Artemis Sparkshower

---

This is what she’d always wanted. There she was, in the ballroom of Canterlot Palace, at the Grand Galloping Gala, in a beautiful dress, dancing the night away. There was a live orchestra playing a lineup of mostly waltzes with a few lively polkas and two-steps thrown in for some excitement. And, to crown it all off, there was a handsome colt dancing with her: pleasant-faced, broad-shouldered, well-trimmed, and sharp-looking in his tailored tailcoat and starched collar. He was a tall one, too; tall enough to look proper next to Artemis, from what she could tell in her stolen glances towards the thin mirrors that hung between the row of doors to the main hall.

Artemis couldn't have flown any higher if she’d tried.

So why didn’t she feel like she was flying high?

Yes, she was enjoying herself, but she felt strangely unfulfilled, and as a result, a little distracted. Not so much that she missed a single hoof in dancing, though, not even with this relatively unfamiliar two-step. It was a pretty recent dance craze sweeping the ballrooms of Equestria, and Artemis hadn't had a chance to learn it yet. Her companion clearly knew the moves, though, and he led her through them easily despite her inexperience. He didn’t say a word — not that he needed to; he was good enough with his dapper-shod hooves that Artemis got the motions implicitly.

It was a bit incredible; she didn’t think she’d ever been so effortlessly guided at a dance before, not even when she was first led around the floor by her coach, back in school.

Certainly Huckleberry never managed anything like this, but that was a low hurdle to steeplechase over; Artemis had often led him for the first few times with each new dance. It could take him a while to get him to a point where he was competent enough to take the reins, but she had been willing to put in the effort. In the end, when he was able to lead her, it was always worth it. Maybe this present ease she felt was just from being generally more experienced, even if not in this particular promenade? And how many times had her current partner wordlessly taught the two-step to a mare?

That thought nagged at Artemis a bit.

Not that she had presented herself to him with any expectation that this interaction should go any further than the ballroom, of course; this was her stepping up to get what she wanted out of this event. Now she could tell everypony back in Berry that, on top of everything else that had happened on this assignment, she’d also been led around the dance floor at the Grand Galloping Gala by a handsome unicorn colt. Probably a member of the nobility!

‘Not that that really matters to me, but who knows?’

Sure, they hadn't been properly introduced. And sure, it seemed like she wasn't the first novice he'd introduced to the two-step.

But wasn't it wonderful and magical all the same?

Artemis took a breath, and for a moment, she dropped the smile she’d been wearing. He didn’t seem to notice, perhaps taking that for an expression of struggle to follow along in the movements. The next guiding push, she felt, was very slightly firmer than the last. Even though Artemis couldn't keep her face up, he made sure she didn't miss a beat when it came to her hooves.

‘He really is good at this.’

She glanced over at the group of colts she’d picked him out from. In the blurred vision imposed by the quick, bouncing motions of the energetic dance, they all blended together: a flock of largely identical and interchangeable stallions. Sure, some were shorter and some were taller, and some were broader or narrower, and some had their manes up while others had them down, but did it really make a difference?

‘Thundershowers, I don’t even know his name!’

‘But then, wasn't that on me?’

She hadn't asked, and he hadn't ventured. Artemis just curtsied and said, "Good evening, sir. Would you care to lead me to the floor?"

And he'd replied with a smile and a bow, "Certainly, madam, it would be my pleasure."

It hadn't been cold. Only... lukewarm.

And maybe that's what was sapping her enjoyment. Skilled and handsome as he was, Artemis simply had zero emotional connection to this colt. Yes, this was fun and the environment was beautiful, and she was learning a new dance, but without a connection, it just didn't feel special.

She had hoped to be doing this with somepony she knew.

Her partner didn't have to be a fantastic dancer; that wasn't the point. The Royal Engineer had made a few missteps during the Lipizzaner Waltz, forgetting which move came after which, and Artemis had been the one to lead the recovery, but that had still felt better than this.

Even dancing with Huckleberry and his four left hooves could feel better, when he was putting confidence and effort into it.

Gosh, she might’ve almost been happier to dance with one of her own comrades; not in the romantic way, of course, but they wouldn't have been in the only mare-pair on the floor, and at least she would’ve been having fun with someone she knew.

‘Maybe I ought to start the ball rolling on connecting with this handsome stallion?’

Artemis knew that other couples around her were talking; she could hear and see them.

‘But how to break the ice?’

‘Well, momma always said you can’t go wrong with a nice compliment.’

After a quiet bridge by the woodwinds, the band started into a reprise of the marching tune's main theme, signaling an impending end to the piece. That would be her time to strike; Artemis focused on the steps as she waited for the big finale, and the pause before they started the next tune. The brass took up the theme once again, louder than the last, repeating the final notes before going quiet.

There was a brief, polite applause from the dancers and lookers-on. Artemis made sure to give her partner a warm smile. "That was lovely. You're very good at this."

His own smile was modest, but appreciative. "Thank you. Do you dance the Wheatstone Post Two-Step often?"

He knew she didn't; he was being polite. And he was very tactful in his phrasing, asking how often, instead of how many times, or how much.

Artemis shook her head gently. "Not as much as I'd like to."

He glanced over towards the orchestra; following his gaze, she saw one of the performers start to set up with a small square concertina.

Then he turned back to her.

"I think a tango will be next. Would it please you to continue, Miss...?"

"Sparkshower."

She curtsied again, and he gave the same polite bow as when she’d first met him, only this time he lifted up her right forehoof in his own. "Charmed, Miss Sparkshower. I'm Pacesetter."

‘Okay, that's step one accomplished.’

It still wasn’t enough to feel a connection, but at least now Artemis could say she’d had a good time dancing with Mister Pacesetter, instead of just a nameless colt in a white-tie tailcoat.

There was still a little time for some more talk before the next dance started. Artemis’ mister of the moment set himself up to be ready for the music. "Do you tango as often as you two-step?"

He sure doesn't waste any time. Which, she reflected, wasn't a problem; the orchestra wouldn't be around all night, and she really wanted to do some more ballroom dancing before the modern stuff began.

"More so," Artemis couldn't help but blush a bit as she sat up facing him. "Though still not as much as I'd like."

The tango wasn't exactly a popular dance in back-country Berry; she’d only been exposed to it after joining the Royal Guard and quartering closer to metropolitan Cloudsdale. She’d attended a few raucous nights out with the rest of her battalion when timing or weather just didn't work out for visiting Huckleberry.

"I'm certain,” Pacesetter began, “the orchestra will provide us a few numbers this evening before wrapping up, even though some elders still frown on it as scandalous. Is it popular in your circles?"

It took the pegasus a moment, but she realized the question he was asking wasn't about the tango. He wanted to know what society she came from — what place, and what people.

That put her on edge a bit.

A well-mannered and impeccably-dressed unicorn colt, who had been clustered with a gaggle of similarly-immaculate peers? Surely he had to be from some well-heeled Canterlot family? Maybe not major nobility, since Artemis didn't recognize the name, and he hadn’t introduced himself with a title — then again, maybe he was, since they didn't always like to flaunt it, and he might not be a direct inheritor.

‘And against that possibility, here I am, an ordinary, common soldier?’

Okay, maybe Artemis wasn’t ordinary, but she was still common — as in commoner. Would that be good enough for a gentlecolt like him? Or did it even matter, in the context of simply enjoying some dancing together? She’d heard a joke once that "you can't get somepony being you, you gotta lie to get somepony!" but that wasn't something she was prepared to do.

He was still waiting for an answer.

"I'm afraid I'm still a little new to Canterlot, so I'm not sure."

She’d decided to keep it simple; she did live in Canterlot at the moment, and she was a little new, and she hadn’t gone out ballroom dancing in Canterlot until now.

It wasn’t the whole truth of the matter, but it wasn't a lie, either.

The accordion and strings began to play their sharp-edged tune, and in a moment, Pacesetter took off with her. Artemis was a lot more familiar with these steps, and it showed. Not for a moment did she hesitate, or doubt what he wanted her to do. He picked up on it, too, and led her into more complicated moves, which she easily followed.

‘But the tango's really not that hard; even Huckleberry got it quickly.’

She glanced over towards her table, spying the tall Royal Engineer chatting with somepony on his left, but she couldn't make them out through the crowd. It was a shame he didn't feel comfortable stepping out here with her — or with anypony at all, actually. True, he'd made some mistakes in the Lipizzaner Waltz, and that was after a lot of practice, so to a certain extent, she understood his reluctance to venture out onto the floor again, untrained as he was in anything else. After all, he'd only really started dancing with ponies a couple of weeks ago.

Well, he'd said he would get up when modern nightclub-style stuff started. Artemis had that to look forward to, at least. The night was still young, and full of opportunity.

The pegasus’ partner dipped her sharply, and she couldn't help but beam with pleasure as the two of them executed the gesture without any trouble. As much as she used to get hung up about her size, and got teased about it, it wasn't like Artemis was genuinely too large to be handled by an 'ordinary' colt. Not even by a unicorn, often considered the physically 'weakest' of the three Equestrian races.

Though she had still felt obliged to select the tallest colt out of his group of doppelgangers.

That thought made Artemis glance back over towards her Very Important Pony again.

He was plenty tall enough for her.

‘What was it Lily said she'd fantasized about while she was mana-burning? Being clutched under one arm, couched against his hip, defended by his shield while she let rip with her missiles?’

It’s not quite what springs her wings, but she understood the appeal.

"Have your eye on somepony over there, Miss Sparkshower?" The unicorn in front of her had caught her looking.

‘Time for another incomplete truth.’

"Just my friends. We're watching out for each other tonight."

Pacesetter raised an eyebrow. "Is this your first Gala? I've never heard of it being anything but safe. With the exception of last year, I suppose."

Honour hadn’t mentioned anything strange happening last year, when she was on duty. She was stuck in a guardroom, though.

"You were there? What happened?"

Pacesetter sniffed a bit. "Nothing serious, just a lark with a few smashed decorations and some spilled food. They kept it out of the papers, but I dare say it livened up the mood. The Gala could use a bit more of the avant-garde." Then his eyes lit up a bit. "Will you be staying for when the musicians retire in favor of the turntables?"

It was obvious he was looking forward to that style more than this formal dancing.

"I plan to."

He knew ballroom, which meant he'd been taught, which meant he probably was from a well-to-do family of some sort. Then again, Artemis had been taught as well, and her family was definitely not well-to-do, so what did that say? He was very well-mannered, but she knew how to behave cordially as well, so that was no help in pinning him down. Nor for him to pin her down, either.

Actually, upon reflection, he hadn't actually confirmed that he'd been at the Gala last year, only that he knew what happened.

‘Oooh, hailstorms!’

Things hadn't been this complicated Tuesday night, when she was being swarmed with colts who didn't seem to care about her social status or her breeding or even that she was wearing a baroque tartan to a hip nightclub. That had really been something else, and she was still not quite sure she understood what happened.

She’d felt just... open.

Open to talk, open to flirt, open to dance, open to intimacy, open to anything.

And every colt around her had seemed to sense it.

Was it some animal instinct? Or was it some kind of subconscious alteration to her gait? Her gaze? Her posture? Her movements?

Whatever it was, it had taken a very conscious effort to hold herself back. Artemis hadn't dared allow herself to step out on the floor. If she had, she felt certain it would’ve inevitably ended up with her in bed with that colt. Maybe not even in bed; just in the washroom, beast-with-two-backing it in a toilet stall.

And she was pretty sure it wouldn't have stopped with just one.

From the way they were all coming on to her, she didn't think they were able to resist at all, either. She had wound up getting fairly physical with several of them just standing there.

'Light petting,' Cosmoponitan magazine called it.

Things progressed even to 'medium petting,' at points, even if she had shut that down quickly before things could get out of hoof.

Thundershowers, just thinking about that night sent something up her spine — and down her hind legs, too. It couldn't have just been the alcohol or the exhilaration of victory; it had to be another side-effect of her 'temporary abomination.' Just like how she had gotten sick at dawn, or had strange dreams of eating and drinking, or the way she’d been so righteously angry that she’d threatened to run Songwell through without any provocation. And while it was terrifying to feel her inhibitions drop out from under her hooves, Artemis had to admit the animal magnetism that the 'echoes' of the Accursed Shadow had bestowed on her had certainly been effective.

How many calling cards did she ultimately wind up stuffing into her belted plaid? More than enough to make any mare jealous, she was certain.

‘Imagine being able to attract colts like that anytime I wanted!’

Just ‘attract’? Or was 'lure' the better word?

Aggression, dreams of eating meat and drinking, being able to attract colts as if by magnetism? It hadn't escaped her notice that there was something predatory about all those things. Both Ignacio and Ebonshield had described Accursed Shadows as predators of a sort. Feral creatures, thriving on fear, feeding on the life of others. And, having been possessed once, even if in a controlled situation, made ponies more susceptible to being possessed again...

What would the third, the tenth, the fifteenth time look like, if Artemis kept training with Lily? How many more sessions would their unicorn teammate need to figure out exactly how to blast those horrible things out of anypony, and then completely out of this world, like a professional?

With all this running through her head, Artemis barely noticed that she was being dipped and the music had stopped. Pacesetter lifted her back up slowly, then released her and gave a bow. He looked over towards the orchestra and began to applaud. Artemis followed his gaze.

‘Wait, they're packing up?’

‘Not just the accordion-player, but the whole band?’

The conductor was inviting all the players to stand and bow, even as servants were clearing stands and papers. Just how long had she been deep in her own thoughts, pondering everything while flying through tangos like some clockwork automaton?

Still foggy coming out of the trance, she joined in the applause as well.

When that died down, Artemis’ partner turned back to her. "It's been my pleasure to dance with you this evening, Miss Sparkshower. I hope the feeling is mutual. Would you care to continue together after the changeover?"

‘Oh.’

‘He wants to keep going?’

That possibility hadn't crossed her mind at all. She had nothing against him, but what about the Royal Engineer? Honour and Eb had both cautioned her to take it slow with him.

...Although she wasn’t one hundred percent certain if Purity wasn't also talking about if she ever had to stab him. She seemed to rather intimately link sex and violence in the way that she spoke.

‘Anyways, back to Pacesetter and being honest but coy.’

"I promised somepony in my group I'd help them get warmed up on the floor to start, as they're very new here. But after the first few tracks, maybe?"

After all, why shouldn’t she keep enjoying herself with this unicorn colt? Maybe she could learn some more about him, and see what he can learn about her; and besides, she didn't want to smother Anon. Plus, hadn't Lily mentioned that envy was a powerful tool for catching a date? She could work it both ways, on Anonymous and on Pacesetter...

Then again, it could also backfire on her, if she saw Anon dancing with anyone outside of their quaternion.

‘Just have to keep my cool about it; not like when I spotted him speaking with Princess Twilight Sparkle.’

Artemis’ partner smiled and bowed again. "Certainly. I understand how the Gala floor can be intimidating." He nodded towards the same flock of colts where she’d first found him, still roosting up against the wall, in the corner of the dance floor. "If we don't find each other, make enquiries with my group there. Ask for Albert."

‘Albert Pacesetter?’

It still didn’t ring any bells, but at least now Artemis had a full name to go on. She decided to keep things on the level, and pointed back at her table. "I will, Albert. And likewise, you may ask for Artemis over there."

Like a proper gentlecolt, he lifted up her forehoof and bent to kiss it, then released and backed away with another bow, before turning to return to his gang.

‘I’d better go collect Anonymous if I want to start him off with the opening modern dance.’

Things sure did seem to move quickly at the Gala, in more ways than one — just as she'd been warned by one Lieutenant Valiant Kilfeather. It was apparent that as much as he was capable of deplorable deeds, that colt did often know what he was talking about — the Gala, the Games, combat in general...

By the time Artemis arrived back at the table, the crowds of tired, older guests had thinned out, replaced by throngs of younger ponies eager for a hipper beat. The rearmost tier of the raked orchestra stand had already been converted into a simple stage and sound booth. Hip-looking ponies with baggy pants, backwards-turned baseball caps, and rows of gold chains around their necks were already wiring up the station's equipment.

"LAAAAAAAAAAADIES AND GENTLECOLTS!" The crowd erupted into a cheer as one of them took up the microphone. "WELCOME TO THE MAIN EVENT!"

‘Hurricanes, that's loud!’

Louder than a hurricane, actually, and they hadn’t even plugged in all the speakers yet!

The pegasus stepped up besides her VIP, but before she could proposition him, he got to his feet. "Artemis, you're back just in time! I hope you didn't wear yourself out before I could punch your dance card!"

‘Perfect!’

"Not at all!"

A seat over, Lily grinned and saluted Artemis by raising her nearly-empty champagne flute. "All right! Let 'er rip, you two! Let's see some real moves! Woo!"

Purity gave her a quick nod as well, though she seemed busy scanning the room and looked about ready to bolt from her chair. Doubtless she'd already picked out her first target and was just waiting for a clear avenue of assault.

‘Gosh, she's got me thinking in stabby terms for her finding a partner, too.’

‘...Or maybe it's just the liquor.’

Honour gave Artemis a look that she couldn't really read. Then she smiled briefly.

"Have fun out there."

Artemis gave a smile in turn. "Thanks."

Before she could get another word in, the loudmouthed MC started up again with the microphone. "NOW TELL ME, ARE Y'ALL READY TO GET DOWN?"

There was a youthful cheer, and many forehooves thrown in the air.

‘No wonder all the stiff-upper-lip elder gentlecolts scrambled away so quickly. They're even dimming the chandeliers and setting up disco balls!’

Anon tossed his hat back at the table; he said something, but Artemis couldn't make it out over the crowd.

"NAW, NAW, NAW, COME ON! I CAN'T HEAR Y'ALL! I ASKED IF Y'ALL ARE READY TO GET DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWNNN?"

The cheer was so loud that time Artemis impulsively flattened her ears against her head to muffle it. What was that Honour had said about last year's Gala being ridiculously loud? Artemis really hoped that wasn't about to be repeated. She wanted to feel the beat, not be deafened to it!

"AWWWW YEAH!" There was a brief pause while the MC turned around behind him, only to get a hooves-up from the DJ at the discs. "YEAH, WE READY! BUT FIRST, I GOTS TA INTRODUCE SOME VERY, SPECIAL, PONIES. SO LET'S START BY GIVING IT UP FOR THE VERY LATEST ADDITION TO THE ALICORN ASSOCIATION, THE PURPLE PONY OF POWER, THE ELEMENT OF FRIENDSHIP, HER HIGHNESS PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPAARRRRRKLE!"

At his cue, the DJ blasted straight into an energetic dance tune.

---

Suggested background music: 2 Unlimited - "Twilight Zone" [1992]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecrf9uoHSTc

---

The very alicorn that Anonymous had been speaking with appeared on-stage, stepping up next to the bowing MC. She waved to the crowd, and there was another, greatly subdued cheer of approval as people seemed more interested in starting to dance. Even the MC was starting to groove up on stage, and seeing this, Her Highness began bouncing a bit, too. It looked a little awkward, but then it got even worse when she closed her eyes, reared back, and started just flailing with her forehooves, barely in time to the beat.

Artemis wasn’t really a judgemental type, but it was terrible.

‘She must not have any rhythm at all.’

"YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, FEEL THAT BASS, YEAH!" The MC bounced around even more, encouraging her to keep going hard. They made quite a pair, off-tempo Princess and a colt with a flat-brimmed baseball hat so big it seemed like he could just tuck himself completely up into it.

To say nothing of the heaps of chains that might just weigh more than Artemis’ whole armor set, or the baggy pants that were big enough for her to use as a caparison.

‘And does he still have the shiny label sticker on his hat?’

‘Who does that?’

‘Well, at least nobody should feel awkward starting to dance after that performance.’

Finally, after following Anon through the crowd for what felt like an eternity, he managed to stake out a free square. Artemis landed on her forehooves, and immediately the Royal Engineer turned around to face her, a broad smile on his face. He started bobbing and weaving to the beat, and she joined in as well.

‘Now this is more like it!’

Their motions were unrefined, and scarcely coordinated between the two of them, and yet somehow Artemis felt a closer connection with Anon then she did with Mister Pacesetter. It would be hard to rip herself away from this to find Albert, but she’d have to do it — for her own good.

Artemis’ new bipedal partner kicked it up a notch, and his gradual abandonment of restraint was infectious. Pretty soon she found herself flailing almost as wildly as the very pony she’d just been criticizing up on stage.

Then the MC butted in again. "YEAH-YEAH-YEAH AWRIGHT! ONCE MORE FOR PRINCESS TWILIGHT!"

There was an even milder applause, mostly because everypony was too busy getting down to dance, but Anon at least stopped his arm motions to join in polite clapping, so Artemis did too.

Her Highness looked almost relieved to be leaving the stage.

The DJ mixed in a new track as the MC continued.

---

Suggested background music: Yello - "Oh Yeah" [1987]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jJkdRaa04g

---

"AND NOW Y'ALL IT'S TIME FOR US TO GIVE THE HIGHEST OF PRAISE, THE BIGGEST OF CHEERS, THE PINNACLE OF APPRECIATION, TO THE ABSOLUTE STARS OF THE MAIN EVENT. LET'S HEAR IT FOR THEIR MAJESTIES PRINCESS CELESTIA AND PRINCESS LUNA, OHH YEAH!"

The crowd erupted in a deafening cheer, and there was some kind of commotion near the stage. Anon craned his head, his brow furrowed, before breaking out into a smile and a laugh.

Artemis turned and had to flap a couple of times to get high enough to see what was going on.

The two sister-princesses were slowly being pulled out onto the dance floor on an extravagant quadriga-style chariot drawn by four guardscolts -- two Royal Guards harnessed side-by-side with two Night Guards. It wasn’t exactly a quick procession, what with the crowd having to part ways to let the vehicle through, but Their Majesties seemed to be enjoying themselves, sitting on their haunches, smiling at the crowd, waving and poking their forehooves in time with the music.

‘They even look like they're sort of singing along; that's cute.’

The chariot finally arrived in front of the DJ booth and stopped to let the diarchs blow kisses to the MC, who playfully opened his mouth and clasped his hooves to his cheeks, then his chest, as if he couldn't believe they just did that thing which had very obviously been prearranged. After more waving to the people, they disembarked, and the chariot wheeled around to turn back the way it came.

‘Looks like this is now officially a Royal dance floor.’

Artemis saw the DJ start up another turntable and place their hoof on the fader slider, mixing in a new song. As the new beat came in, she lowered down a pair of stylish purple shades and started to groove along on-stage.

"ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT PARTY PEOPLE, THAT'S THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, NOW LET'S GO, GALA TIME! DJ PONE-3 GO ON 'N TAKE US GRANDLY GALLOPING INTO THE NIGHT! YEAH!"

Unlike the two poppy tunes used to introduce the princesses, this one was a proper modern dance track, and it soon launched into a deep, throbbing bass. Within moments, everypony on the whole floor was bouncing along with it, Artemis and Anon included.

It was a flap up from a moment before, and finally, she really did feel high up on cumulonimbus cloud nine. Maybe not at the absolute peak — they weren’t so much dancing together as they were dancing in front of each other, but she felt connected. Anon had his eyes on her, and she had her eyes on him.

The two of them started playing with moves, throwing new twists back and forth. He’d stop and do a spin, and then she’d repeat it back. She’d rear back and wave a forehoof in the air, and in response he'd get down low, spreading his arms as if supporting her. He put his left hand out, and she matched it with her right forehoof, clasping together as she continued to dance in place. When she got up on her hind hooves and started turning again, he sidled up behind her, shadowing her foreleg motions with his arms and mirroring the turn.

‘That's nice, but it'd be better if he'd put a hand on me…’

Artemis reached a forehoof up to guide him down onto her shoulder, at least. In the heat of the moment, the crowd seemed to part around her, as if pushed away by the sheer force of her connection with this stallion. When she felt his fingers against the frog of her hoof, she closed her eyes.

"There thou art, Anonymous!"

Artemis’ eyes shot open again to find Their Majesties Princess Celestia and Princess Luna dancing just beside her, and immediately she got back down on all fours.

‘Where did the Princess of the Sun get all those carnival bead necklaces she's wearing?’

‘And when did the Princess of the Moon put on those stockings and that striped hat?’

‘For that matter, where did they both get those glow-stick hoops that they've decorated themselves with?? They had none of that when they came in on the chariot!’

Artemis suddenly realized they were both stepping along to the music, so she got back to trotting in place. Behind her, the Royal Engineer never dropped the beat, and he bowed in place.

"Your Majesties! Great party!" Then he pointed his index fingers at their hooves, extending his thumb upwards. "...And nice moves!"

Celestia shut her eyes and grooved a little bit harder. "Hah! Thanks!"

It was a bit intimidating, dancing with abandon in front of the rulers of Equestria, but Artemis started to get back into the swing of it.

Luna smirked. "Do not think thy compliments excuse the way thou blewest Us off at the rotunda!"

‘Huh?’

Perhaps noticing her confusion, Celestia leans in a bit towards Artemis and Anon. "You skipped out on our receiving line after those sailors made a scene."

Luna pushed her chin out and pursed her lips. "And such impertinent behavior from one of Our councilors of the Blue Chamber, We cannot forgive!"

It was fairly obviously a mock display — the mood was too light. Still, being accosted by the diarchs of the palace, even in jest, put Artemis a bit on the defensive.

"Terribly sorry, your Majesties. Please accept our apologies: we had to help Honour escape from her father!"

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Escape her father? Ah, the plot thickens!"

Luna whinnied. "Only if thou continuest to visit the dessert table, sister dearest."

At that, the elder sister in question started to bounce back and forth even harder, turning to position her rear end closer to the younger sibling's muzzle. "Sorry, I can't hear anything over how much more fun I'm having than you."

Her Royal Majesty the Princess of the Moon blew a raspberry at Her Royal Majesty the Princess of the Sun. And then both proceeded to levitate their glow-rings in the air around them, raving with abandon.

Artemis looked up at the Royal Engineer, who was laughing even as he danced. Soon enough, she was fully back in the mood.

It was all a bit silly, but still wonderful.

The four of them danced all in a little group, and for a brief moment, Artemis almost saw the ceiling start to open up again into the stars, the same way it did when Luna visited in private. Then she realized that, actually, it was because a swarm of unicorns had joined the DJ on the stage, and they were using their horns to provide animated magical illumination for the dance floor. Flashing strobes, shimmering beams, colorful floods, and all manner of sparkling, glittering spotlights filled the room with ecstatic illumination, everything reflecting off of the spinning disco balls.

Artemis lost herself in the experience, dancing just for the love of life and the exhilaration of the moment; never mind trying to guide Anon's hands onto her. The DJ blended one song into another, and another.

Eventually, she remembered her pledge to Pacesetter.

‘But I’m having so much fun here and now!’

Well, at least she wouldn't be leaving Anon alone on the floor. What better company could he have than Their Majesties? And it wasn’t like he was hard to find, given how he was head-and-shoulders above everypony else but the ruling alicorns of Equestria.

Taking to the air, Artemis leaned her muzzle up against his ear. "Anon, I promised that other colt from earlier I'd see him again for a dance. Will you be alright?"

He nodded, pointing at the diarchs, then turned to speak into her ear in turn. "Sure, I'll be fine. Not like I'm alone out here! Go have fun! And don't be afraid to come back if it doesn't work out, or heck, bring him over here! This is where the real party's at, ha ha!"

It was good to hear he was having as much fun as he looked like he was having. Artemis was having fun, too. But well, it was the Gala. Much as she was interested in Anon, Artemis did need to take things slow with him, and she should really try something — or somepony — new.

‘Thundershowers, sometimes it was hard work taking the high air current!’

"I will. And I'm sure we'll dance again later tonight!"

Artemis blew him a little kiss and gave an airborne curtsy to her rulers, who barely nodded their heads in acknowledgement, understandably too busy enjoying the music to acknowledge every pony arriving or leaving.

‘Time to find Mr. Albert Pacesetter and see what sort of modern moves are in his repertoire!’

Next Chapter: Chapter 145 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 8 Minutes