“Announcing Captain Rainbow Dash of the Night Guard!” The slouching herald hastily jerked to attention, held his trumpet to his lips, and blew a meandering blast that sounded as murky as pond water.
“Geez, if you've gotta hurt my ears with that thing, get it right, will ya?” Rainbow protested, massaging her ear. “Have you ever even played a trumpet before?”
She left the shamefaced herald behind her and flew down the stairs to Princess Luna’s Grand Ballroom. Ponies on her left and right graciously inclined their heads as she flew past, deferring either to her or to her title.
Her wings, cloaked in the sharp, batlike armor crafted for all pegasi of the Night Guard, snapped back to her sides as she landed just in front of Princess Luna’s throne, set in an alcove in order to maintain some distance from the crowds. The chatter of the other guests milling around as they waited for the next dance to start faded away behind her, and she dipped her head forward in a bow, locks of jagged prismatic hair falling over her eyes. “My Lady.” Rainbow’s raspy voice carried as much politeness as she was capable of. But she was not looking at the princess, even though the princess was certainly looking at her. Oh, no. Rainbow only had eyes for the pony to her left, who had come to present herself to the princess at the same time — Countess Rarity, the princess’s favorite advisor, second to none among Luna’s favorites at court.
She was also secretly Rainbow’s marefriend.
“Captain Dash,” Luna responded gracefully. “We are ever so delighted to receive you at our royal ball. Please enjoy yourself.” Despite having only been princess for a couple of centuries, compared to Celestia’s millenium of experience, she had certainly made her mark on Equestria. Celestia had handed the kingdom over to her sister a while ago, and Luna had already made plenty of overhauls — such as instituting a royal ball that occurred twice a year and was basically just an excuse for Luna to party and eat junk food.
Dash dipped her head and flared her wings out in salute, still eyeing Rarity. Rarity studiously avoided her gaze, but her cheeks were rather pinker than usual, and a slight smile played at the corners of her muzzle. “Yes, Princess. Countess Rarity,” she added offhandedly. “I do hope you will find time to partake of the… entertainment there is to be found at the ball this evening.” She quirked an eyebrow suggestively, leaving little doubt as to just what sort of entertainment she was referring to. Although she wasn't entirely sure that she had used the word ‘partake’ correctly.
“I hope so as well.” Rarity’s Canterlot accent was as carefully modulated as ever, but her blush had deepened, and she couldn't resist flashing Rainbow a sultry glance. Upper crust ponies usually tended to concern themselves with the lives of far too many other ponies, so, hoping to avoid the unwanted scrutiny and the less-than-well-concealed worries that the two of them might be too distracted by each other to properly manage their official duties, Rarity had decided to keep their relationship a secret. Rainbow had reluctantly agreed, but it had proven a rather difficult task. She had never been a very secretive pony, and hiding from things wasn't in her nature. Rainbow herself didn't care if the whole world knew they were dating. In fact, she'd prefer it. So she had started keeping a secret of her own, in the form of one of her most pressing objectives — to get Rarity to crack. For the past several months, she had done her best to dial up the charm and flirt as much as she possibly could, until Rarity finally caved and flung herself on Rainbow Dash in public, screaming declarations of love. She hadn't cracked yet, but she would. Oh, yes. Dash was sure of it. Games always have a winner, and this one’s was going to be Rainbow Dash. A tiebreaker was not an option.
They strolled away from Luna to a corner that seemed out of earshot of the rest of the ball, and Dash poked her marefriend with a wing. “Babe,” she whispered surreptitiously. Now that they were no longer in front of the princess, she felt comfortable using slang again. “I haven't seen you in ages. What have you been up to?”
She sniffed. “Oh, nothing much. Administration. Accounting. Designing outfits in my free time and trying to figure out how to utilize this nasty purple fabric that does not match my mane in any way, shape, or form." She tugged the offending garment irritably. “But as this is the color of the royal court, I have no choice. Pity. I am certain I could have come up with a better color palette.”
Rainbow, who had sort of stopped listening at the second syllable of ‘administration’, nodded distractedly and draped a wing around Rarity’s back. “I don't know why Princess Luna made you a countess and administrator instead of the kingdom’s premier designer.”
“Because I am also brilliant at administration, I’ll have you know!” Rarity fired back forcefully. “But thank you just the same.” She preened a little, tossing her mane back and forth until its configuration satisfied her. “Now. What about you, my love?” A cluster of chattering ponies passed them, and Rarity hastily removed Rainbow’s wing from around her back.
Doing her best to take this in her stride, Rainbow shrugged, her shoulders rolling powerfully beneath the skintight ebony suit of ceremonial armor that also served as formalwear. “Eh. Same old, same old. Battle training, emergency plans. Drooling over you from afar,” she added slyly, taking pleasure in the blush that bloomed over Rarity’s cheeks.
“Oh, please,” Rarity drawled. “There's no need to be so flirty, after all. We are already together, are we not?”
But it was rather easy to tell that she was enjoying the attention despite Rarity’s best efforts to the contrary. Grinning, Rainbow led her marefriend over to the food table and selected a piece of chocolate cake. “Hey, the dancing’s gonna start again in a minute. Do you wanna dance?”
Rarity forced a smile. “Er, darling… you know I'd like to…”
“But they can't see us together,” Dash interrupted, groaning. “Yada, yada. I know the drill. It's just… I have to keep trying, because don't you think this is going a little too far? I mean I'm incredibly ravishing and distracting and all that jazz, but do ponies honestly think we shouldn't be together because we'll sidetrack each other too much? And even if they do, who cares? Since when have we cared what other ponies thought?”
“Since our livelihoods depended on it,” Rarity protested.
Rainbow Dash grumped and pulled a long face. “I hate it when your logic beats mine. So what are you saying — I have to slouch around here all evening and I don't even get to kiss you?”
“I never said that,” Rarity murmured. “Here, come with me.” She hooked a foreleg around Rainbow’s back and dragged her out of the ballroom, the chatter of the guests fading behind them. “I discovered this place a few weeks ago. I needed a new spot to keep my fainting couch, you see. Ponies keep waltzing in to witness my dramatic spells — ”
“You mean hysterics,” Rainbow cut in, trying and failing to suppress a smile at the mental image the words suggested. Rarity’s ‘dramatic spells’ were widely known in Canterlot, and whenever one of them was coming on, the ice cream vendors in town were sure to see a great deal of business.
“Nopony likes a semantician,” Rarity said indignantly. “Hysterics would suggest a wildly emotional, exaggerated response to external circumstances, which I have most certainly never participated in. The nerve!”
“Okay, you literally just talked semantics. And second of all, have you ever seen yourself?”
“I’m going to pretend that you are not continuing to put your hoof in your mouth. Be quiet or you won't get any kisses.”
Rainbow hastily closed her mouth, leaving Rarity to proceed. “Anyway,” she continued pointedly, “being watched while I am in the throes of my misery is rather off-putting, so I had to find somewhere more private. And I think I may have found the perfect place. No one ever uses it…”
Her horn lit up as she used it to open a door at the end of a cramped, crooked hallway that had clearly been an afterthought in the castle plans. “Broom closet,” Dash read disbelievingly from the sign hanging askew on the door. “Rarity, what? I've never known you to be somepony who would hang out in a broom closet.”
“That was before I needed a new room for my fainting couch.” Rarity drew her into the room and pulled the door half-closed behind them. “Now, to business.” Without warning, she sat down on her haunches and planted her muzzle firmly on Rainbow’s, kissing her hungrily.
Rainbow didn't hesitate. She slid her hooves around Rarity’s cheeks and kissed her back, retaining just enough of her wits to close the door the rest of the way with her hoof. “Mmmm,” she sighed, using the tips of her wings to pull Rarity closer. In the dim light, she couldn’t see anything beyond the glints of blue in Rarity’s eyes, but she didn't need to; the feel of Rarity pressed against her was more than enough.
After several minutes, Rarity finally drew back and led Dash over to the aforementioned fainting couch. “So,” she murmured dreamily as she laid her head down on Rainbow’s lap and waited for her mane to be stroked, “I have a proposition for you, darling.”
“Oh, great,” the pegasus groaned. “I shoulda known you'd never do something romantic like this unless you wanted to get something.”
“Dear, that's unfair,” Rarity protested. “I mean, true in this situation, but still unfair. It's only a tiny little thing anyway.”
“Bleh. Fine.”
Batting her eyelashes (both the real and the fake ones), Rarity proclaimed, “I want you to come to the upcoming Masquerade Ball with me.”
“No,” Rainbow Dash said immediately. “No way. That's too much. Waaaaaay too frou-frou.”
“Darling, you clearly spent far too much time with Applejack on your last trip out of the city. Her mannerisms and vocabulary are starting to affect you, and while they're perfect for her, on you they are not at all attractive.”
“That's not what you said when you spent a week imitating her to try to screw Trenderhoof a few years ago on one of your trips out of town,” Dash muttered.
Rarity blushed right up to the tip of her horn. “Rainbow Dash! I have come a long way since then.”
And at that, Rainbow had to grin. “You sure have. But the answer’s still no. I'm not going to the ball.”
“Pleeeeease?” Rarity wheedled. “You came to this one. It's not so different.”
“Yeah, but I didn't have to dress up for this one!”
“So what? You can go as a pirate or some other uncouth thing. And there’ll be really good food. It'll be fun. Look, I have to attend, my love. It's the biggest ball in Canterlot next to the one we're at tonight! Everypony who’s anypony will be there. Fancy Pants is hosting this year, and even Princess Luna’s rumored to be attending. This is the best chance I’ll have all year to promote my fashion side business. But I don't want to go without you, even if nopony else knows that we're together.”
“How are you gonna promote your business if it's a masquerade? No one’s gonna know it's you.”
“Shush. Worry about the details later.” The slightly sheepish tone of her voice indicated she had intentionally omitted that particularly one. “Please, Rainbow Dash. It'll make me so happy.”
“I'll think about it,” Rainbow Dash admitted begrudgingly. “But not right now. I thought we came here to make out.”
“And so we did. But not if you call it ‘making out’. That’s so — "
“Uncouth,” Rainbow murmured, sweeping Rarity up into her battle-hardened front hooves and preparing to kiss her again. “I know.”
***
Outside, Princess Luna peered through the door, a satisfied smile curling over her muzzle. Celestia owed her a hundred bits now. She'd been sure Rainbow and Applejack had had a thing, but Luna knew better.
She'd managed to slip away from the ball just long enough to confirm this, but she had to go back before she was missed. So Luna conjured up an ‘out of order sign’, slapped it on the door, and trotted away, feeling rather pleased with herself.
***
Rainbow had, indeed, thought about attending, and she had decided to stick with her original decision not to go. Yet here she was anyway.
“You look simply divine, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity whispered in her ear, and Rainbow grinned. Despite having come against her will, she was beginning to think that perhaps she had made the right choice after all; the wattage of Rarity’s smile could have outshone all of Canterlot. As long as she knew that Rainbow would do anything for her, that was all that mattered, never mind the loss of Rainbow’s personal dignity.
“Thanks, Rares. Likewise.” After considering the full list of ‘uncouth things’, as Rarity had kindly deemed them, Rainbow had decided to go as a pirate after all. She had a black waistcoat and a ruffled white shirt, a pirate hat carefully placed to hide her distinctive mane, and a mask that Rarity had decorated with swathes of jewels, gold and feathers. Rarity (naturally) was wearing some sort of white, princess-y ball gown, also hoof-stitched, accompanied by the most ornate mask that Dash had ever seen.
Rainbow patted her on the shoulder. “Ready to go in?”
Rarity’s eyes suddenly shrank to pinpricks. “Yes…”
Noting her hesitation, Rainbow Dash nudged her marefriend’s shoulder. “Everything okay?”
“I-it’s nothing. I'm being silly.” The unicorn attempted a smile, but it wilted before it had even fully formed.
“If it's nothing, I'll eat my hat,” Rainbow declared stoutly. “Well… probably not. But seriously. Tell me what's up.”
“Well…” Rarity heaved a nervous breath, and suddenly all the words streamed out at once. “What if nopony likes me, what if they make fun of my outfit, what if I forget to promote my business, what if nopony listens to me promoting my business — "
“Hey, hey, hey.” Rainbow grabbed her by the shoulders. “That's not gonna happen. Everypony likes you. If they make fun of your outfit, I'll beat them to a pulp and wipe them off on the grass. And as for the last two, I mean, they can't both happen at the same time, so why don't you just pick one of them to worry about? Oh, wait, that wasn't helpful.” She tightened her grip on Rarity’s shoulder, communicating as much comfort as she could. “Look, I'm sure everything will be fine. You've been to a million events like this before. Plus, you attract attention wherever you go. Ponies will be swarming around you and clamoring for you to notice them, even if you drone on for hours and hours about different kinds of stitching like you did at the last party we went to.” She grinned at her own jibe. “Really, though. I promise. This evening will be great.”
“I hope so,” Rarity mumbled, casting her gaze down to the floor.
“It will be.” Rainbow gave her a peck on the nose and then gallantly offered Rarity her front hoof, so that she could waltz in to the event on the foreleg of the gentlemare of her dreams.
The ballroom of Fancy Pants’s ridiculously oversized mansion was draped with deep purple in honor of Princess Luna, who was currently deeply entrenched in conversation with a horde of overzealous admirers. The expression on her face made it clear that she wished she could be anywhere else. At the chocolate fondue foundation in the other corner, for instance. Her mask was beautiful and detailed, as befitted a princess, but rather pointless: her height and the color of her forelegs completely gave her away. The wings and horn combination probably had something to do with it as well.
Rainbow instantly headed for the buffet, navigating through crowds of quietly conversing ponies, but Rarity dragged her back by the tail in a manner far too reminiscent of Applejack, considering what she had said just the other night about imitating the farmpony. “Darling, we have to socialize! That's what we're here for.”
“Uh, not me. I'm here to eat.”
“Food later, introductions first.”
Grumbling, Rainbow allowed Rarity to pull her away to the nearest cluster of ponies, with whom the unicorn immediately launched into polite conversation as though she'd known them all for years. Dash waited for the aforementioned introductions to be made, but they never were. Not that she wanted to become instant friends with these ponies, some of whom might have been the reason why her relationship with Rarity had to stay a secret, but their casual disregard for her existence still rankled.
When the music finally started up in the corner, conducted by a venerable old pony whose hoof looked too frail to hold the baton, Rainbow finally drew Rarity aside into a corner where their dialogue wouldn't be overheard. “Hey. Let's go dance,” she whispered.
But Rarity cringed away and uttered the high, false laugh that she usually reserved for begging out of her little sister’s demands to be played with. “Er…here? Right now?”
“Uh, duh? We're at a ball? Isn't that what we came here for?”
“You said you were here to eat,” Rarity pointed out thinly.
“Yeah, but that was, like, five whole seconds ago.”
“Well, if you can have your own agenda, then so can I. As I told you when I asked you to come with me, I’m here to socialize and attract clients.”
“Yeah, yeah, but don't tell me you don't want to dance. You always want to dance.” Rainbow forced the words out around the hard edge of her mask. “Look, we’re not at an official event like that last ball. Nopony important is going to see that you're dating somepony and start wondering if you're still capable of helping manage the kingdom.”
“We may not be at an official event, but somepony official could still see me,” she protested. “There are a lot of important ponies at this ball. Such the actual princess who is right over there.”
“Yes, but even if somepony does see you, who cares? You're allowed to take a break and have fun sometimes. What you do in your private life shouldn't be anypony else’s business! I mean, I can understand if you didn't want ponies to see you ‘cause they'd be jealous of you. You know, dating me and all.” She waggled her eyebrows and then realized that Rarity couldn't see them because of her pirate mask. “But being worried about them disapproving that your dating life is going to detract from your work life? That's bull. Plus, nopony’s gonna recognize you behind your mask! Isn't that the whole point of that thing?” She crossed her hooves, feeling proud of her argument. She didn't have good ones very often.
“Darling, the sort of hoofwork that went into this mask could only have come from one pony. I assure you, everypony knows it's me.”
“Okay… definitely not dating you for your modesty. But that doesn't mean they know who I am! Maybe I'm not even your girlfriend. Maybe I'm just a friend or some random plus-one. Nopony needs to know.”
Rarity placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “Rainbow, I’m sorry, I'm just not ready yet. I have to make sure everypony knows I'm doing my job and working hard without being distracted by a paramour.”
“Um… a…”
“Paramour. Look it up. But really, sweetie, I’m sorry. I promise we can dance together at the next ball, alright? Even if we're not wearing masks.” Rarity brushed an invisible speck of dust off Rainbow’s waistcoat, her lips pursed. “I just need to convince everypony that I can handle things. Some ponies are already concerned that I've got a fashion business in addition to my royal duties — there's been gossip around town that I've taken on too much work. I have to prove that they're wrong. I have to show them that I’m managing just fine and that I can run a successful business while helping take care of the kingdom. You do understand, don’t you?” Without waiting for a response, she patted Rainbow’s cheek and glided away, calling over her shoulder, “I’m going to look for Fancy Pants. Come find me, dear.”
Rainbow glowered after her. “Hmph. And she never even told me what a paramour was.”
***
Two hours later saw Rainbow Dash in a foul mood. Rarity hadn't sought her out once. To be fair, Dash hadn't sought her out either — but, hey, Rarity should have predicted that. Did she really expect Rainbow to want to talk to Fancy Pants? Or any other ponies like him? “What would we even talk about?” she muttered crossly to herself. She was a soldier, he was a… well. Definitely not a soldier. With Rarity, things were different. Rarity always found time to try to understand ponies whose interests were different than hers, and in Dash’s experience, not many other highborn ponies were like that.
Other than Princess Luna, of course, because it would be blasphemy to suggest anything negative about a princess.
At least the buffet selection was good. Rainbow could admire Fancy Pants for that — he’d really gone all out. There were some things on the menu that she hadn't even heard of.
Rainbow stabbed a toothpick into her twenty-first cube of fancy cheese and popped it onto her tongue, hoping it would distract her from thinking about Rarity. Just like the other twenty, it didn't, and she soon inevitably found her vision flickering back to the alabaster unicorn for the millionth time. She was engaged in merry conversation on the other side of the room, looking bright and happy and interested — the exact opposite of the emotions that Rainbow had been experiencing all evening.
With a sigh of boredom, she flapped grumpily over to the other end of the buffet table. Maybe some chocolate to drown her sorrows in would cheer her up, as paradoxical as that sounded.
Just as she was fitting her tenth chocolate into her mouth — with some difficulty, considering that the other nine were still there as well — somepony cleared their throat next to her. Dash whirled around to discover herself mask-to-mask with a tall, heavyset male pony whose self-important smile was palpable even beneath his heavily feathered mask. “Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you seem alone,” he said, in a voice that sounded as dry and stiff as overbeaten eggs.
Rainbow arched an eyebrow, forcing words out around her chocolates. “Yeah, and?” She wasn't really inclined to be polite. After all, Rarity wasn't here to tell her not to be rude, so she might as well enjoy it.
“Well, I thought you might like to dance,” the pony continued, entirely unruffled. He plucked at his bow tie, making it even more crooked than it had been. “You don't seem taken, if you'll excuse my being presumptuous.”
More like presumptu-ass. “Sorry, uh, I have other…” Rainbow’s voice faltered. She stared out across the dance floor until her eyes finally snagged her again on Rarity, who now appeared to be taking the measurements of two excited mares. So she'd already made some new clients. If didn't seem like she would be returning to Rainbow any time soon…
… Unless Rainbow intervened.
An idea began to take shape as she appraised the pony who had asked her to dance. He certainly was presumptuous, maybe even a little bit dumb, so Dash didn't particularly relish the thought of spending time with him. But maybe this would be the perfect way to get Rarity’s attention. Maybe she would see Rainbow dancing with a stranger and be so taken with jealousy that she would come over at once. Then Rainbow would finally get her marefriend back and have somepony to spend the rest of the evening with.
She took a deep breath. “You know what? I'm free. Let's dance.”
The pony swept her up and stalked off to the dance floor, almost crushing her wings against him. “Good, good! How kind of you to oblige me. The name’s Briskhoof. And you are?”
“Erm… I think answering that question would defeat the purpose of a masquerade,” she said pointedly.
“Well said, my lady, well said!” Briskhoof beamed, and Rainbow snorted. Who even talked like that?
They faced each other on the dance floor as the symphony in the corner struck up a slow, wistful waltz. With reluctance, Rainbow placed a hoof on his shoulder, wishing that the coat she was touching were a creamy alabaster, wishing that the mane curling out from under the mask was a beautiful royal purple. It almost killed her to be so close to somepony who wasn't Rarity.
They danced for a while amidst the other couples. Rainbow ended up more flying than dancing, after Briskhoof had stepped on her hoof one too many times. But it was the conversation that was particularly painful, namely because it was a monologue. Briskhoof, apparently, loved himself and loved letting other ponies know it. In the span of five minutes, he had managed to discuss his multiple businesses, his gigantic mansion, the artworks that he had commissioned for his vacation home in Los Pegasus, and his family members, all of whom sounded just as slimy as he did. It was quite a relief when he was interrupted.
“Excuse me? What is going on here?”
Rainbow Dash pulled away from Briskhoof and found herself face-to-face with a very irritated-looking golden mask. Well, it was preferable to being face-to-face with the mare behind the mask. Rainbow was brave, but meeting Rarity’s gaze when she was angry took another level of courage entirely.
“What do you think? I was dancing,” Rainbow fired back, dusting off her outfit and trying to act as though she weren't pleased that Rarity had finally taken her bait. “I can only eat for so long before I get bored! I was waiting for you to come find me.”
“But I was waiting for you to come find me! I even told you to come get me earlier! I only came looking for you because you hadn't turned up!” Her eyes smoldered like coals.
“Yeah, well, you seemed kind of busy ignoring me, so I figured I wouldn't disturb you!” By now, some of the other couples around them were beginning to stare, but she was beyond caring. This wasn't at all going the way she'd planned. Rarity was supposed to snatch her back from the clutches of the evil interloper Briskhoof and declare her undying love. Instead, she was shouting — and worse, she was shouting at Rainbow instead of Briskhoof.
Perhaps Rainbow had gone about this wrong.
“Er, I’ll just…. be off somewhere doing something…” Briskhoof sidled nervously away, but nopony paid him any mind. Except for Rarity, that is, who shot him a vicious glare that informed Dash that her jealousy-inducing tactics had at least partially been effective.
“You could have at least tried!” Rarity screamed, her voice now shrill enough to be better detected by bats than ponies. “Or just followed me in the first place when I went off to find Fancy Pants! All I wanted was some time to talk to other ponies, which is what I came here to do in the first place, but nooooooo, you couldn't sit still! You just wanted to eat and fart around, as usual! And dance with random strangers who can't even tie a bow tie properly!” She gestured irately to Briskhoof’s offending article of clothing.
Ordinarily, Rainbow would have been crowing her victory over the rooftops for getting Rarity to finally say the word ‘fart’. But not today. She wasn't even sure how this had devolved into a quarrel so quickly. “Why would I stay with you when you don't want to be seen with me anyway?” She allowed her voice to sour. “You won't even dance with me. Because I guess you're ashamed of me, or something. I'm not good enough. Is that it?”
She hadn't meant to say that. She hadn't even realized she felt that way until the words were out.
Rarity grew deadly quiet all of a sudden. “Rainbow Dash,” she said in a voice that could have frozen every body of water from Canterlot to Saudi Arabia, “Never say that again.”
“But — ”
“Oh, for the love of all things holy! You ridiculous pony.” Rarity flung her mask off, revealing a crown of purple curls and eyes that brimmed with tears of passion. The entire ball ground to a halt as Rarity grabbed Rainbow’s face, swept her down to the ground like some dashing hero in one of the romance novels she loved so much, and kissed her with all of her might. The ponies gathered around them gasped and stared. Princess Luna gawped at them with a chocolate still hanging on her tongue. Even the corner musicians had hushed. But Rarity, for once, didn't even notice the attention, and indeed drew Rainbow closer until the space between them was full not of air but each other.
When she finally broke away, Dash collapsed to the ground, her eyes riveted on her marefriend’s. “There,” Rarity breathed forcefully. “Does that prove whatever it was you needed proof of?”
“Rares….” Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut, her muzzle still tingling from Rarity’s kiss. “Aw, darn it. I really screwed up, didn't I?” Hunching her wings around her, she slowly stood up. Their ridiculous quarrel may have only lasted for a few seconds, but it never should have happened in the first place. She'd been foolish for thinking that trying to make Rarity jealous was a good idea. “I'm sorry. I know you came here to network. I shouldn't have complained.”
Rarity sighed. “Rainbow…”
“Wait, I'm not done. I…” She took a shaky breath. “I thought I was being clever by trying to make you jealous of me. But I guess I ended up being the jealous one. I was irritated that everypony got to spend time with you but me, and I didn't do a very mature job of trying to fix it.” She twisted her lips into a grimace. “Rainbow Dash, Pillar of Equestria and Captain of the Night Guard… trying to solve her problems with playground logic.”
“My love, this isn't your fault. I should have spent more time with you.” Rarity’s anger had completely vanished; she had clearly been softened by Rainbow’s apology. Her eyes brimmed with regret. “You were right, and I’m so sorry it took me this whole evening to acknowledge that. What I do in my private life is nopony else’s business. You're more important than my clientèle. Always.”
“Better not say that in front of the clientèle,” Dash quipped hopefully, attempting to make her laugh. Maybe this evening could still be salvaged.
Lips pursed, Rarity glared up at the crowd. “Don't you ponies have anything better to do?” she snapped. “Hmph.”
Ashamed, they turned back to their respective partners just as the music struck up again, attempting to continue dancing as though nothing had happened. Satisfied, Rarity swung back to her marefriend and pressed her forehead against Rainbow’s. “Let's just forget it happened, shall we? And I promise I'm yours for the rest of the evening. I've scored enough new customers for the time being,” she added with a wink.
Rainbow Dash nodded. “And I promise to stop being a brat.”
“Hmm, we’ll see about that.” Rarity’s eyes crinkled with mirth the way they always did when she had managed a teasing one-liner.
“Wow. Nice.” She flashed Rarity the self-confident grin that, she liked to think, had probably attracted the unicorn to her in the first place. “Soooo… I finally got you to kiss me in public, didn't I?”
“I resent that! You didn't ‘get’ me to do anything. I did it of my own accord — ”
“Yeah, yeah. Call it whatever you like. It still happened.” Rainbow paused and lowered her voice, suddenly cautious. “How… how do you feel about it?” After all, Rarity had kept their relationship a secret for so long. Perhaps kissing Rainbow had been something she did in the heat of the moment, and now she regretted it.
Ratity paused and thought about it, and then answered, simply, “I think that I want to kiss you again.”
Relieved, Rainbow allowed her to do just that. “So you don't care if ponies think you're too distracted, or anything?”
“Not anymore. I’ve been ridiculous this whole time, using that as an excuse. I think everypony gets a little distracted by their lovers now and again, don't they?” Rarity made eye contact with Princess Luna, who had removed her mask and was beaming broadly from all the way across the room, not even trying to act as though she hadn't been watching the whole time. “Besides, if the princess herself approves of our relationship…”
“Then we’re good to go,” Rainbow finished with a devilish grin. “Right.” She took a deep breath and stuck out her forehoof. “In that case, we'd better make up for lost time. May I have this next dance?”
Rarity’s eyes softened as she lovingly reached out and tugged Rainbow’s crumpled collar to perfection. “And every one after.”