16: Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song - Part One.
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song - Part One.
Chapter published 16th August 2013.
**********************
Crouching down on his haunches so he could peer through a small gap in the curtains, Lero nervously glanced out into the main showroom of Carousel Boutique. On the far side of the ‘stage’ sat tonight’s audience, just milling about amongst themselves or engaging in idle chat as they awaited the evening’s grand perfomance.
Letting the curtain fall closed once more, Lero fussed at his shirt for what must must have been at least the hundredth time as Lyra quietly came up behind him, both of them hidden from the crowd’s view by the large red velvet barrier of Rarity’s best runway curtains.
“Hey, Fingers. How are you doing? You okay?” Lyra reached out with a forehoof and used it to gently turn her stallion’s head towards her and away from his shirt buttons. Much more scrutinising and they’d probably burst into flames pretty soon.
“Please, you don't have to be so nervous.” the mint green unicorn reassured, rubbing the soft frog of a forehoof against the human’s face. “We’re all friends here, there’s nothing to be scared of.”
Reaching up with both of his hands, Lero took Lyra’s hoof and held it against against his cheek, the slight tremor in his extremities receding as he wrapped his long fingers around the soft fur coating her ankle.
“I know, i know.” Lero sighed “It’s just a touch of performance anxiety, that’s all. I used to get it all the time at school.” The human pursed his lips and blew out a short whistle. “Boy, that feels like a whole lifetime ago now.”
Releasing his herdmate’s hoof he drew back his grasp and started making these strange movements with his hands, running the fingers of one hand back and forth over the back of the other hand before twisting his hands around each other, the repeating the movement with the fingers of the other hand. Lyra always found her mate’s hand movements fascinating and to her it looked very much like he was rubbing his hands under some kind of imaginary tap or faucet, trying desperately to wash away some unseen dirt or grime.
“Hey, you’ll be fine.” Lyra let her forehoof rest on the human’s shoulder. “Remember, I’m here with you, okay? And I’ll be less than a body-length away at pretty much all times.”
“I know. Thank you again by the way.” Lero leant forward and planted a quick, gentle kiss on the unicorn’s lips. “I appreciate it, really, I do.”
“Jus cos Ah’m helping’ out as well...” Applejack’s country accent came from over Lyra’s shoulder “...don’t mean ya gotta go kissin’ me too.”
The tension broken by the farm mare’s jovial interruption, Lero let loose a small laugh.
“Ooh, I don't know...” Time Turner added from the rear of the small ‘backstage’ area. “I wouldn't mind.’ With that he gave the group a cheeky smile coupled with an equally cheeky wink.
“Watching or receiving?” Lyra asked, one of her infamous sly smiles making its way across her features.
“Either.” The light brown stallion replied as he lifted a forehoof to his mouth to blow Lero a theatrical kiss.
More laughter followed from all four present as whatever tension had remained decided to clock off for the night and left them all to it.
“You see, We’re all friends here,” Lyra smoothed out the front of Lero’s shirt with her magic. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Everything’s going to be just fine.”
“Ok, you've got me. I'm just being silly.” Lero reached over to rub Lyra’s left ear for a second before turning to Time Turner. “Speaking of which, what on Earth are you wearing? Where’s your usual tie?”
“What, this?” Turner motioned to the strip of dark red fabric around his neck that he’d been working on for the last few minutes. “I’m trying out different types of ties. I’m wearing bow ties this week. Bow ties are cool.”
Lero, Lyra and AJ all shared an amused look before the human gave his friend an encouraging nod.
“Well, if you say so. It’s certainly... something”
As all four of them made the last of their mental preparations, AJ briefly poked her face through the curtain before pulling it back and grabbing her hat from a nearby chair.
“Looks like everypony’s about here.” She settled the hat on her head, taking a second to get it positioned just right. “Ah think it’s time ta get ourselves out there. Well, Handy, Ah’ll see ya out on stage.”
Pushing the edge of the curtain aside with a forehoof, AJ made to step outside but stopped for a second to glance over her shoulder at the human.
‘Yule do fine, Sugarcube, trus’ me.”
And with that she slipped through the curtain and into the main room beyond.
As the curtain swished closed behind the farm pony, the sound of applause making its way through the fabric, Time Turner gave Lero a rakish grin before he pulled a dark red fez seemingly from nowhere and popped it on his head. With a cry of ‘ALLONS-Y’ he was through the cloth barrier and gone.
So now it was just the two herd mates left behind the curtain. As the rhythm of exuberant clopping (the pony equivalent of clapping AND NOTHING ELSE) came through the partition, Lero pulled himself up to his full height and leant back against a wall.
“I can’t believe I’m about to do this. I must be mad. I can't go out in front of this many people.”
“Come on now. Fingers.” Lyra brought herself up onto her hind legs so she could press herself against his broad chest. “You know it’s just friends out there. The big show isn't for another couple of weeks yet so we’ve got plenty of time to iron out the wrinkles.”
“Okay, okay” Lero lifted a hand to stroke his mare’s mane. “You’re right... again.”
“Yes, I am. “ Lyra leant in, pushing her barrel tighter against the human’s chest while using her lips to tickle his ear. “And later on maybe I can-”
Whatever she was about to suggest, promise or generally titillate the human’s senses with was interrupted by Pinkie Pie’s head suddenly appearing through the curtain next to them.
“Hey there you saucy things you. Are you ready? Or should we give you another minute... or twenty?” PInkie’s normal grin was known for being quite large, but the one gracing her face now was starting to approach her ears, for some reason making Lero half expect her mane to burst into flames.
“Ahem, I... we... erm.” Lero stuttered. “Are you ready?”
“Oh, I was born ready... I am ready ready ready.” The pretty pink party pony enthused as she waggled the brass horn hanging from a silk cord across her shoulders. “If I was any readier I wouldn't be a Pinkie Pie, I’d be a Reddie Pie.... Which doesn't sound as good as Pinkie Pie does it? Oooh, Redcurrant Pie? Oh no, my second cousin twice removed has that one already... Or was it my third cousin once misplaced? Or could it be my thirteenth cousin lost in space?”
By this point Pinkie’s head had managed to rotate in a clockwise direction by what looked to be least a full three hundred and sixty degrees. As she scratched her chin, pondering the intricacies of the Pie family's familial connections, her head span back towards its normal position, overshooting slightly and shaking a few times before settling back into normal alignment.
As a professional masseuse Lero had spent a considerable amount of time in the last year studying pony musculature and bone structure and for the life of him he still couldn’t figure out how the heck Pinkie did some of the things she did without making at least half of her body parts fall off.
“The fine line between genius and insanity.” Lero muttered almost silently before he’d even realised what he’d said.
“Yep, that’s me.” Pinkie beamed before she leaned further forward, the rest of her body somehow (and rather improbably) managing to stay outside of the curtain, as she stage whispered “And if I'm really lucky then sometimes all the voices actually start to agree”.
Pursing her lips as if to whistle, Pinkie instead made a loud noise which sounded very much like ‘cuckoo’ before grinning some more.
“Just remember what Granny Pie used to say; ‘If you get nervous, just imagine the audience in their underwear’.”
This particular piece of advice left the human a little stunned.
“But ponies don't wear underwear!” he uttered.
“I know! And that‘s what makes it so funny.” the exuberant earth pony guffawed. “Just try imagining Twilight in a silky purple basque, or Dashie in a wispy see-through camisole... soon any thoughts you had of that big, scary audience will be the last thing on your mind.
“You could even try imagining me if you like.” Pinkie added with a wink.
Seeing that Lero was somewhat distracted by a unrequested (though maybe not unwelcome) selection of mental images, Pinkie leant even further forward and bopped his nose with a forehoof, causing a loud ‘honk’ noise to come from somewhere. Lyra had no idea where it had come from though.
“I think you might not be helping here, Pinkie.” Lyra laughed as she gave up on trying to figure out where the strange noise had originated from. “Looks like you broke him.“
“What? Sorry.” Lero shook himself in an attempt to free himself of these distractingly sexy ideas. “Mmmmmm, yeah, oh. Remind me to talk to Rarity later. I’ve got an idea for a commision. Say, do you ponies know what a corset is or is that just a human thing?”
“See, what did I tell you?’ Pinkie waved her forehooves in a wide arc above her head, which was now somehow back nestled between the rich fabric of the curtain. “Kapow! Your stage fright is no more.”
Lero laughed as he reached out to rub between Pinkie’s ears. “Yeah, you're right, Thanks, Pinkie.”
“Any time.” the earth pony’s eyes started to cross as she looked up at the human’s hand within her poofy mane. “Hey, that tickles. He he.”
As the human pulled his hand back the party pony blew a very wet raspberry at him.
“You’re gonna be super duper, I just know it. Madame Pinkie Pie knows the truth, sees the truth, speaks the truth... and takes both cash and cards. By the way, I favour fluffy pink negligee in candy striping myself. Break a leg, toodles.”
And as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone, leaving Lero and Lyra staring at the edge of the curtain flapping about in the breeze her sudden departure had left behind.
“That was very...” Lero started.
“Pinkie?” Lyra offered,.
“Yes. Very.”
“Well, time to face the music, lover boy.’ Lyra gave her stallion another hug and a quick kiss. “See you on the other side.”
Dropping back onto all four hooves, Lyra stood and faced the curtain, her usual whimsical aura being superseded by that of a strictly professional, no-nonsense musician as she stepped through and into the limelight. As the curtain fell closed behind her, strains of applause came from the other side, the sounds of hoofbeats reaching the human’s ears.
“Okay, Lero, old boy, time to face your public.” he said as he steeled him for what, at that moment in time, felt like it was going to be one of the most nerve wracking few steps of his life. .
“Just try not to imagine any ponies in their underwear. That'd just be weird.”
After taking a deep breath, Lero reached out, pulled back the curtain and walked out onto the stage.
*****************
*****************
Through the streets of Ponyville hurried a gray pegasus mare, her booted hooves disturbing the thin layer of snow that lay on the ground all around her. The first snowflakes of winter had fallen just a few days before and the whole town still held that magical look of peace, tranquility and pristine beauty that only fresh snow could bring,
Riding upon the mare’s back, tucked safe between her mother’s wings, was a young unicorn filly, acting as navigator during their short journey through their hometown’s rapidly darkening streets. They had an important gathering to get to and it wouldn’t do to be late.
Spying their destination, the town’s favourite (even if they generally wouldn't admit it) mailmare broke into a gentle trot, her daughter squealing in delight at the sudden turn of speed. Derpy wasn’t that fast when on solid ground - or when off it for that matter - and they both knew it. That didn’t stop either of them from playing pretend. Dinky loved her mother dearly and, as far as the pale violet filly was concerned, everything she did was just perfect.
*************
As the bell above Carousel Boutique’s door rang for what must have been the twentieth time that evening, Rarity turned to greet this evening’s newest arrival.
“Ditzy, darling... and Miss Dinky. How lovely to see you both.” The unicorn moved to attend to the newest of tonight’s arrivals as Dinky hopped off of her mother’s back.
“I’m so sorry we’re late.” Derpy started to apologise as she struggled to remove her galoshes before their thin covering of snow started to melt all over Rarity’s nice clean floor. “I just don’t know what went wrong.”
“Think nothing of it, my dear.” Rarity replied as she took the damp hoofwear and placed it with the many others like it along the wall next to the door. There was a specially placed rug for them to sit on of course, a shrewd businessmare such as she found it always paid to think ahead. “You’re not late at all. In fact, our star attraction is still getting ready backstage.”
After making sure the boots were positioned just right, Rarity motioned towards a pair of earth ponies, both of which with large silver trays on their backs, making their way around the small crowd of guests gathering around the room.
“Pinkie Pie and Bon Bon have graciously provided refreshments if you’d like a drink or a little something to nibble on.” Leaning in closer to Derpy so that young Dinky couldn’t overhear she added “And Big McIntosh has gifted us with some refreshment with a touch more kick if a little tipple takes your fancy... a seasonal winter warmer if you will.”
Derpy looked over to where Big Mac was sitting at the edge of the room, a selection of Sweet Apple Acre’s labeled bottles and a large silver tureen of what was probably warm winter cider sitting on the table next to him.
“Maybe I’d better not.” Derpy sighed as she looked over at her daughter who by now had wandered off to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders on the other side of the room. “I might start bumping into things... again.”
“Well you know where he is if you change your mind, my dear.” Rarity assured. “And should you find yourself a tiny touch too ‘merry’ then you are more than welcome to stay the night here. Sweetie Belle’s friends will be having a sleepover and I’m sure they’d be more than happy to have Dinky join them.”
Leaning over towards the pegasus, Rarity whispered again. “And just between you and I, the more of Big McIntosh’s stock we can keep from the hooves of either Rainbow Dash or Rumble Oldenberg the better. The last time the two of them engaged in a drinking contest it took four of us to carry the two of them out of Frosty Mug’s bar. Then it took three more days for poor Lero to fix all the damage.”
Following the line of Rarity’s subtle head motions, past the likes of Mayor Mare and her stallion, and Rarity’s parents, Derpy could see the imposing form of Lero’s colleague from the Ponyville Spa on the other side of the room. Flanked by both Aloe and Lotus, the large Neightherlands pony completely dwarfed her much smaller (and more streamlined) employers.
“Oh, please don’t let her appearance fool you.“ Rarity quickly added, not wanting to give the mailmare the wrong idea. “She’s an absolute sweetheart and would never dream of hurting a living soul. It’s just that once she’s had a drink or two she tends to forget her own strength.”
Letting her gaze fall to the floor, Derpy gave a long sigh.
“Yeah.” She muttered, more to herself than to anypony else “I know the feeling.”
**********************
Resting the ladle back in the large bowl of warm cider, Big Mac watched yet another satisfied customer carry their drinks back to their friends or family. Not that the draft pony would have ever dreamed of charging Due Diligence for the two glasses of cider was carrying back to his herdmate, not tonight anyway. And it had nothing to do with Due Diligence being Mayor Mare’s stallion, not one little bit. Big Mac didn’t hold with all that ‘not charging local officials in order to gain favour’ business. It just seemed totally dishonest to him and not at all the Earth pony way. Not one little bit.
No, the reason he was here happily hoofing over Sweet Apple Acre’s stock without charge was that tonight was a big night for his best friend. Lero had been fretting about performing in front of a crowd for a few months now and, when Miss Rarity had suggested holding a smaller pre-show practice event at her shop with just a few friends and colleagues, everypony involved had jumped at the chance to help make the evening a success.
“Errr, hello.’ Came a timid voice from somewhere behind the Apple family stallion.
Turning in place he found Miss Fluttershy doing her best to make herself as small as possible, which she was very good at. Behind the obviously nervous pegasus stood Miss Cheerilee, a mischievous smile (which Big Mac recognised from their time together at Ponyville Elementary all those years ago) plastered across her features and a rather-more-narked-than-usual white rabbit sitting within her two-tone pink mane, glaring daggers at the farm pony from over his fluffy white folded arms.
“Miss Fluttershy” Big Mac rumbled before he remembered to lighten his tone just a touch. “Ah... um... err...”
From behind the pegasus's back, Cheerilee waved a foreleg at the cider bowl and then at Fluttershy before pulling her forehoof back to her face to make a ‘drinky drinky’ motion.
“Can ah get you ah drink?” Big Mac asked quickly. Contrary to popular opinion, the draft pony was actually quite quick on the uptake... when his nerves weren’t doing their best to sabotage his plans at least.
“Um, yes please, If, if that’s okay.” Fluttershy whispered from under her mane, “Could I have a mug of cider, if it’s not a hassle?”
“Ah course not, Miss Fluttershy. Ya’ can have whatever yew like. It’s no problem.” Mac made to pour out some cider into one of the smaller mugs from the table, being extra careful that he didn’t spill any. He tended to get clumsy when he got nervous.
“Umm, thank you, Big Mac, that’s very kind of you.” As Fluttershy took the drink from the stallion’s hoof, she let a touch more of her face peek out from under her mane. “Um, would it be okay for Cheerilee to have one too?”
“Ah, of course.”
As Big Mac moved to pour out a second beverage Cheerilee spoke up, a definitely flirty tone to her voice which made him look up from his task as his childhood friend caught his eye.
“Unless you fancied making me an apple spritzer?” Cheerilee’s eyes moved from Big Mac’s over to Fluttershy and then back to the farm pony. “Or both of us maybe?”
The draft pony almost dropped his ladle into the half filled mug at this point. He’d suspected for a long while now that the schoolteacher was actually attracted to him and had been dropping (not so) subtle hints in his direction that she’d like to take their ‘friendship’ further, but this was the first time she’d been so upfront or public about it.
But then, nopony within earshot would know quite what Cheerilee had meant with that seemingly innocent request. Nopony but the intensely blushing farm pony. Thank Celestia that his fur colouring would keep anyone, especially Miss Fluttershy, from noticing the rapidly reddening state of his cheeks.
“Ah, errr, Ah think Ah’d need some sparklin’ water fer that.” Mac stuttered, casting about the table for anything he could use. Soda water? Lemonade maybe?
“Here you go!” PInkie cried as she dropped a small bottle of sparkling water on the table in front of them before disappearing back into crowd just as quickly as she had arrived.
“Ah think, maybe that can be arranged.” Mac said as he gave Cheerilee a shy smile.
*****************
“So how is everypony over here?” Rarity asked as she made her way to where Twilight Sparkle was sitting on a cushion on the showroom floor. Earlier in the day Lero and Big Mac had moved all of the boutique’s stock, equipment and vast collection of extravagantly and elaborately coutured ponyquins to the workroom out back. While the boys had worked, the master seamstress herself had personally relocated the more delicate or expensive of her works up to the safety of her apartment up above the store.
For almost an hour now the town librarian had been camped out in the same spot - front row, right in the middle, directly in front of the stage. She’d plonked herself down literally seconds after she and Rainbow Dash had arrived and hadn’t moved since, occasionally sending her pegasus herd mate off on excursions for nibbles and other refreshments.
“I’m fantastic.” Twilight gushed, bouncing a little in place. “And I’m very excited... maybe a little bit nervous too.. but mainly excited.” The bouncing ceased as the unicorn suddenly crossed her hind legs under herself. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have had Rainbow bring me all those mugs of cider. But I’m not moving, somepony might steal my place and I can’t have that. I need to be right here where Lero can see me.”
“No pony’s going to ‘steal’ your spot, Twilight dear.” Rarity waved her hoof to indicate the bathroom at the back of the boutique. “But just to be on the safe side, why don’t I... ahh, protect your spot while you attend to your business? We can’t have you having to rush off part way through the performance now, can we?”
“Rarity, you’re such a good friend.” Twi enthused as she daintily rose from her cushion, just to make a mad dash through the crowd and off to the little filles’ room.
While her lavender friend was indisposed. Rarity made herself at home on Twilight’s cushion, giving the occasional wave or nodded greeting to any pony that looked her way. After a few minutes a rather relieved Twilight reappeared and the fashionista rose to relinquish her temporary seat.
“Thanks, Rarity.” Twilight said as she nudged her cushion slightly to the left, then back again, then a horn-width or so further from the stage while pulling her saddlebags just a touch closer. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you.” Stepping onto the cushion she turned clockwise in place a couple of times before settling herself back into her spot.
“Indeed’ Rarity replied dryly as she elegantly settled herself down on a free cushion to her fellow unicorn’s left-hoof-side.
“Thank you for suggesting this.” Twi motioned around the room with her horn. “Lero’s been so nervous recently about performing in front of the whole town that I’ve no idea how Lyra ever talked him into it in the first place. I think this is just what he needed to ease him into it.”
“Think nothing of it, darling.” A twitching at the middle of the curtain at the back of the stage caught Rarity’s eye and she could have sworn that, just for a moment, she could see a glimpse of pink skin and red hair through the gap. “I know how stressful the run up to a successful fashion show can be. A quick run-through beforehoof with friends can work wonders to sooth the butterflies.”
“You’re so right. I was so nervous about my presentation to the university board earlier in the year that I think Lyra knows the finer points of my speech on ‘Polyformulaic Subthaumic Multicasting’ better than I do by now.”
Twi glanced over to the back of the room where the CMC (and Dinky) were ‘helping’ to clear the last of the vol au vents from Bon Bon’s tray... a task they were accomplishing by stuffing as many of the few leftover morsels into their mouths as they could. As the girls picked the tray clean in what must have been record time, it was easy to see the cutie marks on both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s flanks, as well as the lack of cutie mark on Sweetie Belle’s own. As she was the oldest of the group, even if only by a matter of months, her lack of cutie mark had become something of a sore point for the young unicorn.
“I'm sorry you had to miss taking Sweetie and the girls to Canterlot for the weekend to watch Princess Luna release the first snowflakes of winter just so you could help Lero set all this up,”
“Pish posh, my dear.” Rarity watched as Pinkie Pie came out of the Boutique’s Kitchen, a brass horn around her neck and a fresh tray of nibbles on her back, creating a whole new source of plunder for the four excited fillies. “Mother and father had a simply fabulous time taking the three of them to the big city for a few days. It was an awfully big adventure for them all and it gave the girls a chance to ‘run riot’ without their big sisters being there to rein them in. There will always be other winters to enjoy together, that’s the beauty of it all.”
As the fashionista took in one more view of the stage, with its four plain wooden stools (three short and one tall) each with a selection of instruments surrounding it, the middle of the stage curtain was pulled open, Applejack stepping partway through the gap before stopping mid stride to look back over her shoulder.
‘Yule do fine, Sugarcube, trus’ me.” the farmpony said to someone behind her before proceeding the rest of the way onto the stage, letting the curtains fall closed behind her.
After making her way to the middle of the stage, the pale orange mare went to give a small bow to the audience but caught herself halfway when she saw the sour expression that Rarity was throwing her way, instead giving a unsteady curtsey that left the white unicorn looking much more satisfied.
As the Apple mare made her way to the stool on the far right of the stage, which had propped up next to it a violin with a pair of bows in one stand and a banjo in another, many of the gathered crowd stomped their forehooves on the ground in applause while those few already seated on the provided cushions clopped their forehooves together.
As Applejack settled onto her seat, a cry of ‘ALLONS-Y’ could be heard coming from between the curtains, followed in swift order by Time Turner bursting onto the stage wearing what was probably the silliest hat Ponyville had ever seen.
“What?” The exuberant stallion asked the crowd as they stamped and clopped in applause at his appearance on the stage, and not at all at the silliness of his headwear. “It’s a fez... I wear fezzes now.”
As he gave a hurried bow (almost losing the silly hat in the attempt) and made his way to his stool on the far left of the stage, which was surrounded by a selection of drums and cymbals, any audience members who had remained standing up until now made their way to any free cushions that they could find. Rainbow flapped her way over the seated crowd to the spot that Twilight had saved her in the front row while, for some strange reason, Cheerilee had managed to maneuver Fluttershy onto a cushion off to one side of the room between the herself and Big Mac.
From out of nowhere Pinkie had managed to bounce her way onto the stage (her own instrument jaggling around on its cord the entire way; how she never hit herself in the face with it was any pony’s guess) and stuck her head through the side of the curtains and into the backstage area.
For a few moments all that could be seen was a pink derriere (with an even pinker tail attached) wiggling around on the edge of the stage. After while a pink poofy mane and associated grin (with a head attached almost as an afterthought) reappeared before Pinkie bounced her way back to the rear of the room. Once there she made herself at home next to a small table covered in more polished brass than Ponyville town hall’s trophy cabinet.
Seconds later, Lyra Heartstrings appeared though the curtain, the unmistakable air of a professional musician radiating from her body the entire time. As she gave a perfect curtsey not a movement was wasted, not a muscle moved too far or not far enough. Silently she made her way to her stool which was positioned next to Applejack’s, her clàrsach and bodhrán waiting for her on the ground nearby. Whether it be as a martial artist or as a musician, once Lyra had her game face on then her every movement, every note, every breath, was perfection itself.
With the stage set and all but their star player present, Rarity reached out with her telekinesis and dimmed the boutique’s lights while next to her Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated on her pyrokinesis.
Around the edges of the room dozens of strategically placed candles burst into life one after the other, the ring of tiny flames encircling the audience as they flickered and flared.
As the assembled guests ‘ooh’ed and ‘aah’ed, the man behind this crisp winter’s night’s performance stepped out from between the curtains to greet his eager audience.
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Ooooh, wonder what he is going to sing. This is going to be fun.
YUSSSSSSSSSSSS~! I was JUST looking through an email from a site I get goth/punk/steampunk/weird articles of clothing from, and it was primarily corsets. Corsets are amazing.
I love you even more. Also, quite interested to see the second part; I wonder if I will know the song.
Ladies and gentlemen: I present to you Pinkie Pie flirting.
3050867
Pinkie Pie doesn't flirt, she takes. Especially when it comes to fugelhorns.
3050889
Yeah, I get the impression she just implanted the idea of her in that outfit just as a prelude for her showing up in it and seducing the whole herd.
<Rainbow Dash> *Happily exhausted.* Not that I'm complaining... But how did she convince us all to do that? I'm bent!
<Twilight Sparkle> *Panting in exhaustion* I guess... Haah... Everyone's straight for Pinkie...
“Neightherlands”, I'm going to remember that! Definitely useful.
Would you mean “charging” instead? Dat wascaly wabbit—I mean—“R”!
And behold! We again witness the manifestation of the bizarre power of the coincidence and pun across alternate realities…
These two paragraphs may be the best summary of Pinkie Pie that I've ever seen.
Also, excellent job in raising the tension throughout the chapter. Curse you for not actually giving us the payoff yet.
I look forward to it. 
This will be great!
HAH! CALLED IT!
3053127
It's also kinda adorable and amazing seeing the cultural differences- Cherilee is playing matchmaker... and including herself in the match.
Epic
damn no song yet! >< and pinkie flirting is damn hilarious and I LOVE time turners (Doctor whooves) psuedo flirting with Lero xDD damn hilarious and the way I act sometimes
Mac X Cheerilee X Fluttershy? Works for me.
We all know this feeling, Derpy.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/7/19/50107__safe_twilight+sparkle_rainbow+dash_pinkie+pie_fluttershy_rarity_applejack_meme_derpy+hooves_feels.jpg
Update: I'm slightly frustrated a little by "lol random" chapter order.
TheQuietMan, if you have a responsibility for this, you must at least give us a Manual How To Read it in order. WITH HYPERLINKS!
1) capital I 2) comma, not period, after know 3) period after sighed
And a missing period again. Multiple times of missing punctuation at the end of dialog.
Double capitals in her name. Happens later on, too.
I imagine that more overweight ponies probably do.
Fezzes, on the other hoof...
Smooth. ;]
Subtle. Reeeal subtle.