Beauty Lies Within

by MiraculousDragonMaster

Longing and a Dream Reunion

That night, in their room, the six girls were getting ready for bed, all of them already dressed in their pajamas. Fluttershy, however, was staring out of the window leading out to the balcony. Rarity then came up beside her, Applejack following her.

"Fluttershy, is everything all right?" Rarity asked her, seeing that her friend was staring off into space.

That seemed to snap Fluttershy out of her daze. "Oh, um, yes, I'm fine, Rarity." She assured her.

Rarity then remembered something earlier that evening. "So, I saw that you and Discord have gotten... closer."

Fluttershy blushed bright pink and shyly brushed a lock of pink hair behind her ear. "Well, I am his first friend. He was just telling me that he would do whatever he can to keep all of us safe."

Applejack tilted her head curiously. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that ya might be gettin' a little sweet on him."

Fluttershy felt her pink blush go up to the tip of her pony ears. "Uh, what?" She said. "W-why would I think of him like that?" She asked, denying it. "We're just friends."

Applejack smiled, chuckling slightly. "That's what I first thought of me and Spike. But then, I realized that I can't imagine my life without him in it. Have ya ever thought about Discord not being around ya?"

Fluttershy thought about that for a minute. In a way, Applejack was right. She and Discord might be friends, but she can't imagine her life without him. Also, she was a pegasus girl, and he was the Lord of Chaos. They may seem different, but also like AJ and Spike, they do have a common ground in which they may connect on a deeper level.

Rarity then placed a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Come on now." She said, turning to Applejack as well. "It's been a long night."

But as the three of them went back inside the room, the fashionista girl gasped loudly.

"What now, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash asked, who was just about to get some rest. Twilight was on her own bed, looking up from a book she was reading before bed. And Pinkie was jumping up and down on hers.

"I just remembered something!" Rarity exclaimed. "The Grand Galloping Gala!"

The girls then gasped as well, all remembering their plans that they had for that big night. Twilight had dropped her book, Rainbow fell off her bed, and Pinkie plopped down on hers after a jump that she paused in mid-air.

"Please don't tell me we have to miss it." Twilight begged.

"It does seem like it." Applejack said sadly.

"Come on." Rainbow whined softly as she slowly came up on her bed. "I was actually forward to the Gala this year."

"As was I." Twilight said, putting her book away.

The other girls nodded in agreement. However, Fluttershy sighed. "I guess we don't have a choice." She said.

Twilight nodded sadly. "We can't go anywhere out of the castle grounds, since we know that Chrysalis is looking for us, if she doesn't know that we're still okay."

"Do you think she knows?" Pinkie asked.

Twilight shrugged. "With that magic mirror that Zecora told us about, it is very likely. But knowing villians, she might be out gloating and not caring if we were still alive."

Rarity laid down on her bed, tears threatening to come down her cheeks. "But I promised Fancy that I would be coming to the Gala." She said tearfully. "I'm not sure if anyone else other than the Princesses knows why we are in hiding."

"It doesn't seem likely." Twilight said sadly.

"Come on, y'all." Applejack piped in softly. "We all best get some shuteye, if we can."

Slowly, one by one, the girls climbed into their beds and closed their eyes as the lights automatically shut off.

As restless sleep overcame them, the girls all had similar thoughts. Twilight thought of Flash, who she wanted to take to the Gala if he would like to accompany her. Applejack wished that she and Spike might share at least one dance together. Rainbow really wanted to show Soarin' more of her softer side, at least just for that night. Pinkie wanted to take Cheese to the Gala so that they can really liven it up. Rarity was worried that Fancy might think she broke her promise. And Fluttershy felt really bad for her best friends that they are really saddened by the realization. She was hoping to go to the Gala as well with them.

Finally, they all fell asleep with these thoughts swimming in their heads.

They weren't sure, but the girls had a feeling that they were all having the same dream. They were back in Canterlot, dressed in their normal clothes instead of their pajamas. Strangely though, every light in the street they were on was off, even the street lamps.

"Hey, girls?" Rainbow Dash asked, a bit of nervousness seeping slightly in her voice. "You getting the feeling that we're not alone?"

"Stay alert." Twilight said, bracing herself into a battle ready stance. Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkie all did the same, while Flutershy and Rarity hid behind them.

Suddenly, familiar sinister cackling was echoing throughout the empty street. The laughter sent chills up their spines.

"Chrysalis." Twilight growled, recognizing the cackling. Then, she stood a little taller. "Show yourself!" She demanded.

The laughter grew louder, though the echoing effect was fading. "Did you little girls really think that you can hide from me?" Chrysalis asked rhetorically.

Footsteps then came clopping against the cobblestone road. But then, there were more loud footsteps, coming from all circles.

Then, the profile of Queen Chrysalis appeared at the end of the street, a malicious grin on her face. "Now, I have you right where I want you."

All of a sudden, multiple pairs of glowing turquoise and pupiless eyes appeared from within the shadows of the buildings and alleyways, eventually encircling the perimeter of the street.

"Now, attack!" Chrysalis commanded. Countless changelings then came jumping out of the shadows, ready to pounce on their prey. The girls all braced themselves for a fight.

Just then, the moon came shining brightly, lighting up the street, and making the changelings shriek in pain until they all dissipated into nothingness. Chrysalis eventually cried out as a bright moonbeam hit her and she vanished into thin air.

The Mane 6 all looked up to the moon, whose light was dimming back to its original brightness. Then, a figure came flying down to them.

"Princess Luna?" Twilight asked, amazed and overjoyed to see her fellow princess.

Luna breathed a large sigh of relief when she saw the girls in front of her. "Oh, thank goodness all of you are safe!" She exclaimed.

The Mane 6 happily shared a hug with the Princess of the Moon. "Where have you six been?" She asked. "You very much have all of Equestria worried sick! The only ones who know the truth are myself, my sister, Princess Cadence and her family, and Thorax and Starlight Glimmer."

"We're sorry, Princess Luna." Fluttershy said. "But we are safe." She assured her.

"But we really want to come home." Pinkie added with a sad look on her face. "Even if it was for just a little while."

"Especially with the Grand Galloping Gala coming up in a couple of days." Rarity put in.

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds before an idea came into her head. "Why don't we?" She asked.

Everyone else looked over at the Princess of Friendship like she had just asked if they could go to the moon. "Say what now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight then began to explain. "We have been wanting to go to the Gala for months, and now we think we can't because of Chrysalis."

"We've have subtly increased security throughout Canterlot." Luna cut in. "But not enough to let Chrysalis know that we are onto her."

"Great." Twilight said, then continued her explanation. "We're still letting the Gala go on as planned to show that we are not on pins and needles all the time, and that includes us. We need to let Equestria know that we are all right and that whatever Chrysalis is planning to do, we will stop it even if we are running the risk of being out in the open."

The other girls thought about it. Smiles then came up on their faces. "It does seem worth it." Rarity pondered.

"Yeah!" Rainbow added. "Since when do we hide from the bad guys, this time not counting. We need to show that we do not back down so easily."

Applejack sighed. "Oh, what the hay?" She said with a grin. "Count me in!"

"Me, too." Fluttershy said.

"Me three!" Pinkie added, jumping up and down with excitement.

"It does sound like a good plan." Luna replied. "But are you sure that all of you will be safe from the Changeling Queen before she knows that you six are in the vicinity?"

"Easy." Twilight said with a confident grin. "We'll sneak in with a little help from a friend, enjoy a couple of hours of the Gala, then we'll sneak back out before Chrysalis knows that we were there."

"Um, speaking of our friend who will sneak us in, how are we going to get him on board with this plan?" Rainbow asked.

"Let me talk to him." Fluttershy said. "He'll listen to me."

"Okay." Twilight said.

"But I do want to tell Fancy that I'm keeping my promise." Rarity said. The other girls looked at each other with worried and sad glances. They also wanted to tell the other guys that they'll be coming.

Luna noticed the looks. An idea of her own then came into her head. "Maybe I can help with that." She said with a smile. The Mane 6 looked at her, curious to what she has in mind.