The Mysterious Prince
Dancing on a Cloud
It has been twenty years since Princess Twilight Sparkle assumed the throne. Not only have she and her friends gotten older, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders have also grown into beautiful young, mares. Applebloom still worked at Granny Smith’s farm, Scootaloo was now a Wonderbolt like Rainbow Dash once was, and Sweetie Belle was now a famous singer. She toured across Equestria and had millions of fans. Rarity had tried numerous times to set her up with a handsome stallion, and also well-educated. However, Sweetie Belle turned them down each time, since she was never ready for a relationship.
Sweetie Belle was a stunning mare, with a much curlier mane and tail, her eyelashes are somewhat longer, and she now wears pastel green eyeshadow. Ever since she was young, Sweetie Belle dreamed of performing on stage, but however, she would often get stage fright.
One of her earliest memories recall of her ever singing on stage was that another filly was supposed to perform for the talent show, but the filly dropped out moments before the show began because of a sore throat, and Sweetie Belle had to be brave and as soon as she got on stage, Sweetie Belle sang and the crowd loved her and she won the talent show.
Now, looking at the picture of her holding her first-place trophy, Sweetie Belle smiled and she was glad to make that accomplishment. And ever since then, singing has become more of a hobby to her than wanting fame or attention. It has been a long time since Sweetie Belle had come to Canterlot, and the only time she remembered was when she and her friends were also invited to the event, and it was her first time staying up that late.
Only this time, the party now marked the anniversary of Twilight Sparkle ascending the throne and every creature had been invited to the wonderful event. Songbird Serenade has been requested to perform at the party, and she couldn’t say no to an offer like that.
One afternoon, Sweetie Belle had decided to visit Canterlot for her dress fitting, since the Grand Galloping Gala was a few days away, and Rarity had personally designed a dress for her. When she arrived at Canterlot Carousel and was greeted by the manager, Sassy Saddles.
“Bust my buttons! I don’t believe that it’s actually you, Sweetie Belle. You’ve grown quite so magnificent!” Sassy Saddles said, her voice high-pitched. “Rarity’s in the back waiting for you to try on your dress. Shall I take you there?” She politely asked.
Sweetie Belle blushed as she looked down, placing her hoof against her other, while she rubbed it. She soon looked up and nodded shyly and the two mares walked towards the back of the room, where Rarity was waiting for them.
…
Sweetie Belle couldn’t believe her own eyes as Sassy Saddles presented her with the dress that it took Rarity three weeks to finish. It was very beautiful and Sweetie Belle could’ve sworn that her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the dress.
“Rarity had decided to work on your dress first before she could work on the others. She finished it last week and she soon began to start on the other dresses as soon as possible,” Sassy Saddles explained with a smile across her face.
“Yes. While it did take me some time to work on it to find inspiration, the fashion designers that I hired were glad to help out and leave the stress to them,” Rarity explained. “Do you like it?” She asked, hopefully.
“Like it? I love it!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed happily, throwing her hooves around Rarity, and hugging her tightly. Once the hug ended, Sweetie Belle smiled as she walked over to the mannequin and gently removed it with her magic. “I’ll try it on now.” With that, she soon dashed into one of the dressing rooms to fit on her dress, leaving Sassy and Rarity very satisfied.
“You did find some great inspiration,” Sassy reminded with the same smile that never left her face.
“Oh, I know. Finding inspiration for anything could make a pony happy,” Rarity pointed out.
“I couldn’t agree more, Miss. Rarity,” Sassy hummed in agreement.
…
“OW! Rarity! Too tight! This hurts!”
It has been a few days since Sweetie Belle’s dress fitting and now, it is the day of the Grand Galloping Gala. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were both getting ready for the party, with Rarity helping Sweetie Belle put on her dress, and styling her hair, but with Sweetie Belle’s constant struggling, Rarity was having a hard time styling her hair with her moving. Finally, she had enough that she set the hair curler down on the vanity table.
“Sweetie Belle. I can’t work on your hair if you keep on moving so much,” Rarity said, rolling her eyes slightly, even though it wasn’t ladylike. Sweetie Belle huffed, glaring at her.
“Well, excuse me for trying to tell you it hurts! And besides, why do I need such a style?” Sweetie Belle asked, watching as Rarity used her magic to lift up the curling iron.
“To look presentable, Sweetie Belle. You’ve been touring for quite some time and now, since we’re going to the Grand Galloping Gala, your hairstyle needs a bit of a change,” Rarity added as she began to style her hair again. She then levitated a few bobby pins and stuck them inside, and she was now finished with her hair. “Voila! All finished!” She exclaimed, stepping back and allowing Sweetie Belle to get up from her vanity chair. She bit her lip nervously, not sure if she really wants to go to the Grand Galloping Gala.
Moments later, Sweetie Belle appeared in front of her two best friends, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. They both gasped and their eyes widened in surprise when they noticed Sweetie Belle dressed in a blue gown with silver trim embroidered on it. She also wore an amethyst sash. Her hair was styled into curls, with some of it being half up while the rest was cascading down her shoulders. She was also wearing diamond-studded earrings with gloves on her hooves.
“Wow, Sweetie Belle! You look amazing! That dress looks perfect on you!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, wrapping her hoof around her friend, and pulling close to her. Over the years, Apple Bloom had inherited her mother’s accent, with a Southern flair to it. She wore an elegant green and white Southern-style dress with flowers imprinted on it, along with long sleeves that stop at midway. Her hair was styled into ringlets with a simple white flower fascinator attached to her hair.
“Yeah! You’ll be the light of the ball!” Scootaloo agreed. She wore a simple tuxedo with a pixie hairstyle. At first, she had planned on going with a simple dress, but opted out and decided to go with a tuxedo.
Sweetie Belle blushed and gave a small smile at the words. With all the praise she has been getting lately, Sweetie Belle felt a little overwhelmed with it all. Just then, Rarity appeared after she had cleaned up everything. Rarity wore a lacey, red Victorian-inspired gown with frills on the bottom of her dress and a tiny, pink hat with feathers on it, and her hair was styled into a bun with loose curls and dangling earrings.
“Come on, darlings. There’s no time to waste. We must be at the Grand Galloping Gala! Twilight is waiting for us!” Rarity exclaimed, as she and the girls both went to the carriage, waiting for them all.
…
Prince Choi Seo-jin Antonio looked around the ballroom. He didn’t know what he had gotten himself into after his mother had given him the golden ticket that Twilight Sparkle sent a few weeks earlier. And at that time, Antonio had managed to get a tuxedo and style his hair. Different ponies and other creatures wouldn’t take notice of this mysterious stranger who had waltzed into the room and some would mistake him for another resident of Ponyville, but if one looked closer, he is very different from others.
The nineteen-year-old Prince didn’t actually come from Equestria. He came from another dimension, which isn’t the same as Equestria. His homeworld is very complicated, to say the least, but it isn’t all that filled with rainbows and happiness.
He came from a land known as Seoul, South Korea, which some believed is a very different land from this world. Ever since birth, Antonio is destined to become single, but little did he know that this night would change him forever. Meeting the mare of his dreams seemed impossible, but Antonio was sure that he would change that.
He was very charming, and when he first arrived in Equestria, mares flocked to him, but Antonio rejected them because he isn’t clearly interested and he believes that they might use him for his status. The young male wore a simple tuxedo with loafers on his hooves, and his hair slick back, which he did himself earlier that evening.
Meanwhile, when the girls arrived, Sweetie Belle took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She and her friends entered the ballroom, while Rarity decided to spend time with her friends. The party was underway, and soon, Sweetie Belle noticed that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were both dancing with their dates: Tender Taps and Rumble.
Sweetie Belle calmly sipped her punch, watching her friends dance with their old childhood sweethearts. She was really happy for her friends, but deep down, she felt a pang of jealousy in her heart. Seeing her friends dancing with their respective partners made her wish that she had a dance partner. What she didn’t realize, a handsome stallion came over.
“Is it alright if I join you?” Antonio asked politely with a warm smile tugging his lips. Sweetie Belle swallowed and looked up. Right before he was the most charming stallion she had ever seen. She could feel her heart racing at the sight of him. A pale-colored pony, with slick black hair and dark brown eyes, a simple tuxedo with loafers, and two crossing swords for a cutie mark. She assumed that his talent is fencing.
“Yes...you can,” Sweetie Belle answered, looking away from him, hiding the blush that was appearing on her cheeks. “I-I’m Sweetie Belle.”
Antonio smiled at her as he too introduced himself to her. “I’m Choi Seo-jin Antonio. But you can call me either Antonio or Tony. I respond to either one,” He said gently.
Sweetie Belle refrained from saying that his name sounded weird, but in a way, it was very different and unique. “So I’m guessing that you’re not from here?” She asked, taking another sip from her punch.
“Not really, no. In fact, I’m from another dimension. A world which is very complicated and different from yours,” Antonio responded.
“Oh. And what world are you from? What’s it like?” Sweetie Belle pondered, but she blushed in embarrassment when she realized that she was asking him a lot of questions. “Sorry.”
Antonio dismissed the apology with a wave of his hoof, not even bothered by the questions. He told her that he’s from a planet called Earth, and a land known as Korea, but more specifically, South Korea. The young male even told her about his family, friends, and talents. Soon, after he had finished talking, Sweetie Belle decided to tell him about herself. Just then, their conversation was interrupted when Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, along with their respective dates, came up to them.
“Do y'all wanna join us for the waltz? Songbird Serenade will be up to performing shortly,” Apple Bloom said with a smile on her face.
“The waltz will be a little sappy, to say the least, but I’m willing to join for the sake of you guys,” Scootaloo said.
Sweetie Belle bit her lip nervously. She was very good at singing, but she wasn’t the greatest at dancing. She then turned to look at Antonio, who did look a bit excited to dance. “Do you want to join us, Antonio? You said that you’re a very good dancer,” Sweetie Belle said, looking at him bashfully.
“Sure. I don’t mind. Would you care to join?” Antonio asked, looking at Sweetie Belle hopefully. When he received a nod, Antonio takes that as a yes. And once they got on the dance floor, Songbird Serenade came up to the microphone.
“We have a special guest that’ll be joining us tonight. She is the daughter of Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis. Put your hooves and claws together for Glorie Legere!” She cheered happily. Everyone clapped their hooves once they noticed a young, beautiful mare coming out from behind the curtains. She has a white coat with a pink mane with a pastel streak running across it, along with her tail. She has three fleurs-de-lis with bits surrounding them.
Her name is Glorie Legere, the daughter of Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis. She nodded her head to the orchestra, and music started to play. Each of the ponies grabbed their partner, and Antonio offered his hoof to Sweetie Belle.
“May I have this dance?” He asked, with a smile slowly forming once again on his face. Sweetie Belle nodded and grabbed his hoof. She blushed slightly when she looked deep into his eyes and gasped when Antonio wrapped a hoof around her waist, pulling her close to him. They both stood on their hind legs and danced, while Glorie sang a beautiful song.
“Parlez-moi d'amour
Redites-moi des choses tendres
Votre beau discours
Mon coeur n'est pas las de l'entendre
Pourvu que toujours
Vous répétiez ces mots suprêmes :
"Je vous aime"
As she sang, Sweetie Belle felt like she was lost in a trance while she and Antonio both waltzed together. They were both lost in their own little world, and Sweetie Belle’s heart skipped a beat. From afar, while Rarity chatted with her friends, Applejack took notice to see Sweetie Belle dancing with a mysterious stallion.
“Well ah be! Turns out Sweetie Belle has finally found her special somepony,” Applejack said. When she said that, Rarity’s ears perked up and her conversation stopped cold. She turned around and noticed that her baby sister was indeed dancing with a stallion, and her eyes narrowed at the sight of him.
“He’s very charming, per se...but I can’t get this nagging feeling off the back of my hoof that there is something about him that I don’t like,” Rarity said, starting to show her overprotective side.
Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes. “Ugh...here we go again,” she said, shaking her head.
Fluttershy chuckled. “Oh, Rarity. Let Sweetie Belle enjoy her night for once,” she said gently.
“I suppose that I’ll have a word about this after the party is over,” Rarity pointed out, still staring at Sweetie Belle and her date.
...
Sweetie Belle gave out a dreamy sigh as she entered her bedroom after a long night of dancing with Antonio. He was a very good dancer and she was very impressed by his moves. When the party was over, Antonio offered to take her home and she agreed since he'll be going back to his own world shortly. Sweetie Belle was still blushing after they had shared their first kiss. It was very romantic and spending this wonderful night with her believe that she had been swept off her hooves by Antonio. After she had hung up her dress and taken a shower, she was ready for bed. Just as she was getting ready to climb into bed, the young mare heard her older sister's voice from the first floor.
"Sweetie Belle! May I have a word with you?"
Sweetie Belle sighed in annoyance, but she did as she was told. She opened the door and walked out of the room, closing it behind her. Once downstairs, she noticed that her older sister had given her a disdainful glare, and Sweetie Belle was somewhat confused by her sister's behavior.
"Rarity? What's wrong?" She asked, irking an eyebrow as Rarity walked past her. The older mare huffed, still glaring at her, but Sweetie Belle just didn't quite understand. "Was it something I did?"
"Yes! Who was that stallion you were dancing with? And why was he giving you that look? Is he even from Ponyville?" Rarity pondered, sending her an accusing glare that she doesn't even like the odd male.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, clearly not liking her sister's attitude towards her new friend she made at the Gala. "Well...his name is Choi Seo-Jin Antonio, and he's really not from Equestria. I believe that he's from a land called South Korea on a planet called Earth," Sweetie Belle answered, unsure if Rarity would approve of him. "And he says that he's not human! He's half-vampire and half-mermaid."
Now it was Rarity's turn to roll her eyes. "Tsk! Whatever he is, I don't want my little sister to be around him. I'm doing this for your safety, Sweetie Belle. We'll finish this in the morning. Goodnight," Rarity responded coldly, giving her an icy glare as she headed off to bed, leaving Sweetie Belle alone. The younger mare huffed, glancing back at her shoulder as she too gave Rarity an icy glare and headed upstairs to her bedroom. Once inside her room, Sweetie Belle used her magic to close the door and climbed into bed.
However, she looked down and could feel tears brimming in her eyes as she pulled the covers to her body and a single tear trickled onto her cheek.
"Prince Antonio," she quietly whispered, looking up at the ceiling. "Be brave for me and ignore their eyes. Just try."
English lyrics:
"Speak to me of love
And say what I'm longing to hear
Tender words of love
Repeat them again
I implore you to speak to me of love
Whisper these words to me, dear"