Center Stage

Gemini was still breathing heavily when she leaned back against the pole behind her, relying on it for support. She had given her all during the performance, expelling most of the energy her body had to offer. Satisfied with what they had seen, the crowd had slowly begun to disperse to the bar and tables to await the next performance.

“Gem, you were a knockout!”

Her eyes glanced to her right as Onyx rushed towards the stage with his hands in the air. The look on his face was one of pure joy and excitement. Roseluck was behind him. She looked less impressed, but she still wore noticeable grin. As the adrenaline left her, Gemini became more and more aware of the chill in the air and the fact that she was still completely naked. Covering her nipples with one arm and her bare slit with the other, she met her boss at the edge of the stage and dropped to the floor.

“I honestly didn’t think you’d go so far as to take everything off, but you did, and the audience loved it.”

Roseluck stepped forward with her hands on her hips as her eyes looked Gemini up and down, from her head to her toes. “I gotta admit, you looked pretty good up there, tardy pants.” Then, her grin softened to something that resembled more of an actual smile. “You gotta teach me some of those moves you pulled up there. I’d like to learn how to…”

Roseluck attempted to recreate the part when Gemini flowed across the top of the stage as though she were being lead by her waist. The exhausted dancer was a little surprised by her coworker’s sudden change in attitude. “I know I don’t have the wings to do half the stuff you can do, but Onyx is right. There’s something about you that just makes the audience fall in love with you.” The red-haired mare’s eyes fell, and her smile vanished. “I haven’t been that nice to you since you started working here, and I want to make it up to you.”

Gemini glanced towards Onyx, who simply shrugged like he had nothing to do with it. She looked back towards Roseluck and met the mare’s gaze. “That’s alright… You don’t owe me anything, and as for the dancing, I’d be happy to show you a thing or two.”

Roseluck’s cheeks turned as red as her hair. It was only several seconds after she spoke that Gemini realized what she said could have a second meaning. Onyx didn’t seem to catch it, but Roseluck sure did, and she quickly nodded her head before walking away, heading in the direction of the bar.

Now that the dancers’ private conversation was over, Onyx stepped forward and took Gemini’s hand. Before she could ask what the sudden contact was for, he began to lead her away from the stage, towards the tables where much of the audience that had been watching her still lingered. “I’m glad that you and Roseluck are starting to get along, but your little lessons are going to have to wait.”

As they drifted through the crowd of chanting ponies, several turned to smile at her and compliment her show as she passed them by. She tried to thank them, but Onyx didn’t stop for a second. Where they were going, Gemini had no idea. Part of her just wanted a quiet place to rest and relax, preferably her dressing room.

“So… This is her?”

She realized they had stopped and that they were now standing face to face with Princess Luna herself. Onyx offered the princess a short bow and motioned for Gemini to do the same. The princess had been sitting at a table before standing to greet them.

As they bowed, she smiled and bowed in return. Onyx cleared his throat as he rose as he gestured towards the dancer by his side. “Yes, your majesty. This is Gemini, my most esteemed and talented performer.” The dancer’s heart was racing in her chest like she was on stage again.

She had never been in the presence of royalty before. Luna had hardly said anything, but Gemini could tell there was something extremely powerful about her. The princess’ wings were much larger than her own, falling behind her like a sort of cloak, and a long, pointed horn crowned the top of her head. On their own, they didn’t mean much, but together, they made a mare into a princess, a holder of the highest office in Equestria.

Then, there were the two Royal Guards that stood behind her, both tall and menacing. Luna must have seen the look on Gemini’s face when she spotted the armored stallions, because she laughed and waved a dismissive hand, a signal for the guards to give them a little room. “Ah, don’t mind Solace and Silvershield, they mean well.” Then, her attention turned to the manager, if only briefly. “Might we have some time alone, Mr. Onyx? There’s quite a bit I’d like to discuss with your performer.”

Onyx hadn’t been expecting the be excluded from the conversation, having been asked only to bring Gemini to the princess. Gemini had an equally confused look on her face as she still knew nothing about why she was where she was. The stallion quickly nodded his head anyway and gave Luna a short bow. “Of course, your majesty.” Then, he looked at Gemini and managed a weak smile. “I’ll be in my office.”

Just like that, he was gone. The stallion vanished into the crowd, leaving Gemini alone with the princess and her guards. Luna descended gracefully back into her chair and motioned towards another across the table. “Would you care to sit, Miss Gemini?”

Still naked, and a little cold now, Gemini nodded her head as she clumsily fell into the empty chair. The soft cushions enveloped her sensitive skin. It felt weird to touch, but she eventually sat back in the seat with her eyes fixed on Luna’s. The princess grinned, showing off her pale teeth. She had a smile the glowed like moonlight. “You put on… an incredible performance, Miss Gemini. I can say with honesty that I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

The complement felt nice, especially coming from her. “Th-Th-Thank you, your majesty… I-“

Luna waved her hand, cutting her off. “Enough of that, my dear. When a mare hears ‘your majesty’ so often, it loses its meaning. Please, just call me Luna.”

Gemini blushed and nodded her head. “Yes, ma’am… I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve never met a princess before.”

The princess raised an eyebrow. “Truly? I find that hard to believe. From what I’ve seen you do on stage tonight, you should be dancing in the palace, which brings me to the topic of our conversation…” She reached out, towards a glass of water, and took a long sip.

Gemini was quick to catch what Luna had said, and she sat forward in her seat. “You… want me?”

Luna set the glass down, revealing a smile that stretched from ear to ear. “Yes, Miss Gemini. With your particular talents and… sexual appeal, you’d have a prosperous career at the palace.” A bell was ringing in the dancer’s ears. “Just think, my dear, you could be performing for Equestrian nobility and officials of the royal government. In between your performances, you’d be treated like royalty yourself. The palace would not only be your stage, but it would be your new home.”

Everything coming out of Luna’s mouth sounded too good to be true. Gemini wasn’t poor by any means, and she had an apartment in a seedy part of Canterlot’s entertainment district, but moving into the palace would certainly be a step forward. Luna looked like she was waiting for her response.

“I… I don’t know what to say, your maj- I mean, Luna…”

The princess reached across the table, wrapping her fingers around Gemini’s and taking her hand. “You only need to say ‘yes’, my dear.”

She looked down at Luna’s hand.

Her skin looked so perfect, so pure, and on her fingers, an arrangement of dazzling rings glittered under the flashing lights from above their heads. That could all be hers, that lifestyle. Luna, the princess of the moon and one of the two ruling figures of Equestria was personally inviting her into the palace, where all of that could be made possible.

Then, her thoughts drifted towards Onyx, her fans, and ever Roseluck, whom she had promised lessons and pointers. “Wh… What about the dancing I do here?”

Luna retracted her hand as she nodded her head. “I will handle all of that, Miss Gemini. If you accept my proposal, I can negotiate with Mr. Onyx about buying your contract. It would be no trouble at all.”

Gemini’s face felt hot, and her chest felt heavy. Leaving the Colt’s Club to move into the palace would be such a huge step for her, and it would mean leaving a lot behind. Then, there was Emerald. He would be coming back for her. Gemini shook her head, surprising the princess. “I… I’m sorry, Luna. This is a lot to think about. I have a lot on my mind, and I just can’t make a decision like that right now.”

She almost expected the princess to get angry, but no wrath came. Luna smiled sadly, like her answer was what she had been expecting, even though she hoped she would accept. “Do not apologize, Miss Gemini. I completely understand. Know this, though, my offer will stand should you ever decide you want to perform for me.” She stood up, and in an instant, her guards were by her side. “You only need to reach out to me, if you wish to accept my proposal. If you do not, I’ll understand that you’d rather stay here.” Luna extended her hand, and Gemini met the princess with hers. “You have a good evening, Miss Gemini.”

The dancer managed a smile as she shook her hand. “Y-Y-Yeah… You too, Luna…”

Then, the princess turned her back, and with her guards right behind her, she headed for the exit. Alone at the table, Gemini slumped back in her chair and let out a long sigh, but the isolation didn’t last. Within moments, several of her co-workers converged on her. All dressed in their skimpy outfits, Amber, Aria, Roseluck, and several others huddled around Gemini, all eagerly bombarding her with questions.

“What did she want, Gem?”

“What did the princess say to you?”

“Did she like your dancing?”

Still overwhelmed from the initial offer, Gemini could hardly think straight enough to formulate a response to any of them. Roseluck pushed some of the other dancers aside, giving Gemini a little more breathing room. “Come on, girls, give her some space.” Slowly and reluctantly, the dancers trickled away into the crowd until only Roseluck remained at the table. Roseluck then revealed a shirt and offered it to the naked mare with a chuckle. “Here, put this on, tardy pants. I can’t look at you without staring at your boobs.”

It was just a simple top, nothing special about it, but Gemini quietly thanked her as she slipped the shirt over her head. Still slightly cold, her hard nipples poked through the thin shirt, but she was already beginning to feel much warmer.

“So…” Roseluck reared her face in her hands, which were propped up by her elbows on the table. “I mean, if you don’t mind me asking… What did Princess Luna want with you? Did… Did she want a ‘private’ performance?”

Gemini knew what Roseluck meant, and she shook her head. Not once through the entire conversation had she thought about having sex with the princess in one of the side rooms. “No… It wasn’t that…” Part of her wanted to lie. She couldn’t bring herself to tell anypony that Luna had offered her a job, and worse, that she had considered saying ‘yes’. The other half of her knew she had to tell somepony. Would Roseluck be able to keep a secret? Probably not. “She just wanted to personally tell me that she liked my performance.”

It wasn’t a lie, at least, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. Roseluck looked a little disappointed. Maybe she had been expecting something a little more exciting. “Oh… Well, that’s still pretty cool. You should be proud.” Then, she stood up, patting Gemini on the back as she walked away. “See ya’ later, Gemini. I’ll be on stage four, if you wanna watch.”

Once again, she was alone, despite the dozens of ponies around her at the tables. Her chest felt heavier than ever as she thought about Luna’s offer.

***Up Next: Wild Dreams***