Author's Note

Sorry if the ending is messy! I rushed it and forgot to check it haha

The Gala and the Consorts

Every few years, the Emperor hosts a gala for his consorts, their friends, family etc. This is known as the Grand Galloping Gala and is said to be the most exclusive and luxery event at the Royal Canterlot Palace. There is said to be food, games, royalty galore, music, and some have said they've kick started businesses there.

Rainbow had never been to the gala, according to rumors you need and exclusive invitation written in fine gold parchment to even get in, she never believed that though and thought the gala was just a hoity toity party for hoity toity people.

Then one day, she had to go.

"You want me to do what now?"

"Why my dear, I want you to wear this gown!"

I had stared at Rarity as if she had grown a second head. In front of me, the pureblood held a dress that seemed awfully... fit to my aesthetics let's just say. The dress had a very rainbow inspired design, around the spot that was supposed to show cleavage (which would be non existant for me) was covered in a soft cloud like material that worked as somehwat of a form of coverage, below it was a slim rainbow trimming that I knew has some sort of corset inside of it. Surrounding that trimming was the cloudy material that covered where the hips should be, in the middle of the dress, just below the pelvis area, was a long slit. Assuming that dress was made for me, I guess she put it there for me to run better in it, the rest of the dress had long rainbow streaks and the edges had the same cloudy trimming.

In the basket Rarity had around her elbow, there were golden wrist cuffings, golden slippers that resembled elegant gladiator sandles, a necklace that looked like a bundle of grabes and some weird golden headpiece that looked like olive leaves "Rainbow dearie, I spent so long on this outfit! Not only that but this is the gala we're talking about, you have to look the best!" She then happily skipped to me "I usually make clothes suited for Lady Celestia, but as you're much more frail and... not very bestowed I didn't have to worry about your proportions! You see, I went for some goddess realness with hint of a an airy pegasus noble girl, you will be turning heads-"

I snorted "doubt it, plus I just don't feel interested in that silly gala, I probably won't go-"

"Yes you will!"

I jumped back, only to see Lady Celestia smiling. However, she wore the same smile as Emperor Sombra, she already knew she won this confrontation "but Ladyyyyy!" I whined.

"No buts! All attendants of the nobles must go, you don't wanna embarrass me do you...?" She asked gently.

I paused before sighing "fine, I'll go as long as Rarity makes me a less flashy dress!"

Rarity didn't make me a less flashy dress.

It was a few hours before the gala and my fellow attendants were working very hard!

By that I mean Fluttershy and Rarity were working super hard whilst AJ and I goofed off.

AJ was a cool chick, she wasn't prissy and she wasn't mean, she was blunt and honestly really kind. She was a lot older than me and had been working in the palace for much longer, she claimed she used to both wrestle in a local prostitution district (similar to my racing job) and work on a farm with her family. AJ's contract made it so she had to work for another three years before she could even think about going home, as sad as she said it was, she claimed it was fine as long as the money she made was being sent to her family back at home "So, Jay..." I began "what's the deal with this gala? I thought all the consorts were invited...?"

AJ shook her head "nah, ya see, tha only consorts who can actually go are tha four highest rankin' ones, cuz the Emperor has no empress which means" she brought out her hands and began counting on her fingers "only Lady Celestia, the Solar Sun consort, Lady Luna, the Eclipse Moon consort, Lady Chrysalis, the Ever Changing Hive consort, and Lady Cadence, the Virgin Amore consort can go"

I watched as she stretched and yawned "before ya came, only tha Virgin Amore consort and tha Ever Changing Hive consort attended, Lady Celestia and Lady Luna couldn't go though because they were pregnant at tha tahm" she finished.

"I see... so what exactly do we have to do? As attendants I mean" I asked, scratching the back of my hair.

AJ shrugged "really all we gotta do is smile and wave, that's all ah evah do" she chuckled "Rarity hates it though, she thinks ah gotta be more fancy, since all the 'hot officas' are present and all" she shrugged.

I rolled my eyes, the thought of Soarin making me shudder "will... every officer be there?-"

"BUT OF COURSE!" Rarity shrieked, appearing out of nowhere " This time, all the highest and most prestige of the royal consorts will be in the same vacinity for the unveiling of Princess Twilight! This is means war with all the other attendants, and as attendants of the highest level concubine we must put up the hardest fight! WE WILL DANCE ON THEIR ASHES!"

It was quite funny seeing Rarity rage like that, but at the same time I was extremely afraid not gonna lie. As I brooded over AJ telling me I had to smile and wave to a bunch of unknown men, the now calm attendant approached me as she looked me up and down "it's a good thing I used the special cloud cotten to cover up where your chest would be exposed... we would then had to use padding which is very noticable... maybe I could put something around your hips... or would it fall out of the slit..."

I shrugged "I trust you with everything..." I mumbled.

"SPEAKING OF WHICH!" She yelled "FLUTTERSHY! APPLEJACK! WE HAVE TO DO RAINBOW'S COSMETICS, REMEMBER!?" She yelled.

Oh no...

Before I had the chance to dip, AJ grabbed me by the arms and started pushing me forward "if ah have to do it, so do you!" she boistrously laughed as Rarity bought a wet cloth to my face. I shook my head violently as I saw the rag approach my face.

"Believe me Rares, you'll regret doing this!" I yelled, inevitably stopping my fruitless squirming though.

"No I won't sweetie!" She chuckled before wiping my face in a fast and thorough manner "oh, I can't wait to work on your face! I've never worked on a cloud type before, so sadly I doubt I have the right colors to accommodate such a lovely skin tone... but I'll find away! Also, I didn't realize Rainbow but you have really adorable and pretty features! This is gonna be-" Rarity stopped halfway through her little ramble and looked at me "fun...?"

I sighed "look, I know it's weird and all and I'm sorry-" the magic type then cut me off with a loud clap.

"Ladies" she began with a soft yet noticable smirk "I don't think cosmetics are any longer needed"

Soarin was roaming around like a busy body, constantly greeting people and attempting to show off his charm. Although Soarin was the head Eunuch, and had been so for years, he he had never actually attended The Grand Galloping Gala before, mainly because most of the time he either had meetings or mountains of paperwork, his attendant Spitfire would usually go on his behalf. However, now that he actually had a chance, he wanted to impress everyone as much as possible and would stop at nothing to do so.

Spitfire tailed tiredly behind, sighing constantly "so, that was Lady Cadenza, now it's time to greet Lady Celestia- hey! Wait up!" She groaned, quickly following behind as Soarin practically skipped over to the consort. Lady Celestia was wearing a rather large pure golden tiara with yellow and purple gems encrusted into it, her gown was a soft yellow with white trimming and a long orange veil that was hooked around her shoulders and neck, she wore a yellow choker that had long golden string going down from it that held up a sun emblem.

"Why hello there my lady, you look absolutely radiant as always" Soarin smiled with a bow, Spitfire following soon after.

Lady Celestia giggled "well, you definately know how to charm a woman, don't you?" She smiled.

Soarin chuckled at this and continued "I must say you look stunning in oranges and yellows, truly shows of the elegance that is the Solar Palace"

Celestia rolled her eyes playfully "no amount of flirting will make me allow you to care for baby Twilight" but waved her hand with a laugh "but if you truly want to see her she's in the cot over with Rainbow and Rarity" Soarin's eyes practically sparkled when the baby was mentioned and went dashing over to the attendants, with poor Spitfire staggering behind.

I heard Soarin's signature humming and groaned, I didn't think I'd had to deal with him today. He came up to the cot and looked down, remembering that this was the gala and what AJ had said to me earlier, I looked up at him "merry evening Soarin" and simply said. I was soon overtaken by worry when Soarin continued to stare at me, it wasn't long before he shook his head and pointed.

"Y-Your freckles! Your eye bags! Just how much makeup did you put on?" He said "if it weren't for your rainbow hair there's no way in hell I would have recognized you, no offence but... you just look too pretty!" He spluttered, constantly looking me up and down.

"Kinda rude but thanks" I snorted "as for my face? Nah, I didn't use any makeup whatsoever" I shrugged.

Soarin glared playfully "that's a lie and you know it, you're baggy eyes and freckles are gone, you totally used makeup"

I finger gunned him and shook my head "again, nope, they're gone because I removed my makeup" after looking at his confused expression I sighed "basically, I used paint and dried clay powder to give myself baggy eyes and freckles, so any trace of that adorableness Rarity was gushing over ten minutes ago would be gone!"

Soaring raised a brow "but... what was the point? Like, is there a reason to this?"

I nodded "yup I did it for two reasons, one was so I could be taken more seriously as both a racer and a herbalist and the conversation wouldn't always come back to my looks, and two was so I wouldn't have been bitched out by grandma"

"Bitched... out?"

I continued "basically back in my prostitution disctrict, there was a place called The Factory, which was an abandoned building that used to be connected to rainbow falls, anyway, if a man was too poor to afford an actual harlot, they'd force one of the cuter poor girls to go for free, and I think you know what happens next..." ignoring his clearly horrified expression, I kept speaking "my grandma told me a few creeps wanted me to go, which was odd because I had stopped working at the prostitution district months ago, so I decided that to avoid getting grabbed and molested I would-"

"Make yourself unattractive, thus to avoid lustful eyes..." Soarin heavily exhaled.

I looked down at baby Twilight and gently caressed her cheek "yup, the place was rampid with STDs and violence, but there was no way a thin foreigner with freckles and bags would be taken to The Factory, so I was safe"

Soarin soon sat beside me"where you... taken?"

I chuckled "yes, but it was only attempted, the dude looked at me and demanded a pureblood, so he decided not to sleep with me"

"Oh thank the stars" he said, holding his chest.

"Hold your horses monk boy, it's not all fun and games" I smiled "those guys decided that if they weren't gonna be rapist they were gonna be human trafficers, so they sold me off to the harem a few days later after finding me again in the forest picking herbs... to be honest? I may as well be a prostitute, there isn't much of a difference, so I kinda stopped caring I guess"

"But... they took you! And now they're making money off of you! You're not pissed!?"

I snorted "well, pfft, it goes without saying that I'm fucking mad about it, but crying and weeping won't do shit other than make me feel bad, so I may as well just take it head on"

Soarin stared at me for a bit before bringing out a weird emblem bracelt thingie before wrapping it around my wrist "here" he simply said before quietly walking off.

I stared it it for a while, puzzled as to why he would give me something this precious looking. Before I even had to chance to question how much I could sell it for, the other three attendants approached me with wide eyes "Did Soarin just...? Oh my goodness! How heroic! How kind!" Rarity gushed.

"Huh..?"

"Don't you get it Rainbow? He-!"

Lady Celestia approached us with a smile "come on ladies, it is time for the gala to officially begin!"

Thus, The Grand Galloping Gala began.

Although there was music, a few dancers and courtesans EVERYWHERE, the gala was oddly boring. It wasn't as fun as I had expected, but it also wasn't as hoity toity prissy as I had expected either, I guess you had to have a very specific sense of entertainment to truly enjoy yourself at an event like this. So instead of mingling, I stayed with Fluttershy, who was currently explaining things to me.

"Well" she began "that woman next to him, holding Princess Twilight is Empress Platinum, you probably know her from all the sayings and stories about her, she was married to the late emperor before he died" Fluttershy explained, as she pointed at the lady. The woman had very long blonde hair with natural silver highlights, her hair had many golden and silver trinkets braided and sowed into it. Her face was lean and stunning, replicating an elegant beauty that reminded me of Rarity quite a bit. She also wore a purple gown with silver trimming and diamond encrusted silk, I knew Rarity would be freaking out of she saw her, however one thing really tripped me off about her...

I grimaced "she looks... awfully young, like, barely past twenty four... and wasn't the late emperor in his like... late sixties?"

"Oh, she is! She had the Emperor at only this many years!" She said, counting on her fingers, I watched as she did so.

Yikes...

That must have been one hard pregnancy.

"Then, who's that other seat for?" I asked.

Fluttershy nodded "that's for the Emperor's brother, of whom he has the same mother... I heard he's always really sick and never leaves the house" I shrugged at this, at first I wondered whether he had a job or not, but soon remembered he was the son of the late Emperor, he probably had things hanfed to him on a silver platter, maybe I'd meet him one day, or maybe the Emperor would make me heal him like I did Lady Luna.

Before I could even carry on my thoughts, I could hear Rarity and AJ.

"Rares, calm down!" I looked back to see AJ trying to restrain the rabid pureblood.

"Calm down!? THIS BITCH CALLED ME A PLAIN JANE!" Rarity shrieked.

"Who cares!? We're servants, our job is tah serve our respective ladies, not care about stupid things like fashion!" Applejack retorted.

Judging by the dark blue scheme of their clothing, I assumed the other two were attendants of the Lunar Palace "did you here what the hillbilly earthy said? No wonder she's built like that!" One of them snorted.

"Yeah, look at them! Embarrassing their precious lady by turning up to the gala looking like... like.. some kinda pale skinned foreigners!" The other said nasally.

I watched as Rarity growled in their direction and sighed, due to the level of adoration each attendant had for their ladies, it was very common for royal attendants to scorn the others and rage unofficial war against them. The most rampid was the fued between the Solar and Lunar palace, the attendants of both seemed to despise each other and went after each other alot, mainly going on about how little attendants Lady Celestia had, it wasn't a surprising sight. Fluttershy shook her head "Rarity's trying to fight on Lady Celestia's behalf... again..."

"Haha, I didn't know the rainbow haired freak had a relative?" The girl said as she looked at me "wow! She's so much prettier, no wonder you invited her twin, bringing the actual her would probably scare off the guests!"

The girl beside her laughed "yeah! Knowing her, she wouldn't recieve one piece of jewelry!"

Rarity growled "HOW DARE YOU!?" she yelled "I'll have you know Rainbow Dash is very beautiful and could gain times more jewelry than you witches could ever dream of!"

Fluttershy had long since joined in to hold back the angry magic type, the two somehow struggling to hold back the rabid female. I looked over at one of the girls, she had white hair that was tied up with a simple golden trail, I remembered her. How did she not recognise me?

"How dare demand me to do such physically tasking work!?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes "well... your lady almost died because of you, it's the least you could do..."

The white haired pureblood scoffed "oh really? Don't be so damn cocky or I'm going to tell my father, and he'll deal with you!"

Rainbow jumped, before floating her way towards the girl and pinning her to the wall "then I'll just make sure your body will be too weak to do or tell him anything, believe me, I have many potions for that... or if I'm up to it, I could use other more... unorthodox methods if you catch my drift..." Rainbow smirked darkly.

The girl quickly ran away with many cries of defiance, leaving Dash to sigh "damn... I know those prostitutes said hearing that would scare a girl shitless, but that was quite the reaction..." she then shrugged "it may have been a joke, but hey, it worked"

How could she forget? We were like, tied at the hip for two months! As funny as it was to watch the powdered and pretty Rarity growl curses and threats at these girls, I realized now that I was slowly getting bored of hearing their meaningless jeering. As a cloud type, I got used to hearing insults being thrown at me and the people around me, so usually it wouldn't upset me. However, ever since I began working for Lady Celestia and with the other attendants, hearing them get insulted was... jarring to say the least. So I walked behind the three, and rubbed my cheeks together, before staring at the white haired girl with the same smirk I have her all those weeks ago.

She froze, just as I had predicted "s-same s-smile..."

The other one tilted her head "what? Snowbelle what are you-"

"SHE HAS THE SAME SMILE!" she shrieked before quickly running off as fast as she could, the other one following in a confused manner.

Rarity scoffed "cowards! Also your makeup is awful and your blue, purple and yellow color combinations look guady!" She yelled back.

I was going to laugh at Rarity's 'devistating' insult, I heard even more attendant bickering.

"Are you not the Virgin Amore servants? Wearing bright orange and yellow robes? When will you babysitters learn your place!"

"Does your gown not have holes!? It looks like it was run through mud!"

"You outta shut up! Please tell me you at least get paid extra for babysitting!"

"Do not call us babysitters!"

Fluttershy shook her head "the Ever Changing Hive and Virgin Amore attendants don't get along either... they're age is about as apart as a mother and daughter's, no wonder they're so hostile..."

AJ shook her head "I never understood how those two consorts could be... so apart in age"

"Well from what I know, they used to be mother and daughter-in-law so that should account for something" Rarity shrugged. I guess she saw my confusion and continued "believe me darling it is very convoluted, but to put it simply, five years ago the two of them were crown princess and consort, because as you know, if an Emperor was and Empress he can only have one consort"

Fluttershy nodded "yup, Lady Chrysalis left the castle and returned home, only to come back a few years later as the now Emperor's Ever Changing Hive consort, which was a switch in title as before she hadn't even been a consort"

I was listening, but then paused "wait, if Lady Cadenza is fourteen and this happened five years ago, then she joined the harem when she was...!"

AJ grimaced "nine years old..."

I knew only the late emperor could do this, as he had apprently had a track record of liking more budding fruits as opposed to fully ripe ones, but even if it were purely for political reasons, it still felt fucking disgusting. Not to mention Empress Platinum was taken at a much younger age, it makes me gag. Luckily, Emperor Sombra seems to be a bigger fan of more developed women compared to his father, from what I know he has yet to attempt to impregnate Lady Cadenza even after she started her periods, and the more flat chested consorts have a hard time recieving a visit from him.

But still, the only way for their relationship to count as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was...

Wait a second...

Don't tell me...

"Lady Chrysalis was the Crown Princess!? And Lady Cadenza was the late Emperor's consort!?" I snapped aloud "yikes! That's mega levels of gross!"

"I agree" I looked back to see Lady Celestia sighing "the late Emperor was not a very... respectable man, but he chose to only attempt to bare a child with Lady Cadenza when she reached her period, and luckily he died before he could do so"

Luckily was an understatement, it was a goddamn miracle that he died.

"Could you put Princess Twilight back in her basket?"

"Oh? Sure"

I held the small infant in my hand, her violet hair hair that was dotted with streaks of pink as held up with a small cotton hair band. All she ever seemd to do was giggle and smile, which was good because she was most definately a pleasure to see on a day to day basis. I placed her gently in her cot and lifted it up, carefully carrying it. As I approached AJ, who wondered about the baby's health, I felt someone walk past me rather harshly.

She had soft tanned skin with long pink hair that was highlighted with streaks of yellow and purples, all tied together with soft violet gems and... amber? I looked down at her odd choice of colors, she wore and orange dress with white and yellow hues and trimming, she wore amber earings that shone brightly under the light and her makeup was to resemble that of a sunset. It was obvious to anyone that she was wearing Lady Celestia's colors, and her angry huff as we stared at her only made that sentiment all the more solidified.

"That's the Virgin Amore consort, Lady Cadenza?" I said to AJ.

"Yup, but don't ask me why she's dressed as a clown, I have no idea" she shrugged before walking off.

Over my months of working here, I had managed to figure out what the four main consort's colors and symbols were. It didn't take genious to know that Lady Celestia and Lady Luna were both the sun and the moon, from both their colors and their symbols. I also soon learned that the Ever Changing Hive consorts colors were dark green and turqoise, though I didn't learn her symbol, and the Virgin Amore consort's symbol was love, and according to Rarity her and her consorts are usually seen wearing whites, blues and loads of pinks.

So why she was dressed like that I still don't know.

I slowly sent up Princess Twilight back to Empress Platinum, who gently took her on hand "are you Rainbow Dash by any chance?" The elegant queen spoke softly.

Shit.

"Yes indeed I am your majesty" I spoke with a bow.

She smiled, honestly her beauty made me feel heavily intimidated "my son told me that apparently you had saved consort Luna from dying, is that so?"

"Yes your majesty" I nodded.

The Empress placed Princess Twilight beside her seat "bring out your hands" she said gently, beaming as I did so, she took and item from her lap and placed it in my lap "a token of my gratitude" she smiled before picking up the baby again "you may leave now, as Celestia's attendant, I can only assume you are rather busy"

I nodded furiously before scampering off, when I opened my hands, there was another bracelet, this time it was silver and dotted with purple orbs.

What was with these bracelts?