Ponyville High School Reunion
By Godzillawolf and Alexwarlorn (First Half)
Commissioned by Alexwarlorn (Second Half)
"Don't you think we're a little overdressed, Rarity?" Cheerilee asked as the group trotted along.
"Nonsense darling! Whatever gave you that idea?"
"...The amethyst necklace," Cheerilee asked, looking down at the gem set in gold around her neck and the fancy purple dress she was now being forced to wear. She'd wanted to wear a simple dress, but Rarity was Rarity. "And the fact you're wearing a fancy tiara."
"And what's wrong with that? It's just a simple thing I put together, it's not like I'm dressed for the Gala. Besides, amethyst goes perfect with your coat," the fashionista replied, adjusting her perfectly done mane.
Cheerilee's response was a flat look. "That IS your gala dress!"
Rarity gave an insulted look. "No it's not! That dress was magenta! This one is pink!"
The school teacher gave a sigh. "What I'm saying is that we're going to a high school reunion, not the Canterlot Garden Party."
"Of course not. I have a completely different dress set aside for that."
"...The colts are going to have a field day with this…" Cheerilee muttered under her breath. "How do you even handle making these dresses for yourself while also running three boutiques? It'd drive me insane from stress."
Rarity gave a proud look. "Simple, darling! I have ways of venting my stress."
"Like your fainting couch?"
"Yes. And it's a chaise lounge, not a couch. Oh look! Here comes Applejack and Big Macintosh!"
Cheerilee jumped a little. She absentmindedly adjusted her necklace and fixed a bit of her mane that was out of place.
"Shoot Rare, think yer fancy enough?" Applejack questioned as she trotted over, the farmer having simply given her hat a good cleaning and taken a hot bath. Big Macintosh was just wearing a simple dress vest, nothing fancy. Though he was missing his signature yoke around his neck.
Cheerilee blushed a little under her fur at the sight of Big Mac dressed up.
"If anything, Applejack, you look a little dressed down. How much effort you put into your appearance when you've agreed to meet somepony says how seriously you take meeting them," Rarity commented, looking her friend over.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Well Ah've only got one or two dresses and they're all super fancy. Mainly cause you made 'em. Only other option was Granny Smith's old weddin' dress and the dang thing is older than Ah am! Yah want meh tah wear that?"
"Nope." The mares looked at Big Mac. "Erm . . . it's still a beautiful wedding dress."
Cheerilee blushed deeper.
"Yeah, in her time. but it ain't mah style..." Applejack replied simply. “That thing's so frilly it'd make Rarity blush.”
"It can't be worse than what our manes looked like when we were younger," Cheerilee remarked with a small chuckle.
Rarity shuddered. "Fashion trends have certainly changed from those dark days..."
"Ah think that's the one time meh and you are gonna agree on fashion Rarity," Applejack replied, recalling it herself. "Good thing Fluttershy hadn't moved inta Ponyville yet! If yah visited her, her bees mighta mistook your mane for a hive!"
They shared a laugh.
"...She's actually right, mother was in town and went to Fluttershy's and...well, it wasn't pretty…" Rarity said giving a horrified tremble. "...There was honey everywhere…"
"She got stung?" Cheerilee asked with a look of concern on her face.
"No, just covered in honey…They were Fluttershy's bees after all." Rarity then happily asked with a whoosh of her mane. "So any of you remember how to do your mane like that? The latest trend magazines say it's coming back into style."
"...I still have pictures…" Cheerilee replied with a blush.
Applejack sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ah wonder if yer crazy mane when we beat Lord Tirek had anythin' tah do with that."
Rarity narrowed her eyes. "My mane was not crazy! It was fashionable!"
"It's a form fer fightin' evil, why does it need tah be?"
"Why does Super Stallion wear tights? To dazzle and inspire those he saved!"
"Girls!" Cheerilee interjected with a practiced school teacher voice. "If we start arguing, we'll miss the reunion."
"Yes Miss Cheerilee!" everypony replied, as if that voice compelled such an answer.
"I see she has you well trained." Rarity said to Big Mac with a smirk.
"HEY!" The others snapped.
Rarity gave a chuckle. "Only joking darlings."
"She home schooled me when we were foals, what yer excuse?" Big Mac asked, narrowing his eyes.
"She learned from our high school teacher."
"...Okay, that makes sense…"
The group began to make their way along. She noticed a few other ponies heading the same way as them.
"Let's just hope our usual luck doesn't cause Chrysalis tah rear her ugly head again…" Applejack said.
"Applejack!" everypony yelled again.
"Just bein' honest. We could also have-"
"Don't start, darling," Rarity warned with a glare.
"Ah'm hopin' if Ah say somethin' bad'll happen, it's temptin' fate the other way," the orange pony replied. She didn't consciously acknowledge the fact Chrysalis only had a handful of drones left and most of the Changeling population were part of King Thorax's hive. Except Kevin. Kevin was neutral.
Rarity blinked. "Oh...Still, don't start."
"Besides, what cou-" Cheerilee found a hoof covering her mouth.
"Don't say that either!" said Applejack and Rarity at the same time.
-Somewhere nearby-
"Maybe pirates could crash into the gym with a huge pirate ship! Or maybe zombies could burst in! Or maybe a dimensional rift will open up in the middle of the dance floor! Or maybe somepony will have a magic ring that'll turn us all into foals or turns the stallions into mares and the mares into stallions! Or maybe aliens could land! Or maybe somepony will have an artifact from another universe that turns them into a raging she-demon! Or maybe a bunch of glowing pegasi will come down through the skylight I'm looking forward to seeing again!. . . I'm waiting! Seriously, I'm not expecting any of that at all! . . . Come'on no fair!"
-further away but closing in-
"...And that is how I convinced those trolls that pink and lace was better than dirty loin cloths," Rarity said, as if this discussion was perfectly mundane.
"And how did you convince them not to keep you in their personal doll collection?" Cheerilee asked.
"Oh, that's simple, I gave them some of my equinikins with pretty dresses instead. I had to make a lot more dresses to go with them..."
"Your lives are so weird…" the school teacher sighed.
"Ah know, always thought the adventure nuts in class would end up in bein' the one's in crazy situations," Applejack replied. "...Well, they kinda do, but not as much as we do."
"I don't," Cheerilee replied. "No more than the rest of Ponyville. Most adventurous thing to ever happen to me was the...well..." she blushed slightly, looking at Big Macintosh, who did much the same. "You get the point. And that was quite enough adventure for me."
"Once more, I apologize for the inconvenience our little sisters...and Scootaloo caused you. I do hope Twilight is doing okay as foalsitter…" Rarity said with a sincerely apologetic tone. “Especially with Starlight visiting Sunburst.”
"Oh what's the worst that could happen?" Applejack asked, then covered her mouth quickly. "...Ah said it, didn't Ah?"
"Wow! Ah didn't realize just how big is yer new castle Princess Twilight!" Apple Bloom called, darting around excitedly.
Twilight fidgeted slightly. "It's pretty big I suppose. It's got a library...bigger than my entire old house…"
"Wow! Have you gotten to see EVERY room?!" Sweetie Belle asked excitedly.
"Well, no...not quite yet-"
"Really?!" Scootaloo finished.
"Uh oh…"
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER CASTLE EXPLORERS! YAY!"
Sweetie Belle giggled. “I forgot how fun it was to do that since we got our Cutie Marks!”
Twilight and Spike uncovered their ringing ears. "Why can't Zecora foalsit them?" the small drake questioned, shaking his head to clear it.
The Princess of Friendship sighed. "Not until she fixes her gateway to the astral plane . . . they broke the lock."
Spike's eyes widened. "Uh...speaking of gateways, don't we have one of those?"
Twilight's irises shrunk to pinpricks. "...Horseapples!"
"Welcome to Equestria meh from another world! Can Ah see yer flank? Ah want to see if yah have yer Cutie Mark yet!"
"...What's a flank? What's a Cutie Mark?! Ah! Where are mah hands?!"
"...What are hands?"
The Princess of Friendship's eye twitched as she noticed two sets of Cutie Mark Crusaders, half of which were wearing clothing. "Ah! There's six of them now!"
Spike tapped his chin. "How come they don't get naked when they pass through while you end up with clothes when you go to their side?"
"...I need a notebook!"
"As much as I enjoy our chit-chats dears, I believe we are already going to be fashionably late...did we take a wrong turn?" Rarity questioned, looking around.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Come'on, we can't have taken a wrong turn, it's not that far-OW!"
The sign that AJ had so graciously introduced her face to read 'Welcome To Ponyville High-School.'
"...We're here…" the orange Earth Pony replied in a flat, slightly muffled tone.
Rarity looked at the school's signature slide, attached to the building proper for a fun exit out of the school when the bell rang. The fashionista remembered all the years she had wanted to climb up the slide when she was younger. Applejack actually had on occasion.
Cheerilee put a hoof on the sign. "Hehe...They've preserved this place pretty well...it looks like it hasn't aged a day…"
"Yes, I always felt pink was an odd choice for the school...but I admit it'd be jarring to see it anything else," Rarity allowed herself to admit with a nostalgic smile.
Applejack chuckled. "Yeah, groundskeepers always do a good job...well, except when they grab odds and ends yah accidentally left layin' around."
"Oh yes, I remember…" Cheerilee admitted with a chuckle. “But let's do our reminiscing inside.”
"Eeyup," Big Mac chimed in.
"Do you think everypony else will be here?" the fashionista asked as they headed through the doors.
"Ah don't see why not," Applejack replied. "Ah know some of 'em are the entertainment."
"Oh yes! I remember," Rarity chuckled. "Twilight should have just told us she needed music to fight music when she went back to that other world to fight the Sirens, we knew just the ponies."
Cheerilee blinked in confusion. "...I'm just going to pretend that I know what you're talking about."
The fashionista chuckled. "That's probably for the best...though I do wonder what happened to them after she beat them..."
"Wow! You're a BIG fish!" the naked Scootaloo questioned.
"I'm a Siren you little...I mean I'm not a fish, little pony, I'm a Siren...who has no urge to rip your head off right now…" a large orange mix between a fish and a horse hissed, giving a barely subdued growl.
Scootaloo's eyes went wide. "Wow, you have big teeth…"
Spike looked to Twilight. "Uh...I'm not sure getting the Sirens to help foalsit is a good idea…"
Twilight gave a confident look. "Don't worry Spike, their powers are gone, they're just big sea ponies now. I can handle them with my eyes closed. And having their real bodies back is too important to them, they'll control themselves. If we could reform Discord, maybe we can reform them too..."
"Let us ride yah!"
"No!" the purple Siren exclaimed before two Apple Blooms jumped on her back, causing the former menace to Equestria to be comically slammed into the ground..
"Yay! That sounds like fun!" a blue one chimed, letting the Sweetie Belles on hers.
"Sonata! Have some back-bone!" Adagio growled.
"Aren't they riding on that?"
Twilight gave a sheepish look. "...Or at least punish them for their transgressions."
"I don't know and would rather not care...But yes, hearing some 'sweet music' again in equus will be wonderful," Cheerilee replied with a chuckle
The group entered through the main door, a bell placed above it. "I think the lockers are new though," Rarity noticed, having an eye for detail. "Then again, I suppose if nothing changed it'd be more of a surprise."
“Good thing the layout's still the same,” Applejack commented, looking around the building. “Still remember which way to the gym?”
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh replied simply, leading the way.
“Hard to miss, darling, given how often we were there,” Rarity replied.
“Yeah, because if Ah recall yah wanted tah make googly eyes at the big colt on campus,” Applejack pointed out with a smirk.
The fashionista turned her muzzle up insulted. “I did not!...Well, no more than ninety percent of the class...Though he was also a bit...”
“In love with himself?” Cheerilee commented with a small amount of bitterness.
“Yes...that...” Rarity said with a cringe, as she recalled that like many of the girls in their class, Cheerilee had had her expectations dashed rather badly by said colt. “Though good news is I hear he's much nicer now...bad news is, he's also spoken for now...”
Applejack blinked. “Really? That lug got married?”
“Yes, darling. Surprised you missed it. It was quite the high-profile wedding.”
“Well he'll probably be here, so we can always ask him,” Big Mac pointed out. “Speakin' of which, we're here,” he said, pushing over the door open to the gym.
On the other side of the door, Rarity got the distinct feeling she'd just stepped through a time warp. It was rather 'retro'. From the music to the decorations. “I see they've decided to go a nostalgic theme... Darn it, I should have worn a skirt...”
Applejack chuckled. “Told ya you were overdressed...” she said with a chuckle. “Come on, sugarcube, they had dresses back them.”
“Yes, but back then it was fashionable to wear clashing, obnoxious colors!...Not the most intelligent choice of fashion, but still!”
“Calm down, Rarity, you look beautiful,” said Cheerilee. “Besides, covering things in gemstones was more stylish back then.”
“Technically they weren't gemstones, they were rhinestones, darling,” Rarity corrected. “But point taken.”
“What's the difference? Ah thought both of 'em were just shiny stones,” Applejack commented, rubbing her head.
“Rhinestones are imitation.”
“Oh...”
Big Macintosh looked around the room, which while full of ponies, didn't quite have their entire class. “Well at least we're early. Everypony ain't here yet...”
Rarity nodded, scanning the room. “Yes, I don't see...”
“Rarity? That you?”
The fashionista's eyes went wide and she spun around to find an Earth Pony mare with a blue mane and tail, her Cutie Mark a yellow microphone with blue stars around it. She was dressed as one would expect any rock star worth their salt to appear (namely a flashy dress with lots of stars), which should be expected given that's exactly what she was. Rarity noted her mane style hadn't changed much from when they were teens.
Next to her was a golden brown furred Earth Pony stallion with blue eyes and pale yellow mane and tail, his Cutie Mark a soccer ball. He was dressed in a well made white suit, a gold ring around his right front leg. It had a large diamond in the middle shaped like a soccer ball, with a soccer team logo on it and the word 'Champion' and a number on the bottom rim.
“Melody, darling!” Rarity exclaimed, sharing a hug with the mare. “It's been so long!”
Melody chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, it has. Though not too long since I've heard of you! Boutiques in Canterlot and Manehattan? You're the talk of the town!”
Rarity gave a proud bow. “Thank you, it took a lot of effort, but I made it! And so did you! I saw your latest single competing with Sapphire Shores on the top of the charts!”
“What can I say?” the rocker said with a look of pride. “We both worked hard. Speaking of which, I take it you made your dress yourself?”
The fashionista gave a dramatic pose. “Oh of course, darling. I make all my own dresses. Yours looks marvelous as well.”
Melody flaunted her outfit. "Like it? Cost a lot but it's worth it. Still, with that line you made for Sapphire Shores, I might have to stop by sometime. Can't have her looking better than me when we're on the same ticket next month for a big show."
Rarity nodded as the two wandered off to talk. "Oh yes, I believe Dazzle is hosting a PFM anniversary showcase on the radio isn't she?"
The rocker nodded with a look of pride. "That's the show! Hard to believe Dazzle's still hosting, I hope I look half as good as her when I'm that old!"
The fashionista gave a nod as they stopped by one of the windows. "Oh yes, a few wrinkles but she still looks exactly like she did when we were teens...think you could maybe put a word in for me with her? I know she loves looking fabulous herself."
Big Macintosh looked to Melody's husband as she and Rarity headed off for girl talk. “Ace?”
Ace blinked. “Big Macintosh?” he asked, looking up at the huge stallion, who was a good head taller than him, and he wasn't exactly small. “...Wow, you had a growth spurt.”
“Eeyup,” the big stallion replied simply.
There was an awkward pause.
“...And got quieter, you used to be a motor mouth...”
“Eeyup...and yah didn't just start talkin' about yerself because Ah wasn't sayin' nothin',” Big Macintosh replied, seeming pleasantly surprised.
Ace gave a chuckle. “What can I say? Melody's a good influence on me.”
“Glad tah hear it...Surprised tah see you two together,” the elder Apple sibling replied.
“Yeah, she likes to say I was a 'fixer uper'...”
“Eeyup...” Big Macintosh replied bluntly. “...Saw the Equus Cup with mah cousin. Nice goal.”
The athlete gave a proud smirk, showing the championship ring on his hoof. “Thanks. What can I say? I'm just that good.”
Cheerilee rolled her eyes good-naturedly. They reminded her of her twin sister Cherry talking about sports. “Boys...” she muttered, then gasped when she saw a pink Earth Pony with a yellow mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark was a yellow star with a trail of blue stars. “Starlight!” she called, waving and trotting over.
The mare gave a smile and waved in return. “Cheerilee!” she called, the two sharing a hug. “Good to see you again!”
The elementary school teacher nodded. “The same. How are things at Hoofington University?”
“Not bad, except for the occasional college prank. The seniors there could give Patch a run for her money,” the pink pony replied with a chuckle. “Hard to believe we both ended up being teachers.”
Cheerilee chuckled in reply. “Tell me about it. Though I think you have things harder than me. What with dealing with a bunch of crazy college students all the time..."
Starlight snickered. "Oh they're really not that bad. I don't know how you deal with a bunch of rambunctious little foals! I had enough trouble babysitting Melody's sisters!"
The two shared a laugh.
"I think Mrs. Hackney had it the hardest," Cheerilee replied, getting them both a cup of punch from a nearby bowl. “She had to deal with teenagers!”
The two shuddered, then laughed. "Yeah! Remember when the boys made so much noise she accidentally wrote two plus two equaling three?!" Starlight asked, laughing harder at the memory.
"Oh yes!...Speaking of Mrs. Hackney, will she be here tonight?”
Starlight shrugged, looking a bit sad at that thought. “I don't know. Last I checked she's enjoying retirement with Mr. Kadoo. They go ballooning all the time.”
“She deserves it, she was a great teacher,” Cheerilee replied, giving a nostalgic smile...though also a hint of jealousy at the news an old mare had found a husband in her old age.
“Yeah, the best...hey, will Cherry Blossom be here?” asked Starlight, sipping her punch.
The purple pony shook her head. “No, she's got a match tonight.”
“Oh...Remember when Patch convinced you two to pretend to be each other the entire class?”
Cheerilee's next sip of punch nearly came out her nose. “Oh yes! And we didn't tell any of you until the day way over!”
Starlight nodded. “And Bright Eyes was convinced you were still pretending!...Speaking of which, did you two ever make up?”
The purple teacher nodded with a smile. “Yes, thanks to Rarity...Oh! On that subject, did you hear about her new friend...”
Starlight rolled her eyes. “Yes...Look, I'm sure she's a nice girl, but ponies mixing us up due to our names is starting to get old!”
Applejack occupied herself by simply wandering around the room, saying hello to ponies she recognized and sometimes making chit-chat. There was a lot of catching up to do and not much time to do it.
“There you are, Applejack!”
Applejack turned to find herself looking at a light blue Earth Pony with an orange mane dressed, her Cutie Mark a pink notebook with a pin. Next to her was a blue Earth Pony stallion with a dark orange mane, his Cutie Mark a Fleur-de-lis (Applejack only knew what it was because it was the stallion's cousin's name). Like Applejack, neither seemed to have dressed up that well. “Howdy, Bright Eyes, Lance. Good tah see yah,” she replied with a wave.
Bright Eyes, the mare, nodded and returned the wave. “It really is. I hope Sweet Apple Acres is doing well.”
“It's doin' fine, thanks. Hope your...uh...what's it called?” Applejack asked, scratching her head. “Society fer Rare Creatures ? Sorry, been awhile since Ah've heard the name.”
“The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures,” the light blue mare recited. “And it's not my society, I'm just the current president.”
“Well either way, Fluttershy wanted meh tah thank yah fer lettin' her see the Breezies if Ah saw yah,” the farmer replied with a tip of her hat.
“Tell her she's welcome. She's one of the most dedicated animal care experts I've ever met,” Bright Eyes replied.
Many ponies thought it was strange Applejack and Bright Eyes got along, given Bright Eyes was the smartypants type, but both knew the importance of keeping the environment running right. An apple farm like AJ's took a lot of planning, but if the soil got ruined or the environment messed up, then the whole thing would fall apart. Especially when it came to the Zap Apples, which were wild by nature and couldn't be 'tamed.'
“Also, thank you for setting aside that portion of your land for the Vampire Fruit Bats and letting us research them. Fluttershy informed me that it wasn't easy,” Bright Eyes replied.
“Well, Ah still don't like the critters, but what can yah do? That and the tax cuts and grants are helpin' the farm,” Applejack replied with a shrug.
“Speaking of which, the next grant check is in the mail. It's the least we could do, we've learned a great deal about them thanks to you,” the environmentalist replied with a polite nod. “We've even developed lures that can draw them away from farm land and into a more natural habitat, which is a benefit to both the bats and the farmers considering those conflicts are why they're endangered to begin with.”
“Now that Ah'm happy tah hear!” Applejack said with a big smile. “Mah family have been scared of those things fer a long time, anythin' tah keep our crops safe is welcome.”
Lancer (or Lance to his friends) gave a nod. “The Zebrafricans are also excited about it, as they have a similar species to worry about,” he explained.
“Really? Huh. Yah know, Ah've never been tah but got a friend who came from there named Zecora,” Applejack replied. “So glad somethin' Ah did helps there even if Ah ain't gonna see it...of course yer gonna Ah bet, what with bein' an explorer and all.”
The blue stallion nodded. “Yes, I have been there multiple times and it's an amazing place to explore...of course you've been to a lot of exciting places as well if I'm not mistaken. I recall Miss Yearling telling me of meeting she had with you.”
Applejack blinked. “Yah know her?”
“We've...collaborated a few times,” Lancer replied with a knowing smile.
“...Oh, Ah get it! Hehe...And yeah, we've been on some crazy adventures,” the farmer replied, then gave a chuckle. “Remember when the biggest adventure we had was when Starlight got tah sub and took us all into those old caves near Everfree?”
Bright Eyes and Lancer chuckled. “Oh yes, I remember. We've come a long way sense then,” Lancer replied.
“You weren't there, but there was also the time we went to the Old Woods on the edge of Everfree Forest and found the Green Wing Songbird,” Bright Eyes explained. “That was a big moment for us...”
“Oh yeah, Ah remember the big ceremony yah got at the town hall,” Applejack replied.
“And I remember the ceremony in Canterlot when you defeated Discord...hehe, it's kinda ironic huh? We got all the action when we were teens and you get most of it now.”
The farmer nodded. “Ah'll say...hehe, did Ah ever tell yah about how Twili' got herself in a mess like Clover did that one time?”
Rarity bite of a cookie. "You know, being a heroine who's recognized for saving the world multiple times is nice, but I miss when we were in High School, Melody. Back then the craziest thing to ever happen was that time the town got flooded due to trash in the river..."
Melody chuckled. "Yeah, can feel that. Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean Nightmare Moon, Discord, and the rest of them didn't effect me...still remember Tirek...ugh...I still can't believe you were the one who ended up getting wrapped up in crazy stuff. Patch was the one who always attracted the weird stuff."
The fashionista nodded. "Yes...in retrospect glowing pegasi and an unidentified, glowing alicorn aren't as odd as half the things I've gone through..."
The rocker nodded and looked at the time on a clock. “Hey, Rarity, sorry to cut this short, but the Rockin' Beats are the entertainment, so I gotta go get set up. Talk after?”
Rarity nodded with a smile. “Certainly darling,” she replied, giving a wave as Melody left to prepare for the dance portion of the reunion.
“Ah! Look out!”
The fashionista turned to see a light purple Earth Pony with a light pink mane and tail, her Cutie Mark a four-leaf clover, trip and nearly drop the snacks and drinks she'd picked up everywhere. The mare soon found herself floating in Rarity's telekinesis along with her items. “Clover, darling! Nice to see you!” she said, setting her down and floating her items back to her, careful not to mess up the simple, but beautiful, green dress she was wearing. “...Coordinated as ever, I see.”
Clover blushed. “Thanks, and yes, sorry, I didn't mean too...Somehow I can dance my way through an entire ballet and still trip over myself getting something to eat...”
“Clover, are you okay?!” called a blue Earth Pony stallion with a yellow mane wearing a suit, his Cutie Mark a pull cart. He galloped over...and tripped on some spilled punch, sliding straight at her.
Rarity once again saved the day with her telekinesis. “Hello, Dandy. Nice to see you too.”
“You too, Rarity...” muttered the stallion with a blush as he was set down next to his wife.
“It honestly is,” the fashionista replied with sincerity in her tone. “Though I didn't see you when I came in, darlings.”
Clover blushed once more. “Sorry, I couldn't decide what to wear. You know how...indecisive I can be sometimes...”
Rarity gave a sympathetic nod. “I know, I still remember the trouble I had making you a dress for that one show. And congratulations on making it to the big time! I was always particularly fond of your dream! Being in grand ballets with your name up in lights! Oh it's all so breathtaking!” the fashionista explained, saying her words like the idea of it was the most romantic thing in the world.
The purple Earth Pony blushed. “Thank you...but it's not all fun and games, it's a lot of hard work.”
“Oh I know, darling. I've got a Princess for a best friend and I still dream about becoming one after seeing how hard the job is,” Rarity replied. “I'm just being romantic.”
Clover couldn't help but chuckle. “I think I understand, I was the same way when I wanted to follow in my sister's hoofsteps...Oh! And Rarity! That reminds me! My stage director needs costumes for our next show! Since we were having this reunion, I thought I would ask you.”
Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Well, it's not my forte, darling, though I am capable of it...but the manager of my Manehattan branch specializes in clothing exactly this kind of situation!”
Applejack had finished her conversation with Bright Eyes and continued on to her search for old friends at the reunion. There were definitely plenty.
“There you are, Bon Bon!” said Lyra nearby.
The yellow furred, purple maned Earth Pony with a candy cutie mark turned to her with a sigh. “Wrong Bon Bon, Lyra.”
“Darn it! That's the third time tonight!” the unicorn grumbled and wandered off.
Applejack smirked and trotted over. Taking a look at the mare, she noted she had a very shapely figure, like one would expect from a model, and wearing a gorgeous blue dress that accentuated it well. The fact she seemed to be eying the food greedily spoke a lot about how difficult it was to maintain it. “Howdy there, Bon Bon.”
The mare turned and looked to her with a smile. “Oh! Hello, Applejack!”
The farmer tilted her hat, and then gave a smirk. “Ah almost didn't recognize yah! Hard tah believe the gal who was eatin' any food she had on hoof could shape up like yah have!”
Bon Bon blushed a little bit. “Thanks, and trust me, it's not easy...” she said, then cringed as both heard munching on the other side of the refreshment table. The two looked over to see a chocolate brown Earth Pony stallion with a darker shade of brown for his mane and tail, Cutie Mark a top, munching some deserts. He was also notably pudgy. “Especially when somepony forgets I have to stay on a diet to keep my figure. Spinner...”
The stallion gave a nervous chuckle and put down the food. “Sorry dear...”
“It's fine...” Bon Bon replied, giving a sigh and nuzzling her husband. She looked back to Applejack and gave her a look over. “Speaking of figure, how do you keep yours so easy? You ate as much as I did!”
“Well, Ah'm also a farmer,” Applejack replied with some degree of pride. “Burn off most of it before sundown. But Ah'll tell yah, if Ah had tah choose between that and havin' tah have the willpower tah not gobble up everythin' all the time, Ah'll choose farmin'.”
“Thanks. It really is a hoofful, especially when posing for Photo Finish,” the fashion model replied. “That mare is very demanding...I'm honestly surprised you're so understanding, Applejack. You never really got the 'girly stuff' back at high school.”
The farmer chuckled. “Short answer? Rarity. And this one time Ah got mah life and hers switched and found out just how stressful that 'girly stuff' is.”
“...Your life is weird, AJ.”
“Ah know. By this point an evil overlord showin' up is basically Tuesday...Plus, sugarcube,” Applejack said, putting a hoof on her should. “Don't think Ah don't remember the Masquerade and how yah ran away and nearly fell off a cliff thinkin' we'd laugh at that dream of yers. Ah know how important this was tah yah.”
Bon Bon gave a small, grateful smile. “...Thanks, Applejack.”
Cheerilee and Starlight stood next to the refreshment table, looking out at the gym, seeing so many of their old friends having paired off.
“...So...you never found a special somepony either?” Cheerilee asked with a lonely sigh.
Starlight pinned her ears. “No...Things with Ace obviously didn't work out like I planned...We weren't the perfect pair...Never found Mr. Right after that, you know?”
The elementary school teacher gave an understanding, but clearly not happy, nod. “Oh I do...And then there's Cherry Blossom who has so many admirers it's a wonder she's not married...Guess they want an amazon and not a bookworm...”
“Then how did Bright Eyes get Lancer?” Starlight asked, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “I'm sure you'll find somepony someday...”
While Cheerilee was looking at Starlight, a peach colored hoof reached out from under the table and swapped out some of her food.
The college teacher then gave a sly smile. “And you know...I think Big Macintosh is still single...”
Cheerile blushed heavily. “Big Mac?! Oh yes, he is...he definitely is...why do you bring that up now?!”
“Because I've seen you look his way like twenty times since we've been here,” Starlight replied with a chuckle. “You're sweet on him.”
“...Well...I...what about you and Slipknot?” Cheerilee retorted.
Starlight spat out the punch she'd just taken a sip of and coughed. She looked over at a blue stallion with a lilac colored mane, his Cutie Mark a rope tied into Forget-Me-Knot. “S-Slipknot? I...well...” she said, a blush forming on her face.
The school teacher smirked. “I've seen you look his way forty times, Starlight...” she replied, then took a piece of cheese from her plate and took a bite...then spat it out, causing it to bounce off like it was made of rubber. “What the hay?!”
The two heard laughter and looked down, finding a peach furred mare with a light pink mane and tail to crawl out from under the table, her Cutie Mark a pink and yellow patch of fabric.
“Patch!” both of them complained with rolling eyes.
“Oh come on, I gotcha good!” the mare replied, and put Cheerilee's food back on her plate.
Cheerilee allowed herself to chuckle a little. “I suppose you did...still the prankster as always, I see.”
The joker nodded with a grin. “Not just any prankster, I'm a professional circus clown! I get to do this as a job now!”
“Class clown to circus clown,” Starlight replied with a good-natured smile. “Is anypony surprised?”
“It'd be more surprising if she was anything else,” Cheerilee replied. “Though thank you for giving us notes on that counterprank to Rainbow Dash when she went a little overboard.”
Patch laughed. “Oh no problem! I know better than anypony how sometimes it takes a prank to beat a prank! I just wish I was in town! That would've been the biggest prank I ever pulled!”
“What about your graduation prank where you somehow snuck into the school after dark and replaced all the chalk with rubber?” Starlight asked, giving a chuckle.
Cheerilee covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Mrs. Hackney went through so many pieces before she figured it out...”
Patch almost fell on her back laughing. “Oh, I remember! The look on her face!”
“You're lucky she understood it was one last prank for graduation,” Starlight remarked. “Would've stunk to get thrown in detention on the last day.”
“Yeah...Hehe, those were the days...” the professional clown replied, thinking back.
“...So...Did you end up with a special somepony?” Cheerilee asked after a pause, almost hoping not. Patch had always had trouble with commitment.
The prank loving mare nodded. “Yeah! Buddy! He's over there!” she said, pointing over to a white furred stallion with a mint blue mane and tail, his cutie mark a Rugby ball. He was currently telling jokes and laughing it up with a few stallions. “Great guy, real good sense of humor! Hehe...our wedding was a 'prank' wedding! But what would you expect when half the guests are clowns?!”
“Of course...I'm...happy for you...” Cheerilee replied with a forced smile.
Applejack and Bon Bon had ultimately walked apart. Mainly because Lyra had mistaken Bon Bon for 'her' Bon Bon again, so Bon Bon had headed off with her to find her to put an end to that. Rarity and Cheerilee may have been content to talk one pony's ear off the whole night, but Applejack preferred getting to meet with lots of her old friends chatting it up.
Which was how she ended up noticing one white furred, pink maned mare sitting off to herself, rather timidly and dressed in the humblest white dress one could imagine. Her Cutie Mark was a pink heart with a few yellow ones around it.
“Sweetheart, that you?” Applejack asked, trotting over.
The mare jumped, then gave a smile as she noticed who was calling. “Oh! Hello, Applejack. It's been awhile...”
The orange mare gave her a smile. Sweetheart wasn't Fluttershy shy, but she had a timidness to her. “Got that right. Haven't seen you since yah and Teddy moved tah Manehattan! Though Ah guess the name's Dr. Sweetheart now, huh?”
The timid mare blushed. “Um...just Sweetheart is fine. But thank you for noticing...”
Applejack nodded. “Yer cousin Redheart told meh about it, she was so proud of yah for it.”
“She is?”
“Yeah, she was prouder than a peacock!” the farmer replied, patting her on the back. “Congrats, sugarcube, yah earned it.”
“T-Thank you, I worked really hard...” Sweetheart replied, still blushing. “How about you, Applejack? How have you been?”
“Can't complain. Sweet Apple Acres is still up and runnin' and Apple Bloom got her Cutie Mark!” Applejack replied with a look pride.
Sweetheart gasped with a smile. “That's great! What's her special talent?”
“Helpin' other ponies find and learn 'bout theirs!” she replied, producing a picture of Apple Bloom with her Cutie Mark and showing it to her. “And here's the crazy thin'! She and her friends all got 'em at the same time!”
“That's amazing, I didn't know that could happen! Oh Applejack, you must be so proud!”
“Yah know Ah am!” Applejack replied, giving a smile...and then noticed something about Sweetheart she hadn't before now that she wasn't in the corner. “Sweetheart...Uh, no offense, but do yah have a baby on the way?”
Sweetheart gave a small chuckle, showing the physical signs of just that, though not very far into it. “Yes, mine and Teddy's first.”
“Aw shucks! And here Ah am talkin' about mah family, that's great news!” Applejack said, sharing a hug with her old friend...then blinking and looking around. “Speakin' of Teddy, where is he?”
“Oh, he said he had to go check something, he'll be back soon...”
“Ah hope so! Ah wanna congratulate 'em!”
A blue furred stallion with an orange mane, his Cutie Mark a black comb, walked through the hall ways to find somewhere private. He was currently wearing a suit, and seemed to not be enjoying it, constantly fidgeting with it. He looked, looking around to see if anypony was around...and then pulled out an old teddy bear that looked like it'd been torn in half at one point and stitched back together. He gave a smile...then looked up and found himself looking at Big Mactinosh...who was currently holding a certain small, stuffed donkey.
“...”
“...”
“So...yah really did have a teddy bear, Teddy?” Big Macintosh asked.
“Yeah...And you got a stuffed animal too?” Teddy asked back.
“Eeyup...Her name's Miss Smartypants...didn't name her...”
“...No pony must ever know...”
“Eeyup...So...uh...you're a hair stylist now?” Big Macintosh asked, not even trying to hide his attempt to change the subject.
“Yeah,” Teddy replied, then gave a growl. “Don't make fun of me for it! I can't help what I'm good at!”
“Wasn't gonna. Mah little cousin Babs Seed looks up tah yah somethin' fierce,” the older farmer replied. He admitted, he respected Teddy for not seeming one bit intimidated by the larger stallion. Mainly because he knew the blue stallion had reason not to be.
The former 'bad boy' blinked. “Babs? She's your cousin? I didn't know that.”
“Eeyup, and she's going to grow up to be a hair stylist too, it's her special talent,” Big Macintosh replied.
“Oh...well, kinda feels good to have somepony look up to me...” Teddy replied, rubbing his head. “...Though to be honest, sometimes I think ponies think I've gone soft...hehe, sometimes I head over to this local indy boxing place and give it a shot,” he replied, doing some quick boxing maneuvers. “Just to prove I'm still tough!”
“Well, yah were always the school tough guy,” Big Mac replied. “Can't say Ah ain't happy yah lost your attitude though.”
“You can thank Sweetheart for that one...” Teddy replied with a chuckle. “She really was a good influence on me...Oh! By the way, we're gonna have a kid!”
The farmer gave a smirk. “Congratulations.”
Before the conversation could continue, the two jumped at a camera flash. They looked over to see Featherweight standing nearby with his camera before taking off.
“...School paper taking pictures to report on the reunion?”
“Eeyup...”
“...And he just got a picture of us with our stuffed animals?”
“Eeyup...”
“...CATCH HIM! QUICK!”
“Attention everypony, the Rockin' Beats will soon be performing, please take your places on the dance floor,” announced the reunion organizer.
The ponies assembled on the dance floor, Starlight and Cheerilee still standing next to each other as their friends with husbands paired off. The two left out as always.
“...” Starlight looked over at Slipknot, who likewise seemed to not have a partner. She looked to Patch who motioned her on. “...Hey, Cheerilee...I'll go ask Slipknot to dance if you ask Big Macintosh to, deal?”
Cheerilee's eyes went wide and her face grew bright red. “Well...I...I...”
“...I'm tired of being alone, aren't you?...We've been staring at them all night, maybe we should just ask them...plus, Patch won't let either of us live it down if we don't. And you know how she can be...”
“...” Cheerilee gave a sigh. “Of course I'm tired of it...fine...where IS Big Macintosh?”
“Alright, so you destroy that picture and Ah get yah an exclusive interview with Granny Smith, deal?” the elder Apple sibling asked Featherweight as they re-entered the gym. The silent colt nodded. “Good...”
Teddy wiped some sweat off his brow as the colt disappeared in what seemed like a blink and without a sound. “That was close...”
“Eeyup...” Big Macintosh replied with a sigh of relief.
“Big Mac?”
The stallion looked over to see Cheerilee standing beside him. “Oh, howdy Miss Cheerilee.”
“Hello...Big Macintosh...” the school teacher said, holding out a shaking hoof. “...May I have this dance?”
Big Macintosh's face grew a little redder than normal, so did Cheerilee's. “Yah...Yah want tah?”
Cheerilee nodded. “Yes, I do...To give it a chance, if nothing else...”
“O-Okay...” the normally stoic and in control stallion replied, taking her hoof. “If it's what yah want.”
Teddy chuckled as the two headed onto the dance floor. “...Sappy...” he muttered...then found his wife offering him her hoof. “Oh! Sweetheart!...Are you sure? I mean with the baby and all...”
“I'm the doctor, Teddy. Dancing is good exercise while you're pregnant...besides, I know you'll be careful with me,” Sweetheart replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
The 'tough stallion' blushed bright red. “Aw shucks...”
Starlight slowly approached Slipknot. “Slipknot?”
“Oh, hello Starlight, long time no see!” the stallion replied. “How are you doing?”
“I'm fine...Um...Slipknot...look...” Starlight stuttered, blushing. “...If...if it's alright with you, maybe....would you dance with me?” she asked, remembering how her attempts to get Ace with her had blown up in her face, fear welling up.
Slipknot took her hoof politely. “I'd be honored, Starlight.”
The stage set up in the gym was lit up with spotlights and Melody stood front and center with her band, the Rockin' Beats. “Hello everypony! I hope you're ready to dance because the Rockin' Beats are ready to rock!”
The gathered graduates of Ponyville High cheered.
=Sweet Music – My Little Pony Tales=
“Sweet music! Oh sweet music!
That's what I hear when you appear!
Sweet music! Oh sweet music!
Life is in tune when you are near!” Melody sung, effortlessly keeping tune even as she danced on stage. She noticed Ace dancing to the rhythm and offered her hoof. He accepted it and she pulled him up, not missing a beat as she transitioned into dancing with her husband.
Applejack, Patch, and Buddy all danced their own way together. Even if the latter two were married, neither was what one would call conventional by any stretch. As a result, the sight was three ponies doing something more akin to break dancing mixed with a hoedown than anything normal, which was fine with the three funloving ponies.
Clover politely invited Rarity to dance with her and Dandy so she didn't feel left out...and because having somepony who wasn't so clumsy there to catch them was a welcome thing.
Teddy slowly and carefully danced with Sweetheart, being surprisingly gentle with his pregnant wife. To any who remembered what he used to be like, how much he'd changed was plain to see.
Bon Bon danced with Spinner, but the two also shared their spot of the dance floor with the Ponyville Bon Bon and Lyra. Seeing the two side by side, it became apparent that somehow the two Bon Bons had ended up with the exact same dress. Combined with their coloration and similar Cutie Marks, one could understand how Lyra had repeatedly got the two of them mixed up.
Bright Eyes and Lancer simply danced in a more conventional manner, the two being conventional and logical ponies for the most part.
“When you are gone,
The song just isn't there!
But then I see your face again,
And music fills the air!
Fills the air!” Melody continued to sing, still dancing on stage with Ace. Melody was a pro at this, and Ace was one of the most athletic ponies in the room, so to no ponies surprise they were the best dancers in the room.
Big Mac and Cheerilee slowly danced a waltz, allowing themselves to enjoy the moment. Starlight and Slipknot were dancing a different style, more fitting for the rock style, but let their guard down and let themselves be lost in the beat.
“Sweet music! Oh sweet music!
I love the sound when you're around!
Sweet music! Oh sweet music!
Beautiful harmonies abound!
I know our song will never die!
Never die!
We make sweet music you and I!
You and I!” Melody finished, allowing Ace to throw her into the air and catch her, all without messing up one line. She gave him a kiss, which he gladly returned.
“...That was fun...” Big Macintosh admitted, blushing slightly as his dance with Cheerilee ended. “Yer a good dancer, Miss Cheerilee...”
The teacher blushed in return. “Thank you, Big Mac...so are you...”
“...Well...how did I do?” Starlight asked, looking a bit uncertain.
“You did perfect, Starlight...want to dance again?” Slipknot asked in return.
“...and yah shoulda seen the look on old Tirek's face when his beam didn't do a thin'! He couldn't believe what was happenin'!” Applejack said, walking next to Patch. The combined group was now walking through the Crystal Castle after the reunion had concluded.
“Hehe! I bet! Man, you girls have all the luck with these big adventures! I wish I'd gotten to be part of it!” Patch replied, smiling wide. “...Well, you know, as a Bearer. I actually missed that one, I was visiting Rosey on the Isle of Pony at the time.”
“Eh, isn't all sunshine and rainbows...” said the farmer. “Trust meh, sometimes Ah'd like tah trade yah...though speakin' of adventures, did yah ever...yah know...find...her?”
“...Bright Glow?...Nah...But I have heard of some sightings of a UFO that looks just like her and the others! So there's always hope, right?!”
“Sugarcube, Ah can turn into a glowin' magical pony, stranger things have definitely happened.”
“Of course I'll make you a dress, Bon Bon,” Rarity replied with a look of pride. “It would be an honor. Not just to make one for a model such as yourself, but for an old friend.”
Bon Bon gave a blush. “Thanks Rarity, it'd be nice.”
Cheerilee looked up at Big Macintosh. “I had a good night...Did you?”
“Eeyup...” the older Apple sibling replied with a small smile.
“Thanks for inviting us over to talk and catch up,” said Starlight, trotting along next to Slipknot.
“And give us a chance to meet a PRINCESS!” Melody added, giving a small squee.
“Oh, it's not problem, darling,” Rarity replied. “Twilight has plenty of room,” she explained, as they passed bathroom number 37. “And we had to pick up our little sisters anyway.”
“Oh, I can't wait to see them, I haven't seen any of them since they were babies,” Sweetheart said with a rather cute smile.
“Let's just hope those three haven't driven Twilight nuts,” Applejack commented.
“Oh come now, Applejack, what's the worst that could happen?” Rarity asked, opening the door...and the group finding themselves looking at two sets of CMC sleeping with the three Sirens, looking surprisingly peaceful and happy despite the fact the latter three were gigantic, formally world threatening fish monsters.
Twilight blinked, looking over. “...Uh, hi girls!...I can explain...”
“...Again, your lives are weird,” Bon Bon commented, eyes wide.
“...Not gonna argue with that, sugarcube...by this point this is pretty much normal for us...”
The End
