//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty-Four: The Contemporary // Story: Shut Up And Dance // by TheVClaw //------------------------------// Manehattan may have been a fairly small island in comparison to other regions of Equestria, but its dense population and diverse melting pot of cultures made it a constantly-bustling and exciting city no matter the time of day. Even in the middle of the day, it seemed that Faust Square Garden was abuzz with as much excitement as it did for a concert on a Saturday night. The venue may have not been hosting any huge pop stars or rock bands, but the stadium was completely packed with ponies from all over for the Semi-Finals of the Equestrian National Dance Competition. And since this round of competition was set to allow extra funding for design elements or live music, the crowd was excited to see what the couples will do to try and reach the finals in Canterlot. Bubble Berry, who was forced to be under supervision of his friend Dusk Shine in order to keep him out of a jail cell, acted just as chipper as usual while checking on the props he helped build for event. He may have gotten a thorough chewing-out from Manehattan authorities (as well as from Dusk Shine) for his drunken antics, it didn’t seem like the stallion regretted his actions at all. However, he was a little annoyed that he had to wear a magically-infused tracker bracelet on one of his hind legs for the duration of his visit to the city. But even with that, the pony was more than happy to finish up his contribution to the competition. Due to his surprisingly amazing skills when it came to inventing nifty modes of transport or tools for his party-trade, the pink stallion was generous enough to make items for both Elusive & Blitz, and Apple Buck & Twinkle Toes’ routines. Both of the couple’s items were covered in thick drapings of tarp, which Berry was keen on keeping hidden from the rumbling crowds out in the stadium. However, Dusk couldn’t resist sneaking a peek under one of the curtains and whistling in amazement. “Wow, Bubble!” said the Prince with an impressed huff, even though he was supposed to stay stern and keep his friend on a tight leash for today. But despite his royal obligations to uphold the law around somepony on probation, he couldn’t hide his reaction to the oversized newspaper headline Berry made for Buck and Twinkle’s jive. “I gotta say, you really have a talent when it comes to prop work.” “Oh, it’s just a hobby,” said Bubble with a humble shrug while blushing bashfully. “I was already working on the things for Blitz and Elusive’s routine, so I figured I could make something for Apple Buck and Twinkle Toes too.” “Huh…” Seeing what the headline said, Dusk was honestly surprised the filly would want something like that. Alas, the Alicorn only shrugged before putting the tarp down and shrugging back at Berry. “Well, I guess it makes sense they’d go for that. I kinda overheard what song they were doing, and it makes sense they’d go for this kind of angle.” “Oh, tell me about it!” gushed the bubbly stallion with a wave of his hoof and a carefree giggle. “The last time I saw somepony that focused on a project was when my brother Mark Berry was working on his thesis on stalagmite deposits!” Bubble giggled with a hoof over his mouth at that reminder, while Dusk just shook his head with a smirk and a roll of his eyes. “Gee, I can’t imagine how he must’ve looked during that.” “Trust me, you don’t wanna know.” After saying that, both Berry and Dusk giggled while alone in the backstage area. Due to how stressful and energetic ponies have been for the past few hours setting everything up, it was nice for the two ponies to have a moment without bumping into anyone or walking into restricted practice areas. It may have not been as ugly or stress-inducing as some of the fashion shows Elusive was part of, but it was clear that dancers aren’t the kind of ponies that should be crossed while focused on their work. “So…” Dusk looked over at the other covered item Bubble Berry had, honestly having no idea what he made for Elusive and Blitz’s dance. “What was it the guys wanted you to build? I thought that contemporary was more of a minimalist dance, right?” “Eh, I think so,” noted Bubble with an unknowing shrug, “but to be fair, their props are pretty minimalist too. They just asked me to make a bunch of colored glass panes for them.” “Glass panes?” After glancing back at Bubble Berry for a second in confusion, Dusk lit his horn to carefully lift the bottom of the tarp. “Why would they ask for--” “D-Don’t open it!” shouted Berry warningly as he pulled the drape back down with a hoof. While Dusk unlit his horn and glanced back at the stallion, Bubble sighed in relief and said, “Those panes are like, suuuuuuper fragile, okay? I made them out of a sugar compound, so they’re really easy to break. It’s the same kind of stuff they use in the movies when actors break through them, but they won’t get hurt and stuff.” Even though the pony smiled proudly after his explanation, that added detail just made Dusk even more confused. “Ummm… really?” he asked before looking back at the covered item. “Wh… Why would they need that?” “I dunno!” chirped the pink pony while rolling his eyes. “Honestly, I figured you’d know more about their dance than I do!” “Believe me, I wish I did. But with all the sound-proofing spells and locked doors the two have been behind, even Barb hasn’t seen or heard what they’re doing!” Dusk exhaled in frustration and covered his eyes with a hoof, not wanting to worry about what happened between those two since that Las Pegasus blowout. “But… I’m just hopeful their routine isn’t too hard to do in front of others.” “Oh, don’t be such a Nervous Nancy!” Bubble may have been on probation, but that didn’t stop him from hugging the Prince from the side and saying assuredly, “Elusive has done hundreds of big shows in front of giant crowds, both in fashion AND in the Pony Tones! And Rainbow Blitz is a Wonderbolt! If anypony is immune to stage-fright, it’d be THOSE guys!” Even though that wasn’t exactly his point, Dusk Shine knew that Bubble’s reasoning was fair enough to not argue against. So after closing his eyes and sighing to clear his head, the Alicorn brushed his worries aside temporarily and smiled back at him. “Alright, fine. I’ll stay optimistic.” “That’s the spirit!” After giving Dusk Shine a tight hug, Bubble Berry pulled away and began to hop off like a cartoonish bunny. “Come on! If we get to our sky-box early enough, we can swing by the refreshment stand and--ZZZZTTTTT!!!” When Berry got more than twenty yards away from Dusk, the bracelet on his hoof beeped loudly with the red light flashing on the front. While in midair, a sudden jolt of electricity zapped the pony to freeze him in place. Dusk Shine quickly ran up to Bubble, who fell to the floor twitching while a little smoke came out of his frizzy mane. “Berry, you know the rules! You can’t just run that far away from me!” Dusk held up the matching bracelet on his front hoof, which was meant to keep Berry in place during his probation. Unfortunately, Berry didn’t take much notice to that device when he coughed a couple times and looked up at him. Instead, the stallion giggled a little and shot him a cheeky smirk. “H-Honestly… that zap kinda turned me on~” Dusk’s eyes shot wide-open, and he was worried what his friend might try with that new detail. Meanwhile, the pink pony got back on his hooves shakily, with his grin growing more antsy with a fun idea slipping into his mind. Dusk seemed to realize what he might try to do, which prompted him to point at him sternly and say, “Bubble Berry… you better not--” In a flash, Bubble ran off to test the capabilities of that bracelet. “Bet’cha can’t catch me!~ ZZZZTTTT!!!” “Gnng!! DAMMIT!” Dusk wanted to cringe from actually swearing out-loud, but he had no time to pause as he ran off after his rambunctious friend. As crewponies and dancers alike prepared themselves for the upcoming show, many of them were startled when a near-Demigod Prince chased after a constantly electrocuted (and lewdly smiling) stallion throughout the stadium. But despite how unprofessional that interruption was, it was definitely a welcome distraction as the crowd became rowdier outside. Even when the lights inside Faust Square Garden dimmed, and the spotlights came on to illuminate the stage in the middle of the stadium, the excitement from the crowds didn’t die down in the slightest in preparation for the show. In fact, it only grew immensely as Manehattan’s announcer came out to speak in a booming voice: “Fillies, aaaaaaannnnnnd Gentlecolts!!” Roars and stomping commenced as ponies applauded excitedly. Of course, since the non-competing Elements of Harmony were seated in clear view in one of the sky-boxes, and the Wonderbolts were enjoying themselves in the other one, it was hard not to get hyped-up for something this big. Fortunately, the electricity in the air only seemed to hype up the husky brown stallion even more. “I am VERY pleased to begin the commencements for this year’s Semi Finals for… The Equestrian National Dance Competition!” While the crowds applauded happily from the stands, most of the ponies backstage tried to ignore the cheering and muffled voices as they got ready. All of the dancers were already in their costumes and makeup, and various musicians were tuning their instruments for the live venues planned to perform later on. The Hoofingtons, who were set to be the first couple to perform, looked to be in higher spirits than they did back in Las Pegasus; of course, that may have been because Julianne was wearing a stunning sequined gown that accentuated her slender form amazingly, while her brother was wearing a basic tuxedo and white gloves that made him look like a butler. Due to the mishap they went through during their hip-hop routine, many of the other dancers figured Derek’s current outfit was chosen by his sister as a small act of karma. Meanwhile, Apple Buck and Twinkle Toes were wearing more casual-looking outfits for their routine. Instead of any skirts or dresses, Twinkle chose a more comfortable getup of blue jeans and a yellow faux-leather jacket. Buck had a similar outfit, except his jacket was more orange to match Twinkle’s coat. Of course, despite the fact that they were one of the last couples to perform that day, Twinkle’s hooves were fidgeting like crazy as she sat on a bench beside per partner. Luckily, the colt was kind enough to wrap a foreleg around her to keep her still, while also keeping his face pointed away from her so she wouldn’t see his heavy blush. As for Elusive and Rainbow Blitz, the two stayed relatively silent and away from the others while re-hydrating themselves. With all the practice the two endured over the past few hours, it was surprising that the two were able to stop and get themselves washed-up in time for the event to begin. Unlike a lot of the other dancers, the stallions’ outfits were surprisingly reserved and not exactly eye-catching. Much like Buck and Twinkle’s color-coordination, Elusive made sure that his and Blitz’s garments carried each other’s colors for solidarity and symmetry; however, unlike most of the glittery and tight outfits other ponies were wearing, Elusive and his partner were in very loose-fitting, and matte-colored shirts that hung from their bodies. While taking a swig from his sports drink, Rainbow Blitz seemed fairly content with his drabbish smock while feeling the soft cotton. “I gotta say, this shirt is way more comfortable than your earlier outfits,” admitted the pegasus with a hesitant shrug. Nevertheless, he still peered back at him with a raised brow and asked, “But, uhhh… are you sure this is the kind of thing to wear for this?” “Well, it’s a contemporary routine,” replied Elusive while recapping the bottle to his own half-finished drink. “The dance itself is more minimalistic, so lavish costumes don’t exactly fit with the theme.” Even though he looked fairly refreshed after a quick shower, it was clear that the unicorn was feeling a bit uneasy while avoiding his friend’s gaze. “And… given our routine, I felt this was a fair choice.” Blitz paused for a second, and breathed out with a bit lip before nodding and looking away from Elusive. Meanwhile, both of them could hear applause from outside the backstage area, and the muffled voice of the announcer saying something important. The two then saw a couple of crew-ponies direct the Hoofingtons towards the stage, with the unicorn couple smiling at each other in anticipation during their trot. Seeing how happy the two looked, Rainbow sighed anxiously and asked, “So… how much are you gonna bet everyone else has really upbeat, chipper songs?” Elusive was a little worried at Blitz’s tone with that question, but he couldn’t help shrugging in response before saying, “Well… shouldn’t it be a good thing that we’re standing out in that regard? I mean, it’s fairly easy to be forgotten or seen as mediocre when you’re within a sea of similar ponies.” “Yeah,” said Rainbow with a faint exhale, before saying with a strong hint of of unease, “unless everyone hates what we’re doing. I don’t wanna think about whether or not we lose because we bummed out the judges or something.” “Blitz, they’re professionals,” stated Elusive sharply while glancing back at him. “If they’re willing to penalize the Hoofingtons last week for a technicality, then I doubt they’ll be swayed by a slight change of tone in the middle of the round. They don’t just go with what the crowds want.” Speaking of the crowds, the rumbling from the audience nearby could be felt reverberating through the walls and floors, and underneath the other dancers’ hooves. After a muffled introduction of the dancers by the announcer, the audience cheered in response before a brief pause. And after a moment of silence, a familiar rock tune began to play which caused Blitz’s ears to perk up in pleasant surprise. “Oh, kick ass!” Despite feeling apprehensive about their own routine, the pegasus seemed happy with the temporary distraction of that track. “I wouldn’t have expected those guys to choose something like that! Especially for a tango.” “Well, it certainly fits,” admitted Elusive with an impressed shrug of his own. Even though he pondered looking out and seeing their moves first-hoof, he knew it wouldn’t do much for himself and Blitz right now. Like the stunt-pony pointed out, their dance and theme was almost a complete opposite to the Hoofingtons, so getting too focused on that would only distract their own focus. Plus, given how rushed their practice and discussions had to be due to earlier obstructions, the unicorn really needed to make sure his friend was in the right mindset for this routine. Of course, Elusive was fortunate that the song playing through the walls was leaving Blitz in a more positive state so he could talk. “So, umm… Blitz?” Elusive waited until he had his friend’s attention before taking a breath and asking, “Do you… feel better about doing this? You know… as opposed to earlier today?” Blitz stared back at him blankly for a second, and then sighed before looking away. “Uhhh… I guess so? I mean… I’m not feeling pumped about it, but…” The pegasus had to close his eyes for a moment and think everything over. After spending the past few days running his body through Tartarus and back to get the routine in check, as well as listening to that damn song enough times to lose count (which was honestly more taxing than anything else), Rainbow was starting to feel numb by the time he and Elusive were finishing up their practicing. Of course, after taking a quick shower and getting his energy back in check, there was nothing to really keep him from thinking about their routine. Compared to all the other things he and Elusive did together, both on and off the dance-floor, Blitz could safely say he never felt so emotionally wary about something he was about to do. Nevertheless, instead of dwelling on his choices, the pegasus closed his eyes to take a breath before looking back at his friend to answer honestly. “But… I told you before that I wanted to do this, and… I’m certainly not gonna back out now.” “I know you’re not,” replied Elusive in an understanding tone, not thinking his friend would get cold hooves so close to their time to compete. “I just wanted to make sure this is something you won’t regret doing afterward.” “Well…” Blitz bit the inside of his cheek and thought about that detail for a second, unsure whether or not it was something that could feasibly happen. However, instead of dwelling too long on that hypothetical, the stunt-pony sighed sharply and said with a shrug, “... sometimes, you just gotta do something regardless, you know? It’s like that old saying: ‘Don’t think, just feel.’” Elusive’s brows raised in surprise, not expecting Blitz to know that old mantra. “... Huh. I… suppose that’s a good way to look at it.” “Yeah, no doubt.” Even though he could feel butterflies running rampant in his stomach, Rainbow was able to keep his expression somewhat-confident as he said, “And right now, what I’m feeling is overpowering what I’m thinking. And… I feel like it’s something I can trust you on. If you think it can work, then I know we can do this.” Elusive wasn’t sure whether or not Blitz was being honest, but that look of confidence on his friend’s face made him feel a little less fretful about their plan. Granted, the unicorn still felt as worried as he did before a controversial fashion show (and with the drabbish outfits he and Rainbow had on, that feeling was even more evident), but it was hard to argue with what the Wonderbolt said. And when he saw that genuine (albeit faint) smile on Blitz’s face, combined with that tenacious gleam in his magenta eyes, Elusive could tell that the pegasus wasn’t just saying that to make him feel better. He really meant it. Even with all the baggage this song and dance would carry on his back, Rainbow still wanted to dive into it headfirst like he would any foe they faced as Elements. Not just because he knew it was their best shot to winning this round of the competition. Not just because it could help give the pegasus some much-needed closure in a wound that never fully healed. And not just because they came so far, and practiced so hard to back down now. In the end, Elusive could tell that Blitz wasn’t just doing this for himself. He was doing it for both of them. And the unicorn’s heart was growing warmer with each second that passed after realizing that. Regardless of how he was feeling, which caused his hind legs to shake a little in involuntary fidgeting, Elusive smiled warmly back at him and nodded in equal confidence. “Absolutely,” he said with a stronger conviction than before. “And if you say you’re alright, then… I’m going to trust you as well.” Rainbow smiled a bit wider after hearing that reply, and wrapped a foreleg around the stallion’s back. “Thanks, dude.” Then without warning, Elusive squeaked in surprise as his friend pulled him in for a one-hoofed, “bro-ish” type of hug that involved their foreheads touching, but not much else. The unicorn felt more than a little uncomfortable in the sudden stance (mostly since he was worried whether or not his horn was rubbing too hard against Blitz’s head), but the sentiment behind his friend’s gesture made him accept it begrudgingly. After sighing under his breath, Elusive smirked and held onto the back of Rainbow’s neck like he was. As soon as the pegasus felt that, he strengthened his own grip and said, “Alright, you ready for this?” Elusive rolled his eyes and exhaled pertly, feeling like his friend was treating this like a pep-talk before a Wonderbolt show. Nevertheless, the white stallion knew that his friend needed to feel as comfortable as possible in preparation, so he didn’t try to object to such a masculine method before an un-masculine event. Instead, Elusive strengthened his own grip and pressed his head in before replying, “As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.” “Good enough!” With that confirmation, Blitz moved his head to the side and pulled Elusive in for a genuine hug. The unicorn, happy for that slight change in position, hugged the stallion in return with one hoof like Blitz was doing for him. Whether it was just a case of expert timing, or perhaps an example of premonition, the voices of the judges could be heard through the walls as they gave their scores of perfect tens. By the time the two pulled away, the cheering from the stadium was quite apparent and helped to cover the couple’s blushed looks on each other. However, before anything else could be said, the two stallions’ attentions were quickly brought towards the sound of excited screeching that emanated from the entrance of the backstage area. The Hoofingtons, who were smiling wider than creepy children in a horror movie, came rushing back from the stadium and clinging onto each other tightly. Derek had Julianne picked up and clutched against his chest like a newlywed husband would carry his wife into their new home. The elated squeals from the two made it clear how overly enthused they felt about their victory, obviously no longer upset about last week’s blunder. Even though the other competitors politely clapped in congratulations of them, it was clear that most of the ponies were rightfully pissed that they now had such a massive act to follow. Elusive and Rainbow Blitz were no different, despite giving the Hoofingtons a couple of light smiles as the couple passed them to change out of their clothes. As soon as they were out of sight, Elusive groaned with a heavy grimace and muttered, “Rainbow, is it bad that I wished those two weren’t so nice towards us? I hate feeling like a complete jerk for hoping they wouldn’t do so well today.” Blitz sighed and shrugged apprehensively. “Well, they already got tens, so there isn’t much we can do.” However, he only paused for a second before adding with a optimistic smirk, “Buuuutttt… that doesn’t mean we can’t kick ass alongside them and show everypony else what we got.” Elusive could only sigh with a roll of his eyes and a smile of his own, happy that Blitz’s competitive spirit hasn’t changed a bit. “You know what? I couldn’t ask for it any other way.” Since Apple Buck and Twinkle Toes were one of the final performances for the day’s competition, Elusive and Blitz didn’t pay too much attention to the other dances occurring before their own. However, with every high number the two heard from the judges as they waited backstage, their lingering worries began to manifest. Even though they knew that the Semi-Finals were going to be a lot tougher, hearing so many ponies receive nines and tens made their hearts start to race. When they looked over at Buck and Twinkle, the colt was trying his hardest to keep his partner optimistic so she wouldn’t get a panic attack. Oh, great, thought Elusive to himself as he sighed and sat by stadium entrance alongside Blitz, those Hoofingtons got off easy. If there was any silver lining the unicorn could think of to put himself in higher spirits, it’s that most of the competition before them have indeed chosen upbeat songs like Rainbow predicted. Whether it be a samba to Count Coloratura’s latest pop track, or a waltz to one of Cobalt Coast’s most memorable ballads, the dancers before them certainly knew how to put the audience and judges in high spirits. But despite the high scores most of them have received, with the lowest still being an impressive twenty-four out of thirty, Elusive had a feeling they might stand out quite a bit with their contemporary. Of course, they won’t know until the score cards come up whether or not that detail will be for better or worse. Blitz was sitting relatively still on the bench beside Elusive, despite how catchy that pop song playing from the stadium was. He’d been paying attention to the judges’ scores as well, and could tell that competition was fierce this round. Granted, this wasn’t even close to the toughest competition he ever endured as a flier, but he still felt fairly worried when the highest score so far was a twenty-eight out of thirty. And since the Hoofingtons were automatically going to the next round with their perfect tens, that meant that only four more spots were open to be eligible for the finals in Canterlot. But before either of the stallions could dwell any longer on their competition, the two overheard the judges giving their scores to the cha-cha-cha from the couple before them: “... Nine!” “... Nine!” “... NINE!” Despite how high the scores were, Elusive and Blitz both sighed in slight relief while the crowds cheered in response. As long as it wasn’t another round of perfect tens, they knew they had a chance. Because of that, the two were able to genuinely smile and nod to the two earth pones that came back from the stadium with huge grins on their faces, looking quite pleased with their score of twenty-seven for the time being. Without being asked, both of the Elements got up before the staff-ponies could prompt them to to out to the stage. Meanwhile out in the stadium, it seemed that the rest of the Elements and the Wonderbolts accumulated themselves into Dusk Shine’s sky-box in preparation for the stallions’ show. Since both groups were cheering for the same ponies anyway, the Prince didn’t mind sharing the space with some top-notch athletes (especially since they brought their own refreshment cart with them). However, due to the crowding of so many ponies in the same space, it wasn’t until Elusive and Blitz came out to the stage that Dusk realized he hadn’t seen Barb in a while. “What the... “ With the lights dimming outside the sky-box, the Alicorn looked around frantically for the drake. “Barb? Barb!? Oh jeeze, where did she--” Fortunately, the door to the sky-box opened before the Prince could really start freaking out, and Barb walked into the room wearing a surprisingly small and tight-fitting black dress. She was also wearing quite a bit of makeup, which was probably meant to make her look more mature for her age. However, what it really did was make her look like a miniature doll not meant for children as she sat beside Dusk in one of the plush chairs. “Sorry for the wait,” she replied as she got comfy, not noticing Dusk’s confounded stare on her her new appearance. “I just wanted to look good when the competition is over~” Before Dusk could throw a fit or order her to take that outfit off, the announcer’s voice overpowered any statement he could try to make. “And for our next couple, we have our first competitors from Ponyville: Elusive and his partner Rainbow Blitz!” Down at the stage, the two stallions smiled and waved faintly as they walked towards the dance-floor. Even though the two wanted to be glad their status as the only same-sex duo wasn’t mentioned yet again, it was obvious that both of them were growing more nervous about their performance. However, it wasn’t clear which reason was more prominent in the pony’s minds as they stood together in the middle of the stage: the strong competition they had to deal with to win this round, or how deeply personal this performance was going to be for Rainbow Blitz. As crew-members rolled out the various-colored panes of glass Bubble Berry made, and placed them at different parts of the stage for their performance, Elusive looked over to his partner while biting the inside of his cheek. He hoped that Rainbow wasn’t going to look too apprehensive, or go into a nervous fit reminiscent of his stage-fright back at the Young Fliers Competition. Fortunately, instead of appearing fidgety or uneasy about the dance they were going to perform, the pegasus had his eyes closed while breathing in deeply. He had a hoof over his chest as he got into a clear mindset, getting himself ready for the routine he was determined to do. Seeing that strong and tranquil pose, Elusive breathed out with a smile as his own nervousness lessened just a tiny bit. His heart may have still been thundering in his chest, but that didn’t stop him from moving into position as the announcer went off the stage. “Performing the first contemporary routine of this round,” shouted the stallion excitedly, while Blitz remained in the middle of the stage with his head and hoof lowered, “here are Elusive and his partner, Rainbow Blitz!” An enthusiastic round of applause swept across the crowds, especially from the crowded sky-box above the dance-floor. While the Wonderbolts cheered wildly and pumped their hooves in anticipation, Barb was standing up high and hopping up and down on her seat. However, while the other stallions looked cheerful and excited to see what happens, Butterscotch tilted his head curiously when he saw Blitz’s stance under a single spotlight. As the applause died down, the rest of the stadium was completely dimmed, leaving a seemingly-endless void of darkness which emphasized the pegasus’ lone position on his own. Of course, as soon as the first strums of acoustic guitar began to strum through the darkness, Butterscotch gasped with his hooves other his mouth. It was doubtful that anypony else in the stadium knew how significant the song was, but the yellow stallion did as he watched his friend make those first couple steps under the spotlight. Like a slow and sorrowful walk towards the abyss, Rainbow walked in a dreamlike-state with his eyes closed during those first few notes. As the spotlight followed him, everypony could see that he was heading straight towards the edge of the stage. Even though it was a relatively small drop of a few feet, ponies were already on edge as he stood on his hind legs and leaned forward. But just as the first bass note of the song emerged, so did Elusive through the darkness to catch Blitz from behind. His hooves came out in an instant and grabbed Rainbow by the wings, taking hold in a flawless motion to ensure he wouldn’t hurt the pegasus. As soon as Blitz was pulled back from the edge, he leaned back into Elusive’s forelegs and was lifted a couple inches off the ground. His rear hooves glided just barely above the floor as the unicorn held him, spinning across the dance-floor while the spotlight shone on the two stallions. Meanwhile, the rest of the spectators remained silent as they watched the contemporary routine unfold before their eyes. After a couple of flowing spins, Elusive brought his partner back down, but still had his hooves tightly wrapped around Blitz’s torso. Rainbow’s own hooves came up to cup over his, keeping the two in a tight embrace while on their hind legs. Like the most intimate waltz, the two ponies moved in tandem under the spotlight with the strums of the guitar, their hooves stepping slow and tediously to match the song’s heavy tone. As soon as the vocals emerged in the song, the stallions’ hooves pulled apart while their bodies remaining close. With Elusive staying tightly bound behind Rainbow Blitz, their steps mirrored one another as they moved in a flowing, effortless motion within the spotlight. Even though Blitz was the stallion in the front as each step was taken, neither of the two ponies looked to be the one in more control; if anything, the two’s movements felt more like a single motion between two bodies. Each sweeping step of their hind legs, and each symmetrical motion of their forelegs in front of Rainbow's body, worked in perfect timing with each melody the song played before the audience. However, even with how flowing and beautiful their dance looked alongside the song’s instrumentals, it was the lyrics of the song itself that were reaching the hearts of the ponies watching. Butterscotch, who knew Blitz’s full story more than anypony else there, was already tearing up with a hoof tightly cupped over his mouth. But by the time the main chorus came up, and Elusive hoisted up Blitz by his back with his own hooves, their movements combined with the song were getting to more of the crowd with each flawless motion. Elusive may have not been nearly as athletic at his Wonderbolt partner, but he had plenty of upper-body strength to hold Blitz over his head in the brief couple of seconds the chorus played out. Much like the song, Blitz had his hooves splayed out while the unicorn held him in a slow spinning motion, making the cyan pegasus look like an angel itself under the blinding light above them. When Blitz was lowered back down, he brought his legs back in tightly as Elusive held him to his chest, and his spins became more pronounced on the dance-floor. As soon as the first chorus finished, Blitz was brought back to his hooves effortlessly to dance alongside his partner. Unlike most of the earlier performers, no ponies tried to clap or cheer whenever Blitz and Elusive pulled off an impressive move. Instead, the stadium was left completely silent as the music continued on, and its macabre melody guided the stallions through each flowing motion in tandem with one another. Like the most sensual ballet, their steps seemed almost weightless as their bare hooves touched the floor without a sound. The song almost worked as a puppeteer, guiding each sweeping and synchronised step the ponies made underneath the speakers with pinpoint precision. As they danced together, with Elusive holding onto Blitz and guiding him inside the island of light the two were within, the meaning of the song grew more clear with each poetic motion of their bodies. Rainbow kept his eyes closed for most of their routine, letting his body and Elusive’s direction guide him throughout each of the practiced movements the two shared so many times. But even though most of the crowd wasn’t able to get a good look at their faces, Elusive could see how much the pegasus was straining with his eyes clenched tightly shut. But regardless, each movement he made with the aid of the unicorn was absolutely pristine. His hooves slid effortlessly across the wooden floor, and his poses mirrored Elusive’s identically throughout their synchronised steps. And despite his previous feelings in regards to being the “lead” in their arrangement, Rainbow Blitz didn’t show any signs of objection each time his partner lifted him up and carried him across the stage. He tried to keep his mind blank through his routine, but the song’s lyrics caused his heart to grow heavier and more painful by the time his hooves touched the ground once more. Flashes of his past started to plague Blitz’s mind, causing him to reopen his eyes to keep from being distracted. But as the song kept playing, and his sights were temporarily blinded by the stage lights, the stunt-pony knew he couldn’t avoid the feelings trying to burst out from within him. Countless times during practice, the pegasus had to pause to keep from breaking down in result of the things running through his head; however, despite how many times it occurred, Blitz never accepted Elusive’s frantic suggestion to do another song, or choose another theme. He knew he had to do this for his sanity’s sake, which prompted his hooves to keep moving just as the guitar solo was about to play. However, given the set pieces Elusive made for this dance, it seemed that the unicorn was prepared to put that raw emotion to good use. Just like in practice, Rainbow knew just where to go to find the item he needed, which was just at the edge of the stage where no ponies were able to catch it. Unbenounced to most of the staff or dance officials, Elusive made the risky decision to leave a baseball bat just out of sight for his partner to use. And with the guitars about to blare out powerfully, Rainbow took that weapon and ran at full-force towards the glass panes. Time seemed to move in slow motion for Rainbow Blitz, with each step feeling heavier against the dance-floor with the bat in his hooves. As he ran underneath the spotlight on his own, everything began to boil over in his mind to make his teeth grit in overwhelmed stress. Every painful word, every uncomfortable memory, and every heart-breaking mental image built up tremendously from within, which all came bursting out the instant he swung that bat towards the first pane. Now out of the spotlight and within the thick veil of darkness, Elusive could only watch tearfully with a hoof over his muzzle as Rainbow Blitz performed his “solo act” before the crowds. The first swing caused a heavy smash which decimated the glass in an instant, causing most of the ponies to jolt and gasp in surprise. Up in the sky-box, Blitz’s friends and fellow fliers watched in silence as he swung repeatedly, having each impact sync up with the guitar’s heavy riffs to accentuate the moment. With each pane that shattered from the bat, raining down shards that the pegasus was somehow able to avoid with his thundering steps, his heart pounded even harder in response. Every feeling of overwhelming pain, sorrow, betrayal and regret came flooding out through his movements, only dissipating by the time the solo ended, and Blitz was left alone with piles of shards all around him. By then, the guitar went back to the somber acoustic melody that played at the beginning. But now, a second spotlight shone at the other side of the stage where Elusive was. As the faint voice of the vocals played above them from the speakers, Elusive bit his lip while standing in wait before Rainbow. The instant Blitz reopened his eyes, which were now obviously reddened and stemming with tears, he saw the silent and pleading look the unicorn gave him with a hoof extended out. Come on, Blitz, thought Elusive silently to himself as he waited for his partner to make the final move. I know you can do this! I believe in you Rainbow! I trust you! I… I… Elusive’s eyes started to widen when he saw how Blitz looked underneath that spotlight, his face heavy with emotion and his macho bravado completely stripped from him. In that split-second he stood alone among the shards of glass and the baseball bat, the unicorn was able to truly see the pony illuminated before him. The pegasus who showed more strength than anyone he ever had the pleasure to know. The stunt-pony who was able to take the heaviest risks for the sake of others. And in that instant Blitz began to run towards him, the spotlight following just as the song began to reach its climax, Elusive’s heart skipped a beat as he realized how he was really feeling; not just trust, or admiration, or even merely… friendship. The unicorn felt everything move in slow-motion as well, as he saw Rainbow’s gallop end with a strong leap with his hooves directed at him. Despite how close Elusive felt to freezing at the spot, mostly from the revelation that hit him like a bag of bricks, his body instinctively went into the motions they practiced so many times he lost count. As soon as Rainbow came into range, Elusive threw his own hooves up, and pulled his body to the side just as he grabbed Blitz’s forelegs tightly. As the song hit its finale, the stadium lit up brightly to extinguish the darkness. And in that instant, Elusive was seen swinging Rainbow by his forelegs around the stage. Even though the Wonderbolt spent most of his life fighting gravity with the aid of his wings, the stallion laid completely within Elusive’s grasp as his body swung freely under the vibrant stage-lights. Whether it was the change in lighting, or the fact that the two pulled off such a tricky maneuver after their emotional routine, the audience finally went wild and applauded loudly. For the last few moments of their dance, Elusive and Blitz were finally smiling wide as they got back on their hooves. Their bodies lept and twirled in perfect unity, moving more energetically with the added illumination they had. As the two broke apart and moved on their own, the focus was on Rainbow Blitz as he moved with utter grace and relief before the stage. When Elusive glanced back at him during his own movements, the only word that could go through his mind in response was… clarity. Of course, the stallion barely had much time to process that moment as the last couple notes of the song played. The two stallions spun towards one another, and clutched each other strongly as the lights came back down. By the time the song and the lights completely faded away, the two ponies were left completely alone while hugging within the darkness. However, the moment wasn’t completely silent for them, as Rainbow clutched Elusive’s back tightly and sobbed into his shoulder. Fortunately, Elusive was able to wrap his hooves over Blitz’s head, helping to cover his face from any ponies as the lights came back on. In the instant the two were seen once more, the audience roared in emotional applause. Up in the sky-box, the ponies were going wild in support as they clapped and cheered the two on. Butterscotch, who was still crying in response to his friend’s bravery, kept a warm smile as he saw how strongly Elusive was holding him. Much like the baseball bat, Elusive had another item stashed nearby which he grabbed with his magic. Before Rainbow could pull away from his shoulder, the unicorn floated over his friend’s trademark sunglasses to slip over his red and puffy eyes. Blitz seemed surprised for a second, stopping his sobs as he pulled away and realized what he had on. But as soon as he saw the warm and supportive smile Elusive was giving him, the pony smiled back and nodded gratefully. He and Elusive then hugged once more, despite the tears stemming from both of them. However, it seemed that there were very few dry eyes in the house in response to such a deep and heartfelt performance. Even the announcer, who was quite boisterous and excited throughout the first half of this round, was now carrying a tissue to wipe his eyes before saying weakly, “Tha… That was really good, guys. Le… Let’s hear what… the judges have to--” The judges couldn’t even keep their composure, and already had their scorecards up while using tissues themselves. None of them were able to say anything without choking up, but the thundering applause from the crowds said enough to reflect the scores Elusive and Rainbow Blitz received: Perfect tens all around. “YYYEEEAAHHHHH!!!” As soon as they saw the scores, Rainbow yelled out in victory and lifted up his partner to spin him around with glee. “BUCK YEAHHHHH!!!” Elusive was just as relieved and elated as his friend, but he could only smule wide and hug him back while being spun in his embrace. He wanted to say something in response to Blitz’s euphoric reaction, but nothing could come to mind that he wanted to say out loud. Instead, the unicorn could only remain silent and savor the moment, while also trying to come to terms with how he was feeling. He didn’t want to admit it (especially not now of all times), but that moment he felt during their dance ignited a spark he tried to avoid for so long. It was the same thing he felt while comforting Blitz from his inner demons, and again when they were dancing just the previous night. Hugging him tightly, Elusive tried his hardest not to cry while in Rainbow Blitz’s hooves. Despite the wide smile he carried across his muzzle, the stallion only had it up as a mask to conceal the looming fear that was manifesting from how he was feeling. After all the time he spent with his friend, and growing closer with each moment they shared, he couldn’t deny the reason for his heart pounding any longer. As tears continued to come out from his clenched eyes, Elusive could only think of one thing while so close to Rainbow Blitz: I… I’m… I’m in love.