//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Gala to Remember // by RDDash //------------------------------// Poniville Library, August 10:00 am. "Is there anything new to do? I am bored," asked Pinkie. "Slow day at the library?" "Yes, siree!" Pinkie nodded her head. Twilight Sparkle sighed. "Taxes! Bills! Bills! More bills! Fast food promotion. Bills again! Insurance scam." "Not a lot of fun are those, huh." "Nope, not at all." Twilight do you remember our very first diplomatic incident? "Which one was it? When Gilda visited the town, or when the dragon smoked the whole town by accident." Twilight muttered, her pen still micromanaging finances. While The Library had been supported by the City Hall, there were still very common to see ponies who had their books expired. Under certain conditions, the library would also charge bits for the book rentals. "Well, I am not really sure if visiting Griffin was such a big deal, besides Rainbow Dash handle it. All of us just shrugged it off as different cultural norms." "Gilda, species Griffin, sub species classical, born in Gryphonstone. Picked up by the Cloudsdale student exchange program when she was 6, which is weird because that almost never happens," Twilight started to profile her victim. "What, like somepony was screwing around with the screwdriver?" "Yeah," Twilight cringed at analogy "you know what the weird part, all the paperwork had been submitted to the proper channels, and all bureaucrats claimed that it was accurate, so get this, all of it was just blank. A magical scan revealed slight psychic suggestion to make ponies see things that aren't there." "Huh, all of the time is just a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey staff," Pinkie shrugged off. "I would need to remember that." "As long as you wouldn't burn down the house with the lemon." "That too." "Do you remember when Trixie was visiting the town?" "Traveling unicorn performers are outside our jurisdiction, Pinkie!" Twilight scoffed. "Besides, I've told you many times before to just leave her alone." "Well, I did, it's not my fault that others didn't listen." "True that speaking of the dragon, it was a very complicated issue. On one hoof dragons belong to predatory species, and theretofore ponies as species tend to naturally avoid them. All of it, the diplomacy process basically revolves to we don't interfere with each other business. The same with Griffins actually. "Twilight went into lecture mode. "On another hoof, they aren't just mindless beasts. Turns out that specific dragon had a bad case of sleeping habits, and all I needed to do was is to explain in a calm, and, I am going to stress this out, in an calm voice that if he wishes to stay here he must obey The Equestrian Kingdoms anti pollution laws." Pinkie nodded on autopilot, at this point she tends to tune out Twilight. "Anyway, it would have been very problematic for me to force the whole group to go with me. Again! Could you imagine if we would let Rainbow Dash in charge? It's not like I don't like other ponies doing my work for me. It would of being a complete disaster, and what is going to be the point of it?" "To show the importance of Fluttershy being able to face her fears?" Pinkie pitched in. "Yeah that, if she actually wants to do it we can all do it to help her. Otherwise, does the phrase , No, means no" actually means anything outside of sexual relationships? Twilight sighed. "Anyway, any more charming memories?" "Zecora?" "Don't get me started on that, not only we have the classical case of pony racism. That is pretty hilarious considering the government policy of, and I quote Friendship and Harmony, end quote. But let's forget that, we have a very suspicious zebra who lives in the dark forest that nopony wants to go to." Pinkie Pie turned out her again. "I don't really, understand why she refuses to live in the town. At best I could do is to make a background check on her, and guess what, she is the only zebra here undocumented or otherwise. Are you sure she is not just going to end up dead in her hut from the portion accident or something, and then we would all forget she exists?" "That's kind of morbid Twilight, I am sure she will be fine!" "Twilight, do you know where is Spike is?" "He is probably outside, doing whatever dragons do, like in their spare time. Just be glad that he isn't actually here, and I mean it in a good way." "Uh huh!" .... Pinkie Pie and Twilight spend another few hours. Pinkie Pie was still suffering from boredom, and Twilight was doing taxes. Nor she or Twilight was actually enjoying it. "Pinkie, guess what are we going out do next month?" "The publicity stunt that aimed at the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, which would also allow Rarity to advertise her career as dressmaker?" "Bingo! Ten points to Hufflepuff." Why thank you, Professor Sparkle," Pinkie Pie giggled. "Pinkie I thought you were a Ravenclaw, so why Hufflepuff?" "It's a bit complicated while I am intelligent, I am also easy going and very social. Isn't it right miss Slytherclaw?" "Touche. Would you like to go for an ice cream?" "Oh is this an invitation?" Pinkie Pie teased. "Are you sure your male friend would not get jealous?" "It's nothing like that, come on, Pinkie be serious about it" "But I always am," Pinkie Pie smiled. Pinkie Pie and Twilight continued to be in the library, doing their own work. At some point, Twilight would make a snarky remark and Pinkie would reply at best of her ability. They had been going with this, back and forth until the late evening. "Hi Twilight, how is your day has been?" asked Spike. "It's been doing fun I suppose. How was yours?" "It's been really great, I' ve met new friends in town. They call themselves Cutie Mark Crusaders, CMC for short, and well yes it's been great, right. " "Well okay then, glad that you'd have such a good time. Listen Spike next month me and the girls are going to Canterlot for the presentation. Just thought you should know." "Um, sure!?" "Right don't worry about it right now. Now then let's go make dinner and sleep." "Sounds good."