Equestria is a vast kingdom. Over mountains and valleys and plains, the towns of ponykind can be found everywhere. And at the center of it all, Canterlot.
A gleaming city of culture and nobility, overlooking all of Equestria from its place on Mount Canterhorn. A city that, for all its importance, is easily forgotten in remote corners of the kingdom. Naught more than a speck upon a distant mountainside.
There is one night, however, that Canterlot refuses to be overlooked. That Canterlot gleams brighter than any of the stars in the sky. That no matter where you may live, Canterlot burns visible as the beacon of refinement it is.
The night of the Grand Galloping Gala.
Tonight was the most important night of Twilight’s life.
She brushed her mane this way and that, finding herself less impressed with each subsequent style she tried. It had to be perfect. This year more than any other.
Across the vanity in front of her, dozens of pairs of jewelry were laid out in neat rows. She hadn’t yet chosen a set, and likely wouldn’t for at least another half-hour. It had already taken twice that to decide on a dress.
In all, there was only a single piece of her outfit Twilight wasn’t fretting over—a simple yet elegant mask set to the side, eggshell-white with small sapphires lining the edges. Hoofmade to fit the face of Equestria’s new princess perfectly. And it did exactly that.
Twilight was so deep within her hairstyling fervor that she nearly failed to hear the knock on her bedchamber door.
“Come in!”
A pony dressed in a plum-purple suit—the attire of Sparkle family butlers—entered. “Your father requests your presence in his quarters before the hour, Lady Twilight.”
“Drat. Come over then, Pinprick. I need your help. Should I wear my mane like this with the ruby jewelry, or should I –” she quickly swept her mane over her other shoulder “– have it like this and wear the opals?”
Pinprick sighed and stretched a back hoof to gently nudge the door closed behind him. Plucking the brush out of Twilight’s magic as he sat down behind her, the pony who had looked after the princess since she was a filly began running a hoof through her mane.
“What you should do is keep your mane similar to the way it normally is. This may be a masquerade, but you still need to be recognized. Leave the changes to parts that need to be different, like your bangs. Do this”—he skipped the step of teaching, jumping directly to performing the rough brushing and styling himself—“so that they do not block your mask. It is custom and expensive; you should be displaying it proudly.
“Both your coat and dress are purple, Princess. Put these away.” He pulled nearly the entire display of earrings and pendants off the dresser and into the table’s jewelry drawer, leaving only a resplendent emerald set. “Green and gold only. Honestly, one would think you never listened the hundred other times.”
Twilight giggled. Pinprick knew quite well that his fashion and etiquette lessons were wasted on the young mistress. And Twilight knew that the stallion secretly enjoyed the excuse to keep pampering her.
“There we are.” He set the brush down and returned to the door, holding it for Twilight. “Stunning as ever, my lady. I do suggest you not keep your father waiting, though.”
Twilight stopped on her way out. “Thank you, Pinprick. Will you and Compass be attending tonight?”
Pinprick chuckled. “You know how he is about events like these. The night is young though, we’ll see if I might convince him before the castle closes its gates.” Gazing upon the princess, his eyes watered as if it were his own child before him. “Run along now, Princess Sparkle. You have a big night ahead of you.”
The guards stationed at each side of the Royal Bedchamber’s door bowed their heads as their princess approached. Acknowledging the pair with a nod, Twilight telekinetically knocked and entered.
“You sent for me, father?”
King Night Light looked up from the mirror he was using to set his cloak right. “Ah, Twilight. Come in, take a seat.” His outfit for the night was far more grandiose than hers and by the looks of it, he must’ve started dressing hours ago as well.
Twilight stayed by the door. “If it’s alright, father, I wish to make my appearance soon.”
He looked at her with surprise. “Alone?”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, love.” The voice of Celestia Daybreak—ruling queen of Equestria and the stepmother of one Twilight Sparkle—came from the pair’s dressing room. It seemed she wasn’t quite ready either. “Twilight is old enough to conduct herself independently. I dare say it’s important to do so, even. This will be her first public appearance as princess.”
“You’re right, dear,” Night Light responded. “I’ll make this quick then, Twilight. You are familiar with the Crystal Empire’s ambassador?”
“I am, father.”
“Wonderful. His son, Flash Sentry, will be present tonight. Should you see him, do try to make a good impression, will you?”
Twilight’s mood sagged a little. She knew that the change from “daughter of a minor lord” to “princess of the kingdom” came with some… unfortunate changes, but she was hoping to avoid the idea of political marriage for a bit longer.
“A question, father.”
“Go on.”
“What if I… don’t see him? It is a masquerade after all, and I hardly know what this colt looks like.”
Her father rolled his eyes at her blatant attempt to shrug off the responsibility. “I know you’ve never been thrilled at the idea of arranged marriage, Twilight, but you are a princess now. Your options have… expanded in some ways and shrunk in others. We’re just trying to help with the choice.”
“If it should ease your mind, Twilight –” Queen Celestia finally graced the chamber with her full presence. She radiated divine beauty, makeup helping to create a gaze that could freeze a pony’s heart and twinkling stars dotting her mane. “– your father and I have both personally spoken with young lord Sentry many times and we think you two would get along swimmingly.”
Her father nodded. “Yes, exactly. He’s a good kid; been making a name for himself as an officer, handsome, knows how to talk like a normal stallion. You’ve met Blueblood. You know what kind of alternatives you’re looking at.”
Even the mention of Duke Persnickety’s son made Twilight cringe.
“You’re right, father. Mother. Apologies for… I was just surprised by the conversation.”
“Don’t be sorry, Twilight.” Queen Celestia walked over and placed a hoof against the princess’ cheek. “When I was a filly, I wasn’t too happy about this whole ‘finding a stallion’ business either. My own mother would set up evenings with suitors for me constantly—and I’d bribe my sister to ruin them.” The queen giggled at her own story, which calmed Twilight’s nerves.
“Thank you, mother. I’ll try not to be that difficult.”
“And I’d thank you for that!” Her father’s belly laugh did manage to make her feel a bit better. “Don’t let us keep you, Twilight. Just remember—orange coat with blue mane. You don’t have to spend the whole night with him, just… get to know him.”
“I understand father. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Walk proudly,” her stepmother whispered.
Twilight gave her a hug, soft enough not to disturb any part of the Queen’s outfit.
“I will, mother.”
Stepping into Canterlot Castle’s ballroom felt like stepping into a dream.
The silvery music of the Greater Canterlot Philharmonic flowed through the air, making the view from the royal balcony downright magical. Her stepmother’s comment floated at the edges of her mind, guiding her steps.
She was the princess. This experience was hers, and hers alone.
Unable to contain her excitement, Twilight bounced down the steps. The moment she crossed the midpoint of the stairs however, everything shifted. The room quieted. The dream darkened.
Twilight looked out over the banister.
Nearly half of the guests had paused their conversations, their faces now raised to witness her entrance. Their combined gaze locked unwaveringly on Twilight as she now found it quite hard to move her hooves properly, and her realization moments before now stole the breath from her lungs. Any comfort to be found in the music was ripped away as the volume dropped; pianissimo for respect, just as the orchestra had practiced.
Twilight woke up from her dream. The responsibility of being royalty—the responsibility of portraying royalty—hung itself across her shoulders. The final garment to complete tonight’s ensemble.
Fighting not to be crushed under the pressure, the princess forced her hooves to carry her the rest of the way. Emulating the queen as much as she could, she looked out to the guests—to her subjects as she descended. That sea of half-masked faces followed her every step. Some smiled. Most did not. And as Twilight finished her odyssey, the conversations and music resumed. Like nothing had happened at all.
Heart threatening to beat out of her chest, Twilight beelined for the hors d'oeuvres table. If she just had something to focus on, perhaps she could fight down the wave of anxiety building in her.
“Princess Sparkle, if I’m not mistaken!” A stallion appeared as if from nowhere, blocking her path.
“O-oh. H-hello there.”
“Jet Set. You and your father have attended my parties.” He lifted his mask for a moment, revealing a face that Twilight vaguely recognized. “Speaking of, how is he? I’ve yet to speak with him since the wedding.”
“He’s doing fine, Lord Set. I’m sure he—”
“That’s wonderful to hear! When I heard the news, I was worried ol’ Night Light might be in for a shock with all his new responsibilities and…”
Twilight remembered why she had always avoided Lord Set as he droned on. The stallion had a gift for saying so many words of so little substance. Twilight couldn’t help but be a little impressed.
And, as the minutes stretched ever thinner, in dire need of an escape.
“Pardon me, Lord Set. I…”
In that instant, Twilight realized that she had already been presented with an answer.
“I wish to peruse the available snacks. Have a wonderful evening.”
She was the princess.
“Oh! Of course! Don’t let me keep you. May you have a wonderful evening, Princess Sparkle.”
It seemed that every moment, more and more masked figures crowded the space. Twilight took even, measured breaths as she wove her way to the lighthouse she had built in her mind.
She felt eyes watching her. Judging her every step. She was the princess. What else would they do?
“Well, if it isn’t Princess Twilight Sparkle! My name is…”
Each word lasted an eternity. The sea of ponies grew, rougher waves crashing against her and demanding more of her attention. She wondered for a moment if her panic was visible, then doubled her efforts to remain calm. She was the princess. Her behavior was that of Equestria’s.
“Princess Sparkle? I’ve been looking forward to meeting you!”
Pony after pony stopped her. They all wanted her time. She was the princess. She gave it to them, even the seconds she desperately wished to keep for herself. A princess cares for her subjects. How long had it been since she walked down those steps?
“What a pleasure it is to speak with the princess herself!”
It wasn’t until the cold wind of the courtyard hit her lungs that Twilight realized she’d made a mistake.
She looked over her shoulder to the wall of glass separating the ballroom from the courtyard. Muffled chatter and music faded through the windows, creating two worlds. One within the palace, and one without.
She inhaled deeply, slowly. Any appetite—if one had been present in the first place—was thoroughly gone now. Few ponies gathered out here, the chilly autumn air making it the natural place to have conversations of a more private nature.
Still feeling somewhat in a trance, Twilight made her way to one of the vacant benches. The cold stone felt nice against her body, even through the layered fabric of her dress.
Six months of preparing for this night for what? To lose her composure in the first minute of her appearance? She leaned back against the hedge behind her bench, and then…
Then she closed her eyes. Imagined a world where nothing changed, and she was simply attending the Gala as the daughter of a minor lord yet again. Pretended that she hadn’t seen countless faces follow her out to the castle courtyard.
It was a familiar world she peered into, and comfortable as a result. But Twilight couldn’t say with certainty if it was better than what she had now. She loved her parents, and she wouldn’t dare dream them separated for her own selfish urges. Yet as she was settled more into her new position, she couldn’t help but consider rattling the golden cage being erected around her.
“Pardon the intrusion, Princess.”
Twilight jumped at the unexpected voice, fluttering her eyes open to witness a younger stallion in front of her. His suit and mask—both in a variety of sensible earth tones—were fighting hard against his vibrant orange fur and blue mane for attention, and were soundly losing.
“You seemed a bit lonely out here,” he continued. “I thought you might enjoy the company. Are you cold?”
“Ah, no. Thank you, though.”
He nodded and sat next to the princess. “I’d hoped for the chance to speak with you tonight. It’s not every day that Equestria gains a princess after all.”
“I suppose it isn’t. Excuse my forwardness, but you are young Sir Sentry, are you not?”
His surprise was writ large enough that Twilight could read it through his mask. He rustled his wings and dusted his chest with a hoof before responding.
“You know of me?”
“Indeed, I’ve heard much of the ambassador’s prodigious son.” The flattery felt hollow and stilted in Twilight’s mouth.
Sir Sentry’s blush peeked out from his mask. “I’m honored, Princess, though it’s naught more than what is expected of me. In truth, I find Equestrian living more agreeable than life in the North and train in hopes that I might join your Guard in some years’ time. Perhaps even the Royal Detail someday.”
Twilight couldn’t help but feel that ambition factored into her parents’ preference for the colt. “I know you’ll achieve that and more. When that day comes, I’d be—”
Twilight’s brain stopped in an instant, digging its heels in against the words that sat on the tip of her tongue. She knew what her parents would want her to say, what she should say. This colt truly did seem nice, if a bit… plain.
But she was the princess. What more could she ask for? Better plain than a spouse who sought power, yes? Safety in simplicity.
Twilight felt her heart wither in her chest.
“… I’d be honored to have you walk alongside me.”
The dual meaning of the phrase was not lost on the stallion. He extended a hoof, which Princess Twilight impassively accepted and watched as he planted a light kiss on her foreleg.
Flash stood and bowed his head. “I pray we see each other again soon, Princess.”
“As do I, Sir Sentry.” Twilight could have sworn the words echoed through the night air, yet nopony else seemed to notice. “I look forward to it.”
And with that, he was gone. Twilight had said what she needed to and Sir Sentry reacted as he was expected to. Her parents would be proud.
Yet Twilight still couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in her stomach.
She let out a great sigh and hung her head. There was still a party to attend, after all.
“Well that was just depressing, darling.”
The spike of adrenaline this second unknown voice sent through Twilight still lingered after she had picked herself up off the grass.
“W-who—” Twilight looked around, yet saw nothing but the hedge that stood behind her bench. “Where are you?”
“I trust you can puzzle it out, dear.”
The voice came directly from the hedge, or… behind it. Trotting through a previously unnoticed gap in the shrubbery, Twilight burned with embarrassment as she realized the courtyard was far larger than she had assumed.
In her defense, she rarely had cause to spend time outside the castle.
This other section—devoid of any lanterns set out for the Gala—managed to feel even more private than the main area, despite the stranger sitting alone on her own shadow-draped bench demonstrating that was not the case mere moments ago.
Twilight stared at the mare, white fur accented by a sleek blue dress, before making a decision.
“May I sit with you?” she asked.
The mare turned to her, and Twilight felt the world slow.
In contrast to the majority of the guests, this mare’s face was entirely covered by two gorgeous butterfly wings, broken only by a pair of endless blue eyes. The mask alone was unimaginably beautiful; its colors warped as it moved, just like the iridescent insect it was imitating. Her stare, made sharper by dark accents and thick lashes, worked in unison with the accessory to pierce through Twilight, unmaking her and baring her soul to the world.
“Starstruck are we? Don’t be ashamed, you’re far from the only one.” No mouth was visible to form those words, creating an uncanny, otherworldly effect.
This pony may be of flesh. They may be here, in front of your eyes, but make no mistake. They are divine.
Twilight couldn’t manage more than a single choked word.
“…Huh?”
A giggle, more amused than teasing, and a pat of the hoof on the bench next to them.
“I said you are free to join me.”
Twilight said nothing, as she had to put her whole body and mind into breaking eye contact. She couldn’t feel the cold bench anymore. In its place, a wildfire raged through her.
“So I must know what that was about,” the mare said. “I’ve hardly heard more passionless flirting.”
“I-it’s not like that,” Twilight protested.
“Oh? Do enlighten me.”
“It was…” After experiencing this pony, regaining control of her thoughts was a challenge, but Twilight got there. “My parents want me to marry him. Or… at least court him.”
Lady Morpho, as Twilight decided to call her, let out a knowing hum. “The favoured pastime of nobles—crushing their daughter’s individuality.”
“N-no, no.” Twilight gently laughed at the idea. “They love me. They just want to help, they know I’m no good with difficult choices.”
“Love hardly needs to be difficult, dear. Do you get along with the colt?”
“He’s fine.”
“Oh, you are in dire straits.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” Twilight sputtered. She didn’t think she said anything wrong. As she glanced at Lady Morpho though, she saw eyes creased in what she guessed was pity.
“Fine? I could come up with a more flattering way to describe the castle moat than fine. This Sentry fellow must be downright dreadful.”
Twilight shook her head with a bit more force than necessary. “No, no, no. He’s… polite and respectful and has a promising future among many other things. The problem is with me.”
Lady Morpho cocked her head.
“It just doesn’t feel right,” Twilight continued, suddenly feeling pressure to explain herself. “I know he’d be a wonderful partner, I just… have trouble being interested.”
Lady Morpho hummed again. “So your parents say, I presume. Pray tell, then—what kinds of things do you look for in a stallion?”
“I don’t know.” Twilight felt a bit childish giving her answer. “I don’t think about them much at all, to be honest. Kindness, I suppose? And… strength?”
Twilight chanced another peek at Lady Morpho, which she quickly regretted. Her gaze threatened to dissect Twilight again, yet held a glimmer that betrayed a hint of mischief in the mysterious pony. I know something you don’t, it screamed.
“And mares?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The fairer sex, darling. What kind of mare draws your attention?”
Twilight floundered for a moment, scrambling to form words before all of the syllables fell out of her open mouth.
“Th-th-that’s—I’m—You would imply that of your princess?”
Lady Morpho cocked her head yet again.
“My princess? I see no princesses here.”
“You—you don’t… you don’t recognize me?” Twilight’s voice fell to a whisper as she spoke. Had this mare truly not known who she was? She just now realized that despite the disrespect, the mare’s words felt distinctly more candid than those of the nobles she left in the ballroom. Had she just ruined that?
“You are a pony in a mask. Same as myself and every other guest here.”
Twilight blinked in confusion.
“But… it doesn’t cover…”
“The point of a mask –” Lady Morpho reached out a hoof and lifted Twilight’s chin, ensuring the princess could not look away from the blue orbs that outshined even the masterpiece around them “– is to hide something. Perhaps that’s your identity. Perhaps it’s your intentions. Perhaps you are hiding something I can’t even fathom. Whatever it may be, it is not my place to speculate. And it is not anyone’s place to deny you your mask.”
Time stopped as the two shared a moment. A princess and an enigma, hidden from the world. Who was who? Twilight wasn’t sure anymore.
Lady Morpho lowered her hoof.
“You aren’t having a good time tonight, are you, darling?”
“No,” Twilight admitted.
“Would you like to go somewhere else?” Lady Morpho asked. “I had prior plans but you –” she paused to just take in the struggling princess “– are far more in need of my time.”
“Where?”
“The Sky Garden.” Lady Morpho nodded to an outcropping high on the face of Mount Canterhorn that overlooked the entirety of Canterlot—including the castle. “You’re lucky. Avoiding the guards tonight? Piece of cake.”
For the first time in her life, Twilight Sparkle committed a crime.
Sure, it wasn’t technically a crime, on account of her being royalty—but the gossip that Princess Twilight left the Gala to gallivant through the gardens with a stranger would make its rounds through the noble houses should she be caught, so she joined Lady Morpho in tiphoofing around guard patrols and teleporting past locked gates.
Yet, as she rested at the top of the winding stairs, Twilight considered her companion’s words.
Right here in this instant… Was she really the Princess of Equestria? Of course she was, but there was a voice far back in her brain asking if Lady Morpho ignoring that… meant that she wasn’t.
She looked over to the masked mare—a unicorn, as Twilight had discovered through the blue-hued light of a teleport spell—sitting at the edge of the terrace they had climbed to. Her mane and tail, despite sporting an array of hairs loosed by the exercise, remained beautifully curled. Twilight found herself wondering what Lady Morpho’s cutie mark might be, out of curiosity and nothing else.
None of that mattered at the moment. She joined her partner in crime at the edge and took in the sight.
Tiny figures swarmed about the illuminated streets. Beyond the commotion at the castle, Twilight could see smaller gatherings throughout the city. She wondered what they were like, who the ponies attending them were. She could see Parhelion Plaza stuffed full of vendors, hawking food and trinkets to ponies that traveled to Canterlot for the festivities. And beyond it all…
“There’s nothing else,” Twilight said breathlessly.
“Hm?”
“It’s blinding. I can barely see the horizon.”
Being built on the side of a mountain meant that the ponies of Canterlot nearly always had a breathtaking view of the rolling fields and forests of Equestria, day or night. But when the city was like this, there was no use in looking. The lights simply drowned it all out.
“Have you ever traveled outside of Canterlot?” Lady Morpho asked.
“No, but… I’d like to.”
“What’s stopping you?”
Twilight knew the answer, but it stung her mouth now. So she avoided the question and admitted something else.
“Bold ones.” At Lady Morpho’s confused head tilt, she giggled. “Ones that steal me away from the biggest event of my life, convince me to trespass on royal grounds, then have me climb a thousand, one hundred forty-three steps. That’s the kind of mare that grabs my attention.”
Lady Morpho regarded her for a moment.
“You were counting?”
“Yeah.”
“…That’s adorable.”
Her cheeks burned, and Twilight cursed the craftspony that made her a half mask instead of a full piece like the angel next to her.
Just then, Lady Morpho shifted, crushing the poofy layers of Twilight’s dress until the two were pressed against each other. Twilight tried not to dream of a world where the dresses were not present, where fur could mingle at the threshold between their bodies. She failed miserably.
“I get the feeling you aren’t allowed to want things very often,” Lady Morpho stated.
Twilight opened her mouth to deny it, but held her tongue until she had given it thought.
“Not when it’s important.”
“What do you want, darling?”
“For my father to be happy. For my brother to show the world his potential. For my mother to know that… that we’re doing okay.” She paused to hold back a sob. “To show Queen Celestia how much her love, even though we aren’t related by blood, means to me.”
“And for yourself?”
“I don’t know. I think… I’d really like to kiss you.”
“Is that so?”
Twilight felt her companion lean harder into her shoulder, and looked over as a gentle blue aura wrapped itself around Lady Morpho’s butterfly mask and slid it off of her face.
“Stars…” Twilight muttered in awe.
The beautiful pony giggled. Her lips, blessed by a shade of lipstick that matched her magic, pulled back into the most wonderful smile Twilight had ever seen. Her cheeks, tinted with rose under her white fur, created a contrast that made her white fur even brighter. And her eyes…
They were the last thing Twilight saw as she was pulled into a kiss.
After an eternal instant of bliss, it broke. Their faces hovered inches away from one another, steadied by the pair’s crossed horns.
“Where are my manners?” Lady Morpho whispered. “You may call me Rarity.”
“Twilight,” the still-masked mare replied.
“Just Twilight?”
This time, it was Rarity who was pulled into a kiss.
