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// To the Gala 
// Story: The Bonds of Family 
// by KidatHeart5 
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	Finally, the day of the Crystal Gala had arrived. The royals and guests at the Everfree Castle had to get up early in the morning to catch the train heading to the Crystal Empire. On the way, they had to pick up eight of the other aunts and uncles. Since Twilight, her husband, and her Marendelle sisters and brothers-in-law were all tackling an international issue, they could not come to the Crystal Gala. However, the family members on the train were just as happy to see the four other daughters of Celestia and the guys with them. After the train chugged out of the Canterlot train station and started again on its journey, the royals talked excitedly about the Crystal Gala. 
Flurry squealed, “This will be my first time attending the Crystal Gala! I’ve had to go to bed before, but this time, I get to stay up! EEE!”
Gemstone said, “Darling, I promise you will absolutely shine in your gown! The crowds will eat it up!”
Flurry chuckled, “Gem, it’s just a simple dress, nothing extravagant.”
“Yes, but with you wearing it, you’ll be the belle of the ball!”
Skyla felt a twinge of jealousy at that. She wanted to say that she could be just as important as Flurry Heart, but she didn’t want to seem petty. She remained quiet as the conversation continued.
Zealot was intrigued yet intimidated by the prospect of going to the Crystal Gala. Thanks to his ties with Marendelle’s royal family, he had attended the island’s soirees and functions. However, none of them could compare to the vastness and grandeur of the Crystal Gala, let alone the Crystal Empire where the ball would take place. 
He said, “So…I take it most of you have been to the gala. Can you tell me what it’s like?”
Apple Butter wrapped her hoof around her coltfriend and said, “Oh, Zealot. If you’re nervous, don’t be! The Crystal Gala is very fun, and I promise you’ll have the best night ever!” She began to sing, “At the Gala…”
The other royals sang, “At the Gala…” 
Nova Rose sang, “At the Gala…In the ballroom…You’re going to see them all…All the elite…You'll befriend them at the Gala…” 
“At the Gala…”
“All the nobles…and the captains…They will love you big and small…You'll become good friends forever…when you’re at the Gala!” 
“All our dreams will come true…when we’re at the Gala…At the Gala…”
Skater sang, “At the Gala…”
“It's amazing…”
“You will taste them…” 
“Better hurry…” 
“All of those fantastic treats…”
“Yummy yummy…” 
“Hungry ponies…”
“They'll be snacking…” 
“They will buy them…”
“Bring your money…” 
“Caramel apples, frosted sweets…”
“Gimme some…” 
“And you’ll find them very tasty…spicy, sweet, or zesty!” 
“All our dreams and our hopes from now until hereafter…All that we've been wishing for will happen at the Gala…At the Gala…”
Flurry Heart sang, “At the Gala…All the royals…When they meet you, my buddy…they will see you’re just as regal at the Gala…”
“At the Gala…” 
“Because you are…a Prince Charming…And how gallant you will be…You’ll treat mares like perfect ladies…when you’re at the Gala!” 
“This is what we've waited for to have the best night ever…Each of us will live our dreams…tonight at the Gala…At the Gala…” 
Roller Blade sang, “It’s thrillin'…They’ll be waitin'…to meet such a great pony…Show them all of your daring tricks…spinning 'round and having kicks…Entertain crowds of thousands…They'll shower you with diamonds…The nobles will respect you when you’re at the Gala!” 
“All we've longed for…all we've dreamed…our happy ever after…finally will all come true…when we’re at the grand Gala…At the Gala…”
Blaze sang, “When you’re at the Crystal Gala…you’ll see it’s the best party…But the one thing it was missing was you, Zealot, effendi…for you are the best at parties, all the ponies will agree…Ponies playing…Ponies dancing…with you at the grand Gala!”
“Happiness and laughter at the Gala…At the Gala…” 
Apple Butter sang, “At the Gala…” 
“At the Gala…”
“With your good friends…” 
“With your good friends…” 
“Is where you’re going to be…” 
“He will be…”
“We will talk all about tonight and what we’ll hear and see…” 
“He will see…” 
“It is going to be so special…as we’ll make good memories…” 
“This will be the best night ever!” When the spire of the Crystal Palace came into view, the royals sang, “Into the Gala we must go…We're ready now, we're all aglow…Into the Gala, let's go in and have the best night ever…Into the Gala, now's the time...We're ready and we look divine!” 
When the train stopped at the train station, Nova sang with the royals as she stepped onto the platform, “Into the Gala…”
She sang by herself, “Meet new friends…”
Skater sang with the royals as she followed suit, “Into the Gala…” 
The Pegasus sang by herself, “Taste some pastries…”
The royals sang with Flurry as she stepped off the train, “Into the Gala…”
Flurry sang alone, “Be a prince…” 
Roller Blade sang with the royals as he followed Flurry, “Prove you’re great…”
Roller sang, “As an emperor is…” 
Nova Rose sang, “To meet!” 
Skater sang, “To taste!” 
Flurry sang, “To be!” 
Roller sang, “To prove!” 
Blaze sang, “To whoop!” 
Apple Butter sang, “To make!” 
When all of the royals were on the platform, they sang, “Into the Gala…Into the Gala…And we'll have the best night ever! At the Gala!” 
Discord shouted as he jumped in the air and prepared to dash off, “First one to the castle wins!”
When he zipped off, Pinkie and Cheese cried, “Hey! No fair!” They then whizzed after him. 
Flurry asked the twins, “Wanna race?”
Roller and Skater grinned, “You bet!”
But when they got ready to fly, Flurry rocketed away at almost the speed of light and left a sonic boom that drove the other ponies back. The princess screamed as she involuntarily flew through the Crystal Empire at breakneck speed. When she passed Discord and the party couple, they stopped on a dime and had shocked expressions on their faces. 
Cheese gaped, “Was that…?”
Pinkie finished, “…Flurry?”
Discord muttered, “Oh, no.”
Even though she was flying at super speed, Flurry could see that she was dashing towards the Crystal Heart! She screamed, “HEEELLLP!”
Flurry was about to crash into the Crystal Heart when suddenly, a blue aura enveloped her and stopped her from impacting the relic just a few inches from her. She turned to see her grandmother walking down one of the stairs connecting the dais and the palace doors. When Discord and the party couple rushed up to them, Luna faced them with a displeased expression.
The nighttime alicorn said to Discord, “I take it you haven’t taught my granddaughter how to control her magic yet.”
Discord tittered nervously, “Time got away from me?” 





Flurry said, “That was a really close call, Grandma. I’m glad you stopped me before I broke the Crystal Heart…” She looked down as she added sadly, “…again.”
Luna firmly said as she combed Flurry’s mane, “Discord should have taken more responsibility in training you. I shall take it upon myself to oversee the refinement of your magic until both of you are ready to take the training to the next level.”
“Both of us?”
She nodded, “Yes. Until you feel confident in being trained by Discord…” She then smirked, “…and when he’s trained to be a good teacher.”
Both of them chuckled at that. 
Flurry explained, “Well, he did train me, more or less. It’s just a matter of controlling my magic completely.”
Luna nodded, “I know, and that is something that takes time.”
“So what do I do till then?”
Her grandmother smiled as she started to arrange Flurry’s mane into a bouffant bun, “Perhaps you can crusade for your cutie mark like your aunts did.”
“I’m just worried it’ll be something bad or not princess-like. I’m supposed to be a princess, but what if it’s not something I want to do for the rest of my life?”
“Ah. You feel like you’re cooped up behind palace walls, don’t you?”
“Yes! Exactly! I just want to get out there and…I don’t know, see the world, I guess.”
Luna chuckled, “Don’t worry, Flurry Heart. I know just how you feel. Where Celestia and I lived before the blizzard struck, there were wide open spaces and nature decorated the very fortress we resided in. Despite that, though, we weren’t allowed to roam beyond our home. The only ones who did leave at one point were two draconequui children, but only one returned. Our parents used the incident to teach us to never travel far from home.” She then chuckled, “Celie and I ended up having cabin fever for hundreds of years, so we’ve had it far worse than you.”
“I’ll say.”
After Luna tightened her bun up, she said, “I must go and raise the moon. The Gala is about to begin. You can put the gems in your mane in the meantime.”
“Okay, Grandma.”
When Luna left the room, Flurry intricately put small gems in her mane to make it sparkle like her mother’s did whenever she wore the traditional ceremonial headdress. After she put the last gemstone in her styled mane and her tiara on her head, she went to the window to see the sun setting to make way for her grandmother’s moon. 
After the moon rose, Flurry said, “Gala time has officially begun!”
She flew out of her room to see the castle elegantly decorated for the Gala. She sang as she soared around the palace, “The window is lit up! So’s that door! I didn’t know they did that anymore! Do we need all 8,000 salad plates? 
“For years, I’ve roamed these crystal halls…Light up the ballroom for this ball! I hope this was totally worth the wait! I will actually stay up late…It’ll be totally strange…But wow! Am I so ready for this change! 
“‘Cause for the first time in forever…there’ll be music, there’ll be light! For the first time in forever…I’ll be dancing through the night…Don’t know if I’m elated or gassy…but I’m somewhere in that zone! ‘Cause for the first time in forever…I won’t be alone…”
Flurry talked to herself in wonder, “I can’t wait to meet everyone!” She then gasped, “What if I meet the one?”
She sang, “Tonight, imagine me, gown and all…fetchingly draped against the wall…The picture of sophisticated grace…I suddenly see him standing there…a beautiful stranger, tall and fair…I wanna stuff some chocolate in my face! But then, we laugh and talk all evening…which is totally bizarre…Nothing like the craziness so far!
“For the first time in forever…there’ll be magic, there’ll be fun! For the first time in forever, I could be noticed by someone…And I know it is totally crazy…to dream I’d find romance…But for the first time in forever…at least I’ve got a chance…”
Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Skyla peered out the window and saw the guests coming down the main crystalline street to the castle. She had to make a good impression. She had to prove that she could be a worthy queen someday. 
She inhaled and then sang, “Don’t let them see…they get to you…Be a princess who has a heart that’s true…Conceal…Don’t feel…Put on a show…Make one wrong move and it will be a blow…But it’s only for tonight…”
Flurry sang in the castle foyer, “It’s only for tonight…”
“I can’t wait anymore…”
“I can’t wait anymore…”
Shining Armor sang to his captain, “Tell the guards to open up…” He stopped and looked at Cadance to make sure it was all right to start the ball.
When she nodded, the royal couple sang together, “The doors!”
The sisters sang in their separate places, “The doors!” 
When the guards opened the doors, Flurry ecstatically flew out and surveyed the crowd as she went. She sang, “For the first time in forever…”
Skyla sang as she walked down the halls of the palace, “Don’t let them see they get to you…”
“I’m getting what I’m dreaming of!”
“Be a princess who has a heart that’s true…”
“A chance to change my wild world!”
“Conceal…”
“A chance to find true love!”
“Conceal, don’t feel…Don’t let her know…”
Flurry Heart flew up towards the sky as she finished, “I’ve yet to get a cutie mark…so I will try as I may! ‘Cause for the first time in forever…for the first time in forever…nothing’s in my wa-a-a-a-ay!”
Suddenly, she bumped into something and began to fall down. Luckily, a very light turquoise aura caught her before she could hit the ground.
“Oh, are you all right?” a familiar voice asked in concern. 
Flurry looked up and saw that her flying rescuer was none other than her good friend, King Thorax! The first time she had met him was less than pleasant. He was like all of the other changelings – black, creepy, and insect-like. But though his appearance was almost exactly a copy of the other changelings, his personality greatly differed from theirs. Whereas the other changelings were as malicious as their queen, Thorax was kind and wouldn’t dream of hurting others. 
When Screwball was kidnapped by Chrysalis and her army, Mothball and Thorax set out to save her. After Thorax shared the love he had within him, he transformed into a tall and mighty changeling of many colors. The other changelings followed suit and Chrysalis, whose very soul was still as black as pitch, was overthrown. After Thorax was made king, the royals made plans for a treaty between pony-changeling relations. When the Changeling King came to the Crystal Empire, Skyla was allowed to attend the meeting, but Flurry Heart had to peek from behind the door. Her heart jumped when she saw Thorax all radiant and colorful. She couldn’t help but admire his new form and thought it suited his gentle and warm personality. 
Flurry said as they landed on the ground, “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for catching me,” she fiddled with a curly strand of mane on the side of her head and blushed, “even though I bumped into you like that. Sorry about that, by the way. I was just…so excited about the Gala.”
Thorax lifted his hoof, “No need to apologize. We all get like that.” He then bowed, “I’ll see you inside, then.”
Flurry tried to stifle her excited giggles as he walked away.