8. Dance Among the Herd
Pins and needles played treacherous games upon the back of her neck as hundreds of eyes bored into her. What pony would think to let a changeling out of their sight in present time, after all?
Of all the things Twilight could say or complain about—and if those ponies in their fancy dress kept going on about what a nasty bug creature she was when they thought she couldn’t hear, there would be plenty of that—she couldn’t, in good conscience, fault them for keeping a weather eye on her.
In fact, she would offer a mental nod of grudging respect. Her parents would certainly approve of such caution toward a guest of a rival race in Halla Eolais, albeit not so blatant to spit in another’s face after such an invitation and understanding of the bonds of good host and guest had been exchanged.
And yet, Twilight simply couldn’t find it in her to care either way.
Why should she? Why, when she had the chance to sit in the company of her favorite ponies, should she be bothered with the gossip or poison in their words? Those were troubles for another time.
A time, for instance, when she didn’t have good company around her and good food and drink set before her.
The changeling princess’s mouth watered, her eyes flitted greedily about the spread a clean-cut stallion dressed in a black tuxedo set down, and slowly ran her forked tongue along her lips. “Seasoned rice and herring,” she purred. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with delight, Twilight turned to aim a playful sideways smirk at Celestia and Luna in turn. “I didn’t think you’d get your chefs to cook a meal like this.”
“Well, in fairness, they’ve not cooked for Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Seekers, before,” Luna replied. She gestured to Twilight, adding, “Instead, they’ve always played host to a young mare from a far off land, who just so happened to share your name, all these years. A happy coincidence, of course.”
Of course. Twilight hummed a contented note as she took up her fork and cut off a nice bite-sized portion to be swiftly guided to her lips. Her eyes lit up, another purr rolled within her chest, this time one of delight.
A sound which brought bright smiles to the sisters’ lips. “You know well we’ve hosted the gryphons in this very castle,” Celestia noted. “A little alteration with some feigned guessing to ingredients were all it really took.”
“Oh, hush, Aunties!” Cadence said with a roll of her eyes. She cast a quick wink at Twilight, brushing her primaries over the changeling princess’s shoulder. “You really think they’d let your stay be anything less than perfect, Ladybug?”
To her left, Shining gave a solemn nod. “If you hadn’t purred, I’d wager poor Al Dente would’ve been sacked before you swallowed.”
“Shiny, be nice!”
“Okay, fine.” He waited all of three seconds before he leaned in to stage whisper, “They’d have given you maybe a second after you swallowed, tops.”
Twilight had to quickly hide her grin behind her hoof and bite the inside of her cheek to stifle a bout of chittering mirth at the flat stares his commentary earned. A trial shared, she noted, with Silín and her guards.
Around them, however, the ponies seated at their tables or mingling around the dance floor showed quite a different picture. They seemed to stare, stunned by the sight of her calmly enjoying a meal and mild banter with their Royal Family—her friends. It was like they’d half expected her to demand Celestia grant her a sacrificial pony to serve as volunteer for a love feast.
Not that she wouldn’t have appreciated a good drink, but hardly in this setting. Besides, she had a volunteer sitting on either side should she wish for something more satisfying for her appetite.
A tap of a gilded horseshoe on the table brought her back to the conversation at hoof. It was Celestia who voiced her opinion first on her meal, leveling the lone stallion at the table with an arched brow and critical gaze over the brim of her glass. “Why, thank you for that assessment of our nature as hosts, dear Captain,” she drawled. “How did your preparations for your dear surrogate sister go again?”
“Told my guards that if they embarrassed the Crown, they’d be better off resigning before I got ahold of them,” he replied without missing a beat. Propping his elbow on the table, Shining laid his chin upon his hoof and waggled his ears. “I felt it important to let them know after Crosswind and Chinook showed up at debriefing halfway to a heart attack after they greeted Twily at the—oh, that reminds me.”
Confused, Twilight tilted her head as he returned his attention to her once more, and then began to rise.
Shining Armor bowed his head and bend his knee before her, drawing surprised gasps and a fresh wave of gossip. An Equestrian Prince and Captain of the Guard appearing submissive before a changeling! Not to mention the very same stallion who had been previously enthralled!
“On behalf of my guards, I would like to apologize for the reception today, Princess Twilight,” he said, loud enough for those nearest to hear. “I failed to alert them to your arrival due to some last minute preparations for tonight’s festivities. Their surprise and disbelief when your Captain presented the summons falls at my hooves.”
“Er …” Twilight’s eyes flitted about. She could feel a tingle running down the back of her neck at the stares, some fearful and full of question of her power over him, others heated and angry at the sight. “Shining—Captain Armor, really, that’s unnecessary,” she said, biting back a curse as she stumbled over his title.
He shook his head. “Hardly.” The stallion raised his gaze so their eyes met. Sky blue eyes entrancing her with his warmth and love, mixing with a hint of severity. “As their Captain, it’s my failing. As your friend, I’m sorry for the trouble and I hope you’ll forgive me. To that end—” he cast a wink “—please consider me at your service for the evening.”
Ears twitching, Twilight cocked her head to one side and fixed him with a bemused smile. So that was his game, was it?
Cute.
“Oh, Shining, you pest!” Cadence scolded without heat. A tiny smile played upon her lips. Her wings ruffling, she bumped shoulders with Twilight. “You’d best accept it, you know he’ll stand there all night waiting if you don’t.”
“I’m very tempted to see,” Twilight mused. “His stubbornness against a changeling’s nature. I believe we’re even in that regard.”
“So far, yes. But don’t pretend it doesn’t entice you.”
Humming, Twilight turned to meet her old friend with a smirk. “Careful. It almost sounds like you hope to see me steal your husband away for the evening—and so soon after the wedding.”
“If not his sister, what other mare could I trust to keep him out of trouble.” With another ruffling of her feathers, Cadence added, “Besides, you could use the chance to let us both see him try to keep up with us again.”
Again, her ears twitched. A fanged smirk played Twilight’s features. “As a matter of fact,” she drawled, turning to eye her surrogate brother as his smile began to falter beneath uncertainty. “I would.”
And as was tradition in their little trio, it was Shining who was left confused and glancing between them in search of answers. “Wait, what?”
“I believe Miss Melody and her group will begin their song soon, right Auntie?” Cadence turned her smile upon Luna. “I don’t suppose we could convince them to forgo the usual, sedate pace and make things a bit more up-tempo for a change?”
“Wait what—hang on!” Shining scooted himself back in his seat, eyes wide. His little act betrayed by a slight uptick at the right corner of his mouth. “Come on! My knees still ache from last time!”
Twilight was quick to catch his hooves before he could pull away. She rose, her smirk growing into a vulpine grin. “You did say you were at my service, Shiny!” she drawled. A little tug had him stumbling away from the table, closer to her. “And you know better than to renege on me or my kin!”
With a musical laugh, Cadence sidled up and wrapped her hooves around his shoulders to cut off any chance of slipping free. She waggled her ears and dotted his cheek with a quick kiss. “Come on! Out to the dance floor! You knew you weren’t getting through tonight without a dance with us, you big-mouthed dork!”
Shining kept up the act just long enough to groan and feign shooting a long-suffering look in the sisters’ direction, to their delight and amusement. Then he turned to follow the giggling mares, submitting to his terrible fate even as Celestia turned to beckon the aforementioned cellist to change things up a bit.
As the trio made their way to the dance floor, Twilight couldn’t help but notice the wide berth every pony present gave her. Again.
But, this time, she found she didn’t mind as much. Oh, it did nibble at the back of her mind like a little duck trying to nip her hind hooves, but she could at least turn to find two familiar faces smiling back at her.
Two faces she’d known almost since the day she’d hatched.
They came to a stop at the very center of the dance floor. Only then did Twilight release Shining’s hooves and Cadence his shoulders. Chittering and giggling, they took places on either side of him, pressing shoulders against him in case he tried that old chat-and-bolt trick he so loved.
He feigned another groan. “Okay, okay,” he intoned with a smile and wave of his hoof. “I’m out on the dance floor, thoroughly caught between my wife and favorite little changeling. No running off.”
“Not that little anymore,” Twilight shot back with a playful glare.
Shining’s smile sharpened. “So very little.” To add to his point, he laid a heavy hoof upon her head and tussled her mane. “So tiny. So small I could pick you up and tickle you silly like I did when you were a nymph.”
Shrieking, she batted the offending limb away. “E-Excuse you!” Twilight cried. “Cadence! I thought you taught him not to mess with a mare’s mane!”
“So did I.” Cadence leaned up to kiss his cheek. Her purple eyes twinkling, she nuzzled his cheek and murmured, “I think he definitely owes us another after such misbehaving.”
“Worth it,” he said with a swish of his tail. His smile faltered as the music began to change, the slow, soothing waltz gone in favor of a short, quicker paced affair with nimble violins filling the space between a rising crescendo of an expert cellist. Shining took a deep breath, his magic working to undo the top buttons of his jacket to allow him a little more freedom. “Just do me a favor and go easy on me this time?”
“Not a chance,” they replied in unison.
“I thought not.”
Grinning, Twilight stepped away to allow him space, and turned to offer a little bow of her head to both ponies. Upon receiving their bows in turn, she took the lead, guiding them to follow her in a fluid like motion, her entire body, every muscle, working in perfect harmony as she let herself feel the music and magic around her and just … let herself set her own magic free.
Her magic washed over her form as naturally as each step, creating that bedazzling little shimmer her ancestors had been known for so long ago. The same which enchanted and bewitched ponies to stop and long to join their dancing circles, albeit with just a little restraint.
The crowd was already bewildered enough by the sight before them.
Such dancing had always been her forte, though Cadence had learned enough to impress several in the hive. Together, they moved like the ebb and flow of the tides, in synch with each other as they joined hooves and spun, or as Cadence deigned to spread a wing for Twilight to duck under and catch Shining around his shoulders.
Shining caught her with a bit of a stutter in his step, his brows furrowed and sweat beading down his face. His hooves had never been nimble or his magic quite as elegant, but he did hold his own with the steps so long as he didn’t think too much. He held her close, tipping her back and quickly throwing his hoof out to send her into a spin just in time to rear up and catch his wife in mid-leap. And, despite the grumbling and groaning and pleas for an easy dance, he smiled.
They all smiled together as they had for ages.
On and on they danced. Twilight felt her heart soar, she threw her head back and chittered gaily as she let her worries and anxieties, all that stress at how she’d been looked at since her arrival, all of it seemed to just wash away for a moment.
She was with her friends. The same friends another had hurt and tried to turn into food stock for their race.
Who could fault her for walking on sunshine?
The song came to an end all too soon for Twilight’s tastes, she came to a rest with a final, decisive clop of a chitinous hoof against the tile floor. Her chest heaving, she beamed and turned to hug and nuzzle them softly, her fangs tickling their coats. Shining, to her amusement, was positively gasping for breath while Cadence patted his chest.
“Dear Celestia, even though I know it’s coming your dances are exhausting,” he wheezed.
“Maybe that’ll get you off your duff and moving around more,” Cadence teased. She leaned up to peck his nose, wrinkling her snout. “And maybe you won’t sweat so much when dancing at Halla Eolais next time!”
“Har har, I have duties that require me to sit on my duff quite a bit.”
With another chitter, Twilight leaned up to nose against Shining’s cheek. “Oh, let him recover, Cadence. He’s a lovely dancer.” Her eyes glittering, she kissed his nose and added, “For a big, burly guard.”
Despite himself, he smiled and nodded at something just over Twilight’s shoulder. An approving hum rolled in the back of his throat. “Well, don’t look now, little princess,” he murmured. “But it looks like our little dance has drawn an interesting shift in attention there.”
Twilight perked her ears. Had it?
Her fangs tingling in curiosity, the Princess of the Seekers turned to look around, her slitted amethyst eyes wide.
All around her, ponies did stare so, just as they’d done since her arrival, and the fear was certainly still there. But with it, something else. Something familiar to Twilight.
They almost looked like nymphs the first time they were taken to see the outside world—frightened, awestruck, and intrigued.
“Oh, Fancy Pants!” Cadence’s voice jolted Twilight out of her surveying just in time to spin around and find Cadence clasping hooves with a rather stately looking stallion with alabaster coat and golden mane, dressed in a rather smart black suit and tie. His mustache actually waggled with his smile.
At his side stood a gorgeous, svelte mare with a matching coat and powder-pink mane. Twilight knew this mare from magazines and pictures Cadence had shown her during visits or trips to Manehattan—the acclaimed Queen of the Runway, Fleur de Lis.
By love, she was more stunning face to face!
Fancy Pants’s smile was as pristine as his suit. “Your Highness, you look radiant as ever,” he greeted, placing a soft kiss on the back of Cadence’s hoof. As he made eye contact with Shining, he inclined his brows. “Ah! Our dear Prince-Captain has recovered fully, I see. Is he treating you well?”
“Far better than I deserve, sometimes,” Cadence replied. Her feathers fluffing, she cast a look of utmost adoration toward Shining. “Even if he sometimes goes back to being that troublesome little colt I fell in love with some days.”
“Excuse me?” Shining raised a brow. “You were the troublemaker, I just went along for the ride. I alwaystook the fall because you were a princess and you fluttered your eyes at the teachers.” Turning to Fleur, he bowed his head and took her right hoof in his. “Pardon me, Madame de Lis.”
“No apology necessary. I know how our loves can be.” Then, Fleur turned her eyes upon Twilight, her brows raising. “I must say, you certainly know how to liven up a dance floor, Your Highness. Might I ask what manner of dance that was?”
Twilight blinked. “Er, ah. We call it ceílí—traditional changeling dances, passed down from one generation to the next.”
“Ceílí,” the Prenchmare repeated, testing the word on her tongue as if sampling wine. Her eyes shone with delight. “Well, I confess, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s beautiful enough to make my Fancy and I forget our manners, it seems.”
The stallion winced. “Ah! Yes, yes! Apologies, Your Highness.” With another quick kiss to Cadence’s hoof, Fancy stepped toward her and bowed low. “Please pardon my neglect. My name is Fancy Pants, and you’ve met my wife, Fleur.”
Twilight gave a little nod and smile to Fleur, before offering a hoof to Fancy. “I’ve seen both of your names around quite a lot, Mister Pants. Cadence used to take me to the shows when I was little—I was quite the fan.”
“Then I must apologize twice over for disappointing a fan. And such a lovely dancer, at that! I would happily give my left hoof to—”
“Careful,” Twilight warned. Her blood sang to hear that offer, that tantalizing deal that leapt to his lips. But she behaved. She was, after all, in her dear Aunties’ castle. With a wink, she said, “I might just take that offer.”
Fancy started. He glanced at Cadence and Shining in turn. “Is she being serious?”
“She is,” Shining replied. “Twily’s being rather sporting and taking it easy on you, though. Changelings take deals very seriously, you see. They always fulfill their end to the letter, and will receive yours one way or another.” He gestured to Twilight. “Though if you were to offer her your company for a dance, she might just be willing to offer you instruction. A Seeker loves knowledge exchange as much as they do a good deal, no?”
“That we do,” she drawled, an idea already blooming in her mind. A lesson, both in dancing and not to ignore her. Oh yes. Twilight smiled, trailing a hoof along the floor as she slowly tilted her head at Fancy. “In exchange for a dance with one of my favorite fashion moguls, I’ll happily teach you how to dance like us, Mister Pants.” She made a show of appraising him with a critical eye, then winked at Fleur. “I’ll even take it nice and slow.”
Just as she’d planned, her comment drew an indignant sputtering and ramble about how he could certainly keep up even as she gently tugged him away from the groupand out to a nice empty spot on the dance floor.
Once there, Twilight drew Fancy in close and laid her free hoof upon his shoulder. “Just relax and follow the flow of the music and me,” she said softly. “A ceílí is about letting go of thought and letting emotion and feeling take over.”
“I see.” His mustache twitched again, Fancy let his eyes flit away in a brief show of nerves. “Er, bluster aside, Your Highness,” he murmured. “If it’s all the same to you, would it be too much to ask that you did take it a bit slow on my behalf?”
Her eyes sparkled like diamonds. “I only promise I won’t do anything a stallion your age can’t handle, Mister Fancy.”
The poor stallion’s grin reflected just how uneasy her non-answer left him. And his eyes? Well, they showed realization of the same thought that sparked her response:
He really should’ve been more attentive.
By the time their third dance ended, Twilight was practically holding the exhausted stallion up by his hoof and shoulder. His breath came in needy gasps; she had to stifle a mischievous grin as he met her eyes.
“Ready for another?” she teased, fluttering her lashes at him.
A shiver ran through his body. “I think not, Your Highness,” he replied with rather admirable politeness and respect for one so tired. More to the point, one who’d just been tricked into a deal and knew it full well the entire time.
Indeed, to his credit, Fancy Pants did maintain that smile. Even if his chest heaved with each breath and his silvery mane was matted with sweat, he kept up that stately look, and had just enough energy to bow his head slightly.
“Thank you for the lesson,” Fancy murmured gravely. “But I think I’ll need to sit down to rest my old knees, Your Highness. If I might have your leave.”
Twilight had to smile at him. How could she not give respect to one who took a deal and honored it so? “Of course.” She released his hoof and bowed low. “Thank you for accompanying me, sir. You’re quite the dancer, once you find your legs.”
“I believe my wife will tell me otherwise once I’m within earshot.” He grinned. “Though you may find yourself with a few curious partners tonight, if you’re taking volunteers. That little show earlier as well as ours drew quite a crowd.”
True to his word, Twilight found those same ponies who regarded her with fear and no shortage of revulsion no more than an hour or so prior regarding her with more curiosity than anything. Yes, there was still that fear—she could taste it in the air—but with it, came a few ponies lining the innermost edges of the crowd encircling the dance floor, each tinged with just a hint of that and curiosity. And intrigue.
But she couldn’t simply go over and take somepony out of the crowd as she’d done with Fancy or Shining. To those still afraid, she might as well be grabbing them away to make them captive to her wiles and prey to her hunger for love. And, well, love for knowledge.
Though, to be fair, there were two or three she just might consider enticing off to the side for a nice, private conversation about Star Swirl’s theorems of magic tosee just how their desire for knowledge tasted. Perhaps she might find one worth bringing back to Halla Eolais.
Twilight shook herself. She wasn’t here to search out prospective students, research partners, or mates. This was official business, diplomatic business with her kin’s safety and security on the line.
Still. None in her hive would fault her for drawing ponies in for a dance. They would think of it as a little bit of changeling trickery—improving relations through sharing a cultural dance, as well as a show of goodwill from changeling to pony.
Yes, that would work quite nicely. First, however, she had to offer a carrot if she wanted to entice those interested to come up and take a nibble.
Thus, when the music resumed, Twilight set about the portrayal of a dancer in search of a partner, though not so much that she seemed desperate for company.
Half the battle was seeming enticing, desirable. Desperate wasn’t desirable at all. An alien beauty dancing in some strange, alluring style only she and a select few knew?
She might as well have placed sweets near an anthill.
That cautious curiosity was like a lit fuse, quickly fizzling down to the end and eating away at that desireto maintain separation and merely observe. A few stallions, a couple mares; each began to drift onto the dance floor. Some came with their own partners, others without.
Twilight did well to keep her smile as toothless as possible when a rather handsome stallion approached her with a fluffing of feathers and bowed low before offering his hoof. She accepted the gesture with a nod of her head, clasping his hoof in hers so he could dot a kiss upon the back of her wrist and begin a slower, more traditionally pony dance.
Quite clever of him, choosing home field where he could take the lead. But her aunties and Cadence had hardly left her untaught, which granted her just a bit of glee seeing her partner’s eyes widen a fraction before he resumed a calmer expression and continued to lead her in a slow waltz around the dance floor.
With the end of the song came a change in partner, this one a stallion nearly her height—impressive, for a pony—who was bold enough to let her lead. The next was tiny little mare with a nervous titter that matched her smile. She favored a nice slow waltz like the first stallion, and used the chance to ask a few questions here and there.
Questions Twilight answered as faithfully as she could, though not without a bit of playful evasiveness. “I can’t go giving away all our secrets,” she teased with a wink. “No more than you can give yours.”
And once they finished and the mare scampered off to gossip and giggle with her friends, their big, colorful eyes never leaving Twilight even as she turned away to chuckle and shake her head. She’d forgotten what a delight ponies were, especially the mares.
When they weren’t gaping in open terror, that was.
Twilight stepped back from the center of the floor to allow the new dancers a bit more room, then bumped into something rather solid and warm, with a texture quite like another pony’s chest.
The little gasp certainly lent credence to that theory.
She turned, an apology fresh on the tips of her forked tongue, but Twilight found it tied in knots the instant she found herself met with a flash of turquoise.
Her breath caught in her throat. Twilight didn’t speak, she could scarcely dare to blink lest she miss out on the chance to drink in the sight of those beautiful turquoise eyes, wide and unblinking as her own, and the flavor of surprise and perhaps just a tad of nerves dancing upon her tongue. Reluctantly, she let her eyes drift away from this new mare’s to survey her features.
The mare’s coat was almost sunny yellow, perhaps just a touch or two darker, and accented by a lovely dress the very color of her eyes. Her feathers, ruffling and fluffing nervously, looked softer than a cloud and just as inviting. Her long, flowing mane was powder pink, the kind that made Twilight wonder if she nuzzled it softly and drank in a breath that she might be able to savor the scent of sugar and sweetness. And as for the rosy blush upon her cheeks? Well, Twilight would have to confess to Silín that this might be the first time she truly felt the urge to nip and tease them until the color bloomed and spread to the nape of her neck.
The nape of her neck, where a band of gold came together to hold a glimmering pink gemstone in the shape of a butterfly—Kindness.
This mare was a fellow bearer. One of House Shy.
The little mare only came up to Twilight’s chest, her eyes wide with shock and just a hint of something else. Fright, but not necessarily at her race.
The sort that came with a poor little mare who’d just wandered onto the dance floor and bumped into foreign royalty in front of an entire gala full of ponies, including the Royal Family of Equestria.
“I-I-I’m so—excuse m-me!” the little mare stammered, her beautiful eyes darting about in search of either an escape route or somepony to come to her aid.
None came. Everypony had stopped, frozen in place, to watch and see what might happen.
Something in the back of Twilight’s mind wondered if some might think her about to swoop down upon their precious little bearer and gobble up all her love in front of them. If not for tensions between their kinds, she might have been tempted to playact a little.
Instead, Twilight smiled and nodded her head in a little bow. “It’s no more your fault than mine, Lady of House Shy,” she replied. “I wasn’t looking where I was walking, myself. So I’ll happily forgive you if you’ll forgive me.” Pausing just a moment, she let out a low purr. “And if you’ll allow me to know your name.”
That rosy blush deepened to color her face a bright red. “Um, well. M-My name is Fluttershy. You can call me that instead of Lady Shy or anything, if you’d like,” came her reply, her voice as soft as a mouse’s step, but in this heavy silence, it carried throughout the chamber with the cellist’s melody. Again, she bowed her head, that pretty mane shifting to cover her eyes like a veil. “Nice to meet you, Your Highness.”
“The pleasure is mine, Fluttershy.” The name flowed off Twilight’s tongue and tasted of sweet honey. What a lovely name, and so fitting! In turn, Twilight bowed her head and brought a hoof to her chest. “I am—“
“Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Seekers. And, apparently, bearer of Magic,” Fluttershy interrupted. Then, her hoof leapt to cover her lips. “I’m so sorry! I just heard the herald and—”
Chittering with mirth, Twilight shook her head again. “Not a problem. I suppose the usual formalities are rather silly when one is introduced upon entry, no?”
To her delight, Fluttershy didn’t flinch. No. Rather, she ducked and covered her lovely smile with a hoof, a musical little giggle floated through to her conical ear and made her chest fill with fluff and sweetness.
“Well, since we know each other already.” Twilight held out a hoof in offer. “Would you care to join me in a dance?”
“Me? With you?” Fluttershy’s mirth evaporated. She seemed to shrink in on herself again. “I-I don’t know how to dance like that! Like you, or like any of the things they were doing! I’ll mess up! I’ll trip or step on your hoof and make you trip!” Her pupils shrunk to pinpricks, a tiny whimper built in her chest and gave itself voice, her own came out in little more than a hushed, shrill whisper, “I’ll make a fool out of both of us!”
“You can’t possibly be any worse than Shiny was when he first came to my home.”
“Shiny?”
Twilight grinned. “I’ve known Shining Armor since I was a little hatchling. His parents saved my life.” She took a step closer, offering her hoof again. “For what it’s worth, I’ve never really found myself one to care if my dance partners are experts or new, my teachers certainly didn’t. And I’d never complain if any were as lovely as yourself.”
Away went that skittish look and need to run and hide, returning was that rosy coloring of her cheeks and a hint of a wobbly smile. Fluttershy accepted her offered hoof with a trembling limb and a little fluff of her feathers, that powder pink tail swishing as she allowed Twilight to lead her a couple steps further out onto the dance floor.
Twilight decided upon a more sedate dance when the music started again. Something a bit more familiar for the shy little mare to cut her teeth on. She reared up, guiding Fluttershy to imitate her as she drew her in close, clasping one hoof in hers while she guided the other to rest upon her waist.
At the little squeak of surprise such placement drew, Twilight opted to shift Fluttershy’s hoof a bit higher up her side, toward her ribs. “Just like this,” she said. “A nice, slow waltz, just like the rest of the ponies’ll do. You’ve seen one of those, right?”
“A few times, yes. But I’ve never tried it myself.”
“Then we’ll take it slow. Together?” Twilight squeezed her hoof in comfort. Then she took the first step, her grin showing teeth as Fluttershy followed, albeit hesitantly.
And away they went together. A slow waltz about their little section of the floor. No spins, no little dips, just the basic steps and two mares held close, their eyes locked.
Locked, that is, save for those fleeting moments when Fluttershy allowed her nerves to take hold and her eyes flitted to check her hooves.
Each time she faltered, Twilight was there to lean in and murmur in her ear, “You’re doing fine. Eyes up here, I’ll lead you along.”
Repetitive, yes. Frightfully so. Yet, Twilight found herself met with a warm look from those beautiful turquoise eyes and a tiny smile, a rare one that spoke of trust and comfort, that made it all worthwhile.
Their dance ended all too soon for her tastes. Unable to resist, the changeling princess dipped the little mare back, the last notes of the cello and violins trailing off into the air while they stayed together, eyes locked and breathing in short, needing gasps.
That rosy hue coloring her partner’s cheeks was shared this time, a heavy heat bleeding into her carapace and made her heart flutter like a flurry of butterflies.
Twilight made to speak, but stopped just short. Slowly, she leaned back and guided Fluttershy to stand upright once more.
Her mouth felt dry as though someone had placed a cotton ball upon her tongue. She tried to lick her lips and think of something to say, the only words that came to mind a hushed, “You’re as lovely a dancer as you look. Far better than you think.”
“Th-Thank you,” Fluttershy whispered in reply. Her gaze flitted to the floor once more, for but a split second before she looked up shyly and met Twilight’s without prompting. “And you’re a far nicer changeling than I would’ve thought, and I wouldn’t mind dancing with you again.”
The Princess of the Seekers couldn’t help but give her dragonfly-like wings a happy buzzing trill right in the middle of the dance floor. Why should she not? Her little scheme had worked better than imagined, and in more ways than she even intended!
And why shouldn’t they have another dance? The night was young, and the Sisters had never been the sort to end such an event before midnight.
A feigned cough, like some interloper trying to steal attention away, made Twilight’s ears flick and swivel to her left. With the tiniest of frowns marring her face, she turned to fix their intruder with a questioning look.
There, standing before her, was a troupe of mares she’d known only by reputation before ever seeing the gleaming gemstones worn around their neck. A pegasus with a challenging look, a pair of earth ponies, one stern and steepled in traditional values while the other looked torn between jubilation and boundless exuberance, and that sunny gold unicorn from before, still aiming that heated glare at Twilight from the rear of the pack.
But at the lead, the dazzling diamond shaped sapphire of Generosity shining against her opulent white coat and flowing blue dress, was a mare whose beauty and radiance should’ve made any sane creature, pony or not, pause to appreciate like a work of art. By love, her perfect smile and soulful blue eyes should’ve made Twilight’s heart stop for the second time that evening.
“Apologies for the interruption, Your Highness,” the mare said. She gave the slightest bow of her head, practiced precision displaying neither subservience nor an assumption of higher status. “But we thought we might cut in and introduce ourselves as our dear Fluttershy has.”
All Twilight could do was return that smile with the same dangerous, tight-lipped one she wore as the mare’s melodious voice sent venomous words through the air to burn her ears. Her blood sang a throaty purr in her ears, even as she withdrew her hoof from her former partner’s side and stood on three. With her fourth, she maintained a gentle grip on Fluttershy’s wrist, a silent promise for another dance once pleasantries had been exchanged.
Pleasantries, she mused. This lesson will be anything but pleasant, I wager.
Aloud, she greeted them with the same false warmth this new mare afforded her, “Quite so.” Twilight inclined her head and looked down upon the remaining four bearers. “After four centuries, all six bearers together with no false faces. This is an auspicious evening indeed.”
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That was intense. The way the dance is described, it sounds like a real wonder to behold. I never tire of how you write and portray changelings and their nuances and culture and little things. The relationship between Cadence and Shining and Twilight is such a pure thing, so much fluff. And a dance with timid Fluttershy, a bit of flirting, and the rest of the bearers of course wanting to step in. Delicious drama, I love it.
Welp, next time we see just how badly Sunset can sour a conversation.
Twilight and Fluttershy, huh? Don't think I've seen that pairing before. The dance scene with Shining and Cadance was spectacular. And hooo boy, are the Bearers (and Sunset) about to start some shit. Pinkie would be happy to make a new friend I imagine, while Applejack would simply be cautious until she decides Twilight's being honesty. RD, Rarity, and Sunset, though? RD's stubborn as a rock, Rarity is the queen of barbed comments, and Sunset, being of the house that Magic was stolen from....she's not even pretending to be nice.
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Looks like the haughty prick known as Rarity will do just fine on that front without Sunset's assistance. At least with Sunset you see what you get; Rarity's more likely than not a snake in the grass.
Nice update thank you for it
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Ah! But Twilight has a piece of knowledge that the other Bearers don't: The true reason why the Element of Magic was removed from House Shimmer's possession. I highly doubt that the other Bearers nor their houses are aware that Celestia herself requested Seekers take up the mantle of Magic. Should Rarity and/or Sunset try to start a scene, Twilight could get Celestia involved in the discussion, and have the truth come out that way.
After all, in the Seeker Hive, knowledge is power, and power is useless if you can't recognize the right time to use it.
got to love the drama can't wait to see how the story goes
One does not simply frolick and dance in the fields with the fair folk lest one find themselves whisked away through the fairy mounds XD And one NEVER makes a promise lest they lose far more than they bargained for to gain nothing but fairy gold =P
9419106
True, true. That is rather important knowledge, and I skimmed last chapter, and it definitely seems like Twilight's holding onto that as a potential card to play.
68.media.tumblr.com/b3067771fafd934022232ebbff59d72a/tumblr_ok760nNfAZ1thsrlto4_540.gif
On another note, fluttershy is smol in this fic!
Things are Intresting
Well, this should be interesting.
I had previously thought that this story was excellent. I couldn't have been more wrong. This story is bucking fantastic! I love how you're portraying the Changelings like the Fey! I can't believe I never thought of that! Chryssy would be UnSeelie of course, while Twi is clearly Seelie. Ah, it's brilliant. I may have to steal the concept at some point. At the very least, I'm remembering it!
Well, this isn't going to lead anywhere unpleasant, right?
>Maker
>You know better than that
Of course there'll be unpleasantness! Otherwise the pleasantness wouldn't be any fun!
As much as I hate to admit it, the ditz has a point
Hey, I'm not a ditz!
Ladies, we have a Maker to assist, remember?
Sunset Shimmer's only jealous that Twilight is the Element of Magic, not her.
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http://elsewhereuniversity.tumblr.com
The tales of a university on a fairy hill. In case you're interested.
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It was established in the VERY FIRST CHAPTER that the Element of Magic used to belong to House Shimmer. Jealousy has very little to do with it.. She's downright livid because of the fact that a changeling dares to wear Magic after the attack by Chrysalis.
9419197
I know that. I was just theorizing.
So we have the affront with alabaster at the end.
Interesting in that its not a shimmering distaste at the forefront, but watching for sure. Though I do love the way shining, the sisters, and cadence are in this.
These are friends and family, and it shines so brightly.
This is going to be one of thise stories I go back to read again and again. Its glorious.
Uhg I hate catching up to stories this good, now I have to wait.
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You're right of course, Chryssy would be Unseelie. However Twilight being Seelie makes her seem like she isn't just as dangerous in her own way. In the SIthen mounds of the Fae, Blood is just as red on white marble as black. The seelie court were just as deadly as their darkling cousins, they just weren't as cruel.
If they aren’t careful their like to start a ballroom blitz.
I do so love these changelings.
I hope Rarity is generous enough to give Twilight a chance. I understand she's protective of Flutters, and wary of lings, and she recognizes a social coup by a potential enemy when she sees one.
So Twilight seems to have had QUITE the reaction to Fluttershy there. This is going to end in secretive forbidden fairy kisses isn't it?
Caught up. This is very good. Can't wait for the next part you've only teased.
I think some commenters have missed that it's Rarity, not Sunset, that Twilight wants to die in a fire. Why is, presumably, a question for the next chapter.
And did I miss something, or is it also a question for next chapter why there are six blinged ponies when there should only be five?
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You know, I'd make the argument that between the two courts of the Fair Folk the UnSeelie court is safer. At least they conduct more of their business in the open. Slightly less veiled smiles and hidden blades, a good deal more knowing where you stand. Who's actually mad at you. At least, I'd rather deal with an upfront and angry UnSeelie than a strange Seelie full of sweet words and hidden traps. I'm probably dead either way, but if I know how to fight, I'm probably safer among the UnSeelie. Of course, Changelings aren't going to follow exactly the same rules. Right?
I have fallen in love with your even more adorable versoin of Fluttershy, très bon!
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The fact that you understand that says a lot about you. I am duly impressed for what ever that's worth.
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About the only thing they could do without causing an incident and being incarcerated for attacking an ally of Equestria without provocation, realistically, is demand that Twilight surrender Magic to Sunset (it’s clear that despite Magic being removed, the six houses have stayed at least somewhat close over the centuries as a matter of tradition, if for no other reason). All Twilight needs to do, as has been suggested, is tell them to take the matter up with Celestia.
The agreement was made with her, after all. She is one of the only two living beings that can break it.
Pleasant ? probably not, interesting ? deliciously so
I do believe the most fey thing about this is that Twilight Sparkle can dance...!
And Fluttershy swoops in for the ship. Did not see that coming!
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9419392
I had to double take at the idea that the Seelie Court is less cruel. Death, devourment, straightforward pain and the like may be physically cruel, but the legends of the Seelie Court enchanting mortals, hiding them away for a hundred years, or returning a young man to himself as a withered crone, of offering delights beyond mortal ken and whisking them away... I'd say psychological torture is every bit as cruel, and then some.
Break a man's body, and he finds a way to cope. Break his mind, and he is no longer a man.
It's a really good thing this is Equestria, and Changelings are not the Sidhe.
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Close enough to make me want to bring a cold iron dagger.
Really, kudos to the author: I haven't read such masterfull description of the changeling as fair folk (in first person, not less) since Mendacity. Also, managing to keep Twilight personality within the mischievous, predatory nature of a sidhe.
9419565
Thanks! I've always loved mythology, especially the semi-obscure stuff like the Fair Folk and the Norse pantheon. (Well, one of those was more obscure before the MCU popularized it, but that doesn't lessen it now does it? Eeenope.)
9419688
Basically what I was trying to say but better worded. Nicely done. *hat tip*
A Twilight who can dance worth a gorram? Now I've seen everything.
Lovely work so far and I can barely wait for more to come.
HHHHHHRRERRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!! SO ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!
And I smell a confrontation.
MORE I SAY!!!!
I’m most looking forward to this confrontation between Twilight and the end their bearers. However, I thought she and the other bearers would have b end friends since they would have been the ones to defeat Nightmare Moon together. Is that different in this AU?
Also, how tall is Twilight exactly? I thought she was normal adult pony sized.
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Ooooh that's a good link o.o For some reason I keep forgetting about cold iron :/
Actually... Considering how much steel we use these days wouldn't the fair folk be pretty dangerous? XD Do we even use iron nails anymore?
9419907 It's a bit different in that Luna never became Nightmare Moon in this AU. I tried to hint at that with the intro chapter and having her be present 400 years prior to the present day, but I probably should've made it a bit more clear.
And Twilight's height is a bit taller than most stallions, but still just slightly shorter than the likes of Big Mac and Shining Armor, whom I typically put at the larger end of the spectrum (ignoring Troubleshoes, because he's a frigging outlier XD)
Thank you for reading ^^
Edit: I should also probably note that Twilight wasn't the Bearer of Magic in an official context until Sireadh gave it to her at the start of her journey. So, if Nightmare Moon did happen, it would have likely been Sireadh at that time.
Lovely to see Twilight in her element. Making deals, forging connections, sharing knowledge... Let's just hope her first undisguised interactions with the other Bearers (and Sunset) don't set back the progress she's made with the rest of the court.
9419805
Now I know it's an AU.
What's this? Twilight Sparkle actually knowing how to dance? We truly are seeing an alternate universe here!
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I think it's less that Fluttershy is smol and more that Twilight, while undisguised, is big, as per the pony universe rule that if you're royalty, you gotta be bigger than the others.
good chapter, and I would so ship twilight with fluttershy,
also why do I have feeling rainbow dash is about to attack twilight?
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Yikes. That's a good point. There's not exactly a common amount of cold iron around nowadays. You could probably order some from somewhere though.
They're so adorable together~! Especially with Twilight - as a change of pace - being the suave confident one,
as well as being able to dance.It lives! And I think I finally understand why this story is tagged with a romance tag, though it was unexpected, it is not unwelcome; I do love some TwiShy.
Is it just me or does it feel like every time I read Halla Eolais I pronounce it differently in my head? Seriously, am I the only one?
That cliffhanger tho... can't wait for the next chapter!
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I wouldn't be so worried. At the time the myths were made, "cold iron" literally just meant "anything with a non-trivial amount of iron in it", so by the original folklore the steel that comprises about 60% or more of our modern society is very much toxic to Fae.
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AH, that explains a lot. I was just assuming the elements had less stringent requirements here.
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The original story is less some special kind of iron, and more that they were defeated and driven into the hollow hills using iron weapons. So any iron will cut it, and it's possible modern alloys like steel and titanium would be even better.
But even if those don't work, and you need iron? Any iron will do. Your best bet is to grab a fireplace poker.