The Barbie Adventure VIII: Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses

the golden pavilion

Pinkie stepped into the golden balcony overlooking everything. It was quite clear they had traveled to another world.

"Pinch me," Blair said. "I'm dreaming!"

"Then I'm having the same dream," Courtney grinned.

"What is this place?" Genevieve asked, so amazed she'd ended up chuckling a little.

"I ain't lying when I say this is the coolest thing I've seen in a castle," Applejack said.

"We know you're not lying, darling," Rarity insisted.

They noticed a long boat at the edge.

"What do you think that is?" Hadley asked. "Like, where will it take us?"

"Let's find out," Starlight said, already going down to the boat. "This is so much better than I thought!"

"Welcome to the Barbie cinematic universe," Pinkie smiled toothily, her nostalgia definitely prevalent as they were the first two to sit down. Genevieve stayed close to Lacey, in the row right behind. Only Courtney sat alone, content to be by herself as they drank in the sights, the boat silently gliding through the water.

They came closer to a golden pavilion, and they began to notice some oddly familiar things.

"The trees are gold and silver!" Delia pointed out.

"It's just like in the story!" Edeline realized.

"That's... definitely weird," Fluttershy said.

"You mean amazing," Fallon gushed, sitting next to her.

"It's so pretty!" Isla gasped as they stopped at a golden landing, all nineteen of them stepping onto the pavilion, the golden light reflecting on the white nightdresses.

"It's just like Mother's dance pavilion," Genevieve said, stepping into the grass center and noticing the circle of stones, identical to the one they'd just stepped through, surrounded by paintings of instruments. "Oh, I wish we had some music!"

As if on cue, the flowers adorning the gilded trees opened their petals, showering the space in golden sparkles as the painted instruments sprang to life, beginning a song.

"Did you just see that?" she turned to Lacey.

"I thought they were fake," Fluttershy jumped behind Edeline, who smiled at the sight.

"Come, Lacey, dance with me," Genevieve said.

The first while was filled with all nineteen of them twirling around, the twelve princesses especially happy to finally be able to dance to their hearts' content after Rowena had ripped it away from them. 

Things were going well until Lacey tripped backwards and fell.

Fluttershy was the first to notice. "Poor thing!"

Lacey held up her knee, which was bleeding a little. "Stuff like this always happens to me."

"It'll be okay," Fluttershy said. "Let's wash it up. Then we can treat it."

Carefully weaving through dancers, she led Lacey to the fountain, gingerly holding Lacey's leg up while dripping fountain water onto it.

However, more than blood washed away; the entire wound vanished.

"How did it?" Lacey gasped.

"I don't know," Fluttershy replied.

Lacey giggled, scooping up water in her hands. "I could use this all the time."

Pinkie slid by, handing her a small vial. "I'd recommend holding some in this. You'll thank me later."

It had been hours, too long for the triplets to stay away. The remaining sixteen kept on, however, until the music finally finished with a flourish. 

Genevieve looked down at her shoes. "I can't believe I wore out my shoes."

"Me too," Sunset agreed, amazed by how thin the soles had gotten. 

"It's a sign, you know," Ashlyn told the group. "That we've danced enough for a night. We better get back before Rowena realizes we're gone."

"Oh, I hate to leave," Genevieve said. "I could dance forever and ever and ever."

"Enjoy your birthday?" Fluttershy asked, finishing tucking Lacey in. 

"Yes," Lacey grinned. "Tell Starlight I said thank you."

Starlight flushed a little. "It was nothing, really."

But she could tell the triplets would never forget the night. 

And that warmed her heart and gave her a reason to keep fighting against Rowena, especially that next morning.