Mingling

We leave the room and walk to a hall that separates her part of the castle and Luna’s by a short wide staircase, Celestia lets me leave her side when Twilight runs up the stairs as a line of expectant royalty starts to form behind her.

“Princess Celestia!” she bows then looks at me “I hope you gave Frostbite enough reasons to behave tonight”

“Don’t worry Twilight; I have complete faith in him” Celestia answers.

I move through the crowds with relative ease and listen to each guest’s conversation. While most social gatherings involving royalty is a forefront for certain political bullshit but most of the static that comes out of some of their mouths are about Celestia… from how lucky they are to have been invited to the Gala, guessing who would be a worthy suitor, when they start to speak about their personal life it’s usually how they treated some disobedient servant or complain how some commoner didn’t know who they were when they traveled outside of Canterlot. I step outside to avoid most of their brainless gossip keeping my eyes on the cobblestone when the smells of baked apples fill the air.

“Howdy, Frostbite!” Applejack shouts when I look up and see the vast selection of anything apple.

“Howdy. Howdy. Howdy.” I say coldly.

“Careful-“she growls “-you don’t want to know how hard I can hit when I’m angry”

“So what’s with the stand?” I ask.

“Just raising bits so I can fix the family barn” Applejack answers.

“I’m not sure these pricks understand the concept of real food” I sigh and look behind me to see pissed off couple scurry into the dance hall.

“Just so you know Pinkie gave each of us a swear jar in case we ever ran into you in one of your ‘moments’”

“You’re shitting me!” I shout snapping my head back to Applejack.

“Nope” she chuckles.

Applejack reaches under the stand and holds up five jars labeled with each of the mares’ names in bright neon pink then pushes the jar with her name forward.

“How about I just put the bits into your barn fund?” I sigh knowing full well she would just use the bits for the barn anyways.

“Fair enough” She answers putting the jars away.

I take a few bits out of the bag she gave me earlier and buy apple fries.