“Twilight? Twilight, darling? Spike came by the boutique and said you were in quite the tizzy.”
Rarity let herself into the main library of Twilight’s castle and quickly saw that “tizzy” was an understatement. Books were strewn about the space, covering desks, chairs, and just about every piece of furniture. In addition to that, there was an absurd amount of paper. Scrolls, sheets, reams, and spools of paper had been spread across the floor like layers of crinkly snow. On the papers, Rarity saw dotted lines and round splotches. If she didn’t know better, she would assume it was some foal’s imaginary treasure map.
Rarity hoped Twilight’s purpose for such a mess of paper was something grander than that.
“Twilight?” Rarity called again, looking around the room. It was then she heard a rustling, and upon trotting a few steps to her right, Rarity caught sight of Twilight’s tail sticking out from underneath a pile of books. She closed the gap between herself and the pile before levitating books away to uncover Twilight.
Twilight gave out a load groan, shielding her eyes from the bright light of the room. “What time is it?”
“A bit before lunch.” Rarity finished freeing Twilight from the pile and stacked the books neatly to one side. Rarity’s first instinct was that Twilight had gotten buried, but she also wouldn’t have put it past Twilight to burrow herself beneath the books in a mixture of desperation, frustration, and exhaustion.
Twilight emitted a second groan as she stood up, some of her joints popping as her body complained about where she had chosen to rest.
“Did you sleep under those books all night?”
“No, I was awake all night. I only fell asleep a few hours ago.” Twilight took a few ginger, stiff steps forward. Rarity saw Twilight was trying to get to one of her work desks, but Rarity caught up to and began guiding Twilight towards one of her favorite chairs instead.
“So, Spike did not mention the reason why I should come check on you. Is there some nasty villain that is threatening Equestria again?”
Twilight shook her head and flopped into the chair she had been led too. “No, Equestria’s not in peril.”
“Ah, good. Not that I don’t enjoy our adventures, it does feel a tad too soon for us to be dealing with another thing like that so shortly after our last one.” Rarity called on her magic, trying to spruce up Twilight’s mane and tail a bit. It was hard to tame the wilder hairs without a brush, but Rarity was ready to do what she could with just her magic. “So, what kept you up all night?”
“The Crystal Empire, since it returned, has been celebrating Hearth's Warming like the rest of Equestria. But, they used to have an older tradition involving the winter solstice, and Cadence was hoping to bring it back this year. And of course, I volunteered to help her. I did research, looked up books, and I organized aspects of the event, but now...”
Rarity finished primping and tidying up Twilight’s look before she took a few steps and sat in the nearest adjacent chair. “They need you to do something you’re not entirely ready to do?”
Twilight threw up her forehooves and unfurled her wings, shouting her frustration to the ceiling. “They need me to do this super fancy dance!”
“Dance?” Rarity asked as she cocked her head to one side.
Twilight deflated into her seat, calling on her magic as the rest of her body went limp. She fetched a particular book from across the library, and set it down in front of Rarity. “Part of the Crystal Empire’s winter solstice celebration is the Winter Wind Waltz. It’s the centerpiece of a ceremony that marks the end of the festivities. I haven’t been able to learn all the history behind it, but there are two important details. One, the dance has to be started and centered around royalty of the Crystal Empire. Second, the dance benefits the Crystal Heart… somehow.”
Rarity cracked open the book and began to flip through the pages. “I’m so very glad the Elements of Harmony aren’t as high maintenance as the Crystal Heart. It always seems to need this or that.”
“Well, it is constantly protecting the Crystal Empire from the wild storms of the frozen north.”
“I suppose,” Rarity said as she reached a particular page in the book Twilight had given her. The whole book seemed to be about the Crystal Empire’s winter solstice tradition, but she had finally reached the section about the winter solstice dance. The pages of the book were stuffed with Twilight’s note cards, but after gently nudging them out of the way, Rarity was able to see the instructions for the dance. “Is there a reason Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor are not doing this dance?”
“They are too busy planning the rest of the festival to learn the dance. I tried asking Celestia and Luna, but they are too busy trying to plan the first Winter Moon Masquerade in Canterlot. Celestia wants Luna to have a holiday similar to the Summer Sun Celebration, and so far, I hear Luna is really looking forward to it.”
“But that means the last available true royal of the Crystal Empire, and even all of Equestria, is you,” Rarity surmised as she continued to look over the instructions in the book. “Well, it certainly has some unusual sections, but as far as I can tell, it seems to have the same base as the Canterlot Waltz.”
Rarity heard a rustling, and when she glanced up from the book, she saw Twilight had gotten out of her chair and was now standing within hoof’s reach. She was so close, in fact, Rarity felt an intrusion on her personal space that usually only happened when Pinkie Pie was around.
Twilight tapped her hoof firmly on the open page of the book. “You understand this!?”
“Mostly, but I do think I could figure all of it out. Has it really been giving you that much trouble?”
“I’ve been trying all night to learn this. I mean, I understand the diagrams. I drew them out on the floor, but when I tried to follow them, I tripped. So I thought I must have drawn them wrong. So studied the book again, fixed the drawings, and tried again. But I tripped again. So, I studied the book again, fixed the drawings, and tried again. But I tripped again. So, I studied—”
Rarity quickly put a hoof to Twilight’s mouth. “I think I get the gist. Still, if you really need to learn how to do this dance before the winter solstice, I should be able to help you do it.”
Twilight lunged forward and gave Rarity a tight hug. “Thank you!” Twilight then released the hug, smiling and looking towards Rarity eagerly. “Okay, when do we start?”
Rarity gently closed the book. She stood up from her seat, fluffed her mane, and then began walking towards the door. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow!?” Twilight scrambled to catch up with Rarity. “Why not today?”
“I need time to familiarize myself with this waltz. You need time to clean this up and I want you to have a full night’s sleep before we begin.” Rarity reached the door of the library and gently pulled it open. “Now, I expect you at the boutique promptly at nine tomorrow morning. Ta-ta, Darling.”
Rarity heard a knocking on her door and glanced to the clock. She felt a little blush of embarrassment warm her cheeks as she realized she had let the morning get away from her. It was nine on the dot, and she could only imagine the pony knocking at her door was Twilight.
“Come in,” Rarity said as she resumed her tidying.
“Good morning, Rarity…” Twilight poked her head inside, but before she could finish her pleasant greeting, her eyes caught sight of the room. “Oh… uh, do you want me to come back in a bit?”
Rarity chuckled, knowing exactly why Twilight was making that offer. Her boutique had suffered something of a “creative explosion.” Bits and pieces of new dresses, as well as numerous designs and patterns, were dangling about here and there. It was a good thing she had closed the boutique for the day. She would never want a client to see her shop in such disarray.
“Don’t worry, I’ll have this tidied up in a jiffy. It will take just a moment.”
“If you say so.” Twilight finished coming in the door and let it shut behind her. “I hope this dancing lesson isn’t keeping you from finishing any orders.”
“Oh, none of this is because of orders, Twilight. This was all because of that book I borrowed from you yesterday. My inspiration was… awakened by what I read regarding the Crystal Empire’s festival. The traditions, the meaning, the outfits! They all left me buzzing with ideas last night. But worry not, I’ve got my best thoughts written down and I’ll be able to continue them after our lesson.”
“Glad you were able to learn something.” Rarity was able to recognize the subtle tone of irritation in Twilight's voice. “I still couldn’t find anything that specifically said how the Crystal Heart benefited from the Winter Wind Waltz. But, I promise, I did get a full night’s sleep last night.”
“Good to hear, because I’ve got a lot to teach you. But, hopefully, you’ll enjoy how I plan to teach it to you.” Rarity finished tidying up and began pushing back some of the larger features of her boutique so they were against the walls. With a little magical effort, she had cleared the center of Carousel Boutique’s main showroom, creating plenty of space for a dancing lesson. “I plan to teach you this waltz, Twilight, as if it was a checklist.”
“That does sound right up my alley,” Twilight said as she moved to join Rarity in the center of the room.
“I thought you might appreciate that. These sort of waltzes are, fundamentally, not terribly complicated. There are steps you need to learn, but these few steps are repeated many times. It’s only a matter of knowing the order they go in, and working your way down the checklist until the music ends.
“Now, we’ll begin with the natural turn.” Rarity called on her magic, and from her back room she levitated out one of her mannequins. She had removed the legs from this particular masculine mannequin, lowered the height of its support stand, and given it a base with wheels. Through the simple swapping of some parts, she had assembled something of a dance partner. She smiled, mentally imagining a charming stallion in place of the mannequin, and then gave it a polite curtsey.
Then, Rarity began to dance, gently moving in a counterclockwise fashion as she circled around Twilight in a somewhat tight circle. “One… two… three… one… two… three. This is the natural turn, Twilight. It’s a series of steps where you twirl as you move about the dance floor in a counterclockwise direction. You take a few steps to turn halfway, then you take a few steps to finish the clockwise turn. One… two… three… one… two… three.”
Twilight watched intently, gently nodding her head with Rarity’s counting. “That… doesn’t look that hard.”
Rarity smiled, happy to hear Twilight was sounding a little bit more hopeful regarding the situation. “Then come and give it a try, Darling. I’ll illuminate some hoof prints on the floor for you to follow.”
Stepping away from the mannequin, Rarity rolled the practice dance partner to Twilight. She then took a few steps back herself, ensuring to give Twilight plenty of room on the dance floor. She cast a spell to make the waltz steps for the natural turn appear as glowing hoof silhouettes on the floor. “Okay, we’ll take it nice and slow. One…” Rarity stopped right there, waiting for Twilight to align her hooves with the first position.
However, from where Rarity was standing, she could tell Twilight was already over thinking it. Yes, she put her hooves into the correct positions, but Rarity was able to watch Twilight’s ever-curious eyes. They were looking around at the diagram, trying to read ahead on the steps.
With no warning, Rarity made the illuminated waltz steps on the floor disappear. “Twilight, we have to take it one step at a time. Don’t try to think too far ahead. Just follow the steps one at a time. All right?”
Twilight blushed but nodded. She retook the first pose, and after looking over her posture a bit, Rarity nodded. “Very good. Now, Two.” Rarity made the next set of steps appear, and Twilight worked to try and take the new position. But, unfortunately, she pulled on the practice dance partner a little too hard. The wheeled mannequin rolled forward, bumped its nose into Twilight's, and caused her to stumble back. Twilight was off step and the mannequin was left rolling listlessly off towards a different side of the room.
“It would appear you need a proper partner.” Rarity said as she stepped back towards the middle of the room.
A flash of concern formed in Twilight’s eyes. “But aren’t you worried about me bumping into you or stepping on your hooves?”
Rarity fetched some hairpins from a drawer on the outskirts of the room and used them to put her mane up. “Twilight, I assure you, I can lead as well as I can follow. I dare say I lead better than most stallions I’ve waltzed with. Now, come along, unless you have an issue with me being your dance partner.”
“No, of course not.” Twilight quickly moved in, and soon Rarity found herself standing far closer to her friend then she normally would. It reminded Rarity of difference in height that seemed to be ever growing between them. She had a quiet side bet with some of their friends about how tall Twilight might get one day. She and Fluttershy were betting on her getting as tall as Cadence. The others, in comparison, had placed their bets that Twilight could get as tall as Luna or even Celestia. Still, at least for the time being, Rarity only had to tilt her head back a little bit to be able to look into Twilight’s eyes, those ever-curious eyes.
“All right, now just move with me and follow the hoofprints as I illuminate them on the floor. All right… and… one… and… two… and three. See, you’re already doing much better. Now the second half of the natural turn… and… one… and… two… and three. Good, good, now we just have to repeat what we just did.”
Thus Rarity was able to begin the dance lesson in earnest, helping Twilight practice the natural turn as they danced small circles around the boutique. Despite the constant, cute, and curious look on Twilight’s face, Rarity felt her friend was getting it. Being truly great at a waltz could take months if not years of practice. Still, considering their short time frame, Rarity felt she was giving Twilight the best chance to succeed.
For the remainder of the morning, and well into the afternoon, Rarity helped Twilight learn the basics. They had a lovely lunch break in the middle, but otherwise, they were dancing near constantly. After the natural turn Rarity taught Twilight the reverse turn. As the name implied, it was a dance step similar to the natural turn, but the dancers twirled in the opposite direction while still moving about the dance floor in a counterclockwise manner. After that came the change step, which allowed for the transitioning between the natural turn and the reverse turn.
All the while, Twilight seemed to find comfort in the fact that all the steps had the same counting. It was always one… two… three… one… two… three…
By mid-afternoon, Rarity and Twilight broke off for another break. Rarity took to lounging on her chaise lounge, sipping on a narrow straw that rested in a tall glass of ice water. Twilight took to sitting on a cushion. She had a glass of water as well, but she chose to drink big gulps straight from the glass.
“You’re doing very well, Twilight,” Rarity said as they continued to rest. “We’ll want to have a few more lessons over the next few days to ensure you’ve really got it down, but you’ve got a great start.”
Twilight finished a big gulp from her water before smiling over at Rarity. “That’s only because you’re such a great teacher. I can see why I was having such trouble with it. I would have never imagined that this waltz was so much like a… fractal.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” Rarity said before sipping on her straw, enjoying the cool water as it danced across her tongue.
“A fractal is a detailed, recursive pattern. It repeats infinitely and can be expressed by a mathematical formula. I’ve got some books on the subject if you’re curious.”
“Well, I can’t say I’d understand the mathematics, but if they form interesting patterns, they do sound very interesting.” Rarity used her magic to bring over the book that Twilight had lent her the previous day. “Speaking off, now that we’ve got a good start on the basics, we need to take a moment to discuss what happens near the climax of the waltz. Like the Canterlot Waltz, this Winter Wind Waltz has a few moves that you do naturally once you reach the center of the dance floor. For the climax of this dance, you and your partner will be doing a natural or reverse fleckerl, using a contra check to transition between them.
“Wait, Cadence never said anything about a partner.”
“... Twilight, you can only dance a waltz with a partner.” Rarity set down her drink and looked at Twilight firmly. “It would just look silly for you to try and do it alone.”
“But that means I’ll have to dance with somepony.”
Rarity nodded her head once. “Yes, you will.”
“But that means I’ll have to ask somepony.”
“Yes.”
“But that means I’ll have to find somepony to ask.”
“Yes.”
“But that means…”
“Twilight,” Rarity said firmly. “I understand you're concerned, but you can’t get distracted by that right now. Besides, Cadence would surely have informed you that you’d need to find a partner for yourself if that was going to be a requirement. She, however, only asked you to learn the dance. Thus, I think it’s safe to assume that she’ll have a partner prepared for you. So let’s just focus on learning the waltz, and trust that whoever Cadence finds for you will know their part as well.”
“What do you mean you don’t have a partner!?”
“What do you mean you don’t have a partner for me!?”
Rarity had to slap a hoof to her face as she saw Cadence and Twilight exchange panicked looks.
It was the evening of the winter solstice. Rarity, Twilight, and their friends had been enjoying the festival. Games and food were enjoyed over the course of the day, but now the sun had set. The moon shone down from a cloudless sky, and the Crystal Empire was glittering beneath the soft moonlight. It was truly a grand ball enjoyed by the entire empire. Every pony in attendance was dressed in fancy attire of some form or another.
Though Rarity felt few compared with her own outfit. She was in a long evening gown that was a very subtle tone of bluish white. To the average pony, it would look simply a white dress, but the color was just a few shades different from her coat, and yet still capable of complimenting her mane color. That and she had accented the whole assemble with sapphire jewelry. Really, she felt it was one of the best winter inspired outfits she had ever assembled.
Though, Rarity felt the finest dress of the evening was the one she had made for Twilight. While she hadn’t gone as far to make whole new outfits for all her friends, she felt Twilight deserved a new ensemble. For that dress, Rarity had returned to the dark tones of the night that had inspired Twilight’s first gala dress. This one, however, exuded a far higher level of elegance, and it accentuated Twilight’s natural shape perfectly.
In that way, Rarity had stumbled into the happy accident that her dress complimented Twilight’s. Twilight’s dress was the peaceful winter night sky while the dress Rarity wore was the snowfall that danced on the moonbeams and starlight. The sky and the snow, the two crucial ingredients to a beautiful, gentle snowstorm after sundown.
Yet all that beauty was getting washed away by the ever-growing frazzled look on Twilight’s face. The crucial Winter Wind Waltz would need to begin within a few minutes, and Twilight was only just finding out Cadence didn’t have a partner lined up for her.
“Can’t I just dance it by myself?” Twilight asked.
“No, it’s a waltz,” Cadence said. “You always dance a waltz with somepony! How did you not think to ask somepony to be your partner?”
“Who was I going to ask, Spike!?”
“Mares, enough,” Rarity said firmly, ending the argument before it could waste what little time they had to spare. “Cadence, if you are not opposed to it, I can be Twilight’s dance partner.”
Cadence glared at Rarity for a moment before looking back to Twilight. “I don’t see any reason why not. Is that okay with you, Twilight?”
“I… I guess. Rarity has been the one teaching me, so she’s been learning the Winter Wind Waltz at the same time. Rarity, are you sure you want to dance with me in front of so many ponies?”
“If the alternative is having all our hard work go to waste and abandoning a friend in need, then you better believe we’ll dance. Now come along, we have to get to our starting position.”
“And now, Mares and Stallions… the Winter Wind Waltz.”
The music began, Rarity waited for a few beats, and then she and Twilight took their first step.
One… two… three… one… two… three...
Rarity led Twilight through the first natural turn as they began following the gentle, swirling pattern that would eventually lead them to the center of the dance floor. Rarity had to correct herself. It was not really a floor. It was more a very clean and well-kept street in the Crystal Empire. The castle that was the centerpiece of the empire glistened and sparkled above them, the moonlight passing through its many facets to illuminate the section of street that had been designated for the dance. If Rarity wasn’t so focused on her steps, she would have probably been able to better appreciate the beauty.
But for the moment, Rarity knew she had to keep focused on the task at hoof. She was the one leading. She was the one guiding Twilight through the steps they had practiced over and over again. A natural turn, a natural turn, and then a change step into a series of reverse turns. After that, another change step and they’d be back in a natural turn. Very simple, but very elegant. She just had to keep the rhythm.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
They had finished half of their first lap, and Rarity felt the eyes of the crowd on them. Ponies were in awe, and Rarity couldn’t deny she was enjoying. Their dresses were dazzling. Perhaps it was good fortune their outfits were so complimentary. It made it looked like they had planned to be dance partners from the very beginning.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
The first lap was complete, and that was when other dancers began to join in. The other pairs of ponies stepped into the dance at set intervals and danced along the same spiraling path that Rarity and Twilight were following. Still, even as other dancers joined in, Rarity felt that every eye in the crowd was still on them. They were truly the center of attention.
There were camera flashes, and Rarity began to think of the headlines that would surely grace newspapers across Equestria. Princess Twilight Stuns with Her Performance of Winter Wind Waltz. Princess Twilight Wows with Stunning Dresses in The Crystal Empire. Princess Twilight Seen in a Romantic Embrace with Famed Fashionista.
Rarity felt a blush form on her cheeks as that last thought caught her off guard. She had perhaps not considered some of the conclusions ponies would jump to when they saw her participating in such a waltz with Twilight. Still, it was too late now. They would simply have to deal with the rumors that were sure to spread.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
Though, Rarity honestly didn’t know how ponies could think such a thing. Her and Twilight in a more intimate relationship? They had nothing in common.
Well, perhaps that was not true. She could think of one thing they both did that she had seen in just the last few days. When either of them gets focused on a singular idea, their homes tended to become a bit disheveled from their efforts. That and Rarity did have to respect Twilight’s ability to organize. Though she wasn’t always as quantitative with her efforts, every one of her boutiques had an underlying organizational system when it came to how the outfits were displayed.
Taking her eyes off the dance floor and the crowd, Rarity focused on Twilight. At that moment, Rarity found the look on Twilight’s face rather adorable. Rarity could tell Twilight was nervous, but at the same time, she had a level of confidence bubbling just beneath the surface. They were waltzing. They were wowing the crowd, and so far they had yet to have a misstep. Their waltz would certainly not be winning any competitions, but they were managing, and that meant Rarity was helping Twilight fulfill the promises she had made to her family.
That was another thing about Twilight that Rarity respected. She truly cared for and tried to help her family and friends, even if it drove her playfully crazy from time to time. A smile crept on Rarity’s face as she thought of the word that Shining Armor had told her. He had shared, in confidence, a term coined by Twilight’s family to describe Twilight’s rather unique way of going overboard: Twilinanas. It was surely a word Twilight found embarrassing, but it also was so endearing that Rarity knew it came from a place of love and understanding within Twilight’s family.
That and Rarity knew, if she was being honest with herself, there were times when she could go a little… Rarinanas
One… two… three… one… two… three…
They had finished a few laps now, and several more couples had joined them in the dance. Rarity found it was getting harder to see the crowd as they were getting surrounded by other dancers, and in that way, it was like the waltz was slowly cocooning her and Twilight. The other dancers were focusing on their own steps, on their own movements. Rarity imagined that, after a few more laps, it would feel like it was just her, Twilight, and the waltz… as if the rest of the world had fallen away.
The blush on Rarity’s cheeks deepened. She truly had underestimated how intimate this moment was going to be. Perhaps she needed to say something to Twilight? But then, what could she say that would not make the situation awkward? What could she say that wouldn’t run the risk of ruining Twilight’s concentration?
It was then Rarity realized she had been staring into Twilight’s face. Her body knew the dance steps. She moved under the gentle guidance of her muscle memory, and she guided Twilight in a similar fashion. She did not need to look where they were going. She could guide them through the periphery of her vision and the sensation of the ground beneath her hooves.
That left her eyes free to stare, to take in the intimate perspective she had of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Yes, she sometimes forgot it, but her friend was a princess now. She was dancing with royalty, and it was going so much better than the last time she had attempted such a thing. The memory of Prince Blueblood still left a bitter taste in her mouth.
But this… this was… divine. In that moment, it felt like they were truly in sync. They moved cleanly, following the dance steps honed over their days of practice. Those really had been fun days. Between the bits of practice, they had talked shop. She certainly was not a powerful spell caster, and Twilight was no fashionista, but they were both bright, intelligent mares. They could carry on a conversation about their respective expertise without being alienating or condescending.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
The pair had finished quite a few laps now, and as Rarity predicted, she could barely make out the crowd of onlookers that surrounded the dance floor. They were lost in a sea of other twirling, waltz couples. Yes, couples… Rarity could tell most, if not all, the other pairs were couples. There were many stallions with mares, but she could see some stallions with stallions and mares with mares. She, personally, had always pursued stallions, but she had never really found “the one,” like she was hoping for.
Maybe she could consider…
Rarity caught herself before she tumbled further down that path. No, she couldn’t do that to Twilight. They were friends. If she asked that sort of thing and Twilight didn’t reciprocate it, it would make things awkward between the two of them. She did not wish to ruin their friendship, especially when that very friendship had saved Equestria and the world on multiple occasions.
This was just a waltz. Rarity knew she was just getting caught up in the moment. Once the dance was done and she had a chance to stop twirling around for a few minutes, all these strange feelings would wash away and things would be normal again. She just had to get to the end of the waltz without doing something she’d regret.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
For several more laps, Rarity worked to keep her thoughts in check as she and Twilight continued to waltz. Eventually, they reached the climax of the song. They arrived at the end of the swirling pattern they had been dancing along. This was the end, and according to the traditional instructions, they just needed to perform some fleckerls in the center of the swirl for a few seconds. After that, they would be guided out. By what, Rarity wasn’t sure, but that’s what the book said.
So the pair twirled there in the center, surrounded by all the other dancers. Yet, just passed the sea of dancers, Rarity began to notice a light. The warm, glistening glow was growing in intensity and coming closer. Rarity didn’t know what it was at first, but she did not have to dance in naivete for very long.
The light crashed in on Rarity and Twilight like a wave, the ground beneath them glowing. Rarity was reminded of those times she had seen the crystal ponies give light and love to the Crystal Heart. Perhaps this was what the book meant when it said the Winter Wind Waltz benefited the Crystal Heart.
Yet, as they continued to spin at the center of the swirl, Rarity felt like they were rising upward. Within a few moments, she was able to confirm that sensation to be true. They were dancing into the sky, carried on a giant snowflake. It was surely a magical snowflake. Rarity had little doubt about that. Still, it was… enchanting.
They were waltzing on the winter wind, dancing off into the sky as they were carried on that snowflake. Suddenly, the name of the waltz took on a very literal meaning.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
Rarity transitioned them away from just fleckerls and back into a natural turn, and as she somewhat expected, the snowflake beneath them guided their steps without putting them at any risk for falling. Where they stepped, the snowflake moved to carry them.
It was like a fairy tale. The humble, but fabulous, fashionista meets her prince charming as they dance on the wind with all of the Crystal Empire watching. Yet her prince was, instead, a princess… and… Rarity felt she could be okay with that, that she was okay with that. This was how she always wanted to find her special somepony, though she never imagined her special somepony could be someone she knew so well.
It was then Rarity realized she was staring at Twilight’s face again, and the reason she realized it was because she noticed that Twilight was staring back. They had been lost in one another’s eyes, and Rarity felt herself blush as she looked away. What was Twilight thinking right now? Rarity began to worry that her staring had perhaps made Twilight uncomfortable.
Still, when Rarity dared to look again, she saw Twilight was doing the same. She saw that Twilight was blushing, that the princess was now struggling to make eye contact.
That sort of reaction, that body language, just made her look so adorable that Rarity couldn’t help but smile. Tonight was… magical, but they couldn’t let themselves get too distracted. They were still the centerpiece of the waltz. Other ponies were now joining them in the air as more magical snowflakes carried the waltzing partners skyward.
The dance would continue, and Rarity would continue to enjoy it, and afterward… well… she would let herself step away from this magical moment.
If she found her feelings for Twilight returned to normal the next day, then she could simply account her fluttering thoughts to the magical moment.
If she found her feelings remained, then… well, Rarity knew she would cross that bridge when she came to it.
So the pair continued to dance, being carried through the sky as they twirled and stepped.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
The music began to dull, began to slow. The song was ending. It was time for the big finish.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
Rarity shifted into twirling Twilight once more, and then the final crescendo.
One… two… three… one… two… three…
High above the empire, Rarity and Twilight struck the final pose of the dance. Below, they could hear the distant sound of applause. The snowflake that had carried them to such heights held steady for a few brief moments before beginning its descent back down to earth.
Yet, Rarity did not care about the applause, or how fabulous she looked in her dress. All she cared about at that moment was looking deep into Twilight's eyes. She wanted to remember this moment, to etch every detail into her mind. No matter how it ended up, she wanted to remember this.
“Rarity?”
“Yes, Twilight?” Rarity asked, even as it felt like her heart wished to leap from her chest.
“Do you… mind if we maybe keep having dance lessons when we get back to Ponyville? Dancing with you is… very interesting.”
Rarity smiled, blushed, and nodded her head. “That sounds delightful, Darling. We can try learning the tango next.”
The End