Another day had arrived in Ponyville and Starlight had decided to take the day off and help Lemon Hearts and Applejack out on the farm. That day Applejack was helping Lemon Hearts more easily grasp apple bucking since she had legs that were stronger like those of earth ponies. While she had yet to try apple bucking, Starlight was helping by holding the basket to catch the apples.
Just as some apples were falling from a tree Spike coughed up a message, straight into Starlight's face. Starlight was clearly frustrated that she had dropped some of the apples but began to read the message and was pleased with it.
She said, "Guess what, Princess Celestia has invited me to the Canterlot Baked Goods Festival in a few months."
Spike then coughed up another message along with a couple of tickets. The message read, "Starlight, I'm inviting you and one guest."
The first one to say anything was Applejack, "The Canterlot Baked Goods Festival? I always have a booth up there so it looks like I'll be seeing you up there."
Lemon Hearts was immediately drawn to the ticket. She asked, "So Starlight, I'm wondering if you'd take me to the Festival since vendors don't get additional tickets?"
Starlight replied, "Well...."
Before she could finish her sentence Minuette and the rest of their friends found them after searching for a while. They were all immediately drawn to the ticket. Lemon Hearts immediately said, "Hi ladies. Guess what, Starlight is taking me to the Canterlot Baked Goods Festival!"
Starlight interrupted, "Lemon Hearts, I didn't exactly say I was taking you."
Minuette hugged Starlight and asked, "Would you take me? You know how much I love my sweets!"
Twinkleshine added, "I would love to go!"
Lyra continued, "I've never been to it but I've always wanted to go!"
Moondancer finished, "Starlight, I'd love to go and then we could always go to the library afterwards."
Starlight was flustered by all her friends asking her for the ticket at once. She sighed, "Ladies, I know you all want to go but this decision is going to be hard. Give me some time to think about it, alright?"
They all sighed, "Oh alright."
Starlight's stomach began to rumble and it was nearing noon so she asked, "Well Spike, shall we head home to get some food?"
Spike asked, "Starlight, I'm really hungry. Do you think we could go to the cafe for lunch?"
Starlight sighed, "Well I don't want to spend too much money but yeah, we'll go to the cafe."
When the two arrived they were immediately seated and given their menus. While Starlight had already made her decision on what she was going to have Spike looked over the menu with a disgusted look on his face. He asked, "Can't this place offer any gemstones?"
When the waiter arrived Starlight immediately gave the waiter her order and when he cast his gaze towards Spike, he asked, "Do you have any gemstones?"
The waiter gave him a glare and replied, "I'm sorry but we cater to ponies, not dragons."
Spike sighed, "Well I'll have what Starlight's having, the hay steak with cider."
The waiter took their order to the kitchen and Starlight laid her head down on the table in frustration. Spike saw this and asked, "Starlight, what's wrong?"
Starlight sat up and replied, "I don't know who to take. They're all my friends and I don't like the idea of having to disappoint any of them."
Spike suggested, "Well you could always write Celestia and see if she would at least send Lemon Hearts one since she is Applejack's cousin."
Starlight replied, "Spike, that's a great idea." As she said this the waiter arrived with their meals and this gave Starlight an idea. She asked, "Excuse me, could I borrow a sheet of paper and a pen from you. I need to write something down right quick."
The waiter nodded and handed Starlight a sheet of paper and a pen. She wrote down,
"Princess Celestia,
First I would like to thank you for the invite to the Festival but my friend Lemon Hearts is also Applejack's cousin. Since Applejack will have a stand up at the Festival, Applejack was wondering if Lemon Hearts could have a ticket. Let me know as soon as you can.
Sincerely,
Starlight Glimmer"
Starlight had Spike send the message right in front of the waiter and he was stunned but didn't say anything. It was not even a minute later that they received a letter and a ticket for Lemon Hearts. Starlight sighed, "Well there's one less pony I have to worry about disappointing."
Spike added, "That just leaves Moondancer, Minuette, Lyra and Twinkleshine."
Twenty minutes later the waiter brought their bill to them and this would not go unnoticed by one of Starlight's friends. Lyra saw this and ran over to the two, "Hi Starlight, hi Spike!"
Starlight asked, "Oh hi Lyra, what are you doing today?"
Lyra replied, "Nothing much." She looked down and saw the bill, grabbed it and ran to the waiter. She had some bits with her and said, "Here you go! Starlight's lunch is on me."
Before she could hand him the bits Starlight grabbed her in her aura and said, "Lyra, I appreciate you wanting to pay my bill but you're just doing it for the ticket aren't you?"
Lyra gave her a cheesy grin, "Well...."
Starlight gave the waiter some bits for their bill, released Lyra and said, "Lyra, you are my friend and I don't feel comfortable with you just trying to pay my bill!"
Lyra sighed, "Oh alright."
Given that Starlight paid their bill early Spike asked, "So do you think we should head over to the farm and give Lemon Hearts her ticket?"
Starlight replied, "That sounds like a good idea, let's get going."
The two headed towards the farm but would be stopped right before they arrived by Lemon Hearts. Lemon Hearts was holding a pie in her aura when she said, "Oh hi Starlight, I was coming to see you!"
Starlight asked, "What's up with the pie?"
Lemon Hearts replied, "Well I know you like apple pie and I wasn't sure if you had ate yet so I thought I'd bring you something."
Starlight replied, "Well thanks." She levitated the pie to Spike to hold and she pulled the ticket out of her saddle bags. She continued, "Well Lemon Hearts, I got a hold of Celestia and since Applejack will have a stand up at the Festival and since you are her cousin, I was able to get her to give you a ticket."
Starlight levitated the ticket to her and she immediately embraced her, "Oh thank you Starlight! You have no idea how much this means to me!"
Starlight replied, "Well it only seemed right that you would get a ticket given that you are related to Applejack." Starlight looked down at Spike and continued, "Well shall we go home and have some of this pie for desert?"
Spike replied, "Of course!"
They said their goodbyes to Lemon Hearts and headed back to the library. When they arrived Starlight would be less than thrilled when she found not only Moondancer, but also Twinkleshine in the library doing things for her. Twinkleshine was cleaning the place while Moondancer was rearranging the books. Starlight asked, "Twinkleshine, Moondancer, you two too?"
Twinkleshine turned around and said, "Oh hi Starlight, I just thought I'd do some cleaning for you."
Moondancer added, "And I thought I would reorganize the books for you!"
Starlight asked, "Why?" She turned to Moondancer, "Moondancer, you know I left the books the way they were here because it is easier to find them!" She turned to Twinkleshine and continued, "And you don't have to clean the place for me."
In unison the two said, "But...."
Starlight interrupted, "Listen, I don't know who I'm giving the ticket to and doing me special favors is only making it worse!" She pointed towards the door and continued, "Now go! I have to fix the books back the way they were and I can clean my own home!"
The two held their heads down knowing that they may have seriously jeopardized their chances of getting the ticket when Starlight felt herself being pulled out her door. Before she could even respond, Minuette had grabbed her and started singing,
"Starlight is my best friend, best friend
She's the smartest all around pony
I bet if I throw her an amazing party
That she'll give the extra ticket to the Festival to me!"
Starlight yelled, "Minuette!"
Minuette smiled and replied, "Yes Starlight?"
Starlight sighed, "Minuette, at least my other friends tried to be subtle about the ticket."
One pony asked, "Ticket, what ticket?"
Minuette laughed, "Starlight has an extra ticket to the Canterlot Baked Goods Festival!"
Everypony shouted, "The Canterlot Baked Goods Festival?"
All the ponies were beginning to surround her and began to compliment her and offer to do things for her. All the offers were making her feel uncomfortable but being crowded only made things worse for her and she had to get out of there.
Starlight yelled, "Spike, RUN!"
The two took off and were being chased by a whole mob of ponies. Regardless of where they tried to hide, the mob would find them. Finally Starlight decided they'd go to Sweet Apple Acres where ponies knew better than to trespass onto. They rushed into the barn where they were immediately greeted by Applejack and Lemon Hearts.
Applejack saw the fatigued state they were in and asked, "Are you alright sugar cube?"
Lemon Hearts added, "You look exhausted."
Starlight replied, "Well thanks to Minuette, everypony in town knows about that extra ticket and suddenly think I'm their best friend because they want it."
Before she could say anything else her other friends bolted into the barn and surrounded Starlight. Finally she had enough. She yelled, "I can't decide, I can't decide ok?" She became more frantic as she continued, "Look, I know you all want to go but you doing special favors for me and trying to pay for my meals isn't helping."
Seeing their friend go into the panicked state she did finally caused the four to realize the error of their ways. The first one to say anything was Moondancer, "I'm sorry Starlight. I guess I wanted to go to the Festival so bad I lost all rational thought."
Minuette added, "I'm sorry too, I feel horrible seeing how much stress I put on you."
Lyra continued, "Me too, I shouldn't have tried to force you to give me the ticket."
Twinkleshine finished, "I'm sorry as well Starlight. I never imagined how awful I would make you feel."
In unison they all said, "We're sorry Starlight."
Starlight cast her gaze at Spike and ordered, "Spike, take a note."
Spike replied, "Okey-dokey."
Starlight said,
"Princess Celestia,
Over the years my friends and I have learned how truly wonderful friendship is but when there isn't enough of things to go around, somepony is going to have to be left out. While I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both of the tickets to the Canterlot Baked Goods Festival."
Her friends looked at her in shock realizing that she was serious. Minuette said, "Starlight, you don't have to do that!"
Starlight replied, "Ladies, if I can't take all my friends with me, then I don't want to go." She looked at Spike and said, "Send the note."
Spike sent the note and despite having her own ticket, Lemon Hearts felt a little bad about the situation. She asked, "Starlight, you won't feel bad about me going and you not going will you?"
Starlight replied, "Of course not! That is your ticket and besides, Applejack is your cousin and she may need your help at the stand."
Applejack replied, "I might and I just know you're going to want to sell some lemon pies along with my apple treats."
Before Lemon Hearts could reply Spike belched up a message. Starlight opened it and read it out loud,
"Starlight,
Why didn't you just say so in the first place?
P.S. Tsk, tsk. What am I going to do with you? You don't have to address me as princess all the time!"
After reading it Starlight pulled out the tickets and exclaimed, "Six tickets to the Canterlot Baked Goods Festival!"
Minuette added, "Now we can all go!"
They all knew that Lemon Hearts already had her own ticket so Twinkleshine asked, "Six? Doesn't Lemon Hearts already have one?"
Starlight replied, "The sixth must be for Spike here. Celestia knows how much he loves his treats."
Spike added, "Yesss!"
After what had been an extremely hectic day, especially for Starlight and Spike, their friends decided to treat them to supper at the cafe and this time, Starlight didn't feel bad about allowing one of her friends to pay for her meal.