give a round stomps for my great friend Short Stack and his wife Java Chip of Stack’s Diner!”

“What!” Both Silver Screen and Long Haul screamed in unison as they watched their landlord and landlady take the stage next to the beaming family. Both ponies sat in the crowd, their hearts racing from surprise while the sun peaked over the horizon, the crowds roaring growing to epic proportions. All across Equestria ponies were celebrating the previous year’s accomplishments. Silver Screen and Long Haul simply stared in awe of what little they had done since their arrival. This would be an interesting year indeed.