"One, two, three," said Coco. "Move your right foot, and now your left foot."
Storm was not a happy person right now. The boy tried to move his feet in time with the music, but he stumbled and hit the floor. To think, a boy, a teenager who was one of the front generals in the war. Who could so easily cut down a thousand battle droids with ease, even close his eyes, he'd still take them all out. A decent pilot, a powerful Force user, and this was one of the biggest challenges ever to kick his ass.
"Storm, are you listening?" asked Fleur.
"I'm trying!" shouted the boy as he sat up. "But it's like I said, I can't dance."
For the past few hours, the Jedi Knight had been with Coco and Fleur as he was hoping they could give him some pointers. As it turned out, the Gala held a special dance that almost everybody knew how to do. Including the girls, who were able to pick it up despite not being from here. So knowing he didn't want to embarrass himself or Twilight's family, he decided to seek help from the girls to help him learn the dance. But as he already knew, he was anything but a dancer.
"Come on, Storm. You're nearly there," said Coco.
"I get you're trying to cheer me up, Coco. But face the facts, I'm a Jedi. I'm not someone who can do the two-step or whatever it's called." said Storm.
"She's right, though, Storm. Just keep practicing, and you'll get it. Come on, partner up with me. I'll guide you through it." said Fleur.
The boy approached the head maid as she instructed him to put his right hand on her waist while she placed hers on his shoulder. They held each other's left hands as Coco put on the music. It began to play as Storm was a bit uneasy.
"Just feel the music and remember the steps," said Fleur.
"Look, I can't even keep count of the steps!" said Storm.
"That's cause thinking too much with your head. Forget thinking about the steps and just feel it. Let the music take control, and your body parts will respond." said Coco.
"Well, my body parts ain't responding," said Storm as he picked himself up for another go with Fleur.
The girl began to move with the boy trying his best to follow her lead. Safe to say, it went about as good as you think. Miscues and missteps, even accidentally stepping on Fleur's toes as he apologized to the girl. The music ended as Storm fell to the floor with his arms and legs spread out with both girls leaning over to look at him.
"That's it! Forget dancing! I was only going to be at the Gala for like an hour and then dip." said Storm.
"But at least that time, you didn't trip and fall," said Coco trying to be optimistic.
"Look, girls. I appreciate all that you're doing to help me. I really do, but I'm just not a dancer. I'm a fighter." said Storm.
Both girls looked at each other. They did want to help the Jedi Knight, but it was starting to become an impossible task. Coco then noticed a small sphere on a nearby table. The girl knew what it was as it was a probe droid that Storm and Twilight would use to train blocking blaster shots. The girl pushed the button on it as it came online.
"Coco, did you-" said Storm as he recognized the sound of the droid coming online.
The droid hovered into the air as it had its mini guns out. Storm was concerned as he didn't know if when the girl turned the droid on if she switched it to training mode instead of the other setting that could potentially get them killed. The Jedi Knight kipped up as the droid saw him. It started to fire shots as the boy dodged and evaded the blasts as his feet moved easily.
The droid fired a field of shots to which Storm countered. He took a step forward to evade the first shot and immediately took two steps back. He then slid to the left to evade another round and spun in the air for several rotations as he landed. As Storm backed up to the right, more shots fired before he planted his hands on the floor and began using them to dodge, which looked like he was breakdancing.
To the side, both Coco and Fleur were smiling. They could see the moves Storm used to dodge the blaster fire; it was like the Jedi was... dancing. The boy then pulled out his lightsaber as he began to block the next series of shots. He swung his blade left and right as it matched the tempo of the blaster fire. Storm quickly swung his blade in three consecutive motions as he spun and blocked another when he returned. He transitioned his blade between his hands while moving and spinning as he got closer to the droid and thrust his hand out to use the Force to shut off the droid.
The boy let out some heavy breaths as Coco and Fleur were clapping. The Jedi Knight turned to them as he was confused as to why they were smiling and giving him applause.
"I've never seen moves like that before," said Fleur.
"See, I knew you had it in you," stated Coco.
"What are you talking about? I was fighting like my life depended. You're lucky the settings were on training mode, so the worst that would have happened if I got hit was I would felt some stings." said Storm.
"But look at the bigger picture. You were dancing," said Coco.
"What?!!!" shouted Storm. "I was fighting, not dancing!"
"But fighting is dancing," said Fleur.
"No, it's not! What kind of stupid analogy is that? How the hell is fighting like dancing?" stated the boy.
"Yes, it is. Are you kidding me?" laughed Fleur at how dense the teen boy was.
"We don't dance," said Storm, as he was a Jedi, not a ballroom dancer.
"Footwork, pageantry, moving around," said Coco as she explained to Storm how fighting and dancing were similar.
"That's not dancing," Storm countered as Fleur grabbed his hand.
"Move underneath, move around," said the maid as she began to move about the boy's arm and twirl him as if they were dancing.
"It's not the same thing," said Storm as he continued to move his arm and reverse his position with Fleur.
"You can say it's not dancing all you want, but it's dancing. Wresting and fighting are just like moving about the dance floor," giggled Coco as he took turns with Fleur to grab Storm's arm and move about, reversing their position as the boy did the same.
Eventually, the two girls noticed the progress that Storm was making, as every time they made a small arm-wresting move to the boy, he would twirl under them and spin them around while holding on to them. While he didn't notice it, the girls saw his footwork improved. Soon came time for the practice dance as the music played, and the girls took turns with the Jedi Knight.
By the end of both times, Storm's footwork was vastly different from when they started. The boy had finally managed to get it down to a tee, as it seemed to get the boy in a more comfortable situation and have him not think of dancing as an unknown concept but rather something he was used to.
"I can't believe it," said Storm, not realizing that he didn't suck as badly as he started.
"What I'd tell you," said Coco.
"Seems you do know how to dance," stated Fleur.
"I guess I do," responded the boy.
"Just remember, dancing isn't what you think up here..." Coco pointed to her mind.
"...It's what you feel in here," finished Fleur as she pointed to her heart.
"I'll try. Although I still stand by my word, fighting is not dancing!" said the Jedi Knight.
The girls giggled at the Jedi's response and rolled their eyes at how stubborn Storm was.
The final preparations for the Gala were underway. Night Light and Velvet were going over the guest list for the final evaluations as they were expecting more people to show up due to the announcement that the princess had returned and would be attending the Gala. That alone spiked in for the many nobles as it was a way for Twilight to look for potential suitors. The girls would be considered guests of the royal family so they could attend all the festivities without issues.
And speaking of attending the Gala, true to what Storm said, the boy was just going to show up for an hour or so and then vanish. At least, that's what the original plan was.
"What?!!" said Storm's voice.
The Jedi Knight was in the throne room as he was before Night Light and Velvet.
"As I've said, the Gala is a special event. Even more special now with Twilight being present. And as her duty as heir to Equis, she will be meeting with tons of suitors her age. Therefore she requires an escort for the evening. Someone to make sure that she doesn't run into trouble or vice-versa. And so, you are to be my daughter's escort." said Night Light.
"Seriously?" said Storm.
"Believe me, you were the last person I would consider," said Night Light as Velvet elbowed her husband in the side. The King rubbed his side as his wife glared at him. "But... know this decision was made solely by our daughter. Seems she trusts you more than any of our knights."
"Great," said the boy, unenthusiastic as it turns out he would have to attend the party after all.
"Let me make this clear, Jedi. You are to be my daughter's escort. That is your only role. Do not distract from her meetings, do not try to sway her, do not do anything to embarrass her or this family, less you want to be killed on the spot. Do not distract my daughter. Keep your distance from Twilight while you watch over her. She is the heir; the crown's weight rests on her shoulders. And the last thing we need is to be distracted from her responsibility because of some boy she has a close relationship with." stressed Night Light while glaring a hole through the Jedi Knight.
"Storm, know that your close relationship with Twilight is why she picked you as her personal escort for the Gala. But know that it's also a danger. I don't want you putting any ideas into my daughter's head that she is not ready for. What I'm saying is that loving someone means losing a part of yourself." Velvet spoke with that last line rang in Storm's head.
"Do you understand?" asked the Queen with sternness in her voice.
"I promise to watch over the princess and keep her safe. Don't worry, I won't put any ideas in her head. My sole duty is to be her escort."
"Good, you're dismissed, boy," gestured Night Light.
Storm left the throne room as the door closed behind him. The Jedi Knight was walking with his hands in his pockets. He was soon embraced as Twilight appeared behind her partner and hugged him.
"Hey," said Twilight as she was happy to see her friend.
Storm didn't do anything as he remained stoic as ever. He grabbed Twilight's hands in front of him and broke the hug as the princess noticed it and was shocked. The boy kept walking as the girl went after him and stopped in front of him with her hands on his chest.
"Hey, everything okay?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah. I'm gonna do my job tonight and stay out of your way," Storm said as he walked around the princess and disappeared. Leaving Twilight to clutch her heart.
"Rarity, stop pushing!!" shouted Rainbow as the fashionista tried to shove the chromatic-haired girl into a changing room.
"I need to get you in your dress, now!!!" shouted the teen as she charged and made both of them fall into the changing room. Soon some sounds and animal noises occurred.
"Hey, watch where you're pointing that needle!" shouted Rainbow.
"Well, I'm excited," said Pinkie as she, Fluttershy, and Applejack were outside the changing room, applying some makeup and picking out some accessories.
"I can't wait to see all the animals appearing in the gardens. Shenran says he knows a special place," said Fluttershy.
"So, you two are each other's dates, huh?" said Applejack with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, no, it's not like that... he's just a kind friend who knows I like animals," said the girl while trying to hide behind her hair to avoid the others seeing the red form on her face.
"Usually, these Galas don't mean much. Just fancy-schmancy talking and music playing. But since Twilight is back, I'm sure things will be different this year." stated Applejack.
"How do you figure that?" Storm asked as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Cause we're all gonna be present. Nothing like friends hangin' out at a party."
"Friends hangin' out, huh?" snickered Storm at Aj's claim.
"What?" said the country gal as she heard the boy's remark.
"Nothing. Excuse me," said the Jedi Knight as he exited the room.
Storm made his way downstairs as the shop was closed for the day. He reached the corner of the room and pulled out his communicator. He touched it and placed it in front of him. The boy was bending to a knee as the person's image appeared.
"Master," replied the boy keeping his head down.
"Well, well, it's been a while, my student," said Luna as she made a face. "So what? Are you too busy hanging out with your friends to give me a call?"
"I apologize, Master."
"Or is Twilight distracting you again?!"
"No, the fault is mine, Luna."
"What is your duty, my apprentice?!!!" asked Luna sternly while crossing her arms.
"To protect the princess at all costs," answered Storm keeping his head down.
"Exactly!!! To protect, and nothing more. I did not ask you to go with her to her home, but you did that without my permission. This relationship with Twilight has become close, too close for my liking. Need I remind you?"
"No, Jedi don't form attachments," said Storm.
"Correct! Make sure you never forget that! She is a princess, royalty. You but a Jedi. I hope Twilight doesn't put ideas in your head that shouldn't be there. You're a teenager who has the responsibilities of a man. Be careful, Storm."
"I am."
"No, you don't get it. You might be careful, but girls won't be. Girls are manipulative. I should know; I'm one of them."
"But Twilight is-" said Storm, lifting his head to address his Master.
"The kind of girl who can make you do things you don't want to do."
"Believe me, Master. Twilight's not that kind of girl."
"No, but she'll want other things. Things you can never give her."
Storm remained silent as he took in words said by Luna. The boy thought as he began to speak his mind.
"But... what if... hypothetically speaking, I wanted to give them to her?" asked the Jedi Knight.
"Storm, you better watch what you say!!" shouted Luna.
"No, it's not like that, Master. I'm just thinking outloud here," assured the teen.
Luna let out a slow sigh as she put her hand to her forehead before speaking to her son, "Storm, when you get to be my age, you're old enough to have seen things. People die thinking they can change the ways around them, the ways of the world, the galaxy, and even the universe. But at some point, you must realize that no matter what you try, destiny and fate have a certain path you need to follow. You can say you make your own path, but who's to say the path you create isn't the one destiny has foretold you to take. And the fate that awaits you is the one you cannot escape. I know my place, my fate, and my destiny, Storm. It's why I'm a Jedi Master, it's why I'm your teacher, and... your mother."
All Storm could do was sigh.
"You were alone when I found you. But no doubt your actual parents would say the same thing I tell you. Your facts are distorted, Storm. You were just a little boy, too young to understand."
"I'm old enough now," said the Jedi Knight.
A tear escaped Luna's eye, and she wiped it away, "Yes, well, now... it's too late."
Silence. Silence, between teacher and student.
"Once the Gala is over, I expect you to be here. The Council has felt you've been put off for far too long. You're needed on the front lines of this war."
"Understood, Master," bowed Storm.
"Jedi do not form attachments," said Luna as the transmission ended.
Meanwhile, at the same time, another conversation was taking place.
"I'm scared because, with Storm, it feels too raw. When I'm with him, everything I way more intense. My feelings, my emotions, my desire. Whenever I'm holding onto him, I'm afraid of losing control. My entire life is about staying in control, so this is not good. It scares me."
"I see," said Moondancer.
The handmaiden was sitting on a stool with her legs crossed. On her lap were a book and a scroll as she scribbled down what Twilight was saying. The princess was lying facefirst on the couch in her room as she needed to vent to someone about what went down with Storm.
"Now, I'm worried about tonight. I asked him to be my escort for the evening but based on how he acted when he refused my actions. I'm starting to think this partnership is going sour."
"Well, that wouldn't be the worst thing," said Moondancer as Twilight made a face at her handmaiden for saying something like that. "But come on, you're Princess Twilight Sparkle. Everything works out for you."
"You want to know what it's like being Princess Twilight Sparkle?!!! I'll tell you!" said Twilight as she addressed her handmaiden. "I'm insecure, just like anyone else. And have more pressure on me to put on an act so people's image of me isn't shattered and they don't see that I'm really just like anyone else. And that makes me vulnerable, and more scrutinized, and more susceptible to gossip."
"I know," smiled Moondancer as Twilight blinked in confusion, "Feel better?"
"Y-yeah, I do," said the princess as she felt like a huge weight was lifted off her chest.
"Look, princess. Your partnership with Storm is a rather "special" one. He's the first boy you've ever interacted with that's not your family. Before, you had Shining Armor, who would always have fun and spend time with you. After you left to train to be Jedi, that changed. You told me you were secluded and only focused on your studies. That was until you and Storm were assigned to be partners. And since then, he's... well, had an effect on you. Think back on when you two first met."
Twilight did what her handmaiden said as she recalled her and Storm's first meeting.
(Flashback)
"You?!" said both boy and girl looking at each other. "You're Master Celestia's/Master's Luna's student?!"
"I've been trained by Luna, who is a powerful warrior. So based on that thinking, I'm fine without having someone to constantly look after. Master Celestia may have trained you, but I like to work alone. So just run along and tell her that this partnership is not gonna work out. Okay, Twinkie Sprinkles?" said Storm.
"Twinkie Sprinkles?!!!" shouted Twilight as she was offended by what the boy was calling her. "My name is Twilight Sparkle!!!"
"No need to yell, gees Sparky," said Storm as he rubbed his ears.
"Sparky?!!!" shouted Twilight even more at being called that. "It's Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle!" said the girl in a stern tone.
(End of Flashback)
The princess sighed, a memory she would always look back on. She also thought back on the moment of where it was the two of them watching the lanterns during the Summer Solstice.
"It's just; he's different. It's like whenever I'm feeling anxious, all I want is for Storm to be present. When he's with me, it's like he takes all my worries away. In a way, being close to him makes me feel free. The freedom that I'm so desperately seeking, he gives me that and then some. He's more than a friend to me."
"Right," said Moondancer as she kept writing down what Twilight said. "Well, I think it's good you feel that way. Let me explain it the way I see it. You have your circle of friends, and then there's that one person who, no matter what, you can talk to them about anything. Dreams, ambitions, desires, guilty pleasures, etc., and for you, that's Storm. You said so yourself; his words have control over you."
"It's just whenever he's being himself with me, it's like, I get weak in the knees. He makes me feel like he's a part of me and my life. And if something were to happen to him, then I couldn't see myself living." said Twilight, shifting to lie on her back and stare at the ceiling. "All I'm saying is, I feel a special connection with him that I don't get from the girls. Like, he's more to me than just my partner."
"Unfortunately, I can't help you there, princess. That's something you're gonna have to figure out on your own," said Moondancer to her lady in waiting. "Now, come on. It's time to be dressed for the Gala. And I need to get ready to babysit Spike for the evening."
The entire castle was decked out. Fireworks went off as the sky lit up in various colors. The town had lights and lanterns along the streets as they led to the huge building on the hill that overlooked the entire village. Tons of carriages and other vehicles were entering through the castle gates as a path showed many people dressed in fancy outfits. Even the gardens had people shown talking with each other as food and drinks were being served by the servants. At the entrance, the carriages and other modes of transportation parked as the doors opened. The guards helped the nobles out of their rides and ushered them into the palace.
Night Light and Velvet were at the front gates as they welcomed each person. Even the town citizens were grateful for Twilight's parents as the royal pair expressed how they admired their people for inviting them to a Gala where normally only the nobility would be allowed to attend. The girls were all in the main hall talking amongst each other. Storm was putting the final touches on his outfit as he put his fedora on. The Jedi Knight was walking down a hallway when he approached a pair of closed doors.
"Okay, Storm. Remember your role. Tonight you are to act as Twilight's escort. This is a big night for her and her family. This is a chance for her to find potential suitors. Someone who can be her husband when she ascends the throne and becomes Queen. I have to stay out of the way."
Storm put his hand on the handle as he took a deep breath. He then flung them open as he walked into the main hall. The doors closed behind the boy as he saw many folks mingling and talking as the servants did their job of attending to everyone's needs. There was a small orchestra band playing instruments to set the mood. The Jedi Knight found the girls as they signaled him; for a while, they began to talk.
A trumpet blaring rang through the entire castle and the nearby gardens. Everybody turned their attention to look at the grand staircase of the main hall. A spotlight shined down as it revealed the King and Queen.
"All me to introduce to you all the rulers of Equis. King Night Light and Queen Twilight Velvet!" said the Announcer as he read from his scroll.
The huge crowd began to show appreciation for their leaders as they clapped and applauded. Even Storm and the girls joined in. Seeing that Twilight's parents were about to address the huge mass of people, the boy knew that was his cue. He excused himself from the girls as he began to approach them.
"Our loyal subjects! It is with great honor that we welcome you to our humble home. We hope everything is to your liking." declared Night Light as he got more applause and cheers.
"However, tonight's Gala is different from past ones. Tonight is a very special night. For you see, we have two announcements to make." stated Velvet. "The first has to do with the Kingdom of the Crystal Empire up north. As you all know, with their latest king, who was a dear friend to my husband and me, having passed with no heir, the entire kingdom has been in a state of the temporary ruling left by his advisors."
"As you know, the Kingdom of the Crystal Empire has been our allies for as long as our bloodline has reigned. And so, with an agreement that he and I met before he passed away. I'm pleased to announce that arrangement has been sealed. So, let me introduce to you all Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor!"
The spotlight shifted from the King and Queen to the top of the stairs. There were Shining Armor and Cadance as they were dressed in their Gala outfits. They began to walk down the stairs arm in arm as they received applause and cheers from the people gathered. They now stood beside Night Light and Velvet, arm in arm.
"With the union of my eldest son and Princess Cadenza inheriting the throne from her uncle's passing, the Kingdom of the Crystal Empire will remain strong as ever and will continue to support our friendship for many years to come!" said Night Light as he got a big pop of cheers from the people.
"And now, the second announcement for the cause of tonight's celebration," said Velvet as Storm had made it up the stairs and stood off to the side of the married couples as he waited.
"Tonight is special for me, my husband, and our entire family. Tonight marks the return. The return of our daughter. To think we might never have gotten a chance to see her again after she left to train to be a Jedi. But rejoice in the fact that she's returned. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you. The future heir to the throne of Equis, our daughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle!"
The moment Velvet finished her speech, the spotlight rose, and trumpets began to blare. The doors at the top of the stairs burst open as guards marched through carrying banners with Twilight's mark. As they were marching down the stairs, some of the maids standing on the side of the stairs began to sing as the band played the regal music.
The Princess Twilight cometh
Behold, behold
A Princess here before us
Behold, behold, behold
The guards carrying the banners walked down the steps as they ran through their routine. Behind them was a shadow; it stepped into the spotlight as it was revealed to be Twilight herself. The girl wore the dress Rarity made, hair tied in a bun as she wore her official crown with her mark/royal crest. However, the thing that caught Storm's attention was that she wore the ribbon he gave her on his birthday.
Behold, behold (behold, behold)
The Princess Twilight cometh
Behold, behold (behold, behold)
The Princess is
The Princess is here!
The song winded down as the guards now stood on the side as Twilight stood in the middle of the stairway. The girl allowed all to see her as she got some praise. For the princess, she waved to show her appreciation. Her family was down at the stairway as they smiled seeing her. For Storm, he was taken back by what he saw. He saw how Twilight looked in her dress due to the fashion show, but somehow, this time, it felt different. In a way, he was enamored by how Twilight looked.
The Jedi Knight was staring at Twilight that he forgot he had to go fetch the girl and escort her down the rest of the way. He got nudged in the shoulder by Night Light, who stood next to him as the King cleared his throat and glared at the boy. Storm now remembered his role as he facepalmed his forehead for forgetting before he took off. The boy walked up the stairs as Twilight awaited her escort, smiling. The teen was now a few stairs below where the girl stood as they looked at each other. Nothing but silence as they kept on staring and admiring each other.
"Hey," said Storm with a bit of shyness.
"Hey," said Twilight in the same tone.
"You look nice."
"Thanks, you do too," replied the girl.
"For the first time in my life, I know the difference between pretty and beautiful," stated Storm as he spoke his mind. Twilight couldn't help but turn red at hearing that.
The pair would have continued to look at each other had Night Light not gotten their attention. The King glared at the boy while making the slashing motion across his throat to signal to hurry up. Storm turned back to Twilight as he extended and offered his hand. Twilight smiled and put hers in his as she accepted it. The Jedi Knight then pulled the princess in as she had her arm intertwined with his as he escorted her down the flight of stairs.
They reached the bottom, where Twilight's family was waiting. They all turned back to face the crowd as the spotlight shined down on the three separate pairs as the sea of people took in and admired the entire Sparkle family. Their presence and royalty, as well as their influence and power, resonated for all to see.
"Let the Gala commence!" shouted Night Light.
The Gala was in full swing. For the event's first half, everybody crowded around Shining Armor and Cadance as they wanted to congratulate the pair on their intermarriage between the two Kingdoms. The pair answered any, and all questions brought to them and informed them of the upcoming wedding they were planning to signify their union. With her brother distracting most of the party, it allowed Twilight some freedom as she and Storm met up with their friends. The princess took a moment to sit and listen as the sight before warmed her heart. Here she was enjoying a party with her close friends.
Twilight was making her way to the gardens as Storm accompanied her. The boy kept his role as he only spoke when Twilight talked to him. Other than that, the boy remained silent as ever when the princess did small talk with several other nobles. Some made their attempts to woo the girl, but the boy remained unfazed as he knew this was the best for the pair.
They made it to a quiet section of the gardens as the girl absorbed the silence. She looked up to the night sky and admired the stars and constellations. The birds that were let out passed as they flew around the girl. A hooting sound was heard as Owlowiscious was perched on the nearby tree. The small owl then flew and rubbed against Twilight's cheek as the girl giggled before embracing her owl in her arms.
All the while, Storm was watching while keeping his distance. He felt Sonar touch his shoulder as the bat squeaked at its owner. The Jedi used his finger to rub the bat's head when Twilight got his attention.
"Listen, Storm. I get my parents told you you're to be my escort tonight and watch over me. But... that doesn't mean you don't have to talk to me." said Twilight holding Owlowiscious in her arms as the bird gave a calming sound.
"It's just... this night is important to you. And your family. You've met tons of people who could be potential suitors. I'm just making sure I don't get in your way, " Storm said as his bat squeaked.
"I get it. But to be honest, none of the ones I've mingled with haven't caught my interest. If anything, they're just looking for a way to get to me and my family's power." said the princess. "Besides, what I want is different than what my parents want."
"And what do you want, princess?" asked Storm.
"That's to enjoy this evening with my friends," Twilight reached her hand and grabbed Storm's hand. "With you. You're my partner. That's never gonna ever change. And I don't want it to."
Storm just stared at Twilight as the princess moved in closer. Her face was now inches from hers as she removed her grip from his and placed it on his cheek. The Jedi Knights took this moment to look each other in the eye as they smiled. Storm brought his hand to cusp Twilight's hand on his cheek. He then moved it over and placed it on the princess' cheek as she leaned into it.
"May I?" asked Storm.
"Do it," smiled Twilight.
The boy then moved it upwards, reached into her hair as he undid the princess' bun, and let her hair fall majestically past her shoulders.
"You know, I like it better with your hair down," said Storm as Twilight giggled and smiled.
Owlowiscious let out a hoot as he freed himself from Twilight's arms and flew off with Sonar following behind. The teens then continued to enjoy the party and each other. They got involved with some of the festivities, including one in which Rainbow and Applejack were having a cider drinking contest. Both girls let out a huge burp that got some of the nobles to make disgusted looks at them. Pinkie had been scouting the buffet table and was trying to gobble everything in sight as some of the guards had to drag her away. Fluttershy was with Shenran as the girl felt like a princess in a fairytale as the boy led her to the section of the garden where all the animals hanged out. And Rarity was chatting up some business with people who heard about the fashion show by Hoity Toity.
The band began to shift the mood as the music slowly played. The couples started to pair up and hit the dancefloor as they held each other. Twilight was approached by many nobles who asked the princess for a dance, which she accepted. Storm decided to leave Twilight alone to mingle as he made his way to the punch bowl. The boy used his powers to serve himself some punch, which felt refreshing.
"Storm! Storm!"
"Coco?" said the Jedi Knight as he saw the girl slipping and trying to make her way to the boy.
"Thank goodness I found you."
"What's wrong?" asked the boy.
"It's Twilight," responded the girl.
What Coco was referring to was an incident involving the princess. After dancing with her seventh partner, Twilight was starting to feel a bit tired. Pinkie had jumped on the stage and began to hijack and convince the band to play some more upbeat music as the guards went after her. The girl took that moment to catch a break and rest her feet from all the dancing she'd been through. The Jedi princess wasn't paying attention to where she was going and inadvertently bumped into a nearby waiter who spilled the tray of chocolate syrup on a nearby patron.
"Sorry," said Twilight to the waiter. The servant accepted the apology of the princess as he saw the disaster and went off to get some cleaning supplies.
"I'm so sorry," said the princess as she approached the person covered in syrup.
"The nerve!" shouted a voice.
It belonged to a girl with moderate persian blue eyes. Her hair consisted of pale, light grayish indigo with light gray streaks as her skin tone was pale, light grayish olive. She was kneeling next to her fiancé, a teen boy with moderate azure eyes, as he had some glasses. His hair was dark gray as his skin was that of spring greenish-gray.
"Honestly, watch where you're going!!!" shouted the girl.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen. Let me help," said Twilight as she extended her hand out.
The boy merely swatted it away as he was helped by his girlfriend. His entire silk suit was ruined and covered in sticky chocolate syrup.
"For a princess, you are a klutz!" the boy said.
"I'm sorry," said Twilight as she felt intimidated.
"If you were really sorry, you would have paid attention to where you were going, right, Upper Crust?"
"Indeed, Jet Set. Honestly, with that kind of clueless attitude, I'll be shocked to see if she even finds a partner to marry," scoffed Upper Crust.
"Please, who in their right mind would ever want to be with a princess who isn't even here?" said Jet Set as Twilight was starting to take those words to heart. "She's too busy dodging her responsibilities to be a Jedi. I'm amazed you're to be the heir to Equis when you can't even get your priorities straight."
"It seems the era of the royal family will end. And all because the princess can't figure out which boy she likes. She's too insecure about deciding without a book to tell her the answer." mocked Upper Crust as she and Jet Set were cackling.
Twilight started sniffing a bit as those words cut deep with her. The princess felt like she wanted to disappear and run away. Soon the sounds of other people laughing could be heard as they joined in on mocking the princess. Twilight's mind showed everybody laughing and pointing at her as the girl clutched her head. She was about to lose it when a hand touched her shoulder.
"Everything okay here?" said Storm as he was brought by Coco to come to Twilight's aid.
As he stepped forward, the princess turned her head to see her partner's presence.
"And who the hell are you?" asked Jet Set.
"I'm the princess' escort for tonight. My job is to make sure that the princess isn't bothered. And if you have a problem with Twilight, the daughter of the king of Equis, then you got a problem with me. So?" said Storm.
"The only problem here is her. The truth is that not everybody in Equis believes the princess is ready to be the heir. The way I see it, she's the heir to a throne of nothing!" said Jet Set as a few mumbles were heard around the four, with a few agreeing with what the noble teen was saying.
"And what are you to her, boy? Hmm. Are you her shining Jedi Knight? Are you gonna be the one to solve all her problems? Are you gonna be the boy she falls in love with, and then you both will live happily ever after? And rainbows and unicorns will appear? Is that what you think you can give her?" mocked Upper Crust. "News flash, Jedi. She'll be lucky to find someone willing to marry her and give her kids. Of course, they'll pale in comparison to my fiancé here. As for you, boy. You're a Jedi, but really you're from the streets. You're a rat. You were born alone, and you'll die alone."
More mumbles began to murmur as they started to see what Jet Set and Upper Crust were saying. Some of the guards posted nearby heard small snippets of the conversation as one of them was sent to fetch for Twilight's parents as they felt things were slowly getting out of hand.
Twilight was really letting what Jet Set and Upper Crust were saying affect her mind as all she could think about was failing and making her parents disappointed in their daughter. Storm put his hand in Twilight's as the girl felt and noticed it. The Jedi Knight looked at the girl as it said he was about to do something that might not go over well, especially with so many nobles around them.
"I think I got a pretty good idea of who I'm dealing with," spoke Storm.
"Where are your manners? Don't you know that's rude to speak unless spoken to!" commanded Upper Crust.
"Don't you know that I don't give a damn what you assholes have to say!" returned Storm with some fury.
When the Jedi Knight responded, all the other guests and nobles gasped. They didn't expect someone of lower status to speak that way to an elite. Not to mention the vulgar spoken by the boy as they thought it uncouth that the princess was associating herself with someone like him.
"See, you stand here, and you're trying to blame us, please; this is the portion of the program where I turn their theory into crap. You'll ready?" asked Storm to the fourth wall as he was prepared to shoot from the hip. "Okay. Brace yourselves; here we go." Storm cleared his throat as he was beginning to talk, Twilight saw what the boy was about to do, and it gave her some confidence.
"See, it's easy for people like you cause you have this perception against people like me because it's easy for y'all to blame me. See, I never for one second ask anybody to buy into what I say and stand for. Those who run with me, they just believe dude, because you cannot fake heart." said Isaac as he was staring at Jet Set while saying it to both of them. "See, we can take a joke; we got no problem with you two mocking us," said Storm as he pointed to him and Twilight. "But we definitely have a problem with you two; it's not just a joke with you two. You actually believe what you're saying is true, and it couldn't be further from the truth." The boy then turned towards Upper Crust as he pointed at her, "Like you, you actually believe that all this was made possible for you but couldn't be any more false. Don't you realize how asinine that is?" Upper Crust just simply rolled her eyes at the Jedi Knight's statement.
"Here's the truth, and it's gonna sting a little bit. They didn't invite you back because they didn't want you back. Because when you were here before, you didn't do jack!" shouted Storm. "You don't believe me; check the guest list. Look under the King's section that says: pompous punk-ass bitches!"
Even more, gasps were heard as Jet Set, and Upper Crust scoffed at what they heard. Jet Set looked to strike at the Jedi Knight was Upper Crust was holding him back. Night Light and Velvet were informed by a guard about what was happening with their daughter and Storm as they began to follow him to where they were, Storm kept running down the two nobles in front of him.
"And you!" said Storm as he now pointed at Upper Crust to address her, "Oh, you got my whole life planned out. This is just a scheme that I'm hatching up. I'm using Twilight; I'm using the princess to get all the riches and wealth. I'm manipulating her feelings to lure her into a false sense and make her think I want to be with her. I'm the one she's been searching for, and when the time is right, I'm gonna leave her high and dry and bail on her like a one-night stand. Man, are you both high?!!!"
Storm's response was met with several reactions as each time the Jedi kept on roasting the nobles, they were disgusted but also intrigued by each word he spoke. As if he was making them hang on by every single thread that came out of his mouth.
"Every time you guys show up, run your mouth, and you are a waste of space. Oh, oh, oh, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait. And you want to knock Twilight around for not having kids? How long have y'all been married? How many kids you got?" said Storm as that hit a personal note for Upper Crust and Jet Set. "Let me just crunch the numbers really quick, none. What you firing blanks there, sport?" said Storm as he gave a light punch to Jet Set as the Jedi Knight hit him above his groin. That comment alone caused Upper Crust to gasp while the crowd was just "oohing" while Jet Set was trying to ease the pain from the punch Storm did to him. Even Twilight had her hand over her mouth as she couldn't believe what her partner did and said that as she had a smile on her face.
The tension in the air had reached an all-time high. Jet Set was now angry at how Storm humiliated him and his fiancé, which he looked ready to throw down. The Jedi Knight saw this, and he was prepared to throw some fists as he had a couple of last-minute things to say.
"You say I'm a street rat. Well, I've learned never to bring a knife to a gunfight. Seems y'all didn't listen cause you talk and talk and talk and talk. And you don't even listen to yourselves cause if you did, you'd realize just how ridiculous you sound! Where we come from, if you fail or get knocked down, you just get back up and move on! If you guys so much stumble, you blame everybody else; it's never your fault, and there's always an excuse." said Storm as he pointed at them. "And that type of attitude creates this ego where you're unbeatable, unstoppable, untouchable, but that's not real, bro. And real gonna punch you straight in the mouth." The Jedi Knight was now up close to Jet Set's face as he stared the noble down.
"I stand in front of you a man; the man that you're looking in the eyes right now and you know would crush you in the blink of an eye! You know why, because you two waste your time memorizing my house rules, you forgot the one rule we all live by. You want to talk tough, you better be tough cause you a pussy!!!"
The moment Storm said that word, everybody around them lost their minds. The biggest gasps could be heard as they were shocked that the Jedi spoke this way. For Twilight, she kinda enjoyed listening to Storm speak. In a way, it gave her confidence.
"These two are nothing but gutless, spineless, loudmouth cowards! I said it before, and I'll say it again. You're not the 'it' couple; you're the 'shh it' couple!" proclaimed Storm as it looked like Jet Set and Upper Crust wanted to punch him so badly for all the disrespect he was showing them. "Prove me wrong! We are here at the Grand Gala, and everybody's got that vibe; everybody can feel it, they're tired of the same old boring shit and they wants to see something happen! So make it happen, holmes. Ball up that fist and take a shot; just remember, if you swing, I'm gonna swing back! So I dare you, I dare you, you son of bitch! Do it! Do it! You throw a punch, and I swear I WILL THE KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF YOU!!!" echoed the boy's voice as it created soundwaves that almost everybody in the castle could hear.
"Oh, and as much as you probably want to come over here and slap the taste out of my mouth. You're frozen in your tracks cause if you so much as step in my direction, she'll knock the botox out of your cheeks!" said Storm to Upper Crust. The girl rolled her eyes as she didn't buy the boy's bluff, but Twilight did so when she took a step forward as it seemed the princess was backing up her partner. That alone made Upper Crust start to sweat.
"We right here, man. Feeling froggy, jump. You'll want to see this?" said Storm to everybody before getting in a stance as he and was ready to throw some punches. The other guests were now getting behind the Jedi Knights as they wanted to see a brawl, so much so that they started chanting, "Fight, fight, fight."
The atmosphere was building up as Storm and Twilight waited for their opponents to make a move. Jet Set was ready to hit Storm in the face as he raised his fist when Upper Crust stopped him. The girl told her fiancé to not waste his time with them as she began to lead them away, much to the disdain of everyone around them as they booed.
"Talk about firing blanks; looks like there's nothing to fire with!" stated Storm as he gave them one final comment.
That alone got Jet Set to start returning as Upper Crust had to pull her fiancé back from getting his hands on Storm. The girl was pulling on her fiancé's arms to hold him back as he struggled to break free. Storm took the slight moment that Jet Set had his head turned to reel his fist back as he made contact with the noble's face as he was sent flying across the marble floor.
The crowd started to cheer as they finally got to see some violence. Some even cheered Storm for defending the princess as the boy straightened his suit. Rainbow was leaning over the body of Jet Set as the boy was knocked out cold.
"Oh, you got knocked the fuck out!" said Rainbow as she laughed.
"Alright, people, move along! You've had your fun!" said the guards as several appeared. "Move along; nothing to see here." The people grumbled as they were swooshed away by the guards trying to restore order for the Gala.
"Somebody escort those two out," said Shining Armor to some guards as they began to drag Jet Set and Upper Crust away with the latter kicking and screaming.
Storm cracked his hand as he had a smile on his face. He soon felt Twilight's hand in his as the boy looked at the princess. The girl wasted no time hugging him. The Jedi Knight looked and saw Night Light and Velvet a few meters away. The pair had arrived in the middle of Storm, running down the snooty nobles as they prepared to take matters into their own hands. But once they saw how Storm owned them, they figured he could take care of them, and they could sweep away the remaining trash.
For a second, Night Light nodded to Storm and smiled as the boy did his job of protecting Twilight. Even Shining Armor had to give some respect to Storm for being able to stand up for his little sister. Both members of Twilight's family who were hard on him, in that moment, they gave him a small sign of respect. The Jedi Knight smiled as they left. Twilight broke the hug and immediately grabbed Storm's hand as she led him.
The main hall was filled with many people slow dancing as the pair was on the edge of the dancefloor, which would give them enough privacy.
"Twilight, what the hell are-"
"Put your arms around," responded the girl.
"Oh no, I'm not doing this. I'm just your escort-"
"Please," said the girl putting a finger to his lips to silence the Jedi Knight. "Don't argue with me. Put your arms around me."
Storm could do nothing as Twilight was already wrapping her hands around his neck. The boy put his hands on the girl's waist as he held the princess. They began to move in time with the music, all while staring at each other. For the Jedi, they were starting to get lost in the moment. For Twilight, she felt happy; after seeing her friend stand up for her, it made her heart skip a beat. As for Storm, the boy kept a neutral face as he did his job.
Soon the next part of the dance occurred as Storm turned Twilight around so that her back faced him. He still held her hands together as they continued to dance. They kept on spinning for a bit as the boy let go of the princess as she twirled for a bit in front of him. They were now facing each other as they approached and hooked their right hand together as their left hands were placed on the other in the proper position.
The teens stared and looked at each other as the princess smiled. She was pulled close so that Storm could whisper into her ear as he silently sang some of the lyrics to the song; the princess rested her head on his shoulder and sighed blissfully.
The song then began to pick up the last bit as Twilight pulled away so that Storm could twirl her more as they moved about the dance floor in time at a quicker pace. The boy then grabbed onto Twilight's side when she was being pulled in from her latest twirl, as he picked her up and spun in place while both kept their eyes on each other. He soon put the princess down as she wrapped her arms around his neck while Storm's were placed around her waist.
"Thank you," said Twilight looking at her partner's eyes. She then placed her head on his chest, closed her eyes, and sighed happily.
Remember Storm, Jedi do not form attachments.
The voice of Luna echoed in the boy's head as he looked at the girl in his arms. He then remembered the warning by Twilight's mother.
What I'm saying is that loving someone means losing a part of yourself.
The Jedi Knight then had the flashback of him talking with Cadance.
”My question is, say you met someone. You saw them, and over time, the more you bonded, the more time you spent with them, and you started to develop feelings. Then say you wanted to act on those feeling, but your duty as a Jedi forbids it. So what do you do? Do you choose to break it off and continue being a Jedi? Or do you choose to leave, to be with that someone?"
"I can't just up and leave. I can't voluntarily leave the Jedi Order! That's not how it works. I... I have to remain a Jedi, even if I was to fall in love with someone. I'm needed in this war that we're fighting. Twilight has told you, that I'm on the front lines of every battle that me and my friends are in. If I choose to fall in love, I would lose all that. I would lose my title, my status, my lightsaber, and for what? A chance at love?"
"Is that a bad thing? Or are you just preaching the Jedi values that have been implemented into your brain by the others and your master?" countered Cadance.
"I'm a Jedi, and as powerful as I am. I can't have all the power that comes with it and someone who I care about deeply. It just can't happen or work." stated Storm.
"When you took the oath of being a Jedi, they said don't form attachments. And you would agree to that statement cause in your head, you're thinking, that's not gonna happen. But... how hard is that? Especially when you form it anyways." stated Cadance.
"Huh?"
"Cause forming an attachment, you don't consciously make the decision. It just happens. It's a process, not a decision. I mean, how can you not have a crazy connection with someone who you're protecting as well as they're a similar age to you. It's bad. You both can't be together. Forbidden love. Those are always the most exciting ones."
"Why is Twilight's personal business being brought into this. That's hers, not mine."
"But you're her partner."
"Partner, as in training. As in sparring, as in someone who motivates you, who pushes you to get to that next level! As someone who supports you! As someone who is a..."
"Friend," interrupted Cadance. "A friend. Someone who will stand by you in tough times. Someone you can count on. Someone who you care about. Someone who holds a special place in your heart, whether conditional or unconditional. Someone who you put your trust in."
"As I said, Twilight has enough on her plate right now. She doesn't need to be concerned with what her partner thinks about her when it comes to her love life. That's for her and her alone. Me, I'm just here to hopefully guide her to where she doesn't have to be married by a specific date. Whether that happens or not, remains to be seen. All I can do is simply offer my support to her."
"But what if?” Said Cadance.
"You can't have everything you want. It's not possible cause if it was, I would've wished for this war to be over. Wanting something doesn't give you the right to have it.
Storm was also recalling other events as the Force was invading his mind. One of them was the incident involving Obi-wan and Satine aboard the Coronet.
"Demanded? But it's obvious you had feelings for her. Surely that would affect your decision." stated Anakin as both he and Storm listened to their friend's story and could tell that he harbored secret feelings for the Duchess.
"Oh, it did. I live by The Jedi Code," answered Obi-wan as he reminded the Jedi Knights of the most vital rule that they must not disobey.
"Of course. As Master Yoda says: A Jedi must not form attachments," said Storm as he and Anakin leaned against the wall facing the Jedi Master.
"Yes. But he usually leaves out the undercurrent of remorse."
"But I've loved you, Obi-wan, from the moment you came to my aid all those years ago."
"Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order. For you."
The next one involved one that Anakin told him about when he was guarding Padme while on Naboo.
"From the moment I met you, all those years ago. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you. And now that I'm with you again, I'm in agony. The closer I get to you, the worst it gets. The thought of not being with you; I can't breathe." said Anakin to Padme. "I'm haunted by the kiss you should have never given me. My heart is beating, hoping that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very soul, tormenting me."
"We can't. It's just not possible," replied Padme.
"Anything is possible, Padme. Listen to me."
"No, you listen! We live in the real world. Come back to it! You're studying to be a Jedi; I'm a Senator. If you follow your thoughts to the conclusion, it'll take us to a place we cannot go. Regardless of the way we feel about each other. I will not let you give up your future for me." said Padme.
"You're asking me to be rational. That is something I know I can't do. Believe me, I wish I could just wish away my feelings, but I can't!" replied Anakin.
The Jedi Knight was struggling with all these thoughts that the Force was telling him. It pained his head as he didn't know what to do. He now recalled back to the thoughts he had when he saved the Cakes from the robbery.
"It just wouldn't be right to have you do such a heroic thing and not take the credit. Surely there's something we could do or say, right?" Mrs. Cake asked, looking hopeful.
Storm scowled at the thought but didn't let them see. Take credit? What did they think he was? A model? An actor? He didn't do this for recognition. If anything, he'd be fine dying without anyone even remember his name. He was a Jedi, after all.
Though he'd admit, a small, insignificant part of him craved the attention, the recognition. He'd done so much for the Republic and the Jedi Council, and what did he get in return? Money? It couldn't buy him happiness. Satisfaction?
Sometimes, he'd wonder what kind of life he'd have if it weren't this one. Would he have real friends? A simple, safe job? Maybe his name would be different. Maybe he would find love. Happiness. Maybe he'd be a regular boy instead of a Jedi. But he wasn't a regular boy.
He couldn't just go out and get a real job. He couldn't just play around with his friends. He couldn't find a nice girl, settle down, have some kids, and die knowing he didn't have a single regret. He couldn't just listen to the Jedi High Council and Luna. He couldn't live in peace. Not with how things were. Especially with the war going on.
Storm now looked down at Twilight as the girl still buried her head in him as the song was coming to a close. The boy felt all these different thoughts and emotions. It was as if the Force itself was testing to see what he would choose. Soon the boy had his answer as he looked at the girl in his arms.
"I am a Jedi. A Jedi. Through and through. Like my Master before. That will never change. Never!" spoke Storm in his mind.
"You're welcome," said the boy as he put his chin on the princess' head.
For the rest of the night, the two Jedi Knights relished being there for each other at the moment. The Gala went well into the late night; the servants cleaned up as nearly everybody in the castle was heading off to bed. Storm accompanied Twilight to her room as the pair stood outside the doors.
"Thanks for escorting me to my room," said Twilight.
"Hey, until you reach your room, I'm still your escort. Plus, I'll admit, it was pretty fun," stated Storm.
"Glad you had fun, and... I'm glad I got to attend the Gala with my partner. The person I can count on the most," said the princess, holding Storm's hand and fingers.
The boy reached into his fedora and pulled out the rose in the band. He then gave it to the princess, who took it with red on her face. The girl sniffed it as she smiled at the boy in front of her. The princess then began to open her door but did one last look at her friend.
"Well, good night," said Twilight.
She then did a courageous act, extending her finger and booped the Jedi Knight on the nose. The boy blinked several times in confusion. He then rubbed his nose to see if anything was on it but was still lost.
"What the hell was that Sparky?" asked the boy.
"Just a special way to show my appreciation," giggled the girl at how dumbfounded her partner was acting from a little touch on the nose. "Well, good night."
"Sweet dreams, princess."
"Thanks for saving me, Jedi Knight."
The girl then stepped in as the doors closed. The boy, while still confused about what the girl did but soon smiled. With a successful job keeping the princess safe, Storm began to make his way to his room for a nice, long, well-deserved sleep.