The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Ch 88 – Last Dance, Reprise

“Whewwwiee! Nice digs!” Pinkie shouted as she bounded into the private resting area that was usually reserved for the stage performers only. The room was lined with dark cushioned seating and red lining. The lights were soft but clear unlike out in the club. The floor was a red plush carpet that cushioned the mare’s hooves as they stepped.

“Alright, you’re safe now that I’ve gotten you away from that crowd. Is everypony okay? Nopony hurt? No scratches, however small?” Svengallop asked as he began meticulously looking them all over.

However Twilight shoved him away from her shouting, “Since when do you care so much about anypony but yourself? And what is going on here? And… and I demand that you take these off of us this instant!” She screamed while struggled once more to pull the ring from her horn.

“Oh but it is for my own well being, I assure you.” The stallion replied before pulled a U-shaped device from out of his coat and waving it over the princess’s head which unlocked the magical binding. “I’ll answer all of you questions. Just calm down and have a seat. Rayne only has a couple songs left and then he’ll be right in to join us.” In a matter of moments all the rings were removed and seven grumpy mares all looked to Svengallop for answers.

“Where do we even start?!” Twilight shouted. “What kind of degenerate establishment is this?! Where are we?! I didn’t even know places like this existed in Equestria!” She raged while rising from her seat listing her grievances one after the other. “Who were those jerks who assaulted my friends?! Why do you have spellbinding unicorn rings?! And most importantly, what is Rayne doing associating with characters like you in a place like this?!”

The stallion just gave an unenthused sigh and remarked, “Really? All that is your first question.”

“Why you! If you don’t start a talkin’!” Applejack growled as she leapt from her seat and Starlight had to rush to pull her back.

“Wait AJ, please! I’m just as mad as the rest of you trust me. But I really want to hear what he has to say. And I want to hear it before Rayne gets back here.”

Once the girls had settled back into the oversized couch that was built for the band members Svengallop stood in front of them and sat down on an ottoman. “Alright well let’s see now. First of all let me apologize for the way that you were treated. I’ll leave intentions were up to your imagination but let’s just say that good help is so hard to find these days.”

“Really? That’s your excuse?” Twilight snapped but stopped when Svengallop raised up his hooves.

“Now, now. Let me finish. You see I managed to purchase this place with a little help of some old connections of mine. But I did so only recently. Before I purchased it, this location used to have a much worse reputation than since I took it over. Brushing off it’s darker past and making it as respectable as any underground establishment can be has been no easy task.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re a real hero.” Rarity said with a bitter tone.

Twilight followed up by asking, “Well if you’re establishment is supposed to be as clean as you say, what are you doing binding the magic of unicorns at the door? Those rings are illegal to possess you know and you seem to own an entire stock of them! Only some of the higher security prisons still use those as far as I’m aware of.”

“That’s right princess. It was years ago when they were deemed immoral for use except for the most heinous of criminal unicorns out there. That is why the smaller jails in Equestria did away with them all. Buuuut… You know a guy, who knows a guy, who runs deliveries who maybe thinks he doesn’t get paid enough for what he does. Things go missing.”

“Um Twilight?” Pinkie suddenly interrupted causing everypony to look her way. “I understand that there are other things you’re worried about but we came here because of Rayne, didn’t we? So let’s hear about him first and then maybe you can go all Princess’y on him later?”

“Err, okay fine.” Twilight grumbled. “So tell me, how did you two end up working together?”

“Yeah, and this better be good!” Applejack added in.

Svengallop rolled his eyes but nodded as he leaned back and explained, “Actually, it was he who sought me out.” He waited for their obvious shouts of surprise before continuing. “It’s true, it’s true. After my unfortunate falling from grace when Countess Coloratura visited Ponyville and you all ruined my career-”

“IT’S RARA!” The whole lot of them corrected Svengallop angrily.

“Yes, yes.” He waived disinterestedly. “Well after that she went public in Canterlot about firing me and basically made it so that no artist would take one of my contracts no matter what I offered them.”

“Tch, serves you r-”

“Do you wanna hear this or not?!” Svengallop snapped as Rainbow Dash interrupted him once more. After that the girls seemed to settle down to listen. “Well skipping ahead some as I’m sure none of you are interested in hearing about me being down on my luck… I was approached by the most unlikely of individuals. I mean come on, imagine my surprise when I’m curled up in a dark alley trying to rest one night and here comes this giant black p-” But that was when he suddenly stopped.

“Giant what?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“Ah heh, well.” He cleared his throat nervously. “I was approached by someone who I had never met before and who as luck would have it is this Rayne that you all seem to care so much about. I was surprised that some stranger would know so much about my past but he offered me a second chance.”

Twilight quirked her head asking, “What offer? What kind of second chance?”

“Well he had these grand ideas to branch out in the music industry. I’m talking crazy ideas the likes of which nopony has ever done before. But he needed someone who already had knowledge of the industry. Somepony to expose his ideas to the public. He promised that if I helped him that it would pull me back into the game. I’d be a music producer again. I could have respect and all the lavish comforts of luxury which had been lost to me. And all I had to do was exactly as he told me to.”

Rarity questioned next with, “Well did it work? And what did he tell you to do?”

“Oh it’s genius really. Expose some new hit songs in a controlled environment to build some notoriety. But then keep the songs exclusive instead of mass producing them. Contrary to making sales based on volume, his idea was to sell them only to limited groups for exorbitant prices.”

“And that actually works?” Dash asked skeptically.

“Oh indeed.” Svengallop brushed his bushy mane with a hoof proudly. “Why I’ve made more in Faceless’ first two albums than I did in almost my entire career with Countess Coloratura.” The others looked around feeling unsure about what to do with that information. “Oh well it’s not really all that difficult. We sell the rights to play our songs to businesses, theme parks, large and lucrative travel destinations... The kinds of places that can afford to pay the big bits for really exclusive content.”

But that was when everypony jumped as Starlight slammed her hoof down upon the ground in front of her. “Well that’s great and all but you can spare me the rest of your glorious business model! All I care about is Rayne! Why is he here?! Why is he with you?! Why did he leave Ponyville?!!!” She screamed making the stallion trot nervously.

“Oh, well, I, I ah, didn’t I just explai-… I mean-” Svengallop gulped and began to sweat, anxiously wanting to avoid upsetting this particular group of mares least they cause him to miss out on yet another successful business venture some how.

That was when they all turned in surprise as a different voice spoke out in the room. “I never left Ponyville Starlight.” Fluttershy gasped as Faceless now stood in the doorway while followed by the rest of the band members in his group. “Hi there. It’s good to see you.” He said softly as the rock singer walked up to the heliotrope mare in particular.

“Hello there, it’s good to see- uh… well I mean. Could you please… um, your face?” Starlight mumbled uncomfortably as she stared at the cascading river of hair that hung from the stallions head.

“Oh right! Sorry about that.” Faceless trotted back. Then shaking his head back and forth Rayne released his changeling magic to shift his features back into his normal stallion self. “Ahh there we go. That’s better right?” Rayne asked as he looked to Starlight and smiled.

“Yes. Much better.” Starlight stepped up to him and smiled. Forgetting their place for a moment she leaned forward on instinct and kissed him as they always used to do. “Ohh! Opps, I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.”

Rayne lowered his shoulders and gave her a conscientious stare. “Hey… I am never going to mind if you still want to kiss me.” He whispered which made her ears lower with a slight smile on her face. “Does uh, that mean that you aren’t mad at me?” Rayne asked while sounding uncharacteristically unsure of himself.

This of course gave Starlight quite the surprise. “What?! No! What on earth would I possibly be mad at you for?!” She gasped looking to him directly now. Meanwhile as the two carried on every other pony in the room all stared in wonder of the scene in front of them. “Making me the happiest that I have ever been in my entire life?! Giving me the greatest night that any mare could possibly ask for?! Rayne, I love you! You hear me? I do, I really do love you!”

“Then why-?” Rayne began but was quickly cut off.

“Because I’m not the one for you Rayne! Don’t you see that?” Starlight was pleading with him even though it was clearly hurting her all over again to do so. “Rayne, I didn’t turn you down because I didn’t want to say yes to you. I wanted to say yes, believe me!” She had to clear her throat to steady herself before saying, “But there is somepony else out there who might need you in their life more than I do.” She explained to him while reaching out and stroking his cutie mark gently.

“Starlight...” Rayne whispered softly as he contemplated her words.

Feeling a bit embarrassed now she slid her mane back behind her ear. “Listen, I learned a long time ago about how even a single friendship could have the power to change the world.” At that Twilight looked over and smiled at her. “And you Rayne, you are going to bring so much more than friendship. You are going to bring love to this world. When you find whoever it is that you’re meant to share that love with… well I have no doubt that it will be the most powerful thing of all.”

Rayne smirked because unbeknownst to the girls he knew of the moment that the two girls were remembering.

“Listen Rayne,” Starlight continued. “I love you and you love me. I don’t doubt that. And I will always regret this decision. Yes, I think that we would have been very happy together. And you will always be my ‘the one who got away.’ But you are meant for more than just having a relationship with me. And somepony else out there doesn’t deserve to have me keep you from them. Can you understand that?” Starlight had all the hope in her heart carrying through her words as she waited patiently for him to respond.

“Come ‘ere.” Rayne replied simply which was a request Starlight didn’t hesitate in fulfilling. The two quickly fell into each others arms kissing one another as if they were the only ponies in the room. Rayne pulled her in tight and Starlight shut her eyes closed humming happily as she shared in the lips of the stallion who made her heart flutter.

Meanwhile most of the other ponies blushed and turned away trying to give the lovers a little privacy from their attention. It was actually the band members who were the only ones that spoke. “Whoa, imagine that. Faceless is a small town pony.” Said the base guitarist.

“And wow, he’s totally in a mysterious love triangle of some kind. That’s deep.” Commented the sound mixer.

“And he really actually has a face! I can’t believe it.” Remarked the drummer. But then she frown as the two other band members turned to her with a scowl. “What?! We’ve never seen it before! He always kept his disguise up even around us! You aren’t as least a little bit surprised to see what he actually looks like?!”

As the lovers finally parted from one another everyponies attention was brought back to watch as Rayne stared deeply into Starlight’s eyes. “Are you okay? When I saw that cheap punk was going to hurt you I kind of lost it. What possessed all of you to come to a seedy place like this?!”

“What possessed you to work in a seedy place like this!” Starlight suddenly snapped and gave him an angry shove against his shoulder. “Rayne! This isn’t you! You aren’t the kind of stallion who hangs out with ponies who try to drag mares into back rooms and do who knows what with them! Why are you working here?!”

Chuckling nervously now he said, “Oh well, you know. I needed a little extra capitol coming in. I had this idea for a secret identity as a musician and the music industry has always been a pretty lucrative business. When I was hanging out with Vinyl one time she mentioned that she knew how to get in touch with a manager who was down on his luck and needed something new. She introduced us, one thing led to another… and my idea worked out.”

“And worked out well!” Fluttershy giggled as she stared at the other band members excitedly.

Rayne gave a smirk and asked, “Fluttershy? Are you-… a fan of my music?”

“Oh yes! Oh yes indeed. Very very much so! It’s so edgy and passionate. It fills me with a sense of serenity whenever I listen to it!” She eagerly responded with that innocent enthusiasm that only she could display.

“Well, not surprising for Discord’s girlfriend I suppose.” Rayne thought to himself before calling out. “Hey fellas, it sounds like we have a true die hard fan here.” Rayne laughed to his band members also snickered along. “Fluttershy I don’t suppose you’d like to actually meet the band and hang out with them, would you?” The sound that erupted from the pegasus was adorable beyond how words could describe. “Alright, alright. Guys, these mares aren’t just fans. They’re all really good friends of mine. The best actually. Would you all mind-”

But he was cut off as his drummer stepped up and smirked, “We’ll keep the town ponies happy while you finish up with whatever business you have to settle there.” She told him while pointing toward Starlight. The other two members nodded along and then stepped over to introduce themselves properly to the ponies from Ponyville.

“Well, now that that’s settled...” Rayne said before taking Starlight by the hoof and guiding her out of the band area into Svengallop’s smaller office. Once they were inside Rayne lead Starlight to sit down and relax in the comfortable cushioned chair behind Svengallop’s desk. Meanwhile, he subtly kicked the other stallion in the gut while Starlight’s back was turned forcing Svengallop to take a seat in the hard plastic chairs at the back of the room.

“Rayne listen...” Starlight began as she looked up at him and squirmed nervously. “I don’t know what possessed you to think that you had to make a career for yourself all the way out here. But I have to say that I don’t like it! You’re better than all this! You don’t need to work in some dark shadowy place or with a pony who’s famed for his disreputable antics with his previous clients!”

Svengallop felt the urge to defend himself but stopped as he felt an invisible claw slide down the back of his collar and gently ease him back into the seat. “Oh sure poor Svenie here has made some mistakes in his past.” Rayne admitted, speaking as if nothing had just happened. “But I assure you that he’s turned it all around. Even with his character aside, he’s an excellent business-pony. I couldn’t have put all this together without him. And besides... I needed someone who’s at least a little cutthroat to help keep the talent scouts off my back.” Starlight rolled her eyes but before she could have a chance to sigh Rayne added in, “But that isn’t what you wanted to talk to me about, is it?”

“No.” She responded shortly as she looked up into Rayne’s eyes.

“You and all our friends want me to come home.” The dark stallion answered presuming her intent.

“Yes I-… yes we all do.” Starlight nodded.

“Then alright. I’ll come home with you.” Rayne announced softly.

“But-” Svengallop protested but stopped as his collar was pulled back again until it was choking him.

Starlight looked from the other stallion back to Rayne and said, “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Rayne acknowledged without an ounce of hesitation in his voice. “Let’s go get our friends together get you all out of here. You girls don’t belong in a dirty place like this. I’ll get us all a hotel for the evening, my treat. Then in the morning we can all ride the train home together.” He offered to her in a charming tone.

“Heh, that would be nice but we all have to be in early at the school tomorrow. So we don’t have time to stay for the night.” Starlight replied to which Rayne nodded.

“Then just the ride home it is then. Go on, go get our friends and I’ll have you escorted out of here. I’ll meet up with you soon and we’ll all go home together.” He assured her but she could see there was a sadness in his eyes.

“Alright Rayne. You take care of whatever loose ends you have here and make sure to meet up with us. Don’t make us have to come after you again.” She teased him to which he raised his hooves up innocently and laughed. Then she headed out to where the others were laughing up a storm with the band members.

Once the door was closed, “Svengallop…” Rayne uttered under his breath as he stood facing the door with his back to him. “Maybe we should redecorate in here? What to you think?”

“What?” The other stallion queried as he felt that he was still held fast to the chair. “What are you talking about? Are you planning to break up Faceless?! Just because some mare asked you to?! And how can you be talking about decorating at-” But he stopped as the claw holding him shifted to reveal a paw and then a leg and then a full bodied hound made of shadow and obsidian which was still holding him in place.

“I’M TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I’M GOING TO SPLIT YOU OPEN DOWN THE MIDDLE AND PAINT THIS ROOM RED WITH YOU!” The voice was thunderous after a quick silencing spell was placed over the door. An enormous black panther now reached out around Svengallop’s neck lifting him until he was pinned back against the wall. “Did I not tell you to remove the riffraff from this bar?! How dare you let mares from Ponyville just waltz in here and almost get hurt because YOU could not maintain a simple enforcement of security over the place!”

“W-ait! Pw-ease! I’m so-thory!” The stallion choked out as his legs dangled and kicked out below him. Once he was leased Svengallop dropped to the floor and held his throat coughing. “I’m trying okay?! You were the one who wanted a location that was off the grid! I’m not a miracle worker! You want an insular venue to remain shrouded in mystery? This is what you get! It’s either that or you work somewhere more reputable that’s GOING to be more in the public eye! You can’t have both!”

The panther rumbled in his chest angrily as he paced the small room back and forth before reverting back to being a stallion. “No matter. I suppose the band name has grown large enough as it is.” He announced, speaking more to himself now. “No, I will not be breaking up the band but it’s true that it might be time to put these underground activities to rest. Svengallop, keep the club. I’m leaving. Just keep my royalty payments coming.”

“And the band?” His manager asked while picking himself up rubbing his throat with a scowl.

“Faceless will continue on but we’ll do normal shows in large venues like any other mainstream artist. All privately funded of course. It’s time for us to come out of the shadows.”

The other stallion sighed. “If that’s how you want it then I’ll make the arrangements.” He said and walked to the door before stopping. “What about our out of town distributor?”

“Oh business remains as usual with them. DJ PON3 keeps the sole rights to remix our songs while our distributor keeps the rights to air our original albums as they see fit.”

“So be it.” Svengallop nodded and walked out the door.

- Later that Evening -

“You guys! The last train is leaving! Come on!” Rainbow urged their group as they all stood together on the platform.

“Whoa now, hold your horses there. Train leaving or not, Rayne ain’t shown up yet. We didn’t come all this way just for him to not be returning back with us!” Applejack declared as they all stared down the long street waiting to see the dark stallion running to catch up to them.

That was when Twilight stepped forward with a concerned tone. “Starlight? Is anything wrong? Are you sure that he is coming?”

With a sigh the other mare turned back to her friends and said, “You know what? You all go. Classes start early tomorrow and you all need to be rested. I’ll find Rayne and make sure that we both get back by morning. Trust me everypony. It will be okay.”

She received some worried nods and Twilight reached out with a hoof asking, “Do you even know where to look? Manehattan is a big place after all.”

But Starlight seemed sure of herself as she replied, “Heh, a lone stallion down on his luck after being brokenhearted? Yeah… I have a pretty good idea of where I can find him.”

After a large group hug and a blaring from the train whistle all the other mares boarded for their trip back to Ponyville. Then without delay Starlight raced off through the city streets to bring home the stallion who had become so special to her.

- At the Club Pony Party Palace -

The musical spontaneity was as alive as ever in DJ PON3’s club. Ponies danced and drinks were poured. However despite all that, tensions were a little awkward for patrons who were sitting near the bar. A solitary stallion sat alone darkening the corner as he ordered yet another drink from the bartender while keeping his head bowed glumly.

“Hey now, you’re making me wonder if I should cut you off.” The bartender said to him. “Just what happened to you, huh? I ain’t never seen you like this.” But when Rayne looked up the hurt in his eyes told the whole story. It was just then though that the barkeep straightened up and whispered over music, “Fella, you got no luck at all. Look out for your six because I think your troubles have followed you in here.”

With a heavy sigh Rayne turned around and once he saw who was behind him he chuckled because knew he should have known. Standing there was a unicorn giving him the most concerned expression he could ever remember seeing. He nodded to acknowledge Starlight but then just returned to taking a sip of his drink.

Quietly she climbed onto the seat next to him and remained patient while waiting for him to say something to her.

“...Guess I missed the train? …I’m sorry about that.” He whispered sullenly.

“Nopony cares about the train Rayne.” She urged to him, wanting to reach out but deciding it might be better not to. “We just want to know-… I just want to know that you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.” He answered a little too quickly as he downed his glass and then signaled the bartender to poor one for her. It was a gesture that she was quick to tell the barkeep not to do.

“Hey, I know! We’re here right? Want to have a dance? For old time sake?” She asked him but he just remained sitting there and didn’t answer her. “Okaaay… I don’t suppose you have any songs about a terrible girlfriend who breaks her boyfriend’s heart?” She asked insincerely. But it was worse when still he had no response for her.

That was when Starlight was taken by surprise as somepony tapped gently on her shoulder. When she turned around she gasped to see none other than one of the blue stallion brothers who had accosted her previously. But this time she couldn’t help but notice the uneasy smile and apologetic eyes that he stared at her with. “May I have one dance? If you’d agree to it?” He asked her with his hoof out.

Taking a moment to think about it Starlight said, “Rayne… I’m going to dance. Are you okay with that?” She saw him stare up at the stallion with an unamused scowl. But then he shrugged and turned back to the bar. “Well alright.” She said and slowly allowed the stranger to lead her to the dance floor. Several other patrons looked shocked as to why she wasn’t dancing with Rayne tonight but Starlight ignored their glances as her dance partner was surprisingly respectful of her personal space this evening.

Two songs later and Starlight’s guilt had had enough. The party goers looked up excitedly at a burst of magic over their heads but were confused to see that it had not come from Rayne. Starlight stood anxiously now after casting the spell to get Vinyl’s attention. She didn’t know what letters or numbers to signal what song but she looked pleading at the DJ before pointing to where Rayne was sulking at the bar. To this Vinyl nodded and went flipping through her tracks to see what she could do.

“Listen, I’m sorry.” Starlight began as she turned to her dance partner. “You’ve been nice tonight but I really can’t. I have to help my friend… and then after that I don’t know if we’ll be coming here anymore.” She admitted to him.

He just gave a sigh and brushed his mane back with a hoof. “Well, I get it. It’s a shame but thanks for at least giving me the chance.” He said before letting her break off from him without an argument.

After that the struggle of the two mares began as Starlight and the DJ both worked to get Rayne out of his funk. At first a party mix with a catchy Latin tune came on over the speakers. The crowd really seemed to enjoy it but when Starlight began dancing in the seat beside Rayne to the beat she could tell this wasn’t going to inspire him.

When Starlight signaled that track wasn’t working the patrons looked around confused as Vinyl scratched the record and removed it before the song was done. Afterwards she put on a romantic tune with a soft rhythm beat. Starlight now tried slinking up close and sweet to the stallion. He seemed to smile at that but otherwise wasn’t moved by the DJ’s attempts. For a second time a song was scratched out leaving some of the club guests who weren’t regulars to wonder what was going on. Despite this, Vinyl looked like she had an idea and surprised everypony when she suddenly left her booth and rushed backstage.

Starlight however had become disheartened after sorrowfully realizing just how deeply she had hurt the pony she loved. “I’m sorry Rayne.” She whispered into his ear and delicately kissed against the side of his forehead. “I’m so sorry.”

After that she let him go and started the slowest walk she’d ever done in her life to head back out towards the door. However it was just in time when the DJ returned and inserted a golden record into her mixer that she had been keeping privately in her living quarters. “Not the track that I was originally expecting to play from this… but maybe it might just do the trick.” Vinyl said to herself before adjusting for the song she wanted and allowing the music to flow unremixed out through the speakers.

https://youtu.be/wthgd_Rg1qg

The moment the intro began to play Rayne scoffed as he recognized the track immediately. He lowered his drink and then shook his head in disbelief before looking up over the crowd to see Vinyl wink at him from over her sunglasses with an affirmative hoof.

Shaking his head once more he then gave the nervous gesture of wiping his mouth with a hoof. Rayne leaned back just slightly over his shoulder and then rather coyly allowed his voice to ring out on tune.

“All you gotta do is walk away and pass me by.” Every regular in the club instantly fell silent when they finally heard Rayne start to sing.
“Don't acknowledge my smile when I try to say hello to you, yeah.” Starlight froze too and looked back in disbelief as she saw that Rayne was indeed singing to straight to her.
“And all you gotta do is not answer my calls
when I'm trying to get through.” Immediately Starlight’s emotions overwhelmed her.
“To keep me wondering why, when all I can do is sigh.” Tears began to stream down her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hooves as she listened to his every word.
“I just want to touch you-” Rayne stepped up from the bar and sang while walking towards her slowly now.

“I just want to touch and kiss,
And I wish that I could be with you tonight!” Rayne sang as he took Starlight’s hooves into his own.
“You give me butterflies inside, inside and I-” Hearing those heartfelt lyrics did nothing to stop Starlight’s tears but she choked out a smile while looking up to him now.

“All I gotta say is that I must be dreaming, can’t be real.
You’re not hear with me, still I can feel you near to me!” Starlight immediately threw herself into his arms wrapping herself around him and leaning her face into his chest.
“I caress you, let you taste us, just so blissful listen,
I would give you anything baby, just make my dreams come true.” She nodded and then looked up not wanting to miss a word of his.
“Oh baby you give me butterflies!”

“I just want to touch and kiss,
And I wish that I could be with you tonight!
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I...” Starlight reached up interrupting his song to give him a heartfelt kiss on the lips. She didn’t care who was watching and let her true feelings for him out.
“You give me butterflies inside, inside and I.”

“If you would take my hoof, baby I would show you,
Guide you to the light babe.
If you would be my love, baby I will love you, love you
‘Till the end of time!”

“I will!” Starlight suddenly gasped out. “Please, I’m sorry! Let me take it back! Rayne, I will ma...” But she stopped when Rayne placed a hoof over her lips and shook his head with a smile for her. Inside she felt a little bit of what she had put Rayne’s heart through, realizing that it was too late for them now. Sobbing gently she nodded and rested her head upon his chest while he swayed with her until the song was finished.

“I just want to touch and kiss,
And I wish that I could be with you tonight!
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I…

I just want to touch and kiss,
And I wish that I could be with you tonight!
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I...

I just want to touch and kiss,
And I wish that I could be with you tonight!
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I.”

The crowd roared out in praise at the touching scene that had unfolded on the dance floor, even despite the fact that none of the other patrons had any idea of the gravity of the situation. The sobbing mare wiped her eyes with a hoof and said spoke up asking, “So that’s it then?”

“That’s it then.” Rayne whispered back. There was no malice in his voice nor were there the lingering signs of being hurt. Rayne held Starlight close because he still cared but he allowed the silence that followed between them to deliver the weight of his words.

Sniffling a bit still Starlight stood up straight and tried to regain her composure as her sobs had brought a fluttering to her breath. “I understand.” She nodded taking their break up with a little grace. “Is it too pathetic of me to ask if we can-”

Rayne pulled her in close saying, “Don’t even say it… You will always be important to me Starlight. We’ll always be there for each other.” He assured her and held her tightly while taking in the scent of her mane as if it were for the last time.

Once they pulled away again Starlight looked around at all the anxious faces who were staring to see what would happen next. “Ah right! A heh, wow! Because this isn’t embarrassing.”

“Come on, let’s get out of-” But this time it was Starlight’s turn to interrupt him.

“Hey not so fast!” She stood firm and smiled at him a little more confidently now. “Dance with me?” She asked gently. “One last time? Friend?”

He chuckled and sighed before giving a nod. “Yeah, sure. Just give me a second.” He thought for a moment until the crowd cheered at seeing his burst a set of numbers and letters above their heads, unbeknownst to them for the last time.

https://youtu.be/C-dvTjK_07c

Vinyl nodded happily as she pulled up the selected track and a hopping club beat then filled the room. Rayne took Starlight by the hoof and lead her to the center of the dance floor while the rhythm took sway over the crowd.

“Ohhh… yeah ma’am!

So we back in the club,
With our bodies rockin' from side to side! ‘Si-side to side!’” Starlight followed up, backup singing for Rayne with a smile.
“Thank good the week is done,
I feel like a zombie gone back to life! ‘Ba-back to life!'

Hooves up, and suddenly we all got our hooves up!
No control of my body!” Rayne had the whole crowd dancing with them now.
“Ain't I seen you before?” Rayne danced while pointing at Starlight.
“I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes.
Eyes, eyes, eyes!” She laughed and danced along trying to keep up with him.

“Cause baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin’ in love again!” His voice echoed out.
“Yeah, baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin’ in love again!” Starlight picked up on his cue and the two then strutted across the dance floor matching each other’s movements.

“So dance, dance,
Like it's the last,
Last night of your life, life.
Gon' get you right.
'Cause baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin' in love again!” Now the two turned towards each other dancing off one another while Rayne sang.

“Keep downing drinks like there's
No tomorrow there's just right
Now, now, now. Now, now, now!”

Then Starlight surprised him as she spun out of his arms and sang,
“Gonna set the roof on fire!
Gonna burn this mother f-” She stopped just to tease him while loving the shocked look on his face.
“Down, down, down. Down, down, down!”

Swinging in back together they sang in unison now,
“Hooves up, when the music drops.
We both put our hooves up.
Put your hooves on my body!” Starlight pulled his hooves around her while she held onto him.
“Swear I seen you before.
“I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes.
Eyes, eyes, eyes!”

Now Starlight stepped back from signing to just dance along to his words as Rayne carried them through the chorus.

“Cause baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin’ in love again!
“Yeah, baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin’ in love again!

So dance, dance,
Like it's the last,
Last night of your life, life.
Gonna get you right.
Cause baby tonight,
D-J got us fallin' in love again!”

Starlight turned and smiled to Rayne expecting the song to end at that point. But she was pleasantly surprised as she was forced to step back upon finding Rayne dancing up upon her still singing heavy with the beat.

“Hear no evil, or speak no evil, or see no evil.
Get it baby? Hope you catch that like we go.
That’s how we roll, my life is a movie, and you’ just my flow.
Mami got me twisted like a dreadlock.
She don’t wrestle but I got her in a headlock.
Yabadabadoo make her bedrock, mami on fire, psh! Red hots!
Bada bing bada boom Mr Worldwide as I step in the room,
I’m a hustler baby, but that you knew, and tonight it’s just me and you!”

Starlight was smirking now as she realized she was genuinely having a good time. She definitely felt that twinge of enjoying how he would sing aggressively to her but this time instead of swooning she just pushed a hoof into his face and laughed as she eagerly hopped back into dancing beside him.

“’Cause baby tonight! The D-J got us fallin’ in love again!
Yeah, baby tonight! The D-J got us fallin’ in love again!
So dance, dance, like it’s the last, last night of your life, life!
Gon’ get you right!

’Cause baby tonight! The D-J got us fallin’ in love again!
Yeah, baby tonight! The D-J got us fallin’ in love again!
So dance, dance, like it’s the last, last night of your life, life!
Gon’ get you right!

’Cause baby tonight! The D-J got us fallin’ in love again.” When the song came to an end they were both huffing and sweating hard. They had completely lost themselves in the song as if simply dancing their problems away together. Sharing a song had still be intimate between them but it was clearly different now. They stared at each other sharing in what seemed more like the hilarity of an inside joke with a close friend rather than having feelings that we're romantic or promiscuous with each other.

“Heh, thank you DJ!” Rayne shouted above the crowd but then gave Vinyl a look which surprised her. She removed her sunglasses and stared at him with her deep vermilion eyes. The meaning of his message was clear and she knew that the dark stallion who had helped her business so much would not be returning again. Replacing her glasses she gave him a big smile and two hooves up to wish him luck. He nodded back and wrapped his arm around Starlight’s shoulder as the two made their way out the door together.

Author's Notes:

Alright so I'm pretty sure this was explained well enough, but if you didn't piece it together I'll explain it for you.

Vinyl told Rayne where to find Svengallop when he lost it all after Ra Ra ruined his career. Rayne approached Svengallop in panther form and struck his deal. After that they met in secret in Vinyl's club recording Rayne's albums and releasing them incognito under the name Faceless. Once Rayne got changeling magic he started doing underground performances. He hired Svengallop to keep other music producers off his back as he didn't want to publicly market his songs. Instead he sells them at a premium to an "out of town distributor" whose identity is not yet revealed. But Vinyl gets a break for helping him. This is why Vinyl agrees to play any song he asks when he visits. But in keeping the name 'Faceless' illusive they could only find a seedy underworld dive in Manehattan to renovate into a dance club. And cleaning out the scum that associated there has been a challenge. Any questions?

Oh and of course, Rayne made it very clear to Svengallop that taking advantage of ponies from being the manager of Faceless would have dire consequences for him. Svengallop also knows about Rayne's panther form and his wolves, but he'd be a fool to leak that information to anyone.

Rayne's bandmates are just innocent musicians who know of none of this. They're just happy to get to perform with the infamous Faceless.

Okay so at the end of the chapter Rayne didn't mean to miss the train. He was still mourning his rejection from Starlight, got drunk, and lost track of time. And yes, right in mid song the two of them broke up from dating each other and are just friends now. Maud is now the only mare that Rayne is dating seriously while still keeping close relations to AJ and Rainbow Dash.

The songs here were Butterflies by Michael Jackson and DJ Got us Fallin in Love Again by Usher.

Yes, the gold album that played in this chapter is the same album Rayne was going to use to beat Pinkie with in their rap battle until he decided to let her win. But Butterflies was not the song he was going to use at that time.