The "Princess"

The sun was beginning to set by the time I got back to the castle. I was staying in Twilight’s old room, which she had so graciously offered to me before running off to catch the train back to Ponyville. Something about having a meeting tomorrow with the Mayor concerning the upcoming Running of the Leaves. I had originally wanted to rent a hotel room, as it felt kind of awkward staying in the same building as the individual I was about to go on a date with—even if said building was enormous—but Twilight wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

Although, she hadn’t remembered to tell me where the room was hers before she left, so I had to get directions from a passing maid.

That had been mortifying, especially when it had taken me several tries to get my accent in check so she could understand me.

Closing the door to the bedroom behind me with a foot, I tentatively walked further into the room and glanced around. It was fairly empty, only a few pieces of larger furniture remaining: a four-poster bed, two bedside tables, a vanity with a large mirror, and a small dresser. I assumed that Twilight had taken everything else with her when she had moved to Ponyville.

Placing the bag containing my new dress carefully down on the bed, I took off my backpack as well before glancing at the clock above the mantle of the fireplace. If the time was correct, I had about an hour and a half until my date with Celestia. Having already located the restaurant on my way back to the palace, I knew that it would take me about fifteen minutes to walk there. That gave me a little over an hour to get ready for the date.

My stomach twisted slightly at that thought. I… I have a date with Princess Celestia. Suddenly, the weight of what I had done came crashing down on me. I had a date with Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria. A date… with her. Oh feck!

Chewing on my thumbnail, I began to pace back and forth across the room. This was absurd! Why had I thought that this would be a good idea? I was going to make a fool out of myself in front of her, I just knew it. I could barely get through one day at Bon Bon’s shop without tipping something over, and that was when I wasn’t nervous.

“Calm down, Nora,” I said under my breath. “Calm down It’s just one date. One date wi’ a very beautiful mare. Yeah… great.” Still chewing on my thumb, I glanced back at the bag on the bed. It had cost me quite the pretty penny. Not all of my savings, but enough that it was now a huge investment. I had saved up for months for this, pulling many overtimes and double shifts around town just to get enough bits. If I quit now, it would have been all for nothing.

“You can do this,” I muttered, trying to ignoring the bile slowly creeping up my throat. “Besides, it’s not like she’ll actually want to go on another one wi’ me after this. One date, and then yer done.” Though that thought didn’t help my spirits, it did help with the nauseating feeling in my stomach.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, I quickly got down to business. Pulling off my black hoodie, I tossed it onto the bed beside the bag. I stripped off the rest of my clothing as well, until I was standing there in just my underwear. Shivering, I crossed my arms and quickly hurried into the adjacent bathroom, locking the door behind me. I’ve been walked in on by one too many ponies that I’ve found myself locking doors even when I was by myself.

Turning on the water for the shower, I double-checked to make sure that there were towels as I waited for the water to heat up. When it got warm enough, I took off my underwear and carefully stepped into the porcelain tub.

I washed with some difficulties, seeing as pony showers were designed with ponies in mind. As small as I was, I still had to duck in order to get my hair under the water. There was an old bottle of shampoo left here for whenever Twilight decided to visit, I assumed. Popping open the cap, I gave it a tentative sniff, only to smile softly as the smell of cherries filled my nose.

I’m sure Twilight won’t mind… right? I reassured myself as I rubbed the shampoo into my hair. I had everything else I needed for the date with me, save for shampoo because I figured the hotel that I had originally been planning to stay at would have some complimentary ones. As I rinsed the suds from my hair, I gave silent thanks that Twilight had left it here.

I wrapped up the shower fairly quickly, having never been one to take long showers in the first place. As I stepped out of the shower and began to dry off, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. An extremely pale face stared back at me through the steamed glass. Freckles ran from one cheek across my nose to the other one. Despite the fact that I tried my hardest to avoid direct sunlight due to my sensitive skin, I had the most freckles in my family, a fact that my sisters had always loved to point out. My shoulder-length hair hung around my face in a matted, tangled mess. Like the rest of my family, I was a redhead—a ginger, as the world had liked to call me.

Running a hand through my hair, I winced as I pulled on several of the knots.

“Of feck,” I groan. “This is gonna ‘urt.” I wrapped the towel around my chest before unlocking the bathroom door and walking out into the main room. Dripping water on the floor, I grabbed my bathroom bag from my backpack before hurrying back to the bathroom.

“Let’s get this over with,” I sighed as I pulled out a hairbrush. I attacked the tangled mess of hair, trying to rein it in. After a few minutes, I somehow managed to work it into a decent bun. I eyed my work with satisfaction—pleasantly pleased with how it turned out—only to have a strand of hair suddenly fall in front of my face. Crossing my eyes, I gave it a bemused look before sighing. “Whatever.”

Placing the brush on the counter next to the sink, I rummaged through my bathroom bag for a few seconds before pulling out some makeup. It had cost me a day’s pay in order to purchase the cosmetics, as well as several meetings with Rarity in order to learn how to apply them properly. Even then, I wasn’t very good at it.

Given the amount of freckles I had, both Rarity and I had decided upon skipping the foundation. Unscrewing the lid to the eyeshadow, I picked up the small brush and began to apply it. Rarity had picked out a violet-colored one, saying that it would go perfectly with my dark emerald eyes. I’d just have to take her word for it.

Mascara was next, and within the first few brushes I managed to poke myself in the eye. Biting my lip to prevent myself from saying a couple of choice words that would have made my uncle proud, I continued to apply the mascara.

A few more eye pokes later, and I gave up and left it as it was. Skipping over the blush as well (Rarity had given it to me, but I didn’t think blush would look good on my pale, freckle-covered cheeks), I picked up the lipstick instead. I uncapped it, only to pause and stare at my trembling hand. Thinking better of it, I recapped the lipstick, not trusting myself to successfully apply it. I didn’t want to show up at my date with Celestia looking like the Joker.

Sweeping the makeup back into the bag, I stepped back and eyed my reflection. A frown touched my lips as I studied my handiwork. To me, it looked unprofessional, almost like a twelve-year old had put it on me. Hopefully Celestia wouldn’t mind too much.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of the clock chiming in the next room. Peering through the doorway, my eyes widened in alarm when I saw that I only had half an hour before my date with Celestia. Where the feck did the time go?!

“Ah feck, ah feck, ah shoite, ah feck!” I dashed across the room, and snatched up the bag containing the dress Fleur had designed for me earlier. Trying to push down the growing panic attack that was threatening to break upon me, I rushed back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind me.

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

The sun had set, and the moon was just beginning to rise above the city’s skyline. My path was illuminated by streetlights, as well as the stars high above. The night sky in Canterlot wasn’t as grand as the view down in Ponyville, but it was still breathtaking nonetheless. Under any other circumstances, I would have stopped to enjoy the sight. However, at the moment I was hyperventilating as I ran down the street.

In the distance, a bell chimed across Canterlot, the toll informing me that I was running late. I tried to pick up the pace, all while attempting to divide my attention between keeping an eye on the hem of my dress so that I didn’t trip over it and watching where I was going so I didn’t accidently run into any wayward pony. Luckily, most of the residents of the city had retired to their homes for the evening, meaning that I could focus more on keeping my feet off my dress.

The restaurant was close to the castle, but the distance seemed to grow as I became more and more panicked. Will she still be there? How long will she wait until she decides it’s not worth it? What if she doesn’t show up? What if it’s the wrong restaurant? What if—

Cursing under my breath, I lifted my head and looked around. There at the end of the block was my destination: The Silver Mare.

The maitre d’ glanced up as I slid to a stop in front of him. He gave me a cool look as I bent over, my hands on my knees as I gasped for breath.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“Oi'm meetin' me date 'ere,” I wheezed. This caused him to give me an unamused look. “Sorry,” I coughed. “Oi’m… I’m meeting my date here.”

The stallion stared at me for a few seconds before flipping open the ledger on the stand beside him. He browsed through the pages, a bored look on his face.

“Name?” he asked, not pausing in his searching.

“I’m Nora O’Malley,” I said as I stood up, running my hands over the dress to try and straighten the rumpled cloth.

The maitre d’ rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“I meant your date’s name,” he said in a tone that caused me to flinch.

“O-oh… um… P-Princess Celestia,” I stuttered.

The maitre d’s ear twitched and he slowly turned his head to look at me. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” he asked, the disbelief clear in his voice.

I swallowed thickly, my chest constricting.

“M-my date ‘s Princess Celestia…?” I whimpered, my voice cracking slightly.

The stallion continued to stare at me before a sneer slowly slid across his muzzle.

“That I highly doubt,” he said before closing the ledger with a ‘thud’.

“W-w-what?” I gasped, gaping at him. “B-but, I’m tellin’ de truth!”

“Please,” he scoffed, curling his lip. “Princess Celestia wasting her time on the likes of you? Don’t make me laugh.”

“B-but… but… Oi…”

“While it is true that the Princess has so graciously graced our renowned establishment this evening, I doubt she is waiting for you,” he continued. “What?” he asked upon seeing my shocked expression. “You think I haven’t seen this type of thing before? You aren’t the first to try and sneak in by using that excuse. A date with the Princess indeed.”

I opened and closed my mouth, but no words came out. I had no clue what to do. I was already running late, and now this stallion wouldn’t let me in! What was I supposed to do?

Feeling bile slowly beginning to rise in my throat, I forced down my growing panic. Think, Nora. Think, think, think! Chewing on my bottom lip, I glanced between the sneering stallion and the door several times before an idea formed in my mind.

Clearing my throat, I tried to appear more collected than I actually was.

“In that case,” I said, trying my hardest to keep my accent down, “I’d like a table for one, please.”

The stallion let out a barking laugh that was devoid of any humor.

“Do you think I was born yesterday?” he cackled. “Ignoring the fact that you’ve already told me you are trying to get in to see the Princess, you most likely don’t have enough bits to pay for anything we serve—”

“Oi 'av money!” I said quickly, pulling my bag of bits out and holding it up for the stallion to see.

He glanced at the bag for barely a second before saying, “I’m sorry, but there are no open tables at the moment. We’re a little busy tonight, what with the Princess’s visit.”

“But you didn't even look!” I cried, motioning to the ledger.

The stallion didn’t even glance at it.

“There are no open tables,” he repeated. “We are full at the moment.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came to mind. Deflating, my arms fell limply to my sides. My stomach twisted, and I felt a dull pain in my chest. Tears were beginning to gather in the corners of my eyes, threatening my makeup, but I didn’t care. All the effort, all the money, all the nights I had spent trying to psych myself up… it was all for nothing.

Placing a hand over my mouth, I choked back a sob. I turned—trying to ignore the stallion’s smirking face—and, with heavy footsteps, began to slowly make my way back towards the castle. That was it. The date was a disaster. My one date. The only chance I had to make a good impression. It had crashed and burned. Maybe tomorrow I could explain to Celestia what had happened. Hopefully she would be understanding enough to give me a second—

“Ms. O’Malley?”

I paused as a familiar voice spoke up behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, my eyes widened when I saw Princess Celestia exiting the restaurant. She was garbed not in a dress like I had expected, but in a golden formal shirt. The opening of the shirt ran down to a mulberry sash wrapped around her waist, exposing the white fur of her chest. She had on her regular horseshoe covers, as well as her crown, but her chestplate was absent. Surprisingly, despite her usual eyeliner, her face was devoid of makeup.

Upon seeing me, her eyes widened and her cheeks lit up slightly as her mouth opened in a little ‘o’. She blinked, giving her head a shake before a soft smile touched her lips.

“There you are,” she said, walking slowly up to me. “I was beginning to worry that you had gotten lost. I know that it’s relatively close to the castle, but when you didn’t show up on time—Oh! Oh dear. What’s wrong?” she asked, her smile fading to be replaced by a look of concern upon seeing my face.

Sniffing, I quickly wiped the tears from my cheeks as best I could.

“Ms. O’Malley, what’s wrong?” she asked again, moving to get a better look at my face.

“Nathin',” I croaked. “Oi'm fine.”

She didn’t appear to be satisfied with that answer, but she didn’t press the matter. Instead, she glanced back at the restaurant briefly before returning her attention to me.

“If I may, why were you leaving?” she asked. “Did you change your mind about the date?”

“No!” I said quickly—nearly shouting—causing Celestia to jump. “No, oi still want ter…”

“Then why…?” Celestia began before trailing off, giving me a confused look.

Glancing away, I mumbled something under my breath.

“I’m sorry?” she said, her ears perking. “What was that?”

“They wouldn’t let me in,” I muttered, staring at the ground. “Said they didn't 'av an open table. Too busy.”

Celestia blinked before glancing back at the maitre d’, who was watching the whole thing was his mouth wide open, a shocked look on his face. She stared at him, her brow furrowing as she eyed the stallion skeptically. He coughed and tried his best to hide behind the podium, which was too small to provide him with any real cover. Celestia’s eyes narrowed, and she snorted softly.

“Well then,” she said, turning back to me, “if they’re too busy at the moment, perhaps we’ll take our date elsewhere.”

“What?” the maitre d’ and I said at the same time, although he seemed more alarmed that I was. I just stared up at Celestia in confusion.

“Certainly,” she said with a nod. “I know of another place, one that shouldn’t be too busy this late at night. Shall we head on over there?” She turned, motioning down the street with a hoof as she placed a wing gently against my back.

“B-but you've already been seated 'ere,” I objected weakly. Her wing was warm and the feathers felt nice against the bare skin of my back. I could feel myself relaxing, the tightness of my chest slowly lessening.

“If they are truly full up, then I shall happily give up my table so that somepony else might be seated,” Celestia said. She began to gently push me down the street, guiding me along with the faintest touch of her wing.

I followed her nudges blindly, trying to figure out what had happened. My hands were shaking slightly, and there was an odd taste in my mouth. This whole evening had been a deluge of raging emotions and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take… and the date hadn’t even started yet! Still, it appeared that I had been given a second chance, and that fact caused a little ember of hope to spark in my chest.

I glanced over my shoulder and over Celestia’s wing. The maitre d’ looked like he was having a small seizure, his eye twitching along with his jaw as he watched us go. He raised a hoof towards us and opened his mouth, but a small squeak was the only sound that came out.

Trying to hold back a giggle, I dried my eyes one last time before allowing Celestia to lead me away from the restaurant.

The sound of hooves on cobblestone was the only sound that could be heard as we walked along in silence. I kept glancing up at Celestia as we walked, only to quickly look away, my cheeks warming slightly. She just continued to look forward, a small smile on her face. I racked my brain, trying to think of something—anything—to say, but now that I was alone with Celestia, I was drawing a blank. Come on, Nora. Say something! This is getting awkward.

Steeling myself, I opened my mouth—

“I must say, Ms. O’Malley, I rather like your attire,” Celestia said suddenly, glancing down at me out of the corner of her eye.

I choked on my words, my eyes widening in surprise.

“W-what?” I squeaked out.

“Your dress,” Celestia said, her smile growing. “It’s very beautiful.”

Blinking, I glanced down at my dress. It was long, the hem of it barely an inch or two off the ground. The main material was a light pink color, practically white. A mulberry sash—almost the exact same shade as Celestia’s—was wrapped around my waist. Ribbons of the same color started from a small bow in the center of my bust and ran around to connect in the back in a larger ribbon. The dress was strapless, much to my discomfort as my freckle-covered shoulders were on display for all to see. Fleur had also included a pair of mulberry armbands that were wrapped around my upper arms.

I felt my face heat up as I kept my eyes on the ground, fidgeting with the dress.

“T-thanks,” I stuttered, aware that Celestia was still looking at me.

“May I ask where you got it? It doesn’t look like one of Ms. Rarity’s designs,” she continued.

“I got it at a local shop,” I replied, still not looking up.

“Ah,” Celestia said, nodding her head. “Fleur De Lis, I take it?” I nodded my head, causing her to hum softly. “She does make such lovely dresses, doesn’t she? And to think she does it all on the side when not modeling.” She trailed off, an awkward silence falling between us as we continued to walk down the street.

As we passed by a small part complete with a small fountain, Celestia cleared her throat.

“The makeup is a nice touch, too,” she said, her words causing my cheeks to heat up again. “The color compliments your eyes wonderfully. Did you have somepony help you with that, or did you do it yourself?”

“Rarity picked it out. I applied it myself,” I squeaked in a near whisper. I chanced a glance upwards, only to whimper softly when I saw Celestia’s smile begin to fade.

“I see,” she said softly before glancing away from me.

We continued the rest of the journey in silence.

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

As the door swung closed behind us—causing the little bell to chime for a second time—I glanced around the shop, an incredulous look on my face. There was a stallion standing behind a counter at the far end of the store. He had a small paper hat on, as well as an apron that was covered in dough and flour. The glass counter he stood behind was full of doughnuts, as were the shelves behind him. Also behind him, attached to the wall, were several coffee machines.

Upon seeing Celestia, the stallion perked up and a smile spread across his muzzle.

“Your majesty,” he said, inclining his head.

“Hello Joe,” Celestia said, moving further into the store. “How’s business today?”

The stallion, Joe, motioned around the empty store with a hoof.

“The same as every other weekday evening,” he said, his smile never fading. “What can I get you?”

“The usual,” Celestia said as she headed towards a table located in a small alcove in the back corner. Joe nodded before turning and walking into the back, most likely to prepare her order. As he did that, Celestia slid into the booth, closed her eyes, and sighed. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and glanced over at me.

I hadn’t moved from my spot by the door, still glancing around the place in confusion. This wasn’t what I had pictured in my head when she had said she knew another place for us to have our date. I had pictured another restaurant, or possibly even going back to the castle for a private meal.

This was a doughnut shop.

“You know you can come in and sit down,” Celestia called from the table, a small smile on her face. “You don’t have to lurk in the doorway.”

I flinched before scurrying over and sitting down across the table from her. As I got comfortable, Joe walked over with a plate of doughnuts and a steaming mug of coffee. He placed the plate in front of Celestia, but she was more interested in the coffee. Taking the mug, she lifted it to her muzzle and—closing her eyes—inhaled deeply. A content murmur escaped her lips and she took a sip.

As Celestia enjoyed her coffee, Joe turned and smiled at me. “And what can I get you, ma’am?”

I jerked slightly before blushing and sinking further into the booth.

“Oi… I don’t know,” I muttered, unconsciously clasping my dress in my hands for comfort.

“She’ll have the same thing,” Celestia said, not opening her eyes. Joe nodded and headed back to prepare it.

As Celestia continued to nurse her coffee, I glanced down at the plate before her. An assortment of doughnuts sat upon it, six in total. Each one was a different type: glazed, cinnamon sugar, powdered, chocolate covered, plain, and even a cream-filled one with nuts on top. Celestia’s horn glowed brighter, and I watched in muted fascination as the glazed one was levitated into the air, surrounded by a golden aura. She took a dainty bite from it, not even a crumb falling from her mouth as she began to chew slowly. I watched as she ate, her beautiful lips moving elegantly as she took another bite from the doughnut. Even when eating, she had a gentle grace about her that seemed to take my breath away.

I was brought out of my stupor by the ‘clink’ of a plate being placed in front of me, the sound causing me to jump slightly. Joe smiled as he placed a mug of coffee down as well, before retreating and leaving us alone.

An awkward silence fell over the table as we both just sat there, Celestia enjoying her food while I stared at the table in front of me. The silence was only broken by the soft sounds of Celestia either taking a sip of her coffee or a bite of her doughnut.

I fidgeted with my dress, unsure of what to do or say. I had dreamed of this moment for months, but now that it was here, I had no clue how to proceed. And to make matters worse, despite the fact I was hungry, the butterflies in my stomach made me feel like if I tried to eat anything, I would be sick.

After a few minutes of sitting there, Celestia finally finished her doughnut. She took a sip of coffee, humming softly before placing the mug on the table with a soft ‘clink’. With that, her eyes opened and she looked at me.

“So,” she said, her soft voice surprisingly loud in the quiet store, “tell me about yourself, Ms. O’Malley.”

I froze, my entire body locking up as my eyes widened. After a few seconds, I swallowed loudly, only to suddenly become aware of how dry my mouth was.

“W-what do you want to know?” I asked weakly, my voice cracking halfway through the sentence.

“Well, during all of our meetings we’ve only ever talked about your old world and humanity as a whole,” Celestia said, picking up another doughnut in her magic. “We never just talked about you as a being. So, why don’t you tell me about yourself,” she repeated, giving me a small smile before biting into the doughnut.

I just sat there, staring wide-eyed at Celestia as my mind went into overdrive. I racked my brain, trying desperately to come up with something to share, but nothing came to mind. I was drawing a blank, and was beginning to panic.

Celestia’s smile faded, and I felt myself start to hyperventilate. Why is it when someone asks you to describe yourself, you forgot who you are?! Luckily, I was saved from having a full-blown panic attack.

“If I remember correctly, Twilight mentioned something in her last letter about you having your first run in with poison joke recently,” Celestia murmured tiredly as she started on her third doughnut. “Why don’t you tell me about that?”

I latched onto the topic like a drowning man to a life preserver.

“Y-yeah,” I gasped, nodding my head quickly. “I accidentally stepped in sum when I was ‘elping Fluttershy with 'er animals.” I winced at how thick my accent was, but judging by Celestia’s nod, it was lax enough that she could understand me. “It wasn’t a pleasant experience. It, uh… it turned me into a lepre—” My mouth closed with a ‘click’ and I shot Celestia a quick glance.

“A what?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

My cheeks heated up again, and I glanced away.

“A, uh… a smaller version of myself,” I muttered, running a finger along one of the ribbons of my dress. “A, uh… a child, actually. I think I was the same size as Applebloom.”

“That sounds like it might have been an interesting experience,” Celestia said. There was very little energy in her voice, and she almost sounded bored.

I whimpered softly before sinking further into my seat.

“It was,” I said weakly, tapping my fingers together, “at least ‘til Potato got it in ‘er head that it would be fun to use me as a weight to ‘elp ‘er trainin’. She ‘auled me onto ‘er back and flew around with me for nearly an ‘our before the others caught ‘er and made ‘er put me down.” I winced, my stomach churning at the memory. She had been lucky I hadn’t thrown up on her.

Celestia blinked, giving me a confused look.

“‘Potato’?” she repeated, tilting her head to the side barely an inch. “Who’s Potato?”

I stared blankly at her for a few second before my blush returned.

“Oh… um, it’s… it’s R-Rainbow Dash,” I stuttered.

“You call Rainbow Dash ‘Potato’?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Y-yes,” I squeaked, unable to look her in the eye. She was silent for a few seconds before the corners of her mouth began to twitch upwards faintly.

“I have to hear the story behind that,” she said.

“Um, no real story,” I said, playing with a loose strand of hair that had fallen out of the bun. “She leaves a rainbow trail behind ‘er when she flies, and where I’m from it’s said that rainbows lead to pots of gold… and Irish gold is another name for… potatoes…” I trailed off, covering my face with my hands as my cheeks burned bright red.

“I see,” Celestia said, the ghost of a smile still on her face. “Well, if Rainbow Dash is ‘Potato’ due to her rainbow contrail, I wonder what I would be.” She ran a hoof through her multicolored mane, giving me a small, teasing smirk.

My blush deepened until I could feel it on my neck and chest. I muttered something under my breath before burying my face in my hands again.

“What was that?” Celestia asked as she leaned forward, the smirk still present on her face.

Whimpering, I kept my face buried and shook my head. This can’t get worse, I thought, trying to sink beneath the table. Just then, my stomach chose that exact moment growl loudly.

“There we go,” Celestia said with a soft laugh. “I was wondering. It’s probably not the dinner you were expecting, but you should probably eat something nonetheless. I’m fairly certain you didn’t have anything to eat before heading out.”

Peeking over the edge of the table, I eyed my plate of doughnuts before reaching up and snatching the chocolate-covered one. Pulling it under the table, I began to munch on it quietly.

Celestia watched me, a look of amusement dancing across her face. She lifted her mug to her lips and took another sip of coffee.

“So, tell me. What’s this I hear about you having a run-in with a minotaur?”

With a groan, I banged my forehead on the table.

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

The air was still as we walked through the park, barely a breeze stirring the grass and trees. The full moon illuminated everything in a soft light, while thousands of stars twinkled and danced around it. There was even a large band of stars that reminded me of the part of the Milky Way you could see back home. I highly doubted that I was in the same galaxy, but it sometimes helped to pretend. Crickets serenaded each other, while a trio of owls hooted in the distance. Nearby, a brook murmured softly.

Celestia moved along sluggishly, a wing wrapped around her slightly-distended belly. Her state was to be expected, as she had eaten all six of her doughnuts before finishing off the four of mine that I hadn't touched, all while consuming four cups of coffee. Even in her stuffed state though, she still walked with the pose and elegance of an angel.

I followed along beside her, my hands clasped behind my back and my dress swishing back and forth. Every so often, I'd cast a glance at her out of the corner of my eye, only to look away a few seconds later, a small blush on my face. Unsure of what to say, I just hummed softly as we walked along.

As we approached a nearby fountain, Celestia paused and glanced up at the star-covered sky.

“Luna really outdid herself tonight,” she said softly, her eyes slowly drifting across the vast expanse of sky.

I just nodded and hummed in confirmation.

“The moon is beautiful and full. The stars are alive and gleaming like diamonds,” she continued, still staring upwards.

“Mmm-hmmm,” I hummed, eyeing her wing. Maybe one of her feathers would fall off and I would be able to snag it.

“Makes me think she's up to something,” she said as she continued walking.

That made me pause, and I gave her a confused look. “What do you mean?”

Celestia glanced over at me, a small frown on her face. “She usually reserves nights like these for Hearts and Hooves Day, or for the weeks of spring and fall estrus.”

“What's so special about those nights?” I asked obliviously.

Celestia gave me a look before shaking her head.

“They are the nights were ponies are more... active,” she said slowly.

I was silent for several seconds before the implications of what she said finally hit me. Squeaking loudly, I stumbled as my face exploded in a blush.

“W-why would she...?” I asked before trailing off and glancing at Celestia. She gave me a pointed look and I looked away, my blush deepening. “Oh... o-oh my...”

“I'll have to talk to her about this later. She knows I don't like her messing around with the night sky for her own amusement,” Celestia sighed as she resumed walking.

“Oi don't know,” I muttered under my breath. “Oi kinda like it...”

Celestia paused briefly, her ear swiveling around to point in my direction before she continued walking again. I scrambled to catch up, quickly falling in step beside her.

As we walked, I couldn't help but watch the way that Celestia moved her body. She placed one hoof in front of the other, her hips swaying back and forth elegantly as she walked. Beneath her clothing, her muscles flexed as she carried herself along gracefully. Despite her large size, her hooves barely made any noise as she walked.

I watched her for a few more seconds before glancing down at my own feet. My own sneakered feet. I had tried to find a place that could make shoes for me, but there weren’t any species in Equestria close enough to humans for there to be a place that could make shoes for me. So, as it was, I was forced to wear my sneakers for almost everything. Luckily, I had managed to keep them in decent enough condition.

Eyeing my own feet, I carefully began to try and copy Celestia’s movements. I heel-toed it for several steps before I felt like I had gotten the basics down. Holding out my hands to balance myself, I continued to walk one foot in front of the other as I slowly tried to work a sway into my hips. It felt awkward, and I stumbled several times as I tried to readjust myself.

I had almost gotten the motion down when my ankle suddenly twisted beneath me, causing me to topple over sideways. With a yelp, I tumbled down the small hill, falling head over heels before landing with a ‘splash’ in the small brook running beside the path.

I resurfaced with a gasp, water dripping down my hair and face. My dress was instantly soaked, the white fabric clinging to my body and revealing what was underneath. River vegetation clung to my arms and clothing, some of it even getting tangled in my hair.

As I sat there, gulping for air, I heard a soft gasp come from somewhere above me. “Oh… oh no.” A warm tingling sensation swept over my body, and I was gently lifted out of the brook and back onto the path.

“Are you alright?” Celestia asked.

I just sat there, staring at the ground in front of me. I was shivering horribly, both from the chill of the water and the sudden stunned realization of what had just happened. Tears slowly began to well up in the corners of my eyes, mixing with the river water already there. I was pretty sure I looked a wreck, what with my ruined make-up, being soaked to the bone, and covered in river weeds. Wet strands of hair fell in front of my face, virtually blinding me behind a curtain of dripping orange hair.

My shoulders shook again as a strange noise reached my ears. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was crying audibly now, my choked sobs muffled by the water in my ears. I quickly lifted a hand to my mouth, trying to stifle the sound, but the damage was already done.

“Oh, no… no, don’t cry,” Celestia cooed, leaning her head down to try and look me in the eye, but I turned my head away. “It’s not worth it,” she murmured beneath her breath. “I’m not worth it.”

“Oi... oi wus... oi wus jist tryin' ter…” I choked out as more tears cascaded down my cheeks and fell into the large puddle that had formed around me.

“I know what you were trying to do,” Celestia sighed, using her wing to try and get me to look at her. “I was watching.”

My breath caught in my throat, causing me to gag slightly before I started crying harder. Not only had I made a fool of myself in front of Celestia, she had watched me do it.

“Ms. O’Malley, please, don’t cry,” Celestia said softly, brush the tips of her feathers against my cheek. “It’s not as bad as you think, I assure you. See?” The warm tingling sensation returned and I felt the air around me beginning to warm up. Water on my skin began to steam up and evaporate, and in a few seconds I was completely dry. My dress was straightened out and the river weeds cleared off. My hair was returned to the state it had been in before my tumble. All of this took place in a manner of seconds, and I was soon sitting there, looking like I hadn’t just tripped into a brook in front of my longtime crush.

My crying only got worse as I realized that Celestia had just had to clean me up. I felt useless, pathetic. I couldn’t do anything right, and I had just shown her that.

“Ms. O’Malley, please,” Celestia said, her voice sounding strained. “What’s wrong?”

“Oi... yer…” I bawled, choking out the words through my tears. “O-oi ruined.. oi… I’m sorry!”

“Why?” Celestia asked softly. “Why are you trying so hard to impress me?”

I couldn’t answer her. In fact, I was unable to form any more words. I could only sit there, my body racked with sobs. This continued for several minutes with no signs of stopping. I tried, I really did, but the tears kept coming.

Beside me, Celestia shifted uncomfortably for hoof to hoof before sighing.

“Come on, Ms. O’Malley,” she said, moving to stand beside me. “Let’s get you back to the palace and out of that dress. I’m sure it’ll help you feel better.”

I hiccuped as I attempted to clean my face off, but I was unable to as more tears leaked from my eyes. Sniffling loudly, I moved to stand up only to freeze as Celestia draped a wing across my back, pulling me against her side. Dread welled up in my chest as a low hum suddenly filled the air, accompanied by the horribly familiar feeling of static running up and down my arms and legs. Eyes widening, I whipped around quickly. “Wait! Don’t—”

The world around us imploded as something pulled me into a void. Up was down, down was up, and I didn’t know which way I was facing. Darkness and pressure pushed in from all directions, and I could feel my stomach doing somersaults in my chest as I tumbled through the emptiness. Then, just as soon as it started, we were thrust back into the world of the living in a burst of light.

“Here we are,” Celestia said gently. “Now then, let’s get you—Oof!” She stumbled as I shoved her away forcibly. Clamping a hand over my mouth, I glanced around frantically for a wastebin or a bucket or something—anything! My mind dimly noted that I appeared to be in Celestia’s personal bed chamber, which just caused me to whimper as I realized that the situation was worse than I had previously thought.

My search became desperate. However, much to my despair, there was nothing of the sort nearby, and with growing dread, I realized that there was no stopping the inevitable. Pressure built up in my stomach, and began to push its way up through my throat. Spying the balcony doors, I made a mad dash for them. Or rather, attempted to, as I didn’t get very far.

An alarmed look crossed Celestia’s face as I staggered away from her, and she took a step forward to follow after me. “Ms. O’Malley!”

I collapsed onto my hands and knees—causing her to yelp—and with one last whimper, I retched loudly before emptying my stomach’s contents all over her bedroom floor. Bits of half-digested doughnuts, coffee, and bile splattered across the carpet, staining the soft material with the vile mixture from my stomach.

As I heaved again, I heard Celestia gasp behind me. “Oh, oh no! I didn’t… hold on.” My skin prickled as her magic surrounded me, lifting me into the air. I struggled weakly, only to retch and hurl again from the sudden movement. The sensation vanished, and I fell back to the carpet below. My arms gave out from beneath me, and I collapsed to my side, narrowly avoiding the puddle of sick as I fell.

Lying on the floor of Celestia’s bedroom, my stomach twisting and my head spinning, I curled up into a pitiful ball of sorrow and pain.

“Oi'm sorry…” I blubbered out, clutching at my stomach as it flip-flopped around inside me. “Oi'm sorry… Oi'm sorry… Oi'm sorry… Oi'm sorry…” There would be no living this down, no second chance. Despite my best attempts, I had failed horribly. There was no way that this wouldn’t color Celestia’s impression of me in a negative light. She probably wouldn’t even want to be in the same room as me ever again, let alone consider a second date. Even now, she was probably regretting her decision to agree to this date. I know I would if I was in her shoes. If some stupid alien… some freak… asked me on a date then proceeded to make a fool out of herself and throw up on my bedroom floor…

“I… I don’t think this is going to work out, Ms. O’Malley,” Celestia said weakly. I gasped, feeling like a dagger had suddenly been plunged into my heart as she confirmed my suspicions. She paused before taking several shaky steps back. “Maybe we could… ah… g-give… give me a second.” With that, she turned and I heard her hoofsteps receding away from me. A few seconds later, a door opened and closed, and I was suddenly alone.

My sobs grew louder as I curled up in a tighter ball. It just wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fair! Why had this happened? What deity had I pissed off that this was my punishment? Why was I such a stupid, clumsy fool?!

I tried to push myself up off the floor, but I had barely begun to move when my stomach lurched and I dried heaved. Falling back down, I groaned and closed my eyes. Unable to move, I just laid there on Celestia’s bedroom floor, crying loudly to myself as the room continued to spin. It was like one of those carnival rides I used to hate as a kid, and I wanted off. I wanted it to end. Through all of this though, as the room continued to spin out of control around me, I wasn’t sure which was worse: my stomach, my head, or my heart.