Bubble Wrapped: Shipped Shippings

by Bubble Boom

Shipment 5: Same Day Shipment - Cadance & Fleur

She gingerly turned the radio on and brushed the tuner with her delicate fingertips. She smirked as the music began and the beat engulfed her senses. Her body swayed in time to the rhythmic electronic beat, tapping each foot in succession and stretching her graceful arms above her head.

Tonight’s performance, of sorts, was extremely special. Fleur never had the opportunity to personally and privately show her talents to a Princess. She always loved dancing and trained under the world-renowned ballerina and choreographer Madame Tutu, who expected absolute perfection from her dancers. Fleur delivered and exceeded expectations. Her classical ballet was technically spotless, and her passion evident with each movement. Fleur had a flair for contemporary dance as well. She could create new moves on the spot and spontaneously, seamlessly respond to music. It felt incredibly natural to Fleur. She felt like she was one with the universe, floating along with the ebb and flow of the universe.

Now she was ebbing and flowing in the private royal chamber of the Crystal Empire. Her pale pink leotard accentuated her curvy figure, her appropriate sized bust jiggled slightly with every move, her small waist exploded into wide, womanly hips that knew how to move. Fleur’s hair was pulled back into a loose, fluffy pale pink braid that extended past her waist and waved with every movement.

She knew her dancing enhanced her social standing as a socialite and provided her with a certain level of celebrity as well. As an elite ballerina, Fleur had access to all kinds of people: politicians, artists, musicians, even entrepreneurs. But this is the first princess, she told herself as she twirled and pirouetted. She felt like she finally hit the big time. She smiled even bigger as she made eye contact with Cadance between moves.

Princess Cadance sat with one elbow against her knee and her hand propped against her chin. She watched Fleur intently with only the slightest smile ever possible.

Fleur was surprised at Cadance’s appearance in person. She was tall and lean, her frame very slight, with smooth and voluminous pink, fuchsia, and purple locks framing her face and trailing all the way past her waist. Cadance wore sparkling crystal bangles on both wrists that clinked when she moved. Her large purple eyes were extremely innocent and deep. Her lips, in comparison to her eyes, were thin and now pursed with a tiny smile. Her skin was a light olive that seemed to radiate; as such, Cadance wore very little makeup. She wore a simple pink dress with a Grecian flair, pinned with a crystal brooch with straps hanging down off her shoulders. And on her feet she wore slip-on shoes that matched the gold of her brooch.

Fleur raised herself and thrust her chest out as she went on point. Her feet arched gracefully into her long legs, held together in perfect form as she showed why she was a prima ballerina. She switched styles in beat to the music to keep Cadance guessing. She pirouetted and leapt into a hands free cartwheel, then spun around, jutting out her hip and showing off her curves. She ran her hands down the nap of her neck to her breastbone, over her chest, and finally down her hips as moved closer to the princess.

Cadance watched Fleur’s hips sway in time until both Fleur and the music stopped. She looked up, grinning, at Fleur and clapped excitedly. “Bravo! Bravo! Miss Fleur de Lis, you are even more talented than advertised. I believe I was intoxicatingly mystified by your elegance.”

The ballerina blushed, breathing hard to catch her breath. “Thank you, Princess. It means so much to me to be able to perform for you at last.”

“It means so much to me that I be able to watch you perform. I’ve never been available during the normal ballet season,” Cadance frowned a little. She added, “This makes up for it. I know you have a busy schedule, but could I offer you a private dinner in return for your performance?”

Fleur grasped her hands together behind her back and smiled at Cadance. “Princess, it was payment enough to be able to dance for you. But if you insist, I’d never turn down a good meal.”

Later that evening, Fleur de Lis, famous prima ballerina and socialite, sat opposite Princess Mi Amore Cadenza at an extremely long, formal dining table. The table could seat 100 dignitaries but tonight it only hosted two women and empty seats. They could not make eye contact through the gigantic candelabra and chandelier, both of which threw off flicking, dancing shadows against the table top.

Fleur covered her mouth and coughed a little, echoing across the mostly empty hall. She wore her flowing hair down with some of her bangs clipped back with a pin, of course embellished with a fleur de lis. Her dress was haute couture, according to the Crystal Empire drapers. It was an iridescent pink, similar to the color of rose quartz, sleeveless, with a high neck, and microscopic pleats that created a corset shape below her bust. Fleur wondered if she should have gone through so much trouble to make herself presentable when the princess couldn’t even see her.

“Did you say something?” Cadance leaned over the table edge to look at Fleur and cupped her ear. She genuinely had trouble hearing people at the other end of the table anyway, and she certainly couldn’t hear Fleur unless she yelled.

“What?!” Fleur bellowed back. “How do you have parties in here?!”

“Huh?! Nobody’s farting in here, what are you talking about?!” exclaimed Cadance. She quickly covered her mouth and lowered her eyes. “I didn’t mean to say fart. Princesses don’t say fart.” When she looked up, Fleur wasn’t at the other end of the table. Cadance jumped as Fleur sat down next to her and started to chortle and snort.

“Ha, a princess that says fart… now that’s hilarious.” Fleur covered her face with her hands as she continued to giggle. “Oh man. You’re not what people would expect, Princess Cadance,” she said as she grinned and wiped away a tear from her cheek.

Cadance blushed and mumbled, “Still, princesses aren’t supposed to say that word. It isn’t prim and proper.”

“I’m sitting here now, okay? We can at least talk this way. And then it doesn’t have to be some formal, stuffy dinner.” Fleur brushed her long, pink locks out of her face and smiled again at Cadance. “So, why did you really want to see me dance?”

Cadance looked down at her hands, not yet ready to answer.

“I mean, you could have come to see me perform at the ballet. In any city! Or a private performance at the ballet. I’m curious why you wanted me to come here –– please don’t take me as egotistical, Princess!” Fleur waved her open hands, attempting to seem as humble as possible.

“Well…” The princess gave Fleur a sheepish look. “I’ve always admired you. I have been to your performances –– actually, almost every single one.”

Fleur pushed her pink hair from her face again and let her jaw drop. She would have remembered Princess Cadance attend the ballet. She had had Princess Celestia attend several times. Princess Luna was coaxed to attend twice. And even Princess Twilight Sparkle attended once while in Manehatten. But not Princess Cadance. “No… The producers or choreographers or agents or someone would have told me you were there. It’s a big deal to have royalty attend.”

“Well, if you really want, I can prove it.”

Fleur folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, what? How?”

“I kept every single ticket stub and programme. Want to see my scrapbook of them?” Cadance clasped her hands together, getting excited, and bounced a little in her seat.

“I-I believe you. You don’t have to prove it. Who am I to question a princess?” Fleur shook her head in disbelief. “How did you keep people from knowing it was you? And why?”

“That’s easy. Just get the right outfit and accessories,” Cadance waved her hand, her bracelets clinking as she moved. She blushed and weakly smiled. “The why, however, now that’s a bit more complicated.” She crossed one leg over the other, her dress revealing shaped curved calves that tapered down to tiny ankles and feet.

Fleur propped herself against the table and waited for Cadance to continue. What seemed like forever passed and Cadance hadn’t spoke. “Well?”

Cadance took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before finally blurting out her reasoning, “For the longest time, I’ve admired you, Fleur. You’re how a princess should move. You’re incredible. You’re talented, graceful, poignant, balanced…lovely... I’ve been positively enamoured with you.”

Now it was Fleur’s turn to blush. She never considered how someone could consider her more like royalty than an actual princess. It was somewhat common knowledge that though Cadance was a princess, her magic left her physical form weaker than normal women her age and gave Cadance her now signature frailer, lithe appearance. Wait, is she jealous of me? Or… oh. Oooh, she’s in love with me! Fleur worked her mouth, trying to find the words to respond.

“I-I promise I’m not stalking you!” Cadance blurted out, a bit flustered and embarrassed.

Fleur laughed.

“What if… I gave you private lessons? I can teach you some of the basic dance moves I use in my contemporary dance style. Or perhaps some of the more classic, saucy dances?” Fleur winked at Cadance.

“I would love that,” Cadance blushed and turned even more red than before.

“Would that be a good enough excuse to spend time with me?”

“Indeed it would, Fleur.”