Light as a feather

“I’ve missed you all so much!” Rarity exclaimed giving each of her colorful friends a hug, even Rainbow Dash who seemed rather reluctant. It had been nearly a month since Rarity had first traveled to Hoofington to pitch her latest designs to Hoity Toity, for his new spring line of mare’s formal wear. While there she’d received a summons from the princess seeking her help in preparing this event for Luna.

She had eagerly jumped at the chance, at the cost of missing out on the company of her friends for so long, but she hadn’t regretted a moment of it. Seeing the smile on Luna’s face as her newest project stumbled in the presence of royalty was worth it.

“He is quite fetching it is he not?” She quipped watching the stallion interact with the dark alicorn. She could not hear what was said between them but the princess seemed quite amused. “That stallion down there has become my personal project, aside from the princess’s gowns of course.”

“Personal project?” Twilight inquired as she gazed down at the stallion Rarity seemed fixated on, or rather the suit he was wearing. “I designed the outfit myself.” She explained pride in her words. “We had some minor disagreements but I see now why a top hat may not have been fitting.”

Several minutes passed in silence as Twilight watched Princess Luna. The dark alicorn fixed her gaze on her fellow diners. She was quietly judging their reactions, and in turn judging the ponies that had tended to them. She knew little about this world of which she was still becoming acquainted but she knew enough to read displeased and happy expressions. She made careful note of which tables carried which expressions.

“Your gowns are coming along quite marvelously I might add.” Rarity said drawing the attention of the white alicorn who had been watching the stallion with a different expression, one that Twilight did not miss and silently wondered at. The purple pony glanced over the rail hoping to glimpse the pony clearer but she found he had vanished, as had the other wait staff ponies.

“Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked concernedly, moving to stand nearer her friend.

“Just curious is all.” Twilight replied turning her attention Princess Luna. The mare was watching the ponies at the other tables, as if she were judging them. No. Twilight corrected herself with a smile. She was judging the ponies who had served them, seeming to enjoy herself while at it.

By listening to snippets of conversation from the eliminated ponies behind her she was able to gleam insight into which ponies were serving which tables, though she couldn’t be certain she had all of their names right.

“That was him wasn’t it?” Fluttershy mumbled referring to the colt that had waited on Princess Luna. He was no longer covered in mud, his mane and tail had been coifed quite nicely and most noticeably to the purple unicorn the blemish on his muzzle had been erased, or at least hidden. Twilight didn’t answer but she had her suspicions.

--

Amber had never been in a kitchen quite like the one in which he now stood. The small kitchen at the bistro had been little more than a stove, a sink, and some cabinets. Short Order and Amber could both fit comfortably, if all they had to do was stand still. Even with the hustle and bustle of this kitchen, as the royal cooks prepared the dishes ordered with great care, Amber had managed to find a little nook in which to hide, his head pressed against the wall.

The smell permeating the thick air was sickly sweet making his stomach tremble. It wasn’t quite nausea, but uncomfortable nonetheless.

“Ya gonna blow boy?” A familiar voice asked as the pale ghost-like unicorn found him. When Amber didn’t answer the unicorn gave a chuckle. “Wouldn’t be the first time a pony went and lost their sauce. Hell I got myself some moments I ain’t privy to share.”

“Likewise.” Amber said vainly wishing the pony away.

“We got three on seven coming up.” One of the chefs shouted loudly sounding confused, as if he didn’t understand the meaning of what he had just uttered. It was understandable since Amber had told him what to say, not what it meant. That information the bistro pony kept to himself. He heard Mortar repeat the code quietly, his voice just as confused as the chef.

Amber pulled his head from the wall, fixing his slightly out of place mane. The ghost pony watched curiously as the earth pony move toward a large serving tray, laden with the princess’s order. The colt shot a lopsided grin toward Mortar as he pulled the edge of the tray precariously close to tipping off the edge of the counter. With a confident air the pony carefully balanced the tray on his muzzle. The tray made nary a wobble as the pony pushed through the door separating the kitchen from the short hallway which in turn separated the grand ballroom from the kitchen.

“I’ll be damned.” The ghost-like pony muttered, impressed by the colt’s display.

--

“Tell us with a tale good sir.” The princess requested, levitating her utensils with an aura of alicorn magic. She looked pleased with not only the food he’d delivered but the way he had delivered it, which caught many of the unicorn ponies off guard. He was sure it was strategic on the other pony’s parts to have unicorns deliver the food while the pegasi had taken the orders, it an easy feet with levitation magic; he would have done the same had he been given a choice.

He didn’t enjoy being a waiter, he would much rather have done something, anything…else. He had a cutie mark but it told him nothing about what he was good at, or who he was. He certainly couldn’t fly, and he doubted he could walk on clouds. He’d never had the opportunity to try, and the mere idea of trying didn’t sit well in his gut.
“A story?” The colt inquired. He didn’t know any stories, at least not any he wanted to share with the princess, and making one up seemed ludicrous.

“Tell us how you got your cutie mark.” The princess suggested sensing his hesitation to discuss the mark expertly hidden beneath his formal wear. He hadn’t once seen her even look towards his flank, in curiosity or otherwise. “You do have a cutie mark don’t you?”

“I do.” Amber said recalling the moment he’d gotten it but the memory was unpleasant and one he did not wish for the princess to hear. It was a memory he often wished he could forget himself. “But I’d like to keep it to myself.” The colt said. “…If that’s okay with you.”

She was the princess of Equestria, if she wanted to hear the tale of how a simple earth pony had received his cutie mark she could order him to tell her. If he refused she could lock him in the dungeon, he was sure this castle had one and torture him until he spilled it. She could force him in any number of ways but the look on her face told him she was not that kind of princess. She may have been jealous once, she may have succumbed to the darkness once, but that was a mistake she was disinclined to repeat.

“Then we shall tell you a tale.” She said. The earth pony tried to hide his surprise but a sly smile told him he had failed. “Will you listen?”

Do I have a choice? The colt thought inwardly before acknowledging her request.

She seemed genuinely pleased, her hooves slapping together loudly, the clink of her gauntlets echoing off the walls of the massive room. She seemed to catch herself awkwardly lowering her hooves, a slight flush to her dark cheeks. The earth pony took a step back, his ears lowered as he felt dozens of curious eyes on him. He was receiving way more attention than he was comfortable with, far more than he deserved, but he listened quietly as the princess spoke, weaving a tale he couldn’t quite believe, but didn’t want to write off as nothing but fallacy. *

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*Author’s Note: I did not write a story for Luna to tell Amber. Feel free to imagine for yourselves what sort of story that might be. Feel free to write one for yourselves if you wish.