//------------------------------//
// Excitement 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

"You don't know the half of it!" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked.  She sat atop a couch on folded hooves while Rarity telekinetically wrapped a towel around her wet mane.  "Soarin' is... like... the biggest name in all of professional stunt flying!  I mean—sure—Spitfire is the leader of the Wonderbolts and only my personal idol.  But—still—Soarin' is like the charismatic heart of the group!  Always saving ponies from burning buildings and showin up for big fundraiser events..."

"Burning buildings?"  Rarity hummed, a bemused smile on her muzzle.  "In Canterlot?"  She finished tucking Rainbow's rainbow hair under the towel and trotted across the Boutique while the rest of the girls worked on their manes and faces.  "I shudder to think!"

"Yeah, well, the town's pretty safe so long as the Wonderbolts are around to keep an eye on things!"  Rainbow beamed, teeth glinting in the lights of Rarity's personal salon.  "Just like me and Ponyville!  Shoot... I've got one heck of a track record to show to them once I sneak my way into the Wonderbolts signing party at the Gala!  Hey Rares!  You think I can hide a stopwatch inside my dress?  I wanna time how long it takes for half the flight team's muzzles to hit the floor!"

"No you most certainly can not take a stopwatch with you, Rainbow Dash!"

"Awwwwwww!  Come on!  Who heard of a dress without pockets?"

"This is an extravagant occasion!  We're not here to beat any clock save for the stroke of midnight!"  She cooed, resting before a vanity's mirror.  "Which will be when I meet him..."

Applejack scarcely made out the conversation from where she sat with her head positioned beneath a propped-up hair drier.  Twilight and Fluttershy sat on either side of her.  Nevertheless, the farm mare did her best to prick her ear in a certain pegasus' direction.

"Rarity, I'm not out to woo anypony with my frills!  I need to be able to wow the Wonderbolts with my coolness!  My panache!  That's a fancy word!  You should understand!"

"And I made your dress breezie and aerodynamic for that very same reason, but you must exercise restraint, Rainbow Dash!  You're going to the Gala as a finely dressed lady!  You're not a tank!"

"You're just scared that—once I thrill and impress the Wonderbolts—they're gonna drag me off to Cloudsdale to perform with them twenty-four-seven and you guys won't be seeing me anymore!"

"Ugh!  Rainbow..."

"I'm just kidding!  You'll still get to see me tons!  I mean... I'm sure they'll at least let me take the weekends off from training and flying with them!  Especially when I tell them how awesome Ponyville is.  Oh, for realsies... I'm totally gonna credit you for the dresses and Twilight for the whole Elements of Harmony thing and Celestia for the opportunity to go on Equestria-saving adventure missions and..."

"My stars..."  Twilight peaked her head out from under her hair drier.  "Rainbow Dash certainly is excited for this Gala." She smiled across the way at Fluttershy.  "At least... a whole lot more than I expected a pony like that to look forward to a formal dance!"

"Hmmmm... I do wish her the best with the Wonderbolts, although..."  Fluttershy winced slightly.

Twilight Sparkle stifled a giggle.  "I'm pretty sure the Wonderbolts are going to be too busy signing autographs to look too long at Rainbow Dash—much less catch any tricks she might pull off."

"Besides, won't they be busy backing up the royal guard tonight?"

Applejack cleared her throat and spoke above the volume of her hair drier.  "Come on, gals... let's not burst Rainbow's bubble.  Who knows?  Maybe the Wonderbolts will take notice of her like she wants."  A freckled smile.  "She certainly has a good history with them thanks to the Best Young Fliers' thingy..."

"You do have a point there, AJ," Twilight said.  "Honestly... I'll be spending the whole night with Celestia... catching up and... talking about friendship lessons."  A soft, contented sigh.  "I hope you fill me in later once we all regroup back at my folks' place."

"Oh, we will."  Fluttershy nodded.  She smiled at Applejack again.  "Are you excited for the Gala tonight, Applejack?"

"Me?"

Applejack gazed at Rainbow Dash, who was still chattering a mile a minute while Rarity rolled her eyes and Pinkie Pie toyed with another hair drier.

"I reckon..."  Applejack sighed.  "I just reckon I've got my work cut out for me today."

"Work?"  Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.  "Why work?  Aren't you going to have fun?"

"Yes... erm..."  Applejack rubbed one forelimb with another.  "Well..."

Just then, there was a loud, obnoxious knock on the door.  It was followed by Spike's muffled voice;  "Come on, you guys.  Let me in!"

Rainbow Dash swiftly hopped off the couch and trotted towards the door.  "Sure thing, Spike."

"Heavens no!"  Rarity blocked her path.  "We're getting dressed!"

"Dressed?"  Applejack left her hair drier to join the other two by the door.  "Uh, beg pardon, Rarity, but... uh... we don't normally wear clothes."