Ponywalk Luau: Making an Entrance

[Bramble Rose]

A crisp, clear evening, with the sun hanging low on the horizon, the reddening sky reflected in the waves below, stretching out as far as the eye can see. The white sand was lit up, though, with hundreds of torches, decorating the beach for the luau. A live band played island rhythms, an open bar was provided for the participants, and at the centerpiece, a beautiful sculpture of a dress form was built out of enchanted ice, so that it wouldn't melt before the night was through.

A tiki bar was set up to one side, decorated with torches and lamps, flowers and fronds, with all the fine, high-class drinks that anypony could hope for. To the other side, a large dance floor was set up, solid slabs of wood laid out in a grid pattern, next to the live band. And in the back, looking out over the darkening beach and the rolling waves, was a large snack bar respendent with hundreds of teeny-tiny snacks.

The entrance was laid out with red carpet, and a couple of large ponies in good solid black suits stood guard, making sure no one who wasn't supposed to be there got in, while a smaller unicorn pony stood discretely back and checked each arrival against a clipboard with a guest list.

It was time for the fabulosity ... TO BEGIN!

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose rode in the carriage next to the gorgeous Glitzen Glamour in a near panic. What was he doing? This was insane! No one would ever buy this! Someone was sure to recognize him!

Well. Recognize her.

It had been a shock, earlier today. Glitzen had presented the costume he had been working on for the last several days, with the air of someone expecting wild applause and acclaim. Bramble didn't know why Glitzen had been surprised at Bramble's flat look and statement: "It's a dress."

There was no way. Absolutely none. It was impossible. And Glitzen hadn't pleaded, hadn't begged, but ... he had stated how the Ponywalk could make or break a designer's career. And he didn't have time to make a proper suit for Bramble. He was so sorry, he had forgotten Bramble's strange aversion to wearing dresses, but the muse had seized him... and that tiny look of panic in Glitzen's eye, the faint tremor of worry in his voice, as Glitzen tried valiantly not to beg. Please, Bramble. Don't destroy my business. Don't shatter my dreams.

The curse of working for an artist. And especially an artist who was your friend. Bramble had sighed resignedly. It only took a brief moment to get past the 'danger, do not touch' rope at the local botanical gardens to touch the rare blue blossoms of the Poison Joke plant. And a few hours later... it had taken effect. Bramble's greatest embarrassment ever. The delicate little unicorn tried so hard to be a big, tough, proper stallion, just like his sire, but Poison Joke made any pretense of that effort pointless, as Bramble became a small, lovely mare. It was even more embarrassing how little it had to change him to do so.

So here she was, a fake cutie mark on her flank - a curling, delicate pink scarf - about to activate the proposed stage name of "Silk Scarf," fashion model.

Well, this didn't have to be bad. It wasn't any worse than some of the roles she played at the Academy, or in college. Bramble had been in drama for seven years. She just had to keep in mind that this was a stage, and she had a role to play. That's all this was, just another stage. It didn't make any difference that there would be paparazzi everywhere, snapping photos that would go into magazines and newspapers that would spread to every last corner of Equestria. Bramble stamped down on that nervous thought.

The carriage stopped. Ohno, ohno, ohno, ohno. Bramble's stomach churned in nervous terror. She directed a panicked look to Glitzen, who said ... something reassuring? Bramble couldn't even hear. The carriage door opened, and Bramble hesitantly stepped forward onto the stage...

Silk Scarf stepped out onto the red carpet. Her deep purple coat had been perfectly groomed, her silver mane was curled and coiffed expertly. A creamy, off-white bodice had a slimming effect, not that the slim little mare needed it, and golden fabric called counterpoint in the shoes on her forehooves, wrapped lightly around her forelegs, and in a lovely sash wrapped round between the bodice and skirt. The long green skirt cascaded over her flanks - two skirts, actually, each cut into strips and then sewn to each other to create the impression of the loose, flowing fronds of a grass skirt, but rising and falling in impossible manners, keeping its elegant shape while evoking the exotic tropical feel of the islands. And for a splash of color to set off the outfit and absolutely make it pop, a huge, beautiful blossom was tucked next to her ear. Silk Scarf had picked it out herself - the reds, oranges, and hint of purple were like a sunset in her mane, and it set off the feel of the outfit *perfectly*.

She waited for Glitzen Glamour to step out as well, standing first in one casual pose, then another, as the media took their photographs, making sure to stand so that the pink scarf of Silk Scarf's cutie mark was easily visible through the criss-crossing 'fronds' of her skirt. She smiled for the cameras, gave them a confident look. Of *course*, everypony wanted to see Silk Scarf. Silk Scarf was a fashion model, had wanted to be a fashion model for her entire life. And this was her coming-out. That was the role, she just had to remember that. She was a more feminine version of Glitzen -

She glanced at Glitzen. OK, there was no such thing as a more feminine version of Glitzen, but she took her lead from him, following him up to the entrance to the Luau, and stepping inside. The butterflies still were throwing their own party in her stomach, but she ignored them. Silk Scarf wasn't nervous at parties. Silk Scarf loved attention. She smiled, and nodded, and leaned lightly against Glitzen's side. "Oh, this will be *so* much fun, darling!" she drawled, in the bored tones of the upper-class elite of Canterlot.

[Dubstep]

'This is it' Glitzen thought, 'This is the first step towards the dream! Oh this is so divine! Who could be there I wonder? Oh I hope some big names are there, it's always good to make a grand first impression before the show!~' the fashionista silently pondered to himself as the carriage went along. It was a bit of a trip from the Hotel to the Luau. But that didn't bother him, not at all.

What had bothered him was the chance that Bramble might back out, his, or rather HER, reaction earlier was, well, less than lack luster, to say the least. A part of Glitzen had wanted to break down begging, pleading with the stallion to do this for him. But he had to hold himself together, grace, tact, dignity. If he let this get to him so easily, he would NEVER be able to hold it together at the show, so calmly, but with a fearful waiver in his voice, GG stated just how much this meant to him and his business. Which, thankfully worked. Glitzen mentally gave himself a pat on the back, and thanked Bramble profusely as he grabbed hold of the Joke beyond the guard line.

After all of that though, here they were, in the carriage on their way to what would SURELY be a fabulous Luau! Bramble, no, Silk Scarf, dressed in a fabulous outfit that Glitzen pieced together, a grand dress indeed, but it paled in comparison to what he had in store for the show! That would knock their horseshoes off! Glitz himself was dressed in a gorgeous mint green tunic style dress with fine vine shaped dark green accents and a snug wine coloured sash adorning his waist. Simple, yet elegant, as was his accessories, an olive branch wreath sat upon his lovely mane, as gold hoop earrings dangled from his ears, shining in the light.

"There there darling, you'll be just fine." he reassured his friend, or at least tried to, as they pulled up to the location of the party. Slowly the door swung open, and Glitzen could hear it, the murmur of the crowds, the snaps of cameras, he could see it, the flash of lights and the red of the carpet, he could even smell it, the wafting scents of the meal being prepared along with the magnificent smell of the flowers placed around.

With a smile, Glitzen shortly followed his friend out from the carriage, into the snapping maelstrom of the paparazzi. While Glitzen loved it, taking time to smile and pose for the camera, trying his best not to ham it up, but still make sure they got his good side, which, he had no bad side clearly, he knew that Bramble, while still in the guise of Silk, wasn't too fond of it, so confidently he made his way towards the party, with his model following suit, "Oh yes dear, this is going to be spectacular, do remember to mingle and enjoy yourself darling, is a party, after all." he said with a slight giggle, glancing around to see if he could spot any of the big players in the fashion industry.

[RoyalDice]

A slight breeze started stirring up and the waves elegantly rolling onto the beach, a beautiful sight as it was, the young green colt was still very busy with trying to find the best place in his mane to place the pair of flowers he had picked up. Two bright red lilly-like flowers and a floral patterned shirt was his outfit to the party. He had picked out the most ''outgoing'' clothing he could find in his closet - which was mostly empty anyhow - and took the best he could find out of it. He took a flying chariot, pulled by some pegasi to the islands he thought to have been at before for an expedition. Only that was mostly jungle, and was filled with critters and tribals that apparently weren't as nice as he had predicted.

Slowly trotting along the line of torches and the sand, trying not to get flattened by the incoming carriages, he sighed. He had spotted a few very good looking mares and colts, which made him think he was mad for even being at a fashion show!

He probably was, though.

Lacking any form of experience and only doing something like this, the colt was still very terrified with doing something like this. As a foal, he enjoyed watching shows like these, but participating in one was a bit of a far step for the colt. However, he wasn't planning on backing down. Not now. Not /again/.

[AppleNitrox]

When Chemise looked out the window of the carriage at the crowd surrounding the Ponywalk Luau, she was scared at first. "Dear Celestia ... So many ponies" she thought to herself. She looked down at her clothes, ready to leave, but ... she couldn't She has a responsibility. Her mind drifted back to her friend...

-----

Chemise was at home, laying in her bed. Tissues littered the bed around her, and the floor under the bed - her dress was ready for the Luau, but the unicorn wasn't. She cried out of fear that she need to be in a crowd, where a lot of ponies would stare at her, judge her, and she would be all alone, without any friends. She would so much rather just sit at home, making more dresses and not having to go outside, but she'd promised her friend Star Fire to give it a try. There was a knocking at her door, and she just shouted, "It's open!" She didn't even want to get up to open the door. The pony that entered the room was Star Fire. At first he was smiling, but when he saw all the tissues, he rushed to Chemise with a worried expression.

"Hey, Chemise ... What is wrong? Isn't today the day you were waiting for? A lot of ponies will be getting to see your beautiful works! Why aren't you ready to go?" Star smiled, trying to will Chemise to feel better through sheer cheerfulness. Chemise just hugged tightly into her friend while crying on his shoulder.

"I can't! Star, I really can't, there will be a lot of ponies ... And I will be alone! I can't, my dresses are so terrible ... There are so many ponies that are a lot better than me. I should just sit at home ... I'm fine with the customers I have, I don't want to bother ponies with my terrible clothes and dress! Trust me, it isn't worth a try, Star. I will just look stupid in front of everypony."

Star laughed while looking at her, and Chemise felt something other than fear and sadness - she got upset, and pulled back from the hug. "What is so funny!? My tragedy is funny to you? I thought we are friends, Star, and a friend wouldn't laugh at my fears like this! Why are you laughing at me?" Chemise felt horrible, yelling at her friend, and she didn't know where it had come from.

Star smiled to her and lightly touched his nose to her forehead. "You are silly mare Chemise. You know that? Your dress and your clothes, terrible!? Please don't joke with it! Your work is beautiful. And you need to go outside, you need to show your creations to others, to share that beauty! Yes, I agree, there will be ponies that will be better than you. But hey, if you sit in the house all the time, you'll never get to find out what other ponies think of your creations. And you won't get to see the beautiful creations of others! You'll not grow up, and you'll not get any better in your art. You should try and go Chemi! Give a little courage to your heart, girl! Art is not meant to hide in the house alone."

Chemise looked up to Star, surprised and touched to the quick. His words were so true and she nodded a bit to him. "You are right, Star, You are truly right ... I can't sit at home and just cry about myself. I need to try new stuff ... Even when there will be crowds, maybe some of them will like my fashion? Who knows! I need to try that, because I want to be better at it!"

Star laughed at her and hugged her once more, "That's my filly! Now get your dress on and hurry before you're late!"

Chemise smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry I can't take you, Star, but you know why I can't ... I would love to take you there to see all the lovely dresses, and ... I'd feel safer with you there. But I have one request. Could you watch over my home when I'm gone? I know it can disturb your sho-"

She was stopped by Star and he nodded a bit with smile "Of course I can." His smile was so gentle, so confident, so assured, that Chemise felt absurdly reassured, and was able to get dressed with a light heart.

The gown was very simple - a deep green color, as a setting for all the flowers she had decorated it. She had thought of it as a garden you could wear, and the fabric was decorated with flowers as simple as daisies, right next to elegant roses. An amethyst rested at each shoulder, a soft sparkle peeking out of the petals surrounding them, to catch the eye. A scarf in spring colors flowed around her neck, drifted behind her. Her straw hat was simple, but decorated with several more flowers, and one more amethyst set just to the left of center. Her target was for an elegant simplicity.

-----

She smiled down to her dress, took a deep breath to steady herself. "I need to do this ... For Star ... And for myself." Chemise nodded to herself and stepped out of the carriage, moving down the red carpet with her head held high, trying to ignore the crowds and the flashing lights around her, hiding the fear that was tying her stomach in knots.

[crp_dude]

Soon after, a tall, lavender mare rode in on the red carpet... or rather, hobbled in. Ornatia, truthfully, could not have been more embarrassed. Exiting her carriage, she turned and graciously thanked the Imperial Guards who were kind enough to serve as escort. Then she turned and slowly walked to the party itself, hoping that nopony would misjudge her as she entered. Her mane was a mess, she was trembling all over, and she had just washed her face off, since she was crying all the way, and was almost certain she had thrown up at least once on the flight there. She was not at all nervous about the party though. Quite the opposite, Ornatia was thrilled to be there. However, she had completely forgotten just how fearful of heights she was, up until the carriage had taken her up in the air. For the hours that she was flying, she was dizzy with fear and clung tightly to her seat the whole time, not daring to look outside. Suddenly, she napped herself back to reality. She had already set up shop, and had her dress for the show prepared almost as soon as she found a model worthy for it. Checking over again, She pulled the sketch she had drawn for the piece of clothing almost a week ago, just to assure herself it was good.

"Y-yes, I'm sure I'll do fine..." Her confidence in her abilities was of course unwavering, but she was less than sure that anypony would have an incredibly high opinion of her looking like the mess that she did. So, preparing to swallow her pride and put on a show, Ornatia, for the first time in her life, walked into a fashion show in another country, and never before had she been more determined to prove herself worthy to the world twice over.

[Otsdarva]

Douglas stood far off to the side, making sure the lamps were aimed right and kept steady. Earlier he had helped with the construction of the entrance long before there was even a crowd. He worked along with the other staff to make sure the event was all set up before anypony arrived. Still, that wasn't the end of his day, no sir. He, like the others had a near endless list of tasks to complete before the party started. Douglas wasn't all too sure about his involvment, but at the advice of a rather primp and proper friend Douglas thought he should at least experience some sort of high life event once in his life. Signing on as a handypony for the Ponywalk was more than an effective means of doing just that!

So now, zero hour had arrived and the headliners of the Ponywalk were arriving in their grand Carriages. Far off on the side of the entrance Douglas made last minute checks of everything, making sure all of his responisbilities were set. He carefully moved behind the crowd of ponies leaning against the railing to take photos. Taking peeks between their heads he began to noticed some of the ponies stepping out of their carriages. First there was this couple that emitted something that nopony in the crowd could really put their hoof on. Douglas could feel just what it was though that set them apart, Presence. The Unicorn mare and her Pegasi date gave off the air that this was all for them.

"Well, I suppose it sure is a sight to see." Douglas mused as he moved about his duties behind the crowd. Grabbing one last peek at the couple he glanced over the mare's figure, she was quite striking and yet something seemed off. Vaguely familiar even. "Ah shoot, this'll be buggin' me all night." he grimaced as he reached his destination. Taking the stand of a lamp into his mouth, he gave a slight jerk, turning it to face just the perfect direction as specified by the lighting tech.

Looking out again he caught the sight of another mare stepping out of a carriage, dressed in an elegant green gown she took it upon herself to stick her head high and walk with grace. Douglas was begining to feel that this would become a rather frequent occurance as he could see the incoming carriages. "Surely they must pander to the cameras the way I haggle with prices, they're probably more relaxed when not putting up with these extravagent events." Douglas thought as he watched the graceful mare reach the end of the red carpet, suddenly losing sight as the paparazi turned their clammor and photos to the next carriage.

He could feel his spirits dampen as he listened to the ruckus of the photogs at the arrival of a lavender mare, sadly she didn't seem anywhere as confident as those before her. Truly she had a little misfortune befall her trip, mane in tussle and make-up removed, but as she proceeded shakily down the carpet Douglas noticed a small change in the way she carried herself before she cleared the entrance. It was a geniune determenation, not the over aboundance displayed by those before her and while the cameras had unfortunately shifted to the next incoming carriage Douglas could feel himself wanting to root for her in the Ponywalk.

[CrossStitch]

Cross-Stitch repeatedly ran a hoof through his mane, trying to straighten it. His heart pounded out of his chest, he could hear it in his head, could hear the blood rushing through him. Nervousness was nipping at him hard, and he had no idea what to do. He took in large and slow breaths, calming his breathing down, which in turn slowed his heart down. The carriage pulled him ever closer to the luau where he was sure that his dive into popular fashion would begin. He could hear noises getting closer, and could only assume it was his destination.

The invitation had came so suddenly, and unexpectedly. Apparently he had been noticed by a more important designer who really wanted to see more of his works, and even see him become more popular. At first, he was ecstatic! All of his hopes and dreams could come true! But now, he was nervous, scared, petrified, and so on. The carriage stopped, and so did his heart. His eyes were wide, but he knew it was go-time. He took another deep breath in, and the door opened.

Cross-Stitch stepped out with a large smile on, sporting a very sophisticated looking suit. It was black, the same shad as his mane, and his own cutie mark was hand stitched into the left pocket. Under the suit jacket was a white button up shirt with the top two buttons left unbuttoned. He never really enjoyed buttoning all of his buttons up, it felt restricting to him, which was ironic as he loved to wear scarves. In the pocket of the jacket was a handkerchief that matched the color of his coat to a tee. His mane fell perfectly to his left side, and it was perfectly straight at well, he had obviously put a lot of time into his appearance. A pair of dark sunglasses wrapped the outfit up. They were dark, but his blue eyes could be seen through the tint, and they seemed to glow in the light. With a wide smile, he began his walk.

Growing up in Canterlot taught him how to walk with elegance, and grace, almost as if he was a model himself.

As his entrance ended, he turned and winked. "Well... That went smoothly." He said to himself as he made a few adjustments to his outfit. But that was only half of his troubles. Now, he had to actually mingle with all of the more important designers and models. Hew swallowed the lump in his throat and put his confident face back on.

[Inkwell]

Near the rear of the carriage procession, a pair of unicorn siblings sat in backseat, taking in the sights of the ocean from hundreds of feet in the air. In all honestly, however, only one of them was truly paying attention. Inkwell found himself getting immersed in the glittering malachite sea, doing his best to capture every reflection of sunlight off the surface of the water. He didn't want to get too immersed, though, for fear of leaning out the window and losing some of his precious art materials to the ocean, or worse yet, himself!

Rose Madder, on the other hand, barely looked out the window, since she was too busy fidgeting in her seat. She sported a huge, beaming grin that hurt the muscles in her mouth to maintain, but she was just too excited to care. "Inky!" she said, poking him on the shoulder. "Inky Inky Inky! We're almost there! Can you believe it?" She practically squealed as she saw the Gallopocous Islands coming up ahead.

"Whoa, calm down, Rose!" he said, turning back and giving her a bemused look. It was hard for him to remember the last time he saw his cool and collected sister like this, losing her head over the chance to shine. "I didn't know this meant so much to you. What happened to that pen name business you were so invested in?"

She blinked and tilted her head, adjusting the brim of her brand new straw hat. It was expertly crafted, with a few fabricated tropical flowers sewn right behind the brim. "Oh, that's for writing, silly," she said, brushing him off with a wave of her hoof. "Physical appearance shouldn't matter when it comes to the vibrancy of my imagination! But this is different! How can I possibly hide my appearance from the world with anonymity? That would defeat the whole purpose of modeling!"

Inkwell shrugged. "Yeah, but-"

"Uh uh!" Rose said, putting a hoof to Inkwell's mouth. "Not another word! They picked me for this! Me! Out of all the ponies out there, I was the best new mare they could find!"

Her eyes widened as she looked up at the ceiling of the carriage, and Inkwell swore she could find stars in them. He'd have to remind himself to draw that expression later. "Just don't lose sight of what's important, okay? You're a writer above all else."

Rose rolled her eyes as she felt the carriage starting to touch down. "Oh pih-shaw! This'll give me a lot of material! I haven't gotten a lot of practice describing clothes yet. Now hold on, we're about to touch down!"

Their carriage landed, and Rose made her entrance, throwing the door open and striking what she imagined was an elegant pose, sporting a sundress with a dazzling tropical pattern. The thread of the fabric was expertly dyed with many more flowers and green leaves that popped against her red coat. She got that darling dress in a shop in Canterlot, newly opened and owned by an adorable earth pony named-

"Cross-Stitch!" she said, spotting the dress's maker getting out of another carriage. "You made it!"

[CrossStitch]

Cross-Stitch turned at the sound of his name, the sudden movement caused his mane to float up a bit before gently falling back into place. He remembered that voice, it was Rose! The thought of seeing a friendly face caused a wave of relief to wash over him as he let out a breath.

"Oh, hello Rose! Of course I made it, I wouldn't miss this for the world!" He said, shaking his head to add emphasis, the shaking motion again caused his mane to float up and down. He removed his sunglasses and tucked them neatly into his front pocket before returning to Rose, "How was your ride? Pleasant I hope!" He smiled warmly, and the lights reflected off of his white teeth. He had went to every step to look his absolute best for this day, which was becoming more apparent with each second that he existed.

He looked down at Rose's dress, which he recognized instantly, "Oh! You're wearing the dress! It looks smashing on you!" He winked as he finished his sentence.

[VinylScratch]

Lily Petal sat in the the spring colored carraige. The only sounds she could here was the beat of a dance floor and her heart racing. Am I really doing this? she thought. Was I really asked to be here to model for somepony? It all seemed unbelievable. But the dress that was given to her for the walkway said it all. It still wasn't here yet, that was for the actual show. Here was the mingly party, THIS is where she had to make a name for herself amongst these fashion ponies. Out the window, the sun was setting and giving way to the fire torches and lamps. Lily calmed herself and exited the vehicle, letting her evening dress out. It was a soft, royal purple. A red shape resembling a bird was at the bottom of her dress and a dahlia was set in here ear. Elegantly beautiful. She stepped acroos the red carpet and let the guard know her name. The black pony checked her off his list and she entered and looked at all the ponies and wondered who to talk to.

[Dusky Wing]

This….miiight have not been the greatest idea. There wasn’t a familiar face in sight, she was totally lost here. But she had decided to come to this little event and stick through it till the end. Estrella had no idea what to wear and just decided to show up clad in a hat that she liked and a pair of shades that she had…well…accidentally liberated.

The hat was pristine white, with a two layers of silver lace wrapped around it, one think and the other light and frilly. The frosting on the cake was the gold flower and silver ribbon that topped off her fashion gear, to her it was quite the fancy choice and it covered the top of her lengthy black and white mane quite well. The shades…held a sort of personal value to her, she had to find their original owner so she could return them and then apologise, but until then they served to add to her visual appeal.

Sauntering up the walkway was quite easy, her gait sure footed as she gave off the aura of being in control. She looked up squarely at the guard who blinked in surprise back at her, politely asking for her name.

“Estrella Montez.” She nodded to the male, lightly tapping her hoof against the ground.

The guard hastily checked off her name and ushered her into the party, the mare giving him a nod as she walked on ahead and left him to his post. Once she was out of sight of the guards she dropped the whole façade as she walked, staring around in wonder and awe. This was one of her few visits to Canterlot once again and she was speechless. This place had all the good stuff.

Soon her first problem arose once more, she had no clue who anypony was and they probably didn’t care who she was either! Well maybe they did but she didn’t know! Did she introduce herself? Wait for Somepony to come up to her? Instead she settled on migrating slowly over to the snack bar, she had forgotten to eat breakfast today.

[SunsetSombra]

Oh yeah, this was the scene alright - Vinyl Scratch smiles to herself as she arrived on-hoof to the scene...trotting over to the entrance after having arrived here by pegacoach not some moments ago. The whole opening line was buzzing with excitement, and the mare was aptly dressed in a straight-white jacket emblazened with her note cutie mark motif and wearing a white/blue rimmed fedora, along with a sharp looking deep blue pair of tinted shades.

She rarely had a chance to attend parties that she hadn't been hired herself to do or host...and it was nice to be able to mix with other ponies as a guest every so often, mostly because it eliminated any pressure to be the one dealing with the musical side of the evening.

" Well, vinyl, you have most DEFINITELY arrived! " She mutters to herself with a small chuckle as she looks around at the fancy lookin' ponies all scattered - waiting to be shown into the evenings events, whatever they were truly to be. Vinyl stayed still a moment and drank in the fancy surroundings...it was often easy to just forget she was one of the most respected DJ's in equestria - she mostly did what she did for the enjoyment of the music, and not because it carried any fame or prestige with it. Still, once she had been invited to something quite as fancy shmancy as this, she knew she couldn't NOT play up her celebrity role and go along for the ride - in light of this fact, she was already aware that her presence had probably already alerted the attention of both some fans and critics in the area.

Vinyl found herself distracted by the last pony being invited through - a familiar pair of shades adorned on her muzzle...the same custom shades stolen from her on the beach a few months ago. An eyebrow raised as she snorted quietly to herself...the night just got more interesting!

despite her state of contemplation over this small fact, She is snapped out of her state of dazed curiousity when she is loudly gestured over to the gate by a guard, who asks her name...to which she replies simply with "Vinyl Scratch. DJ Pon-3 to most though! " - to which the guard gives something of a nod of the head, checking her name off the list. She's promptly pointed towards the main entrance, and she playfully smirks at the guard with a nod as her way of offering thanks.

With a small flick of her tail back and forth, and a soft hum of a track she'd been playing a lot at home, Canterlots finest DJ, Vinyl Scratch, made her way inside...with the aims of both having herself one heck of a time, and to track down that one certain pony - Yes, she was going to get those shades back, one way or the other!

Edited January 23, 2012 by Robikku Pegasus

[Dunes]

"Girl, you are late." Sapphire Shores grumbled to herself. She could've passed it off as being fashionably late, she supposed, but she hated missing any nanosecond of a party.

It wasn't entirely her fault. There had been an unexpected snowstorm on her way back from a show in Stalliongrad – as if any snowstorm was really unexpected there. Arriving at the strand at two in the morning hadn't exactly been in her plans.

She really ought not have stayed up until seven in the morning trying on different outfits the night before, however. She was lucky to have woken up when she did.

But all of her outfits were so... so... old. Some of them she'd even worn twice. It simply wouldn't do, not when the eyes of Equestria were upon her. She eventually settled on a flashy little number that appeared to be half dress, half aluminum foil. The little grey dress flared up at the end, revealing what robot peacock feathers might look like, if robot peacocks existed. For no apparent reason, there was a large, sparkly triangle attached to the front of the dress. She had no idea why it was there, but it was strange, so she liked it.

She was also hoping nobody noticed that this was what she'd worn on the first couple of nights of her first tour. She desperately needed some new outfits. She was looking forward to plowing through her bag full of bits and coming home with a trunk full of new couture.

Her eyes were puffy with a lack of sleep, but once she set eyes on the mass of party ponies, a grin spread across her face. Fashion, fun, food, and... she couldn't think of a synonym for “drinks” that started with F.

She trotted up to the pony with the clipboard, head held high, jaunty little black and white striped hat at a rakish angle. “Sapphire Shores, hon, and I am way past late.” Given the go-ahead, she nodded at the pair of bouncers. "Thanks, sweets."

((Shamelessly stealing Lady Gaga outfits? Yes, yes I am. Also, argh, not my best, but my dog recently nested on my laptop bag, complete with tablet inside, and now it only registers three out of four of my pen strokes. ))

[Inkwell]

Rose smiled and shrugged at the mention of her dress. Cross-Stitch still looked irresistible, and she found herself getting the familiar feeling of sugary, energetic attraction again. "Well, that's mostly because of the dress, I think," she said, waving him off like it was no big deal. "The dress and the genius who designed it!" She walked up to Cross-Stitch and looked him over. "You've dolled yourself up for this event too, I see! You look absolutely adorable!"

"Hello!" Inkwell said, peeping out from behind Rose. "You must be Cross-Stitch! Rose told me all about you."

Her ears folded back thanks to his sudden interruption. "Oh yes, I did, and I should probably introduce you two. Cross-Stitch, this is my brother, Inkwell." She gave Cross-Stitch a smile and nuzzled her head up against Inkwell's. "He's dolled up too, but not as a model. He'll be drawing all of the ponies onstage in all of their glorious new dresses and suits! You're not jealous, are you Inky?" She grinned and nudged him in the ribs.

"Noooo," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I've got the perfect vantage point right where I am, thank you."

[CrossStitch]

Cross-Stitch waved his hoof, "Genius? But, I could have SWORN I made that dress." A small chuckle escaped him. The scene was so lively, so surreal, it made him want to laugh forever. Rose's compliment caused a red tint to shade his face, but the lighting hid it slightly, "Th-Thank you Rose," another chuckle escaped as if he was attempting to hold it in, "I tried my best to make myself presentable."

A new pony made his presence known. Cross-Stitch was too caught up in Rose to realize there was anypony else with them though, so he was quite surprised to see this new pony come from seemingly nowhere. "Rose has told you about me?" He asked, honestly surprised, "Good things, I hope?" He tilted his head and gave a coy smile to Rose as he continued his giggling.

The name Inkwell seemed familiar to him, "Ah yes, Inkwell. I believe Rose has mentioned you before! It is great to finally meet you then. My name is Cross-Stitch, though that's already been established." He bowed his head to Inkwell, his mane falling with him as he did. He rose back up and the momentum bounced his mane back into place. "You're also an artist then? That's a fine hobby! My father was an artist you know?" He said, looking to both Inkwell and Rose as he did not recall bringing the fact up to Rose at any time.

There was another interruption though, this time from Cross-Stitch himself. It was a low rumble, almost inaudible. It was Cross-Stitch's stomach, all of the nervousness was catching up with him. "Ah, Ms Rose, Mr Inkwell, would you like to accompany me to the Tiki Bar? I'm feeling quite parched." He figured a drink would help settle his stomach.

[Inkwell]

"Oh yeah," Inkwell said to Cross-Stitch when the earth pony asked what Rose said. "She said you were talented and polite and very friendly." Inkwell didn't tell him that she intended for him to be her eighth attempt at a stable relationship. That little tidbit he figured out for himself. He knew his sister well enough by now.

"Oh, and, um it's not technically a hobby," he said, correcting Cross-Stitch. "I actually make a living off of commissions. I've done paintings, murals, and I'm especially good at inked illustrations for books. You can probably see a lot of my work in Bantamwing's books. He can't get enough of me for some reason." He let out a nervous chuckle before Cross-Stitch's stomach growled and his followed suit.

"I'd love to, Cross-Stitch!" Rose said, looking pleased as punch to be spending more time with the designer. "But I think maybe we could all use something to eat, too. Maybe we could stop by the banquet hall?"

"Actually," Inkwell said, "I think maybe I'll just go on to the banquet hall and bring you two some food from there. You two can go on to the Tiki Bar."

"Alright," Rose said, stepping a bit closer to Cross-Stitch. Maybe too close. "Thanks for the consideration, Inky!"

"Oh, no problem!" he replied. "I know how you get around buffets, and I don't think anypony wants to see you burst out of your outfit onstage!"

Rose's expression instantly changed from cheer to horror. Her pupils shrank and her jaw dropped as she stared at Inkwell in complete disbelief. Did he... did he just call her fat in front of Cross-Stitch?

He gave her an enormous grin. She'd embarrassed him enough times in front of friends and strangers before. It was only fair that he get to do the same once in a while. "Well, I'd better get that food! Bye!" He took off for the banquet hall before Rose could say anything to him.

Instead, she settled for nervous laughter. "Wow, he's quite the kidder, isn't he?" she asked Cross-Stitch.

[CrossStitch]

Cross-Stitch smiled as he watched Inkwell leave. There was just something about artists that reminded him of the good-old-days as he put it. They were always noticeable, always carrying that air of creativity about them.

He laughed to himself about Inkwell's compliment and then turned to Rose, who seemed to be quite flustered about it. "Quite the kidder indeed." He said, adding in a healthier laugh to show he didn't take any of the joke seriously, "To be honest, you have quite the most exquisite form I've seen." He laughed again, and began to move toward the tiki bar. His mind seemed to slap him, wondering if he knew what he just said. As his mind caught up with his mouth, Cross-Stitch became more thankful that the lighting would hide the red on his face.

"Shall we?" He said, gesturing to the empty space beside him so that he could escort Rose.

Artists weren't the only ponies with an aura to them though. There was an aura that Rose herself carried, it warmed the air and seemed to make everything softer. The more time he spent around her, the more he began to grow fond of it. Back in the shop, he felt almost pressured by her. But here, after spending some time with her, he had rather grown accustomed the way she was. He would perhaps even go as far as to say that he was returning the same vibes he felt from her.

[Kudalyn]

~Rarity~

A elegant white-coated pony trotted daintly down the carpet, the magnificent tropical-flowered hat upon her head catching the eye of those she passed. She smirked, knowing that this night, was her night. She had been planning for this event for months now, tossing out design after design until she found -just- the proper ones for the theme tonight! This was going to be a night to remember!

Rarity glanced around, her eyes taking in the dance floor, the tiki bar, the wide open beach off in the distance. The dance floor simply wouldn't do, it wouldn't do her any good getting all sweaty right at the big premiere! The open beach was beautiful, but rather barren of big-name ponies to chat up about her latest designs.... so she decided on the bar.

"A light refresher won't hurt anything!"She said to herself, slowly walking in the direction of the bar.