Shade sets the quill down and sends the letter away with a quick spell. Her face scrunches up in thought. Another presence in the room intrudes in her thoughts. She turns to look at the cerise mare grinning at her.

“You are your father’s daughter,” Deathly Belladonna comments. Shade watches the quick flash of sorrow fade from her mother’s face. “I knocked and you didn’t answer,” DB continues.

“Was thinking,” Shade states.

“The way you press your fetlock against your lip when you think is exactly what Gr—your father does when he’s deep in thought,” DB reminisces as she sits next to her daughter on the bed. “What’s on your mind?”

“Luna has been staying at Castle Everfree since her reformation,” Shade informs her mother. “Tonight is the Grand Galloping Gala. Luna wants to attend, Celestia insists on her going, but some of the ponies still fear her. She is despondent. “

Shade looks at her mother expectantly.

“Oh! Right! Motherly advice time,” DB fumbles. “For starters, being a recluse is counterproductive. Firstly, understand why ponies are afraid of her. Do a survey, talk to the ponies. Secondly, educate the ponies. Inform them about what Princess Luna does for them. Lastly, address the problems ponies have with her,” Death says sagely.

Shade smiles. “Does that mean I get my intelligence from you? Because I already thought about that.”

Death chuckles. “Sad to say that you inherited his brains. You got my looks and magic though. So I don’t think I did too bad with my contributions,” DB states.

“This is the most you have talked about him,” Shade points out, “which is saying something, since you like to talk. . .”

Death looks at the floor with a sigh. After a moment she says, “I guess with him being in such a close proximity, lately I’ve been lost in memories.”

“Do you think you two would ever remarry?” Shade questions carefully.

“No,” is Death’s swift answer. “I. . .” she heaves a sigh, “. . .don’t want to go through the heartache again.”

“But you still love him.”

Death looks as if she had drank vinegar. “Unfortunately.” Her face brightens and she runs a hoof through her daughter’s red and black mane, “Well, only because he gave me you.”

They share a tender embrace.

“I originally came to say bye.” That statement earns her a sad and confusing look from Shade. “I’m going back to the excavation,” Death continues, “and I kinda want to—need to—get away before I do something I’ll regret.”

“Okay,” is Shade’s deject reply.

After another embrace and kiss on the head and DB leaves. Shade sighs. She reaches for her goggles when she notices the time. A smile comes to her muzzle.

Clanging metal catches her ear when she steps outside in the warm morning air. Across the street she sees her father working an orange ingot on an anvil. He draws a fetlock across his sweaty brow and notices her. He flashes a smile at her and waves. Shade returns the gesture, locks the door behind her, and continues down the street to meet up with Pinkie.

As Shade ambles on her merry way she begins to think about her father. She hardly ever talks to him, she realizes, even though he is the closer parent. Guilt seeps into her heart. Even after the divorce, Grey had always wrote and visited as often as her mother allowed. Hell, he had gave up his entire life for them. Escaping the motherland, leaving his parents and siblings behind must not have been easy. She makes a mental note to swing by and have a nice long chat with her old man.

After hearing the news, Pinkie’s hair had deflated slightly. “I understand,” Pinkie states somberly with her head low.

A white hoof on top of hers makes her look up into the pale yellow eyes of Shade.

“I’m sorry, Pinkie. It was kind of last minute,” Shade apologizes. “You know what?” she nudges Pinkie.

“What?”

“I was thinking you could throw Luna a party so ponies could get to know her.”

Pinkie’s eyes light up. “You got it!” she beams.

“Great! Gotta go. I’ll see you at the gala.” With a kiss goodbye, Shade heads to the train station

A peculiar sound catches Shade’s ear when the train starts moving.

Music.

Music she has never heard before.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8B6jOUzBKYc

She swivels her head to where her ears are pointing. Her eyes find a crowd of ponies at the back of the coach. Before she realizes it, the song is over and she is standing with the crowd around a stallion.

The crimson stallion with a black mane clutches a black guitar against him in his seat. An empty case shares the seat with him. Bits fly into the open case. A small grin tries to hide within the stallion’s well-groomed beard. He opens his eyes, revealing ice blue irises.

“Thank you. I will be here until Canterlot,” he speaks with a heavy accent. Shade places the accent originating from Puerto Caballo. “I will happily play requests.”

Shade pulls herself away from the stallion to return to her seat. Something about him makes her feel. . . hungry.

The rest of the morning and afternoon Shade spends her time surveying the ponies of Canterlot. To get more accurate results she needs to survey the rest of the populace but she settles for the answers she has for now. A quick letter to Luna and the midnight princess appears before Shade in the park.

“GOOD AFTERNOON, SHADE,” Princess Luna greets the ivory mare.

Shade glares at Luna. “Did you not read my letter? Stop shouting,” she admonishes Luna.

Luna fold her ears down. “We apologize. Is this an appropriate volume?”

“Closer. Try to match how I’m talking to you,” Shade instructs.

“Is this better?”

Shade smiles, “Yes.”

“It feels strange not using the royal Canterlot voice,” admits Luna.

“Times change. From what I’ve been able to gather, most ponies were afraid of you because they thought you were shouting all the time. Didn’t Celestia tell you to not use the royal Canterlot voice?”

Luna hangs her head. “She did.”

“Come with me. We are going to introduce you to your ponies.” Shade starts to walk away.

“How so?”

“One at a time.”

Princess Luna struts down the hall with a beaming grin.

“I told you showing them how you raise the moon and decorate the sky would impress them,” Shade says.

“Thou art correct.” A small sigh of annoyance escapes Luna. “Somethings never change regardless of age. Nobles trying to garner Our favor. . .”

“True. Still, I believe there were a few ponies that were sincere.”

Luna spends a moment examining Shade. “We find that dress suits thou well.”

“Thank you,” Shade stops to curtsy. “My friend Rarity is an amazing seamstress. She designed all of our dresses.”

They continue on their way to the Gala Hall. Murmuring and low music crescendo as the two of them near an intersection. Shade hears Luna draw in a deep breath when they near the hall.

“Everything will be fine, Luna,” Shade comforts her friend with a hoof on her midnight blue withers.

“Of course.” Luna smiles down at Shade. “We thank thee, Shade, for being Our friend.”

Shade decides against biting her tongue off. She had jinxed the night. ‘Everything will be fine’ my flank, she mentally berates herself.

Almost immediately after her friends enter the hall things went down the drain. A smile eventually bubbles up to her muzzle as the others laugh about the events that had transpired. They sat at a round table in Donut Joe’s enjoying—baguettes—donuts (obviously).

“I just hope Princess Celestia isn't upset with us for ruining the Gala,” Twilight laments.

“That was the best Grand Galloping Gala ever!” Princess Celestia claims, appearing before them suddenly.

“Princess Celestia!” everypony exclaims.

“Pardon me, Princess, but tonight was just awful,” Twilight says.

”Oh, Twilight. The Grand Galloping Gala is always awful,” Princess Celestia admits with a grin.

“It is?”

“That is why I was thrilled you were all attending. I was hoping you could liven things up a bit. And while the evening may not have gone as you planned, I'm sure you'll agree that in the end it didn't turn out so bad for this group of friends,” Princess Celestia states sagely.

“You're right, Princess.” Twilight looks around at the smiling faces of her friends. “Friends have a way of making even the worst of times into something pretty great.”

“Poetic,” Shade chimes.

“Yeah! Hanging out with friends!” Rainbow inputs.

“Talking!” Fluttershy adds.

“Laughing!” Pinkie inserts.

“You mean doing exactly what I wanted to do the whole time?” Spike says pointedly.

Twilight rolls her eyes in good humor, “Yes, Spike. You were right.”

Applejack begins, “As horrible as our night was...”

“...being together here has made it all better,” Rarity finishes for her.

“In fact, it's made it...” Pinkie starts and turns to Shade expectantly.

Shade stops mid-bite on a powdered sugar donut, “...delicious?”

Pinkie giggles.

“The best night ever!” the others cheer.

Shade whispers into Pinkie’s ear. “I can think of an even better night.”

“Tonight?” Pinkie coos and wriggles her brows.

Shade’s grin grows even bigger.