Nightingale smiled as she walked beside Velvet Step, a spring in her step. The brown-on-lighter brown pegasus was glad to finally have something resembling a vacation after a fair few weeks of hard work. She knew Velvet was just as happy, considering all the work the pink-on-pink earther had to put in for a set of recent shows the Equestrian Royal Ballet had done.
Now that the shows were over, they finally had a chance to let their hair down again! Though it was only metaphorically in Velvet’s case. Nightingale had never actually seen Velvet with her mane in anything other than its tight bun. Nightingale, on the other hoof, kept her mane long and loose, letting her chocolate locks flow around her shoulders in soft waves.
Letting their hair down would, of course, take place at a karaoke bar. There was nothing more fun than singing terribly in front of strangers they were never going to see again. She didn’t even bother to think about how that sounded, instead just enjoying the beginning of what she was sure to be a great night.
She looked up at the bar they were approaching. It was a smaller one, but one of the best in Canterlot for having a good time. The Midnight Symphony was a fairly classy place in the middle of the Sapphire District in Canterlot, though even with the seeming classiness, the atmosphere was still amazing.
Nightingale was getting into the beat she could hear, even a quarter block away, and she could see Velvet doing the same. It was the type of bar a pony would never, ever expect to be in the middle of an upper class area of Canterlot. A karaoke bar.
As they approached the doors, Nightingale looked over as she noticed Velvet slowing, a look of trepidation on her features. “What’s up?” Nightingale asked curiously
“I recognize that voice. I really, really hope I’m wrong.” Something in Velvet’s voice gave Nightingale the feeling that this was more a risk of shattering the poor mare’s view of somepony than actual fear.
Nightingale raised an eyebrow, giggling. “Oh, and why do you hope you’re wrong?”
“You’ll see,” Velvet said, managing a teasing smile at Nightingale.
Nightingale sighed before giggling. She then led the way into the bar. They made it all the way through the lobby and into the bar itself before Velvet stopped, her jaw going slack. Nightingale glanced back, then followed Velvet’s gaze and noted the mare on stage. White coat. Thick, black, wavy, mane. Windblown leaf cutie mark. Nightingale didn’t recognize her, but Velvet sure as hay seemed to.
“Velvet? Velvet?” Nightingale asked, as the music—and singer—changed. She hadn’t seen Velvet like this before and really had to wonder what could break the mare so thoroughly.
“Well, she’s clearly just not drunk enough for this,” a new voice noted cheerfully as the white mare from the stage exited out of the surrounding crowd of bar-goers and came up next to Nightingale and Velvet. She held out a shot to each of them, grinning. Following behind her was a stallion of sunny yellow and sunset orange hues, with a set of crystalline green eyes. He was also clearly about as comfortable in the bar as a geek at the gym, though he didn’t seem to be quite as bad as he stood next to the new mare..
Though his confidence level became secondary to Nightingale’s observations as she actually got a good look at him. He was, in a word, hot. Almost entirely built of lean muscle like a racer or dancer, and even though he was nervous, he moved with a grace she didn’t often see outside of the Ballet studio. She kind of wished he wasn’t so clearly taken by the white mare.
Nightingale took the shot from her as the black-maned mare introduced herself, “I’m Moonlight Dancer, by the way. Nice to meet you!”
“Nightingale,” the brown pegasus answered, raising an eyebrow. “Um… why is Velvet clearly not drunk enough for this?”
“Because her view of me was shattered in a spectacular manner by way of karaoke, rather than slowly but surely with plenty of jokes made during practice.” She gave Nightingale a horseapple-eating grin.
“Wait… wait, you’re in the Royal Ballet!?” Nightingale asked, eyes shooting wide.
“Got it in one!” Moonlight said cheerfully. “Oh, and this here is my friend, Sunny!” Her wing shot back and the poor stallion suddenly found himself dragged before Nightingale and Velvet.
Nightingale had to hold back a giggle at the stallion’s expression, as it was comparable to a deer in the path of a runaway carriage.
“Hello,” he said—well, more whispered, really, as his face slowly began to go from yellow to red. To crimson. Darker.
Nightingale giggled. “Hey there,” she said cheerfully. She then looked back at Velvet to see how the pink earther was coping now that she’d had a drink.
Velvet seemed to slowly be coming around, shaking her head as she properly entered the group. “And how exactly can you be perfectly poised and all graceful and flowing at practice, and then I find you here belting out Ballroom Blitz?” asked Velvet, still sounding a little shocked.
“Because she takes great joy in shattering worldviews,” the yellow pegasus put in quietly. “At least you just got it over with here.”
Velvet nodded before looking a little confused. “I guess you have a point. Why do you put on such a front, though? You’re the Prima Skydancer.”
Moonlight giggled. “Because I’m supposed to set a good example for all the new members and Corps dancers.” Her eyes twinkled. “Though once you’ve been around for a bit and are a soloist, I start breaking down that little image slowly. Slowly, but surely, until you know me, the Ballroom Blitz belter, and lover of all things female!”
“All things female?” Nightingale asked, trying to keep the hope out of her voice. She mostly succeeded. Maybe that meant that Sunny was free.
“All things female,” Moonlight confirmed. “And I even promised Sunny here that I’d find him a nice mare before the night was out.”
Nightingale giggled as she watched stallion give Moonlight a look of absolute surprise, and perhaps just a little fear mixed in.
He then gave Nightingale a look that seemed to yell ‘save me’ before he realized who he was giving the look to, and exploded into another bright, burning blush.
“Oh, good idea!” Moonlight said, actually causing Nightingale and Velvet to both burst out laughing. The poor, petrified stallion was then shoved bodily over to stand beside Nightingale, though despite his terrified state, he was still managing to give Moonlight a petulant look.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!” Nightingale giggled, throwing a wing around him and leading the way into the bar as Velvet and Moonlight giggled behind her. Sunny seemed too nervous to do much more than follow with a nervous shuffle under Nightingale’s wing.
Of course, the first place the four went was the bar itself. Sunny was clearly not relaxed enough and Velvet was still just a little off balance because of Moonlight, something that needed to be remedied fast.
“Three shots of tequila, one of dragon liquor!” Moonlight requested the moment they got there. Nightingale and Velvet both looked over at the white mare in surprise. “Sunny needs to be drunk, and for whatever reason, he just doesn’t get drunk fast enough off normal stuff.”
Nightingale had to refrain from pointing out tequila was not exactly a normal first drink. Or second drink, as the case may be.
The moment the drinks were put before them, Sun’s wing shot out and he immediately downed the dragon liquor shot. He gasped, though almost immediately began to loosen up.
Nightingale smiled. This would be fun, if he actually relaxed a bit. She took her own shot and grinned at the burn as it went down the back of her throat. “Loosening up a bit?” she asked him impishly.
“I need another,” he stated quietly.
“We need another set!” Moonlight called out, right after Sun had finished speaking.
Another set of shots was placed before the group. Another set went bottoms up. Now it was much more obvious that Sun was loosening up, as he was leaning into Nightingale’s embrace and actually slipped his own wing around her. She grinned at that. This was definitely shaping up to be a good night.
Nightingale looked over at Moonlight and Velvet. “Let’s hit the stage!”
She got up and began to pull Sunny towards the stage with her, Moonlight and Velvet not far behind. The stallion didn’t seem to be nervous anymore as he walked beside Nightingale and she giggled at the fact that ‘liquid courage’ seemed to be almost literal in this case. She went through the track list and chose her and Sunny’s. As she grinned over at him, Broken came over the speakers and she sang. She knew she wasn’t very good, especially drunk, but it was still a great time. Especially after hearing Sun’s singing voice. Or maybe it was just that good since she was so smashed.
After the far-too-short song, she and Sun went down from the stage, with Nightingale leaning on the stallion. Perhaps she was a little more drunk than she’d originally thought. Still, if the consequence was having to lean against a fit stallion, there could be far worse She’d just have to make sure not to drink too much more.
Of course, that was an impossible resolution to keep as she went over and got something fruity for herself and a high proof whiskey for Sun. Nightingale needed to keep him loosened up! They went out onto the dance floor just as Moonlight and Velvet finished their song, a high energy number that had everypony bouncing around all the more.
After Velvet and Moonlight’s number, another high energy song came over the speakers and Nightingale immediately threw herself into the music, having a great time.
It wasn’t long before Velvet and Moonlight joined them, and the group of four all danced together, moving and shifting as one. Right up until one of them tripped over their own hooves. Nightingale had no idea who it was, or even if it was her, all she knew was that one minute the four of them were owning the dance floor, and the next she was sprawled atop Sun, with Moonlight and Velvet on top of her.
There was a short silence before they all burst into laughter, picking themselves up off one another. “Perhaps it’s time to head home?” Moonlight suggested. “Where are you two at?”
“Upper Westfall,” Velvet said, raising an eyebrow.
“Ruby District,” Nightingale said.
“Both way too far!” Moonlight declared. She glanced over at Sun questioningly.
“I have enough room. You can crash at my place,” he said, his voice soft and level. If she didn’t know what he looked like at the beginning of the night, she never would have guessed he wasn’t perfectly sober.
“Oh? Just like that?” Nightingale asked teasingly.
“I have enough room,” Sun said, though his face went just a little red, something Nightingale found to be adorable.
Nightingale smiled teasingly. “I guess we can’t refuse then. Where are you at?”
“I’m not too far. I’m at the edge of the International District,” Sun said softly, beginning to lead the way, letting Nightingale lean on him as she feigned being a little more unbalanced than she actually was. She had an excuse! Sun was worth it!
The walk back to his place wasn’t too long. It only took maybe fifteen minutes, mostly because Velvet and Moonlight were trying to hold each other up, and both giggling too much to be any help to the other.
They did eventually make it, however, to the building Sun was leading them to. It was far larger than Nightingale had been expecting, though the unlit sign out front told her that it was also his place of work. He led them inside the building, shutting and locking the door behind them.
Nightingale was aware of Moonlight telling Velvet she’d lead her to THEIR room, and giggled. She then walked up to Sun and, as he turned back around from the door, she pulled him into a deep, hard kiss. Maybe it was the drink, maybe it was the fun and energy she still felt from the dancing and bar earlier, but damn, she wanted to have a little fun!
Sun paused, seeming to be shocked at her actions, but before Nightingale could start doubting herself, he wrapped a wing around the back of her neck and pulled her into another kiss, this one of his initiation.
Nightingale let out one more giggle as she pressed in and gave full control to the passion still burning within.
Author's Note
Nightingale and Velvet Step are both Crystal Wish's OC's.
Sunrider and Moonlight are mine.
I make no claims to having kept Nightingale well in character, as the original draft of this was written back in November, with the rewrite about a month ago. This was also before certain events in the Q&B canon sunk my Nightingale ship, as well as properly began to flesh her out. 
If you liked it, leave a comment and tell me why. If you didn't, give me a reason as well. I want to know how I can improve. 
~The Fiend
