//------------------------------//
// Fanfare 
// Story: 6 Months, Several Eternities 
// by TheRainbowEffect 
//------------------------------//

	They walked through the gardens together, looking at all the things around them in awe. They hadn’t really been out here the last time they had come to the Gala. They had been so bent on pursuing their desires that they hadn’t walked around and explored. The lucky thing was that not many other ponies came around to explore here either. They were all inside socializing. A good number of them were in line to greet the Princess. Many others were listening to the live band play, and others were politely eating the teeny, dainty refreshments. Everypony was socializing in their pish-posh way. Well, mostly everypony. Spitfire was actually pretty cool. 
They were walking when they heard voices in the garden and stopped. They listened closer and words became clearer. 
“I’m just afraid of what everypony will think of you.” 
Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other. The voice sounded familiar, but they couldn’t quite pinpoint it. Then, a soft-spoken male voice responded. 
“”I know you are, but we can’t stay hidden from everypony forever. They’ve already picked up some gossip. Much of it is completely incorrect, but you know how ponies are.” 
“Yes, I suppose you are right. Oh, can I ask you a question?” the female voice inquired. 
Of course, my dear, ask me anything,” the male voice responded. 
“I was just wondering, of course, if I could perhaps call you Nate.” 
Nate? Wait; there weren’t many things that could shorten to Nate. Innate was one of those things. Did that mean—? 
“Of course, Princess Luna, call me anything.” 
Eeyup, that was Luna and her date, Innate Joy. Suddenly Rainbow felt bad. That had been spying, right? And they’d been spying on Princess Luna, to boot. They couldn’t just walk away at this point. Rainbow nodded at Applejack and the two made their way over. 
They walked up behind the two, making noticeable hoofbeats so the two could hear them coming. They overheard Luna say something to Nate. 
“Well, there goes our privacy.” 
They turned around and saw who it was and Luna’s eyes shot open. 
“Oh, hello, Applejack and Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, afraid they had heard what she had just said. 
Nate, an earth pony with a grayish coat and a short cropped brown mane, wearing a standard stallion tuxedo, softly responded, “Hi.” 
“Oh, sorry, do you want us to leave? Cause I totally just heard you say ‘there goes our privacy’,” Rainbow said, confirming that of which Luna was afraid. 
“Forgive me, you two,” said Luna apologetically. “I hadn’t known it was you. You two are probably the two ponies to whom I’d like to talk,” Luna, who was wearing a beautiful, flowing, midnight blue dress, apologized. 
“Look, I hate to tell ya, but we were kind of listening in on your conversation,” Rainbow admitted. 
“Oh,” Nate said shyly, shrinking away. Evidently, he was a very shy pony. 
“Look, it wasn’t on purpose, it just happened,” Rainbow explained. 
“It’s okay, Rainbow, I forgive you. We forgive you. Isn’t that correct, Nate?” Luna asked, looking at Nate, silently urging him to come forward. 
“Yes, of course, Luna, if these ponies are your friends,” said Nate, slowly coming up next to Luna and standing taller. 
“I mean, you two can just go on talking to each other alone, if you’d like,” Rainbow offered. 
“No, do stay here. I would like to talk to you two,” Luna requested. 
“Ya want ta talk ta us?” Applejack asked. 
“Yes, of course I do,” Luna admitted. 
“So, what’s up?” 
“Well, I’m afraid. What will they all think of Nate? I mean, I am a Princess, and even though my sister gets the publicity, this is a big thing. I want them to accept Nate, but I’m afraid,” Luna said, a foreleg timidly playing with the dirt on the ground. 
“And you want my advice?” 
“Well, yes, Rainbow Dash, you and Applejack’s relationship is an unusual one, and I’d like to know how you deal with the neighsayers,” Luna asked. 
“Well, the thing is, you can’t please everypony. Honestly, there’s not a single thing you can do in all of Equestria and not have ponies complain. It’s pony nature to complain, to get irked by little things. The thing is, you just have to do what you do proudly. Let other ponies know that you won’t crack. Let them know that you don’t give a flying feather what they think, and that if they care, they can stick it up their plots!” Rainbow said, stomping a hoof on the ground indignantly. 
“Rainbow!” Applejack yelled, turning to reprimand Rainbow. 
“Hey, I’m sorry if I’m not the most eloquent pony, but what I say stands true,” justified Rainbow. “You can’t please everypony. Do what you do proudly. Go out and show them your new coltfriend,” Rainbow said, gesturing to Nate. “I think he’s a great guy. You know what; we’re going to go, but ‘m expecting an appearance tonight. Luna, you can’t hide your coltfriend forever. So, sometime tonight, get out there and show them what you’ve got, you hear?” 
“Yes, I hear, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, nodding. 
“I expect a big entrance, too. Something showy, something I would do. Okay, maybe not that over the top for you two, but something that everyone will see. Trust me,” Rainbow said, placing a foreleg on her chest. 
“Okay, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, then laughed. “I find it quite humorous that I’m taking dating advice from one of my subjects. This time, it’s the citizen that’s telling me what to do. It gives me quite the laugh,’ Luna said, chuckling. 
“I mean, if you don’t want to do that, that’s fine, just don’t send me to the moon or anything,” Rainbow said, slightly retreating from Luna. 
“Rainbow Dash, it’s quite alright. I don’t mind you giving me advice when I need it,” Luna said with a smile on her face. 
“Alright, ‘cause you said you needed it. Anyway, I want to ask you, when did you two meet?” Rainbow inquired curiously, cocking her head to the side. 
“Well, it was a week or two ago when Tia and I were going around, greeting citizens of various cities, seeing everypony and greeting those that came up to us. We were in Baltimare. It’s a very nice town. Anyway, ponies were coming up to us, greeting us and saying various pleasantries. It was all the same stuff until an earth pony named Innate Joy walked not up to us, but straight to me. He closed his eyes tight and he said, in a very rapid manner, well, Nate, would you care to relay?” Luna asked, gesturing a hoof towards Nate. 
Nate smiled and nodded. “Of course I would, Luna. I was so scared. I went up and I asked her ‘Princess Luna, I think you’re beautiful, will you please go out with me, it’s okay if you say no, just don’t banish me to the moon’. Of course, I said this about twenty-seven times faster than you just heard it; it’s a wonder that Luna understood me.” 
“I have listened to ponies say words far more unintelligible than that which you said, Nate. I had no trouble understanding you. Anyway, I was amazed at the level of courage you showed me, Nate. I like that. I had never seen somepony try to do something like ask one of us out before. Plus, you are likewise very attractive,” Luna admitted, blushing a little. 
Nate gave a small chuckle and said, “Well, thank you, Luna.” 
“Anyway, I said yes, I would like to go out with him. Why, he was so excited he bowed down to us. I told him to get up because, and you’ll agree, it’s a little weird for anyone’s coltfriend to be bowing down to them,” Luna informed. 
“Haha, I suppose you’re right, Luna,” Nate chimed in. 
“Anyway, after that, we decided where we should go on our first date.” 
“And where was that?” Rainbow asked. 
“It was right here. This is our first date,” Luna said firmly 
“Well, isn’t that somethin,” Applejack said, speaking for the first time in a while. “This here is the first date that Rainbow and ah have been on, too.” 
“Well, that’s quite the coincidence,” Luna admitted. 
“Yeah, I guess it’s like some kind of first date double date!” Rainbow surmised excitedly. 
Luna laughed and replied, “Yes, I suppose it is, Rainbow Dash.” 
“Anyway, Dash, how did you meet Applejack?” 
“Well, here’s the thing…” 

* * * 

“And that’s how it all happened,” Rainbow finished, giving a triumphant smile at retelling the entire story. 
“That’s quite the story, Rainbow Dash.” 
“Well, every bit of it’s true. Even that bit about the rainbow goop.” 
“It’s quite amazing, let me tell you. Nopony could make up a story like that.” 
“I suppose not, but it’s a tale fitting of the one and only Rainbow Dash,” said Rainbow, puffing out her chest proudly. 
Luna laughed. “Ah, ‘modest’ isn’t really in our beloved Rainbow Dash’s dictionary.” 
“Uh uh, ah heard her say it for the first time earlier today,” Applejack joked along. 
“Hey!” Rainbow started, face reddening. 
“Rainbow, really, we’re just kiddin’,” Applejack said reassuringly, putting a hoof around Rainbow’s shoulder. 
“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Rainbow said. 
Applejack gave Rainbow a quick kiss in front of Luna and all. Luna and Nate both smiled at the two. Suddenly, Luna spoke out. 
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I haven’t formally introduced you. I realize that at this point you all know the names of all of us, but it’s formal and all. Nate, this is Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the first ever couple to be composed of two members of the Holders of the Elements, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, this is Innate Joy, I call him Nate, my wonderful new coltfriend.” 
“Howdy do, Nate,” Applejack said, crossing her right foreleg over her left in her little curtsy. 
“Awesome to meet you,” said Rainbow. 
“It’s nice to meet you two. Yes, it’s okay to call me Nate, thank you for asking,” Nate joked sarcastically. 
“Oh, sorry ‘bout that,” Applejack and Rainbow said at the same time. 
“I’m just joking, you two; it’s alright with me,” Nate said with a smile. 
Rainbow laughed. “Nice, you got me on that one. Anyway, we should get moving, you know, to give you some time alone, wink wink, walk around and see more stuff, all that. And like I said, I’m expecting a big appearance.” 
Luna laughed, and then spoke, “I’ll be sure to do so, Rainbow Dash.” 
“Shall we?” Rainbow asked Applejack. 
“Of course, sugarcube,” came the reply. 
Together they walked out of the garden, smiling at each other and back at Luna and Nate, who had resumed talking to each other. 
They walked around for a while, and they found themselves at the dance floor, the live band playing a slow song on stage. 
“I’m gonna be honest. I haven’t a clue how to dance,” Rainbow said, scratching the back of her neck with a hoof. 
“Me neither.” 
Luckily for the both of them, they saw a certain Vinyl Scratch walking around, a less formal dress on for the evening. 		Neither of them had met Vinyl in person, but there was always a first time for everything. Rainbow walked up and tapped Vinyl on the shoulder. 
“Huh? Oh, hey there,” said Vinyl, turning around to reveal a pair of luminous red eyes. 
“Hey, my name’s Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow said, smiling excitedly at meeting her favorite artist. 
“Oh, I know you. You’re the winner of that one Best Young Fliers competition,” Vinyl stated, gesturing a hoof at Rainbow as she said so. 
“Awesome! You’re Vinyl Scratch, I know you. Your music’s the best, I thought you should know,” said, leaning forward excitedly. 
“Thanks, it’s always nice to know somepony appreciates my music,” Vinyl admitted, giving a slight shrug. 
“No problem.” 
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash.” 
“Nice to meet you too,” Rainbow said, and they shook hooves. 
“Who’s your friend here?” Vinyl asked, curiously gesturing toward Applejack. 
“Oh, this is Applejack. She’s actually my marefriend,” Rainbow said shyly, blushing as she said so. 
“Ooh, that’s exciting, I like it! How did the high-class ponies react when they saw you at the Gala?” Vinyl asked with excitement in her voice. It was apparent that Vinyl wasn’t huge about the hoity-toity nature of the Canterlot ponies either. 
“Like this.” 
Rainbow turned and kissed Applejack hard. A loud gasp was heard from the room. They broke apart and could see the ponies gossiping, turned away but occasionally looking over their shoulders at the two. They picked up snippets of conversation, such as: 
“…it’s not right…” 
“…they’re both mares…” 
“...and at our high-class Gala, too, these low class ponies are bringing their lesbianism…” 
Vinyl laughed out loud at the reactions. “I don’t suppose that these ponies are too accepting of such an alien concept 	as lesbianism.” 
“Well, yeah, but the thing is that Celestia got us the tickets to come here and provided our transportation. To top it off, she had a nice conversation with us about it. I’d like to see their face if they ever figured out that their beloved Princess is condoning lesbianism,” Rainbow said, chuckling slightly the entire time she said that. 
“That’d be hilarious,” Vinyl said, also giving a laugh. “Well, it’s good to meet you too, Applejack.” 
“Nice ta meet ya, Miss Vinyl,” said Applejack, once more doing her little curtsy. 
“Ugh, this music is too slow. Nothing against this music, it’s just not my thing. I just want to jump up there, plop my records on the turntable, and yell ‘Let’s spin this!’ They’d have some fun with that one,” Vinyl said, chuckling slightly at the prospect of seeing these ponies react to loud and fast techno music. 
“You totally should. That. Would. Be. AWESOME,” Rainbow said, voice quivering at how awesome that would indeed be. 
“Well, I probably couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not many ponies here would appreciate my music,” Vinyl said after consideration, looking around at the ponies around them. Nope, they wouldn’t react well to Vinyl’s music. 
“I guess you’re right. But I know one pony who appreciates more than your music,” Rainbow said, nudging Vinyl with her foreleg. 
“What do you mean?” Vinyl asked, raising her eyes in curiosity. 
“There’s this guy I know that has this massive crush on you,” Rainbow said in a hushed voice. 
“Really? Awesome. It’s nice to know that I’m attractive,” Vinyl said, striking an obnoxiously silly “beauty” pose. 
Rainbow laughed. “Yeah, I suppose it is.” 
Just then, they heard a fanfare coming from the other room. Rainbow Dash knew exactly what was going on. 
They went into the main hall, Rainbow nearly running with excitement, and coming through the double doors at the end of the hall were Luna and Nate, side by side. They both were beaming and walking proudly, the way that Rainbow would have wanted them to do. 
“That’s the right idea,” Rainbow Dash admitted, putting a hoof on her chin, giving bonus points for the red carpet walk along with the fanfare. 
Luna and Nate walked down the carpet as a Royal guard dressed in the Royal uniform, wearing the normal stone look on his face, followed, booming words. 
“Please welcome Princess Luna and the stallion accompanying her, an earth pony all the way from Baltimare, Innate Joy!” 
The ponies around stomped their hooves on the ground in raucous applause, all smiling and cheering. 
Luna and Nate looked over at Applejack and Rainbow Dash and winked. Rainbow winked back. 
The applause continued to thunder as Rainbow and Applejack kissed each other and then turned their heads and beamed at the couple. 
This was probably the best first date on which they could have gone, and they both knew it.