Blueblood's birthday was coming up. As usual, Blueblood was having a large party thrown on the night in question. He had all sorts of fancy food and decorations being put together, with no expense being spared. As he trotted down the corridors, giddy with anticipation, he ran into Caboose.
"Good morning, Caboose." Blueblood nodded.
"Morning, birthday boy." Caboose smiled. "Many happy returns."
"Thanks, I am feeling chipper today." Blueblood smiled.
"So... how old are you turning again?" Caboose asked "Fifty-something?"
"I'm not that old!" Blueblood said indignantly. "It's more like forty-something...
"Wait a minute... isn't Shine like, Twenty-five?" Caboose inquired.
"Yes." Blueblood nodded.
"...Oh gosh." Caboose gasped. "All this time, I though Shine was older than you... but now... that is messed up! A nephew older than his uncle?!"
"You know, it isn't the first time something like this happened." Blueblood noted. "Gothic is technically my uncle too, and he's a little younger than me. And then there's the fact that he and Shine are brothers-in-law."
"Well, when you put it that way..." Caboose shrugged. "This is one weird family!"
"True." Blueblood admitted. "Anyway, this is going to be a birthday to remember. Mostly because I'll be spending it with Dusty."
"Yeah, I know Dusty is going to love your party." Caboose agreed.
"PRIVATE! GET YOUR FLANK OVER HERE!"
That loud voice belonged to Iron Hooves.
"Oh boy, I gotta go. The captain has been really mean lately." Caboose quivered.
Ever since Caboose had 'transferred' to Canterlot from 'Saddle Arabia', his odd, eccentric, and very… simple-mind, has perturbed many of his fellow guards. Iron Hooves himself found him to be insufferable, and at points, felt Caboose was 'overexaggerating' his exploits in Saddle Arabia… if there were any exploits to begin with.
"He still hadn't forgiven you for calling his wife a cow?" Blueblood asked.
"I was only trying to make conversation! He's the one who assumed that I called his wife a cow." Caboose defended.
"For the love of Equestria, Private! If I have to call again, and you are not front and center, I… I can't be held responsible for what I'm gonna do to you!" Iron threatened from afar.
"Well, I better be off. See ya at the party!" Caboose saluted as he trotted off.
"...I hope the mare he falls in love with someday can handle him." Blueblood hoped.
On the other side of the castle, a nervous Dusty walked past Mist and Constell.
"I'm not sure if I can do this..." Dusty muttered.
"Do what?" Mist asked.
"Oh, hi, girls." Dusty waved.
"What is it you don't think you can do?" Constell asked.
"Go to a party packed with upper-class ponies!" Dusty yelped. "I'm just a commoner, after all. What will they think? What will they say?"
"Hey, hey, hey." Constell stepped forward. "You're not just a commoner. You're one of the best ponies I know."
"Ditto." Mist nodded. "You're just as good as those fancy ponies, maybe even better!"
"Heck, any mare who can humble Blueblood is already a winner in my book." Constell smirked.
"Thanks, girls." Dusty smiled. "But still..."
"Maybe you'd feel better if you looked the part." Constell suggested. "Come with me."
"Why?" Dusty asked.
"You'll see." Constell smiled, as she and Mist trotted away.
Warily, Dusty followed the two fillies to the royal wardrobe.
"What you need is a look that says you belong amongst the nobility." Constell smiled. "And here's where you're gonna get it."
"It's makeover time!" Mist cheered.
"Well, if you think it'll help..." Dusty shrugged.
Later that night, the rest of the royal family arrived, partly for Blueblood's party (which they dreaded coming to every year) and partly to meet the mare that Blueblood was dating. Celestia, Shine, Miracle, Luna and Gothic couldn't attend, as they were at a diplomatic summit.
"So, where's this 'Dusty', we've heard so much about?" Flash Sentry asked.
"Are you sure she's a regular pony?" Shining Armor frowned. "Never took that for your type, Blueblood."
"Well, she is." Blueblood growled. "But to be honest, I don't know where she is..."
Just then, Dusty entered the ballroom. She was dressed in a beautiful blue gown and her mane was done up in a bun.
Everypony was surprised by her new look.
"Who's she?" Caboose gasped. "She's beautiful. "
"It's me, uncle Caboose." Dusty giggled.
"Dusty?!" Caboose gaped. "You look so... not you. In a good way!"
"Thanks.... I think." Dusty blushed.
Blueblood walked over to Dusty.
"Dusty, you look... wow!" He sighed.
"Thank Constell and Mist." Dusty smiled. "They're the ones who suggested this little makeover."
"Not that you needed it, of course." Blueblood smiled. "Now, are you ready for a meet and greet?"
"I suppose." Dusty nodded.
Blueblood led Dusty to where Twilight, Flash, Cadance and Shining Armor were.
"Everypony, this is Dusty." He announced.
"Hello, Dusty." Twilight smiled. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Thanks." Dusty smiled back.
"So she's not imaginary." Flash smirked. "I lost that bet..."
"Very funny." Blueblood growled.
"So, you're the Dusty who's managed to tame this beast." Cadance smiled. "Well done."
"Well, I wouldn't say 'beast' exactly." Dusty chuckled. "A little rough around the edges, maybe, but he's still the stallion I love."
"And she's the mare I love." Blueblood gushed.
"Oh, I can tell." Cadance smiled. "Congratulations, you two."
"I have to give you credit, Blueblood." Shining noted. "It took you a while, but you finally found a meaningful relationship with a pony that isn't your reflection."
"Indeed, I did." Blueblood nodded.
A short while later, Blueblood and Dusty were going for refreshments, when a trio of disgruntled mare socialites advanced on them.
"This is your date?" Asked the lead mare. "Seriously?"
"Persephone?" Blueblood gasped.
"Who's Persephone?" Dusty asked.
"A mare I dated a little while before I met you." Blueblood explained. "And Athena, whom I dated before that, and Minerva, another old flame."
"Yes, long time no see." Minerva glared.
"So, it's true." Athena snarled "You are dating a commoner. As boorish as you are, Blueblood, I'd have thought even you wouldn't stoop so low."
"Excuse me?" Dusty growled.
"A servant?" Minerva asked. "Seriously? What, did you run out of respectable mares to date? Have you lost all standards?"
"Now see here!" Blueblood declared. "You will not speak to her like that!"
"And now he's defending her." Persephone snorted. "Why, Blueblood? What does this... commoner have that we don't?"
"Do you really want to know?" Blueblood glared at them. "Okay then. Dusty is sweet, and kind, and considerate. She's every bit as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Whereas you are all vapid, vain mares who only care about yourselves and sought to court me soley for my status!"
The mares stood silently for a moment, then their faces took on near-demonic expressions of anger.
"Vapid?" Minerva growled.
"Vain?!" Athena roared.
"You're going to pay for that." Persephone sneered. "You, and your little commoner marefriend."
The trio advanced on them... then were suddenly sprayed by water. Blueblood and Dusty turned to see Caboose holding a hose.
"Sorry, I did not see you there." Caboose declared, before spraying them again. "Or there."
"Where did you get that hose?" Blueblood asked.
"I dunno. Plot element?" Caboose shrugged.
"GAH! You buffoon!" Athena screeched.
"How dare you insult us!" Minerva roared.
"Okay ladies, now that you are done with your 'Miss Almighty' attitude, I would kindly suggest that you vacate these premises and leave this lovely couple alone." Caboose boldly remarked.
"Or what?" Persephone glowered.
"Or what? Well, I will have you know, I suffer from a multiple personality disorder." Caboose declared, pointing to his head. "I may seem like your run of the mill spineless cowardly idiot... but on the inside... I could be your worst nightmare."
"Such as?" Minerva hissed.
"Who knows?" Caboose smirked. "I could be a hockey-masked killer, seeking to gain vengeance on those who had let me drown in a lake at a camp, who happens to love Friday the 13th. I could be a cannibal who has this weird speech hiss thing that likes to bite noses off of poor guards. Or I could be your typical vigilante who kills evil ponies by following a code made by a guard who rescued me as a foal, while living a normal life as a family stallion."
The three mares took a step back, frightened.
"You're...you're bluffing." Athena stuttered.
"Am I?" Caboose said in O'Malley's voice.
The mares ran away in terror.
"Ah... good things our family has a lot of famous idols to take after." Caboose said in his normal voice.
"Wow, Private, I am actually impressed." Iron Hooves said as he walked over. "Never before have I seen a pony stand up to a bunch of angry mares, and actually scare them off.
"It was nothing really." Caboose shrugged. "My brother Murray is the best at making death threats."
"Although, I am concerned." Iron Hooves added. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a member of the Bitalian Mafia or something. I mean, Bitalian accent, dodgy when regarded about your past, having little to no knowledge as to where Saddle Arabia actually is…"
"W-what? No! I-I-I..." Caboose stuttered.
"I'm joshing ya, Private!" Iron Hooves laughed, smacking him on the back. "Believe it or not, I happen to be an excellent judge of character. I mean, if we had a mobster among my numbers, I would know!"
"Didn't you once tell me that you couldn't differentiate between my son and a changeling, cuz?" Flash smirked.
"Oh, shut up, Flash." Iron Hooves pouted.
"Thank you, Blue." Dusty smiled. "I thought it was wonderful how you stood up for me like that."
"Well, I couldn't just stand there and let them insult the love of my life, could I?" Blueblood chuckled.
"Of course not." Dusty nuzzled him. "You're wonderful like that."
The rest of the royal family looked on at the heartwarming sight.
"Well, what do you know." Shining whistled. "Guess it really is true love."
"Told you." Cadance boasted.
"I smell a wedding on the horizon." Flash chuckled.
"I hope so." Twilight leaned against her husband.
Caboose took out a camera and took a picture of Blueblood and Dusty.
"Hehe, my brothers are going to love this." Caboose smiled.
Days later, the picture arrived at Grimoire Napoleon's mansion in Bitaly, wrapped in a letter regarding Blueblood and Dusty's progress.
"Everything is going great, bro." Grimoire read aloud. "Our Dusty couldn't be in better hooves. Enclosed in the letter, you will find proof of what I said."
Grimoire held up the picture of Blueblood and Dusty nuzzling, and smiled. Then he read the end of the letter.
"P.S. I am sorry that I can't be there to help you with that manticore you have to transport to Aerovia. I will send flowers to Vinny."
Suddenly, Vinny poked his head into the room, panicking and with his suit all torn up.
"Grimm! We need your help over her-AH!" He was suddenly pulled out, as a loud lion roar rang out.
"Oh my gosh, the manticore's trying to eat Vinny!" Sonny yelled from outside the room, "Scare him with fire!"
"Hold on, I'm coming." Grimoire sighed.
Grimoire placed the picture down as he went to help his brothers.