Zecora settled in quite well, considering it'd only been a few days. Kamina was thrown off when his friends all denied him following his schedule anymore, he even argued that his following it allowed him much more time for them all, but only for them to say politely that spending TOO much time with someone was just as bad as not spending enough. So, now Kamina was surprised to feel at a loss for the lack of structure that suddenly invaded his life. To think, over a year ago, he would have laughed at the idea of living by a schedule, but suddenly after spending the better part of a year following one, it was disorientating to be...aimless.

It also hurt, deeply. Kamina corresponded with his aunt through Spike, who, like the bro he is, did not read his messages. Luna explained to him that alicorns must govern something, either physical or abstract in the world. Luna physically embodied the moon, and Tia was the sun, and they also broadly embodied all the other things that fell under such thing's jurisdiction such as light, dark, life, and death. They weren't all-powerful, goodness no, they simply had a deeper connection to these things than others.

Kamina clearly embodied Will.

Will was a fickle, yet powerful thing, like Love but not dependent on an object of affection. Luna told him she'd try to arrange to have Kamina meet up with Mi Amore Cadenza, aka: Cadence at the Grand Galloping Gala, which was at the end of spring and the start of summer, only a couple months away. Cadence governed Love, and so she had some similar experiences as Kamina was going through with having trouble controlling his urges and need to comply with his aspect. Which was apparent by him being completely whipped by his mares and friends, because while he is of strong will, his will to please them exceeds his will to put himself first. This was something they were noticing, and asking him why he was being such a doormat, but he managed through those hard questions, because his desire to protect his mom and aunt was greater than his desire to ease his friends and lover's worries.

Today, Kamina decided he needed some more time away from his friends and lovers, because he knew if they pressed him too hard his will would bend and give him the excuse to tell them the truth. So, right now he was actually at Rarity's on business, no pleasure, as her company often was like all his other friends. Especially since she embodied what he felt that all the so-called noble ponies of Canterlot should be like. “Bro, you've got to tell her.”

“No! She'll laugh at me!” Spike stage-whispered back to his big bro. This wasn't the first time this conversation happened, it wouldn't be the last either Kamina felt, but he couldn't let his little bro hang around in the Friend-Zone too long, lest he be permanently Friend-Zoned and lose his chance with the fashionista. The only reason they could even talk about this in her boutique was because Kamina was sitting in the waiting room to be served, as Rarity was in her fitting room getting her latest customer's order put on her for the final sale, and mares didn't like to be watched getting dressed or undressed by boys, which just confused Kamina to no end. Sure, he'd find it hot, but he used to be a species that needed clothes just to keep warm, he didn't know how ponies, with their natural fur coats, would even be psychologically stimulated by clothing.

“If you don't, you'll-.”

“Get Friend-Zoned! I know! Stop reminding me! I still need time to get a bit more mature before I can admit my feelings for her.” Spike griped back at Kamina. Spike knew he would be in for a growth spurt soon enough, but it wasn't soon enough for his tastes, and he was worried it wouldn't be soon enough for Rarity's tastes either.

“Little dude, you know she likes you, she also likes me, so I'm begging you man, nab her before she decides to go for me. I've already got three mares, and Pinkie and AJ have been laying it on pretty thick lately. PLEASE get at least one of my girl friends off the market.” Kamina was beginning to feel the pressure of having a herd at last, since he now had three mares that would either separately or together mob him for his affections. He loved it, yeah, but more? Kamina knew not to push it, he really didn't think he could handle any more mares, even if Trixie hopped the gender fence to Trickster on a regular basis, and even then he would only go for Twilight that way, still leaving him with Zecora, which was an exercise in stamina he never imagined he'd face on a regular basis before.

Kinda scared Kamina what zebra stallions must be like then, to be tough enough for their mares.

Anyhow, yeah, Kamina didn't want to add Rarity to his herd simply out of fact that Spike has dibs, Spike is right for her, and Kamina didn't think he'd be able to hold himself to her standards, even if he is a prince like she dreamed. Kamina told Rarity all about Blueblood and his oafish nature, so she was quite discouraged by the prospect, but took his words with a grain of salt, saying she had to confirm it herself before she let her hopes down.

So, Kamina had been pressuring Spike to ask to be her date at the gala, but, of course; the little guy was too shy. “So sorry dears, Daisy was being rather chatty about her coltfriend.” Rarity trotted in from the fitting room alone, likely Daisy had taken the other hall to the exit for some silly reason. “Now then Kamina, I need to measure you again. You've grown a bit since you first arrived, so my old measurements won't work.”

“A bit?” Kamina asked looked down at her from his seated position. He'd been growing steadily since he arrived, it just never really factored into much since his shades and cape were all he wore. He was now between Luna and Celestia in size, and he worried he was going to keep growing for a while still, especially since Twilight had to start resorting to extreme measures to ensure he didn't hurt her or the others in bed via a size-increasing spell that she could only get to work temporarily for now. “Rarity, I was just a head taller than you when I got here, and now I'm a head and a half over you sitting down. How much is a bit to you?”

Rarity flushed and bashfully tittered a little. “Oh my, sorry, I'm used to working with mares who are touchy about their weight and size. It's just a slip of the tongue dear. You've really grown quite regally the past few months.” Yes, indeed, he was starting to get some of his mom's facial structure too. Now it was quite clear he was her son, when a few months ago he still more resembled his unmet father. Even Vinyl could tell him that it was good to see he wasn't just her dad's clone, and did have an actual mother in an attempt to affirm that he was a real pony to him.

“Well, lets get this over with. I just know we'll end up doing this again.” Kamina trotted into the fitting room, and Spike was about to follow when Rarity levitated him back out into the waiting room.

“Oh c'mon! He's my big bro, it's nothing special.” Spike grumbled, only for Rarity roll her eyes.

“It's the principle of the matter Spike. It doesn't matter. What happened between artist and commissioner is strictly private between them. Especially since I have to measure everything for his suit for the gala.” Rarity left out she literally meant EVERYTHING as she closed the door.

===//////>

Kamina walked out of the fitting room a flushed and baffled stallion. She had to measure EVERYTHING?! He demanded why she had to measure his “Captain Kamina” for a suit, but her explanation was sound, and she didn't do anything perverse beyond being visibly impressed. “Worry not darling, I'll ensure the suit can...accommodate you.” She explained that since it would be a full suit, covering him from chest to ankle on all legs, she had to ensure that should he get...excited, that the suit doesn't painfully constrict his privates, and still hide it from onlookers. Which will be incredibly hard even so, considering it does still reach up to his chest. The fact that anypony can handle him is astounding to him, especially since three mares do so on a regular basis.

“Th-thanks Rare, I'll be by later to make sure it fits right.” Kamina regretted his words when Rarity blushed vividly. “N-not like that!”

“You'd have to in order to make sure that it...doesn't become...oh, so crass.” Rarity was oddly embarrassed at the concept, especially considering how liberal she was on ponyhoofing him the first time she measured him. “Think nothing of it darling, it's just that I'm not used to having stallion customers. I'll need to be braced for it should I get a larger consumer base, so I appreciate you helping me, even if it is like this.”

“Like what?” Spike asked, tired of being ignored, and they both blushed as they didn't want him to know about it. “Seriously, help her like what?” Spike directed at Kamina, who really, really, REALLY didn't want to tell Spike that Rarity had to measure his privates, ENTIRELY, for his suit, but Rarity butted in to save him face.

“O-oh I mean just what I said dear! I've never made many clothes for stallions before!” Rarity blinked, and then her eyes seemed to glimmer in that signature way they did when she was inspired. “Idea~! Boys! Kamina; go get your guy friends and Gilda, and Spike, you go get the girls. I'm going to have a field day~!” Rarity suddenly bolted back into her fitting room, slamming the door shut, causing the two to look to each other bewildered.

“What just happened?” Spike asked in confusion, only for Kamina to shrug.

“No idea, but either way; we're going to do what she said anyway.” They both nodded. It was a gentlecolt/gentledrake's honor to do as a lady demanded, and Rarity was one hell of a lady.

===//////>

“Ok, so, what're we here for?” Blitz asked in annoyance as he hovered over the group. Aside from the girls, Spike and Kamina, there was Blitz, Gilda and Big Mac as well. The Apples could have some on-off time away from work thanks to Kamina still helping them out every weekend, even if Applebuck Season was just around the corner again.

“No idea; Rarity just told us to come get you all.” Spike stated to prove that he and Kamina were just as clueless. However, they wouldn't be clueless for long, because the small stage in the boutique's main showroom became lit with a limelight.

“Welcome Friends!” Rarity unsteadily walked into the light from behind the small stage curtain. She wore her glasses and her mane and tail were crimped up from sweat, stress and exhaustion as her eyes had visible bags. She must have really pushed herself for whatever she's about to reveal. “Feast your eyes upon my art!”

Rarity took a rope in her magic and tugged, opening the stage curtain to reveal five dresses, each clearly themed for their wearer, and floated them out around the edge of the stage, causing the girls to all smile and approach the one that appealed to them most, save the purple more classical one. “Rarity! These are beautiful!” Twilight stated as she looked at a night blue dress with glimmering stars sewn into it, and was framed by purple flame-like frills that made it look like the edges of it were on fire, and trying to eat further into the dress, yet did not.

“Oh my, it's so serene.” Fluttershy adored the green and pink nature-themed dress, even sniffing the fabric flowers to see if Rarity had them scented, they smelled like normal silk, so she'd have to spray a perfume on them herself.

“Yay~ It's so poofy!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hugged the ponnequin wearing the pink and white frilly dress that had some smooth sections as well. Her mane and tail were kept straight, taking Kamina's words to heart. Lately she'd actually been approached by other stallions in town, who admitted that it made her easier to approach and they were just too nervous before. Pinkie gently turned them down though, she had her eyes on somepony already. “I do?” Uh...yes? “That's what YOU think~!” Pinkie crowed in victory, and to my ire...dang it Pinkie! Stop breaking the barrier between me and your universe! “But it's fun.” I know! Geez, on with the story!

“Well would ya look at that.” AJ spun the spurs on the boots of the ponnequin with her hoof. “Talk about classy, what's the occasion sugarcube?”

“The occasion dear friends, is that I neglected to make these dresses sooner! The Grand Galloping Gala is barely three months away, and I utterly forgot to make our dresses!” She then pointed to Blitz. “Also, I need to get your measurements Blitz. Back then, you were a mare, and my measurements for you then obviously don't match you now.”

“Oh, right, I'm going to the Gala too....” Blitz remembered, only to shrug. “Why don't I care? I cared so much back during the whole ticket fiasco.”

“Must have something to do with you jumping the fence into stallionhood.” Gilda commented, and then blinked. “Wait, you're going to the Gala?!” Gilda brightened up, but then became frantic. “Please tell me those tickets are a plus one deal!”

Twilight blinked, and then summoned her ticket to read it. “Yep! It says admittance for one, plus one guest.” She blinked again. “Why didn't we notice that during that whole ticket craze last year?”

“YES!” Gilda crowed as she took off into the air and hugged Blitz, before blushing and dropped to the floor. “Um, yeah, cool. I get to go to the Gala with my coltfriend.” Then she blinked. “I need a dress.”

“Which is why you're here!” Rarity beamed as she looked out at the crowd of ponies plus one griffin, one zebra, and one dragon. “I am going to get all your measurements, and then make your suits and dresses. As for us though, I already finished.”

“Wait.” Trixie held up her hoof, and gestured to herself and Zecora, who were brought in too. “We don't have tickets, so who of you are going to claim us as their plus one?” Trixie asked seriously, because she was supposed to go to the Gala once before as a guest, only for her date to flake on her, leaving her lonely and looking at the castle gates forlornly.

“Hm, yes, this is quite a dilemma. For while Twilight has a ticket, Kamina does not. Is my presence and hope for naught?” Zecora blinked. “Darned rhyming....”

Everyone looked to Kamina, who raised an eyebrow at them incredulously. “Really? Have you all forgotten?” They all looked confused, and Kamina rolled his eyes. “I'm a prince.” This got a chorus of “ohs” out of them all, and a few embarrassed expressions. It was easy to forget Kamina was a prince, what with his crass nature and humble demeanor in spite of his occasional grandstanding and genuinely huge ego, which was all well deserved. “I HAVE to go, I don't have an option to not go. Celestia was very clear on that. Besides, there's something important I have to tend to while there, so even if I did have the choice not to, I need to.”

“What could be so important that it has to be on one of the biggest nights of the year?” Spike asked, making everyone look to him. Kamina almost blurted it out, but he gasped and bit his lip so hard, he visibly drew blood to everyone's shock and worry. “Big bro?”

'Can't tell them! Can't tell them!' {But they're your loved ones, you trust them, they can be told.} 'NO! It will risk everything, it must come from her! Else they might never forgive her.' {You also need to tell them about your-.} 'FOR THE LAST TIME NO! Not until mom and aunty are more protected from internal threats!' Kamina visibly seemed at war with himself, drawing more blood from his lip, and Twilight was about to interfere when he raised a hoof, and panted while sweating as he gestured for her to stay back. “I'm fine, I'm fine...that's part of it right there. You'll all know in time, but not now.” Kamina backed away from them, and sat in the corner. “Just...just go about things. I need to be alone right now.”

They were reluctant to do so, but Kamina rarely asked to be left alone, so they let him be. That was one of the worst instances of his Will almost asserting itself before he could control it, and he barely even noticed it before it was too late. He wanted to tell them, he wanted to so badly his Will took every chance to get him to let it out, it knew he needed to let them know and that keeping it from them hurt him, so it tried to do what it felt was best for him. 'Aunty said sometimes she has to do something to appease the moon and night, to more attune herself to them, like simply bask in the moonlight, gaze at the stars or even ironically nap as she delved into the dream realm. What do I have to do to appease my own will aside from let it control me? I don't want that, I don't want my desires to rule me.'

For all Kamina knew, he could want the throne for himself to transform Equestria into one of the most epic kingdoms ever. He might want to find the largest monster on the planet, and fight it with one hoof tied to his side. He might want to breach the veil of this reality just so he could tell Simon he was alright. He wanted all of these things, and if his Will had it's way, he'd do anything to fulfill these crazy, selfish, and dangerous ideas.

However, he also didn't want to do these things. He didn't want the throne because he didn't want the burden, or to replace his mom and aunt. He didn't want to fight such a ridiculously powerful being at all if he could help it, he'd do it if he had to, but ONLY if he had to. Finally, he didn't want to breach the veil just to get closure with his little brother because he didn't know what doing that might do to their respective universes.

These Wills clashed within him constantly, he was constantly divided, and it was incredibly painful to his spirit to be torn so drastically between his desires based out of personal fulfillment, and his desires based out of pleasing his cherished ones. The latter thankfully generally outweighs the former, but as with what just happened, not even that can be a good thing.

'Why is this so hard? Why did Will have to be my aspect? Why not...yeah, never mind, I can't think of anything more suited to me.' That was that. Luna told him that if he pondered on it, he would find nothing better than what he represented. 'Oh well, just as well, its what defined me anyway.' Kamina looked back towards his friends. The four that had their dresses were all wearing them, marveling at how they looked and felt. While the others were all in line to get measured, sans Blitz.

“YOU HAVE TO WHAT?!” Blitz's voice echoed through the fitting room door, making Kamina snicker. It was much funnier when it wasn't him in that position. He heard something about a fashion show, but he put it out of his mind. The day he walked down a runway stage was the day he trampled his stallion card underhoof.

Author's Notes:

Some more exposition on Kamina's aspect, some more obligatory world-bending shenanigans to get them all to go to the Gala, and finally more of Pinkie messing with me.

Dang fourth-wall destroying pink party ponies....