//------------------------------// // 314. Qipao by Palaikai // Story: The Sun and the Stars: A Twilestia Prompt Collab // by Fuzzyfurvert //------------------------------// by Palaikai *** It was unlikely that there would ever be an example of studied chaos as perfect as this again. Twilight Sparkle juggled a hundred different tasks simultaneously; while she looked cool and composed on the outside, she was a raging bag of nerves on the inside as she teleported from the kitchen to the supply closet and back again without missing a beat on the pot she was stirring. Everypony who could possibly have helped her prepare had done so; they'd all offered to pitch-in, to spare Twilight from the hassle of having to cook – something that, despite all her varied talents, she'd never quite cracked – but she'd refused them, wanting to do this right. “Twilight,” said Spike, “isn't there anything I can do?” His tone wavered somewhere between concern and fascination as, between her hands and horn, food items were sliced, diced, stirred, fried or otherwise manipulated in some manner. It was a testament either to Twilight Sparkle's magical focus or her complete insanity that she was somehow able to pull off the delicate balancing act. “Why are you still here?” she growled in response, her high heel-clad foot connecting sharply with the young dragon's backside. “I told you to be at Rarity's an hour ago, did I not?” “Hey,” he said, holding his arms out in a mock-hurt gesture, “I was only asking.” Twilight quickly shot him a tender look before returning her attention to the task at hand. “I'm sorry,” she said. “I don't get to spend much time with the princess, and I've never prepared a meal for us. We either go out to a fancy restaurant or have something made for us by the castle staff. I-” “You want to get to her heart through her stomach, right?” “You're growing up fast.” A young teenager he might be, it probably wouldn't do the dragon any good if she revealed her true intentions: possessing the heart of Princess Celestia was one thing, but there were other bits of her anatomy that she hadn't even borrowed yet. If all went well, tonight might be the night. “Go on, scat!” With one last glance at the bedlam taking place, Spike hoisted his backpack on to his shoulders. “Later,” he said with a wave of a claw. “'Bye,” Twilight replied distractedly, barely noticing his departure. It wasn't long after Spike left that there was a knock at the door. Twilight rushed to answer, and her jaw suddenly found something very interesting on the floor and it spent some time exploring those boundless depths before returning to its customary position. “Wow,” was all the Princess of Friendship could say, her wings fluttering slightly before she got them under control. It was as beautiful a night as any Ponyville had seen before; calm, quiet, and with a beautiful vista of stars decorating the cobalt sky. Despite the complete absence of wind, however, Celestia's mane still flowed dramatically, twinkling radiantly under the moonlight. “Good evening, Twilight,” she said, her voice one of absolute lilting exquisiteness. For a few moments, Twilight was lost. It wasn't just the mane, but the princess herself; with her alabaster skin, perfect figure – a figure displayed to its utmost by the red, silky, body-hugging dress clinging to and accentuating her every curve – and easy grace, she was the very definition of flawless. “H-Hi,” she tried, swallowing nervously. “Um, please, come in. Dinner'll be ready in a few minutes.” Her tailor has the best job in Equestria, was all Twilight could think as her gaze tracked Celestia's movements into the library's dining area, following her long, slender legs all the way up to … damn, that thing fits just as well in the back. The princess' soft, creamy wings stood out sharply against the red, each individual feather looking invitingly strokeable. “Can I do anything to help?” asked Celestia, cutting into Twilight's reverie. “Huh? No. I have everything under control. Please, just make yourself comfortable.” The princess sat at the table, smiling faintly. All these years later, and her former student still conspired to be as awkward as possible in a social situation. Even when it was just the two of them. It was so endearing to see that she hadn't changed much. Hadn't let the fantastic events of her life change her. They ate, they drank, they talked. The wine had loosened her up a bit, but Twilight was still finding it difficult to think about anything other than the way that immaculately-fabricated gown adhered to the princess' frame. Normally, she would've been more interested in deciphering the symbols stitched in gold thread along the torso, but right now, she suddenly found herself wanting to study the Braille method instead. “Is everything all right?” asked Celestia, her tone one of loving care. “You seem a bit distracted.” “I'm fine,” Twilight replied, blushing slightly at having been caught staring. “It's just that ...” “It's the dress, isn't it? It's a bit much.” There was something in the princess' sultry voice and impish mannerisms that made Twilight believe that she wasn't the slightest bit apologetic about her choice of apparel, nor the effect that it was having on her. “I told Sharp Style that it was probably going overboard.” “No, really, it's a lovely dress. Gorgeous, in fact. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful frock in all my life. It's just that-” “Yes?” “It's just that,” Twilight said again, hoping that, this time, she would finally be able to finish, “it's making me painfully aware of what is under the dress, and I've been sitting here for the past hour trying to think of a delicate way to broach the subject of maybe, just maybe, getting you out of it so I can have a better look.” By the time she'd finished, her face had turned a bright red. “Oh, is that all?” said Celestia, standing up. A yellowish light suffused her body and when it dissipated, the dress was gone. “Feel free to look as long as you'd like, Twilight,” she added with a slight grin. “Don't forget the back, too. You seemed to be quite taken with it before.” For the second time that night, Twilight's jaw went on a merry trip south.