Princess Preparatory

by Melody Song

The Winter Ball, Part 1

Author's Note:

No, I did not forget about the Winter Ball! Read on, my friends! And I'm sorry about the wait, and that there's not a lot of plot in this part. That will change next chapter.

~Melody Song

Rarity was helping them put on their dresses for the ball, which would take place in the evening of that very day.

"Wait until the boys see us!" Rarity squealed. "It's so good we get to wear what we want for the ball!"

"I don't really like dresses..." Daring said as she tugged on hers.

"Pshaw, you'll be fine darling. Just stop pulling on it, you'll stretch out the fabric."

"I don't like dresses either." Rainbow told her sister.

"Or me." Spitfire added.

"Me too." Fleetfoot agreed.

"But we've learned by now that it's better to just do what Rarity says." Rainbow finished, and Daring sighed.

"Can I at least wear my pith helmet?"

"No!" Rarity snapped, before turning her attention to Fluttershy.

"Girls, I have some exciting news..." Cadence said, she was twirling around in her dress, admiring the work Rarity had done.

"What is it?!" Pinkie asked eagerly.

"Headmistress Celestia says that you guys can stand up front with me, as a sort of display to show off Rarity's handiwork." Cadence said.

"Really?!" They all cried, and began cheering when Cadence nodded, Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight jumping up and down.

---

"Alright boys, the countdown to the Winter Ball is at five hours, fourty-five minutes, and six seconds. Are we all ready?" Fashion Plate asked, straightening his tie.

"We've got time for a quick round of Ogres and Oubliettes before we have to meet at the carriages." Spike suggested.

"No, you don't."

The boys whipped around to see Vice Headmaster Pharynx leaning against the doorway.

"V-Vice Headmaster. Is something wrong?" Star Tracker asked nervously.

"No, but you won't have time for a game..." Vice Headmaster Pharynx straightened up and stepped into the room. "Because Headmaster Thorax and I can't join you, so you'll be missing two key players."

"Oh. Why can't you join us?" Shining asked.

"That's personal business, but it's basically something to do with our kingdom, nothing important." Vice Headmaster Pharynx replied, before turning to leave. "I want you boys down by the carriages ten minutes early, am I understood?"

"Yes sir." they all chorused, as the door closed.

"So...you want to crush each other in FK?" Soarin asked, grabbing his gaming consle.

"Fallout Kingdoms? That game takes way too long to play." Sunburst shook his head.

"Okay, how about Knights of the Round Table? We have time to slay a dragon or two."

"Better."

The boys played for four hours, then went down to wait outside the school. Soarin, Flash, and Discord played a racing game on Soarin's tablet. Spike, Shining, and Sunburst, meanwhile, were talking about O&O stats. Cheese was leaning back on the steps, munching on some chips he'd gotten from the cafeteria. Fashion, Star Tracker, and Dark Shooter began talking about what to expect when they got to the girls' school. They figured it would be a bit less formal than the Banquet, considering this was meant to be part of the Winter celebration.

"Hey, you're all early, great!" Headmaster Thorax said, coming outside.

"We were bored so we thought we'd hang out here." Flash explained, as Vice Headmaster Pharynx came outside next.

"Also, Vice Headmaster Pharynx told us to be ten minutes early." Discord added, then reached across Flash and grabbed the tablet from Soarin. "Watch it, you nearly made it crash!"

"True, I did tell you that. Between us, it was so you guys could have first pick of the carriages." Vice Headmaster Pharynx winked.

The boys smiled back at him and headed over to pick.

They were all dressed in their finest attire. Spike wore a green top with a purple cloak pinned up to one side of his outfit, and emerald green pants. Fashion Plate wore a classic black suit with a red tie. Sunburst wore a similar orange top with a blue, star-sprinkled cape and dark blue pants. Dark Shooter wore a dark purple vest with gray pants and a black belt. Flash Sentry had chosen a navy blue suit.

Star Tracker was wearing a simple purple shirt with white pants. Shining Armor wore a blue suit that resembled that of a King or Prince's-the role he would one day occupy. It had golden epaulettes, along with gold lining. He was wearing navy blue pants with the same gold stripes down them. Cheese Sandwich was wearing a dark yellow button-up shirt with black jeans. Discord and Soarin had chosen to strap armor plates to their sleeves. They both wore jackets with pants, boots, and belts. Discord's jacket was tawny yellow, his pants were red, and his boots light brown. Soarin's jacket was navy blue, his pants pale blue, and his boots black. Each had belts with harnesses on them that had knives strapped there.

Vice Headmaster Pharynx was wearing a lavender undershirt, with dark cyan chestplate armor, unlike the cyan jacket he typically wore. He had a violet cape tied by his neck. The Vice Headmaster had on equally dark cyan pants and a sword strapped to his waist by a red belt, boots the same violet color as his cape. His sleeves were in a similar style as Discord and Soarin's, though that was most likely to display his position as Head Knight. Headmaster Thorax was wearing a green shirt with a violet belt, and a darker magenta cape than Pharynx's. His pants too, were lime green, and his boots a dark orange.

Once the other students had arrived, Headmaster Thorax and Vice Headmaster Pharynx got into the front carriage and they were off.

---

The boys arrived to an empty entry hall. Vice Headmaster Pharynx rolled his eyes.

"Tia 'n Lulu 're probably planning some kinda big entrance." he muttered to his brother, who nodded slightly in agreement.

The door opened and Headmistress Celestia entered, along with Vice Headmistress Luna. The Headmistress wore a white, regal gown with gold tints and her signature gleaming gold crown perched on her hair. Luna wore a dark blue gown with silver tints that fitted her slim form. Her own black crown was resting on her head.

"Welcome, Headmaster Thorax, Vice Headmaster Pharynx. Our students are waiting in the ballroom." Headmistress Celestia said, gesturing with her hand to the hallway.

The boys followed the Headmistress and Vice Headmistress down the hall, and they opened the doors to reveal the girls. As their Headmaster and Vice Headmaster went to join the Professors alongside the girls' Headmistress, the boys all held back gasps of surprise and wonder.

---

Cadence stood in the front, wearing a beautiful dress that had facets to it, as though it were made of crystals. She wore sparkling silver shoes and a crown that was made of real gems. Lined up on either side of her were Twilight and her friends.

Twilight wore a blue dress with white stars sewn onto the skirt, and dark purple, velvet shoes. She stood to the right of Cadence, and on the older girl's left was Rarity, dressed in a white gown with purple and blue trims. To Twilight's left was Fluttershy, who wore a gorgeous leaf green, slim gown. The dress had embroideries of vines and butterflies moving around the skirt, and fabric made to look like ivy went around her arms, like gloves. On Rarity's right stood Applejack, who was dressed in a simplistic orange gown with brown, ruffled hems. She wore a more decorative version of her usual stetson hat, this one having apple designs embroidered on, as well as gold thread accenting a few places.

Beside Applejack was Pinkie, who was wearing a pink puffy gown that had candy designs stitched in. Her poofy hair had been tucked back into a ponytail, that bounced merrily on her shoulders. Starlight and Sunset stood next to Fluttershy. Starlight wore a purple bodice held up by a teal colored beaded string around her neck. The skirt was a lavender color made of translucent fabric with more teal beads trailed around the top of the skirt. Sunset's was a mainly purple, but it had sashes around the skirt. One was light purple, the other was magenta and faded to yellow, like a sunset. The one sash on the top that wrapped around her neck bore a red and yellow swirled sun symbol pinned to the side, over one of the short sleeves.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot stood beside Rainbow Dash, who was by Pinkie. Spitfire's dress was layered, each one a different shade of orange. But it had been pressed flat against her, rather than puffing out. It's top consisted of just one sleeve to hold it up, a sleeve that had armor plates on the shoulder, and an armored glove-like part that wrapped around her hand. Fleetfoot's dress was ice blue, with white shapes that spiraled around the skirt, like snow flurries. Her sleeves were plated in armor as well, showing her tough interior. Rainbow's dress had a blue bodice, however the skirt was a sparkling silver. Somehow, the creator had managed to make the fabric so that a rainbow tint shone through the silver. Rainbow's sleeves didn't have armor, instead it had lightning bolts streaking through the blue fabric.

Daring stood by Sunset, her dress was slim fitting and the same olive green as her adventurer outfit. The dress had gold pieces that wrapped around the skirt, the bodice had a compass symbol pinned to the waist. The sleeves were laced with golden fragments that covered her hands like fingerless gloves, but they looked fierce.

---

"Wow." Shining breathed, as the girls walked up to them. The other boys and girls made their way towards each other as well, but no one in the group noticed.

"You all look fabulous!" Fashion Plate cried.

"We should, Rarity made the dresses!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"You guys look pretty good too." Rainbow said.

"Fashion made our outfits, well, parts of them." Spike explained.

"Ready to dance?" Sunset asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Of course." Flash agreed.

"Sure." Discord shrugged

"Obviously." Shining said, taking Cadence by the arm.

"Well, then let's go!" Pinkie cheered

Comments

[raven618]

I'm jealous of the amount of variety you girls can have in your formal wear. You can change skirt length, sleeve length, neck style. You can choose to add jewelry, scarves, belts, a shall. Or you could wear a tuxedo and pants, or a tuxedo and skirt. And all of that in every color under the sun.

Meanwhile us menfolk are limited to our dress shirts, tuxedos, dress pants, and neckties. And we get our choice of white clothing or black clothing. If we wish to add some variety, we're put on the proverbial chopping block for disrupting the peace.

This is exaggerated, but nevertheless, I would like a little variety in men's formal wear.

[Melody Song]

10221023
Yeah, honestly I have no clue what royal men would wear to a ball like that. But I had more ideas for the girls simply because of their different personalities. While I have the boys fleshed out too, I just couldn't think of that much variety in formal men's wear. I personally hate wearing dresses. Give me some pants and a shirt with a sweatshirt over it and I'm good.

[raven618]

10221039
I might recommend the Prince's outfits from Cinderella, Little Mermaid or Sleeping Beauty.

[Melody Song]

10221075
I'll take a look at them and possibly re-write the chapter. Thanks for the tip.