//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Invitation and preparation // Story: The Sparkle's Flash // by Water Sky //------------------------------// Ten days later... Twilight's friends were sitting around the Cutie Mark Map in the Castle of Friendship because Twilight had a huge announcement to make. “So, does anypony have any idea why Twilight calls us here?” Rainbow asked. “Beats me,” Applejack replied, shrugging. “I hoped it’s nothing bad or scary,” Fluttershy said as she started to shutter. Starlight then turned to Fluttershy, “Fluttershy, do you really think Twilight would call us here because something bad is happening?” Fluttershy responded, “Well… I guess not.” Suddenly, Twilight entered the room with a smile on her face, knowing it was good news. "I'm glad I called you girls here because I have a surprise for you all," she said. “Guess what Princess Celestia sent me yesterday?” Twilight then magically levitated an envelope and revealed sixteen golden tickets inside. Everypony was surprised to see what the golden tickets were for. "Are those what I think they are?" Sunset Shimmer asked. Before Twilight could answer, Pinkie Pie bounced with excitement and exclaimed, "Those are tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala!" "They are," Twilight confirmed with a warm smile. “Princess Celestia sent me some tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala tomorrow, and we’re all invited.” She then levitated two tickets to each pony, leaving her and Spike with one. As the ponies started to get excited about going to the Gala, Fluttershy couldn’t help but notice the extra tickets she and the others received. Curious, she turned to Twilight and asked, “Um, Twilight, why are you giving us extra tickets?” The other ponies also stopped, noticed the extra tickets, and wanted to know the same thing. Twilight explained, “Well, Celestia explained that the extra tickets are for our plus ones or our dates,” “That’s very thoughtful of her.” Rarity replied. “But I already had my ticket from Fancy Pants. I supposed I could give my extra tickets to Sweetie Belle and her little friend. I think his name is Button Mash?” “Well, since I don’t have a date, I might as well give my extra ticket to Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash added. She turned her attention to Applejack and asked, “What about you, A.J.?” “Not sure,” Applejack said. “But I’ll think about it before the Gala starts?” “I could give my extra ticket to Discord if he doesn’t have one yet,” Fluttershy said. “And that you two are dating,” Pinkie said. “Pinkie!” Fluttershy shouted as she blushed. Twilight then suggested a plan, “In that case, how about we all meet up at Rarity’s tomorrow afternoon to get ready for the Gala.” “That’s a marvelous idea, Twilight,” Rarity said. “I was even planning on finishing the dresses for the Gala today.” “It settles then. Let's meet at Rarity’s tomorrow.” Twilight declared. “That’s a great idea, Twilight,” Sunset said, walking around the table to Twilight’s chair. “Speaking of which,” She then turned her attention to the other mares, “Could you girls give us some privacy, please.” The other mares knew what Sunset was talking about. So everypony headed out of the castle with their Gala tickets. Sunset then turned to Spike and asked, “Spike, could you give us some privacy, too? It’s a mare thing.” “Oh, sure thing. Sunset.” Spike then headed toward his room, leaving Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight alone. Twilight turned to Sunset and Starlight and asked, “So, what do you two want to talk about?” Sunset and Starlight smiled at each other, and Sunset asked, “Is he going to ask you to go to the Gala?” Twilight blushed and asked, “Who?” “Flash, of course,” Sunset said. “Yeah, is he going to ask you? Or are you going to ask him yourself?” Starlight said. Twilight started to rub the back of her neck. “To be honest, I’m not sure.” “What do you mean you're not sure?” Sunset asked. Twilight turned away from Sunset and Starlight and explained, “I mean… we have gotten to know each other for over a month, and we’ve even grown close to each other.” She then looked down and felt nervous. “I’m not sure what to do if he does ask me.” Sunset walked closer to Twilight and wrapped her hoof around her, “Twilight, all you need to do is say, ‘yes.’ And if he asked you to dance, all you have to do… is smile.” “She’s right,” Starlight said, walking close to Twilight and Sunset. “A smile is always a good sign.” Twilight turned back towards Sunset and Starlight with a warm smile, “Thanks, girls.” She then hugged both Sunset and Starlight. “I don’t know what to do without you two.” “No problem, Twilight,” Sunset said. “We’re kind of like sisters.” The three ponies then laughed with each other. Meanwhile, in Flash's bedroom, Flash was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at an open envelope he received yesterday containing an invitation to the Gala and a golden ticket. He was thinking about Twilight and the Gala. “What am I going to do?” Flash thought to himself as he reclined on his bed. Flash wants to ask Twilight to dance with him at the Gala and tell her how he feels about her, but there are a couple of complications. Not only because he’s her personal royal guard on duty but also because he remembers one of the codes within the Royal Guard rulebook, which stated, "Royal guard members can’t attend the Gala.” Just then, Flash thought of something. “Wait a minute,” he said as he widened his eyes and lifted himself back up. “The code said Royal Guard members can’t attend the Gala; it never said anything about attending while off duty.” “That's it,” Flash said to himself. After figuring out a loophole, he came up with an idea. “All I have to do is get the night off from Twilight and then ask her to dance with me at the Gala.” He then got out of bed, looked at this armor next to his bed, which also held his guitar in place, and realized he couldn’t wear it to the Gala, let alone wear nothing. “But first, I need a suit.” He then exited his room and made his way to Caracal Boutique. Applejack had just returned to Sweet Apple Acers. She noticed Apple Bloom bucking some of the apple trees. Recalling that Rarity and Rainbow Dash were saying they were giving their extra tickets to Sweetie Belle and Scootalo, Applejack decided to give away her extra ticket to Apple Bloom so that all three of them could attend the Gala together again. As Apple Bloom bucked another apple tree, causing half a dozen apples to fall off the tree and into the basket, she was greeted by Applejack. “Hey, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said. “Oh, hey, Applejack, what’s up?” Apple Bloom said. “I’ve got something for you.” Applejack opened her satchel bag and pulled out one of the Gala tickets she had received from Twilight. “Twilight had given us tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, and she even gave us extra tickets. Since Rarity and Rainbow Dash planned on giving theirs to your friends, I thought I would give you my extra ticket.” “Wow, Applejack, thanks,” said Apple Bloom with excitement. “No problem.” Applejack said. Just as Applejack was about to head back to the farmhouse, Apple Bloom asked, "Um, Applejack, can I ask you a question?" "Of course, sugar cub; what is it?" Applejack said. Apple Bloom hesitated as she looked down at the ground before telling Applejack, "I have this friend… and she had a crush on somepony.” “Okay?” Applejack said, curious about where this was going. “And that somepony has his heart broken by another pony.” Apple Bloom continued. As soon as Apple Bloom mentions the word “heartbroken,” Applejack realizes she is talking about Spike. This meant that her little sister had a crush on Spike. “How do you know when is the right time to ask him out? Tell him how she feels about him?” Apple Bloom asked. After hearing her sister, Applejack walked towards her, wrapped her left hoof around her, pulled her in closer, and said, “Tell your friend that the right time to tell him is when he’s over with his heart broken.” Apple Bloom looked up at her big sister with a smile on her face and said, “Thanks, Applejack, I’ll… tell her that.” She hugged Applejack, thanking her for her advice. Applejack then hugged her sister back. As the two ponies headed back to the farmhouse, they were unaware that Bic Mac was watching them from afar, looking curious about what they were talking about. At Caracal Boutique, Rarity is preparing to put the finishing touches on one of the several dresses she made for herself, her friends, her sister, and her friends for the Gala. Just then, she heard her front door open; when she turned to see who was entering the Boutique, she saw Flash as he walked in. "Oh, hello, Flash," Rarity said. "Hey, Rarity," Flash replied. He then noticed the gala dresses Rarity was almost done with. "Wow, are those the dresses you girls are going to be wearing at the Gala?" "Why yes, darling," Rarity said before returning to the dresses she was working on. "And I am almost done with them." She then asked Flash, "Is there something you want? Because I'm almost finished." "Actually, I came to ask if you could make a suit for me," Flash said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. Rarity paused for a few seconds before putting down her sewing needle and turning back to Flash with a smile, “Why, Flash, I knew you were going to say that.” “You were?” Flash asked, a bit surprised. “Yes,” Rarity responded. Rarity then walked towards some of the garment bags she hung nearby, which contained suits and dresses she had finished. “In fact, I think I already made a suit that fits you perfectly.” After going through the Garment bags, Rarity found the perfect suit for Flash. She then used her magic to levitate the garment bag as she walked back toward Flash and said with a generous smile, “I believe this will suit you nicely.” “Wow, thanks, Rarity; I don’t know what to say,” Flash said. “Don’t mention it, darling,” Rarity replied as she levitated the garment bag on Flash’s back. “Consider it as a gift. Just don’t get it wrinkle.” As Flash exited the boutique, he put a smile on his face, knowing that he had completed the first part of the plan. Now, he needs to convince Twilight to give him the night off. The next day, Twilight was about to head out of the castle and head towards Rarity’s to meet with the others and to get ready for the Gala when she encounters Flash wearing his armor. “Oh, hey, Flash,” she said. “Hey, Twilight,” Flash responded. “Ready to go?” “Of course,” Twilight said. She then noticed the garment bag on Flas’s back. Curious, she asked,” Uh, Flash… what’s with the garment bag?” “Oh, this?” Flash said, hiding his nerves. “This is… for your Gala dress. You know, after you're done dancing for the night.” Flash doesn’t want Twilight to know that his suit is in the garment bag. “Oh, okay then,” Twilight replied. Before Twilight and Flash could leave the castle, Flash said, "Hey, Twilight, before we head to Rarity’s, can I ask you something?" “Sure, Flash. What is it?” Twilight responded. “I was wondering…” In the middle of Flash's sentence, Twilight blushes as her heart beats a little faster, believing Flash is about to ask her to go to the Gala with him. “If it's okay with you if… I have the rest of the night off.” Twilight was a little shocked; she thought Flash might ask her to the Gala. “Oh, that it?” She asked. “Is there a reason why?” Flash then came up with an excuse. “Well, since tonight is the Gala, I thought I could use some relaxation.” “Oh, I understand,” Twilight said softly. “I need that case… you can have the night off.” “Thank you, Twilight,” Flash responds. “I really appreciate it.” “No problem, Flash,” Twilight replied. As Flash escorted Twilight to Rarity’s, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that Flash didn’t ask her to go to the Gala. Meanwhile, Flash is secretly happy and relieved that he got the night off so he could attend the Gala. Later in the afternoon, The girls are in Caracal Boutique getting ready for the Gala tonight. Twilight, Pinkie, and Sunset are doing their manes underneath the mane dryer, Starlight is putting on her makeup, Applejack is helping Fluttershy shine her hooves with hoof polish, and Rarity is helping Rainbow Dash in her Gala dress, which she hates. At the same time, the Crusaders have already gotten ready. “So, are you girls excited for the Gala?” Starlight said, twinkling her eyes. “Ya betcha, we’re excited,” Applejack said. “Absolutely! Especially the way Cheese and I decorated that ballroom,” Pinkie said excitedly. “I can’t wait for you guys to see it; you’ll love it!” “I just hoped the decorations aren’t like the other Galas we've been to,” Rainbow Dash said. “Fancy and boring.” “Well, I, for one, am excited about this since it's my first one back,” Sunset said, reminding everypony that it was her first gala back from the human world. “Well, this time, I hope to enjoy a nice Gala for a change,” Rarity said, recalling the last two gala disasters she attended. Applejack turned to Rarity with a teasing grin and asked, “Are you talking about that time Discord invited his slimy friend, or is this about that Prince Blue Blood fella?” “Don’t you dare mention that name!” Rarity exclaimed dramatically, causing everypony to laugh except for her. As everypony continued getting ready and had a few laughs, Sunset noticed Twilight was feeling a bit down. “Twilight, is there something wrong?” Sunset asked, capturing Twilight's attention. “Oh, um, it’s nothing, really,” Twilight said in a low tone. “Are you sure,” Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, I’m sure,” Twilight responded. She then levitated the mane dryer off her mane, got up from her seat, and walked towards Rarity to get ready to put on her Gala dress. Meanwhile, Sunset couldn’t help but wonder what was bothering her. Outside Caracal Boutique, Flash is standing next to Spike, who is dressed sharply in his gala suit. They wait beside the royal carriage with four royal guards for the girls to finish putting on their Gala dresses. As they continued to wait on the girls, Spike crossed his arms and sighed in frustration, “Why does this always happen." "What do you mean?" Flash asked. Spike explained, "Twilight and the rest of the girls take forever to get ready and put on their dresses." "Well, Spike, mares do take a long time just to look beautiful," Flash said. “I wouldn’t blame them.” Just then, they heard the door open. “We’re ready,” came Rarity’s voice. The mares and crusaders, excluding Twilight, came out of the Boutique wearing Gala dresses, with their manes done. Flash and Spike were stunned by how the mares looked in their dresses. “W-Wow, you girls look great,” Spike said. “Why thank you, Spike,” said Rarity, gracefully flipping her mane. Spike then looked at the Crusaders in their dresses. “Especially you three.” “Thanks,” the Crusaders said in unison. Apple Bloom blushed a little, hearing Spike's compliment. Flash looked at the mares and noticed Twilight wasn’t with them, “Where’s Twilight?” he asked. Just then, all eyes were turned to Twilight, who was the last to exit the Boutique. She was wearing a dark violet dress with little stars on the end, a star-shaped pin on the front, silver hoof shoes, and her mane was done in a beautiful wavy style. Flash was fond of Twilight in her gala dress. He couldn’t stop gazing at her, let alone put in the right words to tell her how beautiful she was. “Is everything all right, Flash?” Twilight asked, snapping Flash back. Flash stuttered, “Y-Yeah,” he quickly cleared his throat. “Shall we go?” Twilight nodded in response. As soon as everypony was ready, Twilight, the girls, the Crusaders, Spike, and Flash climbed into the royal carriage. When the door was closed, the royal guards took their positions and began carrying the carriage, heading to Canterlot for the Gala. Elsewhere... The dark alicorn stepped out of his cave and noticed the spotlights coming from Canterlot Castle. "It seems Celestia is hosting another Gala," the dark alicorn said. He returned to his cave, smirked, and turned to his phoenix. "You know… I think it's time I attended this one." The dark phoenix quacks at the dark alicorn, warning him that his appearance might cause some attention. “Good point,” the dark alicorn said, staring at his wings. “My wings do give me a dead giveaway.” Just then, the dark alicorn had an idea. He then used some of his magic on himself to surround himself in a dark aura, shrinking himself to the height of an average stallion and making his wings disappear. “Ah, that’s more like it.” The dark phoenix quacks again, reminding the dark alicorn that Celestia and Luna might still recognize him, even without his wings. “Relax, my old friend,” the dark alicorn said. “I’ll just have to stay clear from Celestia and Luna and make sure neither of them recognizes me.” The dark Alicorn stepped out of his cave, smiled sinisterly, and said, “And who knows…maybe the purple alicorn might be there." He then made a sinister chuckle as he transformed into a dark mist and headed towards Canterlot to the Grand Galloping Gala.