//------------------------------// // Act 2 Scene 6: Just For Now // Story: Bluebelle of the Ball, The Musical // by mr lovecolt //------------------------------// Bluebelle emerged from behind the bandstand and looked around the ballroom floor for Dusk Shine. She could see the princesses standing near the stage with Aeolus, glancing back and forth to either side of the stage. They must be waiting for me, she thought as she began to trot through the room. In the distance she could see Rainbow Blitz and Butterscotch and hoped that Dusk Shine would have joined them, but her heart fell when she realized that the purple stallion was nowhere to be seen. “Bluebelle!” She turned and saw Luna calling her over waving from the other side of the room. She felt for the pouch on the side of her dress, gave one last glance at the stallions and began to trot through the crowd. As she made her way through, she glanced back and forth at the well wishers as they congratulated her. What surprised her most was the sincerity behind the words. “The song was amazing, Your Highness.” “Thank you.” “I’ve never seen you so animated before.” “Thank you, I-” “I daresay that you may have started a new trend for the young mares to perform at their own birthday parties, Your Highness.” Bluebelle nodded to the stallion with the monocle who spoke. “Your performance was wonderful.” “Yes.” Bluebelle replied as the smile faded away as she recalled Dusk Shine’s mirrored sentiment from earlier. “Thank you, Mister Fancy Pants.” She replaced her expression with a fake smile. “If you could excuse me, Aunt Luna is calling for me.” The ponies bowed as she backed away from the crowd and continued on towards the princesses. Once she reached them, she let the smile drop from her muzzle. “Where is he?” “There she is.” Celestia said, not noticing her niece’s comment. “I am sure I speak for all of us when I say that what you just did went a very long way in changing ponies’ perceptions of you.” “Auntie, please,” Bluebelle asked, “Did you see where he went?” “Where who went?” Luna asked. “Oh, Prince Dusk Shine?” Aeolus asked. “I do believe he went out that way a few minutes ago, by way of that door near the deer ice sculpture.” He pointed to the exit. Bluebelle started to leave but he stopped her. “I am very proud of you, Bluebelle.” He held his hoof up to her cheek. “Your parents would be, too.” She placed a hoof over his and squeezed. Slowly, they lowered their hooves and Bluebelle galloped through the crowd to the door. “And what was that about?” Celestia asked from behind. Aeolus didn’t turn around, but instead kept looking at the exit. “Oh, sister.” Luna began to answer with a chuckle before she stopped herself. “Actually, wait. where did Dusk Shine go? And where is Miss De Lis?” Aeolus continued to watch the exit that the stallion had galloped out of a few minutes earlier, closed his eyes, and shook his head. ***** Dusk Shine sat at the bench next to the lake that ran along the side of Canterlot castle and looked up to the balcony where he was standing with Fleur De Lis less than an hour ago. He looked down to the sash that had been irritating him all evening and saw that it was once again uneven. He snorted, surrounded the sash in his aura and threw it off of his coat and watched as it fell to the ground. A breeze blew through the air, sending ripples across the lake, which caused the narcissi at its edge to bend back and forth as though they shook their heads at him. “Now Ah see why Butters likes to spend all his time out here.” Dusk Shine turned his eyes just enough to see Applejack enter the garden out of the corner of his eye. “To think.” He continued as he shook his head. “There’re more flowers out here than Ah’ve seen mah whole life.” He chuckled to himself as he batted away a few strands of weeping willow branches from his mane, but stopped when he noticed that his friend hadn’t turned his head. He looked down and saw the sash on the ground. “Ah couldn’t help but noticed that Fleur wasn’t with ya.” He sat down next to Dusk Shine. “What happened?” “She was lying.” He replied flatly as he shrugged his shoulders. “Bluebelle was right. Ponies here will do anything to get ahead.” He continued to look out at the lake. “It does make logical sense, in a way.” “Now, sugarcube, maybe now’s not the best time to make excuses-” “No, it makes sense.” He continued. “Ponyville and Canterlot really are two different places.” He got to his hooves and began pacing back and forth. “Does that make Ponville the outlier? What if the only reason that Ponyville is how it is is because all six of us lived there? What if ponies are naturally like her and only look out for themselves?” “You’re ramblin’ again.” “Should the six of us separate and go to different parts of Equestria? What if the only way to make the ponies see the magic of friendship is for us to be together all the time? What if I-?” “Dusk, sit down!” Dusk Shine stopped mid-sentence and fell onto the bench. Applejack sighed and sat down next to him. “Sorry about that. Ah just hate it when you start to get like that.” Both stallions went silent for a moment and listened to the wind in the grass. “Dusk, can you honestly tell me that you believe that we are the only six ponies in Equestria who believe in friendship?” “Of course not, there-” “Besides the princesses and your brother.” Dusk Shine concentrated for a moment as Applejack shook his head. “Look, Ah know you just got hurt, and Ah ain’t gonna lie, havin’ a mare feign her attraction to ya just because of your looks or your status hurts. But it’s easy to see that you’re already lettin’ this get to ya.” Applejack laughed, to Dusk Shine’s chagrin. “This same thing happens with mah sister all the time. The stallions just want one thing from her, and-” “Excuse me?” Dusk Shine shouted. “I just found out that the first mare that I ever felt more than friendship towards was using me just to step up some stupid social ladder. Not only that, but Bluebelle even warned me about Canterlot ponies, but I naively believed that everypony wanted to be friends deep down.” “That’s what Ah’m tryin’ to-” “No! You’re trying to compare apples and oranges.” “Just one Apple-” “You know what I meant!” Dusk Shine jumped up again. “So some stallions find your sister attractive and they want to get with her. But how far do you think Fleur would have taken this? How long do you think she would have just used me as a prop for her status? I don’t need to hear any country words of wisdom from you!” Applejack’s eyes widened. He prepared to leap forward but stopped himself. Instead, he slowly got up, took a deep breath, and trotted back towards the castle. “Dusk, Ah’m gonna head back to the party before some stallion says somethin’ he’ll regret.” Dusk Shine refused to turn around, but instead focused on the narcissi. “All Ah was tryin’ to say is that it hurts when ponies say they love ya because of one thing. You’re a prince, but you’re also stubborn as a mule. You’re smart and y’all care much more about the happiness of the ponies in Canterlot than ya want to admit right now. Y’all deserve a mare that loves all of ya.” Dusk Shine stayed in place but turned his eyes to the water. He heard the scuffling of hooves. “Excuse me, Your Highness.” Dusk Shine kept his gaze at his reflection, even as the sound of another pair of hooves drew closer. A light caught his eye, and saw his sash enveloped in a golden aura as it flew above his head and lowered itself to his withers. Bluebelle was at his side a moment later, staring at herself alongside of him. “You were right, Bluebelle.” Dusk Shine said after a moment of silence. “About everything.” Bluebelle rest a hoof on his shoulder. “No, I wasn’t. We were both wrong. Or both right, depending on how you want to look at things. You thought all ponies were good, and I didn’t. As much as I hate being proven wrong.” The two of them snorted as soon as she said it. “I’m very grateful that it was about this.” Dusk Shine reached his hoof over her withers and gave her a hug. “Happy Birthday, Bluebelle.” Bluebelle left the hug and stood up. She held out a hoof for Dusk Shine. “What’s this?” “It’s a hoof, Your Highness. One offers a hoof in friendship. Or in this case, when they want to help another pony up.” Dusk Shine smiled and grabbed her hoof, and they made their way to the castle. “The party isn’t over yet.” They continued on through the hall until they reached the ball room once more just as the music began to die down. A few of the partygoers whispered amongst themselves when they saw the two, but Bluebelle paid them no mind as they walked through the crowd. “Bluebelle, aren’t you worried about what other ponies will think?” Dusk Shine asked as he glanced down at their hooves. “I want them to know that you’re my friend.” Bluebelle smirked and cast a sideways glance towards Dusk Shine. “I didn’t really care what they thought when I believed they were all bad, and now that I know they aren’t, I at least know that they want to see me happy. If I can help make you happy, then I’ll be happy. Understand?” “I think so.” He replied as the zebra stallion stood up, set his coronet on his chair, and trotted to the microphone. “Fillies and Gentlecolts.” He said as his half-lidded eyes scanned the room. “Tonight, we celebrate Her Highness, Princess Bluebelle, as she passes into marehood. Your Highness. “he lifted his hat off of his head and bowed. “If you let an old stallion offer his words to you as his gift, I just want to say that there will be moments in life that you will want to keep close, and moments in life that you will push away. But just remember that every moment in your life is just that - a moment. No matter if you hold them or let them go, don’t let them define you. Let you define you. No matter what happens, just be sure to hold whatever moments you can, even if it is just for now.” The zebra stamped a hoof to the floor, and the band began to play. Bluebelle pointed out to the middle of the dance floor. “May I?” She asked. Dusk Shine smiled and followed her. Two hooves combine And our hearts intertwine Let me say you are mine And I am yours For now, this moment There are no more fears For now only you and me You’re all I see I dream of what could be If we set our hearts free If just for now For now, I’ll hold you Hold you close to me So close and never let go Even though I know it must be for now For now there’s nothing In between you and me For now the world can simply pass us by I’ll try to keep you safe with me though I know It must be just for now Dusk Shine and Bluebelle spun in ever tighter circles as the music crescendoed. He turned his eyes down to meet hers. The lights from above reflected in her eyes, and he couldn’t help but stare into their icy blue depths. The ponies around them became a blur of top hats and dresses. She tilted her head. ‘What is it?” She asked. “So what do we do?” “Well, you did say that friendship was, how did you put it, ‘kind of your thing.’ So you have your work cut out for you here.” Dusk Shine’s smile faltered, but Bluebelle leaned in. “But you were able to make a pony like me see it. And I’ll be here to help you each step of the way.” “I’d like that.” He replied as the smile returned. “Me, too.” She answered. Oh don’t let this moment slip away Can’t you and I just stay Here for now there’s nothing In between you and me For now, the world can simply pass us by I’ll try to keep you safe with me although I know it must be just for now For Dusk Shine, it seemed as though the room finally stopped spinning, but they had simply stopped dancing. He looked at her once more; he felt a warmth grow in his barrel when he noticed her leaning forward. “Bluebelle, I-” “Shh.” she whispered. “It’s okay, Dusk.” She leaned in closer and gave him a hug. “Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.” She pulled away and Dusk Shine gave her a sheepish smile. He looked around and saw that the other ponies had surrounded them and were stomping their hooves lightly on the floor. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe they are getting ready to roll out Chef Dior’s big top cake.” She took a step back, bowed to him, and trotted towards the table, but stopped once she reached the steps. She smiled to herself, turned around, and waved for Dusk Shine to follow her. When she saw his face as he began to gallop towards her, she couldn’t help but laugh. No matter what, she thought, at least I know he’ll be there. ***** “Is everything ready?” “It is.” Bubble Berry replied, but as Elusive made his way to the entrance, he held up his hoof. “Wait, what’s Dusky doing?” “What do you mean?” Elusive asked as he peeked around the corner. Bubble Berry pointed to the scene. There was Bluebelle, trotting towards the stage. But as she turned around and waved to the crowd, it was the stallion that started galloping that caught his attention. “What is he doing?” “Lucy, I don’t know about this. Pranking Bluebelle is one thing, but I-” “Nonsense.” He cut him off. “Remember when you and Rainbow Blitz switched out his regular ink for invisible ink?” Bubble Berry nodded. “He took that in stride, did he not?” “That’s true…” he mumbled, still unsure of himself. Elusive’s mind ran numerous thoughts. Finally a tiny smirk appeared on his muzzle. “Well, if you are that worried about Dusk Shine getting dirty, why not simply distract him?” “Okay, but then how will I see the prank?” “Oh Bubble Berry.” Elusive replied as he edged closer towards him. “If you’re in the room, everypony will know it was you immediately. Besides, isn’t half the fun of a prank trying to figure out who did it?” “Well, since you put it that way...” Elusive took a step back and Bubble Berry galloped through the entrance. Bubble Berry waved his hoof towards Dusk Shine just as he reached the steps to the stage. “Dusky!” “Hey, Bubble Berry. I’ve barely seen you all evening. What have you been up to?” “Oh, yeah, um, just busy.” Bubble Berry looked back and forth between the prince and princess. “There was something that I needed to show you.” Dusk Shine turn to Bluebelle, who simply shrugged. “Okay.” Dusk Shine replied. “What is it?” “Oh, it’s um… something.” “Something?” He asked as he raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, something. You know how it is. A thing… that has… something.” He could see Dusk Shine play scenarios in his head judging by the way his eyes darted back and forth, as though he were reading something in midair. “I’m sure it will only be a few minutes.” “Your Highness.” A guard motioned behind Bluebelle. “The cake is approaching. I overheard Princess Celestia whispering that she can smell it.” “Oh dear, what’s this?” Bluebelle feigned shock. “A potential disaster that I, and not the Elements of Harmony, have to prevent?” She and Dusk Shine chuckled at that. “You’re getting better at those jokes.” “Ha ha ha ha!” Bubble Berry laughed uncomfortably loud. “That’s funny, Bluebelle. Dusky, there’s the thing. You know, the thing that’s the something over there while we’re over here. So why don’t we stop being over here and start being over there?” Dusk Shine glanced over at Bluebelle once more, who nodded. “It’s all right, Dusk. I’m a grown mare. I can cut my own cake. You investigate the thing that’s the something.” As the two stallions left the room, Bubble Berry saw another guard roll the cake down the hall. He heard Dusk Shine sigh as the crowd inside began to cheer. “Oh that’s a shame.” He said. “What is?” “Chef Dior was able to change the icing colors to silver and gold, but he wasn’t able to make it shimmer and change like he did with the previous icing.” Bubble Berry’s jaw dropped. How could I have not noticed that, he thought. “Oh, yeah… that’s a shame there, Dusky.” Dusk Shine turned to him. “So, yeah, the thing.” “Yes…” He said, though with a bit more suspicion that Bubble Berry was used to. “Where did you say it was, again?” “It was…” He looked around and his eyes rest on the cake just before it disappeared into the ballroom. He could hear Aeolus speaking in there, but he couldn’t tell what he was saying. “It was in the kitchen!” He shouted as he ran down the hall. He turned the corner and came to a screeching halt when he saw who was on the other side. He heard the sound of hooves screeching against the tiles behind him, and found himself on the floor a moment later with Dusk Shine on top of him. “What is this?” Bubble Berry looked up as Dusk Shine struggled to get off of him. The wide-gaited stallion reached out to him the two of them up and then he bowed to the prince. “Ah, Chef Dior.” Dusk Shine said. “Bubble Berry had mentioned there being an issue in the kitchen. Does this have anything to do with you not being able to recreate the color changing spell on your icing?” Bubble Berry took a step back. “What's going on?” Dior asked. “What do you mean ‘not recreating the spell’?” Dior glared at Bubble Berry, who was now beginning to adjust the tightness on his bowtie. “I was up all night recreating that spell just to have it work, and now you are saying that I didn’t do it?” “I just walked by it, sir.” Dusk Shine answered defensively. “It wasn’t shimmering. It was silver and gold, but none of the magic was there.” “Wait, this doesn’t have anything to do with that one unicorn I heard was lurking in my kitchen this morning, does it?” Dusk Shine looked over to Bubble Berry, whose breathing had become a bit labored. “Gilded Lily said that Sir Elusive was in the kitchen this morning, flirting with her like he had just finished a thousand years banishment on the moon!” “Elusive, but that doesn’t make any sense. Unless...” He glared at Bubble Berry. “Didn’t you two mention going to the kitchen this morning to make sure all of the details were perfect? What’s going on?” ***** “To hold your hoof against the wind, from your grasp it slips away into the night, just as well to hold desert sand, such is desire, such is life.” Silence filled the ballroom as King Aeolus began his speech. Off to the side, Bluebelle stood next to the cake and watched as he stared at his upturned hoof. She looked across the room and watched as the other ponies squinted their eyes quizzically. “The Anemoi and I are from a more different world than you ponies here could know. I have seen generations of ponies come and go, and to us it is a mere blink of an eye. Empires have risen and fallen, only to rise again. Rulers have been banished, reaffirmed, and destroyed. All of these things my eyes have seen, and will see long after you have all gone.” The Princesses Luna and Cadance as well as Princes Shining Armor glanced to Princess Celestia, who simply stared ahead like a statue. The guards around them shuffled uneasily in their armor. “I have felt the winds of my Anemoi as you have felt them. And I know that each of you, in your own way, has a place in this world, has a task to perform. Life is so fragile, so short, that to do anything in these brief moments other than to look around you and see just how amazing and rare the pony is standing next to you is, is nothing but pride and vanity.” Bluebelle turned to Applejack and saw that his hoof clasped against the locket at his neck. She couldn’t help but gasp as Aeolus turned and pointed a hoof at her. “My Emissary’s task in this world is to assist me. It is a task that she had to perform at an age much younger than her predecessors. But in all my years, to see a pony so young able to accept her role in this world. For somepony to set aside her own fillyhood and step so willingly into a role that affects not only Canterlot, but all of Equestria, to know that her actions move all of you... I can only say that to know such a mare is like finding a fully bloomed desert rose. Your Highness, I would gladly trade my immortality is I could be assured that there would be more ponies like you.” Bluebelle tried to keep her gaze straight, but she couldn’t stop herself as she looked down at her hooves. She wished Dusk Shine could have heard this. She wished she could have seen the look on his muzzle as he spoke each word to her. Still, she looked back up and out to the crowd again. “I would like to make a wish, too, if I may, Princess Bluebelle. Tonight, the ponies here and in all of Equestria recognize your transition from fillyhood to marehood. But I already saw it years ago. You have your father’s passion and your mother’s wit in you. My wish is to know that you kept both of their hearts with you, as well.” Aeolus lowered his hoof and took a step back. The crowd began to cheer as Bluebelle took a step forward and fell into his embrace. They separated, and Bluebelle took the knife at the table into her aura and began to levitate it toward the cake. She was too busy focusing on the cut to notice Elusive’s eyes and smile grow as it floated closer and closer to the icing amidst the continued cheering. ***** “It-it’s just a harmless prank.” Dusk Shine’s eyes widened as the other stallion continued to speak. “You know… like the invisible ink?” Bubble Berry offered a helpful smile, but he remained frozen in place. “Elusive said that you guys would find it funny.” “Find what funny, exactly?” “Well, you see.” Bubble Berry fidgeting with his hooves and let them clack them together. “I sort of made up a special frosting that reacts to metal. It… repels it.” He covered his eyes with his hooves. “You mean… an exploding cake?” He nodded in response, and Dusk Shine’s memories went back to Bluebelle. He remembered how often she would wash her hooves and how she never wanted to touch door handles. He thought back to yesterday in the garden as she started to fall in the mud; the look of terror on her muzzle before he caught her sent a shiver down his spine. The sound of cheering erupted from the ballroom. “Bluebelle!” He shouted, but he knew immediately that his voice wouldn’t be heard against the thunderous applause. He tried to focus his magic to teleport, but couldn’t concentrate on anything but Bluebelle. He shook his head and started running. He entered the ballroom and gasped. In front of him stood Elusive, who turned at the sound of Dusk Shine’s hooves. As soon as their eyes met, Elusive’s smile disappeared immediately and Dusk Shine’s grimace grew. “How could you?” He asked. When Elusive said nothing, he began to gallop through the crowd. “Bluebelle!” He shouted, and when he did, she turned towards him. He watched as her eyes lit up and her smile grew just as the knife touched the cake. ***** Dusk Shine was blind. The sounds of screaming and furious hoofsteps echoed in his ears. He heard a few guards start to shout as well as Aeolus’ voice booming through the crowd. A moment later, he felt a blast of cold wind against his fur. “Get them under control!” He heard his brother shout. Dusk Shine’s other senses finally came back to him, and he felt something sticky over his eyes. He reached up and pulled away a layer of icing. All around him, ponies were running away. Above him, the Anemoi’s eyes had returned to their blackened state and were circling the room, their assorted winds blowing the ponies over. He turned back to the stage just in time to see the elephant sculpture rock back and forth before it finally fell to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. The shock caused the statues next to it to fall, and Dusk Shine leaped back as a piece of deer antler slid across the room. He looked around the stage for Bluebelle, but couldn’t find her. “Why are they doing this?” A guard shouted. “They were shocked!” He heard Princess Luna yell. “They've lost control. Where's Bluebelle? King Aeolus!” “I’ve got this!” Aeolus shouted. Dusk Shine could see him reach under his robes and pull out a bag. He stretched the bag open as far as he could. He could hear the sound of howling winds all around him, but when he looked up, he saw the Anemoi begin to shrink into smaller circles and then flow into the bag. He watched as Aeolus closed the bag and turned back to the princesses. When they began to fly into the crowd to settle the ones who hadn’t been able to escape down, Dusk Shine galloped to the stage and stopped. In the middle of the stage, just behind where the cake once sat, he saw a small pile of icing on the floor. He rushed to it and began scraping it away, sending pieces of icing flying into the air. As soon as he felt fur, he pulled Bluebelle out of the pile and held her next to his barrel. As her body trembled against his, he felt something brush against his leg. He looked down and saw that a small, bruised rose had fallen out of a pouch on the side of her dress. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the guards start to surround him. He simply held her closer and whispered into her ear over and over again. In the midst of the chaos, he was the only one who could hear her as she sobbed quietly into his sash. “I’m sorry, Bluebelle.” He said. “I’m sorry.”