Baby Blues

Prince Blueblood neatly adjusted his bow. Tonight was the annual Grand Galloping Gala, a certain event he feared ever since that crude white unicorn…what was her name? Ah yes, Rarity. Rarity was her name. That unsophisticated ruffian humiliated him in front of all the guests. Ever since that night, he dreaded going to the Gala.

The regal blond unicorn sighed. Maybe tonight things could be different. Perhaps he could even make amends with Rarity and become neighborly acquaintances at last. Although there was something more that Blueblood was looking forward too other than meeting Rarity. He desperately wanted to finally meet the newest addition to the Royal family; Princess Twilight Sparkle. He was a prince, and every prince needed a princess, afterall.

A guard poked his head through Blueblood’s bedroom door, “Sir, the Princesses have just arrived.”

Blueblood nodded, trotting after the guard as he led him to the ballroom. Everypony from the year before had returned, including Twilight’s friends. As usual, that obnoxious pink pony was standing on stage, loudly singing the Pony Pokey song. He cringed. As he and the guard walked forward to the welcoming room to greet the guests and meet with the Princesses, he saw her….her. Rarity.

There she was, chatting with Fancy Pants, wearing the same dress from last year. Blueblood looked a little closer at her dress and noticed that it was slightly stained. His ears drooped a bit, remembering that night when she exploded on him. Blueblood shook the memory off and regained his composure; now wasn’t the time to reminisce. Blueblood and his guard approached the four Princesses who each stood, greeting the guests and shaking their hooves while wishing them a wonderful time.

“Good evening, ladies.” He greeted, offering a small wave of his hoof.

Princess Celestia craned her head and smiled. “Oh, hello, my beloved nephew. The Gala looks amazing, doesn’t it? Twilight and her friends spent all day preparing for it.”

Blueblood inwardly rolled his eyes. He pasted on a fake grin, “It looks marvelous.” Then he took a glance at Twilight. He couldn’t help but smile dreamily. The purple mare sported the very same dress from the Gala before, and with her mane styled the way it was at her coronation, added to her divine beauty.  Twilight smiled at him, although he could tell that she was rather uncomfortable around him. He didn’t blame her.

Blueblood gently took Twilight’s hoof and planted a soft kiss on it. “You look gorgeous, my sweet princess.” He commented in a suave tone.

Twilight flinched, recoiling her hoof. She giggled nervously, “Oh, hello Blueblood. You look…erm…handsome.”

Cadence rolled her eyes at Blueblood’s attempts to flirt. Changing the subject, she looked down and noticed that her cup of punch was empty. She glanced at Luna’s cup, it too was rather low. With a sly grin, she looked at Blueblood and said, “Hey Blueblood. Luna and I appear to have run out of punch. Could you get us some more, please?” She asked in a musical voice.

Blueblood was reluctant, but of course he wanted to make a good impression for Twilight. He half glared, half smiled at Cadence and said with a clenched jaw, “Of course I can. I’ll be back shortly.” The unicorn levitated the drinks up and started to walk away, but not before shooting a suggestive wink toward Twilight. “Excuse me, ladies.”

The prince growled to himself as he trotted away from the four Princesses. “That Cadence! Trying to ruin my chances with Twilight. Well, forget her. I don’t want to waste precious time dealing with that mare while I try to wed my darling paramour.” While he was grumbling to himself, he didn’t notice the blue unicorn with a light gray and blue mane walking directly towards him.

Seconds later the two distracted ponies collided, which immediately jerked Blueblood out of his conflicted reverie. The young mare who had bumped into him snarled, “Watch where you’re going! I was only minding my own business walking here, why don’t you mind your own for a change?”

“I-I’m sorry miss, I wasn’t watching where I was going...and I—“ Blueblood was desperately trying to be reasonable with this mare. Ever since his encounter with Rarity he had learned his lesson and wanted to start his life anew, starting with a few simple resolutions; manners and decency.

The unicorn mare stood up and gasped as she noticed that the punch that Blueblood had previously been holding in his magical grip had spilled all over her gaudy purple dress. She squealed in dismay, “Look what you’d done to Trixie’s beautiful dress! She spent all day and night working on it!”

Trixie. What an unusual name for a pony, Blueblood thought. Then he got a chance to look directly into her purple eyes. So tantalizing…so beautiful…so…

Wait, could it be? Was he falling for this fallen mare? No, he couldn’t be!! He was destined to fall for Twilight, not a strange mare off the streets! Literally, she looked like she had been living off whatever she could find in the streets. The dress wasn’t very accurate either; it was poorly designed and several areas had been crudely sewn in.

Blueblood snapped out of his trance when Trixie began speaking again. “Hello?! Anypony in there?! Why won’t you answer Trixie?!” She said, seething.

“I’m truly sorry miss, I really am…but I can’t help but stare into your beautiful eyes. The heavens must have spent eternities carefully and specifically designing them if they are that gorgeous.” Blueblood said, smirking.

Trixie frowned in confusion. “Really?” She tried to mask the growing blush on her cheeks by turning her head away.

“But of course,” Blueblood whispered. Internally his mind was reeling. Was he really going to hook in this mare? Obviously he liked her, and apparently she just now realized how much of a gentlecolt he was being. Was he going to forget about his feelings for Twilight and marry this mare instead?

Before Trixie could respond a voice called out to Blueblood. “Oh joy! Miss Rarity, come with me, I must introduce you to me friend, Blueblood!” Fancy Pants trotted over, a horrified Rarity galloping after him.

When she locked eyes with him, she quietly growled. “You.”

“You know him, dear?” Fancy Pants inquired, raising a brow.

“Oh, I know him alright.” Rarity gritted her teeth together in resentment. She noticed Trixie standing by and gasped, “Were you two…talking?!”

Trixie rolled her eyes, “Of course we were, Raggity. What, is Trixie forbidden from interacting with other ponies now?”

“It’s Rarity, and no, I’m perfectly fine with you bedeviling others with your boasting. Especially this brat over here.” The white unicorn spat, glaring at Blueblood.

“Please, miss Rarity, believe me when I say that I’ve changed! I no longer treat ponies like dirt; ever since the last time we met I decided to change my ways!” Blueblood beseeched.

“What is going on over here?!” Twilight exclaimed, trotting over. “I heard the commotion. What is causing you all distress?” Then she saw Trixie. “Oh, hello Trixie…I didn’t expect you to accept my invitation.”

Trixie scoffed and smiled shrewdly, “Trixie wouldn’t miss an opportunity to go to the Gala for the world.”

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie stopped singing the Pony Pokey song (much to the ponies’ reliefs) and momentarily went backstage. When she returned she had a huge grin on her face as she spoke into the mic. “Be right back, Everypony! Soon I’ll be back with…wait for it…PINKIE PIE’S SPECIAL SUPER DELUXE PARTY PUNCH!!”

The audience was silent.

Pinkie Pie ignored the silence and bounced backstage. A few moments later she arrived, pushing a large tray with a massive bowl of oddly-colored punch. Unbeknownst to Pinkie Pie, when she had made the punch earlier that day, she had accidentally put in one too many cups of alcohol. At every party Pinkie always spiked the punch with a few drops of alcohol just to get the ponies drunk, dizzy, and dopey just for the entertainment. No evil intent intended, it was purely for fun, which is the without-a-doubt definition of Pinkie Pie. This time she had unknowingly added too much to her brew, which would soon cause more damage than she bargained for.

A crowd of ponies licked their lips in incipient anticipation, trotting over to get a shot of the punch. At sonic speed Pinkie Pie raced over to the four arguing ponies with a tray of her special punch in hand…oh, I mean hoof.

“Come on you guys! Join in on the fun!” The eager pink pony offered them each a drink. Fancy Pants refused, saying that he wasn’t a fan of punch. However, Rarity and Twilight were happy to accept the punch, downing their drinks in a few seconds, to which Pinkie was quick to refill them.

“Well? What about you two? Ya want some punch?” Pinkie Pie said, smiling at Blueblood and Trixie. Hesitantly Trixie took the cup of punch and took a sip. Blueblood did the same, wanting to make an impression on Trixie in order to win her heart. Surely she was still mad at him from earlier.

Within minutes, the four ponies were drunk out of their minds. Twilight, Rarity, and Trixie had even joined Pinkie onstage. They all sung the Pony Pokey song together, while out of tune and symphony  the audience of intoxicated ponies below were dancing and cheering and applauding. About half an hour later the four mares had finished their song and went offstage to meet with a very much wasted Blueblood.

Celestia, Luna, and Cadence watched with worry as one by one, Blueblood led Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, and eventually Trixie into the restrooms. Every few minutes one mare would step out and another mare would go in. Cadence was about to jump into action when she felt Celestia stop her. Cadence turned to face Celestia in askance.

The white alicorn merely shook her head, “It’s too late now. They’re too drunk out of their minds to understand what they’re doing. Eventually the consequences will catch up to them once they realize their mistake.”

“Whatever do you mean, sister? Cadence is right; surely we should stop them before this gets out of control!” Luna defensively protested.

Celestia nodded, “Trust me, Luna. Even though this situation looks bad, I assure you, Twilight and her friends have one more lesson to learn.”