Despite work and the ongoing investigation, life continued. Tonight was going to be a special night. It was the Gala!
Rescue looked down at the little paint colt, watching his son adjust and fiddle with the uniform he had on. Once again, Rarity had worked her magic and provided touches to the dress uniforms that would make the night that much more special.
“Dad,” Pip said in his adorable Trottingham accent. “What if Diamond doesn’t have fun? I mean what if—”
Rescue stopped the little colt and turned him around with a hoof, sitting down and looking down into the small pony's eyes.
“Pip, you are young, far too young, to worry about all of that. You go, you have a great time, you be a gentlecolt, and I know for a fact Diamond will have fun too.”
They both blinked when the sound of a soft click, and a flash came from the doorway, turning to see Ailan holding a camera, Pip groaned and shouted. “Dad!” while Rescue gave a chuckle.
“Get used to it, Pip. Nothing is going to change him, trust me.”
He looked back to the big winged pegasus. “You about ready to go?” He asked, only to get a nod as Ailan walked back down the hallway. Rescue glanced down again at Pip. “As for you,” digging into his own uniform's pocket along the flank, tugging out a small pouch of bits and tucking it into a similar pocket on the colt's uniform.
“If things get to be too much for you, or Diamond, you two go over to Donut Joe’s shop. You know how to get there, I showed you last time we were in Canterlot. Stay there, we will come get you when the Gala is over, okay?”
The colt again smiled and hugged his father's leg tight. His ears laid back to his head as he heard Pipsqueak say. “I love you, dad.”
His hoof lifted and pulled the boy in closer still. “And I love you, Pip, both of us do.”
---
Two hours later, there was a knock at the door. Ailan glanced over at his soon-to-be husband, and then at his son. “Are you two ready to go?” he asked, to see nods from both. Opening the door, and what stood there was a vision of, perhaps the future.
Diamond was decked out in full Explorer dress uniform, but it was modified. Rather than pants, it had a flowing dress to the back of it, the top made to flow a bit more. Rarity had poured herself into the design once she found out that Celestia herself had extended tickets to the Chief, and to some of the Explorers. While the dress fit diamond perfectly, it still showed the tradition and colors of the Equestria Fire Department.
Pip, poor Pip, was speechless. He stood there with his jaw wide open, staring at the pink filly. Ailan had the good graces to say in a soft tone. “You look lovely, Diamond. Don’t you think so, Pip?” turning to look at the colt.
All the colt could do was nod his head up and down, almost as fast as Pinkie tended to. This made everypony give a soft chuckle, as Rescue planted his hoof on Pip's rump and pushed him forward. “Don’t make a lady wait.”
Diamond blushed but reached out as Pipsqueak was shoved closer to her, putting her hoof under his chin and slowly lifting it up so his maw was closed. “Y... you really like it, Pip?” her blush growing all the deeper by the moment, watching as the paint colt nodded his head again.
“You look like a princess, but like, better!”
The two fathers watched on as their son and the filly talked. Rescue spotted Mr. Rich through the doorway standing out at the gate, taking pictures with a camera held in his hoof. Even a blind pony would be able to see the tears welling up in the light brown earth pony’s eyes. Next to him watching on, stood a few of the other Explorers who were going, each in matching uniforms, as it had been decided by them, oddly enough, that they were all going to show who they were.
Scootaloo stood next to a blushing light grey little pegasus colt. Poor Rumble looked extremely out of place, but he stood close to his orange-and-purple colored filly date. He lifted his left wing and very hesitantly rested it on Scootaloo’s back. Rescue couldn’t help but smile, observing the small pegasus filly shift a little closer to her coltfriend. Thinking to himself, much as he was sure other parents had, they were all growing up too fast.
To their left stood a pretty white unicorn filly, again decked out in the same flowing Explorer's uniform that the other girls had on. Sweetie Belle had on a ‘d'awww’ kind of smile watching Pip and her friend Diamond talk. Next to her, shuffling his claws together some, was a handsome little drake of purple and green, dressed in a black and white tuxedo. They made a cute couple, and most had seen that one coming, other than spike who, Rescue was told, was shocked when the unicorn asked him to go with her.
Lastly, standing out a bit more to the left, was the last of the trio, the little apple filly herself. She too was decked out in a dress, but was alone. However, even a glance could tell she was not upset by such a status.
Once they were all finished talking, Rescue and Ailan trotted out to join the foals and Mr. Rich, heading down the main path to the train station. As they came around the corner, he could see the mares all waiting. Most were there alone themselves, other than Dash, who was in a Wonderbolts dress uniform, with Soarin at her side in the same type of uniform.
Rescue gave a smile as they came to a stop. “You ladies all look beautiful tonight,” he said, watching not a few of them blush and look away shyly, taking note of the train pulling up to the platform. “Is everypony ready?”
They all gave a nod and turned, Princess Twilight led the way with the group of fourteen ponies behind her.
---
Rescue grumbled a bit, looking at the door, waiting his and Ailan’s turn to be announced. He really hated formal events, but Ailan wanted to, and both his father and Princess Luna had hinted he needed to come. So, there he was, glancing down at his dress uniform once more, then over at Ailan. He took a look behind him at the foals, making sure no one was acting up.
The Princess of Friendship had been announced first, then the element bearers, with Rainbow Dash being first of them. He waited, hearing Applejack be announced, then he and Ailan stepped forward, looking out from the landing at the gathered ponies.
To their left was a line of guard ponies. To his amusement, he did know one of the Lunar guards in the group. It was good to see the captain again. To his right, another line of guard ponies, all city guards. There on the right stood a pony with a scroll, announcing each group. Rescue did feel a little trepidation, knowing he and Ailan were not only the first openly same-gender couple to attend the Gala, but were not of the nobility so many here were.
“Announcing, Station Chief, Inspector Rescue Sunstreak, and his consort, Firefighter First Class Ailan Sempar.”
He lifted an eyebrow, Luna did he hate formal stuff like this. Walking down the stairs towards the princesses, three of them, down a row of others, each he was expected to stop and shake hooves with, or give a greeting to. He heard behind him as he greeted the first of the thirty ponies in a line on his way to the princesses.
“Announcing Junior Chief Diamond Tiara, and Junior Captain Pipsqueak Sunstreak.”
So it went, he took note of many looks as he shook hooves, Ailan next to him doing the same in turn. One pure-white unicorn stallion with a golden mane gave a look of horror after the hoof shake. Rescue noticed him wiping his hoof off on a passing waiter’s coat after he and Ailan passed. At least he didn’t say anything.
It had been a joy to see Princess Luna again, it was nice to see her at the Gala, she so rarely showed up to it. Twilight, well, he was formal with her as was expected. Bowing to Princess Celestia, he was surprised to find her smile soft and light.
“Chief Sunstreak, please if you would introduce me to your... consort,” the word had been chosen to have less impact in a room full of stuck-up nobles.
“Of course, Princess Celestia, if it may please you, this is Ailan Sempar,” he said, watching out of the corner of his eye as Ailan bowed too.
“Princess, it is a true honor to finally have the opportunity to meet you.”
Giving a polite, but not shallow laugh, she shook her head and leaned in, speaking quietly but just enough where Rescue picked it up. “It is my honor, my little pony. It is good to see two in love and not afraid of the stuffed fools here. Do please both have a great time,” leaning her head back up and ready to greet the next group.
The night had started.
---
An hour later, after all the hoof-shaking and talk, Diamond needed a few moments to herself. She and Pip were standing out on a balcony overlooking the city and the massive garden just below them. Just being close and not talking, that was, until a voice came. One that made the pink filly cringe.
“Diamond Tiara, imagine my surprise when I was informed you would be here. I see you have brought the little transplant with you.”
She turned, putting herself in front of Pipsqueak and looking up at the dark purple-maned earth pony mare. “Hello... mother,” she said with venom in her tone.
Pip wisely stayed quiet, for now, keeping himself close to his date, eyes up on the mare.
“Is that any way to greet your mother, Diamond Tiara? Ignoring the social implications of arriving in that hideous costume you have on. To be seen with... him,” her mother said, giving a sneer.
Diamond’s blood ran cold. She felt her jaw tighten, her tail flicked harsh back and forth, ears pinned back as she spoke through clenched teeth. “Father has made it quite clear, Mother, you are not to be around me.”
The older mare let out a little noise and snorted. “How dare you talk to your mother that way you insolent little foal?! Why, I have half of a mind to—”
A deep voice cut in, female, but the tone was one no brook or quarter was given in. “Junior Chief Diamond Tiara, if you please, would you and Captain Pip go back inside?” looking behind her mother, stood Princess Luna who looked enraged.
Spoiled spun to see who would dare interrupt her trying to teach her daughter proper ways, only to find herself eyeball to eyeball with the princess of the night.
“P-Princess Luna,” she gasped, throwing herself into a bow. “I was just guiding my—”
Luna’s hoof stomp shut the pink mare’s mouth and made her back up a step. Luna spoke in a tone that was dark, and almost a predator's tone. Her eyes bore into the mare before her, glancing to make sure Diamond and Pip were gone, as they were.
“If you value your freedom, close your mouth,” glaring at a now afraid Spoiled Rich, watching the mare quake a bit in her dress.
“Thou dare talk to a foal that way, you dare in our castle, in my domain, under my moon? Thou's own daughter no less, and one of our fireponies!” her tone grew darker and darker with every word, but her volume remained controlled and even.
“Give us,” as she got angry enough to slip back into her old speech patterns. “One reason, why thou should not be cast into the dungeons forever,” eyes locked on the earth pony mare's.
Spoiled had no clue what to do, what do say. This alicorn before her was not only a princess but the princess of the night! “I-I-I...” stumbling over her words.
Luna snorted. “Take thyself and be gone. Consider thyself lucky we are only throwing thou out of the castle for the night and not banishing you forever from Equestria.”
She watched the mare trip over herself, then dash off, Luna spoke. “Follow her, be sure she leaves but is not to be harmed.”
One of the shadows near her seemed to grow smaller suddenly. Luna gave a long, deep exhale before a voice from behind her spoke.
“Perhaps, my sister, while she deserved that, you were a bit harsh?”
Princess Luna turned to look at the ruler of the sun, her beloved sister. “I could not stand by, while that mare used such hateful words with not only a foal, her daughter, but one of my watchers.”
Celestia gave a soft nod. “Return to the Gala once you have gathered yourself, dear sister. No more will be said about this,” as an afterthought, she said, “When will—”
Luna smiled a bit. “One AM, dear sister. It was asked to move it up an hour, and I will be sure everypony is informed. Do you think he suspects anything?”
Celestia shook her head with a smile. “No, my sister, I think he is completely oblivious.”