//------------------------------// // Just What She Needed // Story: Chrysbloom // by SwiperTheFox //------------------------------// “Better do well, sugar,” Fab murmured, voice going soft with spittle coming from his mouth. “After all, Scootaloo’s spell has worked so well that she only has a hoofull of memories left. Just a matter of minutes left until it’s all been eaten up, leaving nopony in her mind but me. Good thing she wasn’t as resistant as Gilda, but we’ll see I suppose.” He giggled a horrible, unearthly giggle. Applebloom let out an angry growl. "You monster!" She flipped over to glare behind her, suddenly freezing. He’s gone? What! She was left totally alone atop the platform— exposed by herself to the entire crowd. How did he just vanish into thin air? And what spell? On Scootaloo-- but she looks fine! Didn't she? Whatever it is, I have to stop it!I have to get her out of here and back to Ponyville! Applebloom heard a band playing somewhere right beneath her. Guitars, drums, and bass are there, but where the hay are they? She moved backwards forwards a few steps, trying her best not to cry. I don’t know! I can’t really sing but I have to do it. I have to give it a shot. She shivered from head to hooves with sheer nervousness. She suddenly saw parts of the platform melting away behind her left and right, risers sinking downwards. She panted. What? What now? She watched with huge eyes as she saw these horrible ugly creatures. They had black skin coated with holes complete with skinny blue eyes, nasty spikes, and curly clear wings— looking like some kind of insects. Despite their freaky appearances, they smiled wide and sweat as they clutched their instruments. The biggest one, with a weird checkered grey and white stripe behind his back, threw himself backwards and pumped his guitar into the air. The shiny Flying V rewarded him with a torrent of power cords. Behind him, a short and stubby creature bounced around a drum set. I guess those things are my backing group. Applebloom turned back to the crowd, watching for Scootaloo. The pegasus filly just wiggled around and clapped, seemingly oblivious to the circumstances. *Beep!* Applebloom twisted around and glared at the floating screen. Instrumental Break Finishing Prepare for Lyrics “Here we go,” she whispered to herself. She felt so incredibly worried that she could barely stand, teeth chattering. They’re all looking at me. Thousands and thousands of griffons, ponies, dragons, and whatever else focused on the stage. They’re all. Looking. At. Me! She squealed, ears flicking upwards. “Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! Bang-bang!” went the lead guitarist. He swung his body to the side, clicking his bottom hooves as he burst out the notes. “Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! Bang-bang!” Applebloom, despite the fear rushing through her, found her body naturally swaying to the sounds. She blinked. She somehow felt the bassline going deep into her insides, becoming like a heartbeat. She sucked in a deep breath. I. Can. Do. This! *Begin of Just What I Needed by The Cars* I don't mind you coming here “I don’t m-mind you c-coming here,” Applebloom chirped, holding the microphone right to her face. The front of the crowd looked a bit deflated, confused looks going over their faces. Applebloom gulped. She felt it, going right into her bones, she had to do better. She had to be the music, sensing the beat inside her heart. And wasting all my time "And w-wasting all my t-time,” she sang out, just a bit louder and stronger. Several angry grunts and frustrated waves of claws into the air rippled through the audience as she went on. No, I’m losing them! She shut her eyes. She suddenly felt a strong, steely pulse of determination. Remember what Pinkie said that one time. You never sing to everypony. You pick your one target, your one fan, and you do it for her. She opened her eyes again. Scootaloo. This is for you. Because I love you. She felt her heart warming up. 'Cause when you're standing, oh… so… near Her eyes focused right on her best friend. “”Cause when you’re standing!” Applebloom called out, hopping herself forwards. “Oh—” She wiggled her rear in the air. “So!” She flipped to the side, waving a hoof and making an invisible rainbow in front of her. “Near!” He heart raced. I kinda lose my mind “I kinda lose my mind!” Applebloom hollered, sinking to her bottom hooves. Yeah “Yeeeaaaahhh!” She cried a little as she held the microphone up and sang, feeling the emotions flowing through her. *Whoom!* She staggered to the right, trying not to fall over the stage, as some blue pyrotechnic burst out behind her. She caught the numerous eyes of the crowd. They had loved it, but they suddenly didn’t know what she was doing. Get back up! She shoved herself back in the center of the stage. She heard the guitarist, drummer, and bassist all playing like crazy behind her. It's not the perfume that you wear “It's not the perfume that you wear,” she sang, shaking her mane behind her. She smiled from cheek to cheek as she saw ponies bopping in place, many of them clapping. The flashing rights around the dome all flicked up and down, left and right in tune with the music. It's not the ribbons in your hair “It's not the ribbons in your hair,” she sang. She reached backwards and stroked around her bow. She slanted over to the far right of the stage, wiggling with each step. A bunch of dragons in the first couple rows of the audience whistled and cheered. I don't mind you coming here “I don't mind you coming here!” Applebloom burst out, bouncing along the edge of the stage. She reached out with a hoof and pretended to slap fives with the front row. And wasting all my time “And wasting all my time!” She tried winking, rubbing her hooves against her own body. She heard little burst of magical energy going off over her, showering glittery sparks up above. Pony after pony cheered. *Bang! Bang!* She shuffled backwards, seeing numerous square blocks light up inside the floor where she had stood. They all glowed a sinister, soft green with black edges. Applebloom gasped. One of the blocks glowed with a bright, shiny pink light. Without even thinking, Applebloom hopped over to it, hooves held close so that she didn’t touch anything else. She heard a loud synthesizer note bursting out from beneath the stage. Oh, wow, I'm playing the floor? Wow! Another floor-square lit up. She bounced over to that one. A second later, she hurled herself to the left. She panted as she flew through the air, trying her best to make every last note. She heard the guitarist let out a sharp yell. She span around, facing back over towards Scootaloo, and the floor blocks vanished. “I don't mind you hanging out,” she sang, “and talking in your sleep.” She kept on dancing, hooves tapping against the ground. Explosion of light after explosion of light went off as she finished every line. Scootaloo, don’t you notice it’s me? Can’t you remember anything? Scootaloo looked totally engrossed in the concert. She leaned over and whispered something, getting passed over. She sat atop of fat, huge dragon’s shoulder, pointing at the stage and smiling. Applebloom noticed something weird about her eyes. Like Fab’s, they had an eerie green glow over them. “it doesn't matter where you've been,” Applebloom sang, “as long as it was deep.” She flipped over backwards to the riser on the middle of the stage. The audience let out a torrent of claps and cheers. “Yeah!” Oh, Scootaloo! Fight back! Fight it! You’re one of the strongest ponies I know. You have that strong heart. I know you’re still you, deep inside. I just know it. Applebloom looked over at the eyes of the dragon underneath Scotaloo. He had empty, flat eyes, something like a doll would have. Is he just an illustion? Is this whole bucking crowd and everything an illusion of some kind? Other dragons had normal looking eyes. “You always knew to wear it well!” Applebloom wiggled, clapping her hooves above her. “You look so fancy. I can tell.” I could stop in the middle of this. I could scream out Scootaloo’s name. Would that wake her up? She sniffed. “I don't mind you hanging out, and talking in your sleep.” I can’t! I can’t go against whatever pony is controlling Fab, or else he might just separate us again! I have to get through both songs. Then, I’ll get her on stage. Applebloom felt an aching feeling at the bottom of her stomach. The monster had trapped Sweetie before, but he had left her mind and spirit intact. The monster viewed Scootaloo like a pet or pawn. Has he even done those kind of physical things to her that he wants to do with me— kissing, rubbing, touching, and worse? She almost vomited at the thought. The band started to lose it as the chorus began. The guitarist threw himself to the ground and raised the Flying V above him, rattling through notes. The drummer hopped onto the tom-toms and began smashing his face on the kick drum. “I guess you're just what I needed!” Applebloom sang out with all her might. She ran up right to the far right tip of the stage, pointing over into the audience. “I needed someone to feed!” She shivered a bit at that last word, which felt so ominous given what had happened to Scootaloo. “I guess you're just what I needed!” She shimmed from side to side, dancing with total abandonment. “I needed someone to bleed!” Wow, that sounds even worse! She blinked. The guitarist started a long, crazy solo, the audience hopping and bopping along to every last nice. Scootaloo, please! Applebloom pointed right at the pegasus filly and winked. Scootaloo simply looked at the stage, eyes glazed over with green magic. “Don’t bleed me!” Applebloom spat out. She froze. Oh, no! I said lyrics that weren’t on the prompter-thing? To her total surprise, half of the audience sang the ad-libbed words along with her. Wow, I… I didn’t know that! She let out a gasp. That's it! I can't try and wake her up! Synthesizer dancing and band solo’s finished, Applebloom prepared for the latter part of the song. She took a gulp. She tried to catch her breath, getting ready. Alright, Scootaloo. Time to jog your memory. “I don't mind you coming here!” Applebloom sang out. “And wasting all my time!” Applebloom and the crowd sang out together, everypony completely into the moment. Full on dancing erupted all through the concert. “ 'Cuz when you're standing oh so near, Scootaloo, I kinda lose my mind!” Applebloom screamed. A bunch of confused looking faces appered, while many others simply sang out every single word without understanding. Applebloom took a happy gasp as she saw Scootaloo shifting from side to side. The pegasus filly shut her eyes and leaned backwards, almost falling off of the dragon’s shoulders. Yes! She’s noticing! “It's not the perfume that you wear,” Appleboom sang, turning her back to the crowd and wiggling her mane and tail around. “It's not the ribbons in your hair.” She pet her bow once again. “I don't mind Scootaloo coming here!” She flipped over, thrusting both hooves in the air in the mare’s direction. “And wasting all my time!” A torrent of huge fireworks went off. The whole dome shook, and bright streamers of blue and white light fell atop Applebloom, the crowd, the band, the stage, and everywhere in between. They looked like they were in the middle of some kind of outer space battle. “I guess you're just what I needed! Scootaloo!” Applebloom sang. Starting to feel exhausted, she moved over to the middle of the stage and poised herself over the crowd. “I needed someone to feed! Scootaloo!” The mare in the crowd had shifted to and fro, the green magical aura over her eyes fading brighter and dimmer. Her wings shot out with force force. Applebloom repeated the lines several times as the song built up to the climax. Thick, crunchy guitar riffs layered atop a rippling bassline and bombastic drumming soared all through the dome. She watched as Scootaloo finally jumped off of the dragon’s back. Scootaloo slapped her head against a colt’s backside, coughing and shaking her head. “You're just what I needed! Scootaloo!” Applebloom hollered. She heard her bandmates singing along to the first part, their raspy voices freaking her out. “You're just what I needed!” Applebloom tried to point over once again. “Yeah!” Scootaloo sniffed, staring straight upwards. The magical aura seemed mostly faded, and she made a very confused look. “You're just what I needed!” All of the creatures, Applebloom and the members of the crowd alike, sang out with all of their hearts. *Ka-boom!* Applebloom keeled over on her back, hooves dangling into the air. The stage shook as she saw a serious of massive explosions going off across the roof. Jets of sparks shot out in all directions. She panted, trying to stand back up. She found herself slipping against some kind of green film and sliding over backwards. Scootaloo? What’s happening? She blinked. She heard a solid wall of happy noise going off behind her, still lying her on back. She’s just about woken up, now. But I’ve only finished the first song! I have one more to go! “Need a hoof?” Applebloom instinctively reached upwards without even thinking. She saw Fab perched himself over her, and she tried to shift away. The stallion gripped her sides, lifting her up from half magic and half pure strength. She nudged her hooves against the stage, but she could hardly move— held standing upwards. She felt some kind of magical vice going over her neck. “Ooooh,” Fab cooed, circling around her magically frozen body. His mouth dripped a horrible, glowing green and gray ooze. His eyes seemed to have turned into dark slits, looking much less like a pony and more like some kind of alien. “Nice to finally get such a close look of your… assets.” His flat face went into a nasty smirk. Applebloom flinched. She turned her face away, shutting her eyes tight. No! No! You promised me I’d get a puzzle! That I’d get a chance at three songs! Let me go! “That nice, smooth foal tummy,” Fab murmured, rubbing a hoof over along Applebloom’s midsection. He felt so cold and so sharp against her skin, sending little tingles of pain through her insides. After a horrible second of rubbing, he pulled his hoof away. “Love to see that pretty foal tummy nice and full.” He giggled. “And that wonderful chest, coupled with those tasty flanks, are nothing to sneeze at either.” “That’s it!” Applebloom screamed out. She didn’t know how she did it, whether from inner earth pony magic that she’d heard about or sheer willpower, but she slipped out of the monster's magical grip as he bucked with her hind legs. She slammed right into Fab’s body with all her strength, screaming in pure rage. “Owie! Owie!” Fab yelled, shifing over away from her. He looked down at the thick bruises going along his hooves, and he panted for a moment. He held his head up. Rather than frowning, calling in out in anger, or anything normal like that, he simply made a big grin. That was more terrifying to Applebloom that she had possibly imagined. She kicked against the floor and slid over to the far side of the stage. The crowd still cheering behind her, she looked down. “It’s a long, hard drop, but it just might be… worth it…” she muttered. “Oh, wait a moment,” Fab said. Applebloom stood up straight. She glared definitely at the stallion, burning into his smug expression with her eyes. “I confess. I got a bit carried away a few seconds ago. What I meant to do was to congradulate you. Of course, as a clever, clever girl, you managed to cheat a bit during the song. It was only fair for me to indulge myself and cheat a bit right then when the song ended as well.” “Cheat?” How the hay did I cheat in anything? I'm trying to help Scootaloo, get her out of your reach you monster! “But that's water under the bridge. Look over at the screen,” Fab replied. He waved a hoof in the air, and he walked up to a microphone that had suddenly appeared in the air. “Are you all ready for the next number!” “Yeah!” The audience screamed out. Song Complete! Congratulations! Vocal Ability: B- Stage Appeal: B+ Energy: B Overall: B “Sure, sure,” Applebloom muttered. I think I’ve at least slowed Scootaloo’s brainwashing down. Now, I need to get through the next tune to get her up on stage— or so the instructions said. Somehow, she felt like she could trust what the monster had promised while setting up Scootaloo’s Puzzle. You don't have much time. The crowd looks pretty restless. Please select your song menu: ==] Best of Power Pop [== ==] Best of Synth Pop [== I guess I’ll go with, ah, ‘Best of Synth Pop’,” Applebloom called out. The screen flickered once more, and the same group of songs popped up. Poison Arrow - ABC Living In Oblivion - Anything Box Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles Wishful Thinking - China Crisis Karma Chameleon - Culture Club Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran Always - Erasure Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals Cars - Gary Numan Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones Don't You Want Me - The Human League Too Shy - Kajagoogoo Words - Missing Persons Only The Lonely - The Motels Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order If You Leave - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears If You Were Here - Thompson Twins I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham! The Promise - When In Rome Don't Go - Yazoo *Please Select* “Oh, hold on a moment!” Fab called out. “Forget about the full twenty-five song listing!” He walked over to the end of the stage besides Applebloom. The filly flipped around, poised to buck the stallion once more. He held out a hoof, making a bemused face. “I’m making a very strong recommendation.” “Recommendation,” she repeated. She felt determination pooling up inside of her, ready to fight that monster if she had to. “How about the one from those sexy, charming Duran Duran boys?” he asked. “I’ll—” She paused, suddenly feeling confused. Is this a trick? Or is it something else? After all, it’s just like any other song, is it? She glared at him, and he simply made a smug, almost seductive grin back. “I suppose I might go for it. Is it a catchy song? Is it not too complicated, not with too much of a vocal range?” Fab magically pulled up a glass that looked like water from behind him. Applebloom froze. She suddenly felt extremely thirsty, almost too thirsty to keep singing. “I promise you several things,” Fab said through his pointy, monstrous teeth. “First, it’s just water. Nothing laced in there. Second, it’s a simple song that’s not really harder that what you just did. Third, it’s as catchy as a nursery rhyme and it swings like a gate.” Would it make a difference if I picked a different tune? Applebloom took a very deep breath. It would make him mad, and it wouldn’t help me one bit. “Clock is ticking,” Fab commented. “The crowd is getting restless.” As if on cue, Applebloom heard, “We want the show! We want the show! The show!” Hooves, paws, and other things clapped in anticipation. “I pick,” she said, and she sighed, “Hungry Like the Wolf!” *Flash!* Applebloom wiggled in place, feeling green magic going over her. When she came too, she looked around with her mouth wide open. She was in her bunny outfit— the one that Granny Smith had put on her for Zap-Apple harvesting. She frowned, stepping over to the middle of the stage. SONG SELECTED! Title: Hungry Like The Wolf Group: Duran Duran Album: Rio Writer(s): Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, & Andy Taylor Singer(s): Simon Le Bon *Please note the color transitions* She shivered as she saw the stage begin to transform. Images of sandy beaches, ripping ocean currents with sparkly blue water, tall white huts, long, fluffy beach towels, and other things that she'd see in a fashion magazine or travel catalog popped up all around her. The roof of the dome turned from something out of outer space to a clear blue sky spotted with puffy clouds. She heard girly giggling and clicks like that of a hundred fashion photographers going off high above her. “I have a very, very bad feeling about this,” she moaned, tugging against her long rabbit ears. She heard a deep, long growl behind her. She hardly wanted to move, even as a bouncy, peppy syntheizer beat got started from the band's part of the stage. She heard panting noises behind her as the beat got louder and even poppier. "Wolfie's ready for his duet," growled a deep voice, "And he's plenty hungry, too." She heard an awful chuckling. To Be Continued…