I adjusted the cuff of my sleeve, fidgeting with the material as I stared at myself in the mirror. True to her reputation, Rarity had exceeded expectations when it came to my outfit for this Grand Galloping Gala thing that everyone was so excited about. She had made me a dark lavender overcoat, with a lighter lavender shirt underneath. A simple pair of dress pants, the same color as the overcoat, completed the outfit. Twilight’s cutie mark was, as with all my clothing, embroidered on the back of the jacket, and on the thighs of the dress pants.

The only part of the outfit that clashed was my brown sandals, which I wore in order to provide comfort for my feet. Marble flooring was nice and all, but after walking on it for a while in bare feet, my soles were beginning to get sore.

And if there was one thing that Canterlot Castle had a lot of, it was marble floors.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my shortened hair. I had gotten a haircut the other day…

...let me correct that: Two days ago, Rarity had ambushed me when I had been wandering around town on my own. Pulling me into the Carousel Boutique, she then proceeded to use her magic to hold me still and attack my head with several pairs of scissors, claiming that she was going to make me fabulous! Needless to say, my shoulder length hair was no more.

Apparently I had needed the haircut, as I had to look my best for the Gala.

It’s actually not half bad, I mused, turning my head from side to side. My hair was now short enough that it no longer hung in front of my eyes. I no longer had to brush it out of the way to see out of my one good eye anymore.

Keeping with the theme that I had to look nice for this event, I had cleaned up my facial hair as well. Instead of shaving off the beard and mustache, I had just trimmed them up a little. After all, Twilight had said she had liked the look, and who was I to deny her what she wanted. That, and I was just too damn lazy to get rid of it.

I thought I looked pretty good, all things considered.

“You clean up nicely, tall stuff,” Avera called from the large, four-poster bed, where she was currently splayed out on her back, her wings were flared by her side as she warmed herself in the heat coming from the fire in the fireplace. Like me, she too was dressed up for the Gala. She had on a military dress uniform, the white material contrasting against her black fur. A patch on either shoulder of the coat bore the same symbol she had on her armor the first day we had met: a black sun rising out of the horizon. Several medals adorned the breast of the coat, polished metal gleaming in the firelight.

“Although, I’m not sure you have enough of Princess Sparkle’s cutie mark on you,” she snickered as she looked at me upside down, her head hung over the edge of the mattress. I just glared over my shoulder, sticking out my tongue at the mare.

We (Twilight, the girls, Ebony Rose, Avera, and I) had arrived at Canterlot Castle early yesterday so that Twilight could meet up with the other princesses to discuss the Gala. Twilight said that she wasn’t expected to do anything during the Gala, but she still wanted to make sure that everything was running smoothly. The only one who wasn’t with us was Primrose, who had stayed behind in Ponyville to look after the library, and Spike, who was staying behind to have a sleepover with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

As I returned my attention to the full-length mirror, bells began chiming in the distance, tolling out eight o’ clock.

“Well, looks like it’s almost time,” Avera groaned as she pulled herself up, into a seated position. She ran a hoof over her red mane, making sure that it was still done up in a bun. Satisfied her mane hadn’t been messed up, she jumped off the bed, turned, and trotted towards the door. “We better go meet the others before they get upset. You know how Sparkle likes to keep to a schedule.” I nodded, glancing over myself one last time in the mirror. Satisfied, I turned and followed the pegasus, closing the door behind me as I stepped out into the hallway.

Ever since we had arrived yesterday, the entire castle had been a beehive of activity; the staff had worked hard to make sure that everything was going to be perfect for the Gala. Decorations littered the hall; banners and streamers of dark blues and violets as well as midnight black were thrown practically everywhere. It could only really be described as organized chaos.

I glanced out the window as we traversed down the hall. It was a beautiful night; a thin layer of clouds hung in the sky, promising snow later on. Through the holes in the cloud cover, tens of thousands of stars shone down upon the castle. Even the moon seemed bigger and brighter than usual.

“You excited for tonight, tall stuff?” Avera asked as we walked.

~Not so much excited, as nervous~ I replied. This earned a chuckle from the pegasus.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” she said, bumping me with her flank. “It’s a party; try to relax and have fun!”

~That’s easy for you to say; you don’t have mares trying to get into your pants!~

“You’re still going on about that?” Avera asked, smirking up at me. “So one of the servants tried to seduce you into one of the broom closets, big deal. It’s not like she was trying that hard!” I gave her a deadpanned look.

~She about ripped my pants off!~

“Hey, I stopped her in time, didn’t I?” Avera said indignantly, placing a hoof on her chest.

~You were laughing your flank off~ I signed, growling at the pegasus. ~That’s what scared her away~

“Yeah, well, it worked, didn’t it?” Avera snickered, the memory still bringing tears to her eyes. “Besides, the look on your face was priceless!” I just grumbled as we approached the end of the hallway and reached the stairs. As Avera and I descended the stairs, I could see ponies putting the finishing touches on the decorations.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about a pony trying to seduce you at the Gala,” Avera said after she got her laughter under control. “It’s a public event, so that should dissuade most ‘fanciers’ from doing anything. Although, there is always those strange few,” she muttered, chewing on her lip as she walked. “I really don’t think you’ll have a problem tonight. Your friends are here, as are your guards and three princesses. You’ll be just fine.

“Besides,” she added, frowning slightly. “I think that maid was in heat.”

~If you say so~ I signed, chewing on the inside of my cheek. I dropped the topic, however, and we walked in silence down the remainder of the stairs. Wandering down the corridor, Avera lead me towards the main ballroom where the Gala was being held.

Turning around the last corner, I spotted the others waiting for us by the side entrance door. As Avera and I drew nearer, I could see that each of the girls was dressed up in a magnificent dress, each of which seemed to complement the wearer perfectly.

Pinkie Pie had a dress that was as pink as she was, with blue and white accents. The white frill on the dress had stones shaped like bits of candy sown into it, giving it a festive look that went perfect with Pinkie’s bubbly personality.

Fluttershy’s dress was a lovely green, with flowers sewn into the material, giving it a very natural look. The front of the dress made it look like she had several butterflies perched on her chest, and she even had butterfly earrings. Her pink mane was brushed, and had several white and blue flowers scattered through it. Her whole appearance reminded me of the description of a nymph or elf.

Rainbow’s outfit looked like something out of Greek mythology. Her dress was as prismatic as she was, each color of the rainbow flowing down the fabric only to end in a frill that looked like it was made of cloud. She wore what could only be described as Roman sandals on her front hooves. Her normally messy mane had been brushed and styled, causing her to look nothing like the tomboyish mare I was used to. How the others had gotten her to comb her mane I didn’t know, but it actually looked good on her. As an accent to the outfit, she even had a golden laurel wreath around her head.

Applejack’s dress was more akin to something out of a western movie than an actual formal ball. She had on her signature hat, as well as an actual saddle. She had a pair of green cowboy boots on her forehooves. Her golden mane and tail, like Rainbow’s, had been brushed and done up in a braid. She had a green bandana around her neck, held together by an apple-shaped clasp.

Rarity, the mastermind behind all of the girls’ outfits, was dressed in an outfit that looked fit for royalty. Her pink dress had yellow accents, as well as several dozen jewels sewn into it, to the point where it almost sparkled on its own. She had a necklace that bore her cutie mark, as well as a small golden tiara with a single ruby embedded in it.

And then there was Twilight…

I think my heart stopped at the sight of her, but I couldn’t be too sure. I know my cheeks turned red as a large blush flared across my face.

She was wearing a blue dress that hung down her hind legs, completely covering her cutie marks. The dress continued up her back, where it reached a collar that wrapped around her neck snugly. A light blue saddle rested across her back, hugging her sides and causing the dress to poof slightly. All over the dress, star-shaped gems sparkled every time she moved. Silver hoof guards adorned her hooves, and seemed to sparkle as well, shining in the lights of all the torches that dotted the hall. Her mane was done up in a bun, her tiara resting on top of her head, polished to perfection. She looked every part the princess she was.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, staring, but I was snapped out of my daze by the sound of muffled laughter beside me. Closing my mouth, which had fallen open, I glanced down and saw Avera biting down on her hoof as she looked up at me, her cheeks red as she tried to hold in her mirth.

“See something you like?” she managed to choke out, smirking up at me. I turned my head away, still blushing.

~Shut up~ Blushing, I kneed the pegasus, causing her to stumble slightly. With Avera falling in step behind me, still snickering, I turned and headed towards the others. Twilight was the first to hear our approach. Perking up, she turned and glanced over at me and Avera. She blinked, a small blush spreading across her face before she smiled and waved. This caused the others to halt their conversation and glance over. Rarity’s eyes instantly lit up when she saw me.

“Oh my,” she cooed, a smile spreading across her face as she looked over me. “I must say, your outfit turned out better than expected, darling. Truly magnificent!”

“I’ll say,” Pinkie chirped. “You look like you’re ready to party!” Rainbow just nodded, her cheeks as red as an apple.

“You look very good,” Twilight said softly, her wings ruffling at her sides. “Very… handsome.” My face lit up again, and Avera jammed her hoof into her mouth again, trying to stop from howling in laughter.

“Was it something I said?” Twilight asked, looking at the black pegasus in confusion.

~No~ I replied, shaking my head in annoyance. ~She’s just being stupid~ As Avera slowly composed herself, the ballroom’s door swung open and Ebony slipped out.

Like her companion, Ebony was also wearing a military dress uniform, only, instead of the rising sun, the patches on her shoulders bore a symbol of a fireball with the silhouette of a unicorn’s head inside. Her pink mane was pulled back with a white headband that matched her uniform.

Ebony opened her mouth to say something, but paused when she caught sight of Avera’s face.

“What’s her problem?” she asked, glancing up at me.

~The usual; she’s being stupid~ I responded, giving Ebony a deadpanned look.

“Ah,” she said, nodding her head before returning her attention to Twilight. “If everypony is ready, we’re allowed to enter now. The princess has declared that the Gala has officially started.” This earned a cheer from everypony present, and they began moving towards the door.

As her friends filed forward, slipping into the ballroom, Twilight turned to look up at me. She had a nervous look on her face.

“Um, I’m really sorry about this,” she said quietly, her ears splaying back as she spoke. “But, it’s required that all human wear a collar during the Gala, and that includes you.” She trailed off, her voice getting softer and softer as she looked at the floor. With a flash of her horn, my old collar was floating in front of me in Twilight’s magic. I glanced from the collar to her, but she refused to meet my eye.

~I need to wear this?~ I asked, before pointing at the collar. Twilight just nodded, still not looking at me. Reaching forward, I pulled the collar out of the cloud of magic and examined it. It was the same collar that I used to wear, except for one modification: it had a clasp in the back where Darkflare had snapped it off my neck. This now allowed me to remove the collar on my own without the use of magic.

Studying the collar for a few more seconds, I just shrugged before reaching up and securing the collar around my neck. It fit snugly into place as the clasp clicked.

“Y-you don’t mind?” Twilight asked, looking up at me as I adjusted the collar.

~I wore this thing for five months straight with no problem~ I smiled down at her. ~I don’t think a single night will be a big deal~ At that, she flashed me a grateful smile, although she still looked ashamed.

“Sorry if it’s degrading.”

~Just don’t make me do any tricks and we’ll be fine~ Twilight chuckled before turning and heading towards the door to the ballroom. One last tug on the collar, and I followed behind her. The doors swung open, and my owner and I stepped into the ballroom.

As we stepped through the doorway, I couldn’t help but feel like we had stepped into a different world entirely. Dark blue banners hung from the high ceiling, emblazoned with Luna’s cutie mark. Lanterns floated high in the air, flickering slightly, looking almost like stars glowing in the blackness. Blue torches dotted the wall, giving the entire room a cool, calming feel to it. A thin layer of fog covered the floor, giving the whole room a supernatural feel.

The ballroom was full of ponies clad in elegant dresses and suits. The other girls had already merged with the crowd, heading off to do what they wanted. A gentle murmur filled the air as ponies talked with each one other. Humans also dotted the crowd, standing by their owners and glancing around with uninterest. They were dressed in clothing, although none of them seemed to be as classy as I was. A human nearby gave me a curious look before returning his attention back to his owner, who was slowly feeding him some food she had gotten from the buffet table.

Twilight looked around the large room, a small smile on her face. I just stood there, frozen.

There’s so many unicorns here, I thought, my heart rate slowly increasing. Ponies were coming and going through a set of doors on the other side of the room, wandering here and there as they socialized. As I watched them, my right eye twitched and I had to clench my fist in order to stop my arm from trembling.

“I think the decorations turned out wonderfully,” Twilight said, standing beside me. “Luna was worried that it would be too much. She didn’t want anypony to think that she was trying to be overbearing.” She glanced up at, smiling until she saw my face. “Are you alright?” I nodded, swallowing thickly as I looked down at her.

~I’m fine~ I signed, my hands trembling slightly.

“No, you aren’t,” Twilight replied, frowning slightly. “Max, what’s wrong? You can tell me.” Before I could respond, a unicorn mare walked by, a little too close for comfort, and I flinch involuntarily. Twilight’s gaze darted between the mare and myself before a look of dawning comprehension flashed across her face.

“Nopony’s going to hurt you tonight,” she said softly, leaning against my leg. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Yeah,” came a voice from behind us. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Ebony standing several feet away, smiling at me. “We got your back, Max. Just relax, have a good time, and we’ll deal with anypony who tries to give you trouble.” I nodded, licking my lips nervously as I returned my attention to the crowd, eyeing the mass of ponies. Twilight sighed, shaking her head with a small smile on her face.

“Tell you what; let’s do something calming first to get you comfortable,” she said.

~What do you have in mind?~ Twilight looked away, her ears splaying backwards as a blush spread across her face.

“We could always dance,” she whispered, doing her best Fluttershy impression.

~What?~ I asked, not hearing her. She bit her bottom lip before looking up at me, her small blush growing darker. Clearing her throat, she swallowed nervously before she spoke again.

“W-we could always dance,” she said, giving me a nervous smile. “Cadance always said that when she is stressed, dancing helps calm her nerves, so I figured that it might work for you as well. I-I mean, if you want to.” I blinked down at her, confused.

~Dancing?~ I asked. ~You think dancing will help?~ Twilight nodded. ~And you want to dance… with me?~

“Only… only if you want to,” Twilight said, not looking at me. I chewed on my cheek, as I looked down at the adorable mare. That beautiful mare that wanted to dance.

~What would the other ponies think about one of their princesses dancing with a human?~

“I don’t care what they think,” Twilight said, scrunching up her face. “They can gossip all they like. You need to relax. Plus, I just want you to have a good time tonight, and thought you might like to dance.”

~Why do you want to dance with me, though?~

“I just thought it would be a fun thing we could do together,” Twilight huffed, stomping her hoof. “If you didn’t want to dance with me, you could have just said so!” She lowered her head, her ears splaying backward. Tears began forming in the corner of her eyes, and she sniffed slightly. The sight caused me to wince, instantly regretting my careless response to her request; she just wanted to help me feel more comfortable. Great going, Max.

~I wouldn’t mind dancing with you~ Twilight perked up instantly, giving me a small smile as she wiped tears from her eyes.

“R-really?” she asked. I nodded, smiling down at her.

~I have to warn you though, I can’t dance~

“Well, that makes two of us,” Twilight said, giving me a sheepish smile. “I’m pretty sure we can figure it out as we go along, though.” This earned a snicker from Ebony, who remained in the background like a watchful shadow.

“Come on,” Twilight said, motioning with her head towards an open space in the crowd, which I assumed was the dance floor. As we made our way through the crowd, I tensed, trying to keep myself calm. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Ebony following us, keeping her distance but never straying far. When she saw me looking, she gave me an encouraging smile, which I returned halfheartedly.

We had just reached the edge of the dance floor when we were stopped by a unicorn guard.

“I’m sorry, miss, but no human allowed out on the dance floor,” he said, blocking us with a hoof. Twilight looked at him in shock.

“What? Why not?”

“From past experience, we’ve learned that some humans confuse the dancing with a mating ritual. In order to prevent… embarrassing or inappropriate situations, there are no humans allowed out on the dance floor.”

“You can’t be serious,” Twilight muttered darkly before glaring at the guard. “Can’t you just make an exception for us? I am a princess after all!” The guard just shook his head.

“Sorry, your highness, but no exceptions,” he said, his expression unchanged. “By order of Princess Celestia. If you have any issues with that, take it up with her.”

“I’ll do just that,” Twilight growled before storming off in search of Celestia. I made to follow her, but my path was blocked as a group of ponies moved out onto the dance floor. By the time the path was cleared again, I had lost sight of Twilight in the crowd. I could feel my heart rate slowly beginning to rise again. Don’t panic, I told myself, trying to keep my breathing steady. You still have Ebony with you. I turned to glance at the unicorn, but she wasn’t behind me anymore. I inhaled sharply, head darting around as I looked for her, but just like Twilight before her, the mare had disappeared. As I slowly began to panic, only one word came to mind: fuck!

Even in this crowded environment, it didn’t take me long to find Princess Celestia. She was standing off to the side of the ballroom, siping at a glass of champagne and nodding at nobles who greeted her. She didn’t engage any of them in conversation, however; simply smiling and nodding whenever somepony tried to talk to her.

Dressed in her normal royal attire, she actually looked a little bored as her eye drifted over the sea of ponies in front of her. She perked up when she saw me approaching, a small smile touching her face.

“Ah, Twilight,” she said as I drew nearer. “It’s good to see you again, my faithful student. I do hope you are having a good time so far tonight; Luna put so much work into the Gala that she has barely slept for the past few days.”

“I was,” I said curtly, stopping in front of the princess. My anger had slowly died down, and now I was just slightly annoyed at the inconvenience. “That is, until a guard informed me that my human wasn’t allowed out onto the dance floor with me.”

“Ah, I see,” Princess Celestia said, taking another sip of her champagne, her smile never wavering.

“He said that I had to talk with you about making an exception for Max,” I continued, ruffling my wings slightly. “So, if you could please give him permission, we can get back to enjoying the Gala.” Princess Celestia closed her eyes, sipping again at her glass. I waited patiently for her to swallow the champagne.

Lowering her glass, she opened her eyes again and looked at me.

“No.” I blinked, scrunching up my face slightly in confusion.

“What?” I asked, sure that I had misheard her.

“No,” she repeated, her smile turning sad. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I truly am, but I can not make an exception for Max.”

“Why not?” I asked, trying to keep myself calm; there had to be a sound reason behind her answer.

“Because if I allowed you to take your human out onto the dance floor, I would have to allow others to do so as well. You know how the nobles get with this sort of thing, and I would rather like to avoid confrontation tonight.”

“But, Max isn’t an equestrian human! He--”

“I know that, Twilight,” the princess said, interrupting me. “But others don’t, and I’m afraid that to them, if I let one human onto the dance floor, I have to let all of them, regardless of how intelligent some of them might be.”

“But… but…” I tried to think of something, anything, that might change her mind, but I couldn’t. I lowered my head, defeated.

“However,” Princess Celestia continued, causing me to perk up. “That doesn’t mean that you can’t take him out to the gardens. I hear that they are quite lovely to dance in.”

“The gardens?” I asked, scrunching up my face. “But it’s winter; it’s cold and snowy out there, isn’t it?”

“It would be,” the princess replied, smirking as she took another sip of champagne, “if it weren’t for the fact that Luna and I placed a heating spell over the area for the night. That should keep back the chill, don’t you think?”

“I guess that could work,” I said slowly, chewing on my lip.

“Speaking of the human, where is he?” Princess Celestia asked, looking around. “I would have thought he was going to be hanging out with you this evening.”

“Of course he is,” I said, waving a hoof behind me. “He’s right here--” I froze as I glanced behind me. Max was nowhere in sight. “Wha.. but he was right behind me! Where could have gotten off to?” I suddenly realized that in my haste to find the princess, I had lost track of Max. Ears splaying backwards, my eyes darted around the crowd, searching for my human, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Glancing back at the princess, I gave her a sheepish smile.

“Heheh… I’ll just go find him.” Turning, I hurried off into the crowd. How the hay did you forget about your human, you silly pony!

Working my way around the other ponies, I searched around for any signs of Max. I spotted Fluttershy hovering in the corner of the room, smiling as she held a whispered conversation with Philomena, Princess Celestia’s phoenix. Rainbow was chatting animatedly with the few Wonderbolts that had come, gesturing with her hooves as she regaled them with one of her tall tales. Rarity was discussing business with one of her Canterlot associates; Fancy Pants, I think his name was. Applejack and Pinkie were at the buffet table, sampling the different foods that covered the long table.

No sign of Max anywhere. The only thing that kept me from truly freaking out was the fact that I couldn’t find his guards either. Hopefully they’re both with him. Stupid Twilight, stupid. You knew he was uncomfortable with all these ponies around; you should have kept a better eye on him!

“Hey, Applejack, Pinkie Pie,” I called out, trotting towards the buffet table, and my friends located there. “Have either of you seen Max around here?” Pinkie tried to answer, but with her mouth crammed full of cake, it was impossible to make out what she was saying. Applejack gave Pinkie a deadpanned look, slowly shaking her head. Turning to look at me, she gave me an apologetic look.

“Sorry, sugarcube. We haven’t seen hide nor hair of him in a while.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, chewing on my lip nervously.

“Sure as sugar,” Applejack nodded. “Don’t worry; if’n I see him, I’ll send him your way.”

“Thanks, Applejack,” I said before slipping back into the crowd. I was able to traverse the crowd easily. Luckily, most of the snobbish nobles didn’t want to speak to me, so I wasn’t stopped as I crossed the room in search of my human.

After several more minutes of searching, I still hadn’t located either Max, nor his guards. Reaching the far end of the room, I climbed up a couple of steps to get a better vantage point. Glancing around the room, I ruffled my wings nervously, “Oh, I hope I can find him before something bad happens, or somepony bad finds him--”

“Well, well well,” a voice spoke up behind me. “What do we have here?”

“Scratch that,” I growled under my breath, my ears splaying backwards. “Somepony bad found me.” Slowly, and with great trepidation, I turned to face the unwelcome sight behind me. “Hello, Silver Steam.”

Behind me stood a white unicorn stallion dressed in a black suit. His red mane was slicked back with copious amount of what could only be grease. The expression he bore on his face gave him the appearance of looking down on most ponies: a typical expression for any noble of Canterlot.

“Now, now,” Silver Stream said, a smug smile on his face. “Is that any way to greet a friend?”

“I didn’t realize we were friends,” I said coldly, taking a step back.

“You wound me with your words, Princess Sparkle,” he said, placing a hoof over his chest in mock distress. I resisted the urge to growl, gritting my teeth in annoyance. Silver Stream was one of the reasons that I had been glad Princess Celestia had sent me back to Ponyville. Scratch that: he was one of the main reasons. I don’t have time for this; I have to find Max!

“Do you mind? I’m rather busy.” I said to him with a frown, slowly backing back down the stairs.

“Of course not, your highness, I find that I always have time for you,” Silver said, winking flirtatiously. I had to resist the urge to vomit. Turning, I made to walk away, but was blocked by Silver Stream stepping down and blocking my path.

“Come now, Princess,” he said. “Why the hostility?”

“I’m not in the mood, Silver,” I growled, having to take a step up the stairs in order to distance myself from him.

“Then how about you and me get a few glasses of champagne, and start setting the mood?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

“Not interested.”

“Come now, just imagine it,” he continued, unperturbed. “Our two families could benefit greatly from our union. Why, together we could be one of the richest herds in Equestria, neigh all of Equus, especially with your status as Princess and the Element of Magic. With my family’s silver mines and your family’s ties to the guard, it would be perfect!

“And just think of the foals,” he smirked, his eyes running over my body, causing me to shiver. “Why, with my looks and your power, they would be the positively gorgeous!”

“I believe the mare said ‘no’, scumbag,” a voice growled, causing both Silver and I to jump slightly. Looking around, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw who had spoken up.

“Avera.”

The pegasus stepped up beside me, glaring at Silver Stream with a ferocity that could make a Ursa Minor cower. Her teeth were bared and her wings were flared.

“What did you just call me?” Silver asked, outraged.

“Scumbag, tumor head, blowhard, human blanket,” Avera said, shrugging her shoulders. “You take your pick.”

“How… how dare you,” Silver snarled, his cheeks flushing rage. “Do you know who you are talking to?!”

“No,” Avera said, coldly, not taking her eyes off of Silver, “and I don’t really care.” Leaning towards me, Avera nudged me with a wing. “Lady Applejack said that you were looking for Max?”

“Yes,” I said, nodding. “I thought you were suppose to be watching him.”

“I was preoccupied checking the perimeter,” Avera replied. Silver’s eyes darted back and forth between us as we talked, a confused look on his face. He mouthed Max’s name, blinking several times.

“Don’t worry,” Avera said, giving me a small smile. “I’m sure Major Rose is with him.” Giving Silver Stream one last glance, Avera turned and motioned for me to follow her, “Come on; let’s go find your human.” Giving the pegasus a grateful smile, I turned followed her into the crowd, leaving Silver Stream standing on the steps, seething in anger.

“A human,” I heard him mutter as I walked away. “A human?!”

“Thanks, Avera,” I said as the pegasus shouldered her way through the crowd.

“No problem,” she said, looking back and giving me a smug grin. “You looked like you were about to smack him out anyways, so I thought I’d intervene before you did something you’d regret.”

“You have no idea,” I muttered under my breath. I thought I had seen the last of him ages ago. Looking around at the sea of ponies and humans around us, I ask, “Do you have any clue where Max might be? I’ve been from one side of this ballroom to the other, and I haven’t seen him.”

“No clue,” Avera said, shaking her head, “but I’m sure that wherever he is, he’s doing something weird and or stupid.”

The music; it was beautiful. How a group of ponies, who had hooves instead of hands, could create such wondrous sound with instruments clearly designed with hands in mind I had no idea, but it was beautiful nonetheless. The cellist was the most impressive, in my humbled opinion; the way she held her instrument, the way she played with such conviction and such devotion. It was like watching a master at work.

And that was nothing compared to the music that she played! Oh, to describe it in mortal words would not do it any justice whatsoever.

The beginning was simple, almost comic. Just a pulse - piano and basset horn - like a rusty music box. Then suddenly - high above it - a harp, a single note, hanging there unwavering, until the cello took over and sweetened it into a phrase of such delight and wonder! This was no performing monkey! This mare, this musician, was playing music like I had never heard before. Filled with such longing, such unfulfillable longing and want, it made me tremble. It seemed to me that I was hearing the voice of God himself.

I had not played my cello in several years, not after graduating from high school, yet this gray pony, with blackened mane, was bring back that desire, that burning lust, to put bow to string and bring forth the symphonies I had been taught in school as a boy. To put my heart and soul into my instrument, so that the world might feel just a sliver of what I was feeling.

She was a conductor of souls, and I was but a lowly observer. I did not deserve to be in her presence, let alone listen to the music which she crafted--

“Hey, Octavia. Don’t look now, but I think you have an admirer.” At her companion’s remark, the gray cellist cracked her eye open, glancing down at me as she continued to play. From her place on the stage, she was just barely a foot taller than me, and that was with her standing on her back hooves to hold her cello.

“Wonder what he wants?” the pianist said softly as he turned a page of music.

“He seems quite content to just listen at the moment,” the harpist said, smiling slightly as she continued plucking the strings of her harp. As her eyes landed on my collar, they widened and her smile grew. “It appears he belongs to Princess Sparkle.”

“Look at that, Octavia,” the pianist said with a smirk. “The human of royalty likes you. What an honor!” This earned a chuckle from the other musician. The cellist, Octavia, just continued to stare at me for several more seconds before a small smile touched her face and she closed her eye again. The song slowly came to an end, and there was a brief pause before the band began its next piece.

I huffed, chuckling softly to myself as I turned and headed back through the crowd. After I had become separated from Twilight and my guards, I about had a mental breakdown, surrounded by all those unicorns. That was, until the music had started. I guess what they say is true, I thought with a smirk as I slipped between a group of human. Music soothes the savage beast.

Sighing heavily, I glanced around the crowd, eyeing the many unicorns. I’ve got to find Twilight. Standing on tiptoe, I scanned the crowd carefully, but no sign of Twilight. As I fell back off the tips of my toes, someone tapped me on my shoulders, causing my to jump. Whipping around, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Luna standing there.

She was wearing a black chest plate, a white crescent moon glowing softly on the surface. She had a blouse-like article of clothing underneath her chest plate, the dark blue material sparkling in a similar manner as her mane and tail. Her hoof covers were black as well, a layer of dark blue cloth running from the covers, up to her knees, trailing off into a smoke-like substance. Her black crown, perfectly polished, was perched just above her long horn, shining dimly in the light of the blue torches.

Two of her guards were positioned just behind her, their lavender-colored armor gleaming softly in the low light. Both had dark gray coats and black manes, their tufted ears reminding me vaguely of Primrose. A quick glance to their sides confirmed that they also had batlike wings. Both guards were staring straight ahead, their cat-like eyes narrowed slightly. I noticed that one of them appeared to have an eyepatch over his left eye.

“We are sorry,” Luna said softly as her blue eyes stared at me. I noticed that she had a hint of makeup on, accenting her eyes and cheeks. “We did not mean to scare you, dear human.”

~That’s okay~ I signed, giving the Lunar Princess a quick smile. ~No harm done~

“We have just managed to escape the throngs of nobles wishing to talk to us,” Luna explained. “We were going to meet our sister, but saw you in the crowd and decided to stop for a brief chat.

“Are thou enjoy thyself tonight?” she asked, her tone hopeful. I winced inwardly, a sheepish smile on my face.

~The music’s nice~ With the hopeful expression on her face, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I was uncomfortable around so many ponies. Luna nodded her head, looking out over the sea of ponies milling about.

“We have been working hard these past few nights, trying our best to prepare the festivities,” she said softly. “We did not have this kind of merrymaking back before our banishment, so it has taken a great deal of effort on our part to get everything ready. Our sister offered to help, but we declined her; we had to do this by ourselves, and prove to ourselves that we can do this.

“Although, had we known that it would be nothing but nobles trying to earn favor with us, we wouldn’t have tried so hard,” she huffed under her breath, glaring at a passing noble. The mare squeaked and hurried along, trying to avoid the princess’s eye. “We swear, it wasn’t this bad one thousand years ago. It’s been nothing but a nightmare, and I know nightmares; I work with them every evening.” I chuckled softly, running a hand through my hair. I inhaled sharply when her words finally registered in my brain.

Chewing the inside of my cheek, I cocked my head to the side slightly, glancing at Luna.

~Luna, can I ask you something?~ She perked up, giving me a quizzical look.

“Certainly,” she nodded, a small smile on her face. “How may we be of assistance?”

~You’re the princess of dreams, right?~

“Yes, it is my job to enter the dreams of our subject’s and make sure that none are suffering any night time terrors,” she said with a nod. “Why?”

~Do you remember the nightmares I was having before you discovered me?~ I asked hopefully.

“We are afraid not.” I sighed, sagging my shoulders. “We were tracking your nightmares for several months, but were unable to actually enter them. The night we found you, we punched through the cloud of darkness surrounding your dreams. The minute we stepped hoof into your nightmare, however, the dream disintegrated and you awoke. We were just in your dream long enough to pinpoint your location in the real world before we were forced out.”

~I see~ I signed, frowning slightly. Luna gave me a puzzled look.

“Prithee, why are thou concerned about it?”

~About a week ago, I was… roughed up by a crazed unicorn mare~ I began, but was cut off by Luna.

“Roughed up? But, what of the guards we sent to you?” she asked worriedly, a frantic look flashing across her face. “Did they not protect you? Are they not satisfactory?!”

~They’re fine!~ I signed quickly, taking a step back. ~We just got surprised is all~ This seemed to calm Luna down; she took a deep breath, nodding slowly.

“Sorry,” she breathed. “We apologize for the interruption. We were just worried; we assigned the guards to look after you; they are supposed to be the best of the best we have to offer, and to hear that you were attacked while under their watch was very… disconcerting.”

~If it makes you feel better, I don’t think they were even there for five minutes before it happened~

“Do you wish to return them?” Luna asked, her ears splaying back. I shook my head quickly, smirking slightly.

~No, I’m not done testing them out yet~ Luna snorted, a smile flashing across her face.

“We see,” she said, before sobering. “We are sorry for getting off topic. You were saying?”

~I was roughed up by a crazed mare, who seemed to have a thing for humans. She seemed to have a screw loose as well. Anyways, seeing as she was an escapee from a mental hospital, I didn’t think much of her~

“What does this mare have to do with your nightmares?” Luna interrupted, nodding at a passing noble, a small frown on her face.

~That’s the part that bothers me~ I signed, scrunching up my face. ~Before she attacked me, she started spouting what some might consider rubbish~

“But you don’t think the same, do you?” I shook my head.

~No~

“And why is that?” Luna asked, ruffling her wings as she cocked her head to the side.

~Because she was describing things that had happened in the nightmares~ I signed, giving Luna a blunt look. Her eyes widened in surprise, her wings flaring slightly.

“Have thou told anypony about your nightmares?” she asked.

~No~ I replied, shaking my head. ~I’ve told no one~

“What exactly did this mare say to you?” Luna asked, her eyes narrowing. As quickly as I could, I explained to Luna my dream of the statues, as well as Lyra’s words. When I finished, she was looking out at the crowd, a thoughtful look on her face. Eventually, she returned her gaze back to me.

“We are not sure of how things work on your old world,” she began slowly. “But here, in Equestria, dreams tend to have… links to the real world.” She frowned, before shaking her head. “No, that’s not correct. It’s more like the real world and the dream world is linked. One can affect the other, and the other way around.

“We are not entirely sure what your dream means, or if it has a meaning at all. From what we could tell, your nightmares merely stemmed from Discord trying to torment you, but if this mare has knowledge of your dreams, that might not be the case anymore.” She fell silent, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought. Behind her, the two guards remained motionless; neither one having moved a single muscle during our conversation.

“We would tell Twilight Sparkle if we were you,” Luna said suddenly. “She might be able to help uncover this mystery. Perhaps she’s come across the mention of something similar to your dreams in her research.

“Also,” she continued, her blue eyes boring into mine. “We would have you tell Twilight of any more dreams you have that seem… weird or unsettling. She can help you figure them out, or at least send a letter to us so that we may help as well.”

~Okay~ Luna nodding, smiling softly.

“Excellent,” she said, before turning her attention to a point on the far side of the room. “Now, if you have nothing else to talk of at this time, we simply must go talk with our sister.” I gave Luna a bow of my head, stepping to the side so that she may pass. She took several steps passed me, before stopping and glancing over her shoulder.

“Pray tell, where are your guards now?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. When I gave her a sheepish smile, she just sighed, shaking her head and giving me a small smirk. “I see.” She moved to turn back around, but paused, her ear perk up slightly, almost like someone was talking to her. A smile touched her lips as she glanced back at me again.

“You know,” she said, a teasing tone in her voice. “The gardens are lovely this time of year. We placed a heating spell upon it this evening, so the snow and cold shouldn’t be a problem.” She gave me a playful wink, her smile growing slightly. “Might be worth checking out.” With that, she turned and slipped off into the crowd, her two guards following silently behind her like twin shadows.

I stared after the Lunar Princess, blinking occasionally. What was she implying? Glancing towards the double doors that led to the gardens, I scratched my chin, thinking. Well, it might be better than being in here, I mused, chewing on my bottom lip. Might as well give it a try. Who know, maybe I’ll find Fluttershy out there; that would be better than being on my own with all these unicorns.

Making up my mind, I had just turned to head towards the gardens when another voice spoke up behind me; a voice that chilled my bones and instantly set my heart rate skyrocketing.

“Hello, hello, hello,” the voice said, dripping with smugness. “This is an... unexpected surprise.” Slowly, my heart rising into my throat, I turned to look behind me. My pupils shrank as my fears were confirmed. Aw, hell no.

Blueblood smirked up at me, a hungry glint in his ice blue eyes. He had on a white tuxedo that seemed to blend perfectly with his coat. His blonde mane was slicked back, falling down over his shoulders. He gave me a predatory smile, his teeth showing as he stepped forward.

“And here I thought this night would be uneventful,” he purred. “This is a stroke of good fortune, isn’t it?”

Not from my point of view, I thought, taking a step back. This just caused Blueblood to chuckle.

“Now, now, don’t be afraid,” he cooed in what I could only assume was suppose to be a seductive manner. “You and I are going to have some fun tonight.” Like hell we are. Taking another step back, I glanced around at the surrounding ponies, desperately looking for a friendly face.

“Such a shame that Princess Twilight Sparkle left you all alone,” Blueblood tsked, shaking his head. “Oh well, that’s no skin off my muzzle.” His smirk grew, and his horn lit up. I felt something clip onto my collar suddenly, yanking my head down. I reached my hands up in an attempt to remove the collar, but was stopped when something wrapped around my wrists, binding my hands together. Looking down, I saw, to my horror, that Blueblood had attached a leash to the collar, and had bound my hands with it as well. Panicking, I struggled against the leash, trying to break free.

“I see you have some fight in you,” Blueblood giggled, actually giggled. “Good; I like them feisty.” I tried to attract some attention to what was going on, but unfortunately we were far enough to the side of the room that no one seemed to notice. God damn it! I opened my mouth to try and cry out, to make any noise, but another flash of Blueblood’s horn and my jaw clicked shut.

“Come along you,” Blueblood sneered, dragging me through a nearby door and out into an empty hall. I dug my heels in, trying to fight back, but Blueblood just increased the amount of magic he was using, causing me to slid down the hallway effortlessly. God damn it! I fucking hate magic!!

“Oh, I can’t wait to break you in,” Blueblood said, a skip in his step. “We are going to be busy all night long, and possibly into the morning!” We had just about reached the end of the corridor when I managed to wiggle my wrist around enough to loosen the leash’s grip around my arms. Ripping a hand free, I pulled it back…

...and smashed my fist straight into the back of Blueblood’s head with a oh-so satisfying ‘crack’. Pain flared up in my knuckles, but I didn’t care.

He keeled over instantly, yelping in pain as his muzzle smashed into the marble floor. Instantly his magic ceased, and the leash fell limp. Quickly freeing my other hand, I ripped the leash off of the collar and tossing it to the side. I turned to sprint back down the hallway, planning on finding Luna again, but was tackled to the floor by an enraged Blueblood.

“You horrid beast,” he snarled, blood pouring from his busted muzzle and mouth. I could see, with some satisfaction, that several of his teeth had chipped upon impact with the floor. “You dare to attack me--” he began, but was interrupted when I brought my fist up again and punched him in the throat. Gagging, he fell backwards, clasping at his throat, his eyes wide. Scrambling to my feet, I took off down the hall.

I had only taken a few steps when something wrapped around my ankles, bring me to the floor again. Rolling over with a groan, I saw a blue aura around my leg, holding me down.

“You’re not going anywhere, you freak,” Blueblood hissed, his voice raspy as he struggled to his feet. “You’ll pay for this, you… you… human, you!” His horn lit up, and with a flick of his head he sent a burst of energy flying down the hall towards me. I brought my arms up to shield myself, readying myself for the impending attack. The bolt drew nearer, causing the air around me to crackle ominously. Before I could do anything, the burst of energy descended upon me…

...only to splash harmlessly across a red dome of magic that surrounded me. Both Blueblood and I could only stare at the red dome in shock.

“I thought you were more intelligent than that, Bluey,” a feminine voice spoke up from behind me, the sound of hoofsteps echoing through the hall. “Abducting the personal human of a princess? What the buck were you thinking?” Craning my neck backwards, I glanced back at the mare who was now walking towards us.

She was a unicorn, the horn protruding from her forehead slightly longer than Twilight’s. Her coat was bright white, glimmering in the dim lighting of the hall. Her mane was short and disheveled, the two-tone blue hair covering half her face. A black shortcut dress hugged her body, just barely covering her cutie mark. She had several earring running up her ear in a helix piercing, the iron studs glinting as her ears twitched. The thing that stood out the most, however, were the dark purple shades she wore over her eyes.

“Ah, Lady Scratch,” Blueblood said through gritted teeth, clutching a hoof to his bleeding nose. “I didn’t realize you were attending the Gala this year.”

“My marefriend is playing in the band; of course I’m going to attend,” the mare, Scratch, huffed, moving to stand next to me as the magic dome dissolved. “Now, run along, Bluey. Better go to the medical wing to have your muzzle looked at; don’t want it sticking that way.” She stuck her tongue out at the prince, chuckling slightly. I had to give it to the mare; she had a cocky attitude.

“Not before this beast is taught a lesson,” Blueblood snarled, staggering to his hooves. “Now, out of my way!” He stepped forward, but Scratch moved calmly to stand slightly in front of me, her horn glowing softly. Blueblood bristled visibly.

“How dare you stand in my way,” he growled, eyes narrowing. The mare just huffed, flicking her mane out of her face.

“Hate to break it to ya, Blue, but we’re the same social rank,” Scratch said, cracking a large smile. “There’s no threat you can use against me.”

“Please,” scoffed Blueblood, spitting blood out of his mouth. “I’m a noble by birth; royal blood flowing through my veins. You are simply where you are by the grace of the gods!”

“S’not my fault Luna likes to party, dude,” Scratch said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Indeed,” Blueblood said, his eyes narrowing. “Now, if you’d excuse me, I have a human to take care of.”

“I don’t think so,” Scratch said, her voice suddenly becoming cold. “You touch a hair on this human’s head, and I’ll torch you so badly that they will need a chisel to remove you from the floor.”

“You wouldn’t!” Blueblood took a step back, his bloody mouth agape.

“Yeah, your right,” Scratch said nodding her head. “I’d just inform Celestia about what you were up to.” Blueblood’s face instantly paled, which was impressive seeing as he was already white to begin with.

“You wouldn’t,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What,” Scratch teased, cocking her head to the side. “Don’t want your auntie to find out you were messing around with her student’s human? I can’t blame you: that’s not a smart move on your part, considering that he has the protection of four princesses.” Blueblood just stared at the mare, hatred clear in his eyes, before turning with a flick of his tail and storming off down the hall.

The mare and I watched him go until he was around the corner. Once Blueblood was out of view, the mare turned and looked up at me, her eyes hidden behind her shades. As she studied me, she clicked her tongue absentmindedly.

“Yeah, totally telling Celestia about this,” she suddenly said, a grin spreading across her face. Turning, she trotted quickly back towards the ballroom, cackling madly to herself. Glancing over my shoulder in the direction Blueblood had stalked off, I took a shaky breath and followed after the mare quickly. Better her than Blueblood.

When we entered the ballroom, Scratch paused, looking back at me. Raising a hoof, she waved it at me in a general shooing motion, “Go on, get! I got nothin’ for ya, stud.” Turning she slipped off into the crowd, disappearing in the mass of ponies.

I just stood by the door, gazing out across the ballroom. Sighing heavily, I shook my head, frowning slightly as my heart slowly began to calm down. When am I suppose to start having fun again? My eyes fell upon the doors to the gardens again, and with another sigh, I slowly made my way towards the doors.

Hopefully there’s no ponies out there at the moment, I thought, rubbing my sore back. I can’t take much more ‘fun’ tonight.

“What do you mean you don’t know where he is?!” I growled, glaring at Ebony Rose. The mare shrunk back, pawing at the ground nervously as her eyes darted between me and Avera. We had found her wandering around near the dance floor, looking for Max as well. She seemed as surprised as us to find that he was missing, which didn’t help with my mood.

“I thought he was with you!” she said, holding her hoof in front of her defensively. “When you found out he couldn’t go out onto the dance floor, you headed off to see the princess. He started to follow behind you, didn’t he?”

“Started, maybe, but he wasn’t there when I arrived,” I huffed, flicking an ear in irritation. “You were in charge of watching him. How could you have lost him?”

“It’s not my fault,” Ebony said, her ears splaying backwards.

“How is this not your fault?” Avera growled, glaring at her partner as she hovered in the air, her back hooves scraping the marble floor.

“Prince Blueblood told me that the Archmage was looking for me! He said it was important. When I saw you and Max heading off to see the princess about getting permission for Max, I thought it was the perfect time to go see what he wanted. Max would be with you and Princess Celestia, so we wouldn’t have to worry about him!”

“Well, was what the Archmage wanted as important as watching Max?” Avera asked, her voice cold.

“Well n-no,” Ebony said, dropping her gaze. “When I found him, he told me that he didn’t need to see me, and he hadn’t talked to Blueblood at all. He was surprised I was even here tonight.”

“Some guard you are,” Avera huffed, crossing her forelegs over her chest. I winced slightly at the cold tone in her voice. That might be a bit much.

“W-well, what about you?” Ebony cried, pointing at Avera with a trembling hoof. “You’re in charge of guarding him as well!”

“I was checking the perimeter, like I was supposed to,” Avera snarled, pushing her face into Ebony’s. “Don’t you dare try and push this off on me. The Coming Dawn doesn’t allow for screw-ups like this!” The unicorn stumbled back, blinking tearily up at the angry pegasus. Lowering her head, she looked off to the side, biting her bottom lip.

I sighed heavily, lowering my head as well, feeling my anger slowly dissipate. I shouldn’t be yelling at her, I thought, looking at the teary-eyed mare. I’m as much at fault as she is. Lifting my head, I swallowed before opening my mouth, “Look, Ebony, I--”

“I’m sorry, okay?” she cried, causing several nearby ponies to glance over at her curiously. “I know, I bucked up; is that what you wanted to hear? I--” I silence her by placing a hoof over her mouth. She blinked, tears running down her cheeks as she gave me a confused look.

“You didn’t ‘buck up’ anything, Ebony,” I said softly, shaking my head. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. This whole thing is just a huge case of miscommunication. I’m nervous about Max, but that doesn’t give me the right to take it out on you.” I glanced over at Avera, who just continued to hover there, her hooves crossed. When she caught me looking, she just raised an eyebrow.

“I ain’t apologizing,” she huffed. “There was a job that wasn’t done here, and it’s not my fault.”

“Avera!” I scolded, but was stopped by Ebony.

“It’s fine,” she sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes as I turned back to look at her. “She’s right, anyways; I was suppose to be looking after Max, and I lost track of him. Sorry for getting all emotional about it. It’s just… well, watching Discord was my first big assignment, my first real chance to prove myself, and we all know how that turned out. This was my chance to make up for that mistake, but it seems that I can’t do anything right.”

“That’s not true,” I said, walking up and draping a wing over her back. “Tonight was just a snag, that’s all.” She just hung her head, unconvinced. Think, Twilight. Think! My eyes fell upon the doors to the gardens.

“Tell you what,” I said, raising my voice slightly. “How about we put this all behind us for now, and you two work together and continue to look for Max in here, okay?” Ebony nodded, a small smile touching her face. Removing my wing, I turned and started to trot off into the crowd.

“And where are you going?” Avera called after me, cocking her head to the side. I glanced back over my shoulder at her as I continued to walk away.

“I’m going to the gardens to look for him.”

“What makes you think he’ll be there?” the pegasus asked, finally uncrossing her legs. I flashed her a quick smirk.

“It’s the only place where there are no ponies to bother him!”

As I stepped out into the gardens, the first thing I realized was just how quiet it was. The only sound I could here was the gentle murmur of music that drifted in from the ballroom, filling the gardens with the soothing sound of the band.

Despite it being winter, the gardens were surprisingly warm due to the spell the princesses placed on the area. I could see the snow forming around the edges of the garden as flakes slowly drifted down from the overcast sky, but no snow could be found within the gardens.

The gardens were beautiful, full of winter flowers that were in full bloom. Flowers of purples, reds, and blues were scattered everywhere, waving in the soft breeze that blew through the hedges and bushes. Blue torches hung from a set of wooden rafters that were suspended out over the garden, providing shelter from the elements (for when the spell wasn’t in effect, I believe).

Walking slowly down the pathway through the hedges, I made my way towards the fountains. Unlike the statue gardens, the fountain located here was just a simple thing, nothing more than a seapony blowing a stream of water from her mouth.

As I rounded the corner of a hedge, I paused, my heart skipping a beat. There, seated on one of the many benches, was my human. He had one his arm resting across the back of the bench, leaning his head onto his hand as he stared out at the fountain, a blank look on his face.

I smiled upon seeing Max, and made a beeline for him, “There you are!” He perked up upon hearing my voice, turning his head to look in my direction. I blinked, the smile dropping as I noticed he had a bruise growing across the side of his jaw. “What happened to you?”

~I don’t want to talk about it~ he signed, sighing as he looked back at the fountain. I bit my bottom lip but didn’t say anything. Instead, I climbed up onto the bench and sat next to him, my wings fidgeting slightly. Silence descended upon us as we stared out at the fountain, broken only by the sound of the band starting another song. The music was slow; the cello playing out above the other instruments.

Eventually, I felt the need to speak up.

“Max,” I said, wincing as my voice came out sounding strained. “I… I want to apologize for how this night has turned out, and for abandoning you at the beginning.” I heard him laugh softly beside me.

~It’s not your fault~

“But, I--” I began, but was silenced when I felt his fingers begin to scratch behind my ear. I felt all the tension slowly leaving my body as his digits dug gently into my head, and I soon found myself unable to stop from leaning into his hand, a happy smile on my face. Oh, that feels wonderful!

My ear twitching slightly, I fought to formulate my words, “But I wanted you to have a good night tonight. With all the stuff you’ve been through, I thought it would be a nice change of pace. Instead, I left you all alone in the middle of a room full of nobles.” I whined softly as he drew his hand away from my head, already missing the feeling.

~I don’t blame you~ He smiled softly at me, wincing slightly due to the bruise on his jaw.

“But why?” I asked, looking up at him, my ears splaying backwards. “I can see from here that you’ve been injured tonight,” I indicated the growing bruise on his jaw, which he reached up and touched gingerly. “How can you be so forgiving?”

~Because it’s you~ I froze, inhaling sharply as my heart seemed to stop. I could only stare up at my human in shock at what he had just said.

He was no longer looking at me; instead he was gazing out at the fountain, bobbing his head gently to the soft music playing. He hummed along, a small smile on his face. I felt my cheeks beginning to warm up as the words echoed around in my head. Because it’s you.

I tore my gaze away from him, biting my bottom lip, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Come on, Twilight; just tell him how you feel, I thought, trying to work up the courage. Remember what Cadance said: ‘When it comes to love, don’t let other ponies dictate who you can and can’t love’. Just tell Max how he makes you feel!

This is hardly the time for that! I reasoned with myself, frowning slightly. I’m pretty sure that he’s not in the mood to deal with my feelings right now.

You’re both alone, there’s music, the atmosphere is perfect.

But what if he doesn’t like me the same? I rubbed my hooves together nervously, mentally fighting with myself. Oh, why does it have to be so hard!

I flinched, squeaking slightly when Max returned to scratching behind my ears. Just tell him already!

But what if he has his eyes on somepony else? My ears drooped slightly, although that didn’t stop Max from giving them attention. I know I’m not as physically fit as Applejack and Rainbow, and I’m not as good looking as Rarity or Fluttershy, and I’m not fun like Pinkie… oh, sweet Celestia. Max’s fingers had just hit a particularly sensitive patch of nerves, and my left ear was now twitching madly.

Pushing all of my thoughts into the back of my mind, I bite down harder on my lip. Come on, Twilight.You’ve faced down Nightmare Moon, Discord (twice), Queen Chrysalis and her horde of Changelings, and King Sombra. You can surely tell Max how you feel. You’re a princess of Equestria, for Maker’s sake! Stop making excuses!

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Slowly opening my eyes again, I glanced up at my human, my heart aflutter.

“Max, I--” At that exact moment, I was interrupted as a shrill scream rent the night air.