Battle 2: Electric Bogaloo

//Part 2 of the Battle of the Bands storyline. I plan to do more of these stories with edits. Also looking to borrow characters for these stories if people want to see their characters in the stories/scenes. Featuring Gray Rivers Alton-Yuri, Silver Bullet, and Carmine Gumshoe with permission. All spritework was originally made by Paul Robertson. I only made edits for Asuka, Nar, Juno, Roy, Gray, Silver, and Carmine. I don't do requests/commissions since I am not the original artist. Human sprites because 1. I love Paul Robertson's work, and 2. I can't do anthro to save my life. [STORY START] It's been a week since Attack on Mango managed to defeat Ned and the Meatheads to secure a spot in the second round of the battle of the bands. No one quite knew exactly who they'd be facing next, but they did know it would happen on Friday night. With that information the band decides to grab some food at their favorite restaurant before they got jumped. They meet up with their friend Ruby before they leave. A short walk from Juno's house brings the band to their destination. Shifty Sai's. Upon entering the band is greeted by one of the two greeters they always see here. They're brought to their regular booth without a word being said, and menus are placed in front of them. No one bothers to look at the menu. They all already know what they're going to order. The waitress just has to give them a menu in order to avoid getting yelled at by her boss. By now the band had been to Shifty Sai's so much that they knew the price of every menu item, and were even good friends with the owner. They even had an alcoholic beverage named after their band. The "Mango Attack" was fairly cheap, but good if you liked your drinks sweet. While the band talks amongst themselves Asuka's ears perk. Someone was shouting from across the empty restaurant to get her attention. "Helloooooooo!" Asuka is bemused to see Gray sitting at the bar already flush in the cheeks. She also spots two other ponies with him. The first is Carmine, who turns to give her an apologetic smile. The second is a white maned mare she's vaguely familiar with. The mare turns to Gray to state. "Looks like I'm flying you home." After which Gray manages to sit up straight and blurt out. "That won't be necessary!" Asuka scoots out of her booth to go talk with the others, leaving her band behind. "You guys are still here? I thought you left on Monday." Asuka muses. "Weeeell. We'd planned to leave on Monday, buuuut after you won that fight last week we decided to book a hotel and stay to cheer you guys on!" Gray is quite giddy as he speaks. Asuka feels a little warmed by the fact that her friends would book a hotel just to support her. Normally she'd grill Gray for his heavy drinking, but he'd managed to warm her cold heart just enough to avoid such a rebuke tonight. Instead Asuka poses a question. "Who's your friend?" Before Gray is able to answer the mare turns and proudly states "Silver Bullet. 2010 Equestrian Flier of the Year." Which receives a groan of "It's been 11 years. Give it a rest already." from Gray. Asuka puts on as best a smile she can manage in order to say. "It's nice to meet you Silver. I'm Asuka. Also known as Gray's life coach." The joke causes Carmine to chuckle, but Gray just shoots her a glare. After some idle chatter Asuka discovers that none of the three at the bar have ordered their food yet. Asuka speaks with her waitress, and after some time both the band, and bar group are seated at two tables placed together in order to mingle better. The group orders food, with the band ordering drinks as well. Their food and drinks arrive quickly, and the group spends a good thirty minutes eating, only to order desert, and spend another hour talking. In the end Gray manages to pay for the entire party stating that it was no issue for him. The party tips their waitress well, and heads outside. Someone suggests they go ice skating at the park, and suddenly everyone is excited. As the group starts down the sidewalk to make their way to the park they're stopped by another group of ponies. The lead pony points a hoof at Roy and exclaims "Attack on Mango! We're fans of Maple Massacre, and we hereby challenge you to a battle of the bands!" Asuka has to stifle a laugh. 'Maple Massacre?' Who came up with that name? Roy opens his mouth only to pause. "Wait. Fans of? as in, not the band itself?" The lead stallion nods. "That's right!" Juno then speaks up. "So. Do we win by default if they can't challenge us?" The lead stallion is suddenly far less aggressive. "No. It's on the back of the sign up sheet. If the band can't show up they can have fans fight in their place." To which Roy asks "Why can't they fight us?" The lead stallion huffs. "They came down with the flu, and they aren't doing too well." This causes the band, and friends to utter well wishes, and apologies for Maple Massacre before things get serious again. "Well? Do you accept?" Roy nods, and the two sides take to the street to initiate their brawl. Carmine, Gray, Silver, and Ruby decide not to get involved, and simply watch from the sidewalk. Things happen quickly. Roy rushes the main stallion to deliver a haymaker. Juno takes a jab to his face. Asuka manages to catch an unseen Maple Massacre fan sneaking up on her, and bucks him to the floor, and Nar manages to knock one fan over before he heaves the poor stallion, and chucks him into the fan. All the while Gray shouts encouragements such as "Yeah! Kick their flanks!" "Make him eat asphalt!" "Make him cry!" and "I have to pee!" Carmine wonders if there will be any criminal charges from this fight, and Silver joins Gray in encouraging the band, and antagonizing the Maple Massacre fans. By the end of the hour the dust settles, and Attack on Mango is left standing. Gray cheers, and offers to buy them all a round of drinks. Asuka refuses, and the group helps to get the unconscious fans out of the street before heading off to the park for some ice skating.