Author's Note: Hey all, decided to try a My Little Pony fanfiction this time.
This is a snippet of a larger story idea, which should explain some of the vagueness and subtleties. It's inspired by 1930s America, and Celestia's job is taxi dancing.
It got hard to figure out how to keep them in character. This is meant to be a more domestic setting where magic is generally reserved for the mundane, and it wouldn't work for the intended mood if everyone were as dynamic as in the show. We'll see how it went.
The envelope was on the round mahogany table, next to the bushel of mistletoe someone left at her door. It was with discretion and had her worried, but over the past few days nobody had approached her.
Her horn lit in front of the mirror to make up her mane again. Celestia had tried many different styles, even some she'd never used in the bar. A few days ago she'd splurged a little, trying on the selection in the clothes shop window before finally becoming undecided on all the colors and trinkets and fabrics. The shop owner seemed keen on getting her one anyway. The crinkle behind his smile had faded just a bit when she looked suspiciously at the price tag.
She got a cheaper one nonetheless, and it was on the coatrack by the mirror now. Celestia didn't know why she hadn't picked it out sooner; it really fit her. She supposed in the past it would have been easier, when there weren't so many things on her mind.
She frowned, and the horn stopped glowing. Her mane returned to its normal state of draping over her back. When she danced it seemed to flow, bits of sparkle showing through the rainbow. It had its uses, along with her pretty, slim body. The others in her profession were jealous of her looks, the encrusted jewelry she put around her chest and hooves. The bags under her eyes seemed to grow as she wearily lifted a brow at her reflection. If only they knew what a fall from grace, she was.
She turned away from the mirror, deciding to leave her mane natural. It was almost time, and she was known for always being presentable. It wouldn't make much sense for her to tear into the streets in a harried rush, for once stumped about what to wear. It seemed silly, when she really thought about it. This wasn't a usual case. She was making herself up not for the public, but for one. Certainly he would be all right with anything she chose, no matter how unconventional.
She hid a hairpin under the ribbon of her cloche as she went out the door, just in case.
Though deserted, the streets were awake with dazzling light. Discord walked beneath the sign of the Vaudeville theatre, its shuffled marquee letters teasing that night's performances. As he passed the ticket booth he snapped his fingers. The letters swapped places to say something juvenile.
He moved his tie back to the middle of his suit. It was a stuffy thing, almost itchy. And if it didn't match his date, he would have to change it for the sake of decorum. He looked at the bouquet in his claws. His foot tapped, and then he kept walking. Formal parties were not his usual style. But he could make it work.
The soft clop of hooves caught his ear before he turned the corner. Peeking around the brick wall he saw an orange figure fidgeting in a dress and muttering through a plastic wrapper filled with stems.
"Stinkin' high-class society expectations…" She heard movement, and whipped around. "Oh, it's just you." She continued shifting in her dress.
Discord put his paw on his chest in mock astonishment. "'Just' me? Why, Applejack, I thought we had something better going on."
"You know what I mean."
Applejack spat the bouquet into her hoof. After a moment of contemplation, she rubbed the saliva on the underside of her dress. Then she hitched the flowers into the vase balancing on her back. "So, uh, you going to the holiday party too? I didn't figure you for the type."
"In most other situations I wouldn't be found in such elite attire," Discord responded.
"At least you get a suit. I'm watching my step every block, makin' sure I don't trip over this thing." She raised a back leg as she said it, shaking off a snag in the dress's torso. "Had to get fitted for it, too. Thought about getting some of those fancy gold linings around the trim, but I couldn't afford it."
Her dress was green with a hint of Southern style, polished dress boots complementing the formal hat. She didn't look keen on saying more. Discord remained silent, walking side-by-side with her through the city.
"So where'd you get the flowers?" Applejack asked later.
"Private business," said Discord.
"Wait." Applejack leaned in with a narrowed eye. "You didn't steal those, did you?"
"Why, Applejack, there's a difference between stealing something and conjuring it up," said Discord primly, magically adding another gardenia for emphasis.
Applejack grunted. "Mine's from the farm. We're thinking about starting up an orchard, though I'm not sure who would come down to buy something so unnecessary. I hope it isn't overdone," she added, suddenly concerned.
"Well, we are going to a place where we'll be surrounded by the fanciest and most high-class around," said Discord, twisting his body at each enunciation. "By their usual standards, it might not be possible to be overdone."
For the first time that night Applejack grinned. "You got a point there, partner."
The ballroom was already crowded by the time they got there. The crackle of a running phonograph wound through the room, classical music spinning from its record. Hooves clicked on the smooth marble floor. Everyone was doing their own thing, whether it be socializing by the buffet or going for a walk in the garden. The majority of guests were unicorns. A few groups of donkeys and gryphons hung around the edges of the party, keeping to themselves. Their eyes flicked and leered with uncertainty whenever an equine came past. Rumor had it the host opened the party to all who behaved, out of the expectation to be civil aristocracy.
Discord nodded to Applejack before going to the drinks. Applejack squared up and walked into the ballroom, head raised and making eye contact.
She found her by the paintings on the back wall, neurotic about their placement. Arranging and rearranging, wondering if she should order them based on aesthetics or time period. Applejack chuckled at the worry in her eyes, then came over.
"It looks fine, Twilight, everything is perfectly straight."
The purple unicorn whirled at the sound of another voice, but upon seeing Applejack's patient face, her body relaxed. "There ya go," said Applejack, patting Twilight on the shoulder. "Now stop fussing over this art gallery, your mane's getting all frazzled."
Twilight cast her gaze to the floor with a bit of an embarrassed smile. "You're right," she said, head coming back up. "After all, nobody else seems to be fixated on it at the moment." They were tucked away beneath the curving staircase, shaded from general view. Applejack quietly put the vase on the floor. "Don't forget that later, okay? It's for you."
They rejoined the party. A few strange glances were given at the sight of them together, but Twilight had been hired to help set up the event, so there wasn't any conflict. As the phonograph's track changed they went to the buffet.
"So where's Pinkie?" Applejack asked, putting an extra dollop of mashed potatoes on her plate. "Even if it's a fancy holiday party, it's still a party. You'd think she'd be here."
"It's not the only party going on tonight," said Twilight. "She's doing some hopping, but she said she'd arrive. She was the one who recommended the dress to me, actually," she added, blushing.
Magic kept her plate in midair when she stepped back from the table. He dress was blue with periwinkle trim, its body rounding like a bell before tapering into a neat finish at the tip. A nice collar arced around her neck, and the whole thing seemed to sparkle with a material Applejack couldn't place. This wasn't something she was all that knowledgeable on.
"You look great," she said, and meant it.
They turned away shyly, and silently resumed the buffet. "The dress was made by a designer who only recently became prominent," Twilight said a moment later. "Either way, she's really rivaling some of the big names. Pinkie saw it in the clothing shop and it reminded her of me. Said it was like a 'sparkly nightgown, only a gown made out of the night, with stars that looked really pretty in a bunch of constellations.' It would be rude to not at least try it."
Discord had appeared next to them after taking his first drink. He wasn't fazed at all; despite his tube-shaped thinness, he had a strong constitution. "Evening, Twilight," he said distractedly in the middle of getting corn.
They shuffled up the line. Twilight took a few seconds to analyze the situation. "I figure you didn't come here alone," she said.
"I did, but I won't spent the night being alone." Something struck him when they got out of line. "Isn't Fluttershy here? She's very punctual."
"She says she was too afraid of coming," said Twilight.
She and Applejack shared a look. Their friend was reaching a level of anxiety too exaggerated even for her.
Discord bent down, his brow lowered in genuine concern. "Does she go out at all for anything besides work?"
"The basic necessity for food," said Twilight. "Otherwise I don't see her at all, unless I practically wrangle her over to do something."
"One time when I was coming up here I saw her at the mailbox, just opening and closing it, like it was the only thing around," said Applejack.
Her eyes were distant. No one spoke.
"Well, the war isn't something to joke about, that's for sure," Twilight said. The words came too quickly. A second later someone walked through the door.
Discord startled. He straightened with a blankness rarely seen on his face, and traveled through the crowd with that same amount of concentration. He arrived at the doorway and spoke.
"Good evening, Celestia."
For some reason they were both surprised, despite having seen each other in the past. Eventually Discord broke the tension by offering an arm. Celestia took it, standing, and they returned to the buffet.
She had on a red feedsack dress along with a bell-shaped hat—a cloche, Discord heard them called, and the ensemble made her more striking than when at her job. Celestia's eyes had slid uneasily around the ballroom while the phonograph continued to play, but a touch to the shoulder let her relax.
The strange looks did become too much, at one point. Even with the unflattering luxury of having a table to themselves, there was something unnerving about being watched. Discord and Celestia ate largely in silence, trying to enjoy each other's company. A few more privileged guests were open about their distaste, casting a quick eye over them before making a noise and tilting their chins. Discord may or may not have snapped his fingers a couple times under the table.
As the third unicorn suddenly tripped Discord stood. "All done?" he asked of Celestia's empty plate. She nodded, and he stacked them before they set off.
Even the gryphons were looking at them strangely. Celestia was growing rigid again. From the side of the room, a violin played loudly from the phonograph.
"Maybe we should go to the garden," said Discord.
The hedges were wonderfully manicured, flowers winding tightly around roads that led to different orchards, different places to sit. Each brick segway ended at the fountain, commissioned with mythical beasts by the finest craftsmen. It was known as the mansion's central landmark. They found themselves there after a quiet stroll.
The rushing water made the air colder, though they still sat on the fountain edge. It was a cloudless night, stars aglow on a black canvas many miles away. Celestia was gazing up at them very intently. The faintest frown built on her face.
The flowers were in front of her, after a zap that created a vase. She flicked her head to see Discord holding it out.
"I suppose you figured out these were for you," he said.
They came back to the party more satisfied than before. Celestia left the flowers by the door, taking in a final sniff before going in. The food and drink had passed, and now the floor was covered in bodies swaying to the ever-present music. After a brief hesitation, Discord and Celestia joined them.
They made their way to the thrum of the movement, unconsciously. Though Celestia knew where they were she felt her legs go limp. Everywhere she turned there were ponies, dancing with one another. She almost expected a jukebox. Sudden panic trembled in her eyes. This was more than a one-time thing, wasn't it?
Her horn surreptitiously glowed, and the hairpin eased out. Discord caught it in midair.
"You look fine," he said.
Celestia nodded, and suddenly felt much better. She put her head on his chest as they carried on.
Applejack was watching from a distance. "Well ain't that a different spectacle," she said in amazement. "Discord's gone and found himself somethin'. Somethin' indeed." She swung her neck towards Twilight, intending to ask her something, but stopped at the look of pure shock on her face. "Uh, Twi? You alright?" Twilight didn't move. Applejack tried again. "You wouldn't think he'd find himself such a cute little lady friend, even if she does seem sad."
Twilight blinked, the bottom of her open mouth twitching. The pieces started fitting in Applejack's head.
"Twilight? You don't…know that alicorn over there, do you?"
Discord looked up absentmindedly from the dance and saw Twilight at the other end of the room, stricken with sheer incomprehension. The sight was so random, he could not help holding back a snicker.
The record ran out, scratching on the needle to signify its ending. Slowly the dancers parted. Celestia stayed a moment longer against Discord's chest, her eyes closed. When she slipped back she was smiling.
The mood was much milder. Discord and Celestia went off to be by themselves, and they might as well have fit in with the rest. They met Twilight and Applejack under the staircase.
"Fancy swingin' there," noted Applejack, and in that moment Celestia looked quite abashed. She stared at Twilight, and after a silent communication that went unexplained, they awkwardly focused on other things.
"Right," said Applejack when Discord shrugged. "Well, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind if they took a while before flipping that record. That continuous loop of classy music was threatening to drive me nuts!"
Any reply they would have made was cut off by the door bursting open. Everyone spun to the entryway to witness the presence of a lone visitor.
"Isn't this a great night for a celebration?" Pinkie yelled into the crowd. "I have been hopping from jig to jig, but I've still got enough step in me to bring you a PARTY!"
In the next move she shoved in a cannon that exploded with confetti, and regardless of the event's formal nature, a lot of guests laughed at the interruption. Pinkie leapt inside with the encouragement, and groups crowded around to get more of her entertainment.
"Told you she'd show up," Twilight told Applejack with a quirked eyebrow.
Discord was laughing at the sudden change of theme. "This one can come to my parties any day," she said, as Celestia stood bemused.
"Hey guys!" said Pinkie, cartwheeling to their space. She landed on her feet before addressing Twilight. "The dragons still aren't budging on Spike's delegacy," she whispered, shifting to a more serious tone. "Intel shows they might be planning with some of the meaner gryphons to do something big."
She stood back, her mouth pressed tight. After flicking her eyes in a conspiratorial manner she bounded back to the party, all sunshine and daisies.
Everyone looked at Twilight. She sighed. "Pinkie's been helping me gather information about the war and current affairs." Her dress seemed dimmer all of a sudden.
"Do we really have to worry about this right now?" said Applejack. She sounded defeated. "There's so much going on, and nobody has it easy. We're in a dark place. But maybe we can forget about that for just one night. We're at a holiday party. Celebrating good cheer and the coming of a new year."
She parked at Twilight's side and, undeterred by the lack of recognition, put her arm over Twilight's shoulders. This time she stayed there, and bumped it encouragingly. Twilight acknowledged her then, and grinned.
Discord and Celestia were satisfied. They turned to each other, and then Celestia's gaze trailed up. Discord followed to see a strand of mistletoe dangling from the bars of the staircase.
"Huh," said Applejack in the silence. "I didn't see that before."
The mistletoe wasn't moving. Discord and Celestia tilted down to lock eyes again, mutually off-guard.
"There is a tradition," Discord said.
"There is," Celestia agreed.
Twilight and Applejack were observing the paintings. Discord searched for words in the next few seconds.
"I suppose it would be wrong to break that tradition?"
"I would say so," said Celestia.
"Well, then."
"Yes?"
"Maybe we should."
"Yes."
They did.