Fluttershy's Night Out
By Game-BeatX14
When the sun set across Equestria, most ponies retired to their homes for a good night’s sleep. However, Fluttershy was still up tending to chores. In the living room of her cottage she worked alone, cleaning rodent cages and filling water bowls for all her animals. It had been a long day of being stuck indoors doing housework, and she was starting to feel anxious to do something else. She loved interacting with her animal friends, but it just wasn’t the same as being around other ponies.
She plopped down on her bed, groaning in annoyance.
“Oh great… Another night stuck at home. I’m tired of being confined here all the time…” She frowned, lying down on her pillow. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling blankly, feeling stir-crazy. Her body was still buzzing with unspent energy, but she had nowhere to go with it. Mostly everything in town was closed at night, and there was nothing else left to do inside.
Angel Bunny hopped over and started squeaking at her in bunny language.
”Well don’t just lay around in bed complaining. Do something about it.”
Fluttershy sighed.
“I know Angel, but nothing is open this late. Where could I go in such a small, dark town?”
Angel hopped out of the room but quickly returned, throwing a brochure up onto her bed. It landed on her face, so Fluttershy picked it up and began to read. It was an advertisement for Ponyville Nightclub.
Are you tired of sitting at home doing nothing exciting? Feeling bored and lonely? Well then, come on down to Ponyville’s newest venue on West Hoof Street for a night of music, food, and most importantly, BASS! With a 10,000 watt speaker system, an advanced lighting system and a large open dance floor, we have plenty of space for everybody to get their groove on. The facility also includes a dining hall, concession booth and arcade, so bring the whole family!
- Open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 P.M. to 2:00 A.M.
- Location: 1234 West Hoof Street
- Entrance fee: 15 bits per night.
- Ask about our yearly membership for great savings.
Fluttershy looked at the location again, and noticed it was just a few streets away from her cottage. She checked the clock. It was only 9:40. They would be open for several more hours. Unfortunately, she still had her doubts about going there.
“Ohhh, but dancing around other ponies makes me so nervous…”
Angel tapped his foot aggressively.
”Don’t you want to have fun? It’s just a small local club. You should give it a shot. If you don’t enjoy it then you can always leave and come back. What have you got to lose?”
Fluttershy though about his words for a moment, and slowly perked up.
“You know what Angel? You’re right! Listening to some music and dancing with other ponies would sure beat sitting around here all night.”
She climbed out of bed and faced her bedroom door with determination. Angel gave her a thumbs up and smiled.
“Have fun!”
Fluttershy smiled triumphantly.
“I will.”
Fluttershy left her cottage and locked the front door behind her. Feeling excited at the idea of escaping her home for a few hours, she quietly trotted down the gravel paths until she reached the paved roads at the edge of town. Ponyville was oddly peaceful at night. Nopony else seemed to be out, and only a few homes had lights on, which shone through their windows sparingly.
It only took a few minutes to reach her destination. As Fluttershy approached the building, she could already hear muffled dance music playing through the walls. It sounded like the party was going strong, which was a good sign. She opened the front door to the lobby, and the music got slightly louder. She was immediately greeted by the ticket clerk at his booth.
“Hello there; welcome to Ponyville Nightclub! Do you have a membership with us?” He asked.
Fluttershy shook her head.
“No, I don’t. This is my first time here, actually.”
The clerk smiled.
“Ah, a newcomer. Well, we have two membership options. A nightly entrance fee of fifteen bits, or a year-round pass for one hundred bits. Definitely worth it if you plan on coming here often.”
Fluttershy shrugged.
“It’s ok; I’m just coming here for one night. I wanted to try something new.”
The clerk gave her a proud look.
“That’s great to hear! I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time. Vinyl Scratch really knows how to put on a show back there.”
Fluttershy raised her eyebrow.
“Wait, you mean the Vinyl Scratch? The famous DJ and producer?”
The clerk chuckled.
“Of course! She founded this place. It was her vision that brought the whole club into existence. Anyway, let me print out your entrance band real quick.”
He printed her one-night hoof band and passed it over to her.
“Anything else? Drinks, snacks? Accessories?”
Fluttershy glanced up at the pricing board, reviewing the various gear available. There were t-shirts, neon glow sticks, earplugs, and even energy drinks. She usually didn’t like to waste bits on unnecessary items, but tonight was an exception.
“Actually, yes. Give me five of those pink glow sticks, and a Rainbow Cola.”
The clerk nodded his head, and rang up her total.
“You got it boss. That’ll be twenty-two bits even.”
Fluttershy set her money on the counter and took her glow sticks and drink.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, ma’am. You have a fantastic night.”
Fluttershy left the counter, taking a sip of her drink and feeling a slight buzz of energy. Before she walked through the doors to the main floor, she sat down on a small bench, connected her glow sticks and wrapped them around her hooves and neck. The saturated glow complimented her mane perfectly. She took a deep breath.
“Let’s do this.”
Fluttershy opened the doors, and the music instantly became louder. Vinyl Scratch was running the show from her laptop computer and turntable, playing some high energy trance. She looked around to take in the surroundings. It was not a massive nightclub, but the floor was big enough for a few dozen ponies to dance and socialize comfortably. Numerous strobe lights cast impressive colorful effects over the ceiling and walls, creating a very energetic atmosphere. The back wall was lined with chairs for ponies to rest if they got tired, though only a few seats were occupied.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Vinyl Scratch started talking into the mic.
“This next song is a brand new track I produced myself. Get ready for some hybrid trance dubstep, baby!”
The song started off with a basic kick and snare drum loop, but quickly brought in a variety of synthesizers and a clean bouncy bass melody. Turning towards the stage, Fluttershy started shuffling and moving in awkward ways, trying to match the beat of the song but struggling to find suitable moves. It was very unfamiliar territory for her. Around the club, there were about forty other ponies, and most of them up were up and moving too. It was difficult to summon the courage to dance in front of others, but as she got into rhythm and moved to the beat, she quickly realized that everypony else was distracted with their own dancing. They weren’t really paying close attention to her. It made things much less awkward.
Loud wobbles blasted out of the speakers. The song was transitioning styles into a heavier segment. Fluttershy knew the formula for these types of songs. As the buildup started, she ran into the middle of the dance floor, forming a massive circle with the other ponies who were all getting ready for the drop. Behind the control area, Vinyl Scratch grabbed her microphone again.
“On the count of three I want everypony to jump like crazy, ok! Three! Two! One! Go!”
As the beat dropped, the strobe lights spun and flashed. Everypony began jumping in rhythm to the pounding bass and grinding synths. Fluttershy suddenly began to understand what she had been missing out on. The atmosphere was really something special. For a few minutes, nothing else mattered but the music and the group of ponies dancing in rough synchronization around her. Eventually the drop died down, and the song progressed into a slower melodic break. Ponies in the crowd cheered, yelling and praising Vinyl’s production skills. As she backed up and took a moment to rest, she heard a voice calling her name as a rainbow maned pegasus approached her.
“Fluttershy?”
She jumped, not expecting to hear the tomboyish voice of her best friend here.
“Oh, hi Rainbow Dash. I was just uh-” She stuttered in embarrassment.
Rainbow cut her off, slightly giggling after witnessing her ridiculous dance moves.
“You don’t have to give me a reason. It’s a nightclub. If you’re here to dance, then let’s keep going, girl!”
The song continued into another buildup, this time with slightly different variations in sound from the first. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at each other with excitement in their faces.
“Want to get in the air for this one?”
Rainbow flapped her wings and lifted off the ground. Fluttershy followed suite.
“Absolutely!”
The two pegasi continued dancing to several more songs of various genres, alternating between traditional hooves on the floor moves to more unique spins and jumps using their wings. Vinyl Scratch was great at picking songs that flowed well into each other, and kept a good amount of variety in the set. After about four songs, the volume of the music lowered while Vinyl grabbed her microphone and began to speak over the muffled beat.
“Real quick everypony; I just wanted to remind you all that concessions are twenty-five percent off tonight! Partying all night takes a lot of energy so be sure to stay full and hydrated! Not to mention those extra food sales help us to pay the property taxes… *cough* No seriously guys; running this place is expensive. Buy something. Please.” She added jokingly.
The crowd erupted into mixed cheering and laughter, and she put the volume slider back to its original position. A few ponies stuck around and continuing to dance, but most of the crowd broke up, heading towards the lobby to grab a bite to eat or go to the restroom. Rainbow Dash turned towards Fluttershy and motioned for her to follow out to the lobby. They walked through the doors, happy to take a short break from the constant sound. Rainbow’s stomach grumbled audibly.
“The music is cool and all, but I’m getting hungry. You wanna grab some veggie pizza from the concession booth?”
Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
“Now that you mention it, it does sound really good right now.”
Rainbow Dash glanced at the clock on the wall in the lobby eating area. It was now 11:30. The club wasn’t scheduled to close until 2:00 A.M., leaving them with plenty of time to chow down and talk.
“So Fluttershy, when did you start coming here? You rarely leave your house for anything.”
She shrugged, still munching on her pizza.
“Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever been here. I like being at home and taking care of my animals, but it gets so tiresome after a while.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. It surprised her to hear Fluttershy admit that.
“Yeah, I feel you. My cloud house is pretty awesome too, but nopony ever comes up there. Flying gets old too. Nopony can keep up with me so I always end up flying around by myself. But whatever; I guess being awesomely good at flying has its perks, and its downsides. But mostly perks.”
She took a big bite of pizza, smiling from how good it tasted.
“Oh man, the cook here does such a great job. I can’t get enough of this stuff!”
She quickly finished her slice and grabbed another one, eating rather haphazardly and chewing with her mouth open. Flakes of pizza were flying in every direction. Fluttershy bit her lip in embarrassment, as she noticed other ponies were staring at them.
“Um, Rainbow?”
“Yeah Fluttershy?” She asked loudly, bits of food flying out of her mouth.
“Can you please, um… uh…”
Rainbow raised her eyebrow.
“Spit it out, Fluttershy.”
She sighed, giving her a deadpan look.
“You eat messier than my pigs do…”
Rainbow quickly closed her mouth, and her ears drooped in embarrassment. She looked around, noticing how many ponies were watching her with odd looks.
“Sorry…”
The two were quiet for a few minutes while they continued eating their food. Before they were done, they noticed a mare dragging her young colt out of the building against his will. Rainbow’s ears perked up.
“But mooooom! I already spent my allowance on the ticket!”
The mother glared at him.
“Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you snuck out of the house to come here.”
“Awwwwww, but mom…”
The mare rolled her eyes.
“Hunny, it’s way past your bedtime and you have school tomorrow! You need to get some rest or your grades will suffer. Don’t argue with me.”
Her son groaned, but didn’t challenge her any further. She dragged him out of the building, and Rainbow Dash scoffed.
“Aw man, poor colt. His mom looked pretty heated. He just wanted to have fun, you know? Who needs school anyway? Learning is for eggheads.”
Fluttershy rolled her eyes, but Rainbow Dash didn’t even notice. She was already buried in her food again, finishing up the last of her pizza. After a while, they could hear the music picking back up. Vinyl was playing a funky bass groove, which was very different from the usual EDM she played. Rainbow Dash got up from the table and threw her empty plate like a frisbee across the room, landing it perfectly into the trash can.
“We should get back there. This is a good song to dance to!”
Fluttershy got up too.
“Agreed.”
Suddenly, Rainbow Dash stopped and turned towards the ticket booth.
“Hold up one minute, I need to get something.”
She approached the clerk behind the counter, pulling a hoof full of bits out of her saddlebag.
“I’ll take thirty glow sticks, five of every color.”
The clerk laughed, and shoveled a pile of them onto the counter.
“I think they’ve already got a light show running back there ma’am.”
Rainbow Dash smiled.
“Yeah, but who says I can’t make it even more awesome?!” She gloated.
While the high energy music continued playing, Rainbow Dash was like a massive beacon of light zipping around the crowd. As she flapped her wings and danced, it cast more colors off the walls than the strobe lights above. Fluttershy stood back and watched in awe for a few minutes, but eventually Rainbow Dash raced over and landed down next to her.
“I want to see your moves too. Let’s try something together!” She nudged, trying to encourage her.
Fluttershy quickly made up some dance moves, which Rainbow attempted to match. They shuffled back and forth, bumping each other’s hooves in sync with the beat while they twirled glow sticks around with their tails. A circle of ponies gathered around them to watch.
“Hey Fluttershy; on the count of three, throw me your glow sticks! Three. Two. One! Now!”
They both twirled their tails and launched several glow sticks through the air towards each other. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash each caught them and kept them spinning for a few seconds like hula hoops, before exchanging them again. The crowd of ponies was now cheering at the impressive display of swapping colors. They continued almost seamlessly for a full minute. Back on the stage, Vinyl Scratch was impressed by their coordinated display, and grabbed the mic to make an announcement.
“Wow, what a colorful pair! These ponies really know how to light up the party!”
The crowd cheered even louder. Rainbow Dash gave Vinyl an approving look, but still managed to stay focused on her moves. When they finally got tired, Fluttershy stopped to take a breather and smiled. She had never seen ponies applaud at her for a public performance before, and it made her incredibly happy. Several members of the crowd approached them, offering various compliments.
“That was so cool!” Roseluck yelled.
“Yeah; you two make a great dance team!” Cloudchaser added, her voice tingling with excitement.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy quickly exchanged looks, and shared a celebratory hoof bump.
It was now past midnight. Although the club was still open, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash decided to call it a night to avoid burning out. They trotted out of the club, feeling exhausted, but content.
“Whew... What a great night.” Fluttershy huffed.
Rainbow Dash grinned.
“And it’s about to get even better. I’ve got a little surprise for you...”
She eagerly dug into her saddlebag and grabbed a metal hoof band, passing it over. Fluttershy took a closer look, and her face lit up with joy. It was an all-year pass to the nightclub. Rainbow Dash smiled charmingly.
“You had great moves, and I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you more often. Dancing with random ponies is cool and all, but dancing with friends is even better.”
Before she could say anything else, Fluttershy wrapped her in a big hug, and Rainbow Dash blushed. The embrace continued for several awkward seconds.
“Ok, don’t get all sappy on me now.”
She nudged her away teasingly. Fluttershy nearly had tears of joy in her eyes.
“That’s so sweet of you. I would love to do it again sometime!” She exclaimed.
Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her shoulder reassuringly.
“If you ever feel bored, just let me know. Life is too short to sit around by yourself. Remember to loosen up and have fun once in a while, exactly like you did tonight. I always knew you could do it with a little practice.”
Fluttershy blushed.
“Thank you, Rainbow.”
