A hush fell over the crowd as the Eternal Sun stepped into the ballroom, entering through the door to the throne room.
Compared to the other nobles, her dress was simple in its design, but that didn't make it any less elegant, the yellow fabric perfectly cut to emphasize the majesty of her form. Strength flowed through her as she stepped down the staircase leading to the dance floor, every step precise yet looking casual to the untrained eye.
And next to her, her lover stood proud by her side, beauty and grace flowing out from her as she walked beside the princess.
The music swelled as Rarity and Celestia approached the dance floor together, the symphony trying its best to match the grandiose nature of its ruler. The song they played was almost hymn-like, a loud, rousing homage to the mare who shone brightest in the room, who had watched over the nation for centuries.
Said ruler stopped in the middle of the dance floor, reaching out a hoof towards the unicorn beside her and speaking for the first time since her entrance. "May I have this dance, my lady?"
Rarity bowed respectfully before her princess. "It would be my honour, your majesty."
And then, they began to move.
Every motion was precise, practised, the product of a lifetime of training and dedication. The two lovers moved in perfect synchrony, two bodies guided by a single will. All the assembled looked on in awe, knowing in their hearts that these two were destined to rule over them.
Rarity leaned in to whisper in Celestia's ear, knowing that they would not be heard over the music. "Everypony's watching."
Forward, right, left, back. Celestia didn't miss a step as she replied to her. "They always are. Everywhere I go, I have all eyes on me. It can be exhausting sometimes."
Pirouette, fall into Celestia's forelegs. Rarity performed her own part of the routine with total trust in her partner. "You cannot blame them for being captivated by the Sun," she replied, staring up into her lover's eyes.
"I can when there is somepony much more captivating at my side." Celestia dipped her low, and Rarity's heart fluttered. "It should be you that they all bow to, my lady."
Rarity tittered. "Oh, you flatterer. As much as I adore the spotlight, I do not think I could live under its constant glare for centuries."
"So that's a no on attending court with me?" Celestia asked, raising her up again so that they could continue their dance. In the background, the music began to build up to its finale, anticipation roiling in every note. "I could use your advice on the matters that are brought to me."
"You mean you need something pretty to stare at while those nobles talk your ear off," Rarity replied dryly. "Still, I prefer to be your beau at social events, and leave the governing to the princesses."
"Very well." Back, right, left, forward. They were mirroring each other's motion now. "Though, know that I truly value your input. It is easy for an old mare as myself to become set in her ways, and it is important to have someone I can trust to call me out on it. Speaking of which, when you have some time in your schedule, I would love to discuss the latest charity proposal from Jet Set."
Forward, left, back, right. "I suppose I should be free tonight," Rarity replied, letting her eyes smoulder and her voice drop low and sultry. "Shall I meet you in your bedroom to... deliberate?"
Celestia smiled, and the room grew even brighter. "I shall pencil you in for tonight, then." The music had reached a rousing climax, a spectacular crescendo that had everypony standing stock still in awe as they watched the royal couple dancing. "Oh dear, I believe our song is about to end. Shall we give our ponies a performance to remember, then?"
Rarity nodded, leaning in towards Celestia. "Yes, let's."
And so, as the final note was played, echoing out through the hall, two mares who burned with the fire of the sun embraced, sharing a kiss that would be talked about for months.
Sacred geometry, where movement is poetry, visions of you and me forever
After the first dance, Celestia had bid Rarity farewell and left to mingle among the crowd, as was her duty. Rarity took one last longing look at her beloved's departing form before she was hidden by the crowd, despite her height.
And then, darkness fell upon the ballroom.
It wasn't a natural darkness, a simple absence of light. No, Rarity could feel the shadows in the room consuming the torches, smothering them into a dim light. At the same time, a presence crept into her heart, filling it with a secret thrill that brought a smile to her face as she saw the air around her begin to shimmer.
The crowd gasped as the Mistress of Dreams stepped out from a fog of shadows that had formed in the middle of the room.
Luna held out a hoof towards Rarity. "My diamond among the stars, I have heard your call, and have come to dance with you."
"Thank you, my princess." Rarity took her hoof, and the world fell away.
The other nobles were still there, staring in awe, but Rarity could only see their silhouettes, faceless shadows against a violet canvas. She turned back to face her lover, seeing a familiar glint of playfulness in her eyes.
"Shall we show these fools the meaning of beauty?" The Princess of Dreams asked, and Rarity nodded, closing her eyes as Luna bent down to touch their horns together.
The next song began, a low, haunting melody that lodged itself in Rarity's soul and tempted her to give in to her deepest desires. The moment Rarity felt Luna's horn against her own, she gave in to that temptation, allowing her lover's magic to mingle with her own. Ancient, eldritch energy filled her soul, a screaming abyss of chaos and madness that was kept at bay only by mutual force of will.
The power roiled within Rarity, making her feel very, very small and very, very young, but she anchored herself to Luna's presence, to the mercurial spirit that led her through the maelstrom and allowed her to become one with it.
Rarity opened her eyes.
Lights. So many lights surrounded them, not visible to the naked eye but perceived using the second sights granted to her by her princess. Rarity knew that Luna saw so much more than anypony else, but it always left her breathless to see just how vibrant her lover's world was. The colours danced around them, swirling about each other in a frenzied dance, combining and splitting and flying off and coming together in an endless kaleidoscope that dazzled Rarity.
She shook her head, freeing herself from the ensorcellment for a moment, and lit up her own horn, casting a spell that Luna had taught her. In the background, the music ebbed and flowed, a soulful dirge that the lights around her danced in time to.
As the spell completed, Rarity and Luna also began to dance. It was a simple set of movements, the most basic of waltzes, back and forth and back and forth.
But that was not where the spectacle lay.
The dream motes began to coalesce around them as they danced in the eye of a magical storm. Outside the veil of shadows, Rarity could see the other nobles whispering to one another, could hear the gasps of awe and wonder as she joined her magic with Luna's, and together, they pushed the motes into reality.
Visions of herself and Luna began to flash in and out of existence, depictions of hundreds of realities woven from the threads of infinite possibilities. They were dancing together in all of them, in forests and palaces, atop the roof of a metal skyscraper and among the flames of a dead civilization.
The styles and clothes they wore varied as well, but were always breathtakingly gorgeous. After all, these were all fantasies created by Rarity and Luna, and they would never have looked anything but their best in them.
The "ooh"s and "ah"s of the crowd spurred Rarity on, and she continued to spin dream after dream, melding her desires with her beloved's as they built a vision of themselves dancing beneath the moonlight to the very same melody that now played, and broadcasted it for all to see.
No words were shared as they created beauty from nothing; none were needed, for they were connected on such a deep level that there was no need to do anything but dream, and their shared magic would bring their visions to life.
The music began to fall, tapering off into nothingness, and so did Rarity and Luna allow their creations to fade as well, appearing less and less frequently until their veil showed nothing but shadows once again.
Silence filled the ballroom as Luna dispelled the shadows, and the world returned to its normal brightness. Applause roared in Rarity's ears, but she didn't care for that. Her eyes were fixed on Luna's, eyes that shone with love and devotion and something that only they could understand, for only they had partaken in that act of Creation.
"I shall see you again in your dream tonight, my diamond in the stars," Luna promised, and then she was gone, vanished as if she were never there, and leaving Rarity with a void in her heart as she returned to dull reality.
Somebody ought to corrupt you on the dance floor, and take you home
As the gala returned to its normal liveliness, picking up in energy as the night raged on and the liquor continued to flow freely, Rarity spotted a shadow flitting about the edges of the event, every movement deliberate if not particularly elegant.
The music had changed to something more upbeat and modern, and Rarity hummed the melody to herself as she skipped over towards the Faithful Princess.
"Hello, Twilight," she said, causing her beloved to look up from the checklist.
Twilight's expression quickly shifted from annoyance to joy as she saw who it was who had interrupted her. "Rarity!" she exclaimed, a wide grin forming on her muzzle. "How are you doing? Are you enjoying the gala?"
"Oh, most certainly, darling," Rarity replied. "However, I have noticed the lack of a certain princess on the dance floor."
Twilight shrugged. "Somepony needs to handle the logistics of this event."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "We both know very well that there are plenty of ponies who are more than qualified for that job."
"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean I can't help out," Twilight said.
"And I'm sure they appreciate it, but right now, your marefriend would like to request your presence on the dance floor." Rarity reached out a hoof towards Twilight.
"You know I don't dance." Twilight stared at the hoof as if it might bite her.
"But I do," Rarity replied smoothly. "Allow me to guide you, dear." When Twilight didn't respond, Rarity leaned in closer. "Do you trust me?"
Twilight nodded.
"Then come with me, and let's show all these nobles that you're just as much of a princess as the others."
Reluctantly, Twilight took the proffered hoof, and they set off towards the centre of the room. All eyes were on them, and it was clear that the young princess was feeling the pressure of their judgement on her nerves.
"Eyes on me, Twilight," Rarity said, keeping her gaze captive with her own. "Don't worry about all of those other ponies. Right now, it's only you and me, and this lovely song."
As the music picked up, Rarity began to guide Twilight through the dance.
It wasn't anything overly complex, and despite the quick tempo of the music, Rarity kept her movements slow and deliberate. Twilight had the knowledge of how to perform this dance, and so long as she had the time to read her cues, she could barely keep up with Rarity.
They didn't speak a word as they danced, Twilight too focused on her technique to make conversation. That suited Rarity just fine, however. It was pleasure enough to see the intensity on her lover's face, to bask in Twilight's dedication to doing everything with all her heart, whether it was dancing, ruling, or loving. No matter how sterile their dance might have looked, Rarity could feel her passion with every motion, and she could have spent hours admiring how Twilight was studying her so intently.
A lady did like to be noticed, after all.
They made it to the end of the song without any missteps, and when Twilight finally allowed herself to relax, the carefree, ecstatic grin on her muzzle made Rarity's heart skip a beat. "I did it, Rarity!" she exclaimed, lunging forward to embrace her. "Oh, thank you so much for being such a good teacher."
"I couldn't have asked for a better student, darling." Hugging at an event like this was frowned upon, but Rarity couldn't quite bring herself to care.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Raven Inkwell approaching, holding a clipboard in her magic. Twilight seemed to notice the same, as she released Twilight to face the newcomer.
"Princess, the unloading area appears to have been double-booked, and Mulia Mild and Gustave Le Grand are currently having a spirited disagreement near the back entrance of the palace," the seneschal said, keeping her voice low enough that the other guests around them wouldn't be able to overhear her. "You instructed us to inform you of any disruptions of operations."
Twilight nodded. "Right, I'll sort that out." She turned to Rarity, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, then?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Rarity replied, bowing respectfully. "Enjoy the rest of your night, my darling."
"You too, Rarity." And with that, Twilight teleported out, leaving Rarity to mingle with the aristocracy. That was fine, though — they each had a part to play, and the warmth of love kept Rarity smiling as she went to do her duty.
And we'll be flying through the streets with the people underneath
Several more songs passed, and Rarity did her best to network and focus on forming the connections she would need in the future.
Still, her mind wandered towards her lovers, both the ones she had danced with already at the gala, and the ones she still hadn't seen here yet. There was plenty of time left, but Rarity couldn't stop wondering when her next dance would come.
The next song started, and a rift opened up in the air, rending the very fabric of reality in two. The assembled nobles all gasped at the sight, recoiling away from the portal in fear. A circle of cautious onlookers began to form around it, leaving a clearing in the middle of the dance floor.
Rarity stepped forwards, a wide grin on her muzzle.
Sunset Shimmer stepped out from the portal, her ethereal wings flapping as she descended gracefully in front of her beloved.
"Hey, Rares," the ascendant unicorn said casually, as if she hadn't just entered through a portal that shouldn't have been able to exist. "I heard there was some kinda party going on, and I figured I'd stop by to dance with the prettiest mare in town."
Rarity tittered. "I'm all yours, dear."
The assembled nobles continued to give them a wide berth as Sunset took Rarity's hoof in her own. Her horn lit up, and Rarity felt a tingling around her withers. She looked back and saw a pair of angelic wings flaring out from her sides, white as the driven snow and flickering with energy much like Sunset's own flaming wings.
She looked back up to see Sunset smirking. "Let's fly."
She was showing off, Rarity knew. The spell to grant wings was difficult to cast in general, to say nothing of the skill and power needed to create two matching pairs without any arcane bleed-off blinding the nobles watching them fearfully.
But what was a gala if not a place to flaunt one's prowess, no? And as they took to the skies together, Rarity couldn't help but bask in the awe of the crowd.
"I am so glad you could make it," Rarity said, returning her attention to her dance partner as they twirled around each other in the air in time with the music. "When you didn't RSVP, I thought your duties in the other world would keep you from attending."
"I'll always make time for you, Rares," Sunset promised, spinning Rarity in an aerial pirouette. "You're the most important person in this entire world to me."
"Oh my." Rarity giggled, biting her lip at that comment. "You really do know how to make a mare feel special."
"And you make it very easy for me to do that," Sunset countered. "Everypony looks up to you, you know."
Rarity glanced downwards at the nobles below them. "So I gathered," she replied dryly.
Sunset snorted. "You know what I mean. You're an inspiration to all of them, a role model for all the ponies that didn't manage to get both a horn and a pair of wings from Harmony. You show them what they can achieve with just hard work and talent."
"Sounds like somepony's describing herself as well, hmm?" Rarity teased, gliding around her lover.
Of course, Sunset didn't even try to deny it, simply shrugging in response. "Gotta admit, it's pretty satisfying seeing the looks on all these stuffy ponies' faces. Not that I really cared about their opinions, but there's still that warm, fuzzy feeling of being above them all, you know?"
"I know exactly how you feel," Rarity replied. "And I do not think there is any shame in being proud of what you've become." She wrapped a foreleg around Sunset's. "After all, I'm quite fond of this mare that's lifted me up into the heavens."
"That's good." Sunset leaned in closer. "Otherwise, this would be kinda awkward." With that, she pressed a kiss against Rarity' lips.
As the song came to its end, the couple floated back to the ground, never letting go of each other as they descended. They shared another kiss, and then Sunset gave Rarity a wink. "Well, that was fun, but I gotta go now. I'll see you next week for the other Rarity's Fashion Week presentation?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, dear," Rarity replied.
"Alright, see you later!" Sunset waved as she lit her horn, and the portal opened behind her. With a final, graceful bow, she stepped backwards and vanished into her own world, the only evidence of her existence the ghostly echo of her phoenix wings as they drifted upwards and faded away into darkness.
After Sunset's disappearance, the gala had begun to wind down. Some of the older members started excusing themselves, making their way towards their carriages to return home. That had started an exodus of other bored nobles who were quite done with the networking that they had come here to do.
In the end, as the band began to play the final song, the only remaining guests were the ones who feared the loneliness of returning to their empty homes, and the loving couples who were too lost in each other's eyes to notice their surroundings.
And then there was Rarity.
The unicorn flitted about the dwindling crowd, searching and searching for a face that she longed to see tonight, but had been denied the pleasure of doing so.
At last, as the first notes of an old, foreign song began to filter through the hall, Rarity spotted Love Herself standing atop a balcony overlooking the ballroom, her gaze fixed on her lover standing in the middle of the dance floor.
The alicorn took flight, landing beside Rarity with a faint whoosh of air. "Hello, lover."
"Cadance!" Rarity rushed forward to embrace her final lover of the night. "I haven't seen you anywhere tonight!"
"Sorry." Cadance chuckled, hugging her back. "Flurry was being fussy, and I didn't manage to get her to sleep until now. Besides, I hear your dance card was quite full already. I'm surprised you even noticed I wasn't there."
"I always have room for you," Rarity replied. "Just because my other special someponies are here, it doesn't mean I don't feel your absence quite keenly." She stepped back, her body swaying to the music and she and Cadance began to dance. "I'm sure you can understand."
"Fair enough," Cadance allowed, leaning in closer to press a kiss against her cheek before pulling away playfully. "I wish Shining could be here and not stuck in the Empire dealing with the Maretonian delegation." She narrowed her eyes. "By the way, I can't believe that the two of you conspired together for my surprise birthday party last week. When did my lovers turn against me?"
"You know what they say," Rarity replied, dipping Cadance low and sneaking in another kiss. "All's fair in love and war. And you really have no place to talk after you and Sunset ambushed me at the Ponyville Days Fair."
"I'm the Princess of Love!" Cadance exclaimed in mock outrage. "I'm allowed to do that!" Immediately, she dissolved into giggles, and Rarity followed suit.
"Well, either way, I'm glad you could make it here," Rarity said when they'd calmed down a bit.
"Me too," Cadance replied. "So, tell me about your night. You know I love hearing about my domain being fulfilled."
"Well, I was dazzling, as usual," Rarity said humbly.
"Naturally," Cadence said, nodding.
"And my partners were all wonderful, and wonderfully different," Rarity continued, her motions reducing down to basic swaying as she lost herself in her recollections. "I daresay between Celestia's grand entrance, Luna's spectacle, Twilight's debut, and Sunset's flair, we shall be the talk of the town for some time." She sighed dreamily. "I could not have asked for a better collection of mares to own my heart."
"And do you regret any of it?" Cadance asked. "Having to divide your heart into five pieces?"
Rarity snorted. "You know very well that's not how it works. The more love I give, the more I have to give. It is a never-ending fount of wonder and joy that years to be shared."
"Spoken like the true spirit of Generosity," Cadance said with an approving nod. "It's been wonderful seeing you embrace love in all its forms."
"It's been a marvellous experience for me as well," Rarity replied. "Now, tell me more about your own adventures in love, Cadance. It's been far too long since we've had the opportunity to chat as lovers."
"Very true. I'm looking forward to having you over at the Crystal Empire next month." Cadance's eyes smouldered as she dropped her voice low. "I've missed your touch so very much."
Rarity shivered at her tone. "I've missed yours as well," she replied.
"Anyways, have I told you about Shining and my attempts to court Sunburst?" Cadance's smile grew playful as she asked the question.
"You told me some of it when last we met," Rarity said. "But do tell more. I love a lovely bit of gossip."
And so, the night came to an end, and the final song came to a close on a most magical night, while two lovers spoke of love, both shared between themselves and given to others, as they watched the stars light up the sky.
"Oh!" Rarity exclaimed as the pleasant hum of music was replaced by the quiet murmuring of the crowd. "I have an appointment with Celestia!"
"Go get her, lover." Cadance grabbed Rarity's head and pulled her in for one final kiss, before giving a sultry wink. "And I'll see you next month, when we can continue our journey of love."
