Author's Notes: I think this is the first time I've done 2 chapters in 2 days for quite some time! My muse is on fire, and the challenge of NaNoWriMo seems to be only spurring me on further!

And now, we're starting a very critical point in Magic's plot...prepare yourselves, readers, this chapter is the start of something massive! I won't say any more out of fear for massive plot spoiler...and for that same reason, my Notes from now on are likely to be very short and to the point.

So thanks to my readers and all once more! Sit down and strap yourselves in, the rollercoaster ride this story's taken you on is about to get really intense!

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Chapter 38

Final Preparations

The knock on the door instantly made Starfall nervous, as he made he way across the familiar living room of the tower he lived in at Canterlot, heading for the front door. He had returned to Canterlot the day before with Princess Luna, nearly two weeks after accepting her invitation to the Coronation Ball...which was tonight.

With the opening of the Ball mere hours away, Starfall was incredibly nervous, being unable to focus on very much for most of the day, busying himself making what preparations he could. He had been to the mane-dressers yesterday evening, getting his long mane and tail trimmed and neatened out...once more refusing a recommendation he get it cut short. He had taken a long bath, and generally tried to clean himself up as much as possible.

But now, the knock at the door signified that the suit Rarity had been making for him had arrived, and as Starfall went to open the door, he could feel his nervousness building even higher. The arrival of the suit was really just confirming what was about to happen, that he was really about to attend one of the most prestigious functions in Equestria, by the side of the Princess of the Night. He was excited, he could not deny that...but this was way out of his league, and he really hoped he did not mess up tonight.

When he opened the door, though, the young mare that greeted him was not the one he expected, though she did have a package levitating in front of her...two, in fact. "Twilight?" he asked, blinking as the lavender unicorn smiled and nodded. "What are you...? Sorry, I wasn't expecting you," he admitted. He had expected Derpy, or one of the other mailponies, to deliver the package, instead of Twilight.

Twilight just gave him an understanding smile. "It's alright, Starfall...I admit the decision to bring your suit myself was kind of spur of the moment. I haven't visited my tower in a while, and with all my friends getting ready for the Ball, things have been getting a little crowded and stressed. You don't mind if I stop by until it's time to go, do you?" she asked.

Starfall gave a quick shake of his head in response...it was still technically her place, after all. "No, no, come in," he said, stepping aside to let her in, the unicorn levitating the packages in front of her the whole time, putting them down on a table, before turning back to Starfall, pausing. He knew he must still look nervous, and she could obviously see it.

"Hey, relax, Starfall," she said, trying to calm him. "There's no need to be nervous, I'm sure you'll have a great time." She added a smile for good measure, but Starfall found himself unable to return it.

"I can't help it, Twilight," he said sheepishly. "I've...never been involved in something this..." he paused, searching for the right word.

"Sophisticated?" Twilight offered, Starfall nodding.

"Yeah. Ever since Stratos Crossing, I...I just barely made ends meet," he admitted softly. He had never really talked about his time after Stratos Crossing much. He had told Princess Luna, but had yet to say much to anypony else, even Twilight and her friends. "In just a few short months, I've gone from basically poverty to a weird sort of fringe of high society. It feels like a dream...that I really hope won't turn into a nightmare..." he added softly.

Twilight smiled warmly through his explanation, though she adopted a puzzled expression, cocking her head to the side slightly at his last statement. "What do you mean by that, Starfall?" she asked.

Starfall sighed softly, feeling like he was going mad, and only showing off that insanity by talking about what was troubling. "I just...I've got a really bad feeling about tonight. I've been getting these recurring nightmares about some vague incident causing panic in Canterlot, sort of like the predictions of disaster I got before Stratos Crossing was destroyed." Even now, weeks after exposing his tale to Princess Luna, speaking of the day still made the words catch in his throat.

Before Twilight could respond, though, Starfall continued, not quite finished. "I've checked the skies every spare moment I could find, and there's nothing up there but the comet...which I think will pass as close to us as it ever gets tonight. There's no meteors, though...nothing that could pose a threat to Canterlot. So I don't know...but I still can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen...that we shouldn't be there..."

"Starfall..." Twilight paused. She seemed to be trying to reassure him, even if it looked like his words had left her at least a little concerned as well. "You said it yourself, right? You've found nothing in the skies to suggest meteors or anything are going to fall on us, right?" she asked, Starfall nodding. "And because you're a pegasus with a sensitivity to cosmic magic, these premonition dreams can only revolve around such events, right?" Another nod. "Then we have nothing to worry about," she said, her voice having a slightly hard edge, insisting rather than suggesting. "I'm sure your nightmares are just the result of everything you've been through. You have to admit, you've had some serious upheavals in your life lately."

Starfall sighed slowly, lowering his head a little. "I guess you're right, Twilight. Luna said there would be massive security there, too. I just can't shake the feeling, though," he admitted. It did not matter that there was no threat of a meteor storm, or that security was going to be insanely stringent...he still had that nagging feeling, that sense of foreboding, that something bad was going to happen, and it was going to happen tonight.

Twilight gave him a soft, sympathetic pat on the shoulder, making Starfall look up again. "Come on, Starfall. You're just nervous, that's all. Trust me, I've been there," she added with a sheepish sort of smile. "Just relax...take a deep breath. Maybe seeing what Rarity's made for you will help put your mind off things?" she suggested, her horn flaring to life as she levitated one of the boxes to him.

Starfall nodded, trying to put the nervousness and bad feelings out of his mind, giving Twilight appreciative nod as he took the package in his mouth, trotting off to the bedroom. "I'll be out in a few minutes...the Ball's starting soon, so I might as well try it on, too," he said, Twilight nodding, levitating the lid of her own box as he shut the door behind him, carrying his own box over to the bed.

Taking a moment to just look at the box, wondering what might be inside, Starfall finally gathered himself, taking a deep breath, before untying the string keeping the box sealed, and finally opening it up, looking inside to see just what Rarity had done. The result made him actually give a small, inaudible gasp...he really had to thank Rarity when he next saw her.

Despite the fact that Rarity's fashion lines catered almost exclusively to mares, she clearly knew how to design a stallion suit, Starfall marvelling over each piece of it as he lifted them out, placing them neatly on the bed. The suit jacket was immaculately designed, Starfall able to tell it was going to be comfortable to wear just by simply looking at it. It was coloured in a dark, midnight blue...almost black, but not quite. Various trim, such as the borders on the sleeved, collar and waistline, had a silvery thread added to them, shining and sparkling like the stars...Rarity had obviously gone with a night sky theme for his suit, bringing a smile to his face. The theme was further enhanced by the star shapes etched into the suit's buttons, subtle, but still there for those who cared to look.

The button up shirt he would be wearing underneath the suit was a simple thing, which made sense, since it would be hidden underneath the jacket for the most part. Rarity had obviously still made an effort, however, little details still prevalent. Like the jacket, the shirt had silver trimming all over it the buttons running down the shirt having moons etched into them, rather than stars like the jacket.

Finally, there was the tie...Rarity seemed to have decided to go with a regular tie rather than a tuxedo-style bow tie, which Starfall honestly knew he preferred. The tie was as simplistic in design as the rest of the suit, a deep black colour, with yellow trim around the edge of it. At the base of the tie, where I would rest against his chest, there was a large, white moon emblazoned there, completing the night theme, and thanks to it's similarity to Luna's cutie mark, the ultimate sign of his position as Princess Luna's special guest.

The whole suit seemed to radiate a simplistic sort of elegance and class, without the snobbish excess of a tuxedo. It was flashy without being dramatic, and to Starfall, it looked absolutely amazing...if not perfect. Rarity had certainly come through for him...he just hoped wearing this suit tonight would bring her a lot of new business...he was already feeling slightly guilty about letting her do this for him, seeing the amazing result she had worked up only enhanced that feeling...he knew that the fashionista must has spent a lot of time putting this together.

Still, it was here now, and since Rarity had put the effort in, he was not going to let her down and refuse to wear it simply because it was too good for him. He quickly pulled a mirror over to his bed, before picking up the shirt, checking it over once more to make sure it was in good order. No buttons were out of place or loose, and the shirt did not have a single crease in it...Rarity had obviously packed the entire suit with care, knowing there would be no time to get it cleaned and ironed before the Ball.

Satisfied, Starfall slipped the shirt on, fumbling with the buttons a little, trying to get a feel for the shirt even as he put it on. Rarity's measurements seemed to have done the trick, he could feel the way the shirt fit his shoulders, chest and forelegs to near-precision. Definitely a custom fit, and one Rarity had done impeccably well.

He looked up as he got the last button in place, smoothing down the shirt and pulling his long mane out from under the collar, before pausing. Even with nothing more than the shirt, Starfall could not help but stare at his reflection. It just...worked. He actually looked like a stallion who might fit in at some kind of formal function or event.

After a few moments admiring himself, Starfall pulled himself out of it, grabbing the tie text, knowing he needed to put that on before his jacket. But he stopped even as he held it in his hoof, staring at it...only now, he realised that he had no clue how to fasten this around his neck, and could not even think of where to begin.

He briefly considered heading back out and asking Twilight for some help, before remembering that she was likely still getting into her dress, and as such decided to wait. Setting the tie aside for later, he reached for the dark jacket instead, figuring that he might as well at least see how that fit him, and looked with the shirt, before checking if Twilight was ready.

Sure enough, as he slipped the midnight jacket on, he could once again feel the comfortable tailoring indicative of a custom-designed, custom-fitted suit. As it did up the buttons on the jacket, he once more looked up at himself, freezing in place. The shirt might have given him a formal appearance, but the jacket enhanced and multiplied that several times over. Even without the tie, he looked like he could fit right in at an event like the Wonderbolt Derby, or even the Grand Galloping Gala.

He was totally floored by how much the suit changed him, without taking away his identity. Even with his long mane, he looked like a pony a class and status...a stallion who deserved to be Princess Luna's guest of honour at one of the biggest royal events of the year. But the night theme, and the subtle details of the suit, allowed him to keep his sense of individuality, rather than being just another tuxedo-wearing snob.

After once more taking in his new, transformed appearance, Starfall was finally able to drag himself away from the mirror, glancing back at the tie. He unbuttoned and shrugged the jacket off, placing it carefully back on the bed, before picking up the tie again, he looked at it for a few more moments, trying to see if he could somehow determine on his own how to secure it to his neck. But after fruitlessly staring at it for a couple of minutes, finally sighed and gave in, knowing he needed help.

Heading back to the door back to the living room, he knocked, aware that Twilight could still be getting changed, herself. "Twilight?" he called sheepishly. "I...may need a little help with something."

"I'll be just a moment!" Twilight called back. Starfall giving a useless nod to the door, before sitting back and waiting, trying to ease his mind again as his mind turned once more to the upcoming Ball.

He really hoped that he left a good impression, though his fears of that were eased a bit now that he had seen how he looked in the suit. For him, it was mostly making sure he did not screw up too badly, and proved to Canterlot that Luna had chosen the right stallion as her guest of honour.

But thinking of Luna only made Starfall's nervousness bubble back up. What would she think of the suit he was wearing. It did not surprise him that he was subconsciously placing a lot of weight on Luna's opinion of how he had smartened up for the night.

After their return to Canterlot, Starfall had once more attempted to work out his thoughts regarding his feelings for Luna, knowing he needed to sort himself out before things got out of hoof once again. His attraction to her had not died, and if anything, was even stronger than ever before.

It was simply impossible for Starfall to deny, Princess Luna was just about as close to his idea of the perfect mare as anypony had ever come. He could not care less that she was a royal princess, or a near-immortal alicorn. She was beautiful in her own simple way, never trying to overstate or enhance those looks. She was the creator of the night he was so fascinated by, and as such shared his love of the darkness, the stars, the planets, and the moon. Her distant, stony exterior she displayed hid a kind, if slightly serious, and caring pony underneath.

But for Starfall, what made his infatuation so serious was how the Princess of the Night treated him. Despite being royalty, and the long exile often leaving her stuck in outdated traditions and ways of thinking, she saw beyond the horrors of Starfall's past, beyond his social awkwardness and shyness...she had seen the very depths of his soul, to the pony he had been, and the pony he was now. And despite seeing everything of him...the good, and the bad...she still respected him, and cared about him.

That, more than anything, was what had made him realise it...not only was Luna the most wonderful mare in all of Equestria, but she accepted who he was, and still treated him as a close friend and confidant, even accepting hid dark past, and his own flaws. It was this mix that made Starfall finally, just last night, admit to himself what he realised had been an unknown fact for some time: This was now well beyond a simple crush...Starfall finally realised that he was more than just attracted to her...he genuinely loved her, in the deepest sense of the word.

But in the end, this admission only saw more problems surfacing. With his affection and attraction for Luna now at the highest level, there was still the issue of her own feelings, and the fact that he had promised both Princesses that his feelings would not trouble Luna any longer.

Starfall had to admit that Luna's feelings towards him were difficult to read, even at the best of times...the Princess was so used to putting on a mask for her subjects, that hiding her emotions was almost second nature to her. Adding to the problem was that it was obvious that she did care about him to some extent, the tricky being figuring out just how deep that care ran. She respected him, even liked him, but so far, Starfall had never really caught any signs that her feelings for him went any further than a platonic friendship.

Her invitation to the Ball could possibly be seen as an offer for a date, but Starfall remembered all too well the way Luna had insisted that the invitation to accompany was only as friends...nothing more. It had been a hard reminder to Starfall that to her, the relationship between them was platonic, and should be nothing more than that.

It left Starfall forcibly reminding himself that...as much as he loved Luna, he would have to content himself with the close friendship they now shared. But he knew that, in truth, he could accept that happily. Luna was happy, and therefore, so was he.

Starfall forced himself back to the present as he heard the bedroom door open, only to be left stunned as Twilight appeared, smiling at him, all dressed up and ready for the Ball. "Now, what was it you needed help with?" she asked, before similarly pausing as she took in Starfall's appearance, even if he only had the shirt on at the moment.

Twilight's outfit for the Ball was clearly designed to go with her name, a similar, if not quite identical style to his. The main body of the dress was a simple, deep blue design, the hem down by her rear hooves and tail a paler colour, and emblazoned with a subtly ornate design of overlapping five-point stars, in varying shades of white, silver and pale blue. Further forward, a pale blue, decorate 'saddle' of sorts held the dress low to her back, a decorative collar made of stripes of pale and deep blue looping around the base of her neck to hold the entire ensemble in place, the top of it flaring up around the back of her neck, a simple brooch made of a simple white star clasping the collar securely around her neck, without allowing it to be uncomfortable.

The dress itself was complimented with a single, cyan-hued, star-shaped earring clasped to the base of Twilight's right ear, and the four simple, somewhat delicate-looking pale blue shoes had been put on her hooves, the tops of which were again covered in various star designs. The dress had all the hallmark of Rarity's design on it, and had clearly been designed with Twilight in mind...it suited her extremely well.

Twilight giggled, clearly having noticed Starfall taking in her dress. "What do you think? It's the same dress I wore to the Grand Galloping Gala a year or two ago, but I love it, and couldn't ask Rarity make another, totally new one for me."

Starfall gave a small nod. "Celestia knows Rarity has already done enough," he commented, before smiling. "You look great, Twilight," he finally said, the unicorn smiling back at him. "But I'm having a little trouble with this..." he said, holding up the tie sheepishly. "I...well..."

Twilight giggled. "You've never worn a tie before, and don't have the faintest idea how to do one up, right?" she asked, getting a small nod from him. "It's alright...I believe I told you about my brother, Shining Armor?" The question brought yet another nod from Starfall. "He was always going to various events that required him to dress up, being a Captain of the Royal Guard and all, and he always used to have trouble fixing up his ties. My parents taught him how over time, but they taught me the basics just in case he happened to forget, and I was the only pony around he could turn to," she explained, trotting up him, lifting the tie out his hoof with her magic.

"Here, let me show you..." she said, before slowly coaching him through the process, guiding him with her magic, but leaving it up to him to actually make the movements and tie it off. Starfall felt like he was tying his hooves in knots the whole way, but after several mistakes, fumbles, and restarts, he finally did it, his tie around his neck and secured under his shirt collar, Twilight using her magic to adjust and straighten the knot at his neck.

"There! All done!" she said, smiling. "Now put your jacket on, and let's see how it all looks on you!" she suggested, Starfall nodding and grabbing the suit jacket even before Twilight had finished speaking.

Once he had it back on and buttoned up over his tie, he turned back to look at Twilight, trying to gauge her reaction. "Well? How do I look?" he asked, offering a slightly nervous smile, glancing at the fringe of his mane...it would need another brush now, after all the squirming and fiddling he had done to get the tie right.

Twilight took a moment to look him up and down, before giving a wide smile. "Rarity's certain she knows her suits just as well as her dresses...you look wonderful!" she said, Starfall giving a slightly relieved smile as he turned back to the mirror, taking in the whole ensemble.

The addition of the tie finally completed the look he had seen earlier without it, it was formal and professional, while also being unique to him. Despite the risk of the midnight blue suit clashing with his yellow coat, Rarity had somehow found a shade that worked, suiting him amazingly well, and leaving him with little doubt that he would like he belonged at that Ball tonight.

The thought left him immensely relieved as he quickly fixed up his mane, and set about making sure he was all neat and ready, Twilight once more returning to the living room to wait for him while he finished up.

Just as he was done, straightening out his sleeves and smoothing his suit out, he heard another knock at her, knowing what it was even as Twilight called to him. The rest of Twilight's friends had arrived, ready to head down to Canterlot Castle, and arrive in time for the Ball's opening.

Taking a deep breath to calm his building nerves, Starfall turned to leave, fully aware that this night, one way or another, was going to be one of the most memorable nights of his life...he just hoped it would be for all the right reasons.