A Day in the Limelight

by Trish Hankins

Chapter 2-Audience Claps

Bon Bon’s alarm clock went off, and a loud and repetitive beeping filled the air. As the sound reached her ears, she jumped two hooves in the air. After she landed on her bed, she reached behind her stand and pulled the clock’s power cord from the wall. “One of these days I’m going to invest in a alarm clock that plays actual music!” Bon Bon said, as she left her room. She looked out the window, and saw a sky full of stars.

She walked down the hall, and knocked at Lyra’s room. A cheerful, “Come in!” came in response. Bon Bon opened the door to find Lyra at her desk, which was covered with books. “Still waking up early I see!” Lyra said with a large smile.

“Well, somepony has to make the candy before everypony in town wakes up,” Bon Bon answered, a smile almost as large as Lyra’s stretched across her face. She looked at the books that covered her friend’s desk: “Humans: Fact or Fiction?” by Rita Skeeler; “So Long and Thanks for All the Apples” by Douglas Pratchett; and “I Don’t Know and Therefore Humans” by George Kalostsu. Bon Bon sighed and said, “Really Lyra? More research into humans? I’ll admit you’ve shown me enough evidence that it’s likely they did exist, but them still being around? It’s insane.”

A small spark seemed to go off in Lyra’s eyes. “There have been hundreds of sightings of humans in Equestria for decades! It’s entirely possible they’re still around!” Lyra said. Bon Bon sighed, and gave Lyra a hug.

“You might be a crazy pony Lyra, but you’re my crazy pony. Be sure to go to bed soon, alright? You have a concert next week, and while practice helps, we both know that rest makes you play even better,” Bon Bon said, smiling as she did so. Lyra returned the expression.

“Don’t worry, Bon Bon. I’m oka—” Lyra interrupted herself with a long yawn. This drew a pointed stare from her friend. “Alright, I’ll go to bed soon. I should conk out in an hour or so.” Lyra said, as her tired state creeped into her words. Bon Bon sighed one last time and left the room.

Octavia was hard at work. Her desk lamp filled her room with light, and she sighed in exhausted triumph as she set her pencil down from her mouth. “Finally. After hours of work, I may be a third of the way through with the opening part of my concerto.” With that exclamation, her energy seemed to visibly drain from her face. She yawned loudly, then said, “It’s probably a good idea to go to bed. I can work on this more tomorrow.” She clicked her lamp off, walked over to her bed, and got in. Not a second after her head touched the pillow, the air filled with a sound she had gotten used to hearing within minutes of moving in with a DJ: wubs. Her bloodshot eyes opened, and as she jumped from her bed she growled, “Vinyl!” She quickly trotted up the stairs to Vinyl’s door, which she somehow slammed open. Again, sounding almost like a guttural roar, she said, “Vinyl!”

The DJ’s room was covered in empty soda and energy drink cans. Posters of bands from almost every genre covered her wall. (Classical was noticeably absent.) Her computer, several amps, and turntable were on the wall opposite the door and were emitting the sound that awake Octavia. To the right was her bed, covered in blue sheets. Ms. Scratch herself was to the left, working on an enormous contraption that resembled a bass amp in the way a tiger resembles a kitten. Vinyl looked up at her roommate with a smile, her music having drowned out Octavia’s cries. She shouted out, “Hey Octy! Did my music wake you up?”

Octavia’s eyes cooled down a little, and she narrowed them. She put her hoof behind her ear and yelled, “What?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes, then screamed louder than before, “I said, ‘Hey Octy! Did my music wake you up?’”

Octavia looked even more confused than before. “What?” She yelled, not quite reaching the decibel level Vinyl had.

Vinyl smiled a little wider, and yelled, “I said, ‘You’re adorable when you’re confused!’”

Octavia responded, “What?”

Vinyl started laughing so hard it seemed she was in danger of suffocation. Octavia starred on, her cheeks a little pink now. When Vinyl finally managed to calm down, she horn was covered in a gray light, and the dial to her amps slid down to 0. Even though the music was no longer playing, Octavia’s ears rang. Vinyl looked back at her friend and said, “Well hello there, Octy. What brings you to my lair of awesomeness?”

Octavia seemed to regain a fraction of the rage she had stormed in there with, and said, “Why are you playing your music so loud? It’s midnight for Celestia’s sake!”

Vinyl shrugged and replied, “That isn’t loud. It was on 5.”

Octavia gasped. “That was 5? Seriously? That was the loudest thing I’ve heard since, since...since the last time you played your music loud! I’d hate to see that thing at 10!”

“11,” Vinyl replied with a large grin.

Octavia’s hoof met her forehead. “What.”

“11. The amp’s max is 11, not 10,” Vinyl finished. Her smile was growing by the second, waiting for the response she knew Octavia would have.

“I know I’ve said this before Vinyl, but you’ve seen This is Bridle Tap far too many times. I’m starting to wonder if somehow the film is a carcinogen, and you’ve grown some kind of tumor that forces you to make that joke every two seconds!” Octavia finished. She was trying not to smile, but it was hard. Before they knew it, the two were laughing like children. “Honestly though Vinyl, I’m worried about our neighbors. What if we get complaints? We could get in trouble for disturbing the peace,” Octavia said, no longer smiling.

Vinyl smiled, though it was more strained than her usual grins. “That’s all you’re worried about? I must’ve never told you, right after I bought this place I spent a large chunk of my savings to soundproof the whole building. The only ponies who can hear my music are those in the house.” She turned away before adding, “Sorry for making you worry though. I’ll try to keep my music quieter around this time of night. I mean, I don’t live alone anymore, do I?”

Octavia smiled very brightly then, and gave Vinyl a hug. “No, you don’t. Why don’t you show me this new project you’re so hard at work on?”

Vinyl wiped a tear away from her face. When she turned back, her face was spread into her trademark million-watt smile. “I’m glad you asked Octy!”

Carrot Top looked up from her book, eyes widening as she saw the clock. “It’s already midnight? I better head off for bed,” she said as she closed her light novel. She set it on the table next to her couch, then walked out of the living room. As she trotted down the hallway, she heard an odd sound emanating from the kitchen. It sounded like somepony sobbing. Carrot rushed into the kitchen, and found Derpy sitting at the table. She had a muffin in front of her, but it hadn’t been eaten at all. Tears ran down Derpy’s face and onto her muffin and made it soggy.

As her roommate entered the kitchen, Derpy blinked. When she realized she wasn’t alone, her eyes widened and she tried to wipe the tears from her face. “Oh, sorry Carrot Top. I’m sorry if I woke you up. Don’t wo—” Before she could finish, Carrot Top was hugging her tightly. Rather than saying anything else, Derpy gave up any pretence of calm and sobbed into Carrot’s shoulder. They continued that, Derpy crying as Carrot held her, for quite a while before the mailmare finally calmed down.

When she seemed to be marginally better, Carrot disengaged herself from the hug and looked at Derpy with piercing eyes. “What happened?” The question was asked softly, but underneath it was obvious there would be no maneuvering away from it. Something was wrong and Carrot would find out.

Derpy sighed, then said, “While I was delivering letters this morning, somepony yelled at me. They insulted me and said I was just a bother to everypony.” With that last statement, it seemed like Derpy might start sobbing again, but she took a deep breath and regained control.

Carrot’s face scrunched up in thought, then she said, “I thought this was obvious, but I’m your friend Derpy. You aren’t a bother.” There was steel underneath her voice, an iron conviction that what she said was the truth.

Both of Derpy’s eyes looked away from Carrot, but in opposite directions. “But, but I cause you so much trouble! You provide a home for me and Amethyst and Dinky, and we eat your food and—” Before she could continue, Carrot’s right hoof covered her mouth.

“No. You are my friend, and your children are like nieces to me. You’re part of my family now Derpy, and that means we take care of each other. Don’t ever think that you’re a bother to me.” After that Carrot smiled, and the facial feature proved infectious as it bloomed on Derpy’s face as well. With that taken care of, a fire seemed to light in Carrot Top’s eyes. “Now, who said this to you?”

Derpy chuckled, and said, “No way am I telling you. I’m afraid you might put them in the hospital.”

Carrot Top rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, what they said deserves at least one broken leg. Maybe two.”

The pegasus smiled, but when she responded it was clear that she wouldn’t budge on the matter. “No. I don’t want anypony hurt on my account.”

As the moon reached the apex of the sky, two figures watched the town from the outskirts. They looked over Ponyville, and could see no lights. “Good, the town is asleep. Cast the spell.” The voice came from the taller of the two, a small laugh in his words.

A small aura of light blue energy formed around the smaller of the two’s horn. The unicorn grunted in effort, as her spell went out over the town.

The Mayor was sleeping soundly in her room, so soundly in fact that her snores reached the street outside. Suddenly, a light blue aura covered her head. It did not dissipate. As it took hold of her mind she stopped all movement and her snoring ceased.

On the floor there lay a purple mare, a bottle of alcoholic origins a few hooves away. She was sleeping quietly, her face still flushed. A blanket had been laid across Berry Pinch, and her daughter was snuggled against her. The same light blue aura as before covered both of their heads as well, stopping the foal from moving in her sleep.

After several minutes, the aura faded from the unicorn’s horn. The other figure turned to her and asked, “Is it done? Did the spell work?” She was breathing heavily, her breath shown in the cold air in front of her. She nodded in answer. The tall figure beamed, and turned towards the forest at his back. “My army! Operation Midnight Coup has begun! To your duties!”

“...and then Pinkie said, ‘Oatmeal? Are you crazy!?’” Derpy said to finish her story. She laughed at the conclusion, while Carrot Top stared in horror. Derpy noticed the look, and asked, “What’s the matter Carrot?”

“Oh, nothing, just reevaluating my friendship with Pinkie Pie. After that story I might be a little scared of her.” Derpy chuckled to herself, and started to answer. Before she could, her ears shot up.

“What’s that noise?” Derpy dashed out of the kitchen. Carrot Top looked at the door, then tried hearing anything herself. She didn’t hear a thing. She shrugged and followed Derpy outside. There they found Octavia, Vinyl, Lyra, and Bon Bon also standing outside. From out here even Carrot could hear the sound Derpy had mentioned. It filled the air, still quiet but getting steadily louder every second. The sound of many footsteps, walking in perfect synchronization.

((Author’s Note: A “Hoof” or plural “Hooves” are the Equestrian equivalent of a “Foot” and “Feet” in measurement. Ponyville is one of the few places that still uses it, most having converted to metric. Also, I thank my prereaders Moonshooter and Pav Feira for their work on the previous chapter. I am in need of prereaders who have a decently open schedule for commenting. Please email me if you’d like to help.))

Comments

[Frankie]

A sleep army. Been awhile since I heard of this. I'll wait to see what happens next.