Noble Blade’s reflection looked dreamily back at him as he stared out of the train car’s vibrating window. Nothing could go wrong for him now that he had Fluttershy as his beloved. For no particular reason at all, he gave a little sigh of happiness.

“Oh, boy. Pleasure sighing now.”

“Hm?” Noble picked his head up and looked behind him. “Storm, was that you?”

“All right. What happened yesterday to make you so happy?” Firestorm knew what it was, of course; he simply didn’t want Noble to find out that he had spied on him and his crush.

“It-it’s just me and Fluttershy, Storm. Ever since yesterday, I just feel so happy. There’s a spring in my step, a tune in my voice, a bouncy, jovial mood to me that nothing on Equus can quench.” He lazily flopped down on the train’s couch as the train rattled on down the tracks to Canterlot. Tonight was the Grand Galloping Gala, and Noble Blade was feeling better about this night than any other night in recent memory. “See, yesterday, I managed to confess to Fluttershy that I loved her with all the depths of my soul, in...what I believe to be a rather unnecessarily fancily-worded monologue. And--get this--she actually managed to look past all of that flowery fluff and admit that she loved me as well!”

Firestorm whistled impressively. “Did you do…” He looked around him for a few seconds, then whispered, “It?”

“What, hold hooves?”

“No, make love to her.”

Noble Blade sat bolt upright. “What?! No, no, I--” He paused when he saw Firestorm doubling over as he hovered in the air, laughing his flank off at the expression on Noble Blade’s face. Noble made a few noises before he folded his arms and said, “That--that’s not funny, Storm!”

“But did you?” Firestorm persistently asked.

“No,” Noble simply replied. Then he gave a thoughtful look to the side, tapping his hoof to his chin. “Although, we did make out quite a bit. Does that count, or do you have to do, um, more?”

“Well, making out is good and all,” Firestorm admitted as the train ka-thumped over a bump in the track, “But it isn’t as good as going all the way with her.”

“And how would you know that? You’re not exactly the love expert out of the three of us here.”

From across the train car, Freedom Fighter was slumped on his flank, looking between his legs at the ground and holding his long black staff upright like a walking stick. He looked up slightly, and his thoughts let out, “Right. And when did you become a love expert?”

Noble Blade looked down the aisle of the train to the corner Freedom Fighter was in. “When did I become a love expert?” Noble asked, in an exaggeratedly fancy voice. “Yesterday, of course.”

“One kiss does not make you a love expert,” Firestorm pointed out.

“Oh, it wasn’t just one kiss,” Noble said dreamily as he looked out the window once more.

“Well, then, how many was it?”

“After the first six or seven I lost count,” he sighed stupidly.

“You’re full of crap, you know that?” Firestorm bluntly told him.

“Oh, of course! ‘Tis a well-known fact that I’m filled with crap. But I’m filled with the best kind of crap there is to offer. Whereas thou, on the other hoof, art filled with normal crap.”

“One for his side,” Freedom Fighter said disinterestedly.

Firestorm let out a small giggle and waved aside his half-baked insult like a lady waving aside extravagant praise. “Ohoho, stop it, you! You’re making me blush!”

“Save the blushing for when you’re dancing with Rainbow,” Freedom Fighter said in a monotone voice. He stood up, slung his staff over his back, and walked closer to where the two of them were.

Firestorm’s expression melted in a heartbeat from fun to flustered, and he let a hard stare find its way to Freedom Fighter. “What the crap makes you think I’ll be blushing while I’m dancing with her?”

“I know you’re an idiot, but you’re not stupid. You know exactly what it is I’m talking about. Any idiot can tell by now. You’ve got a crush on her.”

“Well, Rainbow Dash doesn’t know. Does that make her an idiot?”

“She could be an idiot because she decides to go out with you.”

Firestorm inhaled through his teeth. “One for your side.”

“Thank you!” Freedom Fighter sang in a falsetto voice. He sat down on the back of another bench and, despite his joking falsetto, stared at the ground in a disinterested way.

“Look, I won’t be that embarrassing at the Gala.”

“Right,” Noble pointed out. “You’ll probably do something even worse. You’ll probably stumble on your way to ask her for a dance. The point is, Storm, that even if you do embarrassing things around her, the test to see if she likes you is if she still wants to dance with you anyway. That’s what love is about, Storm. To see if the things you do to each other are really just endearing to the other pony.” He gave an illuminating smile that seemed to be full of mischief as his sentence reached into archaic language. “And who knows? If you play thine cards right, thou mayest even reach second base!”

“Second base? What is that, holding her hooves?”

“No, ‘tis caressing her mane.”

“Okay, that is a serious step forward,” Firestorm admitted, looking thoughtfully at his hoof. “Gettin’ to the deep sensual fantasies here, aren’t we?”

“You guys don’t know what second base is?” Freedom Fighter asked incredulously, running his hoof along the length of his staff. “You caress something, but it ain’t the mane, all right.”

“Her face?” Firestorm asked.

“No,” Noble said.

“Her legs?”

“No,” Freedom Fighter said.

“Her belly?”

“Close,” Noble said.

“Close? Wait, you know what second base is?”

“Naturally.”

“Well, then, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Do I need to? It’s okay to intentionally give you information you know is false.”

“Okay, then. What is second base, then?”

“Caressing her teats, kissing her in certain...crevices, that sort of thing,” Noble said, blushing a little bit and rubbing the back of his mane.

“That’s a succinct way of putting it.”

“You knew what second base was?”

“Of course. I asked you that question to see if you really knew it.”

“Of course I knew it!” Noble Blade erupted in a joking way, jolting upward in his seat and hitting his head on the foot of the bed. Rubbing his head, he hissed in pain, “I’m the love expert, remember?”

“Have you gotten to second base yet?” Firestorm asked him casually.

“Well, I...not reall--no…” Noble Blade admitted.

“One for his side,” Freedom Fighter said, jerking his head to Firestorm. “We’re all tied now. One point for each of us.”

“Tell me, Storm, do you know what rainbows are?”

Firestorm looked back at his friend. “What?”

“I mean, apart from being your crush and all, do you know what rainbows are--you know, the stuff that appears in nature.”

“Of course,” Firestorm said in a completely dull tone. “A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon caused by the reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light in water droplets.”

Noble Blade raised his hoof as if he was about to contradict him, but then he put it to his chin in thought. “You’re not wrong,” Noble admitted. “But it wasn’t what I was thinking of. I was thinking of the more symbolic side of rainbows. They’re a sign of three virtues that all coincidentally start with the letter L--life, longevity, and, most of all, luck.”

“Luck,” Firestorm mused. “What are you trying to say? That I’m lucky to be with Rainbow?”

“You could say that,” Noble allowed. “But I was thinking something else. With you hanging around a rainbow for the rest of tonight...who’s to say that you won’t get lucky with her tonight?”

“Get lucky? With Rainbow?” Firestorm asked in confusion. Then he widened his eyes. “HEY, WAIT A SECOND!”

Noble Blade burst into merry laughter, and Freedom Fighter followed his example.

Firestorm flapped closer to him. “You can’t just say dirty stuff like that!”

“Hello, Pot. I’m Kettle.” Noble Blade shook Firestorm’s hoof in greeting so hard he started to shake in midair. “It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Firestorm let go of him and flew backward, spinning head over hooves in the air. After he rightened himself, he retorted, “Look, the reason I can make those kinds of jokes is that it’s expected of me. You make a dirty joke, and suddenly everypony loses their minds!”

“Art thou endeavoring to cover up thine embarrassment?”

“HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?!” Firestorm shrieked, clutching the sides of his head.

“The embarrassment that by the time you wake up after the gala, you’ll find a rainbow in your bed?” Freedom Fighter nastily asked.

“Wait, what?” Firestorm exclaimed, turning to face his other friend. “What do you mean?”

“I think I know what he’s talking about,” Noble offered. Getting up off the couch, he put one arm around Firestorm and used the other to stretch in front of his face like he was painting a picture. “The morning after the Gala, Celestia will raise the sun and spread the luminous, life-giving rays of light all across Equestria. And by the time those rays reach through your window and hit the fluids all over your bed from your vigorous activities from the night before with Rainbow, the sun will refract those fluids into a shimmering rainbow right there in your bed!”

Firestorm leaned his head so far back that he almost fell backward. His mouth was open, and his wide yellow eyes were dilated. “OOOH MY HEEEEEEEEECK, WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!”

Both of the ponies sitting next to him burst into laughter so hard that they rolled over on the sides of their beds. Freedom Fighter was convulsing his stomach like he had been tazed with electricity, trying not to use his throat.

“IS THIS WHAT LOVE DOES TO OTHER PONIES?!” Firestorm bellowed irritably. “MAKE THEM ACT LIKE IDIOTS ALL THE TIME?!”

“Oh, it wouldn’t matter if love had that effect,” Freedom Fighter said, taking a break from his laughing. “You don’t need love to make you act like an idiot.”

Freedom Fighter popped his lips and looked down at the ground. “Another one for your side.” He looked at the doors behind him that led to the girl’s changing rooms and sighed. “All right, we’re getting closer to the castle. We oughta change soon. Is Spike out of the bathroom yet?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Freedom Fighter said, in an abrupt tilt of his mood. “You should be good to go.”

While Firestorm rushed to the bathroom and entered, Noble looked to Freedom Fighter, still slumping on his hind legs. “What's with the shift in mood?” Noble asked him curiously. “One moment you're fine, and the next you're either apathetic or nasty. What’s-”

“I’m still not entirely comfortable with revealing exactly who I was to the girls,” Freedom Fighter rushed out uncomfortably. “What else would it be?”

“That was four days ago,” Noble pointed out.

“Right. My sincerest apologies, Noble Blade, for still feeling the fallout from the day I stood naked in front of them and showed my slashed and broken body to them.”

“Look, I-” Noble started, then he stopped himself and laid a hoof on his friend’s shoulder. “I understand that you would still feel bad. But acting like a jerk to Firestorm with the intention to actually hurt him?”

“What do you possibly know about me, Noble?” Freedom Fighter asked bitterly. “You didn't even keep yourself occupied by me. While I was sitting in my room, slumped on my bed and pondering ways of killing Marshal Malice when we finally meet him, you took the time to have a little romp in the grass with Fluttershy.”

“I...was thinking about that, actually,” Noble admitted. “I was thinking to myself the consequences of leaving one of you to care for the other.”

“And Fluttershy won. I see how it is.”

“She's the girl I love, Freedom. You...you can understand that, right?”

“No. I can't.” There was a troubling way that Freedom Fighter looked at Noble Blade; a heartbroken look, of pain and loss.

Noble noticed this and said nothing at first. After thinking of what to say, he said, “I still love you, Freedom Fighter. I can love my brother and my mare at the same time.”

“Brother.” Freedom Fighter twisted his staff in his hooves in thought. It looked like he was trying to make up his mind about something. He slid his hoof along the lines carved in the staff, elaborately twisting and intertwining. His eyes ran along the end of the weapon. He took a deep breath through his nostrils. “Thank you,” he said after a while. “You had a choice to make. Thank you for not wasting it on me.”

“Wasting?” Noble asked in astonishment, holding a hoof to his mouth in concern. “Freedom, why would you think I would waste time on you?”

“I can handle myself, Noble. I'll be fine on my own...tonight, at least. I really don't like it, but I've accepted that it doesn't matter what you want in life; it only matters what you do with opportunity. You had your opportunity to make that final step with sweet little Fluttershy, and you took it. It was at the expense of me, of course, but you can't have everything you want.”

“Wait...a few minutes ago you were sounding sullen from your reveal at the boutique.”

“Right. Sullen from the boutique. Not from you leaving me alone in my room thinking of ways to slowly rip out Marshal Malice’s guts and burn them on an urn in front of his face. That part was actually pretty fun.”

“Will you be all right here at the gala?”

“I got this. Don't worry.” Freedom Fighter stared up at Noble Blade. “Look here, Noble. In our line of work, we’ve got little chances of actually snagging anypony for ourselves. Take this shot and make the most of it. Make yourself happy.”

“But I want to see you happy as well. If that means spending time trying to be with you, then I’ll gladly do it.”

“I know you better than anypony else, Noble. You want to please everypony. But you can’t. You want to give everyone what they deserve, and you need to try your best to divide your attention, but you can’t. I’ve suffered enough already. I can suffer a little bit more by having you give attention to your girlfriend. That’s important, no?”

“If you need to vent, just come to me. I still love you, but we need to move on from your reveal sometime. Can you…”

“I'll do my best. Priorities first, though. Make her know you love her tonight.”

Noble Blade smiled warmly at his close friend, then patted him on the back intimately and walked away to change, leaving Freedom Fighter feeling warmer on the inside than he did before. Freedom Fighter twisted his staff and gave a heavy exhale, itching his throat a little.

In the girl’s changing car, all seven girls were busy getting ready for the big night. The rest of the girls were chatting or laughing as they outfitted themselves for the dance, but Fluttershy was simply humming absently to herself, numb to most of her outside senses. It wasn’t as though she could feel nervous now. She had kissed Noble Blade! They were lovers now! What reason did she have not to be nervous?

Fluttershy moved in a daze, unthinking of her surroundings. It was because of that that the voice that was speaking to her had to repeat herself.

“...ey!...HEY! What happened, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy turned around to see Rainbow Dash, fiddling with her dress. It was a lovely, bright, and shining white dress that appeared to glisten like the clouds on a summer’s day. It was sleeveless and low-cut and grew transparent as it flowed over her flank. Her mane was done in a long, extravagant manner that draped across her shoulder. Finally, atop her mane was a golden laurel wreath, like the victor of a competition.

Fluttershy just sighed happily as she put a butterfly brooch in her long pink mane.

“Fluttershy, out with it. You’re normally not this happy. Did something...happen yesterday to make you feel like this?”

“Is being happy a bad thing?” Fluttershy asked quietly in concern. “Oh, my. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no, it’s not bad!” Rainbow insisted. “I just...I want to know what happened to you, is all.”

Fluttershy let out a cute little giggle and flopped down on the couch. “It’s Noble Blade!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Yesterday, we danced in the field behind my home, and it was just so magical, and so beautiful, and we were touching each other, and we both told each other that we loved each other, and then we…” She let out a squeal as she wiggled on the couch. “And then we kissed! We kissed on the lips! I’m just...I’m so happy!”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash admitted, scratching her head. “L-lucky you, I guess...”

There was nothing more to be said for a few more moments. Then Rainbow Dash burst out, “What’s it like?”

Fluttershy gave an inquisitive tilt of her head.

Rainbow Dash flicked her eyes to the ground. “Being in love, I mean.”

“Being in love…” Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin. After a bit of thought, she said, “It’s amazing. It’s the purest feeling I can think of.”

“No, no, I get that. I-I know that being in love is supposed to feel nice, but...how do you feel? Do you feel tense and nervous? Or do you feel...well, bold and awesome?”

“I think both,” Fluttershy admitted. Seeing the look Rainbow was giving her, she quickly added, “I mean, you feel bold and daring, but at the same time, you don’t want to do anything except hide from your amazing, warm, handsome crush…” She stared off into space.

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in her face. “Hey, Flutters? You’re zoning out there.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh. Um, where was I? Uh...oh, yes. How it feels. You don’t really feel either nervous or bold. It all just feels so surreal, like everything’s just a dream and you’re wondering how in Equestria you could end up with somepony so amazing. Your heart beats faster than you think it’s able to go. You get butterflies in your tummy just thinking about him and the things you and he can do together. You stumble over your words all the time. Every minute you’re with him is just so tense, but so full of activity and full of life. Time seems to speed up and before you know it twenty minutes have gone by just talking with him. And when you walk away afterward, you just want to run after him and spend more time with him. Everything he does is so vibrant and so attractive. Everything seems brighter, everything seems more colorful, everything seems more fun and inviting and beautiful when you’re in love.”

Rainbow Dash processed Fluttershy’s words carefully. Finally, she sat down next to her on the couch, keeping her head down. “...You’re sure?”

“More than anything,” she replied. “And it can happen to anyone, too. Even you. You just need to show love in order to receive it. Only...I didn’t know that until I met Noble Blade. He showed me soooo much love yesterday…” She giggled some more. “And I just want to give it all back to him!”

“Is he good at loving?” Rainbow quietly asked her. “I’m sure he’s good at kissing…” She decided not to say that she had been spying on her and him the day before. “...but I don’t want you to end up with a guy that sucks at being a coltfriend.”

“I think it all just depends on how much love I show him,” Fluttershy stated with a shy smile. “If I just do that, I should be fine.”

An announcement crackled overhead, telling everyone that Canterlot was coming up in less than five minutes. The girls hurriedly finished up their preparations and waited by the train car doors.

Finally, the car slowed to a crawl and they could hear a loud hiss as the train exhaled a release of steam and came to a full stop. The car doors opened and out they stepped for the Gala, with Applejack dragging a large cart behind her filled with apple treats to sell.

As the rest of the girls deposited themselves in front of the car they came out of, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash turned their heads excitedly to see the train car the stallions were coming out of.

Noble Blade was in a grand, sharply-angled tuxedo with a bright blue bow tie and pocket square that matched the color of his combed mane. Following him was Firestorm, his mane undone and wild, in a more trimmed tux that held a carnation in his chest pocket. And, almost invisible to the eye, a large black form followed them with weapons all over his thick bodysuit.

Fluttershy’s knees felt weak when Noble Blade looked her in the eyes and smiled at the sight of her. “So,” he said. She would never get tired of hearing that voice. He stretched a hoof out. “Shall we go?”

Fluttershy put her hoof in his eagerly. Without warning, however, Noble drew her closer to him and locked their lips together in another passionate kiss, wrapping his hoof in her mane. Behind her, most of the other girls were swooning with synchronized “Awww”s at the sight. The only girl that wasn’t was Rainbow Dash, who was nearby Firestorm.

Finally, Noble pulled away to see Fluttershy’s flaming face beaming back at him. “Surprise, gorgeous,” he whispered, making Fluttershy smile at the ground and intensify her blush.

Seeing Noble Blade’s actions, Firestorm copied him. “Now,” he said in an exaggerated voice, making Rainbow snicker in surprise. He outstretched his hoof almost imploringly to Rainbow. “Shall we begin?”

Rainbow Dash looked down at her crush’s hoof. After only a moment of indecision, she put her hoof in his and smiled at him. She noticed that Firestorm’s color rose a little when he felt the weight of her hoof, and she felt her heart beat faster than she thought it already was.

Was this what Fluttershy was talking about? Her heart did feel faster than she could remember it being. She did feel warm being around him. And before she knew it, they were walking up to the castle.

“Were you making your voice deeper?” Noble Blade asked Firestorm, his hoof wrapped with Fluttershy’s.

“What?” Firestorm asked, still in his exaggerated voice. “What are you talking about? No!”

“Ya did it again!” Applejack said, pushing her cart.

“You’re imitating my voice,” Noble accused him lightly.

Firestorm looked directly at Rainbow Dash and jerked his head at Noble Blade. “He’s mocking my voice,” he said decrepitly.

Rainbow Dash let loose a bout of loud laughter when he said that.

They walked for a little bit up to the front of the castle doors, and when they were a little bit off, Firestorm let loose a sigh of consternation.

“What is it?” Rarity asked him.

Firestorm gestured ahead at the front of the castle, where a long line of overdressed ponies overflowed the front doors. “We gotta wait in line for all these stuckety-uppety Canterlot peacocks to prune Celestia’s hooves with their kissing and groveling,” Firestorm nastily said.

“Nicely worded,” Noble complimented him.

“Thank you.”

“Do you have a plan to get around them?” Rainbow asked him.

“I can think of a plan,” Freedom Fighter suggested, sliding up next to Rarity menacingly. He reached for his chest and drew out a long knife from the scabbard strapped there, making the sheen run along the edge of the blade. Rarity widened her eyes and backed away from him.

“No,” Noble refused instantly.

“I know it’ll be fun,” Freedom Fighter insisted, the twin gleams of his red eyes shining brightly.

“Look, we were given the job of protecting the capital from threats. The instant you go around killing ponies just because they’re stupid, we’ve lost the point of us being there.”

“Stupid doesn’t begin to cover it.”

“I don’t like them either, but we can do this without slaughtering everypony inside.”

“Aww.” He slammed the knife blade into his sheath so fast Noble was afraid he had stabbed himself in the chest.

“We don't hafta all go in at the exact same time and spot,” Applejack pointed out as she wheeled her cart along. “Ahm’a go and set up ma stand outside again. Maybe this time Ah’ll have a bit more success with ponies like Fancy Pants and Photo Finish. And Ah know the Wonderbolts liked ‘em. Who knows?”

“I dunno what I’ll be doing,” Spike mumbled. “I guess I’ll just go in and hang out at the refreshment table. I’ve heard they’ve got imported cream puffs!”

“And I’ll go ahead and make sure everypony else I meet is enjoying themselves!” Pinkie Pie declared. “‘Cause if there’s anything that makes me happy…” She put her face conspiratorially close to Starlight Glimmer’s. “...It’s seeing other ponies happy!”

“And I will treat Starlight Glimmer to her very first Gala,” Rarity added. “With all that said, we need not go through the front entryway where the rest of the fancy nobility is, you know.”

“Ohoho, but who’s to say we can't?” Firestorm asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Firestorm?” Noble asked casually, turning to face his longtime friend. “Are you going to go and do the Jerk plan?”

Firestorm grew a malicious grin. “How’d you guess?”

“Jerk plan?” Fluttershy asked. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“He came up with the name for it,” Noble explained to his new marefriend. “He won’t harm anypony, but he may leave quite an impression on the Canterlot nobility for years to come.”

“I’ll go in alone. It’s too dangerous for the rest of you to follow. First, I’m gonna need several things for me to survive this encounter,” Firestorm said, getting into a serious tone. “I’m gonna need three packages of explosives...a helicopter...two hundred yards of steel cable...and a pound and a half of margarine.”

“Plus forty boxes of frosting?” Pinkie Pie added enthusiastically.

“What?” Firestorm cried, leaning his head back. “What would I do with forty boxes of frosting?”

“Well, what were you going to do with a pound and a half of margarine?”

“How should I know?” Firestorm threw up one of his hooves in indignation. “I just make stuff up as I go along here.”

“Knowing you, you’d probably slather it all on your chest and make a mess,” Rarity muttered.

Firestorm pointed at her. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”

Rarity craned her head with a look of incredulity written on her perfumed and contoured face.

“It's a little-known fact,” Firestorm continued, “But it's been scientifically proven that ponies that rub margarine all over their chests have a higher sex appeal than those that don't. You may laugh now,” he added, spotting the faces of the girls, about to burst into giggles, “But you'll be surprised later on. I know what I’m talking about. I'm the love expert here.”

Noble snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Are you gonna need anything else to help us get past the other patrons in line?” Applejack asked sarcastically, knowing Firestorm’s materials weren’t necessary.

“Actually, I do need something from your apple cart,” Firestorm said, no hints of playfulness or sarcasm anywhere. He reached over to her apple cart, plucked a single apple out, and tucked it in his folded wing. “Thank ye kindly, dearie.”

“Anything else?” Twilight asked.

“There’s one more thing we need to complete the plan,” Firestorm said. He pointed at Freedom Fighter. “That guy’s arm.”

Freedom Fighter stopped, pointed his arm to the side, and sprouted out three sharp foot-long claws. “Come and get it,” he snarled in his mind.

Firestorm gulped. “You know what? Naw, I don’t need your arm.”

“Good to know.” He fired the claws back into his arm again. “I’ll be inside on my own--alone. Don’t wait up.” He deserted the group by leaping off the path like a startled cat and rushing for a window. The girls saw him speed into a bush under the window, then leap inside and disappear.

“Would you mind if I walked you over to the Canterlot gardens, Fluttershy?” Noble Blade asked her.

Fluttershy beamed at him. He just knew exactly what it was she wanted! “I...I’d love that,” she whispered sweetly.

“Which way to the gardens?” Noble asked politely.

As they came to an intersection, Fluttershy pointed. “Th-that way,” she said. Noble smiled at her again, and, hoof in hoof, they split off from the group and walked to the gardens. Noble stopped, however, making Fluttershy stop as well. “Halt, Fluttershy! And hark! A branch is in thy way!” He chimed his magic to life and, with a sweep of his head, threw the branch off the walkway. “Away with thee! Make way for the Goddess of Beauty, thou lowly branch!”

She giggled at that.

“That is sooo romantic!” Rarity moaned in delight, watching them go. “They're just so cute together!”

“Yeah…” Rainbow said as she watched them go, oblivious to their surroundings. “That's really...cute, I guess…”

Other branches in the road soon appeared, and as they appeared, the other mares went down them until finally, only Firestorm and Rainbow Dash were together, at the back of the line where ponies would meet Celestia.

Spotting a familiar mare in Wonderbolt attire, however, Rainbow Dash asked, “Hey, uh, S-stormy?”

Firestorm looked jolted to hear the name come out of nowhere, but asked, “Yes, dearie?”

He had called her dearie! “Well, I, um, was hoping to talk with your sister over there,” she said, pointing at Spitfire hanging out with the Wonderbolts near another entrance into the castle. “And I was hoping if I could go and do that? Like, right now, before the night is over?”

Firestorm grew a bewildered expression. “What do you need to talk with Spits about?”

If Rainbow could date Spitfire’s brother with her permission. “Uh, nothing,” she said, rubbing her mane nervously. “Just...Wonderbolt stuff.”

Firestorm nodded warmly. “Go ahead. I won’t stop you from doing what you want to do tonight.”

“What?!” Rainbow said suddenly, not expecting him to be okay with Rainbow going off away from his presence. Spotting the look he was giving her, she said, “I-I-I mean, uh, thanks. For, uh, lettin’ me...yeah. I-I’ll...see ya later!”

And she took her hoof out of her crush’s grasp and cantered off to Firestorm’s sister. She parted through the crowds of ponies and disappeared.

Firestorm watched her go, a slightly melancholy smile on his face. “I’m not stopping you from doing what you want,” he spoke. “I just thought...you’d want to spend it with me.”

Inside the main receptionist area, a long assembly of impatient ponies was waiting in line. The sound of their vocal protests reached the vaulted ceiling high above them. The object of their protests was Princess Luna, who was standing in place of Princess Celestia.

“We want Celestia!” came one cry.

“Where is she?” came another demand. “In her room?”

“Let us in already! Just go!”

“We can’t get in unless Celestia greets us!” came the reply.

“You’re holding up the line!”

“Ponies!” Princess Luna insisted, still standing there. “I am here! If thou requireth a princess to greet thee as thou entereth, I shall gladly do so.”

“We don’t want you!” came the voice of Jet Set, a grey unicorn with a fancy green suit. His wife, Upper Crust, was by his side. “Celestia has always greeted us as we entered before, and she will do so again now!”

“What maketh thee think she will do so simply because thou asketh?” Luna told him.

The grey unicorn blinked behind his spectacles. “I’m going to pretend I understood what you meant,” Jet Set wryly commented, “And I’ll respond by saying that Celestia has an image she needs to keep! What do you think she will look like to the public if she neglects us?”

“Celestia needs to have a night to enjoy herself as well,” came the voice of somepony else behind him. “It’s only fair that we--”

Jet Set shot him a stare, and he fell silent. Jet Set then faced Luna again. “If Princess Celestia doesn’t show up and get through this line soon, we’ll--”

“You’ll what?” came a lazy voice.

Everypony turned to see who had spoken. It was a pegasus who had swaggered obnoxiously through the doors of Canterlot Castle, taking slow, large steps as he strutted with no regard for the line that already existed.

He was a dark orange color, with red and orange weaved into his yellow mane like a burning flame. His eyes were covered with an expensive pair of aviator sunglasses, and his tuxedo was crisp and gave off an aroma of high-altitude cloud vapor, along with the smell of an exotic spice nopony could put a name to, which made everypony in the room start sniffing. He calmly went out to the side and advanced ahead of everypony else in line, taking an obnoxiously loud bite out of the apple he held in his hoof. Whispers flurried about the ponies assembled; some with interest, and some with disgust.

“Who is that?”

“He’s not in line! What’s he doing?”

“Doesn’t he know better?”

The mysterious pony, however, ignored their questions. Once he had gotten some distance out from the line, he tilted his head to regard the ponies in line with a small but confident smirk.

One of them waiting in line spoke up at last. “Sir, you do realize that there are only two types of ponies that choose to wear sunglasses indoors? Blind ponies...and buttholes.”

A few snickers from the Canterlot elite followed his rude statement. But the pony simply lowered his shades to regard him with neon yellow eyes. “I suppose it’s a good thing I’m a certified grade-A butthole, then!”

The Canterlot elite fell silent. They were used to ponies getting flustered at an insult, but this one seemed to draw his strength from them.

“You’re all jealous. I can tell. I can wear my sunglasses indoors and you can’t. You all wish you could be like me, right? Grade-A buttholes?” He shook his hoof like he was trying to think. “I mean, you’re all buttholes, all right, but you’re lower-grade. I’m a fresh and snappy butthole, and you all are...what...rotten, wormy buttholes.” He gagged and stuck out his tongue. “Oh, Faust, that’s a terrible image!”

“You shouldn’t even be in here!” came a pony’s declaration.

The dark orange pegasus reached into his coat pocket and drew out a specially-embroidered golden ticket. “Lifetime pass,” he bragged lazily. “Tell me, holder of a normal ticket--where does that put me above you?”

The pony who had spoken fell silent.

“I honestly had better things to do tonight,” he continued, tossing his apple into the air and catching it. “But I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to flex on y’all and spend some time with lil’ old Loony up there.” He waved in Princess Luna’s direction. “Heya, Loony!”

Princess Luna only inclined her head in a returning greeting, a smile on her face.

“Why in Equestria do you even have a lifetime ticket to the Gala?” Jet Set asked him intrusively, holding himself tall and proud. “Only proper ponies are supposed to be at the Gala, not some...grubby commoner.”

The pegasus walked slowly over to Jet Set until his face was a foot away from his own. He didn’t even bother to take off his sunglasses. “What’s your name?” the pegasus asked him.

Jet Set haughtily replied, “My name is--”

CRUNCH

Jet Set’s words were drowned out by the pegasus taking a rather loud bite out of his apple, crunching and slurping on it so messily a few flecks of it flew out and landed on Jet Set’s face.

Jet Set recoiled. “Get that commoner food out of my face, you foul, disgraceful ruffian!”

The pegasus ignored him. He just continued to slurp and crunch until he had swallowed the part he had in his mouth. “Tell me,” the pegasus said, wiping his chin free of juices. “What event are we at?”

Jet Set had a jolt run through his brain. Here he was, asking him if he knew where they were? “The Grand Galloping Gala,” Jet Set said through clenched teeth.

The pegasus held up the scarlet fruit. “Do you know what kind of apple this is?” he casually asked him, as if to a small child.

Jet Set turned his nose up. “I do not associate myself with the knowledge of peasant food.”

“This is a Gala apple,” he told him. “Tell me, Bet Fet, or whatever the heck your name was--is it wrong for me to eat a Gala apple at the Gala?”

Jet Set looked a little less sure of himself. “You...you probably made that up on the spot!” he accused him.

“And how would you know?” the pegasus asked him. “You don’t associate yourself with peasant food, do you?” He tossed his apple in the air again, adding a little bit of spin to it. “Now, I, uh, didn’t catch your name the first time. Some jerk with an apple was eating really loud and I didn’t hear it. What’s your name?”

Jet Set stuck his nose so high in the air he was looking at the ceiling. “My name is Jet Set, and me and my wife Upper Crust are some of the richest ponies in Equestria because of the inheritance of our family’s fortune. Who are you?” He sniffed importantly.

The pegasus clapped sarcastically, holding his apple in his wing. “Oh, wow. Wow! I devote all of my great respect to thee, thou doer of nothing but exist. You’ve certainly done so much good in the world by just doing nothing and hanging out here in Canterlot! Everypony, look! He’s done nothing in his life! All the attention we had before, we give to thee, filth! Oh, how I grovel at thy hooves, my devoted leader! You’ve done nothing! Oh, how I love to serve thee!” He swept himself on his knees extravagantly and made little kissing noises at his hooves.

Jet Set’s eye twitched behind his small spectacles.

The pegasus got back to his hooves. “Who am I, compared with your majesty and glory? I mean, compared to you, I’m just...you know...Firestorm. The billionaire. Playcolt. Charitable donator. Performer of the Sonic Flameboom. The Wonderbolt Reserve.” Spotting his surprised face, Firestorm relentlessly continued. “Knight of Equestria. Five-time recipient of the Pink Heart of Courage. Slayer of the Bugbear, Arimaspi, and Hydra. Aaaayund--get this--personal advisor, assistant, and bodyguard for all four princesses of Equestria.” He grinned at Jet Set’s astounded face, then took another bite of his apple and turned away. “Who’re you again?” he asked with his mouth full.

Firestorm turned to face the rest of the nobility, who were both astounded at his abilities and enraged at his behavior. Firestorm held up his hooves. “Right, now, I’m too important to hang around you dirty, dirty peasants.” He flicked a hoof nonchalantly. “You idiots aren’t worth my time. But if being around you means I can flex on y’all, I can stick around a little longer.” He raised his voice. “Does anypony else have anything they want to say to me? Because I can roast you crisply if you just offer me something.”

Upper Crust made the mistake of talking. “If you’re not going to say anything respectful to us, you shouldn’t be here at all!”

Firestorm expressed his inability to care about her words by taking another bite out of his apple. He held up a hoof for silence, and for some reason, the nobility waited until he was done chewing. Firestorm swallowed and said, “Okay, first of all, I know for a fact that you normally make all talk while doing nothing productive. So, you’re a frickin’ hypocrite. Second, if everypony said respectful things to each other, nopony would know what’s wrong with them. You should be thankful I’m acting like this. And third,” he said, ignoring the cries of protest from the line of ponies, “I can talk to you any darn way I want.”

“Why?” Upper Crust demanded angrily.

“Because I’m your enemy. The things I’ve learned out in the field of war shows me that you can never force your enemy to be respectful and friendly to you, because they’re your enemy! You show no restraint in pointing out flaws in other ponies you meet. Who’s to say I can’t do the same to you?”

“Luuunaaa!” Jet Set cried. “Get this lunatic out of here!”

“Lunatic?” Firestorm asked with a grin. “You used that word in front of Princess Luna?”

Jet Set froze. He hadn't thought about that.

“He’s a jerk!” came a voice from the crowd. “Throw him out!”

“If I threw out every pony that annoyed me, thou wouldst be the first to go,” Luna snapped back.

Firestorm inhaled through his teeth. “Oooh!”

No more voices came from that pony.

Firestorm took yet another bite out of his apple. “There’s nothing you can do,” he said with his mouth full. He flapped over to Princess Luna’s side and wrapped an arm around the Princess of the Night. “I’m staying with my bestie, Loony. You can’t make me leave. If you wanna stay, you gotta put up with me.” He gulped down his bite and gestured at the door. “But if you want, you can always just leave. There’s the door. Right there. Use it. Go on.”

Nopony moved, although a few eyes did flicker over to the doors.

Firestorm looked annoyed, and released his grip around Luna. “Why are you doing that?”

“Doing what?” came Upper Crust’s indignant voice.

“Standing in line. Celestia doesn’t care about you. She’s got better things to do than welcome all you prissy, miserable little snobs to this Gross Gruesome Gala.”

“Like what?” came her enraged accusation.

“Like spending the night with the hottest stallion in Equestria,” Firestorm responded, flipping his mane stupidly. “She said it to me herself. I have a recording if you want to hear it. She had invited me up to her private quarters to talk about tax benefits, she shut the door to keep away prying eyes, and all of a sudden she was collapsing in my arms declaring her undying devotion to me.”

“You're insane!” Jet Set yelled. “There's no way Princess Celestia would ever--”

“No way I would ever what?” came a soft, motherly voice. From the doors leading into the dance hall came the tall white frame of Princess Celestia in a low-cut red sleeveless dress, looking imposing and straight-faced as she gazed on the upper class. Upon seeing Firestorm, however, the plate of food she had in her yellow aura dropped and smashed to the ground. “S-storm?” she asked in astonishment.

Firestorm mouthed to her, “Just play along.” Then he swept his sunglasses off his head and smirked at her with a gaze hot enough to set firewood ablaze. “Wassup, ‘Tia?” he asked casually, tossing his half-eaten apple behind him to rest at Jet Set’s hooves.

Princess Celestia blushed at his forwardness. “H-hi there, F-firestorm,” she stuttered, and shrunk her head inside her shoulders, pretending to act demure.

Firestorm swept his sunglasses onto the front of his tux with one fluid sweep and swaggered to Celestia’s side. “You're lookin’ sexy tonight, babe.”

The Canterlot nobles gasped in collective shock. Nopony dared speak like that to the princesses unless they wanted to be banished, or locked in a dungeon, or locked in a dungeon in the place where she banished them.

Princess Celestia, however, only stuck out her tongue playfully at the compliment. “Only the best for the hottest stallion in Equestria,” she responded, giving her flank a little shake.

Several ponies in the line fainted. Most others were close to it as well. The rest of them just didn't know what to say at the display.

Firestorm wrapped his hoof around Celestia’s neck and led her back around. “Come with me, bay-bay, and let’s go and par-tay the night ay-way.”

“Wait!” came Jet Set. “Aren't you going to welcome us to the gala?”

“What’s wrong with just having Luna do it?” Celestia asked.

“Well, she...she’s not, um...not reall--I-I…” Jet Set shut up after several attempts to speak. The display by Firestorm had left every word taken out of his mouth.

“That's what I thought,” Celestia said, and allowed herself to be led away by Firestorm into the great hall, leaving a multitude of speechless nobles in her wake.

Freedom Fighter wasn’t comfortable.

Of course, it wasn’t a rave or a Pinkie Pie party, but he still wasn’t comfortable being in such a crowded environment. His only consolation was the fact that he had all of his weapons. He was lucky Noble hadn’t told him to leave them all behind on the train.

Leaning on the wall next to a large window that looked like a superhero might swing through it at any moment, Freedom Fighter was standing upright and holding his staff in front of him so he was leaning forward. His mind was having another conversation with itself, but the difference now from times past was that now the entire conversation was out loud. This made it so that if anypony else was close enough, they would overhear him talking and assume that he was mad.

“It’s a little strange, don’t you think?”

“What is?”

“Your acceptance of the fact that Noble chose Fluttershy over you. I’d have thought you would be more protestable at that.”

“Protestable? Is that even a word?”

“The word choice doesn’t matter. What matters is you not having Noble’s top priority anymore.”

“I don’t care if I am or not. I’ve managed fine without him before.”

“And look at how it all turned out. When you were alone, you were nearly tortured to death.”

“I’m a strong, independent stallion who don’t need no knight looking out for me. I can handle myself. I’m strong. I don’t need him to look out for my safety all the time.”

“Why do you think he does?”

“Because he made an oath to his father.”

“Why did he make an oath to his father to look out for you?”

“Because he…” Freedom Fighter stopped his thought processes for an instant. “Because he wants to look after me. Because I’m his...friend.”

“Does Noble Blade break his oaths?”

“Hasn’t done so yet.”

“So with that said, even though he’s done all of this to look out for you, he still chose Fluttershy over you.”

“She’s his girlfriend! Of course he needs to pick her above me.”

“Whatever happened to Bros before Hoes?”

“Well, whatever happened to Ladies First?”

“One for your side.”

“Noble Blade needs to be with his girl--which, I might add, is the furthest thing from a hoe I've ever seen. He has no obligation to hang out with me any longer than he wants. I’m good enough on my own.”

“Be wary, though; you still need him in your life. Heaven forbid, if anything should happen to him--”

“The pony that harms him is gonna die.’

“So he does still matter to you. You ain’t no strong independent stallion after all.

“I-”

“Don’t delude yourself. You were hurt by his abandoning you for a girl. You don’t feel special anymore to him. All this time, you’ve been feeling pain and anger, but Noble was there to make you feel like your anger at everything was good for something. Now, even he’s got better things to look after than you. You’re not important anymore.”

“Look, I understand that, but I also understand that Noble needs a girl! I can be a good ol’ understanding bro for his sake. He’s done a lot for me. I’ll do this for him.”

“You’re saying that to cover up the fact that you need something to make you feel treasured. To make you feel something special. You aren’t. Everypony else just puts up with you. They tolerate you. They can barely stand having you around-”

“SHUT UP!” Freedom Fighter bellowed all of a sudden. He spotted a nearby couple jump at his outburst, and with an “I say!” they both moved away from him.

“Look at that. You scared them.”

“Shut up already! The next time you talk, I’ll tear your intestines out butt first.”

“I don't think that'll be a wise course of action for you to take.”

“Right. You’re living with me. Forgot about that.” Freedom Fighter stomped the ground impatiently so hard a piece of concrete chipped off and flew away.

“Pardon me, but who in Equestria are you talking to?” came the voice of some curious businesspony.

Freedom Fighter whirled around to stare the intruder in the face with a red glare. “I'm talking with the other idiot that lives in my cerebrum, fool! Who else would I be talking with, Faust herself?!”

The elegantly tailored pony recoiled. “Who’s Faust?” He shook his head. “Well, I never saw such a thing in all my life! You must be going mad!”

“Ohohoho, I’m mad, all right,” the warrior spat at him. “I'm mad at myself, and I'm mad at you!” He fired his left arm out to the side, and three long claws shot out of the hidden mechanical hoof. “Get out!”

He scoffed. “I was just saying--”

“Get out or I’ll paint the castle with your blood and decorate the ceiling with your innards!”

He obeyed, though sullenly and with many disparaging glances over the shoulder.

Freedom Fighter sighed and shot his claws back inside his metal arm. He leaned back against the glass and let out a deep groan of frustration. “Oh, Faust, I want to kill somepony.”

“Don’t let Noble hear you saying that.”

“He’s not here! I can do what I want to scare the crap out of these mewling worms, for the first time I can remember.”

The other voice fell silent at his declaration. The only problem was, now he was agitated and didn’t have anypony he could lash out at.

Until he allowed his gaze to ambly drift over the heads of other dancing couples and spot a blonde mane in the crowd.

Freedom Fighter double-checked himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Indeed, he could see more facial features. Long blonde mane, white body, squared jaw, long spiraled horn…

Freedom Fighter smiled so hard his cheeks almost split in half. “Somepony we can kill?”

“Let’s just follow him for now. If he does anything stupid, we can slit his throat and dump his body off the edge of the balcony and that’ll be it.”

And with that, Freedom Fighter hid behind a wide stone pillar and jumped from the pillar to the wall, and back to the pillar again, until he was concealed in the tall buttresses striding the ceiling.

“I’m telling you, Starlight, the Gala is bountiful with splendid opportunities for fun!” Rarity announced as she lead her inside. “Fear not the stares, and ignore any looks that may be directed your way.”

“I know,” Starlight Glimmer muttered as she was almost dragged by an enthusiastic Rarity to the spacious hall where ponies in suits and corsets, monocles and dresses, top hats and chemises all revolved in a hypnotizing wheel around the dance hall. “And, ah, thanks for introducing me to the gala’s activities. Could I do this...well, on my own, though?”

“Why, whatever might be the problem with me leading you by the hoof?”

“I just kinda want to go and, well...do my own thing. Talk with Princess Celestia again and warm up to her some more. Hang out with her and Twilight.”

“And you are more than welcome to!” Rarity declared. “Just as soon as I finish giving you pointers on how to act here. The Gala is not a place for failure.”

“What about the other two times you went?” Starlight asked. “I talked to Twilight about it before she left for Canterlot, and one time, I remember there was something called...the Smooze?”

Rarity’s ears drooped. “Well, see, we...prefer not to talk about that.”

Starlight Glimmer put her mouth next to Rarity’s face some more. “And the one time with Prince whatshisface?”

“Don’t-” Rarity started vehemently, then coughed and straightened a ripple in her fuschia dress. “Don’t you dare speak another word. Honestly, sometimes I can still hear his frightening voice in my memories sometimes.”

“Rarity? Miss Rarity?”

“See? I heard him just now. It’s a good thing he hadn’t had the decency to show up tonight.”

“Um, Rarity?” Starlight Glimmer asked, prodding her on the shoulder and pointing. “You heard him.”

“Whatever do you--” Rarity started, looking where Starlight’s hoof was pointing, then she recoiled. “Oh, heavens! Get me away, Starlight! Get me away!”

“Rarity? There’s nothing to fear. Come on out.” Approaching them was the Prince himself, in a tuxedo even more elaborate than the one Rarity had last seen him in. There was both a carnation and pocket square in his coat pocket, there was a sash across his front that he had decorated with tiny, insignificant medals, and a thin sabre was strapped at his side--purely ornamental in design.

“I think there’s a reason why she’s hiding,” Starlight said hesitantly. “Mister…”

Blueblood let out a charming laugh. “I haven’t introduced myself. I am Prince Blueblood, dearest lady.”

“Oookay,” Starlight uncomfortably said. “My name is--”

“But of course, it’s not you I’m looking for,” Blueblood interrupted. “It’s miss Rarity.” He gave a warm smile at Rarity.

“Blueblood,” Rarity said through clenched teeth. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Blueblood said. “It’s a good thing we were able to finally meet up and start over from the last Gala. Ever since that Gala all those years ago, things have gotten disastrously out of hoof, and after consideration I believe an apology is in order.”

“Oh, goodness, I--wait!” Rarity’s eyes lit up briefly. “An apology? Why, I...heh, I d-don’t believe it! Of course an apology is in order!”

Things waited a moment as neither side said a word.

“Um, Blueblood?” Rarity cautiously asked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m waiting for my apology.”

“Your apolo--” Rarity narrowed her eyes dangerously. “What in Celestia’s name are you talking about?”

“You humiliated me all those years ago!” Blueblood said haughtily. “I demand an apology for making me look like an imbecile all those years ago and lowering my social status until I became the laughingstock of Canterlot!”

“I think you don’t need Rarity to look like a buffoon,” Starlight quipped out of her mouth.

“You’re absolutely right!” Blueblood emphatically insisted. He turned back to Rarity. “But,” he continued. “This does not mean that we need to erect permanent barriers between us. I am more than willing to accept your apology to me. After that, assuming that you devote yourself completely to furthering both of our dreams, you can fulfil the dream you had all those years ago. You and I can be an astounding couple in the higher circles in Canterlot. You and I would be the talk of the town! And I could give you plenty more in return.”

Rarity arched a demanding eyebrow. “Let me get this straight,” she said. “You walk up to me after six years of not seeing me, demand an apology from me for what happened that night that has no relevance to what is happening today, and then you offer to get back together with me?”

Blueblood nodded. “It’s not too much, honestly. You’re lucky I’m not asking more, but being a gentlecolt, I’m trying to be...reasonable...”

Starlight Glimmer glared at him so hard Blueblood actually took a step back.

“Let me tell you something, Prince,” Rarity growled. “I am Rarity. I am the owner of boutiques in Canterlot, Manehattan, and Ponyville. I am known across Equestria for my designs and my spirit of welfare to all that come across my path. I bear an Element of Harmony. I have consorted with Princesses and Queens, with royalty far better than you and far more richer. I have faced down rabid animals, demons, mad spirits, and nightmares larger than your pitiful mind can possibly imagine. I am a strong, independent mare who needs no Prince to elevate me to a spot I am already more than content being in. Did you honestly think I would accept your offer and spend the rest of my life with a life form as pitiful as yours?”

Blueblood’s responding expression revealed more than words ever could.

“I cannot believe you,” Rarity breathed in astonishment. “You truly are less than I could have possibly hoped for.” She wrapped ahoof around Starlight’s. “Come, Starlight. Let us go somewhere where the air is not as rancid.”

“Now, hold on a second,” Blueblood angrily started, grabbing a fold of Rarity’s dress with his magic yellow aura. “You may be a bearer of those little trinkets, but simply wearing jewelry won’t cut it if you want to be with me.”

“Did you not hear me?!” Rarity shrieked, trying to yank Blueblood away.

“Only the parts I liked,” Blueblood admitted. “You’ve no idea the skill that needs to take. Come with me.”

“No!” Rarity cried, loud enough for passerby to hear and turn their heads. “Get off! I don’t want you near me!”

“Stop lying to me, Rarity!” Blueblood declared. “You know you want to be with me! Let me show you exactly why!”

And before he could do anything more, he was pushed backwards by a blast of energy from Starlight Glimmer and landed ignominiously on his flat butt. Blueblood stared up at the angry lilac mare next to Rarity and wondered just how in Equestria she could get away with pushing a prince on the ground.

“Our deepest apologies, Blueblood,” Starlight Glimmer spat. “We’ve got better things to do elsewhere.”

And she and Rarity galloped out of the great hall, with a confused and angry Blueblood sitting on his rump.

The very instant that Rarity and Starlight disappeared, in the same doorway came Princess Celestia, with Firestorm by her side. “I’m telling you, ‘Tia, that was the most fun I’ve had in weeks! Did you see the look on their fac--” Firestorm stopped talking when he spotted the irate Blueblood getting to all fours.

“My dear nephew,” Celestia said calmly. “How is the Gala treating you?”

Blueblood simply let out a “Hmph!” and turned his head up in a false show of pride. “I can handle anything the Gala can throw at me, Auntie. I’m doing fine.”

“The only ponies that say that are the ponies that aren’t fine,” Firestorm wryly observed.

Blueblood swiveled his head to regard Firestorm. “Who’s this?”

“The hottest stallion in Equestria,” Firestorm announced with a grandiose bow. “No need to applaud.”

Blueblood sniffed. “You?”

“You were expecting somepony better than me?” Firestorm asked in a deep, mocking voice. “How absurd! Nopony can be better than me!” Firestorm reared on his legs and adopted a haughty expression. “I'm rich! I’m better than you, and I’m better than you, and, oh, this pony that has more money than me, I’m better than him as well, no matter what he says!”

“I get the feeling that you're mocking my circle of influence,” Blueblood observed.

“Oh, no! Heavens, no, no no no!” Firestorm suddenly pointed behind Blueblood. “OH MY GOSH! LOOK, A BEAUROCRAT WITH A HOT SIDE CHICK!”

“Where?” Blueblood demanded, swiveling his head so his golden mane whipped into his face.

“BAHA!” Firestorm collapsed on the ground in helpless laughter. Celestia, unable to help herself, let out a giggling laugh as well.

“Auntie,” Blueblood said irritably, turning back to glare at Firestorm. “Aren’t you going to do something about him?”

Celestia’s purple eyes sparkled. “Why would I do that?”

“Well, he’s...he’s a…” Blueblood tried to find words. “He’s a...a buffoon!”

“Princess!” came a voice. Celestia turned her head to see who it was that had spoken, and it was Twilight, in a pink dress with draping robes on her shoulders making a deep V in her front. Twilight came over near Celestia and skidded to a halt. “H-hi, Princess Celestia. It’s, um, good to see you here.”

“How’s your night going so far?” Celestia asked politely.

“Well, I haven’t had to deal with as many annoying bureaucrats as in years past, so that’s a plus. I’ve actually enjoyed myself so far.” She leaned in closer. “But the night’s still going slower than I’d like it to be.”

“Why do you say that?” Celestia asked.

“Because...well…” Twilight whispered through clenched teeth. “The thing you said you’d talk to me and my friends about after the Gala.”

Princess Celestia knew in an instant what she was talking about. The secrets of the Ten Elements. Celestia had a jolt of surprise run in her brain as she realized just how desperate Twilight was to learn what had happened all those years back, at the beginning of the universe, which Celestia still remembered enough to recall precisely from memory--

“Ah. Princess Twilight, I presume?”

Twilight’s eyes flickered over to Blueblood’s in exasperation. “Hello there, Prince Blueblood.”

“It’s a startling fact, but you and I seem to never have met in person before,” Blueblood said diplomatically. “After that riotous first Gala you attended, Rarity so flustered me that I dared not make an appearance at the gala for the next six years!”

“Gee,” Twilight said with a hint of sarcasm. “How strong you must be.”

“I agree. It’s not easy, being in the Canterlot high society,” Blueblood continued.

“Don’t you lay around on your butt all the time?” Firestorm pointed out.

“I did not invite you to speak, good sir, so keep your mouth shut.”

“Oh! I said something you didn’t like! And now you’re trying to tell me to shut up! I get it now! I see it!”

“Look here, sir,” Blueblood said, his disdain rising with each word, “I have tried to be polite and reasonable--”

“You what?” Firestorm asked in astonishment. He turned to Twilight. “Are you hearing this, Twilight? He’s capable of being polite!”

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Blueblood irately asked. “Away from me and my aunt?”

“Nope!” Firestorm said simply, flapping luxuriously into the air. “If you can’t stand me, that’s your own fault for coming over here in the first place.”

“Firestorm,” Twilight said with clenched teeth. “Now might be a good time to stop it.”

“To stop? To stop? Because Bluey here’ll get mad at me? GASP!” Firestorm put both of his hooves to his mouth in mock surprise. “I am so scared right now! Prince Blueblood might get mad at me and call me a name I may not like!”

“Oh, buzz off, you annoying insect,” Blueblood snapped at last.

“OH!” Firestorm put a hoof to his side and winced like he’d been shot. “OH! OH, NO! NOT THAT!” He fell to the ground and started to convulse. “ANYTHING BUT INSECT! MY ONLY WEAKNESS! AAAUGH!”

Twilight held back a snicker as Blueblood’s expression deteriorated. It looked like Blueblood had drunk expired lemon juice.

“Do you see why I keep him around?” Celestia asked Blueblood. “He makes me laugh.”

Blueblood recovered from his bout of indignation and flipped his stringy golden mane. “I have to go and speak with more important ponies than you.”

“More important than the Princess of Friendship, the Princess of the Sun, and her billionaire bodyguard?” Firestorm asked, recovering from his strangled convulsions.

Blueblood made no response, but curled his lip and went away.

“Oh, no!” Firestorm exclaimed at the retreating prince. “He’s leaving me! He’s so mad at me that he left me! Clearly, he’s got something so profoundly important to say that he’s leaving me!”

“You’re crossing a line there,” Celestia advised.

“I don’t want him to leave me!” Firestorm exclaimed. “He and I are just perfect for each other!” Firestorm got on his knees and adopted a pleading expression. “Don’t leave me, Blueblood!” he called after Blueblood, who was almost gone from sight. “Please! You and I just got back together! I promise I won’t cheat on you ever again!”

On the castle grounds, the grass sparkled with drops of water that came late in the night, making Rainbow Dash’s hooves wet. Hanging out near the entrance to the castle was her coworkers, the Wonderbolts.

She recognized Soarin’, of course, eating a delicious apple pie he had bought from Applejack’s stand. But evidently his example had been followed this year by the other Wonderbolts, who all had apple fritters, strudels, churros, and, of course, pies, off to the side as they conversed. Applejack’s luck had apparently reversed from the last Gala she had tried at selling food at.

She recognized Fleetfoot, Fire Streak, and Lightning Streak all talking, and she saw them spot her and wave in greeting. Rainbow Dash, however, had her attention on only one particular pegasus. As she came near to Spitfire, the fiery-maned captain expression turned from her pie and brightened. “Ah, Rainbow Dash! It’s so good ta see ya!”

Rainbow grinned. “Y-yeah, uh, right. Listen, I came here to talk with you--”

“It’s been a while, right? Only a little bit ago, you wanted just to hang out around us at the Gala. And now look at you! You’re one of us! VIP, am I right?” Spitfire tapped her playfully on the shoulder.

“Yeah. Look, Spitfire, I gotta talk with ya.”

Spitfire raised her eyebrows. “Oh really? What about? Our new training schedule?”

“No, not...not exactly.”

“Well, then, come on. Spit it out.”

Rainbow exhaled and pulled on her white dress. “It’s about, um...Firestorm.”

Spitfire’s eyes caught a glint of amusement. “Oh really?” she repeated. “I’m interested.”

“Um…” Rainbow found it incredibly hard to talk all of a sudden. Fiddling with her dress some more, she muttered, “He’s kinda, sorta, really...he’s really…”

Spitfire’s interested expression grew deadpanned as Rainbow struggled to speak.

“He’s kinda...hot…” Rainbow murmured at last, wincing.

Spitfire looked jolted, for one of the first times she had seen her. Then Spitfire deviously raised her voice. “You think he’s hot?”

The comment made all nearby conversation halt. Rainbow Dash froze in fright.

“Ooohoho!” Fleetfoot snickered nearby. “Does Rainbow Dash have a crush?”

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Soarin’ asked, taking a break from his pie. “It, um…” He looked to one side, then the other. “It wouldn’t happen to be me...would it?”

“What are you talkin’ bout?” Fleetfoot asked him. “She’d be insane to be attracted to a guy like you!”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Soarin’ asked suspiciously.

“Oh, nothing,” Fleetfoot said, rolling her eyes and awkwardly stepping away. “Absolutely nothing at all, Soarin’.”

“It’s not Soarin’,” Rainbow said, flustered.

“Well then, who is it? That dolt Zephyr Breeze?” Fire Streak asked. “I know he tried to go for you one time, right?”

Atop the laughter that followed, Rainbow exclaimed, “No, it’s not Zephyr either!”

“What about that jerk Hoops? Or his idiot friend, whatshisface, um...Score!”

“Okay, I think you’re setting the bar a little low there, Fleetfoot.”

“No bar is too low for Rainbow Dash!”

“No bar is too high for Rainbow Dash,” Soarin’ corrected.

“What’s that supposed to mean? She only goes for the best guys available, or she chooses to fly over the highest flight bars in practice?”

Soarin’ put a hoof to his chin. “Both.”

“It’s Firestorm!” Rainbow Dash cried at last, flapping indignantly into the air. “The guy! That I like! It’s Firestorm! Are you happy?!”

Fleetfoot was suddenly silent. “Firestorm…” she mused. “Wait a sec. Is he that guy in the Wonderbolt reserves that showed up one day and never appeared after he completed initiation?”

“I think so,” Soarin’ agreed. “I remember he was funny, but after he left, I couldn’t remember most of anything else about him.”

“Is he hot?” Fire Streak curiously asked.

“Dgah...I...suppose so…” Rainbow admitted, rolling her eyes.

“What can he do?” Fleetfoot asked, now curious. “Any tricks he’s got up his sleeve?”

Rainbow Dash recalled the Sonic Flameboom and wondered if it was okay for her to speak about that. “He’s got some impressive stuff,” Rainbow filtered through.

“How big is the crush?” Soarin’ asked. “Like, did you just fall for him? Or did you...plunge off a cloud and impact the ground hard enough to leave a crater?”

“I…” Rainbow adjusted the crown of golden leaves on her head, smiling from how she felt about Firestorm. “I left a pretty big crater from how hard I fell for him.”

Soarin’ smiled. “Be good to him. Don’t, ah...do anything stupid to him.”

“Like inserting her own stunt into a preexisting stunt routine?” Spitfire clarified.

“WE SWORE WE WOULD NEVER TALK ABOUT THAT!” Rainbow exclaimed.

Spitfire let out a laugh. “Nah, it’s good. So, um, what are you trying to ask me here?”

Rainbow fiddled with her words before speaking. “Is it really okay if I...If I, um, d-d-date your, um...brother?”

Spitfire blinked. “Why are you asking me this?”

Rainbow blinked in return. “What?”

“You don’t need my permission to date the guy,” Spitfire said nonchalantly. “Knock yourself out. I’ve got nothing to do with it, and I don’t want to get involved with your little relationship.”

“So wait--WAIT A SEC!” Rainbow’s pupils had expanded in size, and a little smile was spreading across her muzzle. “Are you saying that...that you approve of this?”

Spitfire smiled. “Yeah, I guess. Truth be told, I wasn’t even aware you needed to ask permission from family before you needed to actually date them.” Spitfire turned away. “I mean, come on! Asking permission? Like you need confirmation from other ponies before you know the guy’s right for ya?”

Rainbow Dash pressed her face close to Spitfire’s. “I can really just go in and ask him if it’s okay to be his girlfriend?”

Spitfire waved her away and gave herself some free space. “Yeah, I guess. If that’s what you really wanted.”

“Gotta go!” Rainbow said all of a sudden, and quickly went around to all of the other Wonderbolts. “You’re the coolest guys ever, and I’d love to hang out with you at any other time, but I’ve got a guy I need to charm. Anyhoo, good luck! I’ll be inside! Bye!”

And she flew up to the nearest balcony and, in the yellow light flooding the air, landed and trotted inside the Great Hall.

Soarin’, holding his pie, looked up at the balcony, where she no longer appeared. “Did she just say Anyhoo?”

The Canterlot Gardens were afresh with life. In the night air, birds flitted about the tree branches and sang their trilling songs to their mates in hopes of companionship. Squirrels and raccoons, moles and ocelots all milled about the spacious gardens. No animal was in danger of being eaten. No animal was in peril. It was the perfect representation of peace and serenity.

Noble Blade was now observing Fluttershy hovering in the trees, murmuring, “Now, now, little meadowlark, it’s okay. Mommy Fluttershy just wants to talk with you. Can you come out of your tree and do me a huuuuge solid?”

The Meadowlark, for whatever reason, didn’t budge.

“Now, I know that you probably haven’t forgotten that time six years ago when I laid out traps for you and the other little animals. But I know better now!”

Noble Blade tilted his head in surprise. That was something he hadn’t known about her.

“Oh, why won’t you listen to me?” Fluttershy flapped slowly to the ground, looking depressed. “All I wanted to do was talk with you…”

“I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” Noble said softly, trotting to her side.

“No, no, it’s okay.” Fluttershy sniffled. “I-I didn’t expect it to work anyway.”

“Is it okay if I try instead?” Noble offered. “I wouldn’t want the evening to be ruined for you.”

Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled his neck. “My evening’s already perfect because of you.”

The words warmed his heart in the chilly night. Noble put his arm around his girlfriend--Noble would still need some getting used to calling the angel his girlfriend--and sat down on a nearby park bench. He ran his hoof through her long, thick mane, wondering just how it was possible to feel so good.

“I love this,” Fluttershy murmured. “Just being with you. And you-you’re so...warm…” She smushed her face into his side. “Mmm…”

It made Noble’s poor heart jump. Noble was sure Fluttershy could feel the jolt in his heartbeat just by touch. “I’m warm. Good. That’s, ah, good to know.” He continued to caress her mane, running along her shoulders when he could and pressing into her skin. It felt so good to stroke her, to feel her and know her.

“Mmm...you’re good at that,” she murmured. She drew her head up to look into her boyfriend’s eyes. Noble could see the sheen the eyes had to them as the light of the moon caught them. “Noble?”

“Yes?”

Fluttershy drew her head into her shoulders.“Can I, um...kiss you?”

Noble smiled. “I beg of you, Fluttershy.”

Both of them closed the distance, and, accidentally bumping noses the first time, they readjusted their angle and met each other’s lips. It would take some practicing, but it was a practice Noble was comfortable exercising.

After ten seconds, they parted, both of their colors high.

“This is going to take some getting used to,” Noble admitted, grinning. “Being able to kiss you anytime I want.”

Fluttershy smiled at him. “You mean, you...were you thinking about kissing me before?”

“Yes,” he said. “Like, all the time. I’d be reading a book and I’d read a sentence over and over again because I was really just thinking about you sitting next to me reading over my shoulder.”

“Oh, Noble, that’s so sweet!” she cried. “I was actually daydreaming about it before, too!”

“Oh, you were?” Noble was interested. “Describe it.”

Fluttershy shifted in her seat as she tried to remember the amazing thoughts she had about him. “You and I were, um, together, and alone, and it was a beautiful and cool night. You were, um...pressing against me and holding me close to you. I imagined how hot you were, and how touching you made me feel warm, and stuff.” Fluttershy squirmed in her seat to regard her boyfriend better, and positioned her flank on his leg. “I was in your lap. I was leaning forward, about to kiss you.” And indeed she was, pressing down on him as she leaned forward. Their faces were closer together now. “You then wrapped your arms around me…” She used her arms to drape Noble’s arms around her shoulders better. She was now staring into his warm blue eyes. “And you pulled me down for a--”

Noble had taken the initiative and had kissed her, quickly and ferociously. After he had his fill of the taste of her lips he pulled away, grinning in delight. “Like that?”

Fluttershy, dazed, managed to nod. “E-exactly like that,” she squeaked.

“That made you happy?”

“The daydream isn’t nearly as good as the real thing,” she responded.

“Am I fulfilling your daydreams? Am I doing well for you?” Noble suddenly asked, trying not to let concern grace his features. “I hope I’m doing good at being a coltfriend so far. Do I have to try harder? Do something better?”

Fluttershy ruffled his combed mane playfully. “I couldn’t ask for a better guy to be with tonight, Noble.”

“Oh, Fluttershy,” Noble murmured in relief, and pulled her closer so her body was pressing into his chest and her head was next to his ear. “I love you. Fluttershy…”

Hearing her own name be spoken so passionately made Fluttershy’s heart leap. This time, hearing him say I love you sounded more sincere and close than the time in the field. Fluttershy’s mind tried to figure out why.

Was it in the way he said it? Surely not; he had been as passionate now as he had been in the field. Fluttershy tried to figure out how every time she heard it anew, it sounded better than the last time.

Then she numbly recognized the lack of Thee, or Thou. Noble was more himself now, and being around her and not needing to present so much of an image to the other ponies he was around, Noble had slipped and forgotten the archaic language.

It confused Fluttershy. What was up with the language switching? When and why would he do it? Why did he seem nervous when he lapsed?

Was there something about him that she didn’t know?

Noble must have suspected something by how stiff she was, because he drew his head back in concern to look her in the eyes. “Something wrong?” he asked.

“Um…” she said.

“Are you cold?” The night was indeed chilly, and the small gusts of wind didn’t help. “You’re feeling stiff.”

Before she could say anything else, he wrapped her closer to his body. She could feel the heat radiating off of him. “Just relax,” he whispered. “Let me hold you close.”

Fluttershy made no objection to the arrangement. His body indeed made her warmer than before. The problem she was considering didn’t disappear, however.

“Our lips moved before in speech,” he continued to say. “Let us now...stop talking, but continue to move them.” And he pressed his mouth against hers once more before she could object.

Fluttershy's troubles melted away as she tasted Noble Blade once more. She dripped into his embrace and pressed fiercely back, determined to show him just how much she loved him. Under the starlit sky, in the spotlight of the moon, Fluttershy and Noble Blade connected together. Love dripped from their lips, and the taste drove them wild.

And all around them, the normally shy animals poked their heads out to regard the couple curiously. Birds alighted atop the back of the bench, while ferrets and moles swiveled their heads out of the ground. A small raccoon managed to climb up to the spot next to them on the bench, and a bunny hopped up on the opposite side.

Fluttershy noticed this out of the corner of her eye and pulled away from Noble’s embrace to gasp in delight. “Ooh! Noble! Look! The animals!”

“Hey!” Noble said excitedly. “That's great!”

“Let me talk to them!” she joyously insisted, and, wriggling around on his lap, put her nose close to the raccoon. “Oh, hi there, mister Raccoon. I must be really big and scary up here on this bench, right?”

The raccoon put his front paws up in a small shrug and rolled his eyes.

“You're not used to somepony like me just coming in and doing anything I want, right? Don't you want to get to know mama? To touch her nose really soft and adorably?”

He nodded slowly. Noble was simply allowing her soothing voice to wash over him, feeling the weight of her body on his lap.

Finally, the curious raccoon poked Fluttershy's nose and recoiled from the provoked reaction. After no reaction came except for a little gasp from Fluttershy, he drew back to his position and prodded her cheek. After a few more experimental touches, he threw both of his arms around her face and hugged her tightly.

“He likes you!” Noble proclaimed, making his voice deeper. He raised a hoof. “Let it be known throughout the land that this raccoon doth aspire to thy touch! ‘Tis an accomplishment thou shouldst be proud of, Fluttershy. Thou hast tamed the mighty raccoon!”

She let out a breathy laugh at that. “Oh, Noble,” she managed between breaths. “You're so funny!”

“Oh?” he said, dropping the voice. “Oh, I'm...glad I was able to do that, then.”

There it was, again, with the voice changing when she reassured him. She barely caught it that time, but when she had said that he had made her laugh, he seemed to release tension as he stopped the grand voice. But why was there tension in the first place? Fluttershy had sensed relief in him after it. But what did he need to be relieved from, exactly? He knew that Fluttershy loved him...right?

If it was true, then Noble Blade wasn't paying any attention to it--or not letting it show. Instead he was stroking the underside of an oriole that had landed on the back of the bench. The bird was cooing softly and bending to his touch.

Fluttershy felt something light land on her head, and she looked up. Not seeing anything at first, she looked to the side, to her braided mane dripping down the shoulder, as similar weights alighted there as well. Three brown butterflies had settled down and were flapping their wings slowly.

It made Noble pause with his breath in his throat. “Darling,” he moaned softly. “You look gorgeous.”

The way he said it made her color rise instantly, and she smiled while retreating her head into her shoulders.

“You're the most kissable thing in Equestria,” he whispered. “And you're mine to kiss all I want.” He inclined his head. “Lean forward. Slowly.”

She did eagerly, trying not to disturb the butterflies in her mane. Their lips touched again, sweetly and softly, as both of them tried not to make the butterflies flap away in the act.

Noble was caressing her back over the outline of her dress, pressing down in fleshy spots and rubbing them, up and down, up and down, and Fluttershy moaned through her lips.

“Oh, that was hot,” Noble whispered as a break in the kissing happened, then he pressed back against her with his lips.

It made Fluttershy stiff with delight, and it took awhile before she relaxed in his grip, but when she did, it felt so amazing to just melt in his embrace and let his hooves press between her bones and experience the pair of soft lips he had. It was euphoric. It was so surreal it felt like she was in heaven, and this was her eternal reward, to spend all of eternity kissing the love of her life and having him pull her hips forward and jostle her, whenever he wanted, just to make her moan through her lips again. The chilly night didn't matter, because the heat coming off of him was so intense that--

“Whoo-whoo!”

The sound of the whistle made Fluttershy jerk up promptly and spun around. An elderly pony with a broom had done it. Fluttershy stiffened up again in fright.

“Oh, I’m just gonna walk right along and leave the two of ya to go at it alone without me,” the groundskeeper slyly said. He winked knowingly. “Y’all are so impassioned these days. Kissin like that. I don't have no business in that today at least. No siree.” And he backed away through a gap in the bushes and disappeared.

The creature panted and wheezed as he came to the last of the mountain’s railroad crossings near the top of the mountain. Earlier in the day he had come to the foot of the mighty mountain and had followed the railroad tracks to come to the top. It had taken him several hours, but this was significantly easier than wandering in the wilderness. After weeks of travel, he was at last within eyesight of his destination. At least now he had a straight path up the mountain, and he could scrounge the trash that littered the sides of the railroad tracks.

Flicking his tongue around the inside of a rusty can of baked beans, the creature extracted every bit of sustenance from the meager meal as possible. This time, he could recognize tastes that he hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years. Baked beans, however, was a far cry from what he wanted to feel in his mouth. He longed for juicy strawberries and gelatinous jellies that bounced in the mouth, for freezing ices that tasted like grapes and cherries.

Finishing the last of the clear liquid from the old can, he crushed the steel can in his hand and willed his hand to ignite. Black flames enveloped the can, disintegrating it instantly, and when he was certain that it was gone he shook his hand and the flames died.

The creature suddenly heard explosions going off in the distance, and his heart froze with fear. He had failed. He hadn’t gotten to Canterlot Castle in time, and Noxxa had already attacked and were now massacring everyone inside the city, and it was his fault, all of it, because he hadn’t come in time to warn Celestia.

Looking around the corner, however, he could tell that it wasn’t actually the explosions of war, but rather fireworks glittering and sparkling against the black canvas of the night. The creature put a hand to his heart and leaned against the rock wall in relief. He wasn’t late after all, and he still had time.

What was happening, anyway? Was a party going on? The creature wasn’t aware of any parties that would be thrown right around now. Since when did Celestia and Luna do that, anyway?

The castle was within sight. He could make out the soaring spires of the castle and the lights in the far off windows.

The creature took a moment to straighten himself, then took heavy steps to join the road leading to the far off castle.

He didn’t notice the dark, spiny bug that had followed him all the way through the wilderness.

He didn’t see it scurry into the underbrush near the train station and click its mandibles together as one of the Noxxa stood in the shadow of Canterlot at last.

“Thisss...is my opportunity,” he clicked harshly, making sure nopony else could see him or hear him. “If I can ssspy on them and learn of their intentions...then I can appraise the Marshal of their movements before we attack Equestria. I’ll be honored and loved by him.”

He rubbed his front two claws together hopefully, making a scratching noise. “Maybe even get to choose which mare to eat when we k-ka-ka-kill those pesky little Elementsof Harrrmony…”

And, keeping his distance from the lumbering, upright creature, the Nox snuck after him, searching for a secret entrance into the castle.