Piercing the Heavens

by Calm Wind


Chapter 178: Fun for Some

MLP: FiM
Piercing the Heavens
By: Calm Wind

Chapter 178: Fun for Some


“Hnng…” Dash groaned as her eyes slowly opened. “Hrm…” she instinctively stretched out, a few satisfying pops from her stiff joints sounding out as she sighed and blinked a few times. She felt slightly off, but it wasn’t very noticeable. She didn’t drink anywhere near enough to be hungover.

After laying still for a few seconds, she tried to roll over, but didn’t get very far.

“What the…?” she lifted an eyebrow as it felt like something was weighing her down. She pushed aside the sheet covering her and… “Oh… right.”

Fleetfoot was clinging to her, fast asleep and snoring quietly. Her mouth was stuck open and a tiny bit of drool was dripping down her chin into Dash’s fur.

“Oh, that’s gross…” Dash huffed as she started shimmying her body. But as she moved, Fleetfoot suddenly clamped her thighs hard around Dash’s waist. “HRK! OKAY… FLEET…” she grabbed Fleetfoot by the shoulders and pushed down.

“Hgng…hrrmmm…?” Fleetfoot was stirred awake, opening her eyes slowly before quickly shutting them and wincing hard. “OooooooOOoooohhhh RRRgggggnnnnnnn…” she groaned loudly as she let go of Dash and her hooves went to her head. “My heeeeeeead… oh my gaaaaaaaaaawd…” she whined. “What time is it, Spitty?”

She slowly looked over and rubbed her eyes, blinking several times as her eyes focused. Her eyes met Dash’s flattened expression and she stared. She glanced down at the bed, then glanced back at Dash.

“Ha… niiiiiiiice,” Fleetfoot grinned weakly as she chuckled. Dash’s eye twitched as she quickly caught on.

“No, Fleet, we didn’t do it,” she said while rolling her eyes.

“Oh, really now?” Fleetfoot giggled, pressing the back of her head into her pillow. “I’m not in the business of ending up in somepony else’s bed by accident, ya know!” she flinched and grunted uncomfortably. “Ooooog…” she threw a hoof over her mouth and swallowed. “Oh gawd, I feel like shit…”

“How much of last night do you remember?” Dash asked as she scooted off the bed and stretched out.

“Why? Anything I shooooooould?” she asked slyly.

“Just answer the question…” Dash added in an exasperated tone.

“Aw, you’re no fun,” Fleetfoot blew a raspberry with her tongue. “Uuuuuuhhhhh… Oh, wait… I remember setting up Spitty and Chiller in my room after the party and…” she trailed off and stared at the ceiling for a few moments.

“Nothing else?” Dash asked, tipping her head slightly.

“Maybe it will come back to me when my head stops spinning…” Fleetfoot whined as she grabbed Dash’s pillow and pressed it over her forehead. “I dunno… yeesh, I drank a lot, didn’t I?”

Dash hummed quietly to herself as she glanced over towards Matteo and Thunderlane both up and moving about. Both of them were subtly glancing in her direction, catching her eyes. They seemed to both get the message that they were to say nothing… at least that’s what Dash hoped to convey as she shot them stern looks. She’s make sure to reiterate it later once Fleet was gone. She also looked towards the trash can. There was a periscope sticking out of it with Twister’s large eyeball visible in the lens, blinking as it spun in circles. The door to where Star and Squall spent the night was still closed too.

“Okay, seriously, how did I end up here?” Fleetfoot suddenly asked. Dash quickly refocused.

“You showed up here extremely drunk, let yourself in, and decided you were staying here for the night. After trying to have sex with all of us, even him…” Dash pointed at the trashcan. “”You passed out.”

Fleetfoot quickly propped herself up and stared at the trashcan. The lid opened and Twister slowly rose up from it with a big speaker on his head that played the sound of a string orchestra warming up before a concert.

“Eh,” Fleetfoot shrugged and let her head drop back onto the pillow. “Woulda been less weird than that time with Lightning.”

Dash eyes went wide as all the string warmups coming from Twister’s speaker suddenly spazzed out with uneven tunes and the sounds of strings twanging and breaking. Twister looked shocked with extremely wide eyes as the speaker slid off his head and landed in the trash can.

Without using his wings, Twister lifted out of the trash and flung towards Fleetfoot, hanging upside-down over her face less than an inch away.

“You need to tell me RIGHT NOW every single detail of this particular night that was allegedly weirder than me.” Twister asked in an extremely serious monotone.

“No. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Fleetfoot groaned as she pushed Twister away. “I’m not talking about that. Especially right now. I’m nauseous enough as is!”

Dash’s ears turned as she heard the sound of a door opening. She quickly turned away from the shenanigans to see Squall peeking out from the bedroom door. And then not a second later her ears also picked up what sounded like slightly muffled wailing coming from inside.

“Hey,” Squall flipped his head slightly towards Dash.

“Yeah?” Dash tipped her head as Squall pointed over his shoulder.

“She needs some water or… something. What helps a hangover?” he asked.

“Green tea,” Matteo’s voice came from across the room, drawing their eyes towards him. “There’s some stashed next to the coffee maker in the kitchen.”

“Could one of you make some?” Squall asked without hesitation. Matteo lifted his brow.

“You can easily do it yourse—”

“Yeah sure, I’ll brew some up,” Dash quickly cut him off while holding a hoof towards him. “Thunderlane!”

“Hm?” Thunderlane leaned into view from further back.

“Do me a favor and grab some cold water for Star,” she asked. Thunderlane looked over to see Squall peeking out.

“Uh, sure!” he agreed and made his way around Matteo, who had his eyes locked on Dash.

“Trust me,” Dash nodded firmly at him.

“If you say so.” Matteo shrugged before going about his business.

Dash was glad Matteo just let her do her thing, because at the moment Squall was trying to help Star, so best not pull him away from her. She made way into the kitchen, found the tea, and poured some water into the coffee maker to heat it up. She put enough in for two cups, figuring it would be a good idea to make some for Fleetfoot too.

As the water heated up, she watched Thunderlane bring a glass of cold water with ice to Squall. The moment he had it in hoof, he ducked back in and shut the door, leaving a blinking Thunderlane standing still with a door in his face.

“You’re welcome?” he said with a slight grunt.

Dash snickered to herself as Thunderlane turned away from the door shaking his head. Fleetfoot got Squall to stop avoiding Star… for the moment… but either way Squall was still being Squall.

With the water heated, she poured out two cups and put the teabags in, grabbing a saucer and placing one of the cups in it to carry to Squall first. She knocked on the door.

Squall opened the door and looked her in the eye, but he didn’t say anything.

“Careful, this is real hot,” Dash held the tea to him. He grabbed the saucer carefully and started closing the door without a word. But before he could close it, Dash stopped it with her hoof. “And Squall…”

“……what?”

“Thanks for looking after her,” Dash nodded and smiled.

Squall stared for a moment before grunting quietly and closing the door.

“As charismatic as ever,” Dash said sarcastically as she made her way back to the kitchen to get the second cup for Fleetfoot.

“Auuuuuuuggghhhh…” Fleetfoot groggily groaned as Dash approached with the tea.

“Regrets?”

“Never,” Fleet shook her head weakly as she stared at the ceiling. “I just… get the feeling I forgot something important, but my head hurts too much to remember.”

“Well…” Dash made her way around to her side of the bed with the tea. “This will at least—”

“AH!” Fleetfoot suddenly sat upright and threw her wings open, her feathers crashing right into Dash.

“Ah, SHIT!” Dash yelped as she lost her grip on the tea and it went flying out of her hoof.

The saucer and teacup landed on Twister’s head upside-down, the very hot contents splashing all over his head and down his body. The hot water sizzled all over him, but he remained completely still, not reacting at all.

Then in a very delayed reaction he gasped very loudly and slowly reached his arms into the air.

“I’M MELTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! I’M MELTING I’M MELTING!!!!!" He screamed as he started slowly melting into a pile of green ooze. “Ohhhhh, what an AU, what an AU… who would have thought it’d still be going after eight years ohhhhh ohhhhh…” his words became garbled and bubbly as he became a puddle with blinking eyes.

Dash had ignored the entire thing, making sure she didn’t get hit by any of the scalding liquid before glaring at Fleetfoot.

“What? What is it?!” she pressed.

“I have to—HRPK!” Fleetfoot’s face suddenly turned greenish and her cheeks puffed out. Dash’s eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

Fleetfoot jammed a hoof over her mouth and leapt from the bed, stumbling frantically all the way to the bathroom and diving inside.

“BLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHH!!!”

Dash cringed hard and gritted her teeth as she and the rest heard Fleetfoot toss it all.

“It’s FINE…” Matteo grumbled. “I wasn’t planning on using the bathroom today...”

After a few more seconds of gagging and uncomfortable coughing, the toilet flushed and Fleetfoot slowly dragged herself out, propping herself up on the bathroom door.

“Okay…” she pointed weakly at Dash. “Maybe there are some regrets here… how much did I actually drink?”

“Yes,” Dash tipped her head and lifted an eyebrow. Fleetfoot blinked and stared at her blankly.

“Ha. Good one… ooooog…” she slumped down on the floor and rolled onto her back.

“So… what did you forget?” Dash asked, trying to finally get an answer.

“RIGHT!” Fleetfoot pointed a hoof to the ceiling. “Right… ah…” she slowly and shakily sat up. “I haven’t rented suits and dresses for the force yet, the Crystal Ball is tonight!”

“Oh.” Dash blinked. “I completely forgot about… wait, it’s tonight?” Dash looked at her quizzically. “There’s no way you can get a hundred suits and dresses by then.”

“Oh, yes I can!” Fleetfoot stood up and wobbled.

“How?” Dash lifted a hoof outward. “You’re going to get everypony’s size and measurements that quickly? I’m not a dainty fashion pony, but I know enough from one that is to know that’s just not gonna happen. Especially while you’re hungover as hell.”

“Trust me, Dashie!” she winked. “I got this! Oh dang…” she wobbled as she spun around and propped herself up as she made her way to the door. “Gotta take care of this hangover too…” she thought out loud as she let herself out.

Dash stared at the door for a moment before turning to Matteo and Thunderlane while shaking her head.

“There’s no way in hell she’s getting all that done by toni—”


“You’re going to gloat about this the whole night, aren’t you?” Dash huffed, donning a white dress as she walked with her Squad and several other Wonderbolts en route to the Crystal Palace. Fleetfoot’s cheek was just short of pressing against Dash’s, wearing a dress of her own as she smugly grinned and hummed cheekily.

“You underestimate my power, Dashie! Say my name! Hee hee!”

“Oh, stop it…” Dash chuckled as she pushed her away.

She had indeed pulled it off. They were all dressed up and heading through the street-lamp illuminated streets towards the crystal palace. Fleetfoot had come through on the rentals in roughly ten hours, but…

“Why do I feel like I’m dressed for a Prom?” Thunderlane chimed in while tugging at his tuxedo collar.

Dash had noticed fairly quickly, but hadn’t said anything. All the mares were wearing the same white dress with material that appeared to shimmer just like crystal ponies and all the stallions were wearing matching tuxedos.

“Turns out there’s a dress code for the ball!” Fleetfoot chimed in with a shrug. “Tradition, something, something, historical context so we all wear the same thing, I couldn’t tell ya, that’s just what the fancy clothes store told me!”

“So you cheated?” Dash asked jokingly, but Before Fleetfoot could reply, Matteo pushed by Dash and looked sternly at Fleetfoot.

“But how did you have all of our exact measurements?” he asked the same question Dash asked in the morning as he looked down at his tuxedo, then gave her a flat look. “This suit fits me perfectly… How did you—?”

“Trade secret,” Fleetfoot winked.

Dash, Matteo, and Thunderlane all looked to Spitfire.

DON’T look at me, I DON’T know,” she quickly shook her head.

“BY THE WAY!!!!!!” Fleetfoot zipped all the way over to her and pressed into her side. “I want a full, detailed report on how last night went.”

“That’s private,” Spitfire said quietly while glancing at Wave on the other side of her. Wave tugged on his collar and cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Wrong answer,” Fleetfoot giggled while gently pressing a hoof into Spitfire’s blushing cheek. “I expect the report on my desk by the end of the night. That goes for you too Chilly!”

“Okay, listen here you…” Spitfire put Fleetfoot in a gentle headlock.

“EEEE! Hey! Hey!”

As Spitfire pulled her away, Dash took in the sight of all the Wonderbolts around her. She felt it somewhat odd that it seemed weird to see them all dressed up in near identical fashion, considering that they are always wearing the same flight suit. But as she scanned them, her eyes landed on Squall and Star keeping up behind her.

They were walking near one another. Not side by side or happily skipping along like best friends forever, but Squall appeared to cease his efforts to distance himself entirely. He hadn’t said much to them, but… that was typical Squall behavior, so they were back to normal. Baby steps.

“Hng!” Dash’s eyes widened as her body suddenly twitched and her heartbeat quickened. It was only for a moment, but it left her subtly shuddering with some of her fur standing on end.

Her eyes quickly locked on the approaching Crystal Palace.

She was startled but… the moment she put two and two together it was pretty obvious. Soarin was being kept in the Crystal Palace so…

She swallowed and composed herself. Hopefully nopony noti—

“Cold?” Matteo suddenly asked. Dash bit her lip, but took a breath and remained calm.

“In a climate controlled city? No.” she answered with slight sarcasm.

“Soarin?”

Dash’s face went blank as her eyes darted back to the palace. But after a moment she sighed and glanced towards Matteo with her face slightly scrunched up, to which he replied only by lifting an eyebrow. He had become very in tune with the abnormal things that happened to her regarding her connection with Soarin. Yet, it felt good to know one of her friends had caught on to her experience with it.

“That’s my best guess, yeah,” she caved and agreed with him. “We’re getting closer to him and… I’ve been away for a few days so I guess it just caught me off guard.” The answer seemed to do, but Dash suddenly felt her heart sink a little. “Kind of sucks though… we’re going where he is for a formal party, but it’s not like I can do anything with him.”

“You may remain in my company then, if you wish,” Matteo offered. “I am without my wife here, after all.”

“Heh,” Dash smiled weakly. “I guess I can do that.”

Twister suddenly sprang up and latched to Matteo’s back, staring down at Dash with wide eyes.

“And I can be the monkey on your back!”

“My back or hers?” Matteo asked flatly.

“I haven’t decided yet.” Twister pulled out a banana from… somewhere, and started eating it without peeling it while drumming his other hoof lightly on Matteo’s head. “Oop Oop Oop Eep Oop.”

“Snrk…” Dash snickered and shook her head with a light smile as Twister annoyed Matteo, but her attention was quickly drawn back to the Palace… that was now nearly right in front of them as they approached the front doors. “A formal event with dancing…” she sighed in frustration. “And I don’t get to have Soarin for it? Blah…”


Dash barely noticed as the event started. From the moment they entered the palace, to walking through the halls, to entering the large ballroom, to Cadence announcing the start of the event… she was daydreaming, her thoughts locked on Soarin as the close proximity of his presence distracted her.

The music was in her ear, conversations around her went over her head, the sight of dancing ponies and the noise of the festival ongoing outside the castle walls… none of it seemed to register.

It wasn’t until she was nudged in the side did she finally blink and take in her surroundings.

“Buh, huh, wha?” Dash stiffened and blinked, turning her head to see Matteo looking down at her.

“You’ve been staring at your drink for ten minutes,” Matteo pointed out.

Dash looked down at the glass of punch in her hoof, then back up at Matteo as she leaned back against the wall.

“I… sheesh…” she sighed. “I can’t believe I’m so out of it…” she said with a huff.

She stared out at the extravagant setting before her.

The Crystal Palace ballroom had been beautifully decorated. Banners, floral arrangements, and artwork all beautifully complementing the color of the crystal architecture. The music was soothing, the perfect mix of calm beats and upbeat melodies encouraging all kinds of dancing. The dance floor was packed full of crystal ponies, the Wonderbolts mingling… and causing a bit of a scene here and there. The courtyard outside was also full of life, many of the hors d'oeuvre and drink tables set up outside where most were mingling away from the dance floor. She glanced over her shoulder out a window beside her to see the streets beyond the palace gates bustling with fun and festivities.

“You’d think I’d be really into it, but I just can’t…”

“You know exactly why you aren’t,” Matteo nodded.

“Yeah, I know,” Dash sat down and tipped her head back. “Still feels weird.”

After a moment of staring at the ceiling, Dash stared out onto the dance floor for several moments.

She blinked, her eyes darting from couple to couple dancing. She caught a glimpse of Fire and Misty Fly, finding Spitfire and Wave shortly after.

But unlike the part the night before, something else was coming to mind as she watched it all. She was suddenly getting a massive flow of déjà vu… or maybe it was just nostalgia.

This entire set up, save for the dress code, was making her think back to the Grand Galloping Ball.

“Hmmm…” Dash hummed to herself, a smile creeping onto her face as she remembered the definitive moment in her life. The night that she and Soarin really truly connected for the first time. It felt so long ago now, though in reality it wasn’t any more than a year? She wasn’t sure, many of the recent events made time feel like it had ages ago.

“Thinking about it, huh?” a voice suddenly came from nearby.

“Huh?” Dash flinched and shook her head out lightly. She glanced to her left to see Lightning Dust approaching.

“I can see it in your face. Canterlot right?” Dust added as she moved beside Dash and sat down. Dash stared at her blankly for a moment before coming back down to earth and chuckling.

“Since when did you become a mind reader?” she asked jokingly.

“Just had a really good feeling,” Dust nodded. “Because honestly, that’s all I’ve been able to think of since I got here…” she said in a slightly somber tone.

Dash looked her over carefully and turned to ask Matteo if he could excuse them for a moment, but he was already up and moving, nodding at her subtly. He seemed to catch on without her saying anything.

“Well, actually…” Dash took a sip of her punch. “I’ve been mostly thinking of Soarin, since he’s pretty much in this same building but I can’t see him. You have great timing though because I actually was just thinking about the Grand Galloping Ball. This is giving me a hell of a strong flashback.”

“For better or for worse in my case…” Dust said mostly to herself as Dash glanced at her. “I’m not particularly proud of that point in my life. And at the Ball I—”

“Tried to dance with Soarin?” Dash finished for her. Dust’s ears twitched, but she just awkwardly glanced at Dash.

“Ah, he told you about that, huh?” she said sheepishly.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, things were different then,” Dash nudged her. “He told me about it shortly after the encounter with the Shadowbolts ended,” she smiled at Dust. “You’ve more than redeemed yourself since then, think nothing of it.”

“Have I though?” Dust huffed, puffing her cheeks up as she looked down. “I appreciate hearing it from you, but I did some… pretty bad things.”

Dash said nothing, listening intently as it sounded like Dust was trying to get something off her chest.

“I tempted Rapidfire over to the Shadowbolts, but worse, I humiliated Spitfire with her own emotions… I still think about that one from time to time, and… I’m pretty sure she still hasn’t forgiven me for that.”

She paused, Dash remaining quiet. Dust exhaled and shook her head.

“Listen to me hanging onto the past… I know, you don’t have to say it,” she said with a chuckle.

“No, I don’t blame you,” Dash assured her with a shrug. “We all make mistakes, but now here you are helping Descent and fighting alongside us so I’d say you’ve done more than enough to turn yourself around. Spitfire will come around eventually, if she can forgive me for what I just did against Sombra, then she can forgive you, at least I think. As for Rapidfire…? His situation was his own fault, I wouldn’t feel like you had all that much to do with it.” Dash turned and smiled at her, but Dust was still looking down.

“I pretty much realized how wrong I was after Nightshade… made an example of me,” Dust shuddered, hugging herself with one arm. “Thank Celestia for Descent… I wanted to get as far away as possible after she tortured me. I thought she had granted me a path to unimaginable power and strength, but in the end I was just forced into submission… I don’t know how Descent and Starry lasted so long in that environment.”

“Hmm…” Dash hummed, nodding along. She knew full well what Nightshade was capable of, so she could definitely relate to how Dust felt.

“Okay… though… really now,” Dust suddenly chuckled and waved a hoof into the air. “I gotta stop while I’m ahead… I’ve thought about this enough already on my own time.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with it,” Dash jabbed her lightly in the shoulder. “It’s the party, right?” They both looked out at the dancing. “Just bringing up some old memories is all.”

“Yeah… Descent has already put me at ease about a lot of it… his life has been hell in comparison to what’s happened to me and yet he’s such a stone wall. It’s inspiring. I’m… really glad he’s been around for me. Few have done as much for me as he has.”

Dash’s eyes widened slightly as she glanced at Dust. Dust’s ears perked up.

“OH! Noooo no no no…” she quickly waved a hoof at Dash while blushing. “Gosh, I didn’t think about that one before I said it…”

“Hmmmmm…?” Dash hummed and snickered.

“No really, please…” Dust exhaled and touched a hoof to her cheek. “That subject with Descent is… really complicated. I’m not gonna stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, and it really doesn’t belong there, believe me.”

“Now you have me really curious,” Dash asked, leaning toward her slightly.

“Well…” Dust shuddered. “Wishful thinking when it comes to me, really. Descent is not a simple stallion at all. His motivations and priorities drive him forward without end and he has his mind set on a goal that’s very important to him. He really means it when he says the Shadowbolts are his family, I’m sure that was given to everypony, but I’d be hard pressed to find anypony out there who is more strongly driven towards his motivations. And while he cares for all of them, if there’s one thing he wants more than anything else, it’s to bring the missing piece of his trio back together, so he, Starry Skies, and Nightshade can be all together again. And yet, I’m almost certain that he knows there may be no way to achieve that… but he keeps going anyway. He’s doing it for them more than he’s doing it for himself. What he’s done for me may touch me on a deep level, but the last thing I want to do is get in the way of that… and for all I know he could harbor feelings for one of them, but I can’t speculate about that, it would be unfair.”

“I see…” Dash said a little awkwardly. “Uh… sorry for opening that can. That didn’t sound easy to talk about.”

“No, you’re fine, but you’re right, it isn’t. You’re also right about how he makes me feel, but it’s a subject I know has no place where things stand.”

“And he’s… like… how old?” Dash added.

“There’s that too,” Dust chuckled. “His son is my age. Maybe the way I feel is less romantic, more… family oriented. Given how strongly he feels about family, that might be the real case here.”

“I can relate to that too,” Dash nodded in agreement, knowing that Silver had an effect on her like that as well.

Dash’s eyes moved out towards the crowd again, but then suddenly shifted up towards Cadence as something very specific caught her eye.

“Luna…?” Dash said out loud lifting an eyebrow.

Indeed, Princess Luna was standing beside Cadence, looking out at the dancing crowd. What was she doing here? Wasn’t she supposed to be helping Discord with Soarin?

“Luna?” Dust repeated, following Dash’s eyes. “Oh, Luna’s here.”

“Yes…” Dash narrowed her eyes. “She is.”

“Eh? What’s up?” Dust asked curiously.

“‘S’cuse me, I gotta do something,” Dash finished her punch and gave a nod to Dust. She turned and made her way towards the stairs that led up to the large balcony overlooking the dance floor.

Dash kept her eyes on Luna until she was out of sight, carefully weaving her way through the crowd until she found the stairs and climbed them quickly.

When she reached the mezzanine overlooking the floor below, she locked onto Luna again and began making her way forward, but she only got halfway before several thestrels suddenly came forward from behind Luna and made a picket line between her and Luna.

Cadence and Luna both looked towards the commotion, both surprised to see Dash, but the two had differing levels of surprise. Cadence simply looked caught off guard, Luna had frozen… as if she could read the frustrated look on Dash.

But Dash snorted as the thestrels blocked her path, Captain P.L. eventually emerging and removing his helmet as he glared down at Dash.

“State your intentions,” P.L. ordered. Dash looked him right in the eye and lifted an eyebrow.

“You’re really blocking an Element of Harmony from Princess Luna?” she asked.

“Who you are matters not when you approach my lady exuding a threatening aura,” P.L. said sharply as the thestrels quietly hissed at her.

“Listen here, Puppy-Nuts…” Dash growled, but Luna suddenly cleared her throat.

“Captain… please let her pass,” she ordered. Dash blinked in surprise as the thestrels instantly backed off, but P.L. remained in place, his nose flaring and one eye twitching. Dash smirked at him smarmily as he lingered for another moment before doing as he was told and standing aside.

But the smiling was over once Dash’s path was clear. She looked right at Luna with a hardened gaze. There was something very important she wanted to talk about.

Luna awkwardly kept her eyes off Dash and on the crowd as she approached. Cadence kept glancing between the two of them, not sure what was happening.

“Luna,” Dash said her name as she stopped before her, glaring daggers into the side of Luna’s head.

“Rainbow Dash,” Luna replied, her voice sounding held back and reserved.

Neither said another word for several moments as Dash turned to look out at the crowd beside her. Cadence did the same, coughing quietly to herself with her head turned away as if signaling that she wanted to know what this was about.

“We suppose…” Luna broke the silence. “You wish to talk about what you saw us do.”

“Yes,” Dash answered without looking at her.

“Very well,” Luna nodded and looked to Cadence. “Cadence, might we be allowed privacy for a moment?”

Cadence looked between them both and nodded, grabbing Shining Armor by the arm and leading him away.

“Captain,” Luna glanced back at P.L.

“M’lady,” he pounded a hoof to his chest and bent his head down.

“Please give us some space,” Luna ordered. P.L. narrowed his eyes, glaring at Dash for a moment before bowing again.

“As you wish. Come!” he motioned to the thestrels, ordering them to shift out of earshot… but only just out of earshot, and by thestrel standards that was practically all the way to the stairs.

And with that, Dash and Luna were finally alone, standing side by side as they both looked down from the mezzanine.

“So…” Dash spoke up. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“What dost thou wish us to say?” Luna quickly answered. Dash shot her a look, but saw nor heard any sarcasm in her face or voice.

“I’d take anything along the lines of ‘thou shalt not wiggle thy full moon hams towards a stallion that belongs to another,” Dash said in a somewhat snapping tone. She was doing her best to remain reserved. She didn’t care if the instance allowed Celestia and Sombra to wiggle free from being stuck inside Soarin… to a degree. She was determined to rub Luna’s nose in it.

“You mock us, but perhaps we deserve it,” Luna huffed, puffing her cheeks out slightly. “Our sister gave us… quite a talking to over it.”

Dash’s eye twitched slightly. Celestia was barely in a position to berate anypony for their actions, but… that was an argument for another time.

“We wholeheartedly apologize for our advances on Soarin,” Luna went on. “But we believe it necessary to explain what… compelled us to such actions. It does not excuse us, but we wish to put it into perspective for you, so that you might understand.”

“You’ve gotten extremely horny over the course of thousands of years,” Dash cut in abruptly. Luna twitched hard.

“W…WE BEG YOUR PARDON?!” she asked with a look of disgust, but Dash just lifted an eyebrow.

“What, did Discord lie to me?” Dash tapped a hoof casually on the floor. Luna’s face scrunched up angrily.

“Oooooooh…. That… disgusting snake…”

“Okay, look,” Dash tipped her head. “He didn’t use those exact words, but that’s pretty much what I took away from it.”

Luna sighed, rubbing a hoof to her head as she shook it lightly.

“We… can’t deny the subject though the wording should be less crass,” Luna explained as she put her hoof down. “Perhaps he already told you this, but we have always felt strongly about staying true to the traditions of our kind. As a divine Alicorn, we are of the belief that we hold a higher purpose as omnipotent beings, and that is far more important than the pleasures of the flesh. Eons ago when our kind still existed beyond our sister and us, it was a strict rule that one was never to fraternize with mortals, and most of all not to tempt them and unleash one’s desires upon them. Romance and mating was only allowed between Divine Alicorns… and it was considered a sacred act… for Male Alicorns were very rare.”

Dash was listening intently, not expecting a brief history lesson on Alicorn sex, but it was interesting enough to have her attention.

“It was not often that mating resulted in offspring, perhaps the forces of nature keeping our everlasting nature in check, but when it did, the chances of it being a colt were incalculably small. Bearing a son was considered to be a sign from a power perhaps even greater than us.”

“Uh…” Dash blinked. “So… if I got this straight… divine alicorn stallions were basically… swimming in mares?”

“Perhaps in crude terms, yes,” Luna rolled her eyes. “But they were taught to understand their existence and to cherish their role, none used it to their advantage or anything like…” she suddenly trailed off.

“Bullshit,” Dash snickered.

“Okay, some of them did, quite eagerly… but some preferred to seek out an eternal mate… and any mare that found themselves being courted in that manner was always the subject of great envy. If I recall correctly, before we were nearly all wiped out, there were about two hundred of us… and a mere fourteen, including our father, were stallions.” She trailed off, biting her lip as she glanced down. “And…”

“I can see where you’re going with this,” Dash cut in.

“We were still quite young, at least by divine alicorn standards, when our kind met their end against the black dragons… we had not yet had the pleasure or desire of getting very personal with one of our few stallion counterparts. We had not matured in body and spirit until after we conquered the dragons with Sombra… so…” Luna suddenly shuddered, her body twitching as she inhaled sharply, clutching a hoof to her opposite arm. “Soarin’s current form is… the first time in our prime that we had felt the presence of a divine stallion and… it has been overwhelming us. Our body is reacting in strange ways, our magic simmers and percolates within us when we set our eyes on him. Desires we never knew we had keep rushing to our head as his aura fills the space around us…”

Dash started narrowing her eyes, but something was keeping her from getting angry. Luna sounded very confused and slightly frightened.

“We are not one to let ourselves lose control… yet when around him we want to. It is as if we become something we are not… but perhaps we just never got to experience this firsthoof and over the hundreds and hundreds of years since… this energy was never allowed out. To use Discord’s terminology, it’s very pent up.” She paused and looked down at Dash. “If there is one helpful thing we can take from this, it’s that the way our body reacts to him confirms that he truly has transformed into a divine alicorn. Otherwise this wouldn’t be happening to us.”

Dash blinked while staring up at Luna, but flattened her brow and looked out towards the dancing again. Luna acknowledged the lack of response and did the same.

“We hope you now at least know what has been ailing us.” Luna went on. “We wish not to take that which does not belong to us… the urges are just so… strong.

“I GET it…” Dash chimed in, causing Luna to flinch. “But thanks.”

“You…” Luna’s eyes widened. “Forgive us…?”

“No,” Dash said sharply. “But it makes sense now at least… but you’ll have to tell me more about your… old life some time. There was a lot in there that went…” Dash made a hoof motion over her head. Luna stared at her curiously.

“Did our sister not…?”

“Celestia? Tell me what?” Dash looked at Luna with confusion.

“Oh! Our apologies… she spoke to Soarin on the subject, not thou. Yes, it is a very long story…”

“Though I find it a bit amusing that Celestia is lecturing you on what you should and shouldn’t do,” Dash snickered. “Considering… you know… Sombra…”

“Hrm…” Luna hummed in frustration.

“Based on what I’ve seen, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know those two pounded one another a thousand years ago. We’ve yet to get the full story, but that’s pretty clear.”

“Yes… Sombra…” Luna huffed. “Our sister always loved to bend the rules, but when Sombra came into the picture, she may as well have torn up the rule book entirely. But… we are not surprised, considering what we have been feeling from Soarin.”

“Sombra isn’t an alicorn, though,” Dash pointed out. Luna shook her head.

“Correct, he is not, but…” Luna nodded. “But he was like a god among mortals. There was nopony like him when he was King of the Crystal Empire, and we doubt Equestria will ever see a stallion like him again. Our sister was… always very popular among the alicorn stallions. Her beauty, her presence, and her carefree personality. She knew them all better than most, and those who wished for an eternal mate often tried for her hoof, especially…” Luna trailed off for a moment, looking up, but then swallowed and shook her head. “But she relished the attention she drew from the special few stallions among us, how those whom regularly commanded great honor coveted her.”

“Explains a bit, really…” Dash thought out loud.

“Excuse us?” Luna paused and looked at her curiously.

“Nothing, continue,” Dash beckoned, holding back a snort.

“You can imagine,” Luna tilted her head a little. “That in light of that lifestyle, our sister was quite used to being admired, and being treated like a treasure. When the ponies of Equestria bowed to us without order or provocation, declaring us heaven-sent goddesses… The look in our sister’s eyes the day that Sombra did now bow to her like the rest… We can remember it as if it were yesterday. Sombra’s will, his firm stance, the way he refused to stray from what he believed in. He did not care who or what we were… because he had a kingdom to lead and he was going to do it HIS way. Our sister could not take her mind off of him, she kept seeking him out, and the more she saw him the more she was drawn in by his character, his charm, his confidence, and his hard outer shell with a soft merciful center.”

Luna turned and pointed to her body.

“What is happening to us when we see Soarin… it is a natural pheromone reaction divine alicorn mares have around the stallions… having experienced it now for the first time, we can tell you it is a strong, near unbearable desire, one which my sister knew very well. We once questioned everything about her and her attraction to Sombra… but if he was able to touch her and arouse her so deeply without the alicorn effect… then he truly was an astounding stallion.”

“Hmm…” Dash hummed. “You know… it sounds a little weird hearing you give such an admirable breakdown of Sombra,” she pointed out. Luna cleared her throat.

“We detest him,” Luna hissed. “And we will not forgive him for leading our sister astray. But… one must give credit where it is due and our little secret about who he actually was is no longer under wraps so… one must be honest.”

“A little jealous of Celestia now?” Dash prodded, getting the exact look she was expecting in return.

“NO! Not at all…” Luna answered very quickly. “Sombra may have been great, but it was still wrong for our sister to fall in love with him.”

“That’s a real narrow way to look at it,” Dash poked her in the arm.

“You say such a thing after seeing what it has led to?” Luna shook her head harder.

“Let’s think about it without Sombra for a second here,” Dash suggested. “Not everypony is an extremely powerful, stubborn unicorn king. Who he was led to where we are. Had Celestia felt the same towards a similar stallion who didn’t end up putting us in that situation, would you still think it bad?”

“‘Tis a loaded question…” Luna mumbled quietly.

“What about you?” Dash quickly asked with a smirk.

“What… about us?” Luna asked quizzically.

“Come on…” Dash nudged her, feeling a little sassy. “You’ve been alive forever, you’ve gotta have felt a little bit of a hip wiggle for a stallion or two over time,” Dash paused briefly to interrupt the internal muffled scream that went off in her head after using pure Fleetfoot language without thinking about it. “Not everypony can be Sombra, but I doubt he’s the only good stallion you’ve met out there.”

“Oh? Um… we…” Luna’s face went blank and she looked away. “N…no… we have not.”

It sounded like a boldfaced lie. Dash had, for better or for worse, had gotten pretty good at picking out when Luna was lying. She thought very carefully for a moment, because she was FAIRLY certain she had recently seen something that could help her argument here.

Then Dash’s ears perked up and she looked over her shoulder, her eyes landing on Captain P.L.

“What about Puppy?” Dash chimed in. Luna twitched and quickly looked at her.

“P…P… P.L.? We would never!”

“Luna, I’ve seen your face turn red as a beet more than a few times around him, especially when serving you.”

“Oh…” Luna’s hooves went right to her face as she started turning red. “Oh no, no, no… that happens? How long has that… and he’s always right there?!” she started fretting, getting extremely flustered. “Improper! Indecent! Oh… we are so embarrassed…”

“Whoa, whoa…” Dash snorted, trying not to burst out laughing. “Somepony has a crush.”

“No. No we don’t. WE DON’T!” Luna tapped her hooves on the floor. “We… cannot do that to him…”

Dash lifted an eyebrow as she looked back towards P.L. He was staring right at them, just out of thestrel earshot… at least normal thestrel earshot, who knew if he was hearing every word of this. Luna’s reaction had her very curious though. She was never going to get any sort of life story out of P.L. so…

“So what’s the story with him?” Dash asked Luna, hoping to calm her down a little. “I’d hardly call thestrels normal, but how did such a… different physical specimen like him end up as your personal knight?”

Luna stared at Dash for a moment looking down and releasing a long sigh as her scrunched up mouth curled into a small grin.

“He is… a very special one,” Luna began, an audible amount of warmth in her voice as if the subject made her feel good. “He may never say something like this, but… We’ve always felt a very special bond with him. Unlike most of my thestrel guards… We’ve known him since he was barely a year old. You see… The thestrels pledged themselves to our protection when we saved their homeland from destruction at the wrath of the black dragons. We wished not to be worshipped like our sister, but they did not listen when we turned our back on them. It was a week after that they saved us from a gruesome fate from a black dragon, sacrificing many of their lives in the act. We felt compelled to accept them in return… and they joined our ranks against the scourge as my personal force. They continued to follow me when the fighting was over and took part in many battles thereafter, including the fight against Sombra.”

She glanced down and smiled.

“The thestrels are very… devoted. They have always been very serious about how they revere us and are probably the only group of beings out there who still worship my sister and us like all did long ago. However, they went the extra mile, they changed the very fibers of their culture around us, wishing for our presence in all of their most time honored traditions… one of which was the presentation of the young, allowing the newest born to take in the sight of Luna, their savior, for the first time. The captain’s mother was one of my most trusted knights… and we were thrilled when we learned that she had born a foal. We looked forward to the day that she was among those introducing their young to me… but when she did… there was quite a stir.” Luna glanced over at P.L. “We were very confused, and many around murmured and hissed quietly as gossip passed about… for the young thestrel colt before me was pure white, with large, bright red eyes. True to her way, his mother did not waver and remained stalwart as others stared and spoke of the strange sight that was her son, bringing him forward as if he were just like the rest. Our curiosity took hold, we broke the tradition of not showing specific interest or favor in one foal, but we had to know about the strange one before us. But as his mother spoke to us of how he was born albino… we were caught off guard once again as the colt squealed delightfully, hopped over to us, and hugged our leg while wagging his tail, staring up at us with the most adorable happy face we had ever seen in our lives.”

“Excuse me…?” Dash’s eyes went wide as she motioned back at P.L. “WHAT?”

“You find it strange and you would be right… for thestrels, even when young, have very natural bestial tendencies among their personalities that often make them appear feral, or primal. So you can imagine our surprise when… a young one, and a colt no less, was clinging to us with the brightest smile we had ever seen. The others hissed and growled, shouting and berating him and his mother for such an act, but we hushed them at once… and asked his mother what his name was…”

“Oh… Ooooohhh…” Dash blinked and tipped her head. “So that’s where…”

“Indeed… that’s where his strange, unfitting name came from,” Luna said very quietly while glancing back at him. “As the years went by his innocent demeanor slowly vanished as. To our and everypony else’s awe, the once cheerful little colt grew into the largest and most powerful stallion to ever wear the armor of the Lunar Guard, turning into the most devoted, stalwart, and unwavering knight. So you can imagine, as he became what you see now… that his name became quite silly and inaccurate. But though he avoids speaking of it, he refuses to change it… in memory of his late mother.”

Dash listened intently. She came over here expecting to jam her hoof halfway up Luna’s Moon for what she did to Soarin and to leave it at that, but now she was getting the life story of a stallion that she was, quite honestly, fairly curious about. But something suddenly caught her attention…

“Wait…” Dash blinked as she realized something very important. “You knew him when he was young… back during the…” She glanced back at P.L. “How is he still alive? Weren’t you sealed away for a thousand years?” she pointed out. Luna nodded.

“Yes… he was with us a millennia ago. As for why he still lives now…” Luna paused. “The fateful night when we allowed the nightmare miasma to turn us into the abomination Nightmare Moon…” Luna trailed off briefly, shuddering. “When our sister struck us down and in her anger, readied the elements of harmony to use against us… He…” Luna clenched a hoof in front of her chest. “He tried to protect us from it. Like many others, he had been brushed aside as our powers clashed with our sister’s, but when he saw what our sister was about to do… he rushed in, hoping to save us… his devotion to us remaining even as we stood before him corrupted beyond reason. We were both sealed in the moon…” Luna sighed heavily as she explored the bad memories.

Luna paused and looked over at P.L. This was the umpteenth time he had been looked at by the two of them and he lifted an eyebrow in response.

“After being defeated by you and your friends, our first few weeks free of the miasma were a personal ordeal,” Luna went on. “Our divine alicorn power had to reconstitute itself after being torn asunder by the miasma corruption, leaving us in a smaller, frailer state than the one you see before you. We felt small… pathetic… and though our sister had explained, we felt the eyes of all those around us… it hurt, and we were alone in this new world a thousand years removed from the one we knew. But…” Luna smiled. “P.L. suddenly appeared before us, immediately kneeling at our hooves and expressing relief. We were shocked, and in disbelief. He was clearly older, but how could he be alive? We thought we were dreaming, but... he was there, we could see him and touch him, it was as if our wish for comfort had been granted in our darkest hour. We can still remember how happy we were to see him. We threw ourself at him and hugged him tightly, and we must’ve cried for an hour on his shoulder.”

She looked back down at Dash and smiled weakly, sniffling once as if the memory itself was about to make her cry.

"We later learned that he had been expelled from the Lunar seal years before we broke free... the magic of the Elements freeing him in an effort to keep hold of our ever growing power under the influence of the Miasma. But despite our absences, he continued his duty, personally rebuilding the tattered Lunar Guard in hopes of our return someday and playing key roles in many events, including the last major conflict between the griffons and drakes. Knowing that his devotion never wavered, and that he continued to honor our name despite our disgrace it... sometimes it makes us feel as if we don't deserve him."

Luna turned her head away briefly rubbing an arm against her eyes and shaking her head out before continuing.

“So… he is very special to us. We owe him more than we could ever tell him, but he would never allow us to feel in debt to him… for he swears by his duty to always be by my side and watch over me…” she finished with the light blush reappearing again, which Dash picked up on… because she really wanted to get a clear answer on this subject.

“So… you feel strongly for him?” she asked. The corner of Luna’s mouth twitched noticeably. It was clear she knew what Dash was implying.

“He’s… very important to me, yes, and…” Luna swallowed, looking down. “He is always there, he’s always very protective of us, he always disputes when anypony speak poorly of us, he’s always the first to help when we are struggling with anything, quick to rush in and shield us when danger is near…” Luna touched a hoof to her cheek, her wing edging forward to hide her face slightly. “When somepony does those kinds of things for you unconditionally, through steel strength of will and heart… it’s hard for us not to feel… special in a more personal way. I’m sure any of the thestrels would defend us with their lives, but none of them make us feel as safe or as valued as him.”

“Gosh Luna, just say you love the guy,” Dash said bluntly with a huff. Luna shuddered and completely covered her head with her wing.

“N… No… Rainbow Dash, you must understand that we cannot…”

“Why?” Dash asked while flattening her brow.

“Because… Our feelings cannot change the fact that we are omnipotent and he is mortal. Eternal existence may sound like a great boon, but it is not without its burdens… and love is a dangerous thing for us to fall into.” Luna removed her wing from her face to reveal a very saddened expression. “We wish not to repeat the mistake of our sister… Sombra brought her great joy, happiness, and pleasure, but in the end it crushed her heart and led to great suffering and strife for all those involved. P.L. has… aged. The once flawless youth in his face has left… and he will only grow older. We’ve no doubt he will be by our side for a long time to come, but some day… he will die.” Luna sniffled, shutting her eyes. “We will never be prepared for that day as is… We wish not to forge a bond even stronger than that which we already share… for the stronger that bond is… the more it shall hurt the fateful day it is severed.” Luna finished, a single tear dripping from her eye that she quickly wiped away as she averted her face.

Dash stared at Luna carefully. Luna couldn’t hide how much she wanted the exact thing she refused to pursue, and the more she heard, the more her reaction to Soarin made sense… magical divine alicorn libido reaction notwithstanding. The sudden existence of a male divine alicorn would mess with her head regardless after being so stiff about following rules for so long.

But something about what Luna just said didn’t sit well with her. She was still miffed about what she did to Soarin, but… her other instincts were kicking in here. She didn’t spend years learning friendship lessons in Ponyville just to let something like this slide.

“I disagree with you,” Dash said firmly, causing Luna to blink and quickly turn back to her. “Sure it will hurt when he’s gone, but…” Dash glanced towards Luna, locking eyes with her. “What will hurt more? Losing a strong connection, or regretting that you never made it?”

Luna’s eyes grew wide, her mouth opening, but no words coming out.

“Just a thought,” Dash shrugged. “I get what you’re saying about being immortal and him being mortal, but… something tells me it would hurt more if you never let him know exactly how you feel… and I know how you feel about him, Luna, it’s pretty obvious.” She poked Luna in the arm. “Take it from somepony that won’t live forever… you don’t always get another chance. You will always miss if you never try to hit the target. Maybe he won’t say anything, maybe he will decline because of his duty… but at least he’ll know.” Dash looked back out towards the dancing down below. “Just knowing how much somepony cares means more than you realize…”

Dash blinked as she trailed off, her eyes landing on something waving towards her. She shifted her eyes to see Matteo waving up at her from below.

The moment she locked eyes with him, Matteo sharply pointed out at the dance floor. Dash followed his extended talon, and gasped quietly. She propped her front legs on the railing and stared down with her pupils growing larger.

Little Star was pulling Squall out to the floor to dance as the band began playing slow waltz.


Little Star happily tugged on Squall’s arm, her wings buzzing and floating backwards, giggling the whole way. Squall stumbled and winced, but offered no resistance as they weaved around the dancing couples and made their way into the center of the floor.

Squall looked back and forth nervously as they stopped, clearly not sure what he was supposed to do, but Star didn’t seem to care, keeping herself afloat at eye level, she grabbed his arms and lifted them up, placing it on her waist and pressing the other to his out to the side as she rested her little hoof on his forearm, unable to reach his shoulder.

Squall stared blankly, but Star gave him a wink and started to move, but while it was easy for her to float with the movements of everypony else, Squall’s hooves skidded and slid clumsily. He gritted his teeth and stared down at his hooves, frantically looking around at what everypony else was doing and trying to do the same, but he couldn’t seem to get it down.

He flinched and stumbled as Star tried to change their direction, tipping forward and bumping into her as his hoof slipped off her waist. He scrunched his face and looked up at her, but she only giggled at him before pulling his hoof back into place.

They continued, going around the motions again, Star looking like she was really enjoying herself as Squall looked extremely embarrassed. Star tried to switch it up again by clamping their hooves together and spinning out to twirl, but Squall was clearly not ready for it. He instinctively yanked her back, the two crashing into one another and nearly knocking her out of the air to the floor. Squall’s face turned bright red despite Star laughing about it. He turned and tried to leave, but Star quickly stopped him and pulled him right back out.

Seeming to not care at all if he was doing it right, Star pressed her hoof to his and started moving in a circle, Squall glanced up and down quickly, trying to stay with her and move his hooves awkwardly with the music. After a full turn, Star came back in and put his arms back into the dancing position, the two rejoining the steps of all the others. Squall looked like he was trying really hard to get it right… and then tried too hard, causing the two of them to bump right into another dancing couple.

Squall stared wide eyed as the stallion and mare looked at them with slight frustration, but Star huffed, placing her hooves on her hips and sticking her tongue out at them before grabbing Squall and pulling him to a more open spot.

With a space of their own, Star pulled Squall’s arms into position again, and looked him in the eye before either of them started moving. He looked very embarrassed, but as his eyes finally looked into hers, she just smiled warmly and tipped her head. Squall swallowed and looked carefully at his hooves on the floor, glancing about at how the other stallions were doing it for a few moments as Star patiently waited. After a moment he took a deep breath and nodded to her, a serious look on his face.

Star snickered as he put on his game face, giving him a head motion to start. He took control, taking the lead the best he could. It was still a little shaky and off beat, but he was getting the hang of it, staying in motion with the music and doing his best to relax as his hooves moved along the ground. He kept them in the same back and forth motion for several moments before taking a chance and moving them in different directions, but it was easier than he expected. With Star floating and keeping herself perfectly lined up with him, he was able to focus on his own movements.

The music began to pick up, heading into a climactic verse to finish off the song. With Squall now seeming to understand his movements, Star began to do a few movements of her own, detaching to twirl here and there and letting go in some spots for them to shift past one another before coming back together. She paid careful attention to the way Squall was moving, reacting to him so he could keep control of the dance.

As the music hit the coda, they clasped their hooves together, Squall twirled her twice. The second time may have been a little too hard as he pulled her in roughly, but lifted a hoof to press into her chest, stopping her right as the music ended with the two literally face to face.

With the music stopped, Squall’s serious eyes lightened, then grew wide as he realized just how close they were. Star was smiling very wide with her hooves placed on his chest, a reddish tint visible in her cheeks.

But as the music started up again, Squall suddenly let go of her, turned, shuddered, and started trotting away, moving towards a door that led to an outdoor balcony that overlooked the inner courtyard.

But the smile did not leave Star’s face, nor did she try to stop him. She let him leave and waited until he had made his way out the door before touching to the ground and moving to follow right behind him.


Up above on the mezzanine, Dash had her head tilted with her cheek resting on a hoof.

“That was so cute…” she said out loud, her eyes following Star as she reached the door and peeked out. “Eh?” Dash blinked and looked back towards Matteo to see him holding Twister by the tail as his legs spun fast, dragging Matteo’s entire bulk across the floor as they edged towards Star. “Oh, hell no… Luna,” Dash turned to her.

“Hm… yes?” Luna blinked, taking her eyes away from the general direction of P.L. Dash sharply pointed at her.

“I’m glad we had this talk, no touchy touchy rubby rubby the big hunky anymore, he’s mine, ya get me?”

“Uh…?”

“Good. Pardon me, I have something important to attend to,” Dash nodded before hopping up on the railing and spreading her wings.

She glided down towards the floor below, aiming towards Star as she made her way through the door to join Squall. She landed and skidded to a halt just in time to put Twister into a headlock.

“Oh no you don’t, you wacky son of a bitch,” she hissed at Twister as his eyes bulged out. “You are not allowed to ruin this for them. Let them have privacy.”

“Thank you,” Matteo huffed as he let go of Twister and shook his talons out.

Dash made a move to pull Twister away, but then stopped. Twister sniffed the air loudly.

“HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…?” he hummed. “What is that fetid stank I smell…? Is that… a hypocritical thought?!”

Dash flattened her brow, grabbed Twister’s nose, and yanked on it until it stretched out from his face. She tied it into a knot like a modeling balloon.

“You’re going to, aren’t you?” Matteo asked flatly.

“Both of you can kiss my ass, I’ve been waiting for this too long,” Dash shot at them both as she leaned forward and pushed the door open just enough to see through… as Star slowly approached Squall.


Squall leaned forward, his hooves resting on the balcony railing overlooking the bustling fairgrounds outside the palace. The entire marketplace was alive and filled with cheer, decorated beautifully with floral arrangements and lights that danced off every crystal surface. Voices and laughter echoed up from below, the night of entertainment and fun well on its way… but Squall was barely paying attention to any of it.

He could see it all, but his mind was elsewhere as conflicted thoughts rushed through his head. He was completely unaware of Little Star hovering in the archway behind him, watching quietly… with a smile on her face.

She remained where she was for several moments, not wanting to immediately intrude. She knew he wasn’t avoiding her like he had before, and after the dance they just shared she had a feeling he had a few things on his mind.

What those things were though, she did not know… but she didn’t plan on letting him stand out there alone for long.

When she felt the moment was right, she let go from the arch and floated towards him.

“That was a lot of fun,” she broke the silence. Squall’s ears perked up, but he didn’t turn to look at her. She landed on the railing right beside him. “Thanks for dancing with me.”

Squall glanced at her, their eyes meeting for a moment before he looked back down at the commotion below.

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly. Star grinned, turning to face the festival below before scooting over and leaning against him, resting her head into his neck. She felt Squall stiffen up briefly, but he relaxed after a few seconds. Neither said anything for a few seconds. “Why do…?” Squall’s voice was barely audible.

“Yes?” Star prompted, not moving an inch from her spot.

“Why do you always do this?” he asked.

“Do what?”

“You’re always… touching me,” Squall asked in a slightly shaken voice. Star removed her head from his neck just a little.

“You don’t like it?” she asked with a slight pout.

“No! No… I…” Squall scrunched his face up and sighed. “I’m…” Squall swallowed as Star giggled and rested her head back against his neck. “I’m just not… used to it I guess. At least not the way you do it.”

“Not the way, I…?”

“My parents,” Squall twitched. “You know… you saw them.”

“Oh!” Star started snickering. “Oh yeah they…” she pulled her head off Squall’s neck and covered her mouth with her hooves to stifle giggles.

“What?” Squall asked with a grunt. “It’s not funny.”

“No, no…” Star shook her head. “That’s not what I’m laughing at.” She gave him a bright smile as he glanced at her. “I would never embarrass you like that, your parents are weirdos.”

“That’s putting it lightly…” Squall agreed, but twitched again as Star put her head against him again.

“This is different, I promise,” she said warmly as she nestled herself against him.

“Maybe I just…” he trailed off again, but Star let him gather himself. “Have a hard time seeing the difference.” He shifted so he could see her. “I’ve never really liked being touched, probably because of them. I prefer to keep my distance.”

“Were you afraid of us acting like them?” Star asked curiously. Squall said nothing for several moments, swallowing as he shrugged.

“Maybe? Probably…” he grunted. “I was always treated like a colt and my dad never stopped hooking me by the neck or smacking me on the back… my mom would always try to fix my mane in front of others and give me big hugs while baby talking… even now they do it. Maybe after a while I just assumed others would do the same thing if I let them. Just treat me like a little colt.”

“Is that why you’ve always kept your distance? You thought we’d belittle you?” Star asked.

“I don’t think that’s all. Maybe I just had too much affection from them that I…” he glanced at her. “Never wanted any other form of it.”

“Even just friends?” Star asked.

“That scares me too,” he said flat out. Star’s eyes widened at the way he described it. ‘Scared.’

“Ooooooh Squaaaaaaaaaaaall…” She turned and hugged his neck tightly. “No no no… you’ve been doing it all wrong!”

“Hrm…” Squall hummed to himself, averting his eyes.

“What your parents do is one thing, but everything else? You’ve missed out on so much in life!”

“…maybe,” Squall said without looking at her.

“Definitely,” Star loosened her grip and moved right in front of him on the railing as he sat down. “And… I think you already know how to be close to others, you just try to avoid it.”

Squall’s lips curled down, his eyes squinting slightly and he exhaled through his nose. Star placed her hooves on his shoulders.

“I know that look… and I appreciate that you didn’t say what you usually do,” she said with a small giggle. “Everything Ruin said… that’s really how you feel?”

Squall quickly looked down.

“It is, isn’t it?” she pressed, but didn’t demand.

“……yes.” Squall admitted very softly. “Everything he said was true.” Squall flinched as Star leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you,” she said with a huff. “I just wanted to hear you say it because… it means everything I’ve done hasn’t gone to waste.”

“Hrm…” Squall groaned quietly, not hugging her back. “Look, I…” Squall reached up and gently pushed her off. “I mean…” he winced and quickly took his hooves off her. “Sorry, that was…, I didn’t mean to…” he frantically started stumbling over himself.

“Hehe…” Star chuckled and tapped a hoof against his nose. “Stop, relax, and say it…”

Squall’s lips puttered as he let his head hang down, his forehead bonking against the railing next to her.

“I’ve… never known what to do with you,” he said with his voice slightly muffled. “I never wanted anypony in my business, but you never stopped getting in my face while everypony else just stopped trying. You frustrate me… but…”

“But what?”

“For some reason I started to hate it more when you weren't there.”

Star’s ears stood up, blinking with a blank expression as Squall’s head remained against the railing beside her.

“You were doing exactly what I didn’t want others to do, but you weren’t being like my parents. It confused the hell out of me. For the longest time I didn’t know if I liked it or hated it, but when you saved me from Devil and were knocked out for a short while, it answered my question. I felt completely alone. You were right in front of me, but you weren’t there either and it drove me nuts.” He picked his head up off the railing, but still didn’t look at her. “All I’ve wanted to do since is protect you, but I didn’t want anypony to know that, not even you. It felt so wrong next to every way I’d lived my life up to this point.”

He paused suddenly as Star grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her.

“Does it still feel wrong?” she asked with a stern look in her eyes as she squished her hooves into his cheeks.

“……………………………………………………………yes?”

“Auuuughhh…” Star let her head hang back. “You were doing so well!”

“Sorry.” Squall apologized, his face still smushed by her hooves.

“Don’t be, because I know it doesn’t actually feel wrong to you,” she said as she let go, crossed her arms and nodded several times.

“What?”

“Squall, you’re a terrible liar and terrible actor,” she pointed at him. “It was noticeable. I could tell.”

Squall stared at her blankly.

“I could feel it from you, it was comforting and heartwarming, but it was impossible to get you to say anything. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t imagining things, but I never got you to say it or admit it. Ruin spilling the beans for you was NOT the ideal way of finding out, but… when you never tried to deny any of it and instead tried to avoid me, I knew it was true.” She shut her eyes tight. “And those feelings… made me very, very happy. It hurt that you wouldn’t talk to me.”

“No, I didn’t mean…” Squall inched forward, but hesitated.

“Why did you have to go and do that for me?” Star grabbed his shoulders and nearly pressed her nose to his. “Why do you have to give me so much comfort, make me feel so happy…” she shook him lightly. “With so much annoyance and disappointment too?!” she stopped shaking him and gave him an angry pout.

Squall stared with a mixed expression for several moments with Star not taking her eyes off his.

“Whatever.”
“Whatever.”

Squall blinked as Star said it at the exact same time as him. Star’s pout instantly turned into a grin she simply couldn’t hold down, and seconds later she burst out laughing while holding her stomach.

“Whoa, whoa!!!” she stopped and swung her arms around as she started tipping backwards. Squall perked up and instantly reached his arm forward to grab her before she fell. Star made no effort to help him, remaining tipped back as she smiled at him. “I’ve got these, you know,” she giggled as her wings flittered behind her.

She leaned forward, but Squall didn’t take his hooves off her shoulders, nor did he lean back. His expression looked conflicted, shifting in every which direction, albeit softly, and not enough to never change the fact that he simply looked like he didn’t know what to say or do. But he didn’t have to say anything.

“Squall,” Star reached her hooves up and hooked them on his wrists. “Thank you for caring so much about me. And I’m going to tell you right now…” she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. “That this isn’t something you’ll regret.”

Squall’s eyes twitched, he gritted his teeth and shook lightly.

“Squall? HEEP!” Star squeaked as he suddenly pulled her in and hugged her as tightly as he could, pressing the side of his head into hers.

“Please… don’t ever go away…” Squall’s voice nearly cracked. “Please…”

Star nearly shed a few tears as she heard his voice sound so emotional. As soon as she had her arms free from his tight grip, she wrapped them around his neck lightly and brushed them up and down his fur.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she assured him.

“Promise?” Squall added very quietly.

“Promise.”


“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…” Dash hummed with a smile on her face and one hoof pressed into her cheek.

“It’s about damn time,” Matteo snorted.

“Shush, you,” Dash nudged him. “Be happy for him.”

“I am,” Matteo specified. “But likely for different reasons.”

Dash rolled her eyes as Matteo turned and stood up.

“We should let them be now,” he suggested. “Before he actually gets free,” he added.

Dash blinked and looked down at Twister tucked under her arm, his head was smushed up as he tried to yank himself out of Dash’s arm, his neck extending several yards back with his body where his legs skidded and pressed to the floor.

“Good idea,” Dash let go. Twister’s head launched all the way to his body, crashing into and disappearing into his body, leaving him to appear without a head or neck.

“OH BOY! HEADLESS PONY ON THE LOOSE!” he yelled, his voice muffled from inside his body as he galloped towards the dance floor. “BLEH! BLEH! BLEH!” he started jumping up and down in front of couples dancing.

“I better go corral him,” Matteo said casually as Dash nodded.

“Yeah, let’s get back to the…” Dash trailed off as she looked at all the dancing. Her ears twitched as the music slowed down into another slow song. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip, glancing back out the doors towards Squall and Star still embracing on the balcony. “You know what? No, I’m done here.”

“Hm?” Matteo blinked. Dash shook her head and sighed in frustration.

“Go make sure Twister doesn’t cause too much trouble for me, will you? I need to go for a walk.” She ordered before immediately turning and heading towards the exit.

“A walk? Where?” Matteo asked, but Dash was already moving.

She kept a steady pace, not taking one look back as she made her way out of the ballroom and into the main hall. There was nothing wrong with the party, but… she didn’t want to be there. What was the point of going to something like this when she didn’t have Soarin to enjoy it with? What was the point of getting dressed up? Looking really nice? Dancing? Sharing drinks and fancy little snacks? Didn’t do herself any favors talking to Luna about love interests and then watching Squall and Star have a special moment… she just wanted to be somewhere else.

She stopped in front of a mirror that was right by the main castle doors, looking at the dress she wore. It was a simple cut and paste rental that all the mares were wearing, but she couldn’t look at herself dressed up without thinking of the last time she was at a formal event… which she was just talking to Lightning Dust about, which was great because of Soarin.

“Feh…” she scoffed, unzipping the dress and unhooking all the straps, taking it off and holding it out in her hoof. “Whatever, somepony will find it and return it,” she said as she tossed it over onto a table and left the building.

She made her way out into the festival outside, but the way she moved one would think she was walking through a graveyard. Her expression was stiff, her strides were unmotivated, and she didn’t make eye contact with anypony. Little fillies and colts bounced by around her, laughter and cheer filled the air, but she didn’t care. In fact, she didn’t even know where she was going, she just turned towards the road that led all the way back to the hotel and kept walking.

She paused when she finally made it outside of the main festival grounds, feeling a sudden emptiness, or at least that’s what it felt like. She blinked and put a hoof to her chest, looking back towards the crystal palace.

“Grrrnngggghrrrnnnn…” She growled to herself, suddenly feeling like she was being torn in two by frustration. She didn’t want to be at the ball because she couldn’t enjoy it, but walking away from it took her further from Soarin, the sensations of being close leaving. “Dammit… I just can’t win, can I?” Dash grumbled, ultimately deciding to pick up the pace and just get back to the hotel. It was late, she had nowhere she wanted to be, so maybe she’d just turn in early.

She kept her eyes fixed on the road and tried her best to think of nothing, did her best to ignore the sensations from Soarin vanishing quickly.

Just get to the hotel.

Just get to the hotel.

Just get to the hotel.

Just get to the—

“What the?” Dash indeed got to the Hotel, but…

“Shhhh, haha c’mon, c’mon!

“We got everyone?”

“Yeah, let’s go!”

“This is a bad idea.”

“Aw loosen up bro, you know this’ll be great!”

Dash stared blankly.

It was all of the top tier Wonderbolts making their way out of the hotel. Fleetfoot was waving them all to follow her as they snickered and giggled, dragging Fire and Wave along with them. None of them were wearing their dresses or suits. Upon closer inspection… the only one who wasn’t there was Spitfire?

“Yo!” Air Mach suddenly yelled and pointed towards Rainbow Dash. “Look what the cat dragged in!”

“Hey!” Fleetfoot zipped over to her. “Perfect timing Dashie! Come with us! Come on!”

“Bwuh?” Dash blinked as Fleetfoot pulled her over.

“Shhhhh!” Blaze hushed her while snickering. “Come on, fuck the formal shit, we’ve got a better idea!”

“Uh…” Dash blinked.

What did she just get dragged into?

---To Be Continued---