>you swish your drink around a couple of times, unsure of yourself as you traipse past a group of dancing ponies
>you nodded your head to the beat, wishing desperately to fall into the rhythm along with everyone
>your spirit was on the dance floor, gyrating to every nuance the music had, heart swelling every time the song hit a high point
>you know, deep in your heart, that you would enjoy it
>but you are Anon, and for some reason, you just can’t
>you had received an anonymous invitation to the Gala a couple of weeks ago
>you were relatively new in Equestria, recently arrived from some extra-dimensional portal nonsense that you couldn’t really wrap your head around
>one would think that would’ve been the start of some grand fairy tale, where you became the hero and helped save the world or something like that
>your predicament was nothing like that, though; sure, there was excitement around an alien that was reportedly not even from the same universe, but the revelry was short lived
>you had made friends with Twilight, the one who had found you in a grassy field outside of Ponyville, scorch marks from whatever brought you here surrounding you
>she introduced you to the princesses, who had you stay in the castle for a week to determine where you came from, what you were, and whether or not you would pose a threat to Equestria
>they didn’t mention that last part, but you figured it was a sort of unspoken truth 
>Celestia spoke a lot more than her sister did, but apparently she had just gotten through something you weren’t quite privy to yet, so you gave her space
>when they were finished getting to know you and gave you the go-ahead to live here, Twilight had you meet the rest of her friends, who understandably were nervous about meeting you
>they warmed up to you rather quickly, though, after seeing Twilight being so nonchalant around you
>after that, Twilight offered you a room while you adjusted yourself to Equestria’s society, and you had graciously accepted
>since then, things have died down considerably
>you like that, though
>the quiet and calm were your home, where you could be comfortable
>to say you were introverted would only be half of the story; silence was your metronome to which you played the game of life, and to be honest, you had gotten quite good at it, almost like practicing a character from a fighting game
>you enjoyed spending time with people, sure, but you really came alive when it was just you
>here at the Gala, though, you couldn’t quite have that 
>you arrived with Twilight and her friends, but they had long since split up to go visit with other friends present 
>occasionally, one would come by to see how you were doing, but they’d rush off soon afterward either to dance or visit some more
>you couldn’t blame them for it at all, though
>you just wish you could have that experience
>a few ponies had come to talk to you, sure, but it was more about never having seen you before, or asking what you were
>you got a chuckle out of every interaction, at least
>meandering over to the punch bowl, you fill it nearly to the brim and take a hearty swig
>you weren’t even thirsty, but it gave you an excuse to move around without looking like you were a lost puppy 
>the cool liquid snaking its way down your throat did nothing to still your nerves, though
>looking around, you look for a possible reprieve, some way to take a break from the noise
>across the dance floor, you see the more elaborate part of the gardens a fair bit away from the hubbub of the gala, so you make haste to admire the royal landscaper’s handiwork
>you make your way through the crowd without much trouble, some ponies smiling up at you as you go
>it helps that most of them only come up to the lower portion of your chest, so you weren’t exactly bumping into anybody
>with the crowd behind you, you transfix yourself on Canterlot’s most exotic flowers, taking in every detail you could as you got closer
>you weren’t much of a florist yourself, but you could tell quality from mediocrity
>besides, any distraction was a welcomed one 
>lavender bushes line a section of the garden, and their pleasant aroma draws you in from afar
>leaving the party behind, you walk past a decorated gate into the garden proper, still allured by the lavender bushels 
>in the distance, you could hear the song change to something more electronic, along with cheers from the crowd 
>it almost sounds like something from your world
>perfect to get lost in the garden with, then
 
Suggested low volume listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL-gyhZVvx0
 
>as you look around, you realize that you really don’t have any purpose being in here
>you feel like a fish out of water
>you’d felt like that the whole night, honestly, moving from one place to another without anyone to really spend time with 
>you stare at the lavender, consciously prying your mind away from thinking about anything but what was happening in the moment
>you crouch down, taking in its wonderful scent while you study the flower closely
>in the midst of taking mental notes on the way that its clusters of purple has tiny nuances of blue, you hear footsteps approaching behind you
>or is it hoofsteps?
>it’s probably hoofsteps
>damn horse localizations
>you opt to not turn around, since whoever it is more than likely isn’t here for you
>“Anonymous, is it?”
>never mind
>you shift on your feet, still crouching, and turn to face your new visitor
>your eyes widen a tad in surprise as you’re greeted by the sight of Princess Luna smiling down at you in an incredibly flattering dress, hair done up in a ponytail (heh)
>you feel your chest tighten in anticipation of a conversation, subconsciously ignoring the fact that you were face to face with royalty outside of any obligation like last time
>tonight was going to be eventful after all, it seemed
“That’s me,” you reply as you send a smile her way
>you stand, bringing yourself to your full height
>unlike other ponies, you notice that you’re only about a head or so taller than her, not including her horn
“It’s nice to see you again.”
>you straighten your suit out, suddenly feeling like you want to be at peak presentability
>there’s a very brief pause before she continues, as if she didn’t expect you to say that
>“How have the festivities been treating you? Good, We hope?” 
>she adjusts herself in place ever so slightly so that she’s at a slight angle toward both you and the distant party
>you don’t want to tell her that you feel like an alien all over again, so you focus on aspects of the gala that didn’t involve you
“It’s been good, actually,” you say, fidgeting with your tie slightly.
“The DJ’s been surprisingly great, honestly. I knew a lot of people in Canterlot loved her, but I had no idea she’d rock the house this hard.”
>she smiles up at you, then casts her gaze in the direction of the music
>“The crown certainly spared no expense in hiring her. Some of the snooty nobleponies might not agree with the new direction that this year’s gala has taken, but they are simply a vocal minority.”
>you look over toward the crowd as well, specifically toward the DJ currently making the earth shake
>her red goggles glow almost like neon in the darkness, and if it wasn’t for a slight silhouette from the rest of the lighting off-stage, those goggles would be the only thing you could see
>you make a quick mental note to check out her stuff after the gala as you turn back to the princess, who was still transfixed on the dancing ponies
“How’re you liking it, Your Majesty?” 
>you didn’t want to cross some social line by not referring to her by her title, even here
>“To be honest, We are not sure what to think,” she replied, eyebrows slightly raised. 
>“It’s certainly a departure from the music that We used to listen to, but We find it quite catchy nonetheless!”
>she moved her gaze from the dancing ponies to you, smile still present
>“By the way, Anonymous,” she said almost sheepishly, bringing one of her hooves up to her chest
>“You can refer to us simply as Luna, if you would prefer.”
>when you woke up this morning, you expected to have just another day, just with a dance party at the end of it
>you certainly didn’t expect to be fraternizing with royalty out of nowhere
>your surprise is visible on your face, and she interprets that as her cue to begin backpedaling
>“Of course, you do not have to if it makes you uncomfortable!” she almost exclaims, sticking her already raised hoof out toward you in what you assume is reassurance
>her smile takes on a slightly more awkward essence
>you grin down at her and cross your arms, defusing her mounting sense of self-awareness 
“I think I’d like that, Luna.”
>relief washes over the princess’s face, wiping away almost any traces of worry as she places her hoof back down
>not one to stop when it’s even, you push the boundary a tad
“In that case, you can call me Anon. It’s what most of my friends call me, save for Pinkie Pie.”
>a curious smile crawls across her face as she looks at you from the side
>“Oh? What does she call you?”
>do you say it?
>the name was…
>well, it was embarrassing, but it was endearing, coming from Pinkie
>you swallow your pride
“...Nonny-Wonny.” 
>you punctuate the nickname with your best awkward, shit-eating grin 
>it takes about a half a second for Luna, Equestria’s stoic ruler of the night, to double over in a fit of giggles 
>it turns out to be infectious, and you join in with her
>for a brief moment, everything that troubled you earlier disappears 
>you actually feel your body drop its constant state of tension in favor of a natural, outgoing state
>but the giggles subside, and your nerves return once more
>they’re dulled, though, and you can’t help but smile at that
>before you can reflect any longer, Luna grabs your attention again
>“We, for one, think it’s a wonderful nickname,” she says cheekily, a laugh caught in her throat
>“We might even call you that ourself every now and then.”
>a barely noticeable blush adorns her cheeks, as if she realizes the implications of the nickname just as she says it
>her smile starts to drop ever so slightly, which you feel bad about
>in a way, she kind of reminds you of the way you are most of the time
>before she can backpedal, you try to be the smoothest you can about it so she doesn’t have time to feel awkward
>you chuckle in a deep intonation and shoot a grin her way
>you also do a finger gun, for some reason
>you inwardly die, but keep going
“Maaaaybe down the line, if that’s okay with you.”
>her blush slowly fades as she’s denied her chance to let the awkward play out
>“We’ll hold you to that, Anon,” she replied warmly
>she looks around at the flowers, though not at any in particular
>“We must ask, what brought you out here? We had thought you would be ‘dancing the night away,’ as ponies from this time say.”
>well, there’s no getting around it now, is there?
>thinking about it, you don’t really see the harm in telling her
>you don’t think she’ll judge you; even though you haven’t known her for more than a couple of minutes, she doesn’t seem like that kind of mare
>in all honesty, she actually seems just as awkward as you are
“Honestly, Luna, I haven’t really had anyone to tag along with.”
>you put your hands in your pants pockets and stare at the dance floor filled with ponies
>a slower song starts playing, and it looks like everyone’s swaying with the beat
>the awning is swathed in a deep blue light coming from the lighting above the DJ’s set, bathing everyone in a mellowed atmosphere
“I came here with Twilight and her friends, but they’ve been off with their other friends most of the night.”
>you shift a bit in place, leaning more on one leg than the other
“I’ve been trying to let loose and just go meet new ponies, but I’ve always had a hard time doing that, even back home. Occasionally, they’ll come up to me to ask a question, but that’s it.”
>you take your hands out of your pockets, crossing them once again while redirecting your gaze to Luna, who holds an attentive expression
>you notice that the blue hue of the lights almost matches the color of her mane
“I feel like I get a confidence boost when I’m with friends, and that carries me through a lot of the would-be awkward parts of the night. Since they’re all spread out and I don’t want to bother them, I figured I’d cool off out here.”
>you gesture to the flora around you, unintentionally wafting their heavenly scent around
>or was that Luna’s perfume? 
>“We know how you feel,” she sighed, her attentive look giving way to a more solemn, wistful gaze cast towards the dance floor
>“Ever since Our return, We have felt like a complete outsider to the nation that We once, and continue to preside over. We wear the crown, yes, but it is simply a formality.”
>her return?
>you have no idea what that means, but that’s for another time
“Stranger in a strange land?” 
>she looks up at you, content that you understand
>“Exactly,” she agrees, voice lithe with a longing for communion. 
>“To be honest, We are out here for the same reason you are. It is why We sent-”
>she catches herself, which you inwardly raise an eyebrow at
>“It is why We want to feel like a stranger no more.”
>her expression is one of conviction now, one that you feel in your heart
>before you can offer up some kind of mediocre reply, you’re interrupted by a voice coming from the DJ’s giant speakers
>you both look over, curious as to what this is about
>“Alright, everypony! The night’s almost over, but we aren’t quite wrapped up yet! We’ve still got one last anthem to dance to, so if you haven’t, get your butt up on the dance floor and dance the night away! This is DJ Pon-3, and from me to you, happy Grand Galloping Gala to everypony!” 
>with gusto, she flips on a new song, and the lights strobe to illuminate the crowd in a pulsing light tinted a far lighter blue than before
 
Suggested high volume listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evqx5HLm9iM
 
>you don’t even notice you’re tapping your heel to the beat
>if this is really last call, then you need to do something fast before you end up spending the whole thing wishing you were letting go instead of actually doing it
>instead of letting yourself lock up, you act before you think for once
>you look back over at Luna, who’s looking back at you in a sideways glance
“Have you ever danced with a stranger before, Luna?” 
>...where did that come from?
>she’s facing you fully now, her face beginning to flush just as much as yours
>“Many back in my day, mostly because of old customs and formalities,” she replies, eyebrows raised
>she faces you fully, an ear-to-ear grin plastered across her face
>“Have you ever danced with a friend?”
>you smirk back at her, already making steps toward the garden’s gate
“No… but I’d like to change that. You ready?” 
>she nods her head enthusiastically, following closely next to you as you both jogged, and in her case trotted, over to the dance floor
>as you crossed the threshold from the grass to the giant awning, Luna tapped you with one of her wings, signaling you to bend down
>you did so and turned your ear toward her to hear her over the blaring music
>“We must confess, Anon - We cannot dance at all!”
>you catch a sheepish grin before you shout over the music into her ear as well
“I can’t either!”
>both of you traipse into the crowd as the beat builds, finding the rhythm each other as well as you can
>you’re a mess of gangly limbs, and she’s an awkward alicorn jutting her hooves about everywhere, but you feel lost in the beat
>the beat finally drops, and the two of you go nuts
>funnily enough, even though both of you were taller than nearly everyone else in the crowd, you don’t spill your spaghetti for once in your life
>you hardly even notice time passing by
>for once, you’re truly enjoying yourself
>judging by the fact that she’s beaming open-mouthed as she bounces back and forth to the tune, you think she is too
>for the first time, you let go, and lose all sense of yourself in the music as you dance with the mare in front of you
 
>before either of you know it, the song ends, and ponies slowly begin to disperse after cheering one last time from DJ Pon-3 
>looking around, you see Twilight and her friends waving you over as they headed out of Canterlot Gardens
>you look back at Luna, who’s catching her breath and fanning herself with one of her wings as she steadily gets more space to do so
>you know you’ll have to part with her, but you can’t just leave it at this
>you gently tap her withers, which gets her attention
>raised eyebrows and a look of wonder stare right into you
“Are we gonna see each other again, Luna?” 
>you don’t mean for it to sound as pleading as it does
>“Hmm, let Us think…”
>she plays coy for a second before returning to pure enthusiasm in full force
>“Of course! We are friends now, are we not?”
>you feel a surge of serotonin rush through your system before you respond
“You know it, Luna.” 
>she glances behind you, catching a glimpse of your group of friends, before looking at you once more
>“You should not keep Twilight waiting, Anon! My sister often says that she operates on a strict time schedule, and We wouldn’t want to get you in trouble.”
>you have to agree there, she can get rather ornery about timeliness
>there’s one thing you have to ask before you leave, though
“How will we keep in touch with each other? I feel like my letters would get lost in the castle’s mail.” 
>she smirks, giggling about something
>“You and Spike will be good friends soon, I am sure.”
>she looks around briefly, eyeing the thinning crowd for someone
>“We suppose that We should go find Our sister now. Take care, Anonymous; you will have sweet dreams tonight!”
>with that, she gives you one final smile before walking off into the group
>you almost feel tempted to tell her she got the expression wrong, but you repress the urge
>as you walk back to your friends, you can’t help but feel a little mystified 
>“Wowie, Nonny!” pinkie exclaims, bouncing comically off the pavement backwards as she kept eye contact with you
>“You saw Princess Luna again, huh? What was it like?? Are you guys super-duper best friends yet!?”
>you hope it gets to that point as time goes on
>you answer questions as the walk goes on, though it’s all a blur to you
>Rarity’s impressed that you’re already rubbing elbows with royalty, while Twilight and Pinkie are excited that you finally got to properly meet Luna
>The other three are proud of you for getting out of your shell, and compliment your progress as such
>all specifics of what they say bounce off of your skull like a tennis ball on tiled floor
>eventually, you make it back to the treebrary and slip into your bed, still reminiscing about earlier
>in mere minutes, you fall asleep
>the sweetest of dreams grace you that night
>when you awaken, you find a letter on your dresser that wasn’t there before
>when you see the lunar insignia, though, a huge grin creeps across your face
>now that you’re looking at it, though, it looks familiar
>you glance over to your anonymous invitation sitting by your bedside
>...
“Clever mare.”