“Sounds like that’s our cue to get ready,” said Gold Dust, as her date got up and took her hand, helping her out of her seat.

“Ohh, I hope they don’t expect us to dance right away,” said Daisy May. “My tummy’s still full.”

“They’re not expecting you to dance all night,” said her date, “just, whenever you feel like it.”

“Really?” asked Daisy. “That sounds a lot different than what my cousin said.”

“What did your cousin say?” asked Sweetie Belle, as Chrome helped her up.

“Well, Mama and Papa wouldn’t let me go to dances, but my cousin went to some. She’s older then me, by the way. And she said when you go to a dance, they expect you to dance through the whole thing.”

“Daisy,” inquired Sweetie Belle, “You’ve never been to a dance before tonight?”

“Uh-uh.”

“Then what made you want to come to tonight’s dance?” asked her date.

“Because you asked me,” she said. “You’re real cute, and I didn’t want to disappoint you. Heck, I’d dance all evening with you.”

“And so, you really expected to-“ began Chrome, before he had to stifle his laughter (leading to a slap on the shoulder from Sweetie Belle).

“What’s so funny?” asked Daisy, looking confused.

“Daisy, that’s not how dances work,” said Gold Dust.

“It…isn’t?”

“Nope,” said Sweetie Belle. “You can dance at anytime, and stop at anytime. You can dance at your own pace.”

As they watched, Daisy’s face changed expressions, from confused, to shocked, and then to angry.

“Why that…Dirty so and so!” She cried out. “Ooooh, she makes me so mad!”

Her voice was so loud a number of couples around them looked in her direction. Realizing what she had just done, Daisy quickly put her hand over her mouth.

“Don’t think about that now,” said Sweetie Belle. “Just enjoy yourself and have a good time.”

“Yeah, come on,” said Daisy’s date, taking her hand and helping her stand. “Just focus on what’s happening right here and now.”

Just then, there was another fanfare of trumpets, and at the far end of the room, stood two Crystal Empire Cadets flanking a pair of large ornate golden metal and glassed doors, as they opened wide.

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” came Shining Armor’s voice, “please proceed into the next room.”

Chrome and Sweetie began to move forward with the rest of their dinner guests, and several hundred other ponies and stallions.

When they finally passed through the doors, the couples found themselves in a large room with a statue in the center, and two ornate staircases leading to an upper balcony that ran along three of the four walls. The fourth wall behind the staircases, featured large windows that looked out onto a huge park, with strings of illuminated lights and a number of gazebos.

As Sweetie Belle looked around the room, she felt a little confused.

“I don’t get it,” she said to Chrome. “It doesn’t look like they’re set up for a dance in here.”

“Yeah,” he replied. “And the room looks like it’s going to be too crowded with everyone in it.”

“Are are we supposed to go outside then? I don’t think those strings of light are going to keep my shoulders very warm.”

Once again, the crowd was shocked by the blaring of a trumpet fanfare.

“Ugh, do they have to keep doing that?” asked Daisy, covering her ears.

As the audience watched, Shining Armor appeared at the head of the crowd, where he ascended the central staircase, and stopped on the landing, where he turned to address the crowd.

“Greetings everypony,” he announced. “I take it you enjoyed your meal?”

There was a flurry of head-nodding, along with some loud applause and noise from some cadets.

“Alright fellas, simmer down,” chuckled Shining. “Now I’m sure to some of you who have been to our previous Spring Dances have noticed, this doesn’t look like where they are usually held. And that’s in part, thanks to the request for comments and suggestions we got after last year’s dance.”

The mention of this sent a number of guests talking amongst themselves.

“What is he talking about?” asked Sweetie.

“No idea,” said Chrome. “I didn’t go to last year’s dance.”

“Now,” continued Shining, “we have liked to keep things more, ‘traditional,’ but we know pony tastes have been changing over the years, and…let’s just say a number of anonymous cadets commented that they didn’t really care for dancing to an orchestra.”

This was met with some more murmuring, along with some shoutings out of “you said it,” and “so boring!”

“We also got some comments that said we should go with a DJ instead.”

This was met with a mixture of cheers and even some boo’ing.

“Now did you all hear that?” asked Shining. “It seems some of you liked having an orchestra, and some would rather have a DJ. So, I want to settle the debate, right here and now. All of you who want an orchestra, cheer!”

Sweetie Belle, Chrome, and Gold Dust cheered.

“And those of you who want a DJ, let me hear you cheer!”

This time, Daisy May, her date, and Gold Dust’s date cheered.

“Oh, sweet Celestia,” sighed Shining. “I…I just feel this is too close to call! I…I think I need some help from a higher power. Unfortunately, Princess Luna is already out doing her rounds.”

“Maybe I can be of help,” came a regal voice that echoed around the room.

The volume in the crowd increased as suddenly next to Shining Armor with a flourish of magenta magic, appeared Princess Celestia!

Next to Sweetie Belle, Daisy May was freaking out.

“Oh my-is that really her!?” she squealed.

Just like with Luna, Celestia’s appearance made all the cadets and guards in the room snap to attention, as their guests cheered and screamed at the appearance of the ruler of Equestria! A few moments later, the princess returned their salute, and the cadets and guards moved to applause.

“P-Princess Celestia!?” stuttered Shining Armor. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping by now?”

“I think I have a few moments to spare for my Royal Guards and Cadets, Shining Armor,” she replied, and was rewarded with more cheering from the crowd. “Along with their guests AND our friends from The Crystal Empire. Is everypony having a good time?”

Once again. A round of applause and cheering filled the hall.

“I LOVE YOU, PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!” came a voice from the crowd.

“Thank you,” she replied. “Now then, I believe you have a problem, Shining Armor?”

“Oh wow Princess Celestia, do we ever have a problem,” he groaned.

“Did he take acting tips from you and your friends?” whispered Chrome to Sweetie Belle.

“Oh hush,” she whispered, elbowing him in the ribs.

“It’s about the dance,” continued Shining Armor. “It seems some of our guests want a full orchestra to dance to, and some want a DJ. Can you help me decide what to do?”

“Hmm,” said Celestia, as she assumed a thoughtful stance, before her eyes perked up. “Why can’t we have both?”

There was a strange murmuring from the crowd at this question.

“Both?” asked Shining. “How would we do both?”

“Allow me,” said Celestia.

And as everypony watched, a magenta aura enveloped her horn, and suddenly, a pair of doors on the left side of the room opened, and the sound of an orchestra came wafting out!

“Well, guess we have the orchestra,” said Shining, “but what about the-“

“I’m not finished,” interrupted Celestia, as her horn glowed again, and this time, a doorway to the right of the room opened, and out wafted the sounds of techno music!

The results brought another huge round of cheering and applause from the audience.

“Wow,” smiled Shining Armor, joining the applause. “Princess Celestia, thank you so much for your help this evening.”

“Have a wonderful evening, everypony!” boomed Celestia’s voice throughout the room, and with a magenta flash, she was gone.

“Okay, everypony,” called out Shining Armor, “Orchestra to your left, DJ to your right. Hors’deuvres and drinks will be served in this room soon.”

Moments later, the majority of the guests had filtered into the room of their choice, thinning out the number of guests in the main room.

Shining Armor had also descended the stairs to the main floor, where he was promptly mobbed by several couples who began to chat him up.

Sweetie Belle, Chrome Shield, and their dinner guests were present to observe a number of waitstaff appearing, carrying trays of finger foods. They were soon followed by a few staff who set up portable wetbars in four corners of the room. This was topped off by some additional staff who brought out a number of couches and lounges, and situated them around the room.

The small group took a seat on a few couches to collect themselves.

Daisy naturally, was still in a state of shock.

“I can’t believe that was her!” she said. “I can’t wait to tell Mama that I was in the same rooms as Princess Luna, AND Princess Celestia!”

“So, did Celestia do anything as dramatic as that at last year’s dance?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“To be honest,” said Daisy’s date, “this is the third dance I’ve been to, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her appear.”

“You mean you’ve never seen her before now?” asked Daisy.

“Oh I’ve seen her a couple of times in the course of training,” her date noted, “Just not at previous dances. The last two dances I did had a small appearance by Luna. Makes sense that she might show given it is nighttime. I wonder what Shining Armor had to pull off to get Celestia to stay up past her bed time for this year.”

“Probably a few pots of coffee and some cake,” chuckled Chrome.

“It was pretty exciting,” said Gold Dust. “Surprised me too. I’ve never seen her in person.”

“Would you care for some?” asked a waiter who suddenly interrupted their conversation with a platter of finger foods.

“No thank you,” said Gold Dust, waving the server away.

“For Celestia’s sake, we just finished eating,” sighed Daisy May. “Do they want me to bust my dress? I swear, if I eat just one of those little thingies, I’m gonna pop like a balloon!”

Her comment was met with awkward silence.

“Well, how do you feel about a drink?” asked Chrome.

“Oh, a drink. I could go for one of those,” she replied, giddily.

“Okay,” he smiled. “Anyone else want one?”

Everypony in the group was in agreement, and Chrome and the two cadets then headed over to the nearest bar. A few moments later, they returned with the drinks, and handed their dates their choice drinks.

“I think another toast is in order,” said Chrome, raising his glass. “To a wonderful evening of dancing and memories.”

The group raised their glasses, and drank heartily from them.

“So,” said Gold Dust’s date, once he had swallowed his toast. “I think that’s a good cue to hit the dance floor.”

“I’ll say,” nodded Daisy, gulping her drink down and turning to her date. “Come on honey, let’s go dance!”

“Okay,” said her date, as she basically yanked him from his seat, and headed towards the DJ room.”

“I actually want to go to the orchestra room,” said Sweetie Belle. “Is that okay with you, Chrome?”

“You’re the boss,” he shrugged.

“Don’t you just love these cadets?” Sweetie said to Gold Dust. “A gentlecolt, AND well-trained!”

The two exchanged a giggle at Chrome’s expense.

“Maybe We’ll see you later,” replied Gold Dust as she saw Daisy disappearing into the DJ room. “I better go keep an eye on Daisy. I think this may also be the first time she’s ‘drank,’ if you know what I mean.”

“Don’t worry,” said Chrome. “We understand. We’ll see you all again before the night is over.”

“Oh, and ask somepony if we have access to the castle museum,” noted Sweetie Belle to Gold Dust. “If so, we can check out Cadence’s wedding veil when we meet up later. I think Daisy would want to see it too.”

“Thanks for reminding me about that,” said Gold Dust. “I’ll check and tell you what I find out.”

And with that, Gold Dust’s date took her hand, and led her away to the DJ room, leaving Sweetie and Chrome alone on the couch. A few moments later, Chrome gave a small sigh of relief.

“What?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“What?” he replied.

“What was with the sigh?”

“It was just a sigh.”

“Chrome Shield, there are many ways to sigh, and that was a ‘I’m glad that’s over sigh.’”

“And how do you know that?”

“Because I’ve heard Rarity make enough of them over the years. So…what are you glad is over? Talking with Gold Dust?”

“No, it wasn’t about her, it was about Daisy May,” he chuckled. “All that stuff she said-I mean, Is she a piece of work, or what?”

“Hey, don’t say that,” said Sweetie.

“Why not? I mean, she was asking you all sorts of questions about your chest, and that stuff about dances her cousin told her?”

“But she didn’t say any of that stuff to be mean or unkind. You know what I think? I think being here at the University and Canterlot is her first time really being around a lot of this, and a lot of ponies learn things at different times in their lives. I mean, I’m still learning, and you’re still learning. Nopony ever said we have to know certain things by a certain age, y’know?”

There was an awkward silence between them for a few moments.

“You’re right,” he said. “Sorry about that.”

“Apology accepted. So be nice to Daisy when we see her again, and hold your tongue for the rest of the night around her, okay?”

“Liketh thith?” said Chrome, pinching his tongue with his fingers. “Ith gonna be thard doith thith when ni thee ther athen.”

Sweetie Belle responded by raising her arm, and holding her glass with some of it’s drink over him.

“Hey!“ he cried out, backing away out of fear for his white uniform top.

“Behave,” she commanded.

“Alright, alright,” he said. “Sorry!”

A moment later, she pulled back, and finished the last of her drink, before getting up, smoothing out her dress, and touching up her hair.

“So,” she said extending her free hand to him. “If you’re ready to behave like a Royal Cadet, would you kindly escort me to the dance floor, Chrome Shield?”

Chrome rose to his feet, and then dropped to his knees and took a dramatic bow.

“As m’lady Sweetie Belle wishes,” he proclaimed. “So shall it be.”

She just rolled her eyes, and extended her free hand, which he took, and rose to his feet.

As they crossed the room, they placed their empty glasses on the nearest server’s tray, and entered through the doors into the next room.

Author's Note

Yep, almost there, just more talk and character development.

This chapter was born out of wondering about differing dance tastes, leading to the split dancing rooms.

Originally, it was only going to be Shining Armor announcing it, but given he’d already been doing emcee duties, I felt the inclusion of Celestia would be a nice surprise. I feel this is her putting on a positive face before she hits the bed minutes later.

Was fun to do more with Daisy, who kind of became the unexpected energy punch up that I needed for writing these chapters.