In the city of Canterlot, the spa was the go-to establishment for rest and relaxation. Patrons had the choices of submitting to the soothing steam of the sauna, the tension of their backs massaged away by the best masseuses, amongst other pleasurable wonders for the fatigued body. It was the perfect place to escape from the stresses of reality, malevolent magical forces from another dimension included.
Flash Sentry was doing just that. There at the local spa, he sat in the hot tub with Lyra and Bon Bon, basking in the heat of the bubbling water as it caressed every tense muscle in their bodies. It was a grand, well-deserved relief from the stress of the Friendship Games, in addition a relaxing way for Flash to spend time with his close friends.
“...so when we figured out Flash mixed up the baking soda and baking powder, we decided to improvise.” Bon Bon finished.
“And of all the things you could make, you two decided on fairy bread?” Lyra asked incredulously to the teens on either side of her.
Flash shrugged, mildly embarrassed. “It’s not like we had much of a choice, Lyra. Time was running out and we didn’t have much in the way of ingredients. Not like we could make a quick trip to the store.” He cracked a smile. “But hey, on the bright side it didn’t look like someone puked the Comedian’s badge onto a souffle.” The boy fondly thought back at how deflated said souffle looked and how its makers from Crystal Prep were given a thorough ridicule from their headmaster for an apparent lack of competence in a rather simple event.
Bon Bon stifled a giggle with her hand, having reminisced that particular memory as well. “I was trying so hard not to laugh,” she said in a muffled voice.
“I could tell. Your face and ears were so red, I thought you were going to pass out.”
“Probably would have if embarrassment didn’t get to me first.”
Despite poking fun at their former opponents, Lyra’s demeanor remained unchanged. “Good thing that didn’t happen. The fairy bread would’ve gotten to me before anyone realized I was choking.”
Bon Bon almost found the comment insulting, but remained diplomatic towards her friend. “Come on, Lyra, it wasn’t that bad.”
“Yeah. I mean, it was better than just an ordinary loaf of bread.” Flash chimed in. “I found it pretty tasty. Even if it was just icing and sprinkles thrown on top of it.”
“Bonnie, Flash, I love you two, but it was terribly dry. I choked on it even with water.”
Flash grinned mischievously. “I thought you were used to choking on things. How else did you get good at hotdog eating?” His grin broadened at Lyra’s futile attempts to remain stoically serious. “But seriously, cinnamon bread with vanilla icing and sprinkles. Pinkie Pie would totally eat that up.”
Suddenly a blur of varying shades of pink popped up from the watery depths with an excited smile. “Abso-diddle-lutely I will!”
Flash and Lyra voiced their shock at the intrusion and quickly held on to one another tightly amid their bareness. Bon Bon, however, reacted less exuberantly, calmly covering her chest with crossed arms and directing her standard unamused look at the girl who, thankfully, was only collarbone high above the frothing water.
“Pinkie, what are you doing here?”
“Inviting you to a party, silly,” replied the pink girl as if her intrusions were normal occurrences, which they were. At least, when they didn’t involve spontaneously surfacing from a hot tub to do so. “What else do you think I’m doing?”
Flash’s mouth finally synced up with his brain and started to ask the question was no doubt in everyone’s mind at the moment, but he caught himself before he could utter a syllable. This was Pinkie Pie. No one dared questioned her eccentricities, lest one wished to risk the loss of sanity.
So instead, he offered a different question. “What kind of party?”
“Are you kidding me?!” Pinkie asked, shocked at such a question. She was on Flash in an instant, her hands gripping the boy’s shoulders taught and squinting eyes boring into his, all the while showing no sense of personal space nor modesty. “Do you know what time of the year it is? It’s the one time of the year where you get to dress up as someone you only wish you could be and walk the streets in the dead of night while asking total strangers for candy.”
Flash thoughtfully put a hand to his chin. “Well, now you put it that way, Halloween--”
“Halloween, congratulations!” Pinkie happily stood up high and tossed some confetti, a fanfare of unknown origin following. Lyra swiftly placed a hand over Flash’s eyes to keep his sight pure from the party girl’s naughty bits. “You win three invitations to a Halloween party hosted by yours truly in Woodcrest.”
Bon Bon quirked a brow. “Woodcrest? That’s the upscale neighborhood where most of the Crystal Prep kids live.”
“Yes indeedy.” Pinkie lowered herself to bosom level again and reached into her poofy hair to procure a trio of envelopes. She handed one to each member of her audience, all the while saying, “You know Neon Lights, the DJ at Crystal Prep? He’s hosting the party this weekend at his house there. There’s gonna be games, music, dancing, tons of food, and plenty of fun. Oh, and candy! Can’t forget the candy! And the costumes, too.”
The head of another girl, one with a pair of headphones nestled over streaked lime hair, also shot up from the frothing water. “Everyone’s totally invited!”
“Gah!” Bon Bon yelped and latched onto her friends at the stranger’s arrival. “Who are you?!”
Again, Pinkie was shocked. “You seriously don’t remember Lemon Zest? My not-so-evil, heavy metal-loving counterpart? Rollerbladed for Crystal Prep in the Friendship Games? The girl who dropped those wicked lyrics for the rap segment in Dance Magic?”
“Wait, I thought that was you rapping,” Flash commented, confused.
Lemon felt offended. “Dude, that’s cold,” she said tartly.
Pinkie shook her head, tisking. “For shame, Flash Sentry.”
The boy held up his hands in defense. “No offense, but you two kind of sound the same when you sing.” He arched a brow when both Lemon and Pinkie winked at one another. Those two were aware of something. Whatever it was, it was way above his head.
Pinkie shrugged a split-second later, her demeanor bouncing from disappointment to glee in an instant with her custom bubbly smiles. “Anywho, there’s something else me and my zesty bestie think you’d be interested in. The party is also gonna have a charity event for the Canterlot Raptor Center.”
“Your friend Fluttershy got pretty stoked when we offered to do some donating for the shelter. Heck, even her hellspawn rabbit stopped giving me the stink eye when we gave her the newsflash.”
“That’s not the stinkeye; that’s just how Angel’s face looks,” joked Lyra.
The lime-haired girl rolled her eyes. “Whatever. The point is we got together and came up with a pretty cool way to earn the shelter some mad cheddar.” Lemon imitated a hardcore drumroll by padding at the water, which oddly sounded like the real thing. “A striptease, and you guys are gonna do it in Halloween costumes!”
For a moment Flash tossed the idea around. He had to admit, it was a bolt from the blue. Stripping wasn’t exactly something one did to raise money, but then again odder things were done nowadays for charity. That didn’t mean he was against the idea. In fact, Flash was quite interested.
“Sounds like an excellent opportunity to goof off for a good cause. And not toot my own horn, but I’m pretty good-looking from the neck down, too,” Flash opined. He exchanged an expectant look with his friends. “What do you think?”
“Can’t disagree with that."
"Thanks, Lyra."
Lyra grinned mischievously. "I wasn't talking about your body." She radiated an aura of confidence as she gestured to her own body. "Ever since the summer fashion show, I’ve had no problem showing off any of this.”
Bon Bon leaned in close to her friend. “It’d be a crime if you did.”
A feigned gasp escaped the minty-skinned girl. “Is that a compliment I hear?”
“Maybe...”
“How sweet of you.”
Flash coned his hands over his mouth and playfully said, ”Hey! You two should kiss!”
The group burst into amiable laughter at their antics. It was always teasing and play flirting between the three of them. After all, it was no secret Flash Sentry still pined after Twilight--one of them, anyway--while Lyra and Bon Bon were plenty content with their friendship than anything. Though with how often the three hung out, some of the kids at Canterlot High had their suspicions on just how far their relationship went.
Once the laughing died down, Bon Bon fixed a firm gaze on the two party girls. “As much as I’m intrigued by the idea, I have a couple questions. Where did you even get the idea of stripping for a cause? And what’s the catch? There has to be more to this.”
“Oh, we just randomly pulled an idea out of a hat, the lucky winner being Fluttershy’s,” Pinkie explained simply. “Weird, right? Who ever thought of her as the kinky type? As for the surprise, you’ll just have to read the instructions enclosed with your invitations.”
Before Flash or the others could inquire further, Pinkie excitedly turned to Lemon. “Alrighty then, my zesty bestie, we got major party preparations to take care of. To the Party Cave!” They submerged themselves beneath the water as quickly as they had risen from it. An awkward silence hung over the hot tub thereafter, the three teens stared unblinkingly at where Pinkie and Lemon were a moment before.
Lyra at last broke the silence. “Well, that just happened.”
Bon Bon gazed at the invitation in her hands. Apparently Pinkie had ensured it had been water-proofed beforehand. How the party girl even knew when and where they would be to deliver it, let alone her other eccentricities, was the tip of the iceberg. “We’d better see what the instructions say.”
The species of bird for your ensemble has been matched to fit your color and your personality, and designed to be comfortable to wear despite the fact it will be shed soon after you put it on, but I won’t deny you said comfort when you decide to keep the costume. After all, it would be a travesty to allow my designs to go to waste after one use.
Pinkie Pie has already provided me your measurements and I, as of these instructions, am currently applying the final touches to your costume. It should be complete, packaged, and at your doorstep well before the Halloween festivities begin.
I look forward to seeing you in your ensemble.
-Rarity
As they peered over Bon Bon’s shoulder to read along, Flash and Lyra found themselves staring, then shaking their heads in disbelief. This was a joke. It had to be a joke, right?
“Avian-themed costumes?”
“That’s what it says in black and yellow,” Bon Bon affirmed.
Flash and Lyra shared a look. “This isn’t a strip club for furries.”
Bon Bon’s mouth curved into a mischievous smile. “Say the kids who have an obsession with magical ponies from a far away land.”
While Flash chose to remain silent, Lyra grumbled, “I outgrew that phase years ago.”
“Well, we’ve been around weirder things. She-demons, sirens, a rival school hell bent on maintaining its reputation. Plus the method of charity was Fluttershy’s idea, so it was kind of expected. Sort of.” Bon Bon’s demeanor became serious. “Whatever the case, we have a mission to complete.”
Flash quirked a brow. “How can you take this in stride?”
“I’ve been in plenty of disguise--er, costumes. Superhero, princess, leftovers wrapped in tin foil. You name it, I’ve worn it, and so have you. This’ll be no different from what everyone usually does on Halloween except for who the audience is.” Bon Bon looked between the two of her friends. “So, whaddya say? Are you two in or out?”
Flash shrugged. It was not like they had much of a choice. Pinkie and Lemon already planned out the event, and Rarity neared completion on their costumes. Backing out now was impossible. “If it’s for a good cause…” Flash turned to Lyra. If she was up to the challenge, then he would be, too. When she nodded, he smiled. “What the hell, I’m in.”
Pinkie burst from the water again. “Great! Expect a package in the mail before the buttcrack of dawn.”
“I can’t believe I agreed to this,” Flash muttered with a mixture of excitement and nervousness as he walked up the street towards Neon Lights’ extravagant house. He gazed at the other kids coming for the Halloween party. Most of them were dressed up in costume, as expected of any Halloween gathering, each one as diverse as the next. In the case of his sister who tailed alongside him, Scootaloo was a bounty hunter from their favorite space opera.
Flash took a glance at the box tucked under his arm. He had no idea what feathery get-up it was and to be frank, he had a feeling Scootaloo’s costume or the police uniform he wore now would be much cooler than the surprise inside. As much as he didn’t mind acting like a total goof in front of others, Flash didn’t quite feel comfortable with the off-the-wall idea of dressing up as a bird for a striptease. But if it was for the benefit of the Raptor Center, then he would humble himself for it.
“Oh hey, there they are!” Scootaloo said excitedly, drawing Flash from his thoughts. She waved to her friends, who were just arriving at the party themselves with their older sisters in tow. Scootaloo turned to her older brother, removing the dented, paint-scratched helmet as she did so. “I think we’re good to be on our own, Flash,” Scootaloo said.
“Alright, Scoots.” He knelt down so he was eye to eye with her. “Just remember to keep out of trouble and stay away from the booze if they serve any.”
“Got it.”
“And what’s our rule about predators?”
“Kick him in the nads and run like hell.” Her lips curled into a wry smile. “We can handle ourselves.”
Flash playfully ruffled his little sister’s purple hair. “Atta girl. And don’t forget your big bro’s on stage in about an hour.”
Scootaloo lightheartedly batted his hand away. “Like I want to watch my older brother do that? Blegh.” She playfully stuck out her tongue. “Can we go now? We’re missing out on the fun stuff.”
“Sure. Have a blast.” Flash stood up and watched on as she replaced her helmet and ran off towards the house to join her friends, the Crusaders’ gleeful laughing at the prospect of Halloween fun steadily dwindling into the cacophony of partying.
His attention occupied, Flash bumped into something metallic. The impact sent the boy butt-first to the ground. Whatever he bumped into followed with an “oof”, it’s mass and the cobblestone beneath him nearly sending all the breath out of his lungs.
“Oh, sorry!” squeaked a familiar voice.
Instantly the weight left him, and Flash could once again breath with ease. Dazedly, he looked to see who he bumped into this time. It was a girl in a suit of black-and-red armor that looked like the lovechild of science fiction and ninjitsu-centric anime. It covered her head to toe, save for her nose and mouth, lavender lips parted in a concerned expression, and a length of purple hair with a magenta streak hanging from beneath the helmet.
Flash’s voice caught in his throat in recognition. “Tw-Twilight? Is that you?” He gave her a second once over. For a slender girl, Twilight filled out the suit well. “Sweet costume.”
“You really think so?” Twilight held out her hand, to which Flash took, and heaved him up. “I did my best to make it as accurate as possible, from the visual input system to the electromagnetic generation capabilities. Though, of course, there were a few necessary modifications to accommodate someone of my body type and do away with the segmentation feature--.”
Flash held up his hands. “Whoa there, knock it down a couple thousand RPM.”
Realizing her nervous habit kicked in, Twilight clasped her hands and brought them to her chest in an embarrassed manner, an action Flash found oddly cute despite the lethal impression of her costume. “I’m sorry. It’s just I don’t normally get praised for whatever achievements I’ve accomplished. Up until recently, that is. Ever since the ordeal at the Friendship Games, the other students at Crystal Prep have been much nicer and hold more of an appreciation for what I do. To be honest, the attention is a tad overwhelming.”
“Overwhelming to the point where you get nervous and start babbling like a cicada?”
“Er, yes. That's one way to put it.”
“No shame in that. Kids who were jerks suddenly being genuinely friendly to you is a new experience for anyone, so it’ll take some time to get used to it. Trust me, everyone at Canterlot High went through that when Princess Twilight came to town and nuked Sunset Shimmer with a friendship rainbow.”
Twilight failed to respond. Even with her eyes covered, Flash could tell she blinked in confusion. His gaze averted as he scratched the back of his head. “...I guess you never heard that one yet.”
“Afraid to say I haven’t.”
“Ask Rainbow Dash about it the next time you see her. She tells the story better than I do.”
A masked figure with lemon-lime pigtails popped up from between them, hands raised excitedly and startling the pair. “Dude! That’s a badass costume!” exclaimed the raspy voice of Lemon Zest. Like Twilight, Lemon’s costume was red and black, except she was a dicey comic book superhero and not a cyborg ninja.
“Oh, Lemon… nice to… see you...” Twilight managed to wheeze out in the exuberant girl’s vice-like hug that was thankfully short-lived.
Flash gave a little wave. “S’up, Lemon.” However, his greeting was ignored, undoubtedly due to all of Lemon’s attention focused on Twilight’s attire. Understandable; a cyborg ninja trumps a cop any day.
Lemon excitedly shook her balled fists. “Does it really work? Like, can you walk on walls and levitate things and stuff?”
Twilight laughed softly at Lemon’s enthusiasm. “Yep, I’ve made sure to include those features.”
“Well, what are you waiting for? Switch it on!”
“Yeah! Show us what it can do, Twilight!” Flash chimed in.
Smiling at their genuine interest, Twilight pressed a button on her left wrist and a purple aura surrounded her. She then walked over to the lamp post, gave it a once over to ensure it was the perfect surface to test her suit on, then proceeded to steadily put one foot in front of the other and walk up the post to the midway point. It was a spectacle that drew the attention of a few passerby. For Lemon, it was the--
“--coolest damn thing I’ve ever seen!” she exclaimed.
Flash could only whistle in appreciation. Twilight, be she the one here or the princess of Equestria, truly was an exceptional girl.
“It worked! I can’t believe it worked!” Twilight giddily giggled at the achievement, bouncing on her toes, which was an odd sight considering she was standing sideways on a lamp post.
The celebration ceased, however, when something small struck her forearm. Twilight stopped, confused, and pried off what turned out to be a silver dollar. Soon another followed, then another, landing in compromising positions on her chest. A license plate ripped away from an adjacent Vista Cruiser and hit her pelvis next. Twilight gulped, realizing what was happening, and hastily began diddling buttons on her wrist gaunt.
“The magnet’s going haywire!”
Flash felt his belt buckle ripped away and immediately felt a chilly breeze rush past his thighs. The boy’s cheeks reddened; his pants had dropped. Lemon’s twin katana followed, thankfully sticking to Twilight on the flat end and not piercing her at the tips. More odds and ends made of varying quantities of metal came rushing at Twilight as she attempted to cancel out the magnet function, constantly beleaguering her with strike after strike as if the girl was some cyborg pinata.
After several long agonizing seconds, Twilight at last managed to shut down the magnet and she let out a relieved sigh. Unfortunately, she had forgotten she was still defying gravity in the midst of panic and fell to a heap on the ground. Her newly acquired collection of souvenirs soon followed.
Flash, holding up his pants by a hand, and Lemon rushed over to the junk heap. “Twilight!” he cried out worriedly. “Are you okay?”
An arm stuck out of the junk heap and woozily point a fingering at the sky. “Some old horses can always hear their owner approaching...” Twilight’s muffled words trailed off before her arm comically fell limp.
Flash and Lemon left Twilight in Sunny Flare’s care following the magnet incident. It had taken five of them to carry her from the sidewalk to the house on account of the heavy armor she wore. For the most part, Twilight was in great condition considering maybe a half a ton of metal collapsed on her, having only suffered a minor concussion in addition to a few bumps and bruises.
“I’m glad Twilight’s okay.”
“Yeah, that armor held up well against all that junk,” said Lemon as she led Flash to the house theater. She had taken her mask off now that she was inside. Too many bodies in a confined space tended to heat up the room quickly and a mask could be tolerated for only so long in such such an environment. “Dude, I still can’t believe Twi made such a cool costume like that, even if the gizmos crapped out on her.”
Flash chuckled in agreement. “Twilight sure is amazing when it comes to technology.”
“You got that right.” Lemon turned a corner and lead him to the first door on their left. She casually leaned against the wall and faced him. “Well, here we are. Your squad’s already gearing up in there, so hurry up and slip into your duds. The show’s gonna start soon.”
Uneasiness took over Flash again as he looked at the small box in his hands, then to the door. “I still have a bad feeling about this.”
“C’mon, Sentry, all you’re doing is flaunting your almost-naked self in front of an audience of teenagers like a piece of eye candy. I doubt anyone’s gonna jeer at you when you have a nice bod to show off.” Lemon’s gold eyes briefly looked down at an area Flash was sure she snuck a peek at back at the spa. She opened the door and gently shoved him in. “Just let loose and have a blast,” Lemon advised with a wink before departing and closing the door.
All Flash could do was stare after her beyond the barrier, still uneasy. He scratched the back of his head. “Uh, yeah... sure thing.”
“What took you so long?”
The boy perked up Lyra’s voice. “It’s a long story,” he replied simply. Flash turned to tell the tale when his voice caught in his throat at the sight of a nervous Lyra in a peacock costume. Only this was not the same one she wore during her spontaneous rivalry with Bon Bon. Rather, it was a simplified, skimpier and needless to say sexier version with a headdress, all with green and blue feathers that shimmered in the room’s lighting.
A lengthy moment passed before Flash managed to regain use of his mouth. “Wow… you look great, Lyra.”
Lyra did a little twirl. “You really think so?” Flash nodded in approval, easing her nerves and boosting her confidence. “You’re not so bad yourself, Officer Friendly. Just wait until you see Bonnie in her outfit. It’s a real hoot.”
“I’ll be out in just a minute.” Bon Bon’s shapely silhouette called out from behind a folding changing screen.
“Let’s get you in yours while she’s finishing up.”
Flash hesitantly opened up his package, hoping to God his costume was as masculinely equivalent to arousing as Lyra’s. What he saw when he pulled out the contents left him near-speechless.
“It’s a flamingo.” Lyra looked at the surprise with great interest. When she didn’t see Flash undressing, she turned mildly impatient. “Well, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and put in on!” Lyra urged with a level of eagerness often reserved for the changing room of a department store.
The nervous boy obeyed her urging, discarding his officer’s uniform at a faster and less arousing pace, and not at a location he preferred to do it. But he Pinkie Promised an avian striptease, and he would fulfill that promise. With Lyra’s assistance, Flash was in his new outfit in practically no time. He looked at his pink-feathered, scanty-clad self in the full-length mirror, while his peacock partner eyed him approvingly with a light blush growing on her cheeks.
“How is it, Flash? Personally, I think you look positively luscious in it.”
Flash’s lips slowly curled up in agreement. “I feel right, Lyra. I feel right.” He looked luscious indeed, appearing as if he walked straight out of a Bahamas carnival. A tad goofy, too, all things considered, but that was something Flash was used to doing. Wacky avian-themed Halloween striptease or not, the outfit was bound to rile up the ladies and bust a few sides. And he was doing this with friends, too. Lyra and Bon Bon were at his side, looking as goofy as they were sexy, but they were ready to perform for a good cause.
What had he been so nervous about?
“I guess real men do wear pink. Now would you two quit hogging the mirror, please?” Bon Bon rushed between them to look at herself in the mirror. Much like Lyra, her costume spared no expense in limiting modesty and channeling the avian image, in this case an owl.
“Lyra wasn’t kidding when she said it was a hoot,” Flash quipped.
“And she wasn’t kidding about you looking luscious, either.”
Pinkie Pie, in a family friendly chicken costume, skidded into the changing room from a hallway leading to the stage. “Are you ready, kids? ‘Cause I sure am. We got a full house tonight and I can’t wait see you three out there shaking your tail feathers.” When the three gave her a thumbs up, Pinkie squealed in delight. “Remember, we’re doing this for the Raptor Center and all of bird-kind, so have fun out there!”
She reverse-skidded back down the hall. With a shared nod, the three teens followed her at a steadier pace. The walk lasted not even a minute and they arrived backstage. From a slit in the curtains they could see the house was indeed packed. Scores of teens from both schools and others, plus some college-goers, stood in front of the stage, drinking, eating, and in general mingling with one another.
“Is everyone having fun?” asked Pinkie over a microphone. Her grin widened as the cheering crowd. “Fantastic! And guess what? It’s going to get even better.”
Lemon took over the mic. “As you know, the Canterlot Raptor Center has been hit by pretty tough times. Back in the day, the Shadowbolts would turn the a blind eye to anything Wondercolts. Help our rivals? Not gonna happen.” She wrapped an arm around Pinkie. “Well, times have changed ever since the Friendship Games, and it’s only right for us to lend a hand a raise some mad cheddar. And c’mon, we’re talking about birds here!”
The audience voiced their approval with hoots and howls.
“So, bet you’re wondering what we have planned tonight to raise that money,, huh?” Pinkie chimed in. “Well, in the spirit of Halloween, we’re gonna have a costume striptease!” The room was engulfed with cheering. Upbeat music appropriate for the occasion played and Pinkie pointed a finger in the direction of Flash and company. “Now, on with the show!”
Lyra turned to her friends. “Guess that’s our cue.” She pecked Flash on the cheek, then did the same to Bon Bon. “For luck.”
Together they strode out from behind the curtain to a chorus of more cheering from the crowd. The stage they walked convexed out to the floor, then sharply narrowed into a runway at the end not unlike the ones in a fashion show. And Flash certainly showed off his fashionable, scanty-clad self.
At first, he built a steady rhythm to match the music by tapping his feet. Once he got into the groove, Flash began dancing like there was no tomorrow. He gyrated his hips, waved his arms, shuffled his feet, and everything in between. The crowd continued to cheer him and the girls on, getting more vocal with every article of their costumes shed. There were plentiful laughs in the mix, no doubt directed at how ridiculous they looked in costume, but it was all part of the comedy.
Flash would spare the occasional glance to see how the girls were fairing. Bon Bon was really getting into it, rocking her hips in a way he’d never witnessed before and needless to say mesmerizing enough to almost bring him to a halt. Lyra was more reserved, but still kept the show going with her hands gliding enticingly along her body as she swayed to the music.
They were alongside him, having fun and just goofing around.
The further the striptease went, the more dollar bills people would stick into their waistband (sometimes bra in Lyra and Bon Bon’s case). Flash was genuinely surprised at the number of people he personally knew putting their hands so close to his clothed crotch just to drop a few bills. Sandalwood, Trixie, Indigo, even Vice Principal Luna slipped a twenty under his waistband.
He went especially wide-eyed when Twilight--the one from Crystal Prep and apparently having recovered from the earlier incident--arrived to cast her own donation. It didn’t take a genius to observe her fidgeting and surmise she was very unused to such a titillating environment. Intending to ease Twilight’s tension, Flash turned his back to her, bent down, and mere inches from her masked face twerked. Which was not saying much. Compared to a woman’s natural movements, the display was abysmal.
Abysmal of a display or not, it certainly fetched a reaction out of Twilight. Flash watched her put a finger to her chin thoughtfully as she observed every flex of his rear. She then, to his surprise, gave his rear a ample smack, her enhanced costume providing some extra, wince-worthy sting behind it.
A few people gasped. Sunny especially was appalled. “What was that for, Twilight?”
“Isn’t that one of the typical responses of approval for lewd behavior?”
“Not when it involves a stripper. You never, ever slap a stripper like that, no matter how enticing the view. It goes against proper club etiquette.”
Twilight paled. “Oh dear...”
Flash could just make out what they were saying, and offered Twilight reassurance with his trademark point-and-grin despite the lingering sting in his rear. “Don’t sweat it, Twi. I’ll take it as a compliment. Like you said, it was out of approval, right?” With one last brush of the butt against her helmet, Flash sauntered back and resumed charitable stripping.
Of course, all good things had to come to an end. The tune soon reached its climax, and Flash, Lyra, and Bon Bon found themselves panting and sheened in a coating of sweat, but nonetheless pleased at the results of their efforts. The crowd gave one last roaring cheer, mixed with applause, warranting a wave from the three.
“Thank you, everyone! Enjoy the rest of this uberly spooktacular Halloween night!”
As the crowd slowly dispersed, the trio began to feel the chill of their cooling bodies and quickly trotted towards the sanctuary of the backstage dressing room.
Lyra collapsed onto a couch the moment she entered, unable to stand any longer. Flash followed, taking a blanket draped behind them and snuggly wrapping themselves up in it. He could feel himself and her shivering from the adrenaline of a first performance, as well as the dull pain from Twilight’s smack. It was an elating feeling, one made twofold with the knowledge he had performed a great service for the aviary. Even if that service was avian-themed striptease at a Halloween party.
From an adjacent folding chair, Bon Bon seemed less pressed to put on a shirt and more focused on the earnings she plucked from their garments somewhere along the way. Neither Flash nor Lyra questioned it; Bon Bon was an excellent pickpocket. “Mission accomplished,” she said with a satisfied smile as she counted bills with the speed of a veteran bank robber.
Lemon burst from the hallway. “Dudes, that was stellar! You totally rocked the house! See, didn’t I tell you to loosen up and have a blast?”
“Yeah yeah, you did.” Flash snuggled closer to Lyra. “Couldn’t have done it without each other, though. Some things are just better done with friends at your side, even the stupid, crazy stuff.”
The party girl leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms somewhat disappointingly. “Kinda bummed I didn’t get to join in,” she shrugged, her smile coming back. “But hey, a party doesn’t run itself. Maybe next time.”
Beneath the blanket, Lyra waved her hands. “Nope. Never again. As fun as it was, this was a one time thing for me.”
“Your loss, Heartstrings.” Lemon chuckled.
“Whatever the case, we made a difference for the Raptor Center.” Bon Bon piped up. When she displayed the bills and told them how much, everyone in the room whistled.
“That’s gonna put a dent in the bill,” Flash stated excitedly. ”Man, Fluttershy’s gonna be stoked!”
Flash Sentry - Thriller