Coming Attractions

by Rouis

Chapter Eleven: Haygas Vacation Part One - Long Side

Coming Attractions
A MLP:FIM Fic
By Rouis & GaintGamer

Chapter Eleven Part One : Haygas Vacation- Long Side

Long Haul was having the greatest day ever. He had just met Princess Celestia, and she had appointed him as the new royal treasurer. It was going to be easy living from here on out, and nothing could get in his way. Not one of Silver Screen’s panic attacks, or one of Lemon Drop’s infamous pouty faces. He was good to go, if it wasn’t for the fact that all of this was obviously a dream. This was made even more obvious when the loud screaming from Silver Screen’s room brought Long Haul immediately back to the world of the waking.

“Aww come on.” Long Haul groaned as he lifted himself upright. He dashed out into the main room and slammed open the door to gently inquire about what was going on just as a vast light seemed to fade from the interior of Silver Screen’s lodgings. “What in the name of tartarus is going on it is three in the morning!” He yelled as the sight of what was going on entered his vision.

Silver Screen stood upright on his bed with the sheets thrown in various spots around the room. His horn gently glowing from an apparent light spell that had just been shot into space around him. “I thought I heard somepony coming into my room, so I kind of freaked out.” Long Haul watched as Silver Screen frantically searched the room looking for some kind of proof to back up his story, just as he saw Silver’s gaze slide upon the partially opened window the panicked pony spoke again. “I guess maybe it was just a weird dream, so go back to bed buddy. I think we all need the rest.”

With that Long Haul found himself being swept back into his room, and before he could protest he was back in his room with the door shut behind him. “Well that was weird, but in the scheme of things I think it could have been much weirder.” He cantered back over to his bed, and once again tried to embrace the waiting hooves of sleep. As he lay there still waiting for sleep to come Long Haul found that he thought he was forgetting something, and it was something important. “Ugh what am I forgetting, I checked in to the casino, and I remembered to feed Lemon Drop, but what for love of haycakes am I forgetting?” The large pony lay there tossing and turning as he wracked his brain for any hint of what knowledge lurked just outside of his grasp. Minutes turned to hours as he lay there, and tried to scrounge his memory. “Well I did kind of just spend the most exhausting few days of my life wandering the desert. So maybe I’m just exhausted. I’ll just get some sleep.” Unfortunately just as Long Haul found himself drift back into unconsciousness the door to his room slammed open. He snapped upright to to the sight of Silver Screen, and Lemon Drop grinning at him from the doorway.

“If you two are staging a coup d'etat this is wierdest beginning to one I have ever seen.” Long Haul groaned at his friends.

“Happy Birthday!” Silver Screen, and Lemon Drop happily cried in unison.

“And actually I believe it would be you three” Added a familiar white pegasus mare who slipped in between the two unicorns at the door.

“That’s right it is my birthday isn’t it?” Long Haul realized before noticing the third pony to enter the room. “Page Bound!” Long Haul said surprised by the sight of a friend from Trottingham. “What brings you out to Las Haygas?” He asked.

Page giggled at the question before answering him. “Well back when you three were in Hoofington our friend Silver here sent me a letter saying that he remembered your birthday would be approaching, and that it would be great if Java Chip, Short Stack, and I could make it to Haygas to celebrate it with you. Unfortunately Short Stack didn’t want Chip to travel with the foals on the way, and I was on the way here anyway for the Weather Convention.” The excited pegasus then grinned at the thought of the convention. “I’ve been coming ever since they started holding it here in the twin cities area, and not to mention that the guest list is huge! Can you believe they booked the author of the Daring Doo series? She’s only the most famous pegasus author in existence since Comet Cloud!” She gushed about meeting her idol until Silver Screen tapped on her back gently.

“Don’t you want to give him the package?” Silver suggested to the nerdy pegasus.

Page’s eyes lit up as she remembered her parcel, and nodded to Silver Screen before exiting the bedroom, and re-entering while she pushed in a large brown package bearing a tag that read:

To Big Red,
Happy Birthday!
-From your family in trottingham.

Page looked at the tag sentimentally before turning back to Haul. “It’s for you of course.” She said as she hefted the parcel up onto his bed. “They really do think of you two as their surrogate children. Java, and her husband I mean.” She then reached into one of her saddlebags, pulled out another envelope. This one was in a yellow envelope emblazoned with the seal of the mayor of Trottingham: A circle comprised of a lemon wedge, and a lime wedge. She passed the envelope to Lemon Drop who gulped at the sight of the seal.

“Well it was fun while it lasted guys.” Lemon Drop said with a sigh as she took the envelope in her magic. “I’m sure pops want’s me back home as soon as possible.”

“Actually” Page interrupted. “Your father is completely fine with you traveling. He said something about you finding your own way in life.” She said the last part with a deep voiced imitation of the mayor. She turned back to Long Haul and prodded him on. “Aren’t you going to open it?” She then gestured to the big brown box.

Long Haul nodded, then after two minutes of awkward ripping, and tearing at the wrappings it finally came undone. Long Haul’s eyes watered at the sight that met him in the box. “Guys, it’s beautiful.” Inside the box lay two things. A framed picture of Short Stack, and his Wife Java Chip outside of their diner back in trottingham, and finally a stack of his famous haycakes complete with syrup on the side. “This has got to be the greatest birthday ever!” He celebrated before he noticed a wrapped book at the bottom of the box. He carefully pulled the book out, and gingerly peeled off the ribbon before reading the title aloud. “Accounting, and You. The Common-Pony’s Guide to Bits: You Too Can Achieve a Hoard Worthy of a Dragon.”

Page ruffled her wings at hearing the title of the book. “That one is from me. I figured since you do most of the accounting for your group that you could use a bit of a helper.” She said before using a hoof to push her glasses back up the bridge of her face.

Suddenly a box suspended in a green field of magic made it’s way across the room, and over to Long Haul’s bed. “This one is from Lemon Drop, and I.” Silver Screen said before noticing the vast amount of items that now surrounded his friend. “Whoops, allow me.” Silver said as he unwrapped the box and levitated out a black tie with Long Haul’s cutie mark embroidered on it. He tied the tie around his friends neck before speaking again. “Happy birthday buddy sorry it’s not much, but I figured I can’t be the only suavely dressed stallion around here.” He said with a smile.

Long Haul smiled while looking down at the tie, which matched his coat, and mane perfectly. “Thanks Silver, and thank you Lemon Drop.” He then turned his gaze to Page Bound who seemed to be lost in thought. “Thank you as well Page. Go enjoy the convention.”

Page snapped back into the conversation. “Of course, and I’ll see you three at the performance tonight. I wouldn’t miss it for all the riches in Equestria.” With that she did a small bow before she turned around, and cantered out onto the balcony spread her wings, and launched herself off into Los Pegasus skyline making her way towards the convention center.

Lemon Drop carefully made her way out of the room giving a farewell. “Now if you two excuse me I’m going to go towards my room where I will obviously remain for the rest of the day, and not go on any exciting adventures in either city like you told me to. Nope, I’m just going to sit in my room all day, and wait for the performance.”

Once she was out of sight Long Haul turned to Silver Screen. “Why don’t you go out, and explore the city a little. I may join you later, but right now I just want to sit here and enjoy my company here.” With that said he looked down at the plate of haycakes, his eyes consumed with a burning desire.

Silver chuckled at the suggestion and nodded. “Alright maybe I will go exploring. I’ll see you later buddy.” With that he left the room, and a short while later the sound of the teleport rune being used rang through the room.

Long Haul looked back down at his birthday haycakes. “Alright now it’s just you, and me.” With that the second greatest haycake massacre in the history of Equestria began. He raised himself off the bed, and slid off onto his hooves making his way into the hotels bathroom. “I really need to be a less messy eater.” His muzzle was covered in bits of haycake, and sticky syrup. He gently wiped his face off, and went into the main room of their suite. “Well what now?” He asked himself as he looked around the room. “Lemon Drop is probably reading or something since she’s such a good girl. I guess I could go into the city.” It was then that he turned to the teleportation rune in their room, and noticed the large chest full of bits sitting open on it. “Sweet mother of Celestia this day gets better, and better!.” Long Haul screamed as he ran over to the chest, and read aloud the note sitting on top of the comically large pile of bits.

“Long Haul, this is the first half of the casino’s payment to you for your performance tonight. Depending on how things go, I may be looking to make you the new nightly performance at Celestia’s Palace. - Aces High. P.S. I can pay you double whatever the Neighlagio offers if they have said anything. I won’t let Fancy Pants get another!”

Between the thoughts of a potential contract, and Aces’ odd grudge against Fancy Pants Long Haul looked over the pile of bits. “There has to be at least ten thousand bits here.” He ran his hooves through the currency, and placed a few hoof-fulls into his saddlebags. “Comically oversized pile of bits, you are perhaps one of the best presents I’ve gotten so far today, don’t change.” He nudged the chest off of the teleportation rune and carefully trotted onto the glowing blue surface. “You know, he never did say how to use this thing to get back down. Do I just say something like Main Lobb-”

“--y” He finished as he found himself down the grand main lobby from the day before. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.” He said before trotting off the rune and out into the busy midday streets of Las Haygas. If the city was bustling during the twilight hours, than during the day it was even more so. Taxi carts lined the cobbled streets, and ponies were going every which way on their daily business. Due to presence of the cloud city overhead the entire city maintained the appearance of being in the early evening hours due to the shadows casted by the clouds. The fountains of liquid rainbow seemed to shimmer brightly as they cascaded down below. “Hmm where to now.” The crimson stallion pondered to himself as he looked at the buildings surrounding him. His eyes fell on one sign in particular though. “Sapphire Shores live in concert.” The sign itself depicted Ms. Shores beckoning the viewer over the the concert hall located under it. Before Long Haul knew what was going on he found himself waiting in line at the Neighlagio’s ticket booth purchasing one the concert.

The concert itself was a feat unto it’s own right. The multi-song performance involved at least twelve different costume changes with each outfit being more fabulous, and gem encrusted than the last. Ms. Shores herself hit all the right notes, and the light show along side the concert was great in an oddly familiar fashion. One that Long Haul just couldn’t place a hoof on as he pondered why the light show struck him as familiar. Once the show had ended he found himself standing near the front of the stage watching as the roadie-ponies moved various set pieces about getting ready for the next act.

One pegasus pony in particular noticed Long Haul standing there, and made his way over. This pony had a beige coat, and long flowing black mane that dwarfed Long Haul’s own in comparison. The only other stand out features he could see were the large black metal studded bracelets around each of the pony’s legs, and the flaming guitar he had for a cutie mark. “Sup” He greeted.

Long Haul noticed the member of the roadie crew and nodded in greeting. “Not much, The name is Long Haul, and yours?” He asked.

“Riggs” He replied. “Light Riggs would be my full name, and you’re looking at the lead tech director slash roadie for the Neighlagio Casino, and hotel.” Riggs gestured to Long Haul’s size. “You seem to have the right physique for the roadie life. Ever consider applying?” He asked while looking back at his crew to make sure everything was going okay.

Haul chuckled at pegasus stallion’s question. “Actually my talent does involve heavy lifting, but I’m already managing an act of my own. Two good friends, and I comprise our own traveling show. We actually have a performance tonight over at the Celestia’s Palace.” He said proudly. “It’s our Haygas debut.”

Riggs laughed in return. “Well then we have a big shot here don’t we? Well I better get back to work before the foreman comes down here, but you come back and tell me how it went okay? From one showpony to another.”

Just the pegasus finished speaking, a sultry voice called from one of the stage’s side wings. “Oh Riggs, I hope you aren’t lollygagging on the clock again.”

Riggs quickly spread his wings in surprise. “Yes Ms. De Lis!” He shouted before giving a nod to Long Haul, and zooming up into the rafters saying something about “untying the new guy”.

Haul simply tilted his head to the side before he made his way out of the building. “I hope I never become quite that whipped.” He said as he made his way back across the main street of the Haygas strip. Once he was back inside of the Celestia’s Palace lobby he was greeted by a waiting Lemon Drop.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to make it back here.” She said while tapping a hoof impatiently on the tile.

“I must confess I was also starting to get a little worried as to your location.” Aces High added as he trotted up from behind.

Long Haul raised an eyebrow at Aces’ demeanor. “Aces buddy are you alright? You sound a little different.” He stated as he watched the tycoon approach.

“I feel no different than I usually do.” Answered the suited pony as he looked Long Haul in the eye. “Now I feel that you understand the terms of our engagement today no? I need you two to provide a sort of distraction for our guests, and especially the VIP that will be attending tonight’s event. While that is going on I will propose my venue, and hopefully things will go for the better.”

Silver Screen ran in through the main doors, and huffed as he tried to catch his breath. “Sorry I’m late everypony. You would not believe the day I’ve had. Those ponies over at the Neighlagio are crazy!” He yelled.

Aces High shrugged. “I don’t know about that, I always thought the Neighlagio was a respectable place.” Replied Aces, who did a short bow before he trotted away.

Long Haul shook his head, and turned to whisper at Silver Screen. “I thought something was off about that pony, and now I know it!.” He then turned, and called out at the exiting tycoon. “Hey Aces!”

Aces High turned back around. “Long Haul is there something else I can do for you? I’m a very busy pony.”

Long Haul smirked before he laid his metaphorical cards on the table. “Yeah I want to know who you really are, because you damn sure aren’t Aces High.” He shouted as the various ponies in the lobby stopped what they were doing, and all turned to look at the exchange of words. “I may not know him that well, but I do know that he can’t stand anything about the Neighlagio. So I’ll ask you one more time. Who the buck are you?”

Silver Screen gasped at Long Haul’s sudden outburst. “Hey buddy I don’t think that’s any way to talk to our employer.”

The pony who claimed to be Aces High flashed a mad grin that bore not the normal teeth of a pony, but a jagged set of fangs. “Well played Long Haul, I must confess that for a moment I actually thought you had fallen for my ruse. When my subordinate reported that she had failed to subdue you, and the rest of your party in the night I feared briefly that my plans would falter, but I digress. We shall simply have to do away with you here, and now.” With that, the thing that claimed to be Aces High raised a hoof into the air and brought it down twice on the ground.

Long Haul looked at the ponies surrounding them, who now seemed to be giving them the same hateful glare that whatever the entity that claimed to be Aces High was giving them. “This can’t be good.” He said as the lights went out, and the sound of a harsh insectile hiss filled the lobby.

Author's Note:

Welcome to part one of the "Haygas Vacation" Mega Chapter. Excited to find out what's going to happen to them next? Well first we get to find out what happened to Silver Screen, and Lemon Drop throughout the day in Haygas. A big thanks to GaintGamer once again for editing this chapter. The chapter itself actually is dedicated to him as his birthday just passed by this week.

We are actually now looking for some Pre-Readers to help improve the quality of the story as well. You would get to read the chapter early on the condition that you can provide constructive feedback on the quality of the chapter, and the story therein. If you are interested just send me a PM on the site.

Comments

[musicluvr1974]

Changelings? Ooh, boy...! This is not good. (for your protagonists, I mean) Whassamatter? Queen Chryssy upset by the potential of some competition in the illusion business?