//------------------------------// // 8. We Can Stay Out Late and Dance the Night Away // Story: Glow // by Carapace //------------------------------// Twilight had heard many tales of Canterlot’s night club scene, both from her brother and from a few of her former classmates. However, she’d never really gone out and experienced it firsthoof. Ponyville’s lone bar didn’t count, though it was rather nice and had a very friendly atmosphere. If what Rainbow and Rarity said was true—and Twilight would wager they had more experience in the matter—the only true rivals to Canterlot’s night clubs were in Manehattan and Las Pegasus. That said, as she watched the tight-packed crowd of ponies dancing, bumping, and jostling with one another in time with the pulsing beat. Neon lights flashed and flickered, making her squint her eyes to adjust to the alternating dimming and brightening. Her wings twitched and unfurled, ready to cover her eyes to block out the assault on her senses. She turned to Spitfire. “The music is really loud,” she said. Spitfire stopped tapping her hoof to the beat. She blinked and tilted her head, perking her ears up. “What’s that, hon? Can’t hear ya!” Twilight leaned in close and spoke up. “I said ‘the music is really loud’!” “Oh!” Spitfire looked around in search of something, her eyes wide. “Hang on, hon! They usually have somepony selling earplugs near the entrance for first timers. Want me to get you a pair?” “Please.” Twilight nodded, then leaned in to nose Spitfire’s cheek. “I’ll pay you back.” Grinning, Spitfire shook her head. “Nah, it’s on me, hon. I make more than enough to cover it. Fleet? Soar? You need some?” With his wing wrapped tightly around Fleetfoot’s withers, and his hooves helping to cover her ears, Soarin replied, “Yeah, she’ll need a pair. Silly mare left her earmuffs back at the room.” “They look ridiculous,” she hissed in reply. “I’m not wearing them out here!” “Of course they do, meine Liebe.” He nosed into her mane, grinning and giving Twilight a playful wink. “So, because of image, we’ll wait right here, with me covering your ears like a parent taking a foal to a hoofball game, until Spits comes back with some earplugs.” Fleetfoot’s tail flicked. “I can have you replaced, you know.” With little effort, she unfurled her wing and cuffed him over the back of his head. “I’ve heard plenty of cadets talk about what a ‘hot piece of tail’ I am when they think I’m out of earshot!” “I know. Whenever I see your feathers fluff, I know it’s time to send the little punks flying until their wings fall off!” He waggled his eyebrows, then stole a little nip to her ear. Spitfire rolled her eyes. “Well, we’ll leave you kids here. Do try to behave. I said try, Soarin. Don’t make me go all disciplinarian off the clock.” “No promises!” “Spectacular.” With another roll of her eyes, she bumped her hip against Twilight’s. “C’mon, hon. Let’s get you away from these two before they corrupt you any worse than I already have.” Sniggering, Twilight nodded and followed along. They weaved around new entrants to the club, staying close enough that Twilight could feel Spitfire’s warm coat brushing against hers. Soft, downy feathers touched her back. She glanced at Spitfire, perking up her ears in a silent question. “You don’t mind if I, uh…” Spitfire trailed off, looking between her wing and Twilight. “You don’t mind if I put it over you again, right?” Smiling, Twilight stepped closer and rubbed her shoulder against Spitfire’s. Then, without waiting, she turned to nose against Spitfire’s neck, sighing happily as she drank in the warmth and scent of citrus and rain. The perfume tickled her nose, drawing a bright smile as she felt Spitfire’s wing wrap around her withers and pull her in closer. Soft lips pressed against her cheek, Twilight couldn’t help but hum her approval. “This is nice,” she said. Spitfire’s ear twitched, she grinned into Twilight’s cheek. “Told ya! We come here when we do shows in the area. It’s always a great time!” A great time? At such a loud place? Filly Twilight would’ve scoffed and gone right back to reading a book on advanced magical theory, waving a hoof to dismiss her silly classmates for distracting her. Now, however, she found it just as fun as Shining Armor used to say. Where else would she have seen Rainbow jump onto the bar counter, lay on her back, and dare Berry to open up a full barrel of cider and empty it into her open mouth, claiming she could drain it in ten seconds flat? Granted, Rainbow failed miserably and ended up sprinting—as best a drunken pegasus could—toward the mares’ room, but they all shared some laughs afterward. I would’ve missed out on all that if I’d just stayed in my room. A tiny frown marred her muzzle. So many chances she could have gone out and made great memories with friends, wasted! All because she thought making friends was, in a word, silly. A nudge to her shoulder opted her back to present time. “Hey, you okay?” Spitfire asked, her brows knitted together in concern. “Huh? Oh, I’m fine!” Twilight fixed a smile on her face. “Just got a little lost in thought. Old memories.” Spitfire arched a brow. “Lost in thought, eh?” she drawled, leaning in close. A mischievous gleam flashed in her eyes. “Not thinking of any other mares, I hope. Or—” she waggled her eyebrows “—at very least, it’s you and me running the bedroom, right?” Twilight’s wings fluffed, her cheeks felt as though they’d burst into flames. With a shriek, she ducked out from under Spitfire’s wing and reared up, smacking her girlfriend in the shoulder with her hooves. “No, no, no, no, no, no! You jerk! You are not allowed to make those jokes!” Laughing, Spitfire covered her head with a hoof. “Sure I can!” she crowed. Shifting herself, she caught Twilight’s hoof and pulled her into a tight, one-hooved hug, effectively pinning her hooves. “Now, now, that’s no way for a princess to behave!” “I’ll show you!” Twilight growled, wiggling her hooves in vain. “Once I—grr—get my hooves free, you’ll be sorry!” “I’m sure I will,” Spitfire said as she reached up to tussle Twilight’s mane. She pulled Twilight over to stand in front of a younger stallion, who held a box labeled ‘ear plugs, 1 bit’ aloft in his magic. “Now, hold still, while I ask the nice colt so we can get a little dancing in.” Before Twilight could retort, she found herself dotted with another kiss on her nose, making her eyes cross and snout wrinkle as Spitfire turned to pass a pair of bits over to the young colt, who happily floated two tiny bags, each with a matching pair of earplugs, into her waiting hoof. “Thanks, bud!” Spitfire released her hold on Twilight’s shoulders and tossed one of the bags to her. “Put ‘em in, hon. You’re gonna wanna be gentle, or it’s gonna feel like you’re cramming something into your brain.” Chuckling, Twilight sliced open the bag with a deft flick of her magic and levitated the nub-shaped objects out. She surveyed them for a moment, then shrugged and floated one near each ear, slowly slipping them in as per Spitfire’s advice. True to their namesake, the earplugs proved a rather effective tool to drown out some of the pounding bass and stomping hooves. “How’s that, hon?” Spitfire asked, her normal gravelly voice sounded as though Twilight were submerged in water, muggy almost. Twilight wrinkled her snout and gave her ears a little waggle. “It feels like I’ve got erasers stuck in my ear.” Spitfire snorted. “Yeah, it can take some getting used to. It’s helping with the noise though, right?” “Yes, they’re doing that quite nicely,” Twilight said with a smile. “Much more tolerable, and I can’t feel the pounding in my brain anymore.” Grinning, Spitfire fluttered her wings. “Great!” she cheered, darting forward to nuzzle Twilight’s cheek. “C’mon, let’s go get this to Fleetfoot so we can tear up the dance floor!” With a cheeky waggle of her eyebrows, she bumped her hip against Twilight’s. “I wanna see those moves you mentioned earlier!” Before Twilight could protest, she found herself pulled along again, only able to squeak as she felt a powerful wing wrap around her. The warmth and soft brush of feathers against her back brought forth a little sigh from her lips. She let herself be held, almost possessively, against Spitfire’s side, delighting in the feeling of their coats rubbing together. Idly, she let her mind wander back to some of the traits she’d noticed in Fluttershy and Rainbow over the years—in particular, she found herself thinking on how possessive and protective the pair could be with their friends. Certainly, Rainbow was the more obvious example, given how loud and demonstrative she could be, but Fluttershy took a more quiet, almost motherly route to hers. Especially when her animals were concerned. Although, if somepony threatened her animals, quiet and timid would go out the window. Twilight glanced at Spitfire out of the corner of her eye. There seemed to be a mix of both, really. Further observation of her personality would be required before she could draw conclusion. Until then, she was quite happy to shift herself closer and work herself so Spitfire’s primaries could tickle against her ribs. As Celestia had told her so long ago, there came a time when a pony should put aside her studies and get out of the library. It just so happened that getting out of the library meant snuggling up to her beautiful girlfriend and dancing the night away in a loud night club filled with ponies. If my younger self could see this, she thought, chuckling and shaking her head. They drew near to Fleetfoot and Soarin and stopped beside them. “Here, Fleet,” Spitfire said, passing the plastic bag over to her. “Pop ‘em in.” Soarin smiled in thanks and took them in his hoof. “Here, let me.” He tore the bag open with his teeth, spat out the plastic, and dumped the earplugs into his hoof. Taking one in each, he held them out to Fleetfoot. “Okay, Fleet, I need you to prick up your ears so I can put them in.” Biting her lip, Fleetfoot let her ears stand up. “Hurry, please!” she said, with a hint of a whimper in her tone as the bass pounded and a gyro like noise whirred through the air. Gritting her teeth, she ducked her head. “I hate wubs.” “I know, meine liebe, I know.” He brushed his legs against her cheeks, smiling when she leaned into his touch. With practiced ease, he slipped the earplugs into place, then kissed her forehead. “There! How’s that?” Fleetfoot sighed in relief. “Much better!” She smiled and leaned up to capture his lips, humming happily. After a moment, they broke apart, each beaming and subtly licking their lips to savor the taste. “I’m thinking we need drinks. And a table off in the corner,” she said, her husky tone brought forth a pink tinge to Soarin’s cheeks and a goofy smile to his face. Soarin’ wrapped his wings around her shoulders, turning to wave to a row of tables on the opposite wall. “Right this way, meine Liebe!” he said, as though he were the maître’d leading a regular to her table. With a wink to Spitfire and a none-too-subtle mouthing “behave”, he turned and lead Fleetfoot away, both chatting back and forth as they walked. Chuckling, Spitfire shook her head. “I wonder which of us is captain, sometimes.” She grinned at Twilight, then nodded toward the crowded dance floor. “Shall we?” Her hoof shook, a bit of doubt flashed through Twilight’s mind. A memory of Rainbow cackling as she reenacted Twilight’s “seizure dancing” was all too fresh. With a shaky nod, she replied, “After you.” Spitfire grinned and released her wing hug, then lead her toward the dance floor. While her girlfriend’s steps were confident and her head held high, Twilight found herself shuffling forward with her head ducked low and ears laying flat against her scalp. Biting her lip, Twilight let her eyes wander over the mass of bodies before her. Ponies of all sizes and race danced wildly, laughing with their friends, nuzzling and stealing kisses to their lovers as they moved in time with the music. Her steps began to follow along with the beat, unbidden. Almost as though the music carried some sort of magic with it. She glanced down at her hooves, blinking as she noticed she was but a step away from the dance floor. Giving her wings a nervous ruffle, she looked up to find Spitfire waiting for her, a single hoof held out. “C’mon,” she said, looking away just long enough to step out of the path of a younger couple as they danced by. She returned her gaze to Twilight and smiled. “I’m right here, hon.” There were plenty of ponies in the crowd, and the club’s lighting would hide her colors well enough. Surely, they wouldn’t notice her. Just as long as she stayed close to Spitfire, everything would be fine. Twilight took her hoof, earning a bright smile before she was pulled into the mass of ponies. They pushed through the crowd, bumping and jostling with other patrons. Wincing, she mumbled an apology to a pair of mares she’d unwittingly brushed with the tips of her primaries, blushing as they giggled and batted their eyelashes at her. “Hey, there, cutie!” one cooed, giving a little pout as she trotted to keep up with Spitfire. Spitfire turned to glare over her shoulder. “Hey yourself!” she snapped, eyes flashing. “She’s with me!” The mares stepped back, ducking their heads under her gaze and muttering a barely audible apology before they were lost to the crowd. Twilight’s ears burned when she caught Spitfire muttering “Feather-brained floozies” as she picked up the pace. “I swear, nopony can bother taking a look to see if a mare’s with somepony these days!” Definitely possessive. Despite her nerves, Twilight couldn’t help but smile. She bounded forward to trot alongside Spitfire, a merry little swish in her tail. The music stopped, there was a crackling of static before a mare called through the speaker system. “Alright Canterlot! Are you ready to rock this house?” The familiar voice made her ears perk up. Is that Vinyl? A quick look to the DJ booth revealed Vinyl Scratch, her white coat shining and electric blue mane messy as usual, with a pair of headphones around her neck, trademark purple-lensed sunglasses covering her eyes, and a hoof on her turntable. By the broad grin on her muzzle, she was in her element. The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves, ready for more music. Vinyl grinned at them all, her eyes wandered over the crowd, her grin widening with the growing noise. For a moment, Twilight could’ve sworn Vinyl met her gaze. Those purple lenses flashed, Vinyl pumped her hoof into the air and called out to the crowd, “Let’s kick it!” With a flip of a few switches and a flash of cerulean magic, the music started again. Twilight shook it off and followed Spitfire over to the side of the dance floor; close enough that they could enjoy the lights and music, but away from the front so they weren’t at the center of attention. Spitfire turned and fluffed her feathers. Her tail swished back and forth in time with the beat. Slowly, she started to shift side to side, timing her steps with the pulsing bass. “Ready, hon?” she called over the din. Nodding, Twilight looked down at her hooves and began counting. Slowly, she started to step in time. A tiny frown marred her muzzle as she tried to make her body cooperate. Stupid, clumsy hooves. She glanced up to find Spitfire entering into what could only be described as a little bit of a hop-slide, bouncing on her hooves with all the grace of a trained dancer, yet with all the whimsy of the ponies around them. “Loosen up a little!” Spitfire teased, nudging her with a shoulder. “C’mon, it’s no fun if you’re all stiff like that!” “Just trying to get in time with the beat,” she replied. Laughing, Spitfire leaned in and kissed her cheek. “That’s not a hard-and-fast rule in club dancing, hon! Cut loose and feel the music—like wind currents when you fly!” Twilight blinked, glancing down at her hooves then up to Spitfire again. Feel the music like I’m reading the wind current, she thought. Her feathers fluffed and twitched, reflexively trying to test for a wind current. Slowly, her lips began to curve into a smile. There was no wind, but there was a very pretty mare who wanted her to have some fun. She could just be herself. Well, when in Roam, do as the Roamans do! Kicking her right hoof out, she grinned and closed her eyes, bobbing her head to the beat as she began to stomp her hooves and flap her wings. It wasn’t graceful, it wasn’t anything like some of those ballet dancers she’d seen. It was fun. It was simple. It was just Twilight cutting loose, letting go of her reservations, and allowing herself to throw the rulebook out for a little bit so she could just get into her groove, as Shining would say. There was a beat of silence, and then the whir of synthesizers and booming base came like crashing thunder. Twilight joined in the “whoop” that went through the crowd and wildly swung a hoof. “Whoa!” Spitfire yelped. “Careful there, hon! This isn’t a contact sport!” Twilight gasped, opening her eyes and bringing the offending hoof to her mouth. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” “It’s alright, I’m just teasing.” Spitfire nuzzled against her cheek, lingering long enough to give a quick kiss. “This isn’t exactly a formal dance, hon. I mean, look around.” She waved a hoof toward the raucous crowd, sniggering as she watched a few rear up on their hind hooves and try jumping like dogs, only to stumble over one another and quickly steady themselves by grabbing hooves. Anything but graceful. Still, they hadn’t just swung a hoof and nearly knocked her date out. With a little cringe, Twilight let her ears droop and settled into a timid shuffle step. Like Fluttershy trying to hide from a crowd of ponies, she made herself as small as possible, bringing her wings up to hide her face from any onlookers. Spitfire stopped and grimaced. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” “No, no, I’m glad you did,” Twilight said, bringing a hoof up to rub her shoulder. “I don’t want to ruin things by hitting you.” “Yeah, but I just killed your mood. It’s written plain on your face.” Spitfire pointed at her face. “You were happy, like a filly on her first flight.” Twilight bit the inside of her cheek, flicking her tail. “I was. But, well, like I said, I’m not very good at dancing. At all. Ever.” Sighing, she hung her head. “I never took the time to go to parties or clubs before I moved.” A hoof touched her back, right between the base of her wings. She felt Spitfire’s breath tickle her ears as she leaned down to whisper, “I could show you a basic step thing, if you want.” Slowly lifting her head, Twilight was met with Spitfire offering a sheepish half smile and rustle of her wings. “It’s nothing flashy,” Spitfire continued, “it’s just listening to the bass and stepping in time, then throwing in a little kick or knee lift. Just a kinda—” she broke off, taking a couple steps to her left, then stopped, picking up her right hoof until it nearly touched her chest, and moved back to the right “—easy side-to-side thing.” Twilight watched her go through the steps a couple times, noting how each beat of bass matched perfectly with yellow-coated hooves stepping and raising. Simple, like the ticking of a metronome. A shy smile made its way across her muzzle. Twilight waited for Spitfire to complete another step, then joined in just as she was shown. Step, step, knee lift. Step, step, knee lift. Step, step, knee li—kick? She glanced at Spitfire, raising a brow at the grin on her girlfriend’s muzzle as they went through again. “Just get a rhythm, then play with the end move,” Spitfire said as she kicked her left legs out to the side, balancing herself on her right hooves. “Remember what I said dancing was like?” “Sex,” Twilight replied before she could stop herself. Nodding, Spitfire took a bit of a wider step so she could move closer. “Bingo,” she whispered, leaning over to peck Twilight’s lips rather than kick a hoof out. “Some ponies like lots of flashy things in dancing and sex, others like to keep it basic. The most important thing—” she pivoted and slid to the side so she was muzzle-to-muzzle with Twilight, still going through their three step routine “—is knowing what you’re comfortable with, and what your partner is, too.” “Huh.” Twilight furrowed her brows in thought, then bobbed her head. “I guess that does make sense. It wouldn’t work too well if a new dancer tried keeping up with a professional ballet dancer.” On the last step of their more simplified dance, she moved forward instead of sideways, returning Spitfire’s kiss from before. The pair stopped in place, each tilted their head to the side and pressed closer, savoring the kiss. Who cares if I’m bad at dancing? I get kisses either way. Twilight gave a happy hum as they broke apart, she couldn’t keep the goofy grin off her muzzle. “Any other steps for me to try?” she asked, waggling her ears. Spitfire fixed her with a half-lidded stare. “Oh, I think we can get a little creative with the basics.” She cast a meaningful glance to the crowd around them, and raised her brows. “Let’s try switching out the shuffle-step for a little bit of a hopping jig. But let’s add a new rule in.” Raising an eyebrow, Twilight tilted her head. “What’d you have in mind?” That playful gleam flashed in those brilliant orange eyes, Spitfire reached out and cupped her chin with a hoof. “Eye contact. No looking down.” A bubbling laugh escaped her lips, Twilight bounced and kicked her legs forward, alternating left and right in time with Spitfire’s moves. Faster and faster they went, moving to the pulsing bass of Vinyl’s latest selection. Somehow, Twilight had a feeling she’d seen that Spitfire was trying to teach her to dance and thought it’d be funny to start picking songs with faster beats. The more logical side of her brushed it off as Vinyl simply doing her job and giving the other ponies what they wanted. “Losing your tempo!” Spitfire teased. “Better keep up, or I’m gonna make you blush in front of everypony!” There it was, that playful threat she kept repeating. Each time the song changed and Twilight had to adjust for speed, Spitfire made sure to remind her the little wager they’d added on: “Whoever breaks eye contact or loses her step gets swept up by the other. In front of everypony.” At first, it had just been a joke. Then, for reasons she still couldn’t figure out, Twilight opened her mouth and vowed to hold Spitfire upside down in her magic, tickle, and kiss her silly in front of the entire crowd. The way Spitfire’s eyes flashed with the same competitive light she’d seen in Rainbow so many times sent shivers down her spine. From there on, both mares were locked in an epic battle of wills the likes of which Equestria had never seen, neither willing to blink. “Ready to give in?” Spitfire asked, leaning in close enough that their muzzles touched. Her steady breath washed over Twilight’s face, she nuzzled her snout, never once losing her step. Though she was already pushing the limit of her coordination, Twilight grinned and shook her head. “Not a chance!” she replied through her laughter. Spitfire had already given her fair share of teases in the few days since they started dating. Tonight, Twilight was determined that she would even the score. Or, at very least, narrow the gap a little bit. Still, she had to keep up. The burn in her legs was growing with each bounce and kick of her hooves. If she kept up, it would only be a matter of time before she either lost step or gave into her laughter and stumbled, leaving Spitfire free to tease and torment her any way she pleased. Of course, that was assuming she played fair. She fought against the urge to smirk at Spitfire. Her girlfriend so loved to play tricks and tease her, the way she delighted in leaving Twilight blushing before her friends, family, and fellow princesses was proof enough of that. She seemed to be all too happy to go along with a certain phrase Cadence was so wont to say: all’s fair in love and war. Well, if she wants to play, she’ll find I can adapt just as well as anypony. Twilight fixed Spitfire with a half-lidded stare and made her move, quickly tilting her head and darting forward press her lips against Spitfire’s. She smiled into the kiss as she felt the sharp intake of breath through Spitfire’s nose tickle against her coat. She pressed deeper, parting her lips just enough so she could run her tongue along Spitfire’s. Come on. Twilight fluttered her wings, unfurling and making to wrap them around Spitfire, all the while keeping her hooves moving in time with the beat. Or, at least, trying to. They’d both since lost timing, simply bouncing and occasionally doing the extra little kick at their own pace, following along the beating of their own hearts. Spitfire parted her lips, her warm tongue met with Twilight’s, teasing and running along her lips. Her steps began to slow with each passing second until, finally, she stopped, reaching up with a hoof to cup Twilight’s cheek. Twilight watched as her eyelids began to flutter shut and wings fluffed and made to unfurl, waiting until Spitfire gave a happy sigh and tilted her head to deepen the kiss before she made her move. The second Spitfire closed her eyes, Twilight reared up and caught her in a tight hug, pinning her hooves and wings to her sides. With a throaty chuckle, she pulled Spitfire flush against her chest and wrapped her tight in her wings. Twilight trailed her soft, purple feathers up Spitfire’s sides, bringing forth a squeak from the back of her girlfriend’s throat. She held the kiss a moment longer, then broke off to bask in the warmth. Taking note of how Spitfire’s lips were still parted for another kiss and her eyes stayed shut, she grinned and leaned in as if to grant her wish. Then, a flash of daring went through her. Glancing about to make sure everypony was watching the stage or was otherwise occupied, Twilight snuck a quick lick to Spitfire’s snout. Spitfire’s snout wrinkled, her ears laid flat as a bright blush began to creep into her cheeks. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s cute when she blushes,” Twilight whispered huskily, darting forward to nose beneath Spitfire’s chin and nip at her neck. Biting her lip, Spitfire pranced on her hind hooves, her tail twitched as a shuddering gasp escaped her lips. “H-Hon!” she said, whimpering as Twilight stole another nip, then slowly drew her tongue over the spot. Her eyes were clenched shut, a goofy grin spread across her muzzle. “You lost your step, and nopony’s watching,” Twilight said. She kissed Spitfire’s neck and drank in her scent. “My turn!” To her delight, Spitfire’s blush deepened, tinging her cheeks a shade of orange that almost perfectly matched her fiery mane. “Alright! Alright!” Spitfire yelped, craning her neck to escape Twilight’s assault. “You win, hon! Lemme go before somepony looks!” The smile ran away from her face. Twilight pursed her lips, her eyes darted to search the crowd for any onlookers. None of yet, aside from a few passive glances—unless she counted those mares from before openly staring and giggling in their direction—but she couldn’t deny the point. Giving one last kiss to her nose, Twilight released Spitfire from her embrace. She folded her wings at her sides, then stepped around to press against Spitfire’s side. “Fine,” she whispered, nosing into her cheek. “But let the record show that you lost step first.” “Only because you cheated,” Spitfire shot back, trying to fight through her smile to fix a mock glare upon her face. She gave up, grinning back at Twilight and stealing a quick kiss to her cheek, then moving to whisper in her ear. “You know I’m gonna have to get even. I can’t be letting a rookie out-flirt me!” There it was again. Labelling her a rookie with that grin and knowing look in her eyes. Well, there was some point to it, but Twilight was confident she’d have Spitfire singing a different tune soon enough. I’m starting to think a bit too much like Rarity! Twilight shook her head, then turned to search for Fleetfoot and Soarin. “Well, how about we meet up with the others? I could use a drink after that.” “Heh, I like the sound of that.” Spitfire wiped a hoof across her brow and gave her wings a little flutter. “It’s getting a little hot in here.” Seeing Twilight open her mouth to retort, she cut her off. “Say what you’re thinking. I dare you.” She brought her muzzle a hair’s breadth away from Twilight’s, and gave a challenging snort. “One word, hon. Just one.” With all the confidence of a mare who had defied the likes of Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changeling Queen, and Tirek himself, Twilight kissed the end of Spitfire’s muzzle and muttered, “Hot.” “Right.” Spitfire set her jaw and nodded, flicking her tail. “You’ll pay for that one later.” With keen eyes, she scanned the tables for her teammates, pointing to one in the far corner. “There they are, always far enough away that Fleet can listen without getting a headache.” Twilight followed her hoof, Fleetfoot’s cloud-white mane stood out against the dimly lit room, even with the flashing lights and ponies walking by. She let Spitfire take the lead, trotting just behind her as they made their way over to the table. Her eyes wandered, somehow finding their way—as had become habit—to Spitfire’s fiery tail and shapely rump. Her tail twitched, Twilight ran her tongue along her lip, savoring the lingering taste of Spitfire’s kisses. Be good, she chided herself. With a purr of approval, she sidled up to Spitfire and let her tail flirt against her girlfriend’s side, earning herself a smirk and a sidelong look. “Trying to gain rank?” Spitfire asked. Twilight met her gaze. “I think,” she began, trailing the ends of her tail along Spitfire’s flank, lingering on her flame-lick cutie mark, “you’ll find that a princess outranks a captain.” Spitfire let out a bark of laughter, then flicked her tail against Twilight’s rear in kind. “I’ll give you that, hon. Well played.” Another victory for the home team, albeit on a technicality. Though, with a girlfriend so willing to exploit any and every opportunity to tease and play, Twilight would have to do likewise. Besides, as a princess, she could make the rules of the game. It was one of the perks that came with all the authority and important meetings. Or, the important meetings that would grow more frequent as ponies adjusted to the idea of a fourth princess. Until then, there was a pretty mare who wanted to spend time with her, and Twilight would have her feathers plucked before she let precious time go to waste. The pair came closer to Fleetfoot and Soarin’s table, stopping just short. “Mind if we snag a spot?” Spitfire asked, before slipping into the booth across from them. A cue Twilight happily took, sliding in next to her with a tiny giggle. Soarin broke of chatting with Fleetfoot to fix her with a bemused smile. “If I say no, how many laps will we be doing tomorrow morning?” “I don’t think you can count that high,” she quipped in reply. “Is he behaving, Fleet?” Flicking an ear toward Spitfire, Fleetfoot nodded. “He has been so far,” she said. With a coy smile, she raised her glass to show off a translucent drink which shone with a familiar rainbow hue as she swirled it. “He even got me my favorite drink.” Spitfire’s ears perked up. “Mixing in some booze with the rainbow mixer, are we?” “You never gave sobriety orders,” Soarin replied, shrugging as he took a sip of his own. “I figured it was fine since this isn’t a team event.” “Nah, go for it. As long as we drink responsibly, it’s all good.” Spitfire took the menu out of the wire holder on the wall and skimmed through it. “Hmm, I might go with cider tonight. What about you, hon?” She passed the menu to Twilight. Taking the menu in her magic, Twilight brought it to float before her. Idly, she let her eyes wander over strange drink names. Each description seemed like such a mix of different types of alcohol with additive flavors she never would’ve thought logical. Rainbow, Pinkie, Party, and Vinyl would have a field day with this menu. Cringing at a few of the combinations. “I think I’ll stick with cider, too,” she said. “Some of these are a bit too ‘out there’ for my taste.” “Sounds good.” Spitfire flagged down one of the waitresses and gave her their drink order, as well as adding a basket of hay fries for the table. “Hope you can handle your booze, ‘cos they’ve only got the hard stuff here.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh, please! I drink Sweet Apple Acres’ finest as soon as they start their Cider Season, I can handle my fair share!” The trio of Wonderbolts let wicked smirks spread across their muzzles, a shudder ran down Twilight’s spine. “We’ll see about that,” Fleetfoot said, chuckling darkly. “I suppose this is as good a chance as any to make sure you can hold your own with us. Can’t have the Captain seen with a lightweight!” “Excuse me?” Twilight balked. “I thought you were fine with us dating!” Sightless eyes met hers, Fleetfoot waggled her ears. “Call it an added stipulation. And don’t bother looking for Spits to override me, she’s thinking along similar lines.” Slowly, Twilight turned to gape at Spitfire, who raised her eyebrows and nodded, just as a pair of mugs were placed on the table before them. “You’re joking,” she said. “Nope!” Soarin replied through his chuckles. “If you wanna date a Wonderbolt, you’ve gotta be able to drink like a Wonderbolt!” “I’d say no pressure,” Spitfire said, casually eyeing her drink. “But there was a certain girlfriend of mine who just snuck a kiss to win our little challenge on the dance floor, so I think she needs to show us she can hang with the big ponies. Wouldn’t you agree, Soarin?” He gave a solemn nod. “Definitely, Spits. Princess or not, we’ve gotta make sure she comes into the flock properly.” Spitfire thumped a hoof on the table. “Then it’s settled!” she said, taking up her mug. “Pick up that cider, hon! We’ve got music, plenty of booze, three Bolts, and a pretty royal—seems like a perfect chance to make sure you can hang with us!” A few days prior, Twilight would’ve missed the teasing edge in their tone. The way each grinned like Rainbow or Pinkie, or even Party Favor, in the middle of a prank was another dead giveaway. She played her part, huffing as though offended and taking her drink in hoof. “Fine, then! We’ll see who can’t handle her alcohol!” “Morning in Ponyville—hic—shimmers! Morning in Ponyville—hic—shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiines!” Twilight sang, nearly falling over as she tried to wave a hoof. Giggling, she pressed against Spitfire’s side. “Oopsie!” Spitfire closed her eyes and forced a smile, her ears laid flat against her scalp, both to block out Twilight’s drunken singing and her teammates’ sniggering. As it so turned out, her recently acquired girlfriend could indeed hold her booze quite well—if it was cider, of course. After a few mugs, Soarin, sensing that their little trick wasn’t going so well, waited until Twilight had gotten herself a little bit of a buzz, then slyly slid his rum mixer over and offered her a little something different. He is so flying laps for this! She fought down a blush as Twilight planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek and wrapped her wing over her shoulders, those soft purple feathers tickled against her sides. “Hon, maybe we oughta quiet it down a little,” she said, sliding her wings up to lay across Twilight’s back, just in case she toppled over again. “Ponies might be trying to sleep.” “I say—hic—feh to them!” Twilight replied. She stopped and brought a hoof to her chest, as though ready to make a big proclamation. “Luna made such a—hic—such a beautiful night, and it’s nice, and I love it, and I really like spending time with—hic—you guys, and they should love it too!” At least she was a happy drunk. Those were tolerable to a certain extent. Sad or angry drunks, well, they were a different story entirely. Soarin was so going to pay for this. Fleetfoot, too, since she watched and let it happen. If they were smart, they’d keep their whining about how she thought it was a good idea at the time to themselves and just suck it up. A not so small part of her hoped they weren’t that smart. Try to play the big sib-slash-mother card on me will you? They came to the intersection of Mane Street and Royal Lane, and turned right to head up the winding pathway to the castle. Up ahead, Spitfire could see the lit windows and the glint of well-polished gold as the Princesses’ House Guard patrolled the castle grounds. Not to mention, each of Twilight’s friends, her fellow princesses, and her older brother. A shiver ran down Spitfire’s spine. She wasn’t sure which prospect made her more nervous: meeting the parents, or having to stand before the Royal Family and have them run the gauntlet on how she was to treat Twilight. Although Princess Celestia hadn’t threatened, she made sure to hint that she expected Spitfire’s conduct while accompanying Twilight to the Gala, and whatever relationship followed thereafter, was to be at her very best. Twilight nosing against her cheek and hiccuping into her ear as she tried to whisper sweet nothings brought her back to reality. Despite her worry, she gave a laugh and maneuvered her snout under Twilight’s chin. “Ah-ah! You better stop that!” she scolded. “None of that drunk flirting, hon!” “You’re no fun!” Twilight huffed, turning her head away. “How come you get to boss me around? I’m a—hic—princess!” Spitfire cooed and kissed her cheek. “Yes you are. You’re my very beautiful, very tipsy, princess. And you’re my girlfriend.” Twilight gave a solemn nod. “Right! So, I get to flirt—hic—if I want!” With a deft move, she managed to tilt her head back, then circle under to nip at Spitfire’s nose. “And I say flirting—hic—is okay!” “Well, as your girlfriend, and as the mare who isn’t more sauced than Firestorm at Germaneigh’s Ciderfest, I’m gonna have to be all responsible and call code red on this.” She did her best to ignore the way Twilight pouted and whined, but her resolve crumbled. Sighing, she pecked Twilight’s lips, then stopped and placed a hoof on her chest when she tried to press further. “Twilight. No. Spitfire says code red.” Giving another whine, Twilight stomped a hoof. “Meanie.” With a roll of her eyes, Spitfire lead her onward. “Maybe so, but we talked about this sort of thing. Let’s get you back to the castle so you can sleep this off.” “You don’t mind if we break off and head back to the room, do you?” Soarin asked, bobbing his head toward Fleetfoot. “This one didn’t sleep all that well last night.” “Neither of us did, smart-aleck.” Fleetfoot bumped her flank against his. “Only reason I couldn’t was because you kept tossing and turning and covering your head with a pillow.” Spitfire furrowed her brows. “Why were you—oh. Oh.” She cringed, ducking her head to hide her blushing cheeks. “Sorry.” “Oops!” Twilight giggled, then leaned in as if to whisper, but ended up speaking at regular volume. “I think they heard us!” Smirking, Soarin waggled his eyebrows. “Just a little. So yeah, it’s about midnight, I think we’re gonna hit the hay. Try to behave, Feuerball! I don’t think bailing your sorry behind out of jail is covered in the budget.” He ducked a quick swipe of her wing, cackling as he nimbly danced out of her reach. “Temper, temper! That’s no way for a mare who’s dating a princess to behave! Gotta be all proper now!” “Maybe we can arrange for etiquette classes,” Fleetfoot said, bringing a hoof to her chin. “We’ll have to look into that.” Spitfire grit her teeth, her ears burned as Twilight giggled at their antics. “Thanks, guys! Really. Great to know you’ve got my back. Now get the hay out of here, or we’re gonna have a little conditioning run in the morning.” The words had scarcely left her mouth before the pair’s eyes went wide and they took off in a flurry of feathers, rocketing through the night sky as if the hounds of Tartarus were nipping at their tails. Spitfire smirked and gave a single nod. Still got it. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Twilight waving and beaming at her teammates’ retreating forms. Her smirk melted into a more sincere smile, Spitfire gave her a light nudge toward the castle, sparing her a quick kiss to appease her. Fortunately, the walk was short and the guards posted at the gate let them in without question, each snapped to attention and saluted with their spears or bowed to their princess. If not for her keen eyes, Spitfire would’ve missed the tiny upward tugging of their lips as she passed them by with a thoroughly sauced Twilight in tow. To their credit, not one laughed or whispered, but they couldn’t hide their amusement entirely. Not that I can blame them. Spitfire tightened her wing’s grip around Twilight’s side and pulled her in closer, nuzzling their cheeks together. Gonna get a lot of mileage out of that rendition of Brown-Eyed Mare once she sobers up—well, Orange-Eyed Mare, as she sang it. She could already see the bright blush that would spread across Twilight’s cheeks before she tried to bury her muzzle in her wings. Yes, there would be plenty of teasing, and quite a bit of nuzzling those cute purple ears as she hummed the tune. When they passed through the main entrance, Spitfire caught sight of three ponies waiting for them. She recognized Rainbow and Pinkie, but not the stallion they were with. Though, judging by how close he was standing to Pinkie and the little kiss she snuck him, he was the one Soarin and Twilight mentioned before. Party Favor, they’d called him. Naturally, Twilight perked right up as soon as she saw them. “Hi, everypony!” She flared her wings out and bounded forward, stumbling over herself before she made to sweep the nearest of her friends into a hug. Pinkie simply laughed and let her, while the stallion sidestepped her and tried to hide his amusement. He didn’t do nearly as well as the guards. Pinkie grinned and returned the hug, pausing to sniff as Twilight’s breath hit her. “Oh, wow! Somepony had some fun tonight!” she said, waggling her ears. “Yup!” Twilight chirped. “We went to a club! There was loud music, and dancing—hic—and drinks!” “So we can tell!” Rainbow sniggered. She trotted up to Twilight and gave her a light elbow to the ribs. “Geez, Twi, how many did you have?” “I remember a lot of mugs. And rum.” She beamed. “Soarin let me try a rum mixer. It was good.” Gaping, Rainbow looked between Spitfire and Twilight. “Oh for the love of—gah!—that’s it! Next time, I’m going with you guys! I’ve been waiting forever to see Twi cut loose and drink, and it takes dating to make it happen!” A beat later, she ducked her head and spared Spitfire a glance. “No offense, ma’am.” Oh, there’s just plenty of material for me tonight, isn’t there? “None taken,” she replied. Gesturing to Twilight with a wave of her hoof, she continued, “Well, one princess-slash-girlfriend delivered safe and sound. Make sure she gets some water in her tomorrow, first hangover’s gonna be a trip.” Party winced. “Oh, gosh, I remember mine. Not fun.” He frowned, shifting in place a bit. “Sure you don’t wanna hang out and help us deal with a drunk alicorn?” Spitfire raised an eyebrow at him. “Just so I’m clear, you’re Party Favor, right?” At his nod, she smirked and continued, “Well, pal, lemme put it this way: I’ve seen her teleport faster than a jackrabbit on a sugar rush and conjure pen and paper out of thin air while sober, and I was very impressed. However—” she gave a theatrical shudder “—I think I’m a bit too new to dating her to deal with having furniture thrown at me, or whatever crazy magic she’s packing!” Sniggering, Rainbow nodded. “Fine, we’ll take her from here. C’mon, Twi, let’s get you to bed. We’ll bug you about your dates in the morning.” “But I wanna stay up!” Twilight whined, fixing them with a pout. “How come everypony—hic—gets to boss me around?” “Because we’re not three shades to the wind,” Spitfire quipped. She trotted over and gave her a quick hug and kissed her cheek. “I’ll come check on you tomorrow. Okay?” The pout vanished in favor of an excited grin. Twilight returned her hug and gave her a lingering kiss on the lips. She made to speak, but turned away to cover her mouth as another bout of hiccups slipped out. After a moment, she turned back and smiled again. “Promise?” “Bolts’ honor,” Spitfire replied. She nudged Twilight toward Rainbow, nodding to each member of their impromptu welcoming party. “Have a good night, everypony. I’ll stop by sometime tomorrow afternoon. Get a good night’s sleep—Dash, no keeping her up to pry my secrets out of her, or I’ll have your wings hanging up in my office. Miss Pie, Mister Favor, feel free to tattle if she does.” She turned on her hoof and made her way out of the castle, grinning as the sounds of Rainbow Dash’s indignant protests mixed with raucous laughter. Seems I’ve got her pegged. As she stepped out into the cool night air, Spitfire fluffed her feathers and took a deep breath, letting it out in a contented sigh. Two dates of their own planning, one that ended in a repeat of their night after the Gala, but now one that focused on them just having fun and spending time together. Much better. She chuckled to herself. They’d had their missteps, but they managed to come to terms with it and get everything straightened out. Stealing one last glance over her shoulder to watch as Twilight was guided up the stairs toward her suite, Spitfire bid her a silent goodnight before turning to face forward. Stifling a yawn, she closed her eyes for a moment, fighting against the oncoming sleep. C’mon, Spits. Stay awake. Gotta make the flight back to the hotel. After a moment, she forced her eyes open and shook her head, then unfurled her wings, readying to take to flight. “Hold fast, Captain,” Princess Luna’s familiar voice called out from her left, startling her into alertness. Spitfire stumbled in her haste to turn and bow to Princess Luna as she stepped out of the shadows. “Your Highness,” she greeted. “My sincerest apologies, I didn’t see you there.” Princess Luna waved her off. “No offense is taken, Captain. I can be quite stealthy when I wish to be.” An odd smile crossed her lips, like a mother’s knowing look when she’d caught her foal with crumbs smeared across its muzzle. “Care to join me for a walk?” Uh oh. “I, er, wouldn’t dream of intruding, Princess,” Spitfire stammered. She stepped closer, those moonlit, teal eyes gleamed as she draped a wing across Spitfire’s withers. “I insist. Worry not, I shan’t keep you out too late. After all, you have a young princess to entertain on the morrow. I simply wish to get to know the mare who has caught my young friend’s eye.” Spitfire swallowed a nervous gulp of air, giving a shaky smile. “Of course. I’d be happy to walk with you, Princess. I just, um, might not be at my best. I’ve had a few ciders in me.” If it were possible, Princess Luna’s smile seemed to broaden, taking on an almost predatory edge. “I shall temper my expectations, then. Now, my dear Captain, have you ever seen the Royal Gardens? They are a splendid sight at this hour, the moonflowers should be in full bloom.”