The line shuffled forward a step.
“How can you possibly stand there and compare the Star Trot reboot to the original films?” a man wearing an ornate silver-armored costume and a large, prosthetic headpiece asked. “I mean c’mon! The characterization in the first one was bad enough, but the sequel was like the director took all of the most iconic moments from the franchise, threw them in a hat and pulled them out one at a time saying ‘ok, we’ll do this part next.' The continuity was terrible even when it did make sense!”
The line shuffled forward another step.
“But all you’re doing is comparing it to the original!” Pinkie replied. “You have to look at the new films as just that: new! It’s a chance to see how the characters you know and love would behave in circumstances they might never have been in before. You can’t blame the creators of the new movies for wanting to put their own personal spin on things, I mean who wouldn’t given the chance? You have to let go of your expectations and experience it for what it is, not what it isn’t. Just because something is new, or isn’t what you wanted it to be, doesn’t automatically make it bad,” she finished with a sagely nod.
The line started to move, but stopped short of really going anywhere. Someone up ahead must’ve thought they had more room to move than they actually did.
The armored man put a hand to his chin as he considered her words, but his shorter partner, clad in a red and black uniform that was a size or two small around his midsection, spoke up. “What about the part where Klam spouts a fountain of poorly-researched technobabble about the life support node behind the aft nacelle? Everyone knows the nacelles are far as aft as you can go on a Crustacean-class starship.”
Pinkie blinked once. “Yeah, that part was crap.”
“Ugh, I can’t take it anymore!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “We’ve been standing in line for…” she looked at her phone, “twenty-two minutes, and I’ve already absorbed more information about science fiction, table-top gaming, and weirdo Neighponese cartoons than I’m comfortable knowing. I feel like if I hear any more I’m gonna need to turn in my jock card, so for the love of the game, someone please, please talk about something I can understand!”
Right after she said ‘the game’, a smattering of nearby people groaned, one throwing up his hands in defeat, but Rainbow ignored them. She was pretty sure it was something she didn’t want to know about.
“Ooh, I know!” Sonata piped up. “I can’t decide what kind of taco I’m going to get! Should I get one with double guacamole, or should I get extra refried beans?”
“... Something that isn’t tacos!” Rainbow added with a glare, causing Sonata to wilt a little. “Anybody else?”
“Rainbow Dash!” a distant shout said over the collective din of all the convention goers waiting in line.
“Hm,” the athlete rubbed her chin. “Not a bad topic, I suppose. I am pretty awesome after all.”
“Rainbow Dash!” the voice repeated, sounding a little close than it had before. “Over here!”
Rainbow and the others turned and saw three familiar girls weaving their way through the throng towards them.
“Scootaloo?!” Rainbow’s jaw dropped open.
“Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom?” Pinkie followed suit. “What’re you girls doing here?”
“And why are you dressed like… that?” Rainbow gestured to their outfits.
“I’m cosplaying as Zapp from our favorite comic book, Power Ponies!” she grinned and fell into an action pose.
“And I’m Mistress Marevelous!” Apple Bloom decreed as she pulled a golden lasso from her belt and gave it a less-than-professional twirl that tangled it around her head and shoulders.
“And I’m Radiance!” Sweetie Belle chimed in with an excited hop. Rainbow facepalmed while Pinkie Pie let out a high-pitched squee and jumped up and down.
“Hee hee! You girls look super-fantastic!”
“We made the costumes ourselves!” Sweetie said proudly, giving a quick spin to show off the dark blue spandex outfit and gemmed jewelry. Her two fellow Crusaders turned and gave her flat stares, putting a slight blush on her cheeks. “Ok, so Rarity might’ve helped a little.”
“Forget that; why are you here?” Rainbow asked.
“The whole voice cast of the new Power Ponies cartoon is here!” Scootaloo said. “They’re signing autographs and doing photo ops with fans!”
“And we’re gonna get our pictures taken with all of ‘em!” Apple Bloom finished, drawing a confirming nod and smile from Sweetie Belle.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “No, I mean what are you doing here by yourselves? There’s no way Rarity or AJ would let you three come here without anyone keeping an eye on you.”
“‘Course not!” Apple Bloom frowned, turning back in the direction they came. “That’s why… uh,” she stopped. “Where’d she go?”
“I think we lost her,” Scootaloo frowned. As if on cue, a sweet, soft-spoken voice drifted to their ears, barely audible amid the background chatter.
“Um, excuse me… pardon me… if you don’t mind, I’m just trying to… oh, I’m sorry… watch out please… can I just…um...”
Rainbow’s jaw fell open again. “No way…”
Fluttershy grunted a little as she finally squeezed between a pair of cosplayers in white full-body plastic armor and a third wearing a black robe and waving a glowing energy sword, all but tumbling into view as she freed herself from the crowd. She paused to take a few calming breaths, but when she spotted the Crusaders she gasped.
“There you are!” She was kneeling next to them in an instant. “Girls, I told you to stay close to me no matter what. It’s very easy to get lost in all these people, and you never know how dangerous they might…” she trailed off as she looked over her charges’ heads and spotted the others staring back at her. “Oh, hello Rainbow Dash, hello Pinkie Pie. What are you two-EEP!”
Fluttershy’s eyes bugged out as they settled on Sonata. She ducked down behind the Crusaders and covered her head with her hands, but a split second later she pushed the girls aside and placed herself firmly between them and the Siren with her arms spread wide.
“S-stay back girls, cover your ears and don’t listen if she starts to sing!”
“Fluttershy, it’s ok!” Pinkie said, “Sonata’s on our side now!” This seemed to give the timid girl pause, but she did not relinquish her guard over the Crusaders.
“That’s… that’s just what you would say if you were under her control!”
Pinkie rolled her eyes and put one hand on her hip, snapping once at Sonata with the other. “Sonni-D, do the thing.” Sonata frowned and scrunched up her nose.
“Do the… oh! The thing! Right!” she perked up considerably before delicately clearing her throat. “I promise not to do anything evil, mean, or Siren-y. This includes singing evil songs, plotting to take over the world, jaywalking, eating the last cookie, piece of candy, or cupcake, manipulating people into doing whatever I want through any means, and… um…” she looked to Pinkie plaintively, but received only a vague gesture that she continue, “...making sure to wash my hands after using the bathroom?”
Pinkie pursed her lips and looked up in thought for a moment before nodding. Sonata beamed.
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” she finished emphatically, pantomiming the actions as she spoke.
Fluttershy’s expression softened considerably. “Oh, well if it’s a Pinkie Promise then I guess in that case it’s okay.”
“Got roped into watching the Crusaders, huh?” Rainbow crossed her arms, but Fluttershy shook her head.
“Oh, I don’t know if I would call it ‘roped in’. While I was walking home with Rarity she said that the whole Battle of the Bands had really inspired her and couldn’t wait to get to work on some new designs, but then she remembered that she’d promised to take the girls to this convention.”
“So you volunteered to bring them to the biggest, noisiest, most crowded place in Canterlot just so Rarity could stay at home and make dresses,” Rainbow stated more than asked.
Fluttershy winced. “It is a little overwhelming, but I couldn’t just let them miss out on something they really wanted to do.” She gently patted Apple Bloom’s head and rested her other hand on Scootaloo’s shoulder. “They’ve been planning on coming for so long, it would’ve broken their little hearts.” Rainbow shook her head.
“Fluttershy, you take being a doormat to a whole new level.” A soft smile worked it’s way onto her face. “Don’t ever change.” Fluttershy blushed a little and smiled demurely as Scootaloo turned to Sonata.
“Where’re the other two?”
“Oh, Adagio and Aria are both back home. They’re not taking the whole ‘losing our powers’ thing very well,” Sonata said. “I want to bring them some tacos to try and cheer them up!”
“Well that’s real nice of ya!” Apple Bloom smiled.
“You’re not upset about it?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I mean, no offense, but at the end of the concert right before you ran off, you kinda sounded like my sister’s cat when we try to give it a bath.”
“Well...” the Siren’s expression fell as she glanced off to the side and her hands started playing at the fabric of her skirt.
“Hang on a minute,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Why aren’t you three weirded out by this?”
“By what?” Apple Bloom asked as the Crusaders blinked in confusion.
“By her!” Rainbow pointed at Sonata. “She hypnotized everyone and tried to take over the school!”
“Oh, right… that,” Scootaloo grinned sheepishly. “Well, the three of us were talking earlier, and we, um…”
“We feel downright awful ‘bout how we acted around Sunset Shimmer these past couple of months,” Apple Bloom picked up where her friend left off. “She was goin’ out of her way to be nice to folks to make up for what she did, and we still treated her like some kinda stranger.”
“So we decided that this time, if the Dazzlings want to turn over a new leaf and become our friends, we’re going to be nice to them just like you and your friends were with Sunset!” Sweetie concluded with a giant smile.
“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie pumped her fist in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about! Put it there, girls!” She offered each of the Crusaders a high-five.
“Thank you,” Sonata said softly as she smiled down at the Crusaders. “I… I really don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll be our friend?” Apple Bloom offered along with a smile that her two partners shared. A tearful Sonata beamed, dropping to her knees so she could sweep the three girls into a massive hug.
“Of course! Ooh, I can hardly believe it, this morning I’d never had a friend before, and now I’ve got three!”
“Four,” Pinkie quietly corrected.
“Four!” Sonata said without missing a beat as the Crusaders hugged her back. “And on top of that we’re going to get tacos! This is just the best day ever!”
“Aww,” Fluttershy cooed. Rainbow scoffed, crossing her arms and turning her head, but said nothing. Her eyes suddenly narrowed at something she spotted in the distance.
“Uh… hey Pinkie.”
“Yes Dashie?”
“What’d that cop that pulled you and AJ over look like?”
“Um,” Pinkie rubbed her chin. “I think he had white skin and kind of bluish hair. Why?”
Rainbow pointed.
There amidst the crowd, swiftly and steadily pushing his way toward them through the sea of costumed con-goers, was Officer Shining Armor.
And he did not look happy.
Goddammit I lost the game!!
Here come Shining! What you gona do what you gona do when he comes for you
Applejack and Rarity will never let you go out like that, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, because there are no adults in your household to make executive decisions, so that falls to your older sisters.
Uh oh....
Run for it!
I've had some experience with table-top gaming, anime, but I'm not a science fiction fan. I'm more of a fantasy. Ooop, looks like Officer Shining Armor's gotcha now!
I was annoyed by the fact that this chapter ended with a cliffhanger, then I saw Twist in the Author's note and just flipped. Anyway... Hmm... searching for references...
-Power Ponies episode (Pretty obvious but I won't take any chances)
-Star Trek (Also kinda obvious but... yeah...)
-SunnyD juice? (I am not sure about this)
Dang it, can't seem to find anythin' else... So, how many points do I have now?
Don't you mean "They've"?
Think you meant "Ran".
Also, yay, update! Poor Rainbow Dash needs to find someone in that crowd to talk Daring Do with in that crowd. Alternatively, she could try distracting Shining Armor - those geeks are his people, after all.
And further yay to 'doing the thing'! I swear, that's the best gag we've gotten from Legend of Korra.
Short, hilarious chapter. Loved all the characters showing up, and picturing Fluttershy watching the CMC. Is she dressed up as Saddle Rager by any chance?
SO gonna die laughing if any of the con-goers recognize Shining Armor from his school days given what an absolute geek he was and I remember him being friends with Poindexter and 8-Bit.
PANTS TO BE DARKENED!
EVERYBODY RUUUUUUUUUN!!!
5494295
I lost every time I did another editing pass,
5494298
Sat here and listened to the entire song; thank you Sir,
5494302
You think Rarara is going pass up a chance to design costumes for her little sister and her friends?
5494888
I'm something of a fantasy fan myself,
5494947
img1.derpicdn.net/img/2013/12/7/491321/thumb.gif
Ah, you're just calling out the easy ones; I think it's safe to say you've won at this point... 120 points, I think?
5495207
Ack! Good catches; thank you my friend. They say your vision is the first thing to go when you get old,
5496358
Aw, dammit! If I had thought of that I totally would have dressed Flutters up as Saddle Rager!
I may go back and re-edit this chapter at some point before it's all said and done...
5497309
Aw c'mon; it isn't even that good of a bondage scene,
5497686
I can't; I've gotta stay and work on the next chapter!
5497976 Glad to help. You wouldn't believe how many times I've reread something after writing it, only to discover a typo or a missing bit or whatever.
5497976 Fair enough.
5497976
If you want to, then totally go for it!
Crusaders as Power Ponies.
Dash almost tempted to be an egghead.
Flutterjedi.
Sonata being great...
and Shining not taking this well.
...everything seems to be in order here. Do continue, pretty please.
5497976
waxyworld.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/giphy.gif
Other references are too hard to find... I'd look for harder ones but... media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzrc9oCFJF1r1pzqm.gif
i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0fSYCMI3--/y0w2ijbpd3ov1csu7bdk.gif
5499529 Good point.
> Pinkie Pie: Produce corndog shoved through two donuts from your hair and half-nude selfies of Cadence to distract the pigfuzz.
My favorite references:
-Star Trek
-My favorite: Sonni-D do the thing!!
Is that comment from the Crusaders a reference to how they acted like sociopaths during the holiday comic special? Oh, and I hope RD spots some Daring Do cosplayers in the line.
I suppose the opening is a reference to the surrounding debate of the reboots/remakes coming out this year (Terminator, Jurassic Park, Star Wars)?
And really? No one is going to say it? A'ight then.
--Sonni-D! Do the thing = Zhu Li! Do the thing! (Legend of Korra)
5502285
Damnit, you beat me to it!
Also, putting the life support system aft of the nacelles? What madness is this?
After the day I've had, this is exactly what the Pirate ordered. This story has been and continues to be a laugh riot!
With Shiny on scene, how in the world are we going to get Sonata her taco before she's incarcerated? Is Fluttershy going to have to break out the Stare? Brilliant stuff and I hope you enjoyed your weekend!
5499537
That'd do it,
5500823
Y'know, after seeing this comment I realized I hadn't read the Holiday Special yet... so I did. And that does throw a minor monkey wrench into things here, since timeline wise that would have taken place after this story. Oh well, I can believe that the Crusaders would still get jealous of Sunset after reaching the minor realization they had here. I could more easily have said that they just bought into the Pinkie Promise, I s'pose,
5502285
It was actually supposed to be a not-so-subtle dig at folks who bashed Equestria Girls (and to some extent still do) simply for not being made of ponies. If you're gonna come down on it for plot holes and whatnot it's one thing, but there were people going nucking futz before the movie ever even came out, and that's just plain silly,
5505073
I know, right?! I had a straight-up nerdrage moment in the theater when Bandersnatch Cumberbun (or whatever) said that line. Everyone thought I was a freak... which I can't really argue with,
5522507
Mwa ha ha, don't worry I've got a really good one planned for 'ol Shiny next chapter,
I had a pretty good weekend! I've been working on a completely new story for the past week or so, and I finished the actual writing a couple of hours ago, so it should be up sometime soon! I'm gonna go read your latest update now, actually, and then I'm going to pass out for a bit,
DUNT DUNT DUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!
Oh oh oh oh oh!!! Wait just a SECOND...I caught something...
LOL!!! OH MY WORD!!!
This is why I LOVE Sonata! :rainbow laugh:
Good job! Can't wait to see what happens next....
'Cause Im on the edge of my seat!!!
5525630
O snap, I just realized there was a typo in the section of text you quoted,
FIXED!
Thank you good Sir or Madam, and I'm glad you're enjoying the ride!
And now I'm reading this fic of yours too, haha. xD I'm absolutely loving it so far! I've been laughing out loud quite a bit while reading.
Also, that little tender moment between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash really got me. I don't know why; it just felt so good. The small serious, down-to-earth moments like that sprinkled throughout are really awesome. It makes this story feel like more than a comedy, and also gets me more invested in the characters' endeavors.
5526581
Glad you like it!
I love those little serious moments too; I'm hoping to get a few more really good ones in with this story before all is said and done,
5526764
Awesome! I shall sit and anxiously await further chapters. ^-^
5534628
I think it's kind of like 'Dyslexics of the world, Untie!'
Dammit! For a second there I thought you had said there were other obscure show references in here. I was gonna mention "Sonnie-D! Do the thing!" And then I was gonna do a touchdown dance.
Way to spoil the heartfelt moment, Shining.
Of course.
This chapter is considerably more amusing now that Fluttershy has been shown to have weeaboo tendencies in the main show.