[Manehattan] Manehattan Musical Expo (OPEN)

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra raised an eyebrow at nopony when Bridge flashed away from the table. She hadn't thought she'd affect him that badly with her words. She knew he was just nervous because she'd caught him in a humiliating spot, otherwise she'd have been worried that she had offended him. He had bolted very quickly. He came back, his blush and his words more or less were his coming clean to her. She smiled reassuringly, tried to show him that she wasn't in anyway offended or angry by his slip. She was actually kind of amused by the idea.

[colour=#808080]"Really now? Well we're in public, so if you want to stop talking about that..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra realized she had run out of soda, having spit half of it out onto the table, so she tossed her cup away with a flick of her hoof. It plunked right into the trash can nearby. Nice, spot on.[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge nodded lightly still blushing a bit, [colour=#ff0000]“Y-yeah, ok that’s probably for the best.”[/colour] He felt calmer but still too uncomfortable to say anything else, he simply sat at the table playing with his hooves in silence. He looked down for the most part except for a few seconds of looking around or at Penumbra.

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra could tell he had been a bit thrown, or perhaps a lot thrown, by their exchange. He was twiddling his hooves about in a rather unmanly fashion. She smiled a bit when she had his eye, hard since he was looking around so much, she reached over and put one of her own hooves, a bit rough from her workload of physical labor, onto his shoulder.

[colour=#808080]"Relax, Bridge. I'm only amused, nothing else. Hey, you can still make a comeback. Come on, take any shot you want at me. I'm wide open."[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge was glad that she was trying to help. Unfortunately, he was more frustrated with himself for acting like a nervous foal. [colour=#ff0000]“Thanks for trying to comfort me; I’m just having a really off day. Nothing about how I’m acting is normal for me, granted I don’t know much about talking to mares.”[/colour] He gave a light sigh and looked up to Penumbra, [colour=#ff0000]“you’re very considerate; I’ll try to chill out and just have fun.”[/colour] He stood up and walked to Penumbra his hat and guitar back on.

[colour=#ff0000]“So what would you like to go do now?” [/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes at that. 'Didn't know how to talk to mares'. How many times had she heard that one before? Well, now that she thought about it, she had never heard that one before. Stallions normally didn't single her out as attractive or worth talking to. It was now Penumbra's turn to blush a bit, murmur to herself, _{[colour=#808080]"I don't really get that line often, now do I...?" [/colour]}[colour=#000000]Penumbra was glad for the change of subject, got up alongside him, waving a hoof to the server to clean up the mess she'd accidentally made of the table. [/colour][colour=#808080]"Concerts, perhaps? Or, uh, I dunno. Can you take me backstage, possibly?" [/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge took out enough bits to pay the check along with the tip and gave them to the waiter. He looked to Penumbra, her first statement inaudible and a slight confusion to her blushing, he decided to shrug it off and continue. [colour=#ff0000]“If you’d like to go back stage I could do that pretty easily,”[/colour] he stated with a bit of hesitation in his voice, [colour=#ff0000]“I have a while till practice starts so we’ll probably be hang in a green-room with other musicians.”[/colour]

The other musicians where fine, it was his band-members he was concerned about. The liked to poke fun at each other, especially when they knew they could embarrass the other easily; he could take a joke just as well as the others but they did tend to take it a bit too far. ‘Maybe they’ll just not notice it at all, or they’ll just decide not to take advantage of the situation, or maybe I’ll sprout wings and fly myself to the Cloudsdale concert.’

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra smiled. [colour=#808080]"That sounds like a plan. Meeting other musicians sounds like a cool..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra suddenly gave a great yawn, light but very obvious. Oh, she must have gotten less sleep than she thought she had. She hoped she'd make it through the rest of the day without her usual perpetual exhaustion kicking in. It would be bad for all involved if that happened. [/colour][colour=#808080]"... Sorry, excuse me! Yeah, it sounds cool. I could even hear you practice for a bit, I guess? Meet your band mates?"[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridged gave a small laugh at Penumbra’s yawn, [colour=#ff0000]“I guess a place to lay down wouldn’t hurt either.”[/colour] It was rather cute, though he’d probably use less embarrassing words to describe it out loud.

Hearing her mention his band mates snapped his mind back to his previous concerns, [colour=#ff0000]“he-heh, yeah. I’m sure my band mates will be rushing to get to know you.”[/colour] he said with a nervous tone, [colour=#ff0000]“That’s gonna be real fun,”[/colour] this last part he mumbled under his breath as he began to lead the way.

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra was a bit embarrassed by the comment that drew attention to her yawn, she smiled sheepishly in response. It was a sore spot for her, her sleeping habits, but right now it felt uncomfortable more than it did annoying to dwell on. Again, with any luck she'd not have to deal with it today. She was enjoying her time 'working' as Bridge's 'security detail'.

[colour=#808080]"Huh? Bridge, something wrong?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra took it as a good sign that her ability to read the mood hadn't dissipated away yet. And right now, Bridge seemed more than a bit nervous. Penumbra asked out of concern. She trotted along, careful to keep eye contact as best she could.[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge looked to Penumbra trying to put on a smile, [colour=#ff0000]“no, nothing really… well, nothing I really have control over. You’ll see what I’m talking about soon enough anyway.”[/colour] They were nearing the backstage entrance were a large stallion wearing blacked out sunglasses and a security vest stood.

[colour=#ff0000]“Here we are.”[/colour] He stated to Penumbra as they walked up to the security guard. [colour=#ff0000]“Hey, I’m with one of the bands,”[/colour] he showed his VIP Card to the stallion. As he examined it his only response was to nod his head in the direction of Penumbra and say, “She with you?” Bridge nodded to the guard and he opened the door for them.

[colour=#ff0000]“Alright, let’s g-”[/colour] he was interrupted by a orange Pegasus wearing baseball cap. [colour=#ffa500]“HEY BRIIDGEE, YOU FINALLY DECIDED TO SHOW UP EARLY I….”[/colour] he looked to Penumbra a smile growing on his face. [colour=#ffa500]“No way. HEY GUYYYSSS!!! GET OVER HERE YOUR NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS!!!”[/colour] with that he ran back to a room shouting for the others.

[colour=#ff0000]“…. Ooohh boy.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#808080]"That sounds incredibly ominous..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra smiled at the security guard as he let them through, trotted through with a bit of a thrill, exhilarated that she was one of the 'special' ponies who got to go backstage. It was one of the classic cliches about musicians and celebrities come true. Penumbra didn't really have much else to say, she just examined the sights around, the musicians warming up, putting on costumes and make up and... Wow that stallion was loud. Wait, was he talking to Bridge? He was, and he was... smiling at her? No, not at her. The smile was caused by her, not for her.[/colour]

[colour=#808080]"... That what you warned me about?" [/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge was considering whether it was best to just run out of the backstage area now or wait to see if things don’t go as bad as he expects them. With Penumbra here he didn’t want to just run so he simply face-hoofed as he tried to answer her question. [colour=#ff0000]“No… it’s gonna get much worse.”[/colour] As he said those words the rest of the band turned around the corner.

[colour=#ffd700]“Are sure it was Bridge?”[/colour] said a red unicorn.

[colour=#0000ff]“Yeah, I mean he’s not really known for being good with mares. Maybe you just thought she was with him?”[/colour] said a slight bulkier pony with a blue coat.

[colour=#ffa500]“NO, I’M SURE SHE WAS WITH HIM. SEE I’LL SHOW YOU!!!”[/colour] the orange Pegasus stated pointing his hoof to Bridge and Penumbra.

[colour=#ff0000]“Uuuhhh… hey guys.”[/colour] The band members all stood staring at Bridge with a surprised expression.

[colour=#0000ff]“Well, now I’ve seen everything.”[/colour]

[colour=#ffa500]“TOLD YA! TOLD YA!”[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]“…Wow…”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra didn't have time for a response, now that his bandmates were more or less already there. They were definitely a technicolor band, among other things. Had she been more tired, Penumbra's eyes probably would have started watering with all the colour coats on display. Now to be honest, it was rare that she was put in this sort of awkward situation. All sorts of other awkward situations that were less cute, yes. But not a case of mistaken relationship. Penumbra had to blush a bit, perhaps a bit flattered that ponies would think highly enough of her to think she'd actually stand a chance with a stallion. Wait. Did this insult Bridge more than it flattered her?

[colour=#808080]"... Hey!" [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra smiled, not really sure how else to respond to Bridge's band mates. [/colour][colour=#808080]"I'm Penumbra, I've been assigned to Bridge's security detail."[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge new this wasn’t going to end well, it never did. Any time he was around a mare, which was again something of a rarity, and his band members saw him they always managed to make a fool of him, scare the mare off, or embarrass him to the point where he couldn’t even speak with anyone. The fact that they always assumed that he was interested in them didn’t help either, with all eyes of the band on the two he stayed unnaturally still his brain trying to process what was going on and how to save himself from this.

The orange Pegasus snickered as he spoke, [colour=#ffa500]“He-heh, that’s funny usually the stallions the one watching the mare’s fla-”[/colour] the blue pony shoved his hoof over the Pegasus’ mouth to silence him.

[colour=#0000ff]“It’s nice to meet Bridge’s… uh, security detail.”[/colour]

The red unicorn looked at Bridge with a half-smirk, [colour=#ffd700]“…Nice.”[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]“A-alright, I guess we should go hang since we got a while till practice, good seeing you guys.”[/colour] He tried to rush the conversation along to try and get away from the disaster waiting to happen.

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra couldn't say that she hadn't seen this one coming. If it had been anyone of her friends, merciless teasing would have been the first order of the day. A bit crass, but Penumbra was perfectly fine with engaging in such talk. She held a hoof out, pressed it against Bridge's chest.

[colour=#808080]"Hold up there partner. We just met!" [/colour][colour=#000000]Penumbra retracted the hoof, swept it through her hair so that her mess of a bedhead hairdo would be only slightly less messy. She glanced between the three stallions, smiling brightly. [/colour][colour=#808080]"Well, I've got to be honest. Haven't caught Bridge here really checking me out yet, but I ain't surprised. Still, I'm flattered you guys would think that. Totally false though, as far as I know. That cleared out of the air, none of you have introduced yourselves yet."[/colour]

[silversigil]

The blue earth pony walked up to Penumbra to shake her hoof, [colour=#0000ff]“My names Kick-pedal, pleasure to meet ya’, and don’t mind my friend Rift,”[/colour] he said gesturing to the orange Pegasus, [colour=#0000ff]“he makes up for having a small brain with a big mouth.”[/colour] The Orange Pegasus began nodding as he spoke, [colour=#ffa500]“Yeah, that’s ri-, HEY!!!”[/colour] he shouted suddenly realizing the insult, [colour=#ffa500]“…AHH WHATEVER!!! So yeah that’s my name base’s my game.”[/colour] he stated with a large smile the blue pony only responding by rolling his eyes, [colour=#0000ff]“yyyeahh… and the red guy behind me’s Screech.” [/colour]The unicorn nodded to Penumbra. [colour=#0000ff]“so now that you know us, you two go on to the green room and we’ll see ya there later. We’ve got something to go do real quick.”[/colour]

[colour=#ffa500]“We do?”[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]“Yeah, we do. Remember?”[/colour]

[colour=#ffa500]“…OHHH!!! Ok”[/colour] and with that the three left waving goodbye.

[colour=#ff0000]“That was… odd.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

Penumbra shook Kick-Pedal's hoof, smiled at Rift, waved at Screech, and wasn't that surprised when they were all gone. She had observed enough sitcom-like behavior during her years in school to understand when ponies were bowing out of an awkward situation that had the potential to blossom into romance. She had been the pony bowing out, before. Penumbra appraised Bridge, wondered what the chances of that happening were. He was nice, wasn't half-bad looking, true. But the same probably couldn't have been said for her. At any rate, Penumbra was happy enough to just see where things played out for now. But, there was some iron cast opportunity here...

[colour=#808080]"Mmm, it was. Now tell me Bridge, when'd you get such cool, handsome friends?"[/colour]

[silversigil]

Bridge raised an eyebrow, now he knew that she couldn’t have been serious, but it wouldn’t have been the first time he got ditched by a mare for one of his band-mates. He wasn’t really bothered by it even before he was used to it, though it was a sting to any stallions pride. [colour=#ff0000]“Hmmm… ‘fraid you’re early by about a couple decades, hope you don’t mind waiting a bit,”[/colour] He said jokingly. He grab a bottle off a cart being pushed past them by a pony, [colour=#ff0000]“I’m sure we’ll find something to do in the mean time,”[/colour] he said emphasizing the bottle.