Center Stage

Gemini felt a considerably better than she had a few hours ago. The bouncer had brought her food, and Roseluck even came by to talk a little. The conversations mostly consisted of their dance routines and how much fun they had teasing the audience while stripping. You know, girl stuff. All things considered, she still felt horrible after what happened between her and Emerald, but she aimed to make that right.

Tonight was going to be different from her past performances, and the whole club floor was going to see it firsthand. Chances were high that this show would be her last, and Gemini knew it. She had already made peace with that uncomfortable truth, but the end result would be totally worth it, no matter the outcome.

Dressed in her outfit, a golden, skintight body suit that just barely covered her most private areas, she peeked through her dressing room door. She didn’t need to see to know that the club floor was already brimming with eager guests and paying patrons. Onyx hadn’t been exaggerating when he let it slip that the expected turnout was higher than usual.

Her stage was dark, but there was still entertainment to be seen. Amber was just getting started on stage four, and Roseluck was in full swing, already topless on stage seven.

Gemini chuckled to herself quietly. She had encouraged Roseluck to do that, to be a little bolder with her generous body proportion ons on stage. She had learned early on in her dancing career that ponies were simple creatures with simple interests. When they saw large, attractive breasts, they were willing to offer higher tips. It was simple math, really, and Roseluck had some of the hottest breasts she’d ever seen.

Her gaze shifted to the clock above her desk, which signaled that it was just about time for her own show to begin. Putting it off any longer wasn’t an option.

She let out a sigh and fiddled with her breasts so that they’d fit more comfortably in her skimpy outfit. She’d been so fixated on Roseluck’s boobs that she’d forgotten to take care of her own. Then, she opened the door fully and stepped outside.

It was showtime.

Gemini melted into the shadows towards the back of the club floor as she navigated through the dark and empty stages. It was important that she remained unseen until the spotlight was on her. Luckily for her, most eyes were on the two dancers currently performing or the bar.

Gliding on the tips of her toes, she slipped past stage six and collided into a stallion. In the darkness, the two of them stumbled until they were both on the hard floor.

Gemini groaned, and the stallion did the same. Only by hearing his voice did she immediatly recognize who he was.

“Emerald?!”

He looked equally stunned, however briefly. The look of surprise on his face was quickly replaced by a worried expression. Gemini stood up and helped him to his feet.

“I don’t understand... What are you doing here?”

He shook his head hurriedly.

“I needed to see you.”

Something about the tone of his voice excited Gemini, like he was in a rush to profess his love for her. Her heart pounded in her chest at the mere sight of him. In the shadows, they held hands, which only added to the feelings of pure joy exploding in her chest.

“You came back to me...”

Emerald nodded his head.

“I had to. I needed to tell you not to go on stage.”

Then, just like that, all of the happy feelings were gone. Gemini cocked her head to the side and squinted her eyes at him as though she hadn’t heard him correctly. Emerald must have been able to sense that there was a dramatic shift in her mood, because his grip on her hands loosened significantly.

“I’m sorry... It sounded like you said you didn’t want me to dance tonight.”

After swallowing his fear, he nodded his head.

“Yeah, I don’t. I know what you’re up to, Cicada, and I don’t want you to do it. This obviously means a lot to you. Like you said, this is your way of life. You need to keep your secret, so you can keep doing what you love. If you go on that stage and reveal yourself, you’ll lose it all.”

Gemini paused. That wasn’t the explanation she had been expecting at all. Was she really so predictable? She shook her head and tightened her grip on his retreating hands, not wanting to let him get away so easily.

“You’re wrong, Emerald. You’re the one I love, and I’m going to go up there and let everypony in on the secret.”

Emerald opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but a booming voice came over the loudspeakers.

“Goooooooood evening, mares and gentlecolts, ponies of all shapes and sizes, to the Colt’s Club! How about another round of applause for our two wonderfully talented dancers. Let’s give it up for Amber and Roseluck! Take a bow, ladies.”

They were out of time.

Gemini and Emerald locked eyes. His were silently pleading with her, telling her not to go, but she had to. Her mind had already been set.

“For our final performance tonight, we have a real treat for you. She’s a mare you’re all familiar with, she’s got moves like no other, and just the mere sight of her will knock you back into your seat!”

She brushed the stallion out of her way and made a mad dash for the center stage.

“You better sit down for this one. Let’s all give a welcoming cheer for our favorite mare here at the Colt’s Club, Gemini!”

Using her momentum from the sprint up to the stage, Gemini used her last few strides to kick herself high into the air. She flipped over the edge of the platform and grabbed onto the center pole with her outstretched hand. Spreading her bright red wings out, she sped around the pole, around and around and around again until she landed firmly on the surface of the stage.

The audience before her, which had promptly held its breath, erupted into cheers and cries of excitement. The spotlights obscured much of her vision beyond the edge of the platform, but she could make out a sea of ponies with all eyes on her. A smile forced its way onto her lips, and Gemini greeted her constituents with a bow, exsposing a generous amount of her deep cleavage, which only excited them more.

Then, the music began.

A slow beat came from the speakers overhead, and the subwoofers vibrated the entire stage. Gemini began with a hip sway, rolling her flat stomach to the beat of the song and popping her shoulders back. There wasn’t a single part of her body that wasn’t constantly on the move. She even made use of her golden hair, flipping it back in the most spectacular way.

It helped her, knowing that Emerald was somewhere in the crowd, watching her. She was doing this for him, not the hundreds of cheering fans, him. She pictured him watching her every move, ogling her features, and she was happy to show him everything.

Her feet slid gracefully across the stage, bringing her towards the back, past the pole. Then, she took a running start and flipped onto her hands, spreading her wings out as far as they could possibly reach in order to retain some sense of balance. Finally, still supporting herself with just her hands, she lowered her legs on either side, spreading them wide open.

The crowd loved that move, and they let her know it through their cheers and whistles.

Pushing off with her hands, Gemini used her wings to give herself extra thrust and climb higher above the stage, floating slightly as she glided in circles around the pole. She then quickly brought her wings in and proceeded to dive. The audience held its breath as she fell, but Gemini had pulled this move off many times before. Just before she hit the stage, she pulled back up and a neck-breaking speed, fully extending her wings and tearing free from her entire outfit in one swift action.

Her breasts came free from the tight confines of top, and a cool breeze brushed her smooth crotch. There was nothing inbetween her and the eyes that took in everything they could possibly see, and she gave them a moment to see it all.

Then, she started to spin, almost like a ballerina. It began slowly but quickly picked up in pace. On the tips of her toes, she spun faster and faster, eventually sticking her arms out wide before bringing them in across her chest and holding them tight across her body. Her wings came in too, covering her like a shield.

That’s when the fire started. It sparked beneath her spinning feet and grew quickly. The green flames enveloped the entire stage in seconds, and the green glow illuminated the entire club floor.

When the dancer finally came to a stop and the flames faded into nothingness, the entire club was quiet. There was no music, no applauds, no cheers, no whistles. Nothing.

The beautiful dancer Gemini was no more. In her place, Cicada stood proud, chest out and breathing heavily. She brushed her black hair out of her eyes and shifted back and forth on her feet as she stared at the stunned audience.

Then, from the back of the crowd, a pair of hands began to clap slowly. The ponies parted ways as Princess Luna approached the stage with her two Royal Guards flanking her. She wore a huge grin on her face as she clapped for the changeling.

“Very interesting...”

Onyx came running next, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. Cicada could see that he was fuming with a combination of shock and anger. This must not have been what he was expecting for his grand finale. With his finger, he pointed right at her.

“Gem, what’s the meaning of this?! What kind of sick joke are you playing?!”

Cicada shrugged absentmindedly. At this point, she knew her dancing career was over, and she couldn’t care less. She approached the edge of the stage with her arms folded across her chest and looked down her nose at him.

“I’m not playing any joke, Onyx. This is the real me, and if you don’t like it, I’ll just have to quit.”

Her response seemed to stun him. His lower lip quivered but made no sound, and his face turned bright red.

“Yo-You can’t quit! You’re fired! Nopony in Canterlot will ever hire a changeling! You’ll never work in this city again!”

A dark blue hand tapped his shoulder, and Onyx turned to come face to face with Princess Luna. He immediately realized how he must have appeared to her and the rest of the audience and went on the back foot in an attempt to control the situation.

“Oh! Good evening, your majesty... I’m so sorry about what’s happened tonight. I do apologize, but I’m going to make everything right. You have my word.”

Cicada watched from the stage as a sly smrik formed in the corners of the princess’ mouth.

“You already have.”

Then, Luna turned towards the stage and looked up at her, folding her arms across her chest.

“It seems to me, my little changeling, that you have a sudden opening in your schedule.”

Cicada nodded her head softly, keeping her eyes fixed on the princess.

“Yeah... I’ve just been fired...”

That didn’t bother the princess in the slightest. Luna let out a soft chuckle and extended an arm towards her, outstretching her hand for the changeling to take.

“Well, if you’ll recall, I made you an offer some time ago that still stands, if you’ll only accept.”

Cicada’s eyes widened. She had forgotten, but here the princess was, literally offering her a hand in friendship and a job. Without hesitation, she reached out and took Luna’s hand, and the princess helped her down from the stage.

Onyx looked back and forth between them.

“Wha-What offer? Gem, what is she talking about?”

Cicada felt something warm fall over her bare shoulders. It was her coat, and it was the bouncer who’d put it there. She didn’t have the chance to thank him, however, because she was caught inbetween Onyx and Princess Luna, who had folded her arms again as she towered over the quivering stallion.

“I believe this lovely lady has just been terminated, Mr. Onyx, and is now free from any contracts binding her to your establishment. I previously offered her a position to work for me and dance at the palace, and she’s just accepted that position. I believe we are done here. Come, Cicada.”

Onyx had no words, but this didn’t matter as Luna was finished talking with him anyway. The princes turned to face her and the bouncer, and when she saw the hulking stallion behind her, she smiled.

“Lancer, it’s always a pleasure to see you. Do take care of the whole I’m gone, yeah?”

The bouncer offered her a smile in return, along with a short bow.

“Always, your majesty...”

Before Cicada knew it, Luna was taking her away, the guards following close behind. After all the time she’d been working at the Colt’s Club, she never bothered to learn the bouncer’s name. Then again, he’d never bothered to share it.

“Hey, princess...”

The royal mare let out a soft chuckle.

“Please, just call me Luna. We’re friends now, after all.”

Cicada let the feeling soak in, and she nodded her head. Having powerful friends like the princess could prove useful in more ways than one, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“Right... Luna, I was just wondering how you knew the bouncer.”

The princess raised an eyebrow at her as they walked towards the door.

“Oh, Lancer? He previously worked for me as a Royal Guard, but he resigned when his wife became pregnant with their first son last year. He’s such a gentle giant, but firm when he needs to be.”

Cicada knew that all too well. He was always so nice to her, but he didn’t think twice about picking up some rowdy pony by the neck of his or her shirt and tossing them out the door. In fact, there was one time when he was just about ready to throw Emerald out, because he figured he might have been bothering her.

“Emerald!”

In the excitement of the moment, Cicada had almost forgotten about him. She hadn’t seen the stallion since she bounded onto the stage for her show, but she didn’t have to look far to find him again. He stood at the edge of the crowd, staring directly at her.

Emerald took a couple steps towards her, but the guards blocked his path, threatening to draw their weapons if he got any closer. Luna was quick to defuse the situation, and she motioned for the guards to let him approach Cicada. The two lovers took each other’s hands and stood close, never breaking eye contact.

“So... This is the real you, huh?”

Cicada blew her black hair out of her eyes and flipped it to the side, offering him a meek smile.

“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, remember?”

She knew he did, but she wanted to see him turn red anyway, which he did. He looked cute when he was embarrassed. Cuter than normal, anyway.

Luna cleared her throat softly to get their attention.

“Cicada, it’s time to pack up your things and prepare to move into the palace. The night might be young, but I’m not. If your coltfriend is coming with you, I suggest you both hurry. My carriage is double parked.”

Emerald looked impressed with his new title.

“Coltfriend?”

Cicada took his hand in hers and looked him in the eyes. Of course, she wanted him to come with her, but she’d never considered the possibility until now. There was just the small matter of him agreeing.

“Well, coltfriend? Are we living in the palace, or what?”

Emerald laughed out loud, earning smiles from both her and Luna.

“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where I am. My dad’s been hounding me to move out and find my own place anyway.”

The princess clasped her hands together and let out an excited ‘squee’.

“Very well. It’s settled. Come, Cicada and Emerald, there is much to do!”

Holding tightly onto Emerald, Cicada followed Luna out of the Colt’s Club and out into the night. The cold air hit her pale face, and she took in a deep breath. For what seemed like the first time, she had a bright future, and the possibilities were limitless. Together, they all made their way across the road to the royal carriage, and Cicada didn’t look back once.

***The End***