Author's Notes:

The two songs I used are :

Club Entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peGFiNe2TOY

Dance Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB-mMrWYado

Times come in a man’s life where he has to ask himself how he got where he is. For instance, eight years ago, I had been throwing hay and drinking beer with my friends, from there it was Langley and the Farm, then all over the world doing shady business for Uncle Sam, through the portal, everything led me right here. Arm in arm with a Goddess, strolling down a cobblestone street on another world, heading to get shit-mixed and dance like a moron with my family in tow.

It appears I’ve come full circle.

I hadn’t asked when Celestia slid her arm into mine, or when Luna followed suit, but I could tell the Fam had questions. Celestia had headed them off at the pass by saying that Equestrians were very touchy with their close friends. Luna smirked and side-eyed us so hard I was worried her face was going to get stuck like that, before dropping back a little and offering her arm to Mom, who accepted with a laugh. We walked like that, Luna directing us to this club she had opened upon her return from the Moon. Somewhere for the ponies to party all night she’d said, a refuge from loneliness and solitude.

"The Lunar Lament" was one of the most amazing clubs I’d ever seen, all dark and dangerous looking, black marble covered the outside, seemingly absorbing light from the street lamps, no doubt due to some charm, the effect was cool as shit. Luna or “Star” in her disguise took the lead, speaking in hushed tones to the massive Earth pony bouncer, who smiled widely at being addressed by such a beautiful mare. He nodded after a few moments, and Luna gave us the wave. We filed across the street and into the pounding bass of the club’s interior. Everywhere ponies were having the time of their lives, drinking, and dancing, making out in dark corners. Strobing lights illuminated the dance floor, where a mass of bodies gyrated to hard beats put out by the white-coated blue-maned unicorn behind the turntables.

Luna snuck up behind our little group throwing her arms around my family, “What do we think?”

“I’m in love!” Jen shouted over the roar of the music.

Music I recognized. Damn, that takes me back.

Luna grinned, “Then, let us, as they say, do some damage!”

Mom looked like she was already having a great time, “I’m glad you came out, Mama.”

“Me too! She shouted back, “Your Father looks a little green.”

“Yeah, I never figured him for a dubstep man.” I said with a laugh, “The drinks will help!”

Tia or “Dusk” strolled up “To the bar, then?”

“Lead on.” I reached down and squeezed her hand.

She shot me a million-watt smile, grabbing both mine and Mom’s hand, leading us through the crowd to the overcrowded bar Dad following close behind. We elbowed our way into a spot where a pretty Unicorn mare was mixing drinks. “Hello!” Tia shouted over the din, “I need two Dragonsfire, and do you have Human liquor?” The bartender nodded, “Very good,” she turned to Mom, “For you, Sandra?”

“Tequila Sunrise!” Came the response.

Tia nodded, “And for you, Michael?”

“Shot of Jameson and a beer, please! Whatever’s good!”

As Tia ordered our drinks, I surveyed the crowd, finally spotting Jen and Luna at a tucked-away booth, sipping cocktails and laughing. I pointed them out to Mom and Dad, giving them a “We’ll meet you there” Gesture. They set off through the crowd, eventually making it to the booth, this gave me ample opportunity to get closer to Tia without setting off any lines of questioning I wasn’t ready for. I took my shot, sliding my hands around her hips and pulling her into me. Without missing a beat, she began to grind her ass against my crotch to the remixed beat of the old Earth song, shooting sultry looks over her shoulder. Times like these the energy she brought to our relationship made me wonder why I hadn’t put a ring on it already. After only s few moments, the bartender returned with our drinks, two regular looking drinks, and two angry-looking red and orange concoctions that seemed to change color depending on the angle of your gaze. Tia offered me the latter and took the former herself to begin weaving through the crowd to the booth.

Everyone offered a smile as we approached, “One tequila sunrise for Sandra, nice touch, by the way, a shot and a beer for Michael, and two Dragonfires for us.” She smiled softly at me as I passed her her drink and we settled in, her shoulder and thigh touching mine, we could just blame it on the tightness of the booth if nothing else. Celestia stared at me, expectantly with a hint of excitement, waiting for me to try the drink. Fuck it; I took a deep slug of the oddly colored liquid.

It felt like someone punched me in the face with velvet gloves, there was some orange in there somewhere, but the rest of the flavors I could only guess at, maybe Equestrian Spice-fruit? Either way, it was intense, smooth, and there was a lot of it left.

“Holy hell Dusk, this is dangerous, I could keep drinking these all night!”

Luna grinned, “Sister invented them some thousand years ago. We are pleased to see they are still on the menu.”

“Well, for something this good, they damn well better be!” A pleasant warmth diffused throughout my whole body, oh yeah this was a “where the fuck are my pants kinda” drink. In no time we were ordering more, everyone loosening up nicely.

“So then I said, put that duck back where it came from before I get involved, my damn self!” Jen finished a story to raucous laughter from the table.

I wiped a tear from my eye, “Never gets old man.”

Celestia excused herself to the restroom, still chuckling at Jen’s story and disappearing into the crowd.

“So Star, are you guys really immortal?” Jen asked, swirling a finger in her Vodka Redbull Mix.

Luna nodded, “Yes, in terms of lifespan, but no insofar as injury, we can still be killed, it just takes much more effort than the average pony.”

“Wow,” Mom interjected, “What happens if one of you dies? I don’t mean to be rude, sorry, Tequila.”

“Not a worry fair Sandra, if one of us were to expire, it would mean the end of the heavenly body that we control. For instance, if those vile monsters that attacked the palace were successful in taking Tia, her death would mean the death of the Sun.”

I’m pretty sure everyone at the table blanched as the implication sunk in.

“Which is why it was so fortuitous that Zack happened to be there when he did.”

Celestia popped back from the restroom with four more Dragonfires in tow. Sliding into the seat next to me.

“Good Lord, Woman! Trying to kill me?”

“Hardly, simply trying to get you drunk, my dear friend.” I smiled, and she returned it, the alcohol making us both a little bolder it seemed. I held her honeyed gaze for a moment, and somewhere in the background, the music shifted.

The DJ was on fire tonight, spinning a mix of Human and Equestrian tracks, the atmosphere was beautiful, and I let myself get lost in it, as Tia trailed her nails up and down my thigh. Tonight was shaping up to be perfect until a new track came on. “Are you shitting me? Does this chick have my Spotify playlist?

Celestia motioned me to get closer and whispered in my ear. “Can you still dance?”

“Circles around you, I’m sure.” I finished with a wink.

She looked indignant, scoffing, “Is that a challenge?”

“Abso-fuckin-lutely”

She said nothing, simply grabbed my hand, and pulled me to my feet, leading me to the dance floor.

“Show her what is up, dear friend!” Fucking Luna.

“And now by special request, from one of our patrons and her Human friend, clear the dance floor, and let’s see what they got!” Came the booming announcement from the DJ booth.

Ah fuck, really?

In a flash the Dance floor was ours, Tia rolling her shoulders and hips and she centered herself, looking back at me with a raised eyebrow, her whole posture screaming:

Come and get me

I tossed my jacket to one of the stallions standing on the perimeter, unbuttoning and rolling up my sleeves as I stalked towards Celestia, she wanted to play this game? Fine. The song began again, and she took a few steps back, feigning fear as I closed in like a shark circling prey before a sultry smirk crossed her face, and she planted her feet, waiting. I kept moving closer and closer; she brought her hand up as if to stop me, I grasped her fingers and spun her, dress billowing as she twirled, our hand meeting at the apex with an audible snap. I pulled her close as we began to move; the rhythm takes over. From there we whirled and flew into a set of moves that left people and ponies alike staring, I tossed Celestia across my back, catching her deftly as she sank to a knee, back leg trailing in a half split, I slowly drug her across the floor before pulling her tight against me. She pulled away, stalking towards the gathered crowd, just as she reached them I grabbed her arms, pulling her back while letting her lean close to the faces of a few stallions, when I pulled again she retreated, leaving them leaning for a touch that wasn’t coming. A few more spins and the song ended with Celestia’s leg high on my hip, leaning back my hand running down her face and ghosting over her chest as the last of the beat ebbed away. We were both breathing hard, and if the blush on Tia’s face was anything to go by, she was just as turned on as I was.

It took a moment before the cheers started, and I’m sure Jen and Luna had a hand in kicking it off, the roar of the crowd building, and I just couldn’t help myself, I kissed her deeply, the cheers getting louder. After a moment we separated, still trying to catch our breath, I offered the open-mouthed DJ a two-finger salute as we walked back to our table. Everyone was staring at us like we’d grown another head or two.

Jen looked like a cat having swallowed the canary, “Anything you two want to tell us?”

“What?”

“Well, the dancing was amazing. I had no idea that you’d kept up the lessons. But that kiss, though!”

Celestia turned red under her grey coat before sighing, “Well, I suppose there’s no hiding it now, hmm?”

I nodded, “Yeah, that was all my bad.”

“Do you mind if I?”

“Not at all, go ahead hun.”

Celestia took a deep breath before beginning.

“Zack and I, especially after the attack, became close, over time those feelings morphed into…something more. I fell in love with him, and he with me.” Was she blushing? It almost seemed like she was struggling to get through her little speech, which just made it all the more adorable. “Shortly after an operation to apprehend those responsible for the attack, Zack finally confessed his feelings, which I returned. We have become an “item” as it were, and as his family, I hope that I will have your blessing.”

Mom almost choked on her shot. “What?!”

Jen dropped her drink with a clatter.

Dad just whispered, “Nice.”

I tried to slide under the table.

Luna was beaming, “Verily Sandra, they are like two school foals, discreetly, of course, but it is rather sickening.”

Celestia just looked nervous, immortal ruler of the Sun, and a whole-ass nation to boot, worried about my family’s approval.

Mom recovered quickly, “I’m sorry Celestia, You just caught me off guard. I never in a million years expect- well, that's entirely beside the point. After meeting you, I can see that you care for my Son. I saw it the moment you saw him in the courtyard today.” Like I said, too perceptive for her good. “As a mother, I can only say be kind to him, treat him right…Or you’ll have me to answer to. He’s been through too much to be somebody’s plaything ” Mom’s tone was deadly serious.

Celestia nodded as serious as I’d ever seen her, “You have my word that my feelings are genuine, and that I would never dream of hurting him.”

Mom seemed satisfied, her serious expression morphing into a broad smile, “Well then, congratulations, you two.”

Jen finally recovered her marbles, “I mean, what? You two are together?”

I nodded, reaching over to grab Tia’s hand, “Yeah, have been for a few months now, I didn’t say anything because of the implications for both Tia and I. My job doesn’t allow for being in the public eye, nobody outside of this room can know, for now at least. My team suspects, but that’s just water-cooler bullshit.”

Jen looked thoughtful for a moment, “I see your point, well I’m behind you all the way Zack. Congrats.”

“I think it’s fantastic.” Dad added, “It’s about time you found a good woman; I’m happy for you both.”

Celestia beamed, “Oh, thank the Maker; I was so nervous. Zack has told me about some of his past relationships; I simply couldn’t believe that anyone could be so cruel.”

“Believe it.” Mom all but growled, “I’m still contemplating running some people over with my car.”

We all laughed at that one, the tension, if it existed, fled in that brutally honest moment. “So,” I asked “More shots?”

A chorus of assent later and I was halfway out of my chair when Tia tugged on my hand, I leaned down, thinking she had something to add, she surprised the hell out of me, pulling me into her lap and attempting to suck my face off.

“Whoo!”

Goddamnit Luna

She released me from the lightning bolt of a kiss a little worse for wear and kept that sultry gaze on me as I caught my breath. “It feels wonderful to do that without being afraid.”

I kissed her again, “Hell, yes, it does.” I patted her on the thigh and then stumbled off to get more booze.

The night was still young, after all.