//------------------------------// // Preparing for the Grand Galloping Gala // Story: When Dark Touches Light // by MysteriousFlutterDash //------------------------------// This story starts on a very important night. The night of the hundredth Grand Galloping Gala. Oh! I am so forgetful. I am Nightmare Bloom, head captain in Princess Luna's royal guard. But one of the bad things about me is that I don’t have anypony special. So I always am on duty when needed. With all my practice though out the years I soon became the head captain in just 2 years. But enough about me, this story is about my love, Shinning Prism. He was also the one of the captains but, he was a day guard for Princess Celesta. It wasn’t forbidden for day and night guards to be together… it was just hard. Because the night guards are awake during the night and the day guards are awake during the day. So unless a day guard wants to stay up all night or vise versa then it was impossible. But this was one of the nights even the day guards were awake. “Guards!” Princess Luna summoned all of us. We got there in a quick manor. “Yes ma’am!” we all replied respectfully. “I would like to know who has plans for tonight,” Princess Luna asked. And as usual everypony raised their hoof but me. “I am sorry Nightmare Bloom… You are on duty again.” “Yes ma’am,” I said as I let a lonely sorrowful tear roll down my cheek. I just wanted somepony special. ... As I was getting ready for the duty I was told that the Gala was starting early and I was to report to Princess Luna’s chambers immediately. On my way there I happened to bump into a day guard. “Sorry,” he apologized. His voice had a warm, gentle feeling to it ; it lifted my sorrows and filled me with joy. I felt as if I was in love for the first time in many years. “Oh, I should’ve been watching where I was going,” I replied. I could feel my cheeks burn up, knowing that I was as red as we come. “It’s alright. Are you hurt?” he asked as he lent me a hoof to get up. “Of coarse not! I’m just in a hurry to get to Princess Luna’s chambers. I guess I’ll see you around.” “Sure,” he left with a bright smile on his face. Then I continued on towards Luna’s chambers. I felt like the most idiotic mare in all of Equestria. I let him slip away from my hoofs. See you around… Is that the best I could come up with? No. I have come up with better before. What was the difference now? *Knock Knock* “Princess Luna?” I asked if she was there. “Come in,” she replied. She was getting fitted for her new dress. Her dress was a beautiful midnight blue with glimmering stars to mimic the night sky, and freshly polished sliver shoes to match. “You requested I come to your chambers Princess?” I asked. Just to double check. “Yes I did. It is just that I found out that Nightlight has been slacking off and hasn’t done duty in one year now. So because of the inconvenience you get two tickets to the Gala tonight,” Princess Luna explained. “Thank you very much Princess.” I paused. “Why two? You know I don’t have anypony special to go to the Gala with.” “Because the one who let me know Nightlight hasn’t done any work in a year would like to go with you. Come out Shining Prism,” she moved to the left a little and revealed a white stallion pegasus. His blue eyes glowed like diamonds. His blonde mane was like golden threads and his wings were like the angels in heaven. “Hey,” he said. I recognized the voice immediately. He was the stallion I bumped into on the way here. I hadn’t gotten a good look at him before but now I truly believed he was the stallion of my dreams. “Hi,” I squeaked. “Do you need time to get ready or are you going in your uniform?” he asked. “I don’t have anything else to wear,” I said embarrassed. I never needed a dress before now. “I will call a friend of my sister’s student, Rarity. She can design a dress and create it in an hour. So by the time you get to Ponyville it should be ready. But you must leave now if you want to get it on time.” Princess Luna explained. That was when I left to the train for Ponyvillie. Finally when I sat down on the train I realized that he was following me. “You know you don’t need to come,” I explained. “Yes I do, you’re my date. I have to decide whether it goes with my suit or not,” he explained. “I never got your name. What is it?” “Nightmare Bloom,” I said. “Well I am Shinning Prism. But my friends call me Prism,” he explained. There was a little while of awkward silence then he spoke again. “Nightmare Bloom," he was hesitating, I could tell. "I... Uh, what is your favorite color?" "Midnight blue. Or silver," I replied with a giggle. His cheeks were a bright red. I could feel I wasn't the only one in love here. In fact I had a feeling he was going to ask me if I had anypony special. But I shouldn't get my hopes up. "So, Nightmare Bloom... What do you think your dress will look like?" he said, a little less stressed this time. "I don't know. All I know is I trust Princess Luna's choice," I replied. I really did trust her. The rest of the trip there was silent. He didn't have to come with me, it was very thoughtful of him. When we got off the train at Ponyville Rarity was right there waiting. She handed me a box and said it will fit. Also that we needed to leave right away so we could get there on time. So she turned us around and we got back on the train. The trip back to Canterlot was silent. Once we got one stop away from Canterlot I left to the restroom to change into my dress. It was a beautiful midnight blue with silver strands hanging down the sides as if they were shouting stars. I was so grateful this was my first dress and it's beautiful. I had to thank Rarity sometime. When I came out Prism was already in his suit. He had gotten a midnight blue and silver tuxedo. I wondered why he got a tuxedo that wasn't even daytime colors. Before I could ask him the train came to a screeching stop at the station. An hour later with one final jerk of the train we were there in Equestria's capital Canterlot.