As night turned to day turned to night again and the Gala opened its gates, Chrysalis was waiting on reports. She was beginning to reassess the viability of her other plan when she got the telltale feeling of someone's gaze being firmly set upon her--not the limited loyalty of her minions, this was an overflowing adoration.
Glancing back, she spotted the origin of that stare. A white unicorn, wearing refined clothing and carrying herself with an almost regal elegance.
Chrysalis welcomed this respite, making her way out to the courtyard, with the unicorn hesitantly following her.
A few minutes later, she spotted her daintily sniffing a rose and approached. "Good evening, I am Prince Blueblood."
Tenderly, she responded. "I am...Rarity. Oh my, what a lovely rose!" leading Chrysalis to pluck it.
"This rose?" she asked, tucking it into the back of her mulberry mane. "It goes wonderfully with your ensemble."
For an instant, their thoughts lined up perfectly.
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Cucaracha dragged her bow against her cello's strings. While a better use of her talents than her typical assignment, she'd gotten weary of this background music. She enjoyed making those around her sing, dance, and shower her in affection.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by the dramatic entrance of a pink pony. No ordinary Gala-goer, that one, energetically singing and dancing, even mercifully interrupting her song by leaping on stage, and attracting some stern looks from the other ponies.
The look on Cucaracha's face, however, was one of hope. Gesturing to her fellow musicians, she and they ran backstage to trade their elegant accoutrements for something a bit less sophisticated.
Reemerging, she saw the pink pony moping. "Hey, senorita!"
Turning her head, the senorita in question saw a full Mareiachi band on stage, costumes and all, with an empty spot by the microphone.
Not needing any more of an invite, she galloped to the stage in glee, eliciting many gasps from the ladies and gentlecolts around her. She leaped, landing right next to the mic, and without even a pause to breathe started singing.
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Chrysalis felt a sudden pang of doubt in the competence of her subjects. Of particular concern were the cooks, who she worried might slip venom into the food out of habit. "Miss Rarity, would you like to partake in some refreshments?"
"Why, certainly! One of my friends is running a food stall."
She'd check later. "Lead the way," and she did.
The stall they reached would've been more at home at a carnival. "Applejack, darling! Two apple fritters, please."
"Two apple fritters, coming right up!" came the response, Applejack quickly offering a board with a crumbly couple resting on it. "That'll be four bits." Chrysalis paid, relieved at her date's less-than-lavish taste.
As she bit into the fritter, she could almost--nay, she could fully taste the love that went into it. Despite her stomach being the size of a breezie's breadbox, she finished the fritter without hesitation, having to stop herself from licking her lips. "These fritters are simply fantastic!"
"Shucks, I'm glad to hear they're fit for a prince. The secret ingredient is--"
"Love?"
"Heh, that's right!" Applejack's smile only grew as she noticed ponies lining up behind the pair.
Rarity giggled. "We'll run along now."
"Have fun, you two!" wished Applejack, before turning to the crust-hungry upper crust.