“Must we? It will already be a busy week, Celestia. Why, there’s the International Art Exhibition that we’re sponsoring in Eyrie City, and the Royal Symphonic Orchestra’s month-long tour in Inari – I just received word yesterday from Octavia Melody that they arrived safely in the capital of Tokei the day prior.” Rarity drained her coffee, knowing she was going to need it; she’d been running virtually on fumes for the past couple of days. “And then there’s the huge science symposium in town that the Mage Guild is co-sponsoring with the Zebrababwean Embassy; I know Zecora’s been looking forward to that all year.”
The princess took a delicate sip from her tea and gave the most patient and understanding of smiles – and with that, Rarity knew she was in hot water. “Rarity, I understand your concerns. But these are two of the most important events of the year and given your status as a member of the Royal Family, you must attend, regardless of your personal feelings in the matter.”
“What feelings, Celestia, dear? Just because Blueblood gave me eternal mental trauma regarding the Grand Galloping Gala does not mean I hold any ill-will towards it; likewise, just because that mare he’s marrying the following week – Champagne Dreams, I believe her name is? – is too deluded and/or vapid to realize the sort of boor she’s shackling herself to does not mean I do not wish her the best of luck in her upcoming nuptials. I would just like to stay away from both – preferably as far away as possible.”
The sun alicorn sighed. “Rarity….”
“Would it be too much to ask you to send me to the moon for a couple of weeks – preferably with Silver? I could certainly use the peace and quiet.”
Celestia attempted to keep her composure even though she wholeheartedly sympathized with her sister royal. “You know how much the Gala bores me. Likewise, I have been sincerely hoping that we end up with another changeling invasion during Blueblood’s wedding – even Cadance thought it might be a good idea.”
“Isn’t it worth commenting upon when the mare whose wedding was nearly ruined by a changeling invasion hopes that another one comes by for her cousin’s?” Rarity drolled. “And if you dislike the Gala so much, I fail to see why you still hold it. It’s long overdue that if the previous dynasty wants to celebrate one that badly, somepony from one of the pretender houses can be host.”
“They still are, to some degree: a representative stands alongside me when I give the keynote address. But the original intent of the Gala was for the outermost and lesser nobility to see their liege,” Celestia explained, “and though it’s changed from just the nobility to that of the politically connected and the wealthy, enough commoners now attend that it’s still important that they see us – I wouldn’t have gotten to know any of you had you not attended.”
“You have a point there, I’ll admit,” Rarity said, choking further comment behind a bite of her crepe.
“And as for Blueblood’s wedding, either Champagne Dreams is a mare in over her head – I’m sure you’re familiar with that – or she knows exactly what she’s getting into. The former is a concern…the latter is a deep worry.” Celestia took a quick bite from a breakfast pastry, the flakes falling from the fork like dust. “Having mares there that have had…experience…with Blueblood and his antics will either give her a chance to discuss things with a neutral party, or send a subtle signal that we are watching.”
“Well, if nothing else, this will be the first year Sweetie Belle and the others will be attending the Gala. Perhaps I can have Scootaloo destroy a few columns while Silver Spoon yells at the wildlife?” The result was a sudden burst of laughter from the Princess of the Day as both mares treasured a disastrously fond memory.
“Sit still, Sweetie Belle!” Diamond Tiara said as she tried to move the measuring tape around her friend’s barrel. “It was hard enough measuring Scootaloo and she didn’t squirm!”
“Sorry,” the unicorn giggled. “It tickles!”
“Hey, not all of us are lucky enough to be unicorns and just use magic, okay?” Diamond said as she adjusted the tape, then took notes on the measurement. “Hrm…looks like somepony put on a couple of pounds. You haven’t bee—”
“I have not!” Sweetie defended.
Diamond looked at her sternly before breaking into a smile. “Kidding.”
“Diamond!”
A slight distance away, another two mares were going through the same thing, though in this case, both were unicorns. “Well, your measurements have changed as well, Twilight,” Rarity said, “though I daresay that’s muscle, isn’t it?”
Twilight nodded. “Ever since I took the Vicemagus position at the Academy, I’ve had to familiarize myself with various species’ magic systems. Jaguar magic, in particular, is very physically intensive, and I’ve had to spend a bit of time working out with Rainbow and Applejack to get me up to speed.”
“Well, don’t overdo it, Twilight dear. Your simple bodyframe is what makes you look attractive, and while muscles enhance Applejack’s and Rainbow’s own looks, it won’t do as well for you,” Rarity advised as she adjusted the tape once more and remeasured.
“Oh, don’t worry, I have no plans to look like Snowflake anytime soon,” the vicemagus assured her sister royal. “Besides, if I kept it up, I probably wouldn’t fit into my official mage robes.”
“Twilight, why can’t we just wear those to the Gala?” Sweetie asked.
“You know, that’s a good question. They are a sort of formal uniform,” Twilight noted.
At once, both Diamond and Rarity looked at their respective charges and said in unison, “Because they’re not fashionable!”
“I don’t see you giving this much grief to Rainbow or Shiny about their uniforms,” Twilight muttered.
“Twilight dear, those are dress uniforms they’ll be wearing to the ball, not duty attire or barding. They were made for formal circumstances, whereas as I understand it, the Guild tends to take an official line against anything formal, do they not?”
“Yeah, why is that, Twilight?” Sweetie asked.
“It was a decision by Wisteria the Wise,” Twilight answered. “Apparently one of the early Galas was attacked by timberwolves and Wisteria couldn’t get into the battle because she was in this ornately-designed ballgown that gave her no movement in battle. She finally tore it off in order to push away the timberwolf alpha, but afterwards decreed that the formal mage robes would suffice as formal attire for any mage.”
“Couldn’t they have just had somepony design something suitable for the Gala?” Diamond asked.
“Truthfully, mages rarely attend the festivities,” Twilight told her. “I’m not the most social of ponies, but when it comes to the Gala I’m a regular social butterfly in comparison to others.”
“That’s a shame,” Sweetie replied. “I can think of a few of my classmates that could stand to get outdoors. Then again, I think I’m much more of an active pony than a lot of my fellow students.”
“Sweetie, would you mind stretching your left hindleg out?” Diamond asked. “I want to make sure I get the sweep of your leg correctly.”
“And once again I’m reminded why I’m glad ponies don’t wear clothing on a regular basis,” Sweetie grumbled.
“Well, if it makes you feel better, Sweetie, dear,” Rarity said, “the stallionfolk who will be attending with us are probably having just as much of a time being fitted for their formal attire as well.”
“C’mon, Mac, loosen up a little!” Noteworthy told him. “You’re headin’ out to the Gala with your sweetie an’ everything’s all cool.”
The large stallion looked at the stallion his sister had been dating for close to a year now. He’d never thought highly of Noteworthy, mainly because he knew the jazz musician had a string of mares in his past a mile long. But he’d supposedly given all that up when he’d started up with Applejack. Supposedly. “Eyup,” he answered, not wanting to say anything further.
“Ow! Hey, watch the wing, okay?” Thunderlane said to Rickrack.
“Sorry, just not used to fitting pegasi for tuxedoes,” the earth pony replied. “I could’ve recommended you to a tailor in Cloudsdale, you know.”
“Maybe, but I promised my friends I’d come in with them,” Thunderlane replied, shaking his wing slightly to get the pain from the needle prick out. He turned and looked at the two not being fitted. “You two are the luckiest jerks here, you know that?”
Soarin’ and Silversteel looked at each other. “Well,” Soarin’ said, “you’re always welcome to join the Guard and get yourself a nifty dress uniform, Thunderlane. Celestia knows we could use the recruitment in pegasi right now.”
“Plus, Rarity asked me to make sure you guys got fitted so none of you will play that ‘I’m bowing out because I’m not ready for the Gala’ excuse. She wants it to be perfect and…well, you know how my fillyfriend can get,” Silver added.
“Eyup, tha’ we do,” Mac answered. “Speakin’ of which, who ‘re y’ gettin’ t’ take Twilight t’ th’ Gala?”
“And you’re worried about this why, you stud?” Noteworthy said, elbowing the larger stallion. Instead, he got a glare from Mac, and the musician threw his forelegs up in jest, saying, “Hey, just kidding, okay? Geez, chill, wouldja?”
“No, I get what Mac’s thinking,” Soarin’ said. “Betting Rarity’s going to insist that Twi have a date, because she’s the only one who hasn’t found her own special somepony. Well, I’m already spoken for, so….”
“Ha, ha,” Silver drolled.
“No, seriously, Silver. When Rainbow and I were seeing other ponies, Twi and I dated briefly. Didn’t really work out; we see each other too much as friends to have any real chemistry. Honestly, the one time we kissed? Kinda felt like I was kissing my sister.”
“And does Shining Armor know about that?” Silver asked wryly.
“Yeah – he says that answer’s the only reason my wings are still attached,” Soarin’ laughed. “But seriously, I think I might know a pony who might fit the bill, if he’s still available: unicorn stallion by the name of Life Bloom, attached to the 867th Combined Cohort out in Saddleback Mountain. Guy’s not a Guild mage, obviously; he’s the unit’s medic if I recall correctly, but he’s rather bookish and right up Twi’s alley.”
“You sure on this?” Silver asked. “As in ‘I’m going to have to send a message to Shines right now’ sure?”
“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Soarin’ assured him. “Suave, bookish, just as snarky as she can be – they’ll get along great.”
“That settles that, then,” Silver said. “You keep your eyes on the guys here. I’m going to head over to the Post Office and see if Derpy can get a last-minute express letter to Canterlot to let Shines know.”
“Okay, will do,” Soarin’ said. “You go have fun flirting with your ex.”
“You really like pushing your luck, don’t you, Soarin’?”
“Look who I’m dating,” the pegasus drolled back. “You start dating Rainbow Dash, you need to learn how to move fast.”
The rocks exploded in a wave of plasma, superheated as the lightning bolt hit them. When the blast faded away, what wasn’t partially slagged glowed a deep red, the sign it had been hit with a weapons-grade thunderbolt discharge.
“Your skills are improving, Revanche,” Chaff noted subtly. “Once you have complete control in a stable frame, we’ll get you to work on air tactics. It’s just as well, as the training you’ve given our forces has been invaluable.”
“Thanks,” Revanche said, wiping the sweat out of her eyes. She’d had a long day of training the Weather Underground’s forces, then a lengthy workout before getting back to the artillery range to practice her Redsprite abilities. Four months of learning and understanding her new skills and applying them in ways she never could have back when she was merely Tiger Lily, a guardsmare. But that life was long gone. “But, sir,” she told him, “we don’t go until this is perfect. I cannot afford to fail at my task.”
“At furthering the goals of the Underground or getting your husband back?”
“At either,” she replied, focusing as she began to channel the inner energies needed to summon a derecho, a good way to take out a number of flyers at once.
“Hey, Rev, you got a moment?” Spinnaker flew down, landing by her.
“Heya, Spin, what’s up?” Revanche and Spinnaker had become close friends, along with the third member of their little group, Cloister. To Revanche, it was bittersweet – these two were now her closest friends, but each time she spent time with them, it always brought up in the back of her mind, the pony whose life she took, the mare who Tiger Lily would rather have died than to ever hurt. And yet here I am, and Goldie’s dead.
“Cloister and I wanted to know if you wanted to go into town with us.” The town in question was Clustermare, a town deep in the badlands that was sympathetic to the Underground. It was as close to civilization things could get for them and the townsfolk appreciated the trade from the Bastion since they were too far from the majority of Equestriani civilization, and so the Underground and Clustermare had somewhat of a symbiotic relationship.
“I wish, but I was hoping to keep working on my aim.”
Spinnaker nickered. “Rev, you’re doing fine. But you need a break. C’mon, mare’s night out, okay?” Revanche was about to protest again when Spinnaker said, “What will your stallion think of you come back to him all dour and morbid? You need to show him you’ve never forgotten how to love, right?”
Revanche nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“You know it, mare!” Spinnaker said with a wink. “We’ll meet up by the grotto in thirty minutes – give you plenty of time to shower and get ready.”
“It’s a deal, then.” Turning back to Chaff, she asked, “With your permission, sir?”
“Granted, not that you really need mine,” he answered. “You’re still young, Revanche – go enjoy your youth while it still lasts. There will be enough time for struggle and justice later, and you’ll want to be at your best then.”
“Roger that, sir,” she said, and headed off.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to be at my meeting with the dairy team – they’re planning to make some interesting cheeses for this year’s Harvestide Festival and they wanted me to sample some of the wares.” He winked at her. “Ah, the life of a leader is never done. I’ll see you later.” With that, he also took to wing, headed for the opposite end of the compound.
Once she was alone, Candlewick fluttered down near Spinnaker. Looking around to see that they were alone, he asked, “You sure this is going to work, Spin?”
“Candle, are you sure about this? She seems attached to that husband of hers – the kind of true love that any mare wants.”
“Except that our spies report differently,” Candlewick replied. “There’s no marriage of a Tiger Lily and a Silver anypony. Our agents checked the Royal Library’s records, and unless something wasn’t sent in from another town, there’s nothing on paper at all.”
“Well, that’s easy enough: the mare who took him is one of the Sun Tyrant’s own thugs, so she can afford to change the records as she sees fit,” Spinnaker said matter-of-factly.
“Except that doesn’t make sense, either: There’d be no reason to hide that sort of thing – and a million reasons to have a divorce record or death certificate or some reason why she’s no longer married,” he pointed out. “And yet there’s nothing. Obviously while the Sun Tyrant’s records can be suspect, there’s still a question.”
“You’re just hoping that she’s really single and she’ll forget about him,” Spinnaker told her brother.
Candlewick nodded and said, “Is it that obvious?”
“Not to other ponies, I’m sure. But we’re twins, Candle. I always know what you’re thinking.” Patting him on the withers, she told him, “You’ve got two years at the least to get her to change her mind if it’s true – even she knows she’s going to need that long to get our forces ready and to master her abilities, and that gives you time you need to help her to forget about him and to focus on both you and your life together.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. A mare like her needs to break cleanly from the past, or else it’s gonna eat her alive. Plus, bro, a stallion like you doesn’t deserve to be second place in a mare’s heart.”
He flushed slightly. “Thanks, sis.”
“Hey, it’s what sisters do. But if you want some extra advice, talk to Cloister when you get a chance – she’s known Rev longer and can give some tips, I’m sure.”
“Will do,” he told Spinnaker. “C’mon, let’s go wait at the grotto. Bunch of pretty mares like you need an escort to town, and I’m just the stallion to do it.”
“Rarity, you’re going to wear yourself out,” Silver said as he watched her work herself to the bone. She’d cancelled the third straight dinner in a row in order to work on the dresses for the Gala and wedding; while he had no fear that it was for any other reason, he also knew his fillyfriend well enough to know that she was a bit on the obsessive side when it came to those issues. “I’d appreciate being able to not have to drag you by your horn everywhere we go for the next few weeks because you exhausted yourself to the point of no return, love.”
“I’m sorry, Silver, dear, but I must get the gowns completed in time and even with Diamond’s help, it’s going to be much busier than the last time I worked on so many garments. This time I have to plan for gowns for Sweetie, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Diamond and their friends, who will be coming. And also for the gowns for the princesses as well – thankfully, Luna and Cadance are the same size, save for Cadance’s slightly larger wings. Getting Celestia to agree to wear a gown was a task in and of itself,” Rarity said, a wan smile on her face.
“Then why is Diamond asleep upstairs and you’re still down here?”
“She’s still a growing filly,” Rarity answered automatically. “Plus, she needs to keep up with her schooling in addition to her apprenticeship, and Canterlot High will not ease up on her just because I’ve given her extra tasks.”
“That doesn’t mean that you need to do it all your own. What about Sweetie Belle? Or Sky?”
“While I’ve taught Sweetie a few things, dearest, she’s even busier than Diamond. And as much as I adore my cousin, she already has her studies in ornithology to keep up with, which leaves me. And before you ask, I will not contract out any of the gowns to just anypony. Hoity Toity, Savoir Faire and Haute Couture may be good at what they do, but this requires a delicate touch. The only pony I could trust with such a task is my own mentor, but Cardigan Sweater’s hooves aren’t as deft as they used to be, the poor dear.”
“When was the last time you ate, love?” he asked.
She briefly looked at the untouched stack of pancakes from this morning, still sitting there under a preservative spell. “Um…breakfast?” she said weakly, knowing it was a lie.
Silver had enough of this. Scooping her up in his forelegs, he picked her up and carried her, walking on his hindlegs – good thing they practiced that, though he had no feasible idea what good it would be for – and carried her into the kitchen, all while she continued to glare at him for being interrupted.
“Silver, let go of me!” she insisted as tried wriggling in his forelegs. Part of her liked it, she had to admit to herself, but now was not the place or the time to admit it. Maybe later, when things weren’t as hectic, she thought, but not now. “I still have things to do!”
“Yes, you do,” he said warmly, as he brought her into the dining room, dim save for the candles . “You’re going to have dinner with me,” he said as he plopped her into the seat, “and then I’m going to plop you on the couch and give you massages while you relax.”
She looked at him as if he’d become an alicorn in her eyes. “You did all this?” she asked, looking at the dinner spread out before her on the table.
He chuckled as he reached for the wine, a Concord Valley merlot, a ’74 vintage. “Not all bachelors live on macaroni and cheese and portabella burgers,” he said with a smile. “Plus, my mother insisted that her foals learn how to cook in order to impress the ones they’d be with.”
“Consider me impressed,” she said, looking at the exquisite eggplant Parmesan and spinach pasta on the table before her. “Silver, I’m—”
“Shhh,” he said softly, silencing her with a kiss, then stroking the back of her head, the way he knew she liked. “Right now, it’s just you and me, love. Just us, no dresses or measurements, no worries or concerns, for the whole night.”
“But…I….” She looked about to cry. “What did I ever do to deserve you, Silver?”
“Maybe you were a host for Nightmare Moon in a past life?” he joked.
“Seriously,” she said softly, taking a drink from her wine. “This is what, the third night in a row that I’ve cancelled out on our dinner plans?”
“Well, the Guard does teach us how to adapt and overcome,” he said, taking a bite from his plate. “I couldn’t bring you to dinner, so I brought the dinner to you.”
“And yet you do all this for me,” she said morosely, “and all I’ve been is a bother for you, Silver. I’m a horrid fillyfriend, and I know it.”
“No,” he said, looking at her intently. “What you are is an incredibly busy mare who has far more on her withers than most ponies. You have royal, ducal, ministerial, military, business and mentoring duties when other nobleponies or the like would struggle with just one or two of those. And you do it all more than capably – you’re a paragon when it comes to that,” he told her. “Furthermore, you are Generosity, and not just because of your Element. Everypony tells me you were that way long before you met Twilight, and that had you not met her, you would still be the same mare. To me, that’s incredible and makes me love you all the more.”
She sighed. “You make it so easy to love you, you know that?” Raising a fork to her lips, she took a bite of the meal, savoring the taste on her lips. “My compliments to the chef – I haven’t had its like.”
He bowed. “I try.”
“No, seriously, dearest – with this skill, I’m surprised you don’t have a cooking cutie mark.” A few more minutes went by and she found that she’d all but inhaled the meal before her. “Thank you,” she said, leaning back in the chair, completely sated.
“I don’t suppose you saved room for dessert,” he said, reaching out and over to reveal a chocolate gateau.
She squeed. “You spoil me rotten, you know that?”
“No more than you do me, my love,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her, the two illuminated by the flickering candlelight.
“Sigh….” Diamond said, watching silently from a distance. “What I wouldn’t do to have somepony of my own.”
“What about our dates for the Gala?” Sweetie said, watching her sister and Silver and feeling just a slight pang of envy. “Bloomie said there were a few colts that wanted to go with us, but she wouldn’t say who.”
“I know. Silvie wouldn’t tell me either. I think she and the girls are up to something and we’re in trouble.” Sweetie Belle sighed; she knew her fellow former Cutie Mark Crusaders were capable of causing mayhem and mischief on their own, but now that they’d paired themselves up with Silver Spoon, that trio back in Ponyville were just as problematic as the prior trio had been.
“Girls, you know it’s rude to spy on them,” Sky said softly from behind. “Besides, you’ll meet your special someponies soon enough. Look at me: I’m just a few years older than you two, and I have yet to meet that special stallion of my own.”
Both teens looked at one another, then said to Sky as one, “You’re not helping, Sky.”
The days passed, as if a blur. Rarity exhausted herself even further, so much so to the point that Celestia had to insist that she take a day off working on the gowns in order to recuperate, a demand that was highly endorsed by nearly the rest of the Royal Family. During that time, Silver spent little time in his apartment, either spending the time with his unit, including being gone for a couple of days to investigate an abandoned changeling hive just on the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, or every moment of his free time with the love of his life. Each night, he insisted that she take a break, which gave him the time to make dinner, introducing her to the expansive range of his cooking skills and generally pampering her like the lady she was.
After a couple of days, Applejack came over to talk to Rarity. The two friends chatted for a bit as Rarity took the former farmpony’s measurements and argued a bit over the merits of moving to Canterlot vice Applejack’s grueling back-and-forth commute from Ponyville. Immediately Rarity got to work on Applejack’s gown as well as a secret project that the latter had requested, a particular task that Diamond was not allowed to work on.
“What are you up to?” Silver asked.
Rarity merely winked and kissed him, favoring him with an enigmatic grin. “It’s a little something special for the girls,” was all she said.
At last, the day of the Gala came; the night was filled with festivities and while the Royal Symphonic was still on-tour in distant Inari, the Manehattan Philharmonic had been chosen to perform at this year’s event. The crowds had already gathered from far and wide and this year promised to be a bigger event than ever, though many of the nobility present expressed “concern” that the six that had ruined one of the Galas years ago were now back – as members of the Royal Family, no less!
Getting ready for their grand debut, the mares all agreed that they would ready in Twilight’s tower, while the stallions all prepared in the Guard station within the palace. As the ladies all waited for their dates, Applejack and Rarity came up to the younger mares and said, “Girls, we have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” a voice shouted from the other side of the room. “I love surprises!”
“The s’prise ain’t fer ya, Pinkie!” Applejack shouted back. “Anyway, Ah thought y’all’d like t’ see somepony y’ haven’t seen in a while.”
“Yo, girlz!” a nasally voice spoke out and a caramel-hued earth pony mare stepped out, her long red mane interplaying with mint-and-grass-green gown. “Ain’t see any of youz inna while an’ when cousin AJ sed you all buried the hatchet, I just hadta come an’ say hi!”
“Babs!” Sweetie, Scootaloo, Bloomie, Diamond and Silvie said in unison. “Wow, you look good, Babs!” Silvie was the first to say, adjusting her glasses as she stood there in her golden lamé gown. “Who’d you come with?”
“Unforchunately, AJ wanted ta keep it a secret, so I gotta go stag,” she said. “But no worry, I’ll be in town all week, so we can catchup!” The six younger mares practically squeed with delight as they laughed about old times and wounds forgotten and made promises for plans for the week.
“Ah think y’ did good, there, sugarcube,” Rarity drawled in an imitation of Applejack, giving her friend a wink. “The girls look absolutely thrilled for tonight and this should make it all the better.”
“Nowhere near as innerestin’ as whut y’ got in store fer Twi,” Applejack replied. “That stallion checks out okay?”
“I met him last week,” Fluttershy said as she came over. She was still adjusting her own dress, a violet and indigo affair that seemed tailor-made to catch the attention of a particular stallion. “He’s very nice and I think he and Twilight will be perfect for each other.”
“I hope so, dear. It seems so sad that Twilight’s the only one of us that hasn’t found her special somepony, and I’d like to see that happen.”
“Hey, you’re talking about that medic – Life Bloom, right?” Unlike the others, Rainbow was present in her dress uniform once more, adjusting the aiguillette she wore denoting her as a squadron commander. “Not going to work.”
“Why would you ever think that, Rainbow, dear?” Rarity asked.
“He’s a colt-cuddler,” Rainbow said matter-of-factly. Though the others didn’t say it aloud, the looks on their faces all said the same thing: WHAT?! “Look, take it from a mare that had to put up with all those jokes until I started sleepin…er, dating Soarin’: he’s a stallion-lover.”
“Yer kiddin’,” Applejack said flatly.
“Twenty bits says I’m right,” Rainbow insisted.
“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy said, shocked. “You shouldn’t make a bet like that! It’ll hurt somepony’s feelings!”
“How? I’m sure he’s a cool guy an’ all, and I hope I’m wrong. But twenty bits says I’m right.”
“Yer on, sugarcube,” Applejack agreed, taking the bait.
Rarity went off to find Cadance immediately – if there was somepony who could steer the night away from this potential disaster, it was her, right? But unfortunately, the knocks on the door came just as Rarity passed it. She opened it, finding Shining Armor standing there in his dress finery, medals and all, giving her a smile. “Good evening, Rarity. You look absolutely beautiful. Is everypony ready?”
“Ah, Twilight and Cadance are still getting ready upstairs,” Rarity said, absolutely sure that if there was one pony in the universe right now that she could not tell about the potential backlash coming Twilight’s way, it was him. “Celestia and Luna are getting ready in their own chambers and will meet us in the anteroom. I take it you’re ready?”
“I’m the Captain of the Guard – I’m always ready for any eventuality,” he said with a laugh. “But are the mares prepared to be dazzled?”
“Of course,” Rarity said. “Shall we?”
“Well, I’ll let this gentlestallion go first,” Shining said, “since he’s been eager as you wouldn’t believe to get to escort his date.” The unicorn stallion stepped aside, allowing a pinto-colored stallion to take his place.
He was large, almost as large as Big Mac, though around his neck he wore a blue ascot tie with his tuxedo. His cutie mark was a sword partially pulled from a scabbard, but unlike the other guardsponies present, he wasn’t wearing a dress uniform, which likely meant he wasn’t in the Guard. He looked at her and said, “Good evening, your grace. It’s been a long time.” The voice held the slightest trace of a Trottingham accent, though it sounded as if it had faded away over the years.
“I’m sorry, good sir, but I think I would have remembered a gallant stallion such as yourself.”
The look in his eyes was both slightly surprised and full of mirth. Pointing to himself, he said, “It’s me, Miss Rarity. Pipsqueak?”
Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise; she’d had no doubt that had she been Pinkie, they probably would have. “P-P-Pip? Little Pip? Little Pip?”
“Not so little now, I’m afraid,” he chuckled. “I’m escorting Sweetie for the night. Is she ready?”
“Bu-bu-but she’s…you….aren’t you a little young to be asking my sister out on a date?”
“Why does everypony think that just because I was smaller than the average colt meant that I was younger than most of my peers? I mean, yes, everypony – including me – was surprised by my growth spurt, but that doesn’t mean I was younger.”
“I’m sorry, Pip,” Rarity said. “I didn’t know.”
“Oh, Pip!” Sweetie said behind her. She was dressed in a light blue, form-fitting gown that looked similar to the one Rarity had worn the first night she and the others hosted the Hearths Warming Eve Play. Her hair was done up in a style that accented her mane’s natural curls and the choker she wore with the dress was adorned with a platinum and bronze clasp done in the style of her cutie mark. “You look handsome,” she said, blushing slightly.
“Not quite as fetching as you, dear lady,” he said as well and her cheeks flushed a rosy hue, contrasting against her fur.
“Well, far be it from me to intrude on your date, Sweetie,” Rarity said wryly.
“It’s not a date!” both teens protested. “It’s…um…we’re just going together,” they repeated in unison.
“Oh, really,” both Rarity and Shining said at once.
Rarity watched as the stallions stepped up and claimed their dates: Scootaloo had been escorted by Featherweight, who looked like he’d filled out a little. Apple Bloom, surprisingly, was being escorted by Snails; at first Rarity was concerned but Applejack said that since the colt had begun taking his talent in insect studies seriously, he’d become much less of the troublemaker he’d been earlier. Diamond Tiara was with Snips, who like his former partner-in-crime had also changed much, becoming taller and thinner and much more serious in his demeanor. Silver Spoon, who Rarity did not know very well, was with an earth pony stallion that she recognized somewhat but couldn’t place the name. That left Babs alone, but considering how striking the young mare looked, Rarity doubted she’d stay that way for long.
And then the adults arrived: Big Mac, looking quite elegant in his tuxedo, escorted his blushing fillyfriend, who appeared more at ease in his company than Rarity had ever seen her. Soarin’ and Rainbow looked quite the pair, more like friends than lovers, but Rarity knew there was more between them and…was that a flicker of something in Rainbow’s eyes? Guilt? Sorrow? Rarity wasn’t really sure; she’d have to press the pegasus mare for details later but likely wouldn’t get any, as her sister royal had been somewhat private as of late. Applejack was next, with Noteworthy showing up; he looked…“elegantly rumpled”, if such a term existed, more like a harried lounge performer similar to that singer Sinatrot that Celestia mentioned was popular decades before Rarity or the others were born. Pinkie followed next, practically vibrating with excited energy; somehow, Thunderlane had adjusted to that, given the smile in his eyes – they were well along in their relationship, apparently; would Pinkie be the first to marry?
Lastly came Twilight’s date. Silver had already informed her how they enticed Life Bloom to escort the Grand Duchess Shetland; a number of hints about her bookishness and shyness had been dropped, as well as the outright fabrication of a “stallion that had jilted” Twilight at the last moment. Clearly this Life Bloom was a gentlestallion, having stepped up to the need. He was fabulous in demeanor, with the same natural good looks that Blueblood had, though in this stallion’s case it was clear that it didn’t drive him to vanity. There in his dress uniform, he looked a natural site and Twilight would look absolutely radiant in his company.
Unfortunately, Rarity watched the way the stallion walked. It was just slight and anypony else probably wouldn’t notice it, but she did: a slight swish of his tail, something more akin to the way mares walked than stallions did. Rarity sighed. Maybe I can talk Rainbow into amending her bet with Applejack to just paying for Twilight’s drinks at the bar. She’ll likely need them tonight. As the two departed, Rarity felt bad for the bookish unicorn, but there was nothing that could be done at this point.
A second later, Cadance stepped up, looking absolutely beatific. Wearing her royal regalia as the Princess of the Crystal Empire, she descended the stairs, looking absolutely breathtaking in the way only an alicorn would. Though Cadance was a friend and a sister royal, Rarity couldn’t help but get a little bit envious as Cadance walked by. Somehow, the Romance Alicorn noticed and out of the corner of her mouth, whispered, “This isn’t a contest, Rarity. You look fine.” Walking over to her husband, Cadance kissed him gently and the two departed, the princely pair looking absolutely wonderful.
“So, I get to be the one to escort the most beautiful of all,” a warm voice said next to her. She looked at Silver, resplendent in his dress uniform, looking at her with eyes of love. “After all, the last one is here and the best is always saved for last, right?” She went weak in the knees at the sight of her lover; she’d always felt electric around him but there was something so magical and special about the moment that the world felt as if it were just composed of he and she, a yin and yang that forever encircled one another, bound together by destiny.
“Well, the Gala cannot start until the most gorgeous mare of all arrives, correct?” he said with a wink, offering a foreleg. She took it, and the two went off, drinking in each other’s company.
Celestia and Luna, having taken a small break from the thankless task of meeting the toadies, brownnosers and ingrates, watched as the six mares they’d made a part of their family took to the ball. While at first those who knew them from the earlier Gala panicked, the fact that the sextet had everything under control within minutes placated many of the bruised egos that had occurred at that event years back.
“Tia, so who do you think will marry first?” Luna asked. “Pinkie and her stallion seem very intertwined, though I think Rarity’s completely head over heels for the Guard she’s dating.”
The look on Celestia’s face, however, was sad. It was imperceptible to just about anypony else, but the only other pony who might have noticed it was currently attempting to flirt with a stallion that both alicorns knew was not even remotely interested. “Love is…something haunting, Lulu. Precious, but haunting.”
“I hope you’re not referring to what Twilight’s going through over there? I have to wonder who thought pairing them together was a good idea. Couldn’t they have at least checked to see if that stallion cared for a mare?”
“Not about that, though I have a feeling I’ll be consoling my broken-hearted protégé tonight or at least keeping her away from the hard liquor,” Celestia commented. “No, I was thinking about our old friends, the original Bearers.”
“You never did tell me what happened to them after I….” Luna couldn’t finish the sentence. Even still, forgiven by all, she had yet to truly forgive herself.
Celestia nodded, acknowledging what was unspoken. “Whirligig married the Guard that had wooed her. Crème Pastry and Meadow Rose lived together; nopony was sure if they were a couple or not, but considering they were Generosity and Kindness, it wasn’t unexpected. Arcana Majoris continued as my archmagus; he married Baroness Comtois’ daughter. But the hardest hit was Ballista – being Loyalty, having to use the Elements on you broke her, I think.”
“She was my best friend, Tia,” Luna said, her voice a near whisper. “For being the captain of the guard and so rough and tumble with others, she was nothing less than kind and sweet with me.”
“She was in love with you, Lulu,” Celestia said flatly. “After we banished the Nightmare…she quit the Guard and disappeared. I never knew what happened to her until her great-grandnephew Arbalest brought me her armor almost a century later. It’s in a treasured place in our map room. But the sad part is, as much as those five meant a lot to me, they’ll never be like the ones we know now. The Five were friends of ours. The Six are family.
“I hope they find love, all of them,” Celestia spoke; Luna wasn’t sure if her sister was speaking to her or merely aloud. “And I look forward to having their foals in our lives. Maybe…maybe if we do that, we’ll never have to worry about something as horrific as the Nightmare coming between us, sister. Perhaps the love in our lives wasn’t strong enough, and having more ponies to love – a family to love – will change that.”
“You sound as though you’ve given it a lot of thought.”
The sun alicorn flashed the briefest hint of a smile. “It’s something that I hope you’ll be able to understand someday yourself, Lulu.”
“…and so I was telling my snuggle-bunny that I’d be home after this, and that this time away really made my value our life together,” Life Bloom said, chatting breezily to Twilight. “And I appreciate the advice you’ve given, your grace. Not many would be so kind.”
“Why so?” Twilight asked, wondering if she could have a waiter give her dragonwater or something really potent from the bar. All of the stallions on the planet that she could have been paired with, and it was the one that didn’t seem to notice that there were nearly two mares for every stallion, not the other way around. Of course, she knew that was also unfair, but….
She sighed. He’s so perfect. And yet….
“Well, normal couples are just that, and mare-loving couples aren’t a problem either, but many ponies have an issue with stallion-loving ponies like myself, especially given the wide population dispersal. It’s almost like I’m supposed to suborn how I feel in order to knock up some mare I can barely stand to be around,” he said. “But you seem to be okay with this, and that gives me hope. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for that, and I honestly hope that stallion that stood you up tonight really learns what kind of wonderful mare he’s missing out on.” With that, he got up, and said, “I have to use the little colt’s room, but I’ll be right back. Care to dance after that?”
“Sure,” Twilight said, with a false smile. She then flagged down a waiter and said, “Waiter? Grifionican rum and dragonwater, on the rocks. Make it a double.”
“Sorry, your grace,” the waiter said. “Her majesty’s orders: none of you are to have anything harder than wine or cider, because of the concerns raised by several nobleponies.”
“I see. Well, another glass of Riesling then, if you please,” she said, giving him a crackling smile. The smile fell away as he went to the bar and she muttered, “Buck my life.”
As they waltzed together, Rarity felt like the world was for her as she danced within Silver’s forelegs. It was funny, she thought to herself: she’d waited so long for her prince, and in the process had a date with an actual prince, and one with nobility, both having crashed and burned. However, she’d had a date with this noble-born soldier, a stallion so junior in birthrank that he would never stand to inherit anything. Yet he was her truest treasure, an absolute prince amongst princes that would shame Blueblood completely and utterly.
He gazed at her once more, and all she could see in his eyes was the love that he had for her. And though they’d not even been together quite a year yet, at that point she began to wonder if there would be more than this, a lifetime’s more, complete with a marriage band on her hoof. While like any mare she imagined herself into a ponytale wedding, she could see herself actually married for the first time ever, and she could see herself married to Silversteel.
Relationships were, after all, built on things far flimsier than that, and was to accept her into his life just as he had Derpy before, she knew that it would take an extraordinary reason for her not to say ‘yes’. Of course, they weren’t at that point in their lives yet, but now, for the first time Rarity knew what her mother and so many older mares had told her, that same old nugget from her old hometown that rang truer and clearer than any clarion: the perfect flower for the perfect bee. And while she’d understood what it meant, she never really understood it until this very moment: she was his flower, and he was her bee. Perfect pair intertwined in love, to face the world together and share in a love only they could comprehend.
“I love you,” she whispered to Silver, gazing into his eyes and hoping she communicated all her love in that glance that she did with her words.
“And I you, heart of my life,” he replied in tones warmer than the noonday sun. As the music stopped, he looked just to a point past her and said, “Looks like Shining’s trying to get our attention. Shall we?”
“Of course,” Rarity said as both walked over to the unicorn. “Shining, dear, while you know I enjoy yours and Cadance’s company, I’d hoped to spend more time dancing with my dearest love here.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Shining began, “but unfortunately, I have to gather up the officers present for Celestia’s speech. By tradition, the Guard officers present give her an honor escort, so I need to gather them up early so we can which officer will be in which position. It won’t take long and after her speech you can have him back.”
She mock-pouted. “You’d better.”
Cadance laughed. “Tell you what: trade for trade – I’ll be your hostage while Silver goes with Shiny, is that okay?”
“Well, I’m sure you’re probably not a better dancer than my Silver, but,” the unicorn sighed playfully, “I’ll somehow manage.”
“Why, my dear Duchess Lipizzan, I’m shocked!” Cadance scolded in jest. “I’ll have you know that as an alicorn, I’m the perfect picture of poise and grace.”
“Well, we’d better get there soon,” Shining told Silver, “before Prince Blueblood decides he wants to take charge. We’ll be back soon, ladies.” And with that, both guardsponies headed off towards the nearby meeting point.
Rarity digested the words that Shining had just said. “Why would Blueblood be involved in this?” she asked Cadance.
But before the Avatar of Love could answer, someone said from behind them, “Because as my betrothed’s father is too ill to attend, my dearest must be the one that stands beside her majesty as the representative of the old dynasty.” Both mares turned around to see a unicorn mare standing there, dressed in a pristine white gown that nearly blended into her alabaster coat and accented her wheat-hued mane and eyes. “Good evening, your highness and your grace,” Champagne Dreams said, curtesying formally before her superiors.
“Good evening to you, Viscountess Falabella,” Cadance spoke softly, though Rarity imagined that just for a second there was a lack of warmth in Cadance’s tone that she never used with others, a stilted formality.
“Thank you, your highness.” Turning to Rarity, Champagne continued. “What I meant was that though her highness is biologically a part of the old dynasty as the daughter of Prince Helios, because of her alicorn nature she has been given the title of Princess Royal and Heir to the Crystal Empire and so thus is considered part of the current dynasty. Thus, it would fall to somepony else who descended from King Jasper: from the houses of Prince Campion or Princess Rising Dawn. As Prince Campion’s house is senior, it falls to him, but as my prospective father-in-law is too unwell to attend, my beloved must speak in his place.”
“I see,” Rarity answered, still curious about the mare before her. As nobility went, Champagne Dreams was an enigma. The fourth cousin of her predecessor, Virgin Dawn, she’d come out of nowhere to claim the title of the viscounty of Falabella. Luna had mentioned that had nopony claimed it, it would have gone extinct, but Miss Dreams’ timely arrival onto the scene made that point moot. While nopony challenged the new viscountess on her claim, and that she’d met all necessary proof to validate her claim as the rightful heiress, for many a pony it still seemed a bit too…convenient.
Champagne saw the flicker of interest in Rarity’s eyes and said, “Are there any other questions or concerns that I might be able to provide, your grace? Although I suspect that I know what you do wish to ask about, am I not correct?” She then looked at Cadance and asked, “I suspect that you have the same question, your highness.”
Both Rarity and Cadance looked at one another, questions in their eyes, before the latter addressed Champagne. “I do. Forgive me, Viscountess, but your experiences with my cousin seem to be far different from the ones the Duchess and I have had. My cousin is dear to me,” she lied, “but we do not always see eye to eye. Furthermore, the Duchess was a prior paramour of his, and from what I understand, your relationship with him has been quite different.” The Princess of Love looked out of the corner of her eye at her friend; if Rarity was going to react to her statement, she chose not to do so in front of the newcomer.
“And you’re wondering how I could marry such a stallion that many consider an upstuck, boorish individual? The stallion that some ponies say is the shame of his father and is not worthy of being a scion of King Jasper and the old unicorn dynasty? That he is not just a pretender to the throne, but he’s a pretender to being a decent pony?” She said, her voice rising angrily until she stopped and suddenly blushed. “Forgive me, miladies, but…I take great umbrage at what others have to say about my beloved. I will not pretend that ponies have not said unkind things about my betrothed, and I will not pretend that they aren’t undeserved – he himself has admitted so to me, that in the past, he wasn’t the best stallion he could be.”
But the mare blushed winsomely as she said, “But you must understand: my Blueblood has changed. He is not the uncouth boor so many see him as. I have never known him as anything less than the most gallant of stallions, and while I understand that those who do not know him as he is now continue to deride him for his past, I would defend him with my honor, my life and my virtue. He has been a true and stalwart love to me, and he has wholeheartedly won my heart.” She moved forward, taking each of the two ponies’ forehooves in her own. “Please, before the wedding: come visit us at his estate. Duchess, I’m sure he would very much like to apologize to you for his behavior back then; and, your highness, I’m equally confident he would like to rekindle the friendship you and he shared as foals – her majesty told me that you two often played together as foals and my Blueblood has always spoken fondly of those halcyon days.”
Both Rarity and Cadance looked at each other once again, completely at a loss for words. Had Blueblood changed? The mare before them was clearly his “type” – whatever that meant – but she wasn’t vapid or clueless, as expected of the kind of mare that he appreciated. If anything, she was smart, loyal and kind: the exact opposite of the sort of mare Blueblood would want, which was a huge indicator of how much things had changed, if indeed that was the case.
“I think…I would be honored to accept such an offer,” Rarity replied. If Champagne was willing to plead Blueblood’s case, the least she could do was at least give an opportunity to see if it was genuine.
“I believe I would like to as well. Please let him know that my husband and I will accept your gracious invitation as soon as we can,” Cadance answered in a voice that Rarity thought almost sounded genuine.
Champagne gushed. “Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to him – and to me, miladies. I am ever in your debt.” Letting go of their hooves gently, she said, “Well, the speech is about to start, so I will be heading back to my table. Thank you again for everything!”
As Champagne departed, both mares watched her depart. “Do you think she’s telling the truth?” Rarity asked.
“I want to believe…but I can’t,” Cadance said, a trace of sorrow in her voice. “I remember the kind and gentle foal that used to be my cousin and the monster he developed into over the years despite Uncle Campion’s guidance. Maybe it is true, and I’m merely being overcautious, but there’s something about Champagne that rings false somehow, like this was a practiced run at something.”
“She seemed…well, if I must admit: she seemed like me, back when I’d first met Blueblood before that disastrous night. But where it took me one night to realize what kind of an insult to Celestia’s honor he was, she’s been with him for over a year now and seems to maintain that fillyish innocence. I have to wonder if it’s genuine, or she’s the greatest actress since Stagecall.”
“I suppose we’ll find out before the wedding comes to pass, and let’s hope that it’s true,” Cadance said, putting a comforting wing around her friend. “Well, Celestia’s about to speak, so let’s go back to our seats. That way we can flirt shamelessly with our stallions and see if we can break their military composure.”
“Aren’t we not supposed to do that?” Rarity said with a slight grin.
“That’s part of the fun,” Cadance replied, an impish smile coming onto her face.
Finally, the party ended into the wee hours as the sun, guided by Celestia, began to creep over the horizon. Rarity and Silver walked the palace grounds, checking for guests that may have fallen asleep over the course of the night’s revelry. During the time they found a number of interesting things, including a pair of mares who had the good grace to be completely mortified when a bemused Rarity and Silver found them in the bushes performing a “rigorous activity.”
The cutest thing, by far, was Sweetie Belle. She’d fallen asleep on Pip, and like any true gentlestallion, he let her doze there softly, the look in his eyes warm. Rarity could see there was the beginning of something there, but where it would go, was like her and Silver: there would be a path walked together, but the two teens were too young to see what the end result would take them.
The saddest part was when Rarity and the girls had to console a very drunken and morose Twilight. Life Bloom had departed at midnight, with her blessings, so that he could catch the first train back to Saddleback Mountain in order to be with his partner. But that left a heartbroken Twilight in his wake, who was currently crying herself silly in Celestia’s embrace while the rest of the family stood there, giving encouragement. Rarity wisely chose to stay clear, as did Fluttershy and – to everypony’s surprise – Pinkie; as their respective relationships were the farthest along, the trio didn’t wish to agitate Twilight’s emotional troubles further.
And so the six sat, in the music room, watching as the last of the musicians packed away their instruments and prepared for their return to Manehattan. “I wish I could do more to help Twilight right now,” Fluttershy said, a sad catch in her voice, “but I’m afraid I might make things worse.”
“Twilight’ll be fine, Flutters!” Pinkie replied, waving off the pegasus’ concern. “Twilight knows we’re always gonna be there for her, so when she wants to talk to us, we’ll be there! And then I can throw a big ‘we’re talking again!’ party! Or is that a ‘Twilight wants to talk about her spinsterhood’ party? Or—”
“Pinkie, hon, I think you can let it go right now,” Thunderlane advised. “Let the Princess and the others take care of it, okay? Probably better that we stay out right now.”
“Oh, but Thundiiiiiieeeeee….” Pinkie whined. “We really really really really really really really really really really really really really gotta help Twilight!”
“Pinkie, darling, be a dear and just let Celestia and Cadance handle it,” Rarity replied. “They know her better than anypony else and they’ll make sure she’s fine.”
“But….” Almost as if on cue, the pink party pony’s hair began to uncurl and straighten, her coat seeming to fade from its bright pink to a slightly grayer shade, almost as if she was transforming into another pony.
Rarity looked at Silver with a glance that said I could use some help here, love!
Silver took a drink of the water he had on him and said aloud, “So, Pinkie, how does it feel to be the owner of your own business?”
With a nearly audible SPROING! of her hair, she seemed to be back to normal. “Well, I really miss Mr. and Mrs. Cake and the twins, but I got a letter from them in San Franciscolt and they say the Bake Cake Café is really doing great and that I should come visit as soon as I can. As for Sugarcube Corner, while I really like being a businessmare, ugh! I can’t do it all alone! So I hired Twist to come work for me and then Blinkie and Inkie decided they were going to come live with me for a while Ma and Pa were taking a year-long vacation from the rock farm, so they’ve been a big help, too.”
“Blinkie? Inkie?” Silver asked.
“Pinkie’s sisters Limestone and Marble,” Thunderlane explained. “She gave them the nicknames ‘Blinkie’ and ‘Inkie’, but she’s never really explained why and neither Blinkie nor Inkie really get it either. As for what they’re doing in town, Pinkie’s parents apparently won a year-long around-the-world vacation, and since they’d never left Rockton, they decided to close the rock farm for a year and go. Since Blinkie and Inkie didn’t have anything else to do, they moved in with Pinkie. Actually, I think they kinda prefer it to working on the farm.”
“Okay, what’s a rock farm?” Silver said. While he knew that nothing about Pinkie could be described as normal, this was beyond him.
“It’s an old term for a quarry, dear,” Rarity replied. “Pinkie’s family’s quarry is one of the oldest in Equestria, so they continue to use the term ‘rock farm’, even though it’s somewhat obsolete.” Suddenly, the fashionista yawned. Stretching, she said, “Well, I don’t know about you all, but I’m completely exhausted – it’s been a long night.”
“And morning, too!” Pinkie interjected.
“Well, I suppose that’s my cue to escort my lady home,” Silver said, rising from his seat. “I’ll see you all later, my friends.” As they all said their quick farewells, the pair then quickly went over to where Luna, Applejack and Cadance were. Rarity explained they were heading home and after a quick exchange of farewells there, both Silver and Rarity headed towards the front of the palace.
“Is everything okay?”
Rarity shook her head. “Luna put the girls in bedrooms, since they were on the verge of sleep. Shining Armor escorted the colts back to his place, where they’ll stay the day and get some sleep. Rainbow and Soarin’ took off an hour ago to Ponyville to update the foals’ respective parents on the situation, since a few of them were expected back late this morning and that’s not likely to happen. As for Cadance, Applejack and Luna, they’ll be the ones bidding the remainder of the guests goodbye, since Celestia’s…somewhat occupied.”
“I see. What about Twilight?”
The look on Rarity’s face was sad. “Apparently Celestia had Twilight brought to her room so she could comfort the poor dear – apparently Twilight was really taken with Life Bloom and his…well…you know…cut her to the core.” Rarity looked at the tower where Twilight usually slept. “It’s funny: we’re all sisters by bonds now, but the ties between Twilight and Celestia go far deeper than that. Celestia sees Twilight as the daughter she’ll never have, while Twilight sees Celestia as a sort of second mother.”
“It does seem that way; when her majesty found out about our plans for Twilight she apparently grilled Shines on it even though he didn’t know about it at the time.” The stallion chuckled. “That didn’t exactly go over well with him after I had to explain it to him after the fact.”
“I can imagine,” the unicorn murmured. “I don’t know who’s more protective of Twilight: Shining, Cadance or Celestia.”
Finally, the pair stepped through the front door, watching as the early morning sun continued its climb into the sky. “Well, let’s head home. We’ll be alone for the day, just you and I.”
“Careful,” Rarity replied. “All I want to do is just sleep, good sir – nothing else.”
“Can’t a stallion just desire to fall asleep in the embrace of the mare he loves more than anything?”
She kissed him on the cheek while a royal coach arrived to drive them home. “I meant it, Silver: nothing else.” She then smiled softly and said, “At least not until I’ve gotten some rest.”