Dark and lights. The first thing Bright Snow noticed when she and the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked into what is actually a restaurant in the daytime, then a party house at night. When they were outside, the place looked small. That's because they were looking at one floor. It was much bigger in the basement. Bright Snow decided that for this mission as an undercover scout she'd go by her codename in the Manehattan Elite: Snow Light. That contrasted greatly against her disguise. Shiny black mane and tail, a diamond covered choker, and a light mascara.

Apple Bloom didn't even know she could do makeup. Maybe she should ask if she could give her some pointers.

The steps to the basement creaked with weight thanks to the many ponies trotting down them. While they moved, Bright asked, "So who are the stars here?"

Diamond Tiara shrugged and answered, "Well... If I had my own pick, it'd be Deep Star. He's a Disc Jockey."

"DJ. Call them DJs. What does he tend to play most of the time?" Bright and the others made their way onto the floor where everyone else was congregating and took a seat at one of the many round tables. Bright took this moment to actually observe everything. This place was so deep that there were two floors in here. Two floors. The bottom were where the tables were, and the top region was actually just a rounding walkway. Standing room only. Pretty much a small time club. Similar to the other underground clubs in Manehattan, just much more downgraded.

Diamond Tiara answered, "Mostly old EDM tracks and maybe some slow stuff. Not too hype, not too slow."

Bright nodded and asked, "Okay, okay. Who else?"

Apple Bloom took this one and answered, "Merigold Wonder. She's right over there, and a personal friend." She pointed her right hoof to a mare by the stage. She was actually leaning against it with her arms propped up and a cool looking smirk on her face. She was a Golden coated unicorn mare with a straight dark blue mane and tail. Light green eyes and a tambourine for a Cutie Mark. Cool and relaxed amongst all the noise.

Bright nodded and approved. Chill and relaxed. It's never good to be nervous before a show. You're bound to distract yourself and mess up. "So what's her gig?"

"Let her tell you. YO' MERIGOLD!!" Merigold Wonder looked their way and observed Apple Bloom waving her hoof their way. She said something to a few of the ponies she was speaking to. Then eagerly skipped over. Bright observed she had a strange walk to her.

When she reached their table, she greeted, "Yo', Apples!" Then pulled her into a hug before dropping her right back into her chair. "Hey, Sweetie Belle. Sorry, had to steal your girl for a moment."

Sweetie Belle just smiled and waved while she moved on to Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, then Bright Snow. She motioned to her and asked, "So, who's this?"

Apple Bloom wrapped a hoof around Bright Snow's neck and answered, "This is Snow Light. She's from... Manehattan."

She turned to Snow Light and denied, "No. Way. No bucking way, seriously?"

Snow Light nodded and answered, "Yeah, I actually live in East Manehattan."

"Oooh, you fancy. I hear a lot of things about East Manehattan. Nice to meet you, Snow. Hope you enjoy the show."

"Thanks. Hey, what's your niche?"

Merigold raised her eyebrow and repeated, "My niche?"

She probably had no idea what that was. Bright clarified, "Yeah, what's your thing, what are you going to do? Sing, dance..."

"Oh! I'm a singer. Not exclusive yet, but I will be one day. You're going to see Merigold Wonder on the top of these billboards all the way down here in Ponyville all the way across seas."

She's very optimistic... Interesting. Bright nodded and replied, "Awesome! Remember to have fun up there."

"Oh I will. Thanks, Snow. Enjoy the shows, girls." She whipped around and started the trek back to the stage with a pep in her step. Bright honestly hoped she made her night. Sort of.

With her out of the way, she looked to her friends and asked, "So.. Any more?"

---

Magenta was nervous. She admitted it. The second she started the movement down the stairs, her heart started beating faster, her mind began to fog over. Thanks to the pretty mare at the bottom of these staircases, waiting for her in the kitchen with her father. Since Babs couldn't actually get back to her apartment, Magenta's mother decided to give her some of her own dresses to dress up in. Nothing too fancy, but still something to show this was actually a real date and not a mockup.

But Magenta could barely walk down the steps without having cold hooves. Just like her very first show. But unlike that, this was with one person. Magenta stopped near the bottom and took a deep breath. Then followed her own motto when things get tight like this: Screw it and do it.

With a newfound strength, Magenta bounded out of the stairs and nearly tripped on her dress when she saw Babs at the table already. Making conversation with dad who more or less just got off work. When Babs glanced over, her jaw literally dropped. Magenta was actually in the same position. Since Magenta only wore this dress once, Babs was one of the first people to see her in it without her suit on.

Babs was wearing mom's orange red-orange dress that actually went great with her coat. It wasn't too fancy. Actually it was really plain. Just an orange dress with frills in the back. Babs definitely picked that one out. It showed much country wear to it.

When Magenta showed up, her father decided to immediately take his leave. He had to walk back frozen Magenta on his way out though. So he stopped and used his head to give her that literal push she so desperately needed. "Go on," he whispered. "Make her happy."

Then turned around and left the room. Leaving only the two of them. As Max left the room his hoofsteps left the room with him, leaving them downstairs in silence. When they finally faded, Magenta scratched the back of her neck and just smiled at Babs. "You uhhh... You look amazing," she whispered.

Babs blushed and said, "Nah, you're just saying that because I'm wearing your mother's dress."

Deciding to be bold, Magenta walked over and pulled Babs into a hug. It was quite sudden but welcome since Babs pretty much melted into her hooves. "Hey," she whispered.

"Hey, yourself." Magenta let her go and walked into the kitchen. "So while mom and dad were at work, and you were relaxing in the pool—"

"Can you blame me?"

"No I cannot, there is a jacuzzi in there after all. While you were doing your thing, I decided to cook."

Wait, hold the phone!! Babs turned around to face Magenta digging through the oven and asked, "Wait, you can cook? But all your videos..."

Magenta laughed and placed a steaming bot onto the island a few feet away from the glass table they were eating at. Since it was night, the moon was shining straight through the glass wall beside their table, highlighting Magenta's backyard. And Babs' smile, spotlighted by lip gloss and eyeliner.

Magenta's stare was beginning to make Babs uncomfortable before she cleared her throat and woke back up. Then said, "Right, the videos. So most of that stuff with me trying to cook, is actually just me messing things up to keep the audience entertained. It's humorous. So each time cooking with Magenta comes on they'll think like, 'Oh dude, what is she going to mess up this time?' And then like I'll bring a guest on so they can 'help.' It's for entertainment, but I actually know how to cook. And to prove it..."

Magenta did something over there that involved a ladle and two bowls. Then trotted over with them balanced on her back. She bent low and slid them onto the table with the first one sliding directly onto the center of Babs' spot. Then the second onto her own. Magenta winked at her and ordered, "Take a bite... Or sip."

Babs let her impulses lead her and she did. A lap of the soup and her eyes widened with a satisfied hum. "Mmmm, this is really good!" She congratulated. "What is it?"

Magenta sat down and sighed while giving herself a mental pat on the back. She pointed at her bowl and answered, "This is Magenta's Magic Carrot Soup. It has white whine, a dab of sugar and spice with a pinch of black pepper and vegetables. As well as apple."

Babs took another sip and let her taste buds bathe in the liquid. It was like a little taste of heaven. "This... Is amazing Magenta. Thank you."

"Of course, we're on a date. So..." Magenta leaned in and placed her head on her hooves, shooting Babs Seed a smile that made her smile even more in return. "What don't I know about you? I know you went to East Manehattan High School, which means you possibly come from High Society. You're from Appleloosa, you're my age, and... That's it. What don't I know?"

Babs took one last sip of the soup and answered, "Well let me tell you...."

---

These weren't the shows Bright Snow was used to. Maybe in the past when she and Magenta would be rocking out on the stages. But the difference in this one was she was in the crowd cheering people on this time.

Merigold was actually a really good singer. She was around Magenta's range. She couldn't reach those notes as high as she could, but she made up for them with her vocals. They actually made sense. Love, depressions, letdowns. Things in those categories. Bright made sure she took good photos of her discreetfully.

The other artists previously mentioned by her friends—Deep Star and Star Sky—were pretty good too. Star Sky was a live performer, which meant he played all of his tracks like how Magenta used to. Through a launchpad and a few effect bundles. Deep Star had a "who cares" attitude when it came to his tracks. But his mixes were still pretty artsy. He created images with his works. He would play a hardcore track, then slow it down towards the end and play something offkey with another track that was on key. That clashed together pretty rough, but it still somehow had everypony in the room jumping up and down.

While the night drew to a near close and Bright was nearly done with her drink, she was approached by none other than Merigold. She took this opportunity when everything was winding down to slide into a chair next to Bright and yell, "Hey!" Bright nearly spit her drink out when she did, it was so sudden.

Merigold asked her, "So what's it like in Manehattan? Not many ponies from Manehattan come down here for clubs you know, they usually stick up there for the clubs!"

Bright sat her drink down and answered, "Well the nightlife is always hype and crazy, so it feels good to give the small things a chance, you know?"

Merigold tilted her seat back and leaned against the table behind her. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Trying to book a gig in Manehattan is like trying to talk to a dragon. They never listen to you if you're not from Manehattan."

Bright quickly shook her head and answered, "Actually, that's not true. They'll give you a chance in Manehattan, but you have experience, good reviews, and a bunch of other stuff to be professional. So recordings of shows, things of that nature. Coming in with a bunch of halves makes you seem like a noob. They don't want noobs, they want people they can get money from. What I'm trying to say is, you have to already have a legit fanbase in order to be considered."

"...oh." Merigold glanced at the stage where the current rock band was performing with that in mind. She doesn't really have much of a big fanbase. "You seem to know a lot about this stuff. What do you do?"

"I do a lot of things. I live in Manehattan, so in order to be someone you have to do something special that not a lot of people can do. I can't just give you one. But my favorite is... Art. I'm able to paint a picture into the minds of a lot of people and make them follow me."

"Oooh, interesting. Do you have any on you?"

When Bright's phone rang, she was so happy this conversation was over. She held up her hoof and reached into her mane to pull out her phone. Magenta was calling at... One in the morning? Bright answered it and yelled, "Hello?"

Magenta had to yank the phone away from her ear a bit while Babs giggled in the bed behind her. "Hey!... H-Hey, yeah, can you hear me?!"

"Yea, what's up?!"

"Yeah, so how are things over there?!"

"They're going great, yeah! They're winding down though so I'll be back in a bit, alright?!"

"Yeah, okay! I just wanted to make sure you're okay, alright?!"

"Yeah, thanks for calling, Purple!!" Bright pulled the phone away and leaned over into Apple Bloom's ear. "Hey, I gotta jet."

Apple Bloom looked over and asked, "Wait, you're leaving already?"

"Er... Yeah, yeah it's morning and I still have school to get to at eight so... Call me or something, alright?"

"Alright, see you later, Snow! Sweetie, say bye to Snow, she's leaving." Sweetie Belle looked over and raised her hooves with a confused look on her face. Bright just waved and walked away. She had what she needed. And Magenta was apparently done with her date already. Time to get a good reading in on how it went.

Next Chapter: Chapter 44 - We're Leaving; Happy Pride Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 18 Minutes