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// A Fifth of Starlight 
// Story: I'm Your Villain 
// by FamousLastWords 
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Starlight and Spike returned to the Gala ballroom, leg in arm. Not much had changed on the surface. The same rich ponies were standing around, chatting about investments and the like. Pinkie Pie was trying to get ponies to dance with little success and Twilight kept getting stopped by various nobles trying to win her over no doubt, simply due to her royal occupation.
 
“Man, this place sure is kicking,” Starlight said, her eyes rolling.
 
“Yeah, this seems to be a bit of a down year,” Spike responded. 
 
“Tell me about it,” a voice said, coming up from behind them. The two turned around to see Princess Celestia approaching. “This event seems to get more and more dull every year. I wish I had more of a say in who was allowed to attend to shake things up a bit. But, of course, if someone can afford a ticket or gets invited, they can come.”
 
Starlight let out a hefty sigh. “But you’re the ruler of all of Equestria. Surely you could have some sort of say in who attends these galas?”
 
Celestia shook her head, letting out a small sigh of her own. Her disappointment was aptly disguised by the smallest of smiles, a way of coping with the many noble ponies in attendance. “Unfortunately, that isn’t how the Gala works, Starlight. The Gala is a publicly funded event, and most of that funding comes from the upper echelon of ponies that are all too eager to display their wealth as if it is a contest.”
 
“What a load of bogus,” Spike added in his two cents, his barbaric lingo making Celestia chuckle.
 
“Fo’ shizzle, Spike,” the princess replied, bumping her hoof into the waiting fist of the drake. The two had always had a connection that others deemed ‘strange’, but Starlight could tell that Celestia was truly in her element around the young dragon.
 
Starlight blinked, looking between the two. That exchange had left her almost speechless. Almost. “And I thought Discord was insane.”
 
“Speaking of which,” Spike interjected, “why hasn’t Discord caused his usual chaotic commotion? I half expected the place to be underwater when we got here?”
 
“About that,” Celestia replied, putting her hoof to her face. “The Gala Fundraiser decided they didn’t want Discord to attend again after the slime debacle that happened at a previous function. However, I convinced them to allow his return under the condition that I ban the use of his magic here. He agreed, but only because Fluttershy specifically requested him as her date, this year. So, of course, I couldn’t even rely on my fallback option for some entertainment.”
 
“Unless…” Starlight grinned. An evil grin, one that Spike hadn’t seen since the whole timeline debacle.
 
“Uh oh, what are you planning, Starlight?”
 
Starlight cackled, just loudly enough to catch the attention of a few passersby ponies. After a few moments, they seemed to lose interest and Starlight went on. “I was just thinking that it would be a shame if something out of the fundraisers’ control were to happen. Something like… a rogue unicorn taking it upon herself to return the powers of one formerly evil draconequus.”
 
Celestia’s eyes darted back and forth before her attention focused on Starlight. Leaning down, she spoke in nary but a hushed whisper. “Can you really do that?”
 
“Are you two really about to do this?”
 
Spike’s interjection was met by a glare from Starlight, and the dragon decided it would be better to stay quiet on the subject for the time being. 
 
“Depends on the level of the spell you had to cast,” Starlight said, looking back to Celestia.
 
“It was actually quite simple,” Celestia explained. “All I had to do was cast a binding spell in the area surrounding Discord’s body. That way he can do what he wants within a very tiny area, but can’t affect his surroundings.”
 
“Binding spell, huh? I can cast those in my sleep. Removing one that isn’t my own, though… that could be a little tricky.” Starlight looked around a bit, as if scanning the area for something. “I think I have an idea.”
 
Before either princess or dragon could ask just what that idea was, Twilight’s student was already off on her way. It was really going to be very simple, though the aftermath would be anything but. 
 
Celestia leaned over to Spike. “If anypony asks, I was using the bathroom, alright?”
 
“Hey man, I left my oven on, I wasn’t even involved,” Spike agreed.
 
Starlight walked into the heavily populated ballroom, searching out her targets. No one was privy to what she had planned, at least not yet. Making her way back over to the punch table, she eyed her first subject. The ladle everyone had been using to gather their punch was sat in the bowl, and nopony was around. The first part of her plan would require a bit of stealth. Wrapping the ladle up in her magical grasp, she pulled it from the punch bowl and made herself a cup.
 
What nopony saw, however, was the spell she cast on the ladle. This chain-breaking spell should do the trick, she thought to herself. 
 
Now came the fun part. She had already spotted Discord, along with his shy little date, before making her way over to the punch table. Keeping the ladle tethered tightly by her magic, she reared it back behind her head. With a simple flick of her magic field, the ladle was on its way to its target. “Hey, Discord, catch!”
 
The draconequus turned at the last second, doing exactly what he was told. Starlight could tell that he was about to offer up some very crude words, but then he looked down at the ladle in his hand. “Ah, now I understand.”
 
Starlight snickered, uncaring of the attention her shout had received. That snickering grew into full-blown laughter as Discord flew up into the air, Fluttershy clinging onto his arm the whole way and hanging from him like a fleshy Hearth’s Warming ornament.
 
“You fools. You call this a party?” Discord announced for all to hear. With a quick snap of his lion’s paw, a disco ball found itself attached to the domed ceiling of the ballroom. From seemingly nowhere, but everywhere, strange music began to play. “Now this is how we partied back in my time.”
 
Instantly, every suit and dress in the room were gone. Ponies found themselves wearing throwbacks to Discord’s time. Flashy bell bottoms and sparkly shirts appeared on every pony in attendance, even the princess herself. Every overly-done hairdo was replaced by a giant afro, pink comb included. A series of gasps could be heard throughout the ballroom, but were quickly drowned out by the coursing beats of the music.
 
It was too hard, now. Princess Celestia and Spike found themselves holding back tears of joy at what had just transpired. By the time Starlight had made it back to them, they were both staring at the newly created dance floor. “Ah, hay to the nobles,” Celestia laughed, “let’s go dance!”
 
Spike and Starlight did just that, their afros bouncing lightly along the way. “Well, I can safely say I didn’t expect this,” Starlight giggled. Once the two had reached the middle of the dance floor, she extended a hoof in his direction. “May I have this dance?”
 
“Oh, heck yeah!” Spike giddily responded. And so, the pair started dancing. Neither would consider themselves a great dancer, but they lost themselves to the beat before long and just went wild. Before long, they were joined by Twilight and the rest. The sight of their beloved Elements of Harmony dancing freely, having so much fun, was enough to convince even a few noble ponies to join them on the floor.
 
“Now this is a party!” Discord yelled excitedly from above. “But I think it’s time we change to an even better song.”
 
As the music changed, most of the ponies who had been dancing stopped what they were doing. Their attention was redirected to Discord, who blushed. “Oh, phooey to all of you. This song was huge in my time.”
 
Celestia let out a hearty laugh. “C’mon, Discord, let’s show him how it’s done.”
 
Discord and Celestia ran to the front of the room and as soon as the chorus hit, they threw their arms and hooves into the air, mimicking the letters ‘YMCA’ over and over again. It didn’t take long before everypony in the room followed suit, dancing along. What was once a room full of stiffs had now erupted into a full-blown party, the likes of which had never been witnessed by half of those in attendance.
 
“Yeah, Celestia, you know what’s up!” Discord shouted, laughing aloud. “Try to keep up everyone!”
 
As the music bounced and the lights flashed, everypony in attendance danced the night away, leading to the best night ever.
 

*****


 

After the party finally came to an end, Starlight and Spike exited the Gala, unable to control their laughter.
 
“Ha!” Spike shouted out, trying to control himself. “Did you see the look on that one dude’s face when all his clothes disappeared? Priceless!”
 
Starlight erupted into an even stronger fit of giggles in response. “I know! He totally had it coming, though. It was about time all those snobs learned to have some fun.”
 
“That… That was the best Gala ever,” Spike replied, slowly coming back down from his humor high. “You’re so awesome, Starlight.”
 
Starlight beamed. “Thanks, Spike. You’re pretty awesome, as well. Just, you know, I’m slightly better.”
 
“After what you did in there, I have to agree with you. I’m not sure I ever would’ve thought to pull off something like that. I’m definitely making sure you get to come back next year.”
 
The two walked side-by-side away from the building back toward where the carriages were waiting. There was an awkward silence hanging in the air around them, each one trying to think of what to say before the date officially ended. 
 
“Well,” Spike spoke up, breaking the silence. “I had a great night. Best date ever, in my books.”
 
Starlight felt her cheeks heat up. “I, uh, I would totally have to agree with that. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”
 
Having finally reached the area carriages, a pony hopped out of one of them to greet the two. “You two ready to head back? Hop right in!”
 
Spike held out his claw, as a true gentledrake would, helping Starlight into the carriage. He followed suit and got in right after her. The two got comfortable in the back seat.
 
“Thanks so much being my date,” Starlight responded. “I know I wouldn’t have had this much fun with anyone else.”
 
“I totally agree,” Spike said, moving a bit closer to her. “We should, maybe, do something like this again. You know, there’s a Disco dance club opening up in Manehattan in a few weeks. Might be worth it to check it out.”
 
Starlight rubbed her chin. “Hmm, I think I can find that in my schedule. Under one condition, though.”
 
“Which is?”
 
“We get to ditch the rich pony clothes and just let loose, next time. Fair enough?”
 
“Deal.”
 
The two let out a hearty laugh as the carriage started moving. As the laughter subsided, the two inched closer to each other as another silence overtook them. This one, however, was much more natural, resulting purely from the contentment between the two.
 
Spike turned to Starlight. “You know what, I may never get another chance at this, so here goes nothing.”
 
He leaned forward and planted his lips on hers, gently using claws to hold her face. Starlight’s eyes popped open in shock, her brain trying to process what was happening. However, she quickly decided to just relax and let her eyes close, enjoying the experience.
 
Spike let go and leaned back. “Sorry, but sometimes, a dragon’s gotta do what a dragon’s gotta do.”
 
Starlight tried to stifle a laugh, but couldn’t and just grinned at him.
 
“Yeah, we’re doing this again.”