The Alicorn Book

by Nova Star Sparkle

Interlude I: A Princess for Heart´s Warming Eve

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* Interlude I: Heart´s Warming Eve Chapter *

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Blaze was nervous - very nervous. To the extent even that he found it difficult to set one hoof in front of the next without stumbling. His legs were trembling under him like weed in a crazy tornado and where barely willing to support his weight at all.

As it had turned out two weeks ago, his aunt seemed to be an old high school friend of Velvet Sparkle - High Princess Twilight's biological mother.

That in itself wasn't scary or made him nervous. It was kind of cool knowing his aunt had gone to school with one of the most important mare’s in known Equestrian history. Yet what his aunt had shared with him shortly afterwards certainly had.

As it was unfortunately, the majority of his family members were almost all unable to attend Heart's Warming Eve this year. Therefore he couldn't spend it with all of them like every other year. At first, that had made him rather sad, as he was very fond of all his relatives, but that sadness had swiftly turned to surprise and then quickly fear. As a gesture of consolation, his aunt had organized a private invitation to that very same daughter of Velvet Sparkle. The newly minted young alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle as a Heart's Warming Eve gift just for him.

He was very grateful for this extraordinary gift from his dearest - well, and only - aunt. However, he was much more nervous at the stunning opportunity to meet a full-fledged alicorn princess on Heart's Warming Eve.

The letter he had received from his aunt had been a thick, high-quality parchment rolled up into a small scroll. To hold the scroll tightly together and keep it from unrolling, there was a crimson red ribbon of soft silk tied around its center. On it a wax seal with the crest of Equestria and Princess Twilight's personal cutie mark. A small lavender ribbon had protruded from the side of the parchment scroll, only further hammering home the fact of who royal alicorn the scroll was from right into his mind.

The golden, calligraphically meticulous, formulaic-royal and gracile way in which every single word in the letter was crafted only emphasized the care, high regard and magical prowess of the young alicorn princess. The parchment also smelled faintly of lavender and roses - two scents he knew the young princess was very fond of from tales.

Even if he had been using a magnifying glass to examine the parchment, he probably wouldn't have spotted a single flaw in the individual characters Princess Twilight had written for him. Every curve was written in sheer perfection and the spacing was accurate to the millimeter – maybe even more so.

The invitation itself had been brief, friendly but sufficiently detailed enough to inform him of everything he needed to know.

"Heart's Warming Eve! - 3:30 p.m. - Her new crystal castle in Ponyville - no need to wear anything special or bring any specific, come as you would to any other occasion - ring at the front entrance and wait for the door to open".

That basically had been all that the princess had written in her private invitation for him. Naturally, she had written in a bit more detail to him, though cutted down that was all the vital information he had received.

Breaking loose from his thoughts back to the letter he had read at least fifty times to not miss any critical detail he blinked his eyes to diffuse any leftover stray thought from his mind. Blaze then glanced around to his back and the small, green wrapped gift box decorated with a gold ribbon and red bow that he was balancing right between his shoulder blades.

Princess Twilight's letter had stated that he didn't have to bring anything special, but he would never dare show up to Heart´s Warming Eve without a gift. Whether he was meeting a royal alicorn princess, his family or just an ordinary friend, such a thing was simply part of the occasion.

Yet he obviously couldn´t just give Princess Twilight anything random as a Heart´s Warming present. She was a royal alicorn princess, highly regarded mare in general and one of the six harmony elemental bearers after all. While the alicorn mare was even far more than that, that were the three most vital key facts of Princess Twilight´s honored being for Blaze at the moment.

Blaze threw the wrapped box another glance backwards while keeping his pace to his destination. His little gift consisted of a beautiful long gold pendant featuring a small night-blue star shaped jewel about the size of an orange sparkling in the center. In his opinion, the perfect gift for someone as special as Princess Twilight Sparkle. It also kind of resembled the center star of the alicorn’s cutie mark which made it that much more fitting for his princess.

He didn't have a lot of bits at his disposal. Blaze's job certainly wasn't the crappiest and he really enjoyed it, but it was by no means the best paid one in Equestria. Nevertheless, he got by without too many problems and was able to maintain a higher standard of living without having to consider every single bit thrice.

Yet purchasing a necklace like that was a novelty even for his wallet and the jewelry had consequently cost him almost all of his currently available money. Particularly as he had had the actual gold chain visibly lengthened and made thicker by the blacksmith so that it would fit around the alicorn's neck and not look too tight or small on her body. After all, an alicorn was always a lot taller than the average pony. Even if Princess Twilight was still an adolescent teenage alicorn mare she was nevertheless said to be rather tall and would only grew more the closer she got to become a full grown alicorn.

He didn't know much about mature alicorns – or alicorns in general – but he strongly suspected that his revered Princess Twilight would one day become at least as tall as Princess Luna or Princess Cadance presently were. Perhaps the juvenile lavender alicorn would even grow as massive as Princess Celestia – the eldest of the four royal alicorns of Equestria. Who knew?

So when he had seen that necklace in Ponyville's jewelry store, he had simply realized that he couldn't find anything finer for Princess Twilight and that it was worth every bit for the royal alicorn. However, he still ended up with enough for a nice little bouquet of flowers to go with his present, even if his wallet was now completely drained down to the last bit. His mouth however was now all the fuller and prevented him from speaking at all. As an earth pony, he had no alternative but to carry the bouquet in his muzzle. However, he felt no remorse for that first fact. After all, his hard-earned bits went to a very worthy royal purpose. Princess Twilight was a most honorable mare with gentle and caring morals for truly all her subjects and even more so her close allies. From the richest mare or stallion down to the poorest of Equestria’s citizens and even the ones that normal society would like to never see, like criminals. Rare but still existant in the Equestrian kingdom.

Blaze felt that was something to be properly honored and what said 'thank you' better than a nice bouquet of flowers? He couldn't think of anything more appropriate.

The bouquet itself had even better flowers than his bits would have actually have sufficed. The moment he mentioned who the lovely flowers were for, Rose and Daisy had insisted on embellishing the bouquet with a few more roses, dahlias and gladioli for him. At no extra cost, of course.

Blaze didn't want to accept at first, but Lily in particular - the third of the earth pony owners of the little flower store in Ponyville - was adamant that he agreed.

She also drummed it into him that she certainly knew better than he did which flowers worked particularly well together as part of a bouquet. Especially as this arrangement of flowers was also intended for Princess Twilight and she therefore had high expectations on herself in crafting the absolute perfect bouquet for the lavender alicorn.

In the end, Blaze had simply accepted without saying a word, expressed his thanks, paid for the flowers and set off for Twilight's castle with his improved and more lavishly decorated bouquet.

Slowly, Blaze now trotted down the slightly narrower dirt road from the center of Ponyville. The road had recently split off from the main street of the small town and inevitably led directly to another wide road and the gigantic crystal castle of a particular lavender alicorn.

Princess Twilight's castle was legally speaking standing about 200 meters beyond the borders of Ponyville. Nevertheless, in order to grant the young princess total authority and sovereignty over Ponyville, it made no difference.

At least that was the opinion of the mayor and the general sentiment of Ponyville's residents. Princess Twilight Sparkle was very well-liked and respected by all her subjects and everyone had great faith in the young alicorn's abilities. Thus, none of the Ponyville ponies even bothered to worry about whether Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle was actually geographically within the village boundaries or not.

Lifting his gaze ahead Blaze followed further down the road. There was only one other small path a little further up Blaze's way, running from the left side into the road he was currently trotting along. It stretched from the junction some distance ahead all the way to the entrance of the Everfree Forest, where it went off into the shadowy, sinister enchanted forest.

Blaze had never been in the Everfree Forest himself, but had also absolutely no intention of doing so in the future. The stories told about the magical forest and the animal and plant dangers that were said to lurk within were enough to give him an accurate impression of the forest. He didn't need to experience it for himself if he could avoid it.

Blaze therefore gave no further thought to the Everfree Forest or earth track, for he was still very busy trying to get his hooves under full control of his body. He would be more than mortified if his legs were still trembling by the time he reached Princess Twilight's crystal castle. Before that happened, he rather hoped that the earth would burst open around him and swallow him up without leaving a trace.

His attention was however diverted rather quickly from the proper coordination of his individual legs just a few seconds and a few hoof steps ahead. By now he had almost reached the junction where the other, slightly thinner road merged sideways into his own. From this very road, however, Blaze now saw two beautiful mares about his age approaching him at a slow trot. Both mare’s chatting while they walked down the road and giggling to the jokes and antics of the other.

But they were certainly not just two ordinary mares, like there were many in Ponyville. The population in the small town on the edge of the Everfree Forest was five to one in favor of the mares after all. The mares in question were Rarity Belle and Fluttershy (Shy?), two very famous mares. Not just in Ponyville, but throughout Equestria and far beyond the borders of the pony kingdom to distant realms and other nations.

The slender off-white unicorn mare was the harmony element of generosity as well as a very prominent fashion designer and trendsetter enjoying massive success throughout Equestria. The butter-yellow pegasus mare who walked, friendly but slightly crouched, next to her unicorn friend was the harmony element of kindness. And also the Headmare of Ponyville’s personal animal care center for wounded or weak creatures of all shapes and sizes.

The two mares were still deep in conversation, but the moment they noticed his approaching hooves, they gazed up. A wide and friendly grin crossed the muzzles of both mares as they continued to walk up to him. Rarity's though was much wider than Fluttershy's. Yet that wasn't because Fluttershy was less friendly than Rarity. The Pegasus mare was just as her name already hinted at, relatively shy and easily frightened, so Blaze didn't expect anything else anyway.

Fluttershy had already made good progress and had begun to open up to other ponies. But it would be a long time - probably years - before she was anywhere near as confident as any of the rest of her friends. Apart from Princess Twilight, obviously, for Blaze was aware that the alicorn mare had already been a natural born leader since she was a little unicorn filly. Although Twilight didn't want to admit it to herself and always held back from telling others exactly what to do. Yet in many cases it would probably have led to better solutions, as far as Blaze was concerned.

At least that was what the gossip on the streets usually claimed. He had never met Princess Twilight Sparkle in person and was therefore unable to form his own personal impressions of the regal alicorn mare. Still, Blaze had no doubts and was sure that Princess Twilight had been a worthy leader even before acceding to the ranks of an alicorn.

Yet that all would soon change... Blaze recalled, slightly anxious. He was only just some more minutes away from meeting the young princess. Nevertheless, he managed to suppress his insecurity and not show it outwardly to anypony else.

That's why he still succeeded in throwing back an equally polite smile to the two mares without his inner insecurity becoming evident to them.

Blaze’s mind, however, was already preoccupied with wondering why he so seemingly coincidentally ran into two of the six prestigious harmony element bearers precisely here. Shouldn't they already be preparing to celebrate Heart's Warming Eve with their respective families, relatives and friends by this hour?

He got his answer almost immediately, however, as Blaze arrived at the junction at the same time as Rarity and Fluttershy. Friendly and courteous as he was, he paused and stepped to the edge of the road to let the two mares pass him.

Both his parents had taught him already as a young earth pony colt how to be an acceptable gentlecolt and that a filly or mare was ALWAYS to be treated with utter respect. No matter at all who she was and where she came from.

His family may have been just a simple little farming family that owned a piece of land where they grew trees for timber production. However, values such as honor and hospitality played an extremely important role in their everyday lives.

To his utter bewilderment, however, the two mares also stopped at almost the same instant as he did and now regarded Blaze with a slightly puzzled and questioning look. They had probably both been expecting him to set off for the Everfree Forest. For whatever reason he had to take a bunch of flowers with him to do so.

Rarity was quick to realize, however, that neither Fluttershy nor she would get an answer from Blaze at all. At least as long as the stallion still had his mouth full of his flowers.

“Let me take that for you my dear.”

Pale blue magic carefully enveloped his bouquet of flowers and grateful for the thoughtful gesture of the beautiful unicorn mare, he opened his muzzle.

Looking for a moment after his flowers his eyes shifted back to Rarity.

“Thank you Lady Rarity. How very generous of you.”

Blaze gave her a small acknowledging bow with his head and then turned further around to face Fluttershy.

“Lady Shy! What a pleasure to meet you here too.” He lifted his right front hoof up this time also and placed it right over his heart while greeting the butter-yellow pegasus with a gentle tilt of his head as well. Yet not too low, for he reserved fully tilting his head or bowing his entire body solely for the royal alicorns of Equestria. While the Elemental bearers were held in high regard by him too, the alicorn princesses where still far further up said list and right at the very top. For him a being like an alicorn princess deserved no less than his highest devotion.

Rarity offered him another friendly smile and nod of her head as she gently lifted his flowers alongside her body and kept them in her magic for him. It seemed she was already quite accustomed to the higher title she had gained – as well as the rest of her friends – when Twilight Sparkle was officially crowned Equestria's fourth princess.

Simply being friends with an alicorn princess of Equestria already brought several useful advantages and the title of a lady alongside. It wasn't just the increased respect and recognition of the general public. Generally speaking, it was just never a good idea to take verbal or – heaven forbid – physical actions against a good friend or ally of one of your regents.

But Fluttershy on the other hoof was quite reserved upon hearing the lady in front of her name – as was to be expected from someone literally named shy with part of their name – ducked a little further to the ground and closer to Rarity's flank as her eyes shrank. Her ears also partially laid back against her head and stayed there. Nevertheless, she still gave him a small greeting in return while smiling sheepishly up to Blaze.

"H- Hello!"

Blaze offered Fluttershy one more friendly and reassuring look before turning his attention back to Rarity. The unicorn mare would surely be able to answer the question that had been buzzing around in his head ever since he had spotted the two mares on the path much more freely and with higher confidence.

"May I ask where you two are headed, honored lady?" He nudged his head too his words again just out of simple ingrained habit.

Rarity giggled, matching her charming character and sophisticated elegant appearance with her sweet voice. At least according to Blaze's opinion.

"Sure you might handsome gentlestallion. We were both about to venture to Twilight's beautiful new crystal castle and meet up with the rest of our friends there at her place. We've all been invited by Twilight to a lovely and cozy Heart's Warming Eve dinner tonight. Followed by an after-party and sleepover at her castle."

Oh dear! It wasn't just Princess Twilight Sparkle, but the rest of the Elements of Harmony as well? How was he supposed to survive the evening?

Blaze had no time to slide deeper into his dread of the imminent meeting of all harmony element bearers and the young alicorn princess in the same place. Rarity's next questions snapped him right out of his beginning-to-manifest thoughts and kept him in the waking world and far away from his worries. At least actively. Subconsciously he was now unable to shrug off some mild uneasiness.

"So where are you off to yourself my dear? To your special somepony? Is she living in the Everfree Forest? Thought no one else lived there apart from Zecora. The place is pretty dangerous after all and not exactly the greatest place to live in." Rarity hoisted the flowers in her magic a little higher to demonstrate her questions.

Blaze shook his head.

"No, I was invited to dinner by Her honored Royal Majesty, Princess Twilight as well. I didn't know she was expecting any other important visitors, though."

"Ahhh, so these flowers are meant for Twilight then?" Rarity bobbed her head in understanding and her eyes began to wander over his bouquet. Surely the fashion gifted mare was now scrutinizing the composition of his botanical gift with her trained and skilled eyes.

Blaze nodded his head as a still confirmation and waited for Rarity to say something.

Finally, after a few seconds of awkward silence and Rarity's eyes slowly roaming over his flowers, the unicorn mare returned her friendly gaze and smile back to him.

"Truly an exquisite bouquet of flowers my dear. The composition and combination of individual flowers indicate that a true professional was at work on this. The flower vendors of our little village, I may presume?"

Blaze only managed to nod to this question as well, albeit now a little more embarrassed than before as his face tinted a light red. Rarity's praise for his bouquet really meant a lot to him.

"How very sweet of you," Rarity continued with a twinkle in her eyes. "I'm sure Twilight will be very delighted. I myself am planning to give Twilight this particular dress for Heart's Warming Eve, that I finished for her last week. Although she may already have a few nice ones for important occasions or balls, one more can never hurt. Don´t you think?"

Rarity proceeded before either Blaze or Fluttershy could respond her. "But let's all get moving first before we freeze up here and are late for Twilight's Heart's Warming Eve invite. I'm sure the others are already there and we're the last ones. Rainbow Dash certainly as far as I know her. Cause I don't think she could resist Applejack's delicious cider any longer than necessary."

Rarity sighed as she shook her head slowly, but there was a deep warmth and caring in her voice as she continued. "That mare will be her own downfall someday if she keeps pouring so much cider down her throat. One of these days she'll crash land in a way that even the best doctors in Equestria can't heal.

Rarity's hoof traveled up to her chin as her mind wandered. "Hmm, though that might not even be necessary. I admit, even I don't know enough about an alicorn's powers and what they can really do with their magic to make any firm promises or conclusions. But I do for a fact know that Twilight is an incredibly knowledgeable and tremendously powerful mare when it comes to magic. I believe what our mutual friend can do as an alicorn with her magic when it really counts is something no pony in Equestria has EVER seen."

Blaze refrained from commenting, unsure of what he should have answered in the first place. Rarity by far knew Princess Twilight much better than he did. If she felt that confident about the young alicorn's magical abilities, then it was almost certainly true.

Once Blaze got in line next to the two beautiful mares and together they began to make their way further towards Princess Twilight's crystal tree castle, the stallion turned his head to the side curiously. His gaze traveled from Rarity's muzzle and his flowers, which she still carried for him so they could converse, down to the dress the unicorn mare held in her magic on the other side of her body just beside Fluttershy. Now slightly higher and closer to him so he could better see it once the unicorn mare had realized he was highly interested in the garment she had crafted for Twilight.

The dress in question was stunningly graceful and carefully crafted, just screaming "made for a royal alicorn" with every string and fiber of its composition.

Blaze though had expected nothing but the highest quality, for it was not without reason that Lady Rarity was considered one of the best – if not the best – fashion designer and dressmaker in all of Equestria.

The pure red velvet had many small embroideries and embellishments worked into it. Most of them were small golden roses that stretched all the way down the long dress in a neat pattern. At the bottom, the neckline and around the cutouts where the alicorn's two massive wings would protrude from the dress, a thick, fluffy white hem had been worked into the dress.

Rarity had also worked countless tiny emeralds and diamonds into the thick white hem in an interlocking pattern. It made the pure red velvet dress look even more impressive and regal than it already appeared.

The entire dress was quite long and would almost reach down to the ground behind Princess Twilight once the royal mare finally wore it. But Blaze knew that the dress was a unique custom-made dress designed by Rarity, and thus had the perfect measurements and cut for Princess Twilight's stature as an impressive alicorn. At least until the alicorn mare had another growth spurt.

All of a sudden, Blaze was insecure as to whether his gold necklace and flowers were really enough of a gift to someone like Princess Twilight. His steps began to slow and he gradually began to fall back slightly behind the two mare´s.

Neither Rarity nor Fluttershy missed out on that for more than a couple of seconds and the buttery yellow pegasus pretty soon darted her head backwards towards him. Sensitive and friendly she looked at him and Blaze almost melted at Fluttershy's adorable smile.

How could anyone ever blame this mare for anything? How could someone ever look so innocent? Before Fluttershy spoke, her gaze skimmed over Blaze and invariably noticed his uncertain look and the hesitation in his stature. Both things she wasn't too unfamiliar with herself.

"Sir, is there something? C-can I help somehow?"

Oh my goodness! Even Fluttershy's empathetic voice was sweeter and more endearing than he'd been told.

Blaze found himself having to restrain from rushing straight forward and hugging the pegasus mare tightly, vowing to never let her go and protect her from all dangers she could ever encounter. Not only would that be rather rude – seeing as they barely knew each other – but it would only make Fluttershy all the more nervous and probably also uncomfortable.

"Uhhh nothing –" Blaze began, " – it's nothing Lady Fluttershy," he continued with a more determined voice as he got back on the same level as the two mares and they continued on their way with their previous speed. Whether Blaze was just trying to convince himself at the moment or also Fluttershy and Rarity, he had no idea.

With his eyes slightly cast down he proceeded. "I simply hope that these flowers are sufficient and appropriate for Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight".

Rarity was puzzled and it showed across her face as she cast a glance at his flowers and then back at him. "Why wouldn't they be? What mare isn't very happy to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers?"

Blaze lifted his gaze back up to look Rarity into her friendly eyes and to come not across as rude or disinterested. He was certainly interested in what Rarity thought and spoke.

Rarity now brought his bouquet a little closer to her snout again and smelled the soothing scent of the individual flowers. "Especially truly beautiful and fragrant ones like these. I, for one, would certainly be very pleased and charmed to receive them."

Blaze tried to talk his way out. His voice stuttering like Fluttershy´s when the pegasus mare was highly uncomfortable or frightened. "Y- Yes, yes – but Her Highness, Princess Twilight is an alicorn and of highest royal status. Not just an ordinary mare off the street."

Rarity smirked as she gave Fluttershy a knowing look from her eyes. A certain look that was given back from Fluttershy as well, even if the butter pegasus said nothing. She then turned back to him, giving him a gentle sideway bump with her hips at which he jelped and jerked away lightly as Blaze hadn't anticipated such an intimate contact. Especially not from the most beautiful mare he ever personally talked too so far. Well he hadn´t really talked to any mare in general really as he was very introverted so did it even count? Either way Rarity was a very gorgeous mare and it still made him blush quite heavily.

Rarity ignored his blush if she saw it. Something Blaze highly appreciated for his own nervousness.

"I'm pretty convinced that you'll soon realize our friend Twilight is not at all like you might think. She may be a princess of Equestria. Highly regarded from a very young age and sometimes greatly worshipped by her subjects and from a noble house that is not without influence in Equestria no less. But she actually is –" Rarity paused while she began to giggle. "Well, you're about to find out for yourself first hoof. We're here!"

Blaze looked up, startled.

Rarity was right, they were just a few meters away from the golden staircase that led to the large and equally gilded double entrance door to Princess Twilight's castle. A huge pink heart was emblazoned in the middle of the door, the reason for which Blaze was unaware. Yet he suspected that it perhaps had something to do with the rumored extreme friendliness and harmony of their resident princess of Ponyville.

But regardless of what Rarity had just said and as much as he would like her to believe. Blaze still had quite a few doubts as to what the off-white unicorn had said about Princess Twilight. The young alicorn mare was still one of the four eternal princesses of Equestria. And once you thought about the high stature the Diarchs Princess Luna and Princess Celestia had among their subjects...or Princess Cadance in the Crystal Kingdom... Blaze became more nervous and uncertain with each passing second as he got closer to the moment of meeting Princess Twilight in person for the very first time.

Ideally, he would have liked to run away and hide in the deepest corner of his home. Preferably under his bed and with at least five blankets around him. But the shame that such an action would bring him was enough to stop him. As did the rebuke from his aunt, parents and siblings if he actually did.

Besides, he may have been extremely nervous and insecure, but he certainly wouldn't let this probably once-in-a-lifetime possibility pass him by. The one-time chance to meet one of the four royal princesses of Equestria in person and spend an entire unforgettable evening with her in her castle. Along with all her other friends and harmony element bearers no less. A true, full-blooded alicorn and also the princess he loved and admired the most of all four.

Probably because she was the only alicorn that was still more or less his age. Blaze really didn't even know quite what he could possibly chat about with Princess Twilight, so what would he say to a millennia-old alicorn? And finally because, as rumored, she was said to be incredibly friendly, courteous and cheerful.

Blaze couldn't really imagine that. Such a regal alicorn as Princess Twilight was? Cheerful and carefree? That simply couldn't be the case in his mind. Yet something in his subconscious simply wished for it to be that way. It certainly would make things far easier for him, but it would remain just that. A simple wish nothing more.

Blaze was stripped of the decision of if he should flee before he could think and worry any further. For while he had been pondering and weighing his options, Fluttershy had trotted up the stairs of Twilight's castle. There, she had immediately made her way to the massive front door and pressed the small bell embedded to the left of it.

Rarity had also trotted forward with her right front hoof already resting on the first step of the golden staircase. She had then turned back to Blaze and regarded him carefully before nodding her head sideways up the stairs indicating with a flick of her eyes that he was to follow behind her.

Without really any other choice still left, Blaze did just that. Quickly following Rarity up the seven-step staircase with his legs barely stumbling at all. As he positioned himself to the right of Rarity, who herself was standing to the right of Fluttershy, he took another quick glance behind.

Last chance to escape...

A bunch of flowers being held in front of his snout made him flinch while he instinctively grabbed them in his muzzle without even thinking about it.

"Here you go! While I was happy to carry them for you, you'll still have to give them to her personally." Rarity's voice had a noticeable undertone of amusement as she flashed him a wink.

Struggling to smile past the bouquet, Blaze gave his best attempt at a thankful smile and nodded his head gratefully to Rarity. He then turned his gaze forward and waited.

His front hoof nervously began to scuff on the crystal of the castle as a few seconds later there was still no sound from within the castle. What was taking the princess's servants this long? Shouldn't they have opened the door for them long ago?

After another ten seconds, a soft muffled pop of magic sounded from inside the castle. A moment later, both sides of the large front door lit up in a raspberry-colored glow of magic. Gradually, the door opened on either side, revealing the interior of the castle's entrance hall beyond.

Blaze's flight reflex almost kicked in, but he was suddenly unable to move from the spot. Even his sense of anxiety and fear were abruptly entirely forgotten in an instant. There suddenly was a far more unique matter presenting itself before him.

Blaze’s snout had just dropped open not just in amazement as the grand crystal castle doors had finally fully opened and revealed who had opened the door to let them in.

He knew that alicorns represented the pinnacle of pony perfection and were therefore incredible naturally beautiful and majestic. Blessed with an eternally youthful physical body in their mid-twenties. Surrounded with a natural constant aura of intense authority, power, magic and respect.

Yet the young alicorn mare he beheld before his eyes was by no chance as gorgeous as most ponies said the royal princessess of Equestria were. No, absolutely not for it was a clear lie!

Princess Twilight was beyond divinely beautiful with a graceful bearing and simply perfect toned and shaped body. Something which fit perfectly in his opinion. He – as well as many other ponies in Equestria too – believed in the fact of alicorn´s being a kind of benevolent immortal goddess with a heart made from solid gold.

Princess Twilight also had an equally as mighty and divine aura of powerful magic radiating from every part of her body. By far the most potent aura of magic he had ever experienced in his entire life and the alicorn mare didn´t even USE her horn anymore to cast any spell from it.

He had always laughed good-naturedly and teased his friends for their crush for Princess Twilight as they told him what their impressions had been when first seeing the young princess. But as he had just realized, none of his friends had been exaggerating in the slightest.

Nor about the sheer physical size of the alicorn mare, who, according to his friends, was even somewhat taller than he was. He didn't want to believe it at first, for as a stallion and earth pony he was quite stocky and towered over all his friends and most members of his family by at least a head. But Princess Twilight in front of him was at least a head and a half taller than even he was. And that's not even factoring in the long, sharp horn that grew slightly curved from the middle of her forehead.

No mortal creature could ever come close to being as gorgeous as the lavender alicorn mare before him.

Well, Princess Twilight was indeed in no way a mere mortal creature, Blaze suddenly realized with a laugh inside his mind. He had no doubt, that Princess Twilight was a deity. He at least regarded her as a goddess and would show her the worship and respect she deserved.

But beyond the alicorn's natural beauty, overwhelming charisma and godly powers, there was another thing that was utterly unlike anything else. There was something that had also left Blaze speechless and completely paralyzed his body as his mind tried to make sense of it.

Twilight wore none of her royal accessories like her crown, peytral and golden horseshoes, as he had been expecting. In fact, Twilight wore nothing but a simple light blue dress with white bushy trim and a pair of reindeer antlers atop her head. The antlers rested directly behind her long and slightly curved horn. A small red light at each end of the antlers flashed almost mockingly on and off in the same slow rhythm.

The general outfit Princess Twilight was wearing really suited her and emphasized her charming form very well. The antlers she was wearing also made her look rather cute. But it was nowhere near what Blaze would have expected to encounter when he met a full-blooded alicorn princess for the very first time in his life. He had expected a regally attired alicorn with a jewel-studded crown and other luxurious accessories all over her body to greet him. But even that idea surprised him. Blaze would have thought a servant of Princess Twilight to open the door for them not the literal alicorn mare herself.

Speaking of which – where actually were the alicorn's employees? So far he hadn´t seen a single one…

Princess Twilight gave him one of her warm, friendly and charming smiles from within her castle entrance.

His thoughts forgotten before they could form any more meaning Blaze's heart almost melted instantly and he still couldn't move an inch.

His heart was still heavenly fluttering in his chest but his body and mind were now suddenly at utter peace with the world as he looked into her cute face and bright mirthful eyes.

But then Blaze suddenly remembered that as an ordinary subject he shouldn´t look the princess directly into her eyes. Especially not without having the alicorn´s explicit permission.

Swiftly he lowered his gaze at the crystal stairs.

A second later, though, Blaze also fell into a deep, reverent bow as his body recovered from the initial shock and he recalled the fact that one bowed before an alicorn. A simple gesture to show utter respect, reverence and subjection for a royal pony like Princess Twilight was.

He therefore almost didn't catch Twilight greeting her two friends and inviting them into her castle so that they could join the rest of her friends already waiting. The little additional talk Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight had between them regarding him eluded him completely however. But his ears twitched when he heard the lovely and melodic voice of Princess Twilight. At the same time, his chin was also surrounded and uplifted by her warm alicorn magic.

"Please don't be frightened of me and face me directly. I swear I won't harm you."

Slow and at first recalcitrant Blaze let the alicorn's magic guide his head upwards. His body instinctively trusting Twilight's amiable, gentle voice that carried up to his ears. There was no malice or hidden annoyance to be perceived in it.

Finally, after what felt like hours, his head was fully raised and Blaze held his breath tensely. For a moment, Blaze kept his eyes firmly closed, then the stallion opened them carefully and slowly. There was no way around it anyway, so why delay it any longer?

What awaited him were not the scowling or disparaging eyes of a furious alicorn piercing him. Owing to the fact that he had not shown good manners to her royal majesty and had had the temerity to look her straight in the eye upon their first encounter.

Waiting to greet him were two kindly glowing, dark purple eyes of an equally harmonious young alicorn deity. Litteraly as the alicorn´s eyes glowed slightly with Princess Twilight´s arcane magical might behind.

Her head was held high with pride and confidence, her body firm and powerful, but unlike some nobles in Canterlot, she did not look down on him dismissively but very friendly and kind.

Yes, she had to look down on him from atop, but that was actually due to the fact that she was physically taller than him. There was simply no other option.

"Nah? Was that really so tough to do, my dear?" Twilight's voice was even more friendly and empathetic than before and she giggled with a truly endearing smile. It just suited the alicorn mare so perfectly, of that Blaze had no doubt.

Now that Blaze was facing Twilight, he recognized the numerous, hair-thin lines of magic that stretched across the alicorn's entire form. But especially from the center of Twilight's chest as they pulsated with the alicorn's inner force. As fluffy as the princess's lavender fur was – particularly in her chest area – it was virtually impossible to see them with the naked eye. However, if you took a closer look and stood fairly close to the alicorn, you could see them more clearly. Although they were still almost invisible, they were nevertheless discernible.

He knew what they were for. One of his unicorn friends had enlightened him on the subject upon asking. They were protection wards – passive ones at that – as he quickly realized with a second glance.

Every existing protection enchantment could be divided into two broad categories. The active and passive wards, whereby the first group was much simpler in its gradation.

Most active defensive wards were modifications of force fields that could be used against any threat, large or small. While they were much more effective than most passive forms of protection, they required a permanent, consistent, biological and much stronger impulse of magic. Plus, they still remained much weaker than a proper force field in any case.

As a result, more than the simplest and most basic active defensive wards were limited to gifted unicorns. No earth pony or pegasus could use or cast them either. It took an active pulse of magic to create one of them each time. Even the fewest artifacts could hold them, as the biological factor was lacking almost universally.

Blaze hadn't understood even a tenth of what his unicorn friend had tried to explain to him that day regarding active protection spells. Especially not that seemingly so very specialized biological factor that was always essential. Yet he also wasn't a unicorn and so more than theoretical magic wasn't relevant to him anyway.

There was indeed earth pony magic in Equestria, as well as pegasi and the most evident and widely known unicorn magic. But only unicorn and alicorn magic were types of magic that actually manifested visibly and could be observed directly with the eyes.

Just like pegasi magic, which gave Equestria's winged equine´s the ability to walk on clouds and control the weather, so was earth pony magic. He had the ability to make plants grow much faster, efficiently, with higher yields and healthier using his native magic. There were some other bonus effects, such as the far above-average sturdiness of an earth pony and its even faster regenerative ability than a pegasus. However, it still did not make earth pony magic visible to the naked eye. Special unicorn spells or artifacts were needed for that.

He had, however, been far more interested in the second and far more complex type of warding magic.

Passive wards were much more varied and almost exclusively much easier to understand and use. There were even two large subcategories into which passive defensive magic could be divided.

His friend had been trying to make it as easy as possible for him. Blaze wasn't stupid, but practical magic was simply much harder to understand if you didn't have a magical horn on your forehead to actually utilize it.

Firstly, there were the 'normal' passive types of spells, of which there were thousands of variations that usually only differed marginally. They granted protection against basic things that often simply arose naturally. For example, tooth decay, which could be caused by plaque build-up on the teeth or better eyesight and compensation for poor eyesight as well as the natural process of ageing through small changes. Or the enhancement and preservation of all other senses such as: Taste, smell, hearing, touch, perception of temperature, movement and balance. While there were so many more that they were almost uncountable, Blaze's buddy and he had agreed that for now that would suffice as an explanation.

The second sub-category of warding enchantments included the 'special' ones, as his friend had jokingly dubbed them. They were much more complex and harder to perform than the simple ones, though still significantly more superficial than active protection. Nevertheless, passive wards were by no means flimsy. Their general passivity gave them the useful advantage over active spells in that once they had been cast, they no longer had to be actively cared for as long as they were not damaged or destroyed.

Highly gifted unicorns utilized these special passive warding charms to shield themselves from danger or to give powerful added effects. The stronger the caster, the more effective the resulting protection. Unfortunately, it only worked on oneself and couldn't even be applied to any other pony. Although Blaze wasn't sure whether Princess Twilight might not be able to follow other rules. She WAS after all an alicorn and her magical strength alone therefore far more powerful than that of any other pony.

It was also widely claimed that even before her ascension, the young princess was the second most gifted unicorn to ever have lived, second only to Starswirl. She might even have surpassed the old sorcerer eventually in raw power, magical knowledge and inherently known amount of spells. But now that Princess Twilight had become an alicorn, Blaze had no doubts that she was vastly more powerful than the most gifted unicorn wizard in Equestria's history could ever have been. Her wisdom and knowledge of spells she could cast without having to think about them probably equally greater than Starswirl´s had been at his prime as Twilight was in fact the alicorn and guardian of all magic. The most potent and knowledgably magic caster there was.

Precisely how very powerful Princess Twilight was, Blaze had no idea, for the true potency of an alicorn was one of the well-kept secrets of the alicorn race, and no living being on Equus other than them knew much about it. He could understand why, for it gave the alicorn's a somewhat mystical and enigmatic aura that alone was enough to earn them massive amount of esteem. Among other nations and kingdoms too - whether allied, neutral or hostile. Although, as far as he knew, the latter had not been the subject for the last six hundred years. Equestria wasn´t called the land of harmony for nothing.

These special defensive wards varied from simpler things, such as the prevention of all sorts of internal illnesses, infections or discomforts, to the successful fending off of pretty much all external threats to both physical and mental health.

Upon Blaze's question as to what such external dangers to physical and mental health were, his unicorn friend shared with him that it could really be anything Blaze could imagine. But dropping or knocked over objects, all types of falls and blows, weaponry and assaults to one’s magic and mind were among the first to be mentioned. How well you were ultimately protected against such attacks depended on your personal magical potential and stamina. It depended on how well trained you were in your own sorcery.

Suddenly, Twilight's soft, charming and slightly coaxing voice tore Blaze from his buzzing thoughts and his contemplation of magical protective layers running across Princess Twilight's coat. Even though the alicorn's voice hadn't been particularly loud, it still contained an undeniable level of authority that immediately pulled him back to reality.

"I can see that you are highly mesmerized of me as an alicorn and my magical wards. But we haven't even personally introduced ourselves yet. So let's start with that first before we move on to other topics."

Blaze blushed. Had Princess Twilight been aware of his eyes slowly traveling over her entire body? Studying her, trying to comprehend every little detail of her gorgeous and graceful godly alicorn form? According to her comment, most certainly.

Should Twilight have noticed his eyes roaming over her body, the alicorn princess didn't let it slip and left it uncommented.

"I am – as you probably already knew – Princess Twilight Amicitia Aurora Sparkle, the First of Equestria. The fourth and youngest alicorn princess of our magnificent, lovely pony empire. But you can call me Twilight if you like. All my friends do."

Now Twilight cocked her head to one side: "What was your name again? My mom hasn't told me very much about you. I guess she wants me to take it upon myself to get to know who you are. For whatever reason... I'm nowhere near the timid, disinterested unicorn I used to be and she is well aware of that. Hrrhmm! Well, assuming I still was a unicorn in the first place," Twilight chuckled sheepishly. To demonstrate her point, the young princess briefly spread her mighty alicorn wings out from her back.

At first startled by her question and the impressive reality of how truly immense the alicorn's wings already were at her growing age, Blaze flinched all over. However, he quickly regained his voice. With a slight bow, this time not dropping his muzzle all the way to the ground, he answered his princess's question to him.

“B- Blazing Ivory, your royal Highness, High Princess Twilight. But most of my friends just call me Blaze.”

“Well hello then Blaze”, Twilight giggled with an evenly as cute sound as the alicorn mare herself.

Blaze lifted his gaze up again and his eyes met Twilight´s slightly sassy and friendly sparkling ones.

Twilight truly possessed magnificent beautiful eyes that were easy to get lost in if you weren't attentive.

That's when Twilight's expression abruptly switched as her gaze continued to wander over Blaze and lingered on the young stallion's front hoof. Her eyes became wide and her muzzle curled into a surprised "O".

Daaaaawww!

That cute little ear twitch as Princess Twilight suddenly recognized the flowers that he wanted to give her was just too adorable. Blaze was meanwhile carrying the flowers again in his right forehoof to regain his ability to speak.

“Are these for me?” Twilight tilted her head a little further to the side to examine the sprawling bouquet of flowers in Blaze's hoof with a curious look.

Blaze simply nodded. He was far to embarred to say anything currently back to the alicorn Princess. He would have liked to say anything, and yet his voice failed him every time he tried to form words. His mind was fixated on one single thing alone and nothing else.

Will she like them? What if she doesn't? Ohhh I really hope Princess Twilight does approve of my flowers. Blaze subconsciously began to pace the ground with his hooves as his nervousness before the alicorn intensified with each shallow fast breath he took.

Blaze desperately wanted an honest answer from Princess Twilight, but then again he didn't want one from the alicorn. Far too frightened it would be a no. But then again he wanted one – Or maybe not. Argh, an eternal diabolical loop!

"Oh how gracious from you. I'm more than just delighted. They're certainly the most beautiful I have gotten in a long time," Twilight's voice chimed in with noticeable joy and appreciation to the stallion´s ears. "And what a selection of different flowers and colors. They must have cost a fortune – but that's not something you should ever ask for in a gift, sorry."

Twilight's voice was overjoyed and a wide, rewarding smile for him graced her lips as her alicorn magic reached out to receive the floral bouquet that Blaze now held up to her with massive relief.

“Not nearly as beautiful as you my honored princess…”, Blaze mumbled in a low voice as his gaze relocated back to his hooves from Twilight´s cute, smiling face.

Blaze couldn't even begin to express how very relieved he was that the alicorn princess loved the flowers he had chosen to bring. Blaze had quite certainly never felt so liberated as he did at that very moment. While his breathing began to calm down his knees also ceased to tremble as much.

After a few seconds, the stallion was finally sure that they would continue to carry his weight and that he was not about to smash muzzle-first into the floor of the alicorn´s crystal castle in front of Twilight. Doing so would be beyond embarrassing. To him, Princess Twilight's consent was simply like the blessing of a deity. Well, it wasn't exactly wrong –

“Pardon, what have you just said?” Twilight inquired with nothing but pure innocence in her upbeat voice as Blaze´s thoughts refocused back. A wide mischievous grin evolving on her muzzle as she smelled the gifted flowers. The sweet, appealing scent of the various flowers lingered in her nostrils and caressed the alicorn's snout as Twilight sniffed the bouquet again and again waiting for the stallions answer to her just asked question.

"I beg your pardon, Your Royal Majesty. I haven't said anything important," Blaze stuttered embarrassed and taken aback while his cheeks turned bright red. His head bowed just a little lower to show his reverence and deep worship for the alicorn deity he was speaking to.

Twilight smirked knowingly as she gave him a short sideway glance but said nothing.

He´s already very jumpy, there is no need to make him feel any less insecure if I begin to tease him now about what he said. It probably will never get easier with my subjects and the feeling of devotion and submission most of them think they have to show us alicorn´s. But I will continue to work hard on minimizing their unwarranted fears of disappointing or angering us. After all, they're more than wrong to believe such a thing from us. Still, what can I do if Blaze sees me as a goddess like so many before him? Not much unfortunately I guess. But at least I can't stop trying to make them less nervous and frightened speaking to me. Maybe at some point in the future they will have more confidence speaking to us alicorn´s.

Twilight broke away from her inner thoughts and cleared her throat to divert Blaze's mind from the topic at hoof and hopefully allay his fears for her. She then gave him the very best and most encouraging smile she was capable of.

“You can still drop the “princess” you know. I stated that it's perfectly fine for me to just call me Twilight. No further need for you to address me as royalty or anything else. Today I just want to have a nice little Heart´s Warming Eve get together without any of my status interfering.”

Twilight lifted her hoof and with each thing she mentioned lightly punched the air to emphasize her statement.

"Not an element bearer of harmony! Not a Princess! No regent of Equestria! Nor an alicorn to whom you wish to bow down and pay me the respect you deem necessary! Neither the embodiment of all my domains over which I – as an alicorn – have mastery! Just a simple mare!" – "Well, as simple a mare as I can be given that I'm in fact an alicorn. I couldn't change that even if I actually wanted to," Twilight heartily chuckled behind her held hoof to maintain dignity.

Much to Twilight's frustration, her statement and rather obviously joking and amused laughter didn't have the effect the lavender alicorn would have preferred. It was clear to see that the earth pony stallion in front of her was still shaking all over. Now more than ever, and Blaze´s condition was getting worse by the second. Even without her supernatural senses as an alicorn, it wouldn't have been hard for Twilight to recognize that Blaze was about to run away, screeching in panic any second now.

Blaze shook his head hard in denial as he took a small shaky step back. Than another slightly bigger one from the tall lavender alicorn mare.

He just couldn't.

Blaze was still highly anxious when it came to Princess Twilight. He just had to worship her and pay reverence to the alicorn princess. Blaze was about to open his mouth to make a remark, though he didn't get particularly far.

Suddenly, Princess Twilight had stepped forward faster than Blaze could have mustered any kind of reaction. One moment the young lavender alicorn was still standing in the doorway of her crystal castle only to be right in front of him a blink of an eye later. If it weren't for the facts that there was no sound or any visibility of a magical influence at work, Blaze would have claimed Twilight Sparkle simply teleported forward about two meters. But the total lack of such phenomes left the stallion in more than just doubt. Apparently an alicorn was incredibly agile and could move faster than the pony's eye could possibly grasp.

Her long, powerful front legs had tightly hugged around his neck while his brain still tried to process the first bit. Blaze tried to instantly snap away in fright, but Twilight just pulled him more towards her and now also extended her grand alicorn wings to warp around his entire body. With her incredible alicorn strength she held the stallion tightly in the embrace as she hugged him. Blaze couldn't break away even as he tried a second time. Alicorn strength far out beat his earth pony one. He was utterly helplessly caught in the grip of the tall lavender mare and completely at Twilight´s mercy. Yet that was actually far less dire than it might have sounded.

The moment the alicorn´s hooves had latched around his neck and her warm fuzzy body touched his chest Blaze´s stomach exploded in millions of butterflies.

The soothing perfect warmth of her alicorn body, her plush fur that his face was pressed into, and Twilight's tight but not discomforting wing embrace around his back were heavenly. There was no other way then for Blaze's worries slowly beginning to melt out of his body.

The reassuring lavender and rose scent of Princess Twilight's coat also helped to calm Blaze's mind as his nostrils inhaled it with relish. Apparently, not only was the alicorn mare all lavender, but her favorite shampoo was also a mixture of lavender and roses. What a funny coincidence that was.

Twilight never relented from tightly embracing the stallion with all her huge alicorn body could offer as she began to whisper gently and empathetically once more. "As I said, please don't have any worries towards me Blaze. Today I don't want to be your princess, ruler or any other figure. Just a new friend that you will have a nice dinner and evening with.”

Blaze was not aware of how long the princess had held him in her magnificent embrace, but the amount of time mattered very little to him anyway. The moment Twilight began to pull her wings from his back and her hooves loosened his neck, he knew the moment had been far too short for his liking.

He looked up at the alicorn with pleading eyes deeply engulfed in Princess Twilight's gorgeous eyes. Meanwhile, the lavender mare lifted herself up and her wings neatly folded back on her back.

What Blaze received as a silent response left him in no doubt. LATER, but not right now. For Blaze, that was perfectly fine. He no longer had any doubts about encountering Princess Twilight now that the alicorn's comforting cuddle had taken away all his anxieties.

Turning, Twilight stepped back into the entrance of her castle.

Blaze thankfully smiled and then bowed his head about halfway again before Princess Twilight.

“I have to say, there certainly is no doubt for me now why your royal highness is known as the alicorn and princess of friendship. I don't think there is any way of feeling not safe, accepted and well in your immediate vicinity. Thanks for helping me get over my anxiety and the comforting hug. You're…ehhh…really soft”, Blaze added far quieter at the end.

Twilight gave him one more of her cheeky grins. “Thanks, that's by far not the first time I have heard that. Yet it's well appreciated that you think ´I´m really soft´.” Twilight made quoting marks in the air with her front hooves.

Blaze's eyes grew wide with momentary shock, but Twilight's upheld hoof stopped him from speaking.

Twilight winked at him as her hoof came back down to the floor of her castle with an audible clack against the crystal as the alicorn saw that Blaze would let her speak.

“Just so you know. It's unfruitful to try and mumble something so I won't hear it. All my alicorn senses are far too precise for that. Yet please don't worry any bit about me hearing your comment about my 'great and incredible fluffiness'. As I said, it's far from the first and last time somepony told me so and I always enjoyed it.”

Blaze intended to open his mouth but one friendly gaze from the alicorn mare kept him quite.

“Also I would do a rather lousy job as the alicorn and princess of friendship if I wouldn't be good in friendship. Or helping others feeling safe, accepted and mending interpony bonds, wouldn't I ?”

Then the alicorn mare began to laugh in her cute manner. “And what kind of miserable performance on my part would it be if, as alicorn and co-regent of Equestria, I were unable to give my dear ponies a feeling of security and shelter everywhere I go?”

Blaze said nothing at all, for it was completely unnecessary.

"Now do you want to come in?" Twilight inquired as she spun her body around with a wide grin on her muzzle while gesturing with her hoof for Blaze to follow her into her castle. "Apart from Fluttershy and Rarity – the two of my friends you already meet – our mutual friend Applejack is also already waiting and thrilled to finally meet our special guest. I've told Applejack and the others that a seventh pony will be joining us tonight, but I haven't told any of the girls who.”

“Of course, Rarity and Fluttershy now already happen to be aware of you, but I've asked them not to spill any secrets. So the others should be completely clueless until you step inside."

Blaze was about to wonder why Twilight had only mentioned that three of her five friends were already waiting for his arrival inside of her castle. Simultaneously he started to advance his hooves to follow Twilight inside her castle. If he remembered correctly, Rarity had explicitly mentioned that all element bearers would gather within the castle for Heart's Warming tonight. Then shouldn't they all be there already? But suddenly the alicorn mare quickly spun around and held the base of her hoof out to him, causing him to stop about three feet behind Twilight. Blaze was now standing directly on the doorstep of the alicorn's crystal castle.

Blaze raised his eyebrow in puzzlement. However, he didn't even have to ask why Twilight had turned around and indicated for him to stop. The princess answered his rather obvious question before he had even posed it.

"Oh! I almost forgot about that, sorry!" Twilight's voice seemed slightly embarrassed and she gave him a sheepish grin. "Would you be a dear and wait for just a few more seconds? 27.4 to be precise if our plan has worked."

Blaze waited, his eyes still questioning. That statement was fairly specific. Extremely precise in terms of timing, to be honest. But the alicorn princess before him was renowned for her precision and accuracy. Blaze would have been really surprised if Twilight had said it differently or less precisely than she did.

Counting down inwardly, Blaze prepared himself for what they were both waiting for.

3...2...1...Now!

Boom!!!

The stallion's ears instantly snapped to full attention as they wildly rotated around to locate the source of the sudden loud noise. Twilight herself, unlike him, didn't flinch or show any indication of being startled. But contrary to him, the lavender alicorn also knew what was going to happen.

Blaze's eyes located the source of the explosion at the same moment as his ears did a fraction of a second later. Completely dumbfounded by what he saw, his muzzle fell open. Wide-eyed, the earth pony stallion looked up to the sky and what he beheld up there.

The loud explosion was the result of a marvelous and impressive but also unique phenomenon that Equestria had witnessed several times in its recent past. He himself had been personally present the last time, but that didn't make it any less special. He - like probably half of Equestria that day - wouldn't have missed the coronation ceremony of the newest alicorn to one of their revered princesses personally.

In the sky, Blaze observed the legendary Ultra Sonic Rainboom, a feat that had only ever been successfully performed by a single incredibly fast pegasus in the entire history of Equestria. Her name was Rainbow Dash and, as usual, the pegasus mare more than lived up to her name.

By the time the very loud explosion had gone off the whole sky became lit up in a seven colored rainbow half a second later. The rainbow explosion likewise was accompanied by a high-pitched long drawn loud squeal that filled his ears. There was no mistaking who had given this very pleased exclamation. The voice and pitch were far too unique and well-known in Equestria for that.

While the colors were still being reflected in Blaze's eyes, causing them to sparkle with more than just his own joy, he heard Twilight's soft voice anew.

Yet that time, Blaze did not completely turn his gaze back to the alicorn princess. Barely enough to make out the alicorn at the edge of his field of vision. He simply couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful and so rare Ultra Sonic Rainboom. For that, it was simply too stunning and colorful as it lit up the entire sky.

As breathtakingly gorgeous and divine as the young lavender alicorn was, Twilight had achieved everlasting life and immortality through her status as an alicorn. He knew he would have the chance to behold her stunning sleek form for the rest of his life. The chance to explore every little aspect of her body with his two eyes. But Blaze wouldn't get to see this extraordinary Rainboom very often, for then it obviously wouldn't be special any longer.

“Nice to know I can rely on Rainbow Dash and Pinkie to make my thought out plan work.” Twilight´s lips began to curl up into a cheeky smile as she stepped beside Blaze and regarded the multicolored sky with him. “Then again they are in fact the harmonic elements of loyalty and laughter so it shouldn't surprise me all that much.”

Twilight´s eyes trailed up to a specific point in the multicolored sky and as Blaze recognized what the alicorn did from the corners of his vision followed with his own eyes after her´s.

Up out there in the pre-evening sky was a grand red wooden sleigh sporting silver skids and golden ornaments all along its length. Pulling it was a single cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane. It was none other than Rainbow Dash, the harmony element of loyalty and swiftest pegasus, herself.

As the sleigh made its rapid, breakneck turns across the sky of Ponyville, it created a wide, sparkling rainbow trail wherever it headed.

If Blaze hadn't known what a truly excellent flyer Rainbow Dash was, he would have feared for the pegasus' life. Also that she could crash into the ground along with the sled at several times the speed of sound if she wasn't paying attention to where she was flying.

“If you would stick out your hoof right about…Now!” Twilight’s voice was suddenly far louder than previous and had a very commanding tone. If not just for his still high respect for the princess Blaze would have extended his hoof anyway as the alicorn’s command made him follow without thinking about it.

The moment his hoof had reached out a tiny red wrapped present with a green bow plopped right onto the sole of his outstretched hoof. With a rather puzzled expression the stallion looked up to Twilight´s face.

“Just a tiny silly idea my friends and I got for Heartwarming Eve as a gift to my ponies in Ponyville. Don't know how Pinkie knew she had to give you one too but she's Pinkie Pie. I have long since stopped questioning her abilities.”

Again, Blaze said nothing, for he also knew exactly what Twilight was referring to. Pinkie Pie's randomness was well known to just about every pony in Equestria.

At this point, Twilight turned back around and began to trot inside her castle with a light bounce in her step. However, she gave him one last friendly and encouraging look before turning completely on her axis. Blaze also thought he detected a wink. He wasn't completely sure about that, though.

Amazed, Blaze quickly trailed after Twilight into her castle as he took another gander over the beautiful alicorn's graceful and slender figure. Oh, what a wonderful gift for Heartswarming Eve he had been given today! And the evening hadn't even really begun yet.

* End of Interlude I *

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Author's Note:

I picture alicorn's as eternal, unkillable, immortal and all-powerful goddesses as you surely know by now. Yet while they have basically infinite power and shape reality with nothing but their incredible cunning minds they are probably the most level headed and kind creatures to exist. Always willing to share with others, grant them a harmonic life and the best protection they can give. I always liked this kind of crazy contrast and it was shown here with Twilight.

Blaze thinks highly of Twilight and has a great amount of respect for someone he sees as a goddess (well alicorn's are in fact deities as you have seen here and know me to refer too). Yet the simple fact that this very alicorn god/princess he values and adores so much is so incredibly friendly, kind and carefree and wears blinking antlers to greet them…it's just awesome for me.

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The entire mane six wish you a happy holiday, Christmas, X-mas, Heart´s Warming Eve!!! Stay safe and healthy and have a nice get together with your family and friends.

Comments

[1n5aN1aC]

Thanks for the chapter, it was very good!

[Nova Star Sparkle]

11805116
Thank you as well. I had a great deal of fun in writing it!