//------------------------------// // Chapter 32 - Before The Gala // Story: Teatime - A Novel Of Twilight & Celestia // by bigbear //------------------------------// The clickity clack of the train wheels played in time with the swaying of the passenger car. Sometimes long train trips made Twilight sleepy, but not today. The car that she and the girls were riding to the Crystal Empire was full of nervous energy. More than a little of it was coming from Twilight herself. The date for the Gala had come up before her next turn as Princess of the Day and she’d never gathered the courage to make a special trip to Canterlot to talk with Celestia. The event tonight would be the first time the two had seen each other since Twilight’s talk with Spike had made her quandary so clear. To keep from obsessing over Celestia, Twilight had thrown herself into helping her friends prepare for the Gala. Rarity was her normal, bustling, overworked self during the run-up. It looked like she loved every moment of it. Rarity seemed happiest when she had just the right amount of overwork and anxiety. Too little work and she would fret and second-guess herself. Too much work and she could crumble. But the right amount and Rarity would enter a zone of frantic productivity. Creativity and improvisation lead to some of her best creations. Twilight liked the gown Rarity had created for her very much. She’d finally gotten Rarity to stick with the basics. It was simple, almost plain. The dress was a solid blue that Twilight thought contrasted well with her colors. The interesting details of the gown were not in the color or fabric but in cut and shape. Rarity had taken her new height into account, and the cut of the gown was elegant. Combined with her simple crown, boots, and new torc, Twilight thought she looked very nice. All her friends were preparing for the Gala. Rainbow was going to wear her Wonderbolts uniform rather than a gown. Military uniforms were appropriate at nearly any formal function. Rarity had helped Fluttershy with her gown months before (they went for a flower theme this year). Now, Fluttershy was helping Pinkie. She loved her existing dress, but the ever-pronking-pony was hard on clothes. Some of the seams needed to be strengthened. Fluttershy volunteered her sewing skills so Rarity could focus on her new creations. That left Rarity to concentrate on her own gown, the commissions for Celestia and Twilight, the updates to Applejack’s outfit, and Starlight’s new gown. This was Starlight’s first Gala and she’d been going all out, spending days over at the Carousel Boutique. Starlight had practically emptied Twilight’s library of spellbooks, telling Twilight she wanted to help Rarity, “upgrade the magic she puts in her dresses.” Twilight was looking forward to seeing what the two of them had come up with. As soon as the train came around the last curve in the mountains, the spire atop the Castle of the Crystal Empire came into view. The spire was three times taller than any other building in the capital and towered over the fog-shrouded city. The point at the top glittered in the sharp northern sunlight. Everypony started gathering their things in a rush to be ready to detrain when they got to the station. Twilight swallowed hard. The time for distracting herself was coming to an end. The time for the Gala and her meeting with Celestia was here. “Welcome to the Crystal Empire and to this year’s Grand Galloping Gala!” Prince Shining Armor said as the girls got off the train. “Cadance wanted to be here to meet you, but she has some last minute preparation to complete.” Twilight hugged her brother as Crystal Guards loaded their luggage onto carriages. Shiny and the girls were transported to the castle at the heart of the city and set up in their lodgings for the evening. Once in their rooms, the girls all scampered around getting ready for the event. Rarity bustled from room to room, making sure everypony’s look was perfect. She roped Twilight into going room to room with her. Rarity directed Twilight on how to use her magic to help the other girls get ready for the big event. When everypony else was dressed, Fluttershy came to help Rarity style Twilight’s mane. While Twilight normally wore her mane down with the ends cut straight across, for the Gala she let Rarity have her way. With preparations both cosmetic and alchemical, Rarity and Fluttershy lifted and curled Twilight's mane. They sculpted it into an intricate assemblage of curls and ringlets. Rarity’s artistic triumph was manipulating the magenta streak in Twilight's mane. She wove it in and out of the assembled curls, creating a virtual highlight that made her coiffure seem larger, regardless of the lighting conditions. When Twilight’s mane was done, Fluttershy brought out a lacquered jewelry box. Inside were the pieces from Celestia’s private collection that Rarity had picked out for Twilight. A pair of bejeweled mane clips helped hold her curls in place. A pair of rainbow bracelets bedecked her forelegs. And a single starburst earring adorned Twilight’s left ear. Each piece was spectacular on its own.  Together, they made Twilight glitter. “Do you also want to wear your crown, and other things…” Fluttershy asked meekly. “All part of the princess uniform,” Twilight said. She summoned her regalia from their containers in the luggage. Twilight’s golden crown, torc, and boots appeared in flashes of magenta magic. Fluttershy placed the crown on Twilight’s head, being careful not to disturb her new ‘do. Twilight levitated her torc onto her neck and stepped into her boots. Between her regalia and Celestia’s jewelry, she was wearing a lot of ornamentation. “Is it too much?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy smiled, but ducked her head and broke eye contact. “I think it looks beautiful,” she whispered. Twilight checked out her image in the twin full-length mirrors and smiled. Fluttershy was right. Rarity had chosen the pieces well. She looked well accessorized, but not overdone. Starlight came into the room in a teal and gold gown and carrying a large purple dress box in her field. “Is Twilight ready for her gown?” she asked. “Yes dear,” Rarity replied. “Is the gown ready for Twilight?” Starlight winced. “There may be a little issue with that…” “Now is not the time for issues!” Rarity stamped a hoof. “Now is the time for triumphal revelations!” “Girls, what’s going on?” Twilight asked. “We added a little spell work to your gown,” Starlight said. “And there’s been a tiny, little, small issue with the final step.” “And that is?” Rarity demanded. “Every time I try to activate the spells I’m afraid I’m going to burn the gown to a cinder.” Starlight admitted. “But you're a magical prodigy, the most powerful unicorn in Equestria!” Rarity exclaimed. “That’s the problem,” Starlight retorted. “After you added the last layer of haute couture enchantments, the spell matrix became extremely unstable. I’ll destroy the spells and the gown if I try to activate them, no matter how much I dial back my power level.” “Could anything else dangerous happen?” Twilight asked. “Only to your presentation, dear,” Rarity reassured her. “Twilight, subtlety is clearly not Starlight’s forte. Can you control your magic to trigger spells of great delicacy?” “The spells are all ready to go,” Starlight said. “They need the barest hint of magic to trigger them.” “Think of it like brushing your lips across your beloved with your magic,” Rarity said. “What’s the most delicate magic you’ve cast?” Twilight thought back. She’d cast many, many spells in her lifetime. Since magic was her special talent she, like Starlight, was more likely to over-power a spell than under-power it. The thought of “brushing her lips across her beloved” triggered a memory, putting Celestia to sleep after their long night of revelations. That was the most delicate spell work Twilight could remember. “I think I can do this,” she answered. “Of course you can,” Starlight said. She was smiling. Rarity, Starlight, and Fluttershy swarmed around Twilight, putting on her gown and accessories. “This isn’t my dress,” Twilight said. The cut was the same, but the fabric was very different. It was lighter and softer. The gown clung to Twilight’s every curve like it had been molded to her body. There were new accessories as well: a long cape that mounted high on the back of her neck, and a train that flowed over her dock and far behind her. All three were brilliant white and shimmered with reflected highlights and magic. “I’m afraid there’s been some minor subterfuge,” Rarity admitted. “The dress I fitted you with before was never what I planned for you to wear. It was actually a pattern for the creation of this dress.” “It feels very different,” Twilight said. “”It’s crystal spider silk,” Starlight said. “Sunburst helped me find it. It’s the lightest, softest, and most magically active cloth known. Perfect to hold the spell matrix.” “It also wonderfully accentuates the wearer’s shape.” Rarity leaned forward. “Now, Twilight. As delicately as you can, activate the spells on the gown, cape, and train.” Twilight closed her eyes. She imagined Celestia before her. Her kind eyes. Her gentle smile. Her soft lips. Twilight sighed. A single, tiny magenta spark emerged from her horn. It floated gently over her back and descended. Twilight’s horn barely glowed and the spark divided into thirds. One each fell upon the gown, cape, and train. Though her eyes were still closed, Twilight felt complex magic bloom around her. She heard Fluttershy gasp and Starlight prance. “You can open your eyes, dear.” Rarity sounded impossibly pleased with herself. Twilight blinked her eyes open. There, in the twin mirrors, she saw herself reflected from both sides. Twilight’s heart caught in her throat. The gown and accessories were no longer white but asymmetrically splashed with color. On her left side, the gown was deep purple blue, with sky blue trimmings. The purple faded to lavender and then to orange over her back. The right side was sunshine yellow. Every color seemed to sparkle and glow in the magical lights of the room. The entire effect was as the twilight becoming the dawn. Even more arresting than the gown were the cape and train. They moved as if alive, the cape flowing in an unfelt breeze behind her head and the train behind her body. They mirrored the colorings of the gown underneath, transitioning left to right from purple to lavender, orange, and finally to yellow. Twilight stared at the movement of the accessories. Their pattern was… familiar. Then she got it. Celestia’s mane and tail moved the same way. Her cape and train flowed with the fluctuations of the world’s magical field. Someday Future Twilight’s mane and tail would do so as well. Rarity, Sunburst, and Starlight had found a way to replicate the effect until that time. “This is spectacular!” Twilight craned her neck to see how the cape moved and shifted the weight on her hind legs to see how the train reacted. Both adjusted as expected, and she didn’t find their movements distracting. Surprisingly both felt… natural... like they were a part of her. She longed to study the spell work involved. But a knock on the door reminded Twilight that it was time for the big event. She stepped up to Rarity and enveloped her in a wing hug. “Rarity, I cannot thank you enough for this.” “It’s my pleasure to see my friends looking amazing.” Rarity returned her hug. “But I didn’t do this alone.” “Of course.” Twilight turned and embraced Starlight. “Thank you for all this.” Starlight hugged her back. “I’m going to want a complete rundown on how you did all these spells,” Twilight teased. “Thus the student becomes the teacher,” Starlight teased back. “I’m glad I could help,” she said sincerely. Twilight hugged Fluttershy, “Thank you for all your help.” “Don’t worry if everypony is looking at you tonight,” Fluttershy whispered. “Just remember that you look very, very special.” “I will,” Twilight said. She gave Fluttershy a final squeeze, then turned toward the door. Twilight ran a ripple of magenta magic over herself from horn to tail, making sure everything was it its proper place. “Showtime,” Rarity said. Twilight nodded. She summoned the power of the sun within her, stood tall, and assumed a regal countenance. Starlight opened the door. Princess Twilight Sparkle stepped through. She was headed to the Gala.