//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 - The Party // Story: Artemis // by gcsmith //------------------------------// “Um, I guess you got my note?” Fluttershy said, her voice strained and her face stained with tears. Artemis felt into his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper he received from Applejack earlier that day. “Actually Fluttershy, I haven't had time to read it yet...” But he didn’t get time to say anymore as she rose up from the floor and tore past him crying. “What the hay was that about?” said somepony behind him. He turned around and saw Rainbow Dash floating in the doorway tapping her hoof, waiting for an answer to her question. Artemis quickly stuffed the note into his pocket, determined to read it later. Honestly he answered, “I have no clue, I just came in here after hearing somepony crying, asked her what was wrong and she tore off.” Rainbow thought to herself for a minute, “Hmm strange, but then again Fluttershy does tend to overreact. I guess it was probably nothing to worry about, but still...” she eyed him suspiciously poking him with a hoof. “I have my eye on you, you be careful around me mister.” He nodded. With that said and done, she left the room and went zooming out of the bakery chasing after Fluttershy, causing quite a commotion and a large amount of mess. The room was quiet and everypony turned to look at Artemis, that was until Pinkie got up and shouted, “Come on everypony is this meant to be a party or what!?” He felt grateful as the music started up again and everpony went back to partying, well everypony except one. Pinkie trotted up to him and sat down on a stool which definitely wasn’t there moments before, beside Artemis. “Cheer up mr grumpy wumpy, this is a party, and not just any party but a Party For You.” The last three words were punctuated with Pinkie gently poking him in the side. She stuck her large smiling face in front of Artemis to see she had caused even a simple smile on his face. He just sat their silent and mopey, staring off into the party, his initial joy of the event wiped from his features. She had failed but was never one to give up. She left almost as quickly as she arrived and went over to Vinyl Scratch who was hard at work at the decks, she tapped vinyl on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Vinyl nodded and chucked Pinkie a mic, the music was suddenly cut off as she switched records and Pinkie moved to the front of the stage. The room looked on with collected interest to see what was about to happen. Pinkie paused for a moment taking in the sight of all the townsfolk who had turned up, and even spared a glance over at Artemis who was still sulking in the doorway. “Greetings everypony.” There was a loud noise as the audience responded in kind. “I trust you’re all having a good time.” Again another load cry through the room as the audience responded with a loud yes. “Well that's good to see, but it seems one guest can’t quite bring themselves to smile, and as you know Pinkie hates not making people smile.” The crowd laughed as her hair deflated as if to exaggerate the point. “So lets see if we can’t make him smile. Artemis can you come to the stage please.” Magically a spotlight illuminated Artemis in his doorway and the whole crowd cheered at him, still he sat their surly and quietly ruminating on somethings. He was brought back to reality when he felt himself being pushed to the stage, Twilight behind her chair and Rarity behind her. It seemed he had no choice. Soon they reached the stage, and Twilight and Rarity left him in the care of Pinkie, not before magically locking his breaks that is. The crowd cheered at him, and Artemis squirmed, being the center of attention wasn’t something he liked that much. Pinkie nodded to DJ-PON3 and music started to play, it was a tune familiar to Artemis, and obvious hit with the crowd as they roared and cheered as it started. “Come on everypony, you all know the words.” she screamed. “My Name is Pinkie Pie. (Hello) And I am here to say. (How you doing?) I’m and Gonna make you smile. And Brighten up your dayyyy. It doesn’t matter now (what’s up?) If you are sad or blue (Howdy!) ‘cause cheering up my friends is just what Pinkie’s here to do. ‘Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile (Yes you do) It fills my heart with sunshine all the while (Yes it does) 'cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile from these happy friends of mine I like to see you grin (Awesome!) I love to see you beam (Rock on!) the corners of your mouth turned up is always Pinkie's dream (Hoof-Bump!) But if you're kind of worried and your face has made a frown I'll work real hard and do my best to turn that sad frown upside down 'Cause I love to make you grin, grin, grin (Yes you do) busted out from ear to ear, let it begin just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin and you fill me with good cheer It's true, some days are dark and lonely and maybe you feel sad but Pinkie will be there to show you that it isn't that bad There's one thing that makes me happy and makes my whole life worthwhile and that's when I talk to my friends and get them to smile I really am so happy your smile fills me with glee I give a smile, I get a smile and that's so special to me 'Cause I love to see you beam, beam, beam (Yes I do) tell me, what more can I say to make you see that I do? it makes me happy when you beam, beam, beam yes, it always makes my day Come on everypony smile, smile, smile! fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine all I really need's a smile, smile, smile from these happy friends of mine! Come on everypony smile, smile, smile! fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine all I really need's a smile, smile, smile from these happy friends of mine! Yes a perfect gift for me is a smile as wide as a mile to make me happy as can be smile, smile, smile, smile, smile! Come on and smile! come on and smile!” The song came to an end and Pinkie Pie was left panting, exhausted from all the dancing and bobbing about she had done during the song, including a crowd surf which ended surprsingly when. Especially since Pinkie was involved. Throughout the song Artemis had been thinking. About being stuck there, about the problem with Fluttershy and probably Rainbow. However, he came to realize that right then and now, he was in a Pinkie Pie party. The worrying could wait, so by the end of the song he was grinning and waving and clapping along with the crowd. Pinkie turned to see if she had managed to make any changes with his mood, and was ecstatic to see she had managed to make him smile. ‘Now that is how you’re meant to be at a party’ she thought. Walking off stage, the crowd started to cry ‘encore’ causing the exhausted Pinkie to smile, she loved being the centre of attention. Walking back onto the stage Pinkie handed Artemis a piece of paper with some lyrics printed on it. He looked at it questioningly, “The words in pink are mine, the words in blue are yours,” she said. “And orange?” “Both of us.” Artemis just sat there looking at the sheet, until Pinkie put her arms around him. “Come on Arty, you’ll be fine, no one minds bad singing. Look at how they reacted to me.” She gave him a squeeze and winked. “Besides, do this for me and I owe you a favour.” “Well when you put it like that...” he smiled. That smile was all she needed, she pointed at DJ PON3 who started the music up. It was a familiar song which Artemis had heard before. Starting off shrinkingly he began to sing the opening line. “I know a place where the grass is what’s for dinner. Charmed, fun and wild there must be something in the water. Sippin' rainbow juice Talking Elements of Harmony. Bronies Hang out too, ‘cus they know we’re awesome fillies. You could travel the world, but no one can groove like the girls with the hooves. Once you party with ponies, You'll be seeing Rainbooms! O-oh o-oh o-ooh! Equestria girls, we're kinda magical Boots on hooves, bikinis on top Furry coats, so cute We'll blow your mind Aoaoah oh, aoaoaoh! Equestria girls, we're pony-fabulous Fast, fine, fierce, we trot till we drop Cutie marks represent Now put your hooves up Aoaoah oh, aoaoaoh!” With a flourish, they finished and the crowd was jumping up and down. It seemed even with his raspy voice they didn’t mind his singing. Although that might of had something to do with singing with Pinkie. The rest of the party was a blast, even without Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. By the time he was headed home with Applejack, he was extremely tired and could see why Pinkie was hailed as ‘THE’ party pony. He and Applejack talked quietly as they went on, discussing the awesome party they had partaken in. As they walked, they failed to notice the Raven that followed them the entire way.