As one would expect on a bright and sunny Saturday, the town of Canterlot was abuzz with activity. Everyone, and especially the students of Canterlot High, were out and about trying to enjoy the day as much as possible. But, without question, one of the more popular destinations of the town today was the local movie theatre. Here, many of the teens had gathered, hoping to watch some new and exciting blockbuster, or merely a comedy or two with their friends. But, there was a particular group who, at this moment, were currently just standing around to one side inside the theatre, looking on at everybody else there. Sunset, Flash, Aria, Wiz and Tom, sitting on one of the many benches within the lobby, looking many different shades of bored.
"How long has she been now?" Aria asked.
Sighing, Sunset answered.
"You saw the size of the lines, Aria. Maud's gonna take a while."
The Siren grumbled at that, leaning back against the wall with her arms folded, a sure sign of annoyance. As for Flash, he looked around at some of the other youngsters here, many of whom he recognised from school.
"You know...I don't think I've been here in months."
Wiz looked over to him, shrugging his shoulders.
"To be fair, there hasn't really been anything good lately. Remember that one...well...they called it a comedy, but..."
A round of nods, not to mention groans of irritation, spread throughout the group, with Tom being the one to voice their thoughts on the matter.
"It was...un-amusing."
Looking to Maud's date, Sunset cracked a smile.
"That's one way to put it."
Turning to his own girlfriend, Wiz looked a tad nervous for a moment before finally getting a word out.
"Do, um...do you like coming to the movies a lot, Aria?"
To that, Aria shrugged her shoulders.
"Meh, never really been my thing. My sisters and I always argue about what to see. Usually it's either some kiddy flick for Sonata, or some chick-flick for Adagio."
Sunset looked to her with curiosity.
"Really? I wouldn't have thought Adagio was into that kind of thing."
A chuckle escaped the Siren's lips.
"Yeah, she mostly just waits to see if there's any steamy moments."
Sunset looked away, nodding with a knowing smirk.
"Ah, yes, that I'd expect of her."
Hearing that brief exchange, Wiz couldn't help but blush, leading to Aria giving a smirk of her own, before promptly wrapping one arm around his shoulder and holding him tightly.
"Ah, don't sweat it, kid. Chances are, Maud'll just go for a documentary about pebbles or something."
"That would be most entertaining," Tom added.
His companions gave him an odd look, but said nothing for the time being. For it was here when Maud finally returned, having managed to escape the hectic crowds gathered around the ticket office. As she approached her friends, they all got up off the bench at last, with Sunset taking a step forward.
"Did you get them okay?"
Maud nodded, holding up, six shining movie tickets, much to the delight of her friends. Taking them into her hands, Sunset smiled, before then casting a glance at those around her.
"So, anyone want any soda or popcorn before we go in?"
Flash shook his head at that, pointing to the back-pack he had on him.
"No need, brought some from home."
Wiz looked to him with concern.
"Isn't that illegal?"
But Flash shook his head.
"Not really. They just ask that you let them know before taking it into the screening."
Sunset nodded to that, turning her head over to the nearby popcorn counter, which, naturally, had a huge line stretching back from it.
"And the popcorn?"
Maud spoke up to that.
"I looked it over while I was getting the tickets. They sell their smallest buckets at twenty-five dollars."
All of them gave her looks that made it clear how shocked and appalled they were at such a notion, which the obvious exception of Tom, who simply looked at her with that usual blank stare of his. After a few moments of silence, Sunset cleared her throat, turning to the rest of them.
"You know...on second thoughts, we don't really need popcorn, do we?"
The moment she'd asked the question, there was a frantic shaking of heads, giving her a very clear answer to that. Smiling once more, she gestured over to a nearby door, and together, the six of them began to make their way towards it. After opening the thing, they looked upon a long hallway, decorated on either side with movie posters, both for currently-shown films and upcoming releases. In addition, there were many other doors in that hall, each marked with a large and un-missable number. As the group walked down it, Sunset kept her eyes on their tickets, occasionally glancing up at the doors as they passed.
"Okay...seven....eight...ten, there it is!"
Walking ahead of the rest of them, Tom opened the marked door and held it open as everybody else made their way inside. Once in, they noted, to their surprise, that they were the only ones in here. No eager children, no other couples, no families out for a fun time. Just the six of them. Naturally, this earned concerned looks from a few of them as they went out to find their seats. And when they found them, right at the back with the best view, Aria finally addressed it.
"Okay, so...isn't an empty movie screen a bad sign?"
Sunset took on an unsure look.
"Maybe...we're just ahead of the Saturday rush?"
Then Wiz turned to her.
"Maybe everyone who wanted to see this movie has already seen it?"
Aria kept her concerned look, but for the moment, she simply reclined back into her chair. And just in time too, for the lights were starting to dim, and the screen before them lit up. All of them got as comfortable as possible as the first of the trailers began to play, with a gruff narrator starting it off.
"Coming this Summer! Rex Stone is a man on a mission! When criminals kidnap his wife and daughter, they don't know what they're in for!"
Many an explosion and poorly-filmed fight scene were shown before them, punches and kicks abound, not to mention many scantily-clad woman draping themselves over cars. But, for the most part, the group simply covered their ears, trying to keep out the excessively loud volume of the trailer.
"Well, they're enthusiastic at least!" Sunset called.
"What?!" Flash responded, unable to hear her.
And all the while, the trailer continued.
"This Summer, get ready to see the surely Oscar-winning entry of Director Mike McSplosion. Rex Stone in...Stone Rex Em!"
To that, all of the youths grumbled with annoyance.
"Ugh! There are bad puns...and then there's that," Flash commented.
All of them seemed to nod in agreement with him over that, but remained quiet as the next trailer began.
"In a world where those high above look down at those below, one dear sweet lady dared to dream."
Aria slapped her forehead with frustration.
"Ugh! Not another of these!"
Her friends gave her an odd look as the footage continued.
"Oh, Derek! I don't care about your low birth! I love you!"
"Yep, called it," the Siren interrupted.
"Coming this Fall, be enchanted and fall in love in...the Romance of Amelia Swanfordshire."
As the screen darkened, Aria let out a sigh.
"Finally! I thought that thing would never end!"
Sunset frowned at her.
"I hope you're not gonna be that way through the actual film."
Aria turned to her.
"Depends. What is it?"
Sunset opened her mouth to speak, only to suddenly gain a look of realisation. She turned away for a moment, mulling things over, before then leaning closer to Flash and whispering.
"Um, Flash? What is the film?"
Naturally, the boy raised an eyebrow to that.
"Wait...I thought you knew?"
Sunset shook her head.
"And I thought you knew."
Flash shook HIS head.
"Well...who does know?"
They turned in unison to Aria and Wiz, both of whom shrugged their shoulders, making it obvious that neither of them knew what they were watching either. Then, as time went on, they gained wider eyes, and turned as one to look upon Maud and Tom. As the former looked to the rest of them, she gave a slow blink before breaking the silence.
"We wanted it to be a surprise. Pinkie recommended it. Some foreign film. Apparently it's been getting good reviews."
The others looked to themselves, with Sunset sounding rather cautious in her tone as she spoke.
"Well...I doubt Pinkie would do us wrong on that."
Flash smiled and nodded.
"Right! I mean, even if it's not really our thing, the least we can do is give it a watch, right?"
Sunset looked to him, smiling and seeming as if she was about to respond, only to stop when the lights began to darken around them even more than before. All of them knew what this meant, and that the main film was about to begin, so they got themselves comfortable again, looking on expectantly at the screen before them. Then, at last, in a booming voice, the announcer spoke up.
"And now, we give you your feature presentation..."
Smiles formed on many of their faces as the voice continued.
"...Super-Mega-Love-Time-Harem-Warriors...the Movie!"
But, while the fanfare of the film's opening act began, Sunset, and Aria all slowly turned with concerned looks to Flash, who simply stared at the screen with pure terror upon his face. Then, after almost a full minute of silence on his part, his expression became one of simple tiredness, as he let out a long sigh and slumped down into his chair.
"...Sure...why not?"
