The Ticket that Everypony Wants
"Dusk Shine's special mare? What does it mean by that?" Spike asked without understanding what the Princess meant with what she had written on the second ticket.
None of the mares answered, but they all knew the answer, all of them had understood what the Princess meant with that ticket, that whoever the mare that Dusk invited would be the one that gets closer to the heart of the colt, because that ticket was not only to attend the Grand Gala, but to have a date with Dusk!
When they understood that, they all knew that now the battle would begin. Rarity immediately turned to see Pinkie Pie and stared at her with a penetrating stare, while Applejack immediately put a hoof on Rainbow Dash's tail.
"What are you doing!?" Rainbow Dash asked annoyed when she saw her friend step on her tail.
"I know you, Rainbow Dash." Applejack answered with a small smile but with a serious look. "You're the fastest out of all of us, and if I don't stop you, you'll fly like a lightning bolt to Dusk's house to have him invite you to the Grand Gala."
"T-That's not true... maybe..." Rainbow Dash replied blushing, feigning annoyance, embarrassed to see that her friend had said everything she was about to do before she stepped on her tail and prevented her from flying.
"That's right! And the same goes for you, Miss Hocus Pocus!" Rarity said, still staring at Pinkie Pie, who just stared at her with a poker face. "I don't know how you do it, but as soon as we blink, you manage to disappear and do some of your follies, so I'm not taking my eyes off you."
Pinkie Pie didn't respond, she just laughed nervously while scratching her head, as she had also been caught before making her move, since she had actually planned to run to Dusk's house and arrive before the others.
"Wait a moment... do you all want to go to the Grand Galloping Gala?" Spike asked a little surprised. "Do you really know what the Gala is like? Dusk and I have seen the types of ponies that attend, and I don't think it’s a very fun party."
"It's that you don't understand, Spike." Rarity said with dreamy eyes. "The elite of Equestria's elite attends the Grand Galloping Gala, it's obvious that it is an elegant and classy party, it's not an ordinary party."
"But Rarity... you said you would be busy that day." Spike said innocently, putting a finger on his chin as he remembered.
"That's right, you said you would be busy, darling" Rainbow Dash added, imitating Rarity's elegant accent, with a mischievous smile.
"W-Well, yes, I said that, but... I've been thinking about it better and I think I should reconsider." Rarity answered nervously, glancing at Spike, quickly inventing an excuse to save her from what she herself had said to reject Spike's invitation.
"So you have a reason to go? More important than the business you should attend?" Spike asked, looking at Rarity.
"That's right, I mean, now that I've thought it over, I even think it's my duty to attend that Gala!" Rarity said decisively, imagining what it would be like to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. "As a dressmaker, I design ensembles for the Gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend... The society, the culture, the glamor, everything gathered in one place! Can you imagine all the inspiration I can get for my new ensembles if I attend such a prestigious event!? In addition to having the opportunity to show my own ensembles in a high society, the Grand Gala will be like a huge catwalk! There I'll be able to impress the richest and noblest ponies of Equestria, even impress royalty itself!"
"And at that moment, while everyone wonders, ‘who is that beautiful and mysterious mare?’ I'll cause such a sensation that I'll be invited for an audience with Princess Celestia herself, who will be so impressed with my style and elegance, that she'll present me before the most handsome and coveted nobles of her court, including counts, dukes and princes. However, I'll tell her that my heart already belongs to someone, to my dear Dusk Shine, and she, seeing a love as pure as ours, will give me her blessing while Dusk appears gallantly walking down the hall and asks for my hoof in marriage, then he will make a beautiful wedding dress with magic silk with his magic, and we'll marry right there! Having the most beautiful and glamorous wedding that Equestria has ever seen, Worthy of a princess! Knowing that we would be together for eternity and we would live happily ever after..." That was what Rarity continued thinking after speaking, daydreaming about what would be her perfect night.
"Hmm... yeah, looking at it that way, I think that's a very good reason to attend." Spike said thoughtfully after listening to Rarity and seeing that she had remained silent with a dreamy look, as if she was watching what that night would be like in the Grand Gala.
"But she's not the only one who has her reasons to go, nor the only one who wants to promote her products at the Gala!" Applejack said, staring at Spike. "If I had an apple stand set up, ponies would be chowin' our tasty vittles 'til the cows come home. Do you have any idea how much business I could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres!? With all that money I could do a heap of fixin' up 'round the farm, like replacing that saggy old roof, replacing that saggy old plow, I could even earn enough money to replace Granny Smith' saggy old hip, all thanks to having an apple stand in the most important party in Equestria! Where at last ponies from all over the world will know the taste of the best apples of Equestria!"
"I'll be behind my apple stand, with a huge row of ponies in front of me, everypony wanting to taste my apples, and I'll be there with a huge smile attending each one, giving them my best products. Then I'll hear that someone next to me says 'You did a good job! I'll turn around and I will see that Dusk'll be there, who saw all the effort I made to achieve my goal and earn all that money, I'll tell him that I did it for my family and for the two of us, but he'll tell me that he never cared about the money, that he can be happy just by being by my side, then he'll touch me tenderly while I drop my head next to him, both feeling the heat of the other." Applejack thought dreamily, completing what would be her ideal night.
"Eh... yeah, I think that's also a good reason..." Spike said scratching his head, talking after Applejack did the same as Rarity, giving her reasons for going to the Grand Gala and then shutting up while fantasizing in her mind.
"You say that because you still haven’t heard my reason for going to the Grand Gala!" Rainbow Dash said excitedly, looking at Spike. "Showing dresses or selling apples can be done anywhere else, but what you can't do is to meet with THEM, the incredible Wonderbolts! They perform at the Grand Galloping Gala every year, impressing all the attendees with their amazing maneuvers and stunts, but what they'll not know this year is that Rainbow Dash will appear flying! I'll draw their attention with my 'super speed strut', then I'll mesmerize them with my 'fantastic filly flash', and for the grand finale, the 'buccaneer blaze! The ponies will go wild! And the Wonderbolts will be so impressed that they would welcome me as their newest member. You don't get it!? It will be like a great audition! A unique opportunity to show myself in front of the Wonderbolts!"
"I'll fly next to the Wonderbolts and show them that I am as good as them, and even more! I'll compete right there with them to prove that I am the greatest flyer of all time! I'll win, and they'll make a great award in my honor, in a great stage where everyone will see me and celebrate me, then Dusk'll appear, carrying a huge golden trophy, he'll approach the stage, he'll give it to me, and he'll smile at me with that smile that makes me go crazy. Then he'll surprise me by taking me in his hooves, lowering me, and give me a movie kiss while the Wonderbolts fly over the sky celebrating our love." Rainbow Dash finished dreaming, thinking of how to crown a perfect night.
"Yeah... the Wonderbolts attend every year, I suppose the Gran Gala would be a good occasion to meet them." Spike said after Rainbow Dash talked and dreamed, remembering that the best Equestrian fliers were among the elite guests who attend the Grand Galloping Gala.
"I also have a very good reason to go to the Grand Galloping Gala!" Pinkie Pie said surprisingly, putting her face close to Spike's. "You said you saw the ponies who normally attended the Gala and that's why you thought it wouldn't be fun, but I believe the opposite! The Grand Galloping Gala is the most amazing, incredible, tremendous, super-fun, wonderful, and terrifically the humongous party in all of Equestria! It's impossible for it to be a boring party! With streamers and fairy-lights and pinwheels and piñatas and pin-cushions! With goodies like sugar cubes and sugar canes and sundaes and sun-beams and sarsaparilla! Where I can play my favorite and fantabulous games with all the ponies of the place! The biggest party of all of Equestria must have the most festive pony of all of Equestria! It may be an elegant party, but that's not a good enough reason for it to be a boring party, and if so, I'll take care of making it the funniest party in all of Equestria!"
"That's right, I'll get to the center of the hall and show everyone my whole arsenal of party things to draw the attention of all those fancy ponies that don't want to have fun, and I'll not be alone, there, always next to me accompanying me with a smile, will be my cute Dusk Shine. Together we'll cause a great stir with music and games, ponies will join us, everyone smiling and happily laughing together, happy to meet the most festive couple of all Equestria. So, after having made the funniest party in Equestria's history, Dusk and I will fall together on our backs, exhausted by such huge party but happy with what we achieved together, we'll both turn our heads to look each other in the eyes, he'll stretch his hoof to me and I'll also do it to join both hooves lovingly, we'll look blushed for a moment until we slowly bring our faces closer to each other to put our lips together and close a perfect night of fun and love..." Pinkie Pie thought dreamily while she got more and more excited, so much so that she couldn't take it anymore. She took a breath and started singing, as she always did when she was very happy.
"~Oh the Grand Galloping Gala~ Is the best place for me~ Oh the Grand Galloping Ga-" Pinkie Pie sang, before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash, that as soon as she heard that her friend was going to sing, she put a hoof in her mouth to stop her.
"No songs, please." Rainbow Dash said holding her hoof in Pinkie Pie's mouth. "Besides, you'll not go to the Gala, I'll go to the Gala! After all, I have the best reason to go."
"That's not true!" Rarity retorted annoyed. "I have the best reason to go! It's for the good of my business!"
"Your business can wait, what about the repairs on the farm!? That's the best reason!" Applejack added annoyed, then looking at the little dragon. "Right, Spike?"
Then all the mares fixed their eyes on Spike, who couldn't help feeling nervous at the pressure of their looks.
"W-Well... I think they're all very good reasons to go to the Gala..." Spike said sweating, not being able to give a better answer. "Maybe you should all ask Dusk, after all he’s the one who must go to the Grand Gala, not me."
The mares looked at each other and looked away annoyed, the truth was that all of them had thought to run to ask Dusk for the extra ticket, after all, knowing the innate innocence of Dusk, he would give the ticket to the first mare that asks him, that's why Rarity and Applejack stopped Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, knowing that with the speed of Rainbow Dash or the unpredictability of Pinkie Pie, they had the advantage, however, now that they had stopped the group's fastest ponies, all of them were stagnant, knowing that they couldn't make a move without causing chaos, therefore, all them unconsciously had reached the same conclusion, that if someone was going to keep the extra ticket, they should decide between themselves.
"Well, it's obvious that my little Spikey-Wikey felt intimidated by all of you." Rarity said angrily, putting both front hooves firmly on the table and staring at her friends. "But I keep insisting that my reason for attending the Grand Galloping Gala is much more important than yours, and I'll not move from here until I make you understand it!"
"My reason is the most important! What good is a party if everyone doesn’t have fun!? It's my duty to go to that party!" Pinkie Pie replied, seriously, looking at her friends, putting herself in the same firm position as Rarity.
"No! My reason is the most important!" Applejack said, also determined not to move from there until her friends gave way.
"Fame! Glory! Fulfilling my dream! I'll not let you take away this opportunity!" Rainbow Dash said, also firmly placing her front hooves on the table and looking fiercely at her friends.
This is how the four angry mares continued static, without saying any word, only killing each other with their eyes.
"So... will none of you move until you decide who has the best reason to go to the Grand Galloping Gala?" Spike asked confused and somewhat nervous because the tense atmosphere.
"Apparently..." Applejack answered while continuing to stare at her friends. "We'll decide between us and only then one of us will ask Dusk to be his companion at the Grand Gala."
The other mares said nothing, so Spike assumed they agreed with what Applejack had just said. The little dragon was silent for a moment, hesitant if what he was going to say would be good for the environment or not, however he finally decided to speak.
"But then... Why didn't anyone stop Fluttershy? She ran away as soon as she read what the ticket said." Spike said with a confused look, looking at his friends.
"Eh!?" The four mares present said in unison, opening their eyes in surprise, looking at Spike. Only then they turned their heads to where Fluttershy should’ve been sitting, who wasn’t there.
The eyes of the four mares opened in horror when they discovered that their shy friend had been more cunning and had escaped while they argued among themselves and didn't notice the absence of her shy presence.
Fluttershy was running through the streets of Ponyville, in the direction of the town library. As soon as she saw what the extra ticket was for the Grand Galloping Gala, she knew immediately that all her friends would engage in an argument to see who out of all off them should be 'Dusk Shine's special mare', something that also included her, since Fluttershy wasn't only eager to go to the Grand Galloping Gala, but also to be accompanied by Dusk.
It was then that her friends started arguing, Applejack with Rainbow Dash, Rarity with Pinkie Pie, and as it often happened, none of them paid attention to her when they were focused on something else. At that moment Fluttershy thought about making herself heard and meddling in the discussion, however a brilliant idea came to her mind, if she normally went unnoticed and was left out of each discussion by her extreme shyness, didn't that now serve to escape without nobody noticing her? That was how Fluttershy slowly got out of the seat she was in and began to take silent backward steps, moving away little by little from the table where her friends were discussing. The only one who seemed to notice that she was leaving was Spike, but he immediately focused his eyes on Rarity when the white unicorn began to explain why she was now interested in attending the Grand Gala.
While Fluttershy thought about what she had done, and still running, she couldn't help but smile shyly at the thought of how courageous she had been and how daring she had been to do that, a personal pride that somewhat alleviated the guilt she felt about running away like this and leaving her friends arguing while she had an advantage over them for the first time.
"Well, they always tell me that I should be a little more daring... I just hope they don't get mad." Fluttershy thought as she finished her journey, finally arriving at the doors of Dusk's home.
Fluttershy approached the door, knocks it a couple of times and then entered when she heard Dusk's voice from inside telling her to enter. As soon as the pegasus entered, she saw that Dusk had an odd expression, she didn't know what the reason for that peculiar expression could be, it was like a mixture of nervousness and happiness, which confused Fluttershy. Another thing that caught her attention was that there, in the central hall of the library, there were two mares sitting on the floor, both reading some books: an aquamarine coat mare with a light aquamarine mane, with a lyre like cutie mark; while the other mare had a pale cream coat, with curly blue and pink mane, with three candies like her cutie mark. Fluttershy knew both mares, their names were Lyra and Bon-Bon respectively, and although she would have liked to greet them politely, she thought it would be discourteous to interrupt them as they read.
"Oh! Hi Fluttershy, come in." Dusk said nervously, approaching Fluttershy and inviting her to go ahead, fixing his eyes only for a moment on Fluttershy, since his eyes immediately focused again on the other two mares who were reading in the lounge.
"Hi Dusk, umm... Did I arrive at a bad moment?" Fluttershy asked nervously when she saw Dusk with such an odd expression on his face.
"Eh? No, no, it's just that I came back here to see if Spike had arrived, and I was about to go look for him but just at that moment, these ponies arrived and wanted to visit the recently reopened library." Dusk said nervously, with an expression where he sometimes smiled and sometimes showed fear, as if he didn't know how to feel. "So I had no choice but to stay here, but I'm still very worried about Spike."
"Oh! You don't have to worry, Spike is with the girls, at the Café." Fluttershy said sweetly, touched to see how worried Dusk was for his little brother.
"Phew! That's good... Now I can relax." Dusk said with a big sigh, lowering his head. Now he no longer felt concern for his brother, so the fear could finally be erased from him, which made it possible that his other feelings that he also felt at that moment and that had been in conflict with fear, could finally express itself fully and adequately, absolute happiness.
"Fluttershy, look! Look!" Dusk added suddenly, with his face full of emotion, approaching Fluttershy, taking her by the shoulders with a hoof as he pointed to the other two ponies who were reading in the library. "They are the first visitors here in the new library! Now I really feel like a true librarian! They came asking for something to read, I asked their literature tastes, I gave them references, since I read most of these books, then they followed my advice and now they’re reading the books that I suggested them! I feel so good to be able to help the ponies and make knowledge flow among everypony! I feel so happy!"
While Dusk was holding Fluttershy, full of happiness, the pegasus couldn't help but blush at the sudden warm touch of Dusk on her, filling her with even more excitement at seeing how happy the unicorn was, so she just fell silent while Dusk was still talking.
When Dusk finally turned to see Fluttershy, he was confused to see that she was blushing, only then did he realize how excited he was, he had been embracing Fluttershy, which made him blush and let her go immediately.
"I'm... I'm sorry Fluttershy, I think I got carried away by my happiness..." Dusk said embarrassed once he released Fulttershy. "I forgot how shy you are, surely you don't like being touched or hugged like that, I'm sorry, it'll not happen again, my emotions got me going crazy at that moment."
Fluttershy looked at Dusk and tried to say something, to tell him that it was the opposite, that she liked it when Dusk made contact with her, however her shyness was more stronger than herself, besides she couldn't say something so embarrassing out loud, even more knowing that there were other ponies present, so she just bit her lip, annoyed with herself for her extreme shyness.
"Why am I so shy?! I just want to tell him that I like him and that I like to be with him, but I can't! I... I hate my way of being!" Fluttershy thought annoyed with herself, getting sad at first, but quickly changing her thoughts for more determined ones. "No! I can't have done everything I did to come here and just keep quiet as I always do! I came for Dusk to invite me to the Grand Galloping Gala as his partner, and I'll do that!"
Fluttershy stared determinedly at Dusk, while Dusk looked at her intently, then she took a deep breath and opened her mouth.
"... Uh... I... Err..." It was the only thing Fluttershy could say, since as it happened most of the time, her shyness was more stronger than her determination, making her mouth unable to pronounce what she thought, all because inwardly she continued with her low self-esteem, telling herself that being brave was not her way of being and that she would forever be a shy pony.
"Fluttershy, are you feeling okay?" Dusk asked, a little worried to see that Fluttershy had been speechless. "Wait here, I'll go get a glass of water, you probably have a dry throat and maybe that's why you can't talk."
Then Dusk went to the small kitchen in the library while Fluttershy was still upset, fighting with herself.
"It's not fair! I can talk to Dusk normally, but as soon as I think about what I'm going to ask him, and I imagine us together at the Grand Gala, all my courage disappears!" Fluttershy thought annoyed. "If so, then I'll not think about that yet, I'll just talk to him normally and try to have a good time, that's what I'll do!"
"But who would want to have a good time with a shy pony such as you?!" The negative side of Fluttershy thought, speaking to herself, lowering her own self-esteem even further.
While Dusk returned with the glass of water, Fluttershy could only think of one thing to get out of the black hole that were her thoughts, since her low self-esteem was playing tricks on her.
"Well, if being myself doesn't work, then I'll be like someone else! I... I must be more daring and determined, like my friends." Fluttershy thought quickly as another idea crossed her mind. "That's it! Just like my friends!"
"Here you go." Dusk said once he reached Fluttershy, levitating a glass full of water in front of her.
Fluttershy looked at Dusk for a second while her thoughts worked a mile a minute.
"The personality of Rainbow Dash is the opposite of mine, she is brave and daring. So, now that I'm with Dusk, should I act like her? That way he will not get bored with my shy personality, right?" Fluttershy thought, ready to put aside her shy personality and take the best of each of her friends, what Dusk liked more of each of them, and make it her own.
"I don't want your silly glass of water!" Fluttershy said, showing an angry face. "You're a fool and I don't want to see you!"
"Yes! That's how Rainbow Dash talks with Dusk! And I've seen that Dusk doesn't mind that she gets mad at him, I've even seen him smile at Rainbow Dash sometimes! If it works for her, it must work for me!" Fluttershy thought, happy with what she had discovered.
Dusk was surprised to see Fluttershy so angry, so he just froze, saying nothing. As he did so, he remembered how she and the other mares had looked at him angrily when he went to breakfast, so he immediately associated that Fluttershy was still angry with him, whatever the reason.
"I... I'm sorry..." Dusk said timidly, lowering his ears sadly. "I thought your throat bothered you, that's why I brought the glass of water. I... I'm sorry I made you angry."
"Uh?" It was the only thing that the stunned Fluttershy could utter.
"No! Why is he sad!? Rainbow Dash always talks to him like this, why didn't it work out with me?!" Fluttershy thought frantically, not understanding what she had done wrong.
Before the incredulous look of Fluttershy, Dusk turned around to leave her alone, because if she was angry with him, it would be best to give her personal space.
"No! Wait! I..." Fluttershy said quickly, trying to keep Dusk from leaving her alone, while her mind kept working at full speed, generating new ideas.
"If he didn't like Rainbow Dash's attitude, then I'll be like Applejack!" Fluttershy thought quickly. "Dusk likes to chat with Applejack, but... What will Dusk like about Applejack?"
While Dusk waited for Fluttershy to speak, the pegasus caught sight of the cover of the book that Lyra was reading, which was an adventure book about pirates.
"Ahoy, matey! I didn't want to make yee angry, Argh! It was just a little sea joke, Yo-ho-ho!" Fluttershy said in a harsh voice, one eye closed and a hoof moving from side to side as if it were a hook.
"Yes! Dusk must like Applejack's country accent! And if a country accent works for her, why shouldn't a pirate accent work for me?" Fluttershy thought, proud of her brilliant idea.
After listening to Fluttershy, Dusk just stood silent, with a face of total confusion. “What the hay was that!?” Dusk thought, without having understood anything of what her friend had said because of her strange and unexpected accent. So it was that both remained quiet, Dusk without understanding anything, while Fluttershy began to have cold sweats as she realized how ridiculous that was.
"How did I think that would be a good idea?!!" Fluttershy thought frantically while 'the center of bad ideas' that was in her mind kept giving her ridiculous ideas that sounded good but would end up being a total disaster. "Come on! Think fast! If to acting like Applejack didn't work, then I'll do it like Pinkie Pie, her smile never fails!"
"Fluttershy... are you okay?" Dusk asked, worried to see his friend acting so weird. "If there's something to-"
"HAHAHA! HAHAHA!" Fluttershy laughed for no reason, but not with a natural laugh, but with a very forced laugh that was more than cheer, it gave some fear. "Hahaha! Haha! Heh...! Eh…?"
Fluttershy slowly put aside her false laughter when she realized that Dusk instead of approaching and smiling, as he did with Pinkie Pie, had a scared face as he backed away from her slowly, as if she were crazy.
Danger! Danger! The mini-Fluttershys who worked in the mind of the yellow pegasus began to scream, while it seemed that Fluttershy's entire brain was on fire.
Finally, Fluttershy couldn't stand her own failures and just lowered her head, returning to her classic shy attitude, on the verge of tears because of the frustration.
"P-Please don't be scared... Dusk, I... I just thought it would be good to change my shy attitude, but..." Fluttershy said sadly, deeply regretting having acted like crazy. "But obviously it didn't work, Sniff!"
Upon hearing that, Dusk could understand in part of what had happened apparently, it seemed that her friend had acted so strange because she wanted to somehow stop acting as shy as she always did.
"Fluttershy ... You don't have to act differently than you are." Dusk said approaching his friend again, smiling tenderly. "I really like the way you are, just be yourself, that’s all you need to be."
Upon hearing that, Fluttershy blushed deeply, she knew that for Dusk that was only a way to encourage her, but since she had strong feelings for the unicorn, she preferred to believe that he had said that in a romantic way.
Fluttershy smiled tenderly looking at the floor, happy to hear those words. However she couldn't settle for that, she still had a mission, to be invited by Dusk to the Grand Galloping Gala, but how to achieve it? It was then that 'the center of bad ideas' of Fluttershy gave her one last 'bright' idea before it turned completely off.
"Oh! It's true, there is still something that I haven't tried, something that Rarity taught me and that she said it never fails with the colts." Fluttershy thought looking at Dusk. "And this time I'm sure it'll not be a bad imitation, because I've seen Rarity do it a million times and I can imitate it perfectly, her super flirty mane movement! That movement never fails!"
At that moment, Fluttershy ducked her head a little and leaned back to gather momentum, all while Dusk looked her without understanding what her friend was doing, then Fluttershy quickly and gracefully moved her mane up in a curve, to make the perfect flirtatious movement of Rarity's mane.
"OUCH! Oww...!" Dusk suddenly screamed as soon as Fluttershy turned her head.
"Dusk! What happened?! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked scared, approaching Dusk.
"Yeah... it's just that you hit me in my eye with your mane." Dusk said putting a hoof on his aching eye. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious, I'll just go to the bathroom for a moment."
While Dusk retreated, Fluttershy suddenly understood what had gone wrong, she had done Rarity's mane movement perfectly, but she didn't consider that her mane was longer than Rarity's! And Dusk being so close, the only thing that happened was that she had hit Dusk with her mane like a whip! Fluttershy finally lowered her head, accepting her defeat while crying comically of frustration.
"Why does nothing work for me..." Fluttershy said with a sad smile thinking aloud.
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Fluttershy stopped wailing at a noise near her, then she turned around and saw that the noise she had heard had been from the window. It was Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash! Those who had touched the window and were now beckoning her out of the library. The yellow pegasus just sighed, resigned after that nothing she tried with Dusk worked, so she started walking towards the library door obediently.
Leaving the library, Fluttershy saw that not only her four friends were there, but also little Spike, whom she hadn't been able to see by the height of the window.
"Very smart..." Rarity said looking a little annoyed at Fluttershy. "I knew you would be here."
"You snuck out while none of us saw you, huh?" Rainbow Dash said, with the same annoyed look as Rarity. "I definitely didn't expect that from you."
Fluttershy just lowered her head, sorry for what she had done.
"Hehe... it was very daring on your part, I congratulate you." Rainbow Dash added, totally surprised of Fluttershy’s actions, who then looked up and saw that now none of her friends were looking at her with an annoyed look.
"Yeah, I guess we deserved it for not paying enough attention." Pinkie Pie said a little ashamed.
"Now I definitely consider you a rival to fear, darling." Rarity said trying to put a serious look but couldn't help but smile a little to see how daring her shy friend had been.
Fluttershy blushed a little at the compliments of her friends, as well as being happy to know that her friends were not upset with her.
"But don't feel so relieved, sugarcube." Applejack said getting a little more serious. "Tell us, what did you do with Dusk? Did you tell him about the ticket? Did he already invite you?"
Then Fluttershy told them what happened, trying to ignore the embarrassing details, explaining that she wasn't able to tell Dusk what she wanted, about how she just tried to have a nice time with him, how it didn't work, and how she finally I hadn't even had the chance to mention anything about the Grand Galloping Gala or the extra ticket.
"So, that's the situation..." Rarity said thoughtfully once Fluttershy finished speaking.
"I guess it was a relief that Fluttershy was the first to talk to Dusk." Rainbow Dash said scratching her head. "Any of us four would have been more direct and we would have asked him directly to go with him to the Grand Gala."
"So... What do we do now?" Pinkie Pie asked looking at all her friends.
"I don't know, I just know that whatever we do, it must be fair for everyone." Applejack added with a more serious look. "We can't go and argue like crazy mares just for a ticket, remember, friends above all things."
"Hmm... I have an idea." Rarity said looking up pensively before looking down to see her friends. "I think Fluttershy herself has already set the rules for this challenge. It's obvious that the first mare that tells Dusk about the ticket, will keep it, which wouldn't be fair, so what do you think if we do the same thing that Fluttershy did? A competition in which the only rule is to not tell Dusk anything about the Grand Gala or the extra ticket."
Everyone stared at Rarity confused, who took a second before continuing to speak.
"We'll take turns speaking with Dusk, attracting him, each in her own way to try to have a good time together, after the time ends, she will stop, and the next mare will begin, and so on until we have all done it, and at the end of everything, we'll all go together and ask Dusk who he had a better time with, so we'll be able to determine who will win the ticket!" Rarity added, excited by the idea that had occurred to her, then looking at her friends. "What do you think? Do you all agree? Obviously Fluttershy will not enter again since she already had her chance."
All the mares were thoughtful until finally they all accepted, since it was a good idea to compete without having to fight or argue between them, including Fluttershy who also accepted, somewhat embarrassed, because although she would have liked to talk to Dusk again, but felt that she had already ruined her opportunity, she couldn't refuse after having escaped from her friends and knows that they would forgive her so easily.
"Very well." Rarity said once they all nodded. "Now it's time to decide the order of-"
"First!" Pinkie Pie said quickly, intuiting what Rarity would say.
"Second!" Rainbow Dash also said quickly, following Pinkie Pie.
"Third!" Applejack said quickly to not be the last.
"Hnngh... okay, I guess I'll be the last." Rarity said a little annoyed at being last.
"Okey-dokey! Since it's my turn, I'll show you how to conquer a colt so he can invite you on a date." Pinkie Pie said smiling confidently, completely positive that her plan will work.
For his part, Dusk had returned from the bathroom after washing his sore eye after getting whiplashed by Fluttershy who accidentally hit him with her mane, then he was surprised to see that Fluttershy was no longer there, because although he had taken his time washing his eye, he didn't think he would have taken so long for Fluttershy to leave just like that, without even saying goodbye. Finally, deciding not to give importance to the matter, Dusk decided to return to what was most important to him at that moment, to be a good librarian! And since he now knew that Spike was well with his friends, he can now focus entirely on caring for and ensuring the comfort of those first visitors he received in the library.
Fortunately, Dusk's work didn't require much effort, since his only duty was that the environment was conducive as a good reading area for his visitors, and now that Fluttershy had left, the only thing that remained in the library was a nice and quiet pitch of silence.
"~From Canterlot castle~ To Ponyville, they come down~" A melodic feminine voice broke the silence in the library, a voice singing to the gentle rhythm of a guitar, violin and trumpet. A music that didn't come from inside the library, but from the outside, but in the same way it went through the walls of the library and reached the ears of those who were inside it.
"~A pair of purple eyes~ Pretty darling, which are contraband~" The voice continued singing to the rhythm of the music. Dusk, still surprised by the sudden music, approached the library window and opened it, discovering who was responsible for the interruption.
"~From Canterlot castle~ To Ponyville, they come down~ A pair of purple eyes~ Pretty darling, which are contraband~" Pinkie Pie sang again the same verse, singing with all her heart a beautiful romantic song, wearing a curly false mustache and a sombrero. Behind her were three ponies that made up a mariachi band, with more complete costumes than those worn by Pinkie Pie, playing the music that the pink mare sang and dedicated to her love, who just peeked out of the library window.
"Pinkie Pie! What are you doing?!" Dusk asked, scared, glancing at the mares that read in the library, hoping they wouldn't stop reading because of the sudden serenade that Pinkie Pie was singing. "Please, be quiet to-"
"~AY, AY, AY AY! Sing and don't cry~" Pinkie Pie sang, without listening to Dusk, getting excited in the chorus of the song and therefore singing more acute and more out of tune. "~Because by singing they get happy~ Pretty darling, the hearts~"
"AY, AY, AY-!" Pinkie Pie was about to sing again, even louder, until she was silenced by Dusk, who closed her mouth with magic.
"What are you doing, Pinkie?! Why are you singing...? And with a mariachi band!? AND WHY HERE?!" Dusk asked a little hysterically because of the noise Pinkie Pie was making in the library.
"I'm singing a serenade! It's not obvious? I'm dedicating it to you! Do you like it?" Pinkie Pie asked with a big smile.
"Pinkie... Don't you realize it's not appropriate?!" Dusk asked ironically, moving aside to let Pinkie see that there was a library inside.
"Oh! I'm sorry..." Pinkie Pie said realizing her mistake. "Now I understood, no problemo amigo!"
"All right, I'm glad you understood." Dusk said with a big sigh, closing the window to return to the stillness and silence that a library should be.
Dusk moved away from the window and began to walk towards the ponies that continued reading in the library to apologize, when he was surprised by the sudden slam of the door opening.
"Yee-haw! Come on amigos, let's play music!" Pinkie Pie said with a big smile, entering the library followed by the mariachi band, who began to play the same melody they were playing before, while Pinkie Pie began to tune her voice to continue with her serenade.
Dusk was stunned without believing what he saw, he had just told Pinkie Pie that this was a library! Why did she play with her band again!? And even worse, inside the library!!
"Pinkie Pie!! What are you doing?! Didn't I just tell you that this is inappropriate?!" Dusk yelled to make himself heard through the music.
"Yeah, it was inappropriate for us to play music outside, so now we'll play inside!" Pinkie Pie said, who hadn't understood what Dusk was referring to as 'inappropriate'.
Dusk just put a hoof on his face without knowing what to do or how to explain to Pinkie Pie that all this was inappropriate, more annoying with every second that happened, since Pinkie Pie was causing a disaster in the library.
"ENOUGH!" Dusk yelled loudly, making the mariachi band stop playing. "Pinkie, didn't you understand what I meant by inappropriate!? The music is inappropriate!"
"Ohhh... No problemo amigo!" Pinkie Pie said realizing her mistake again, lowering her ashamed head and turning to the mariachi band. "Okay band... Now something to cheer up the party!" Pinkie said raising her head with a big smile.
Then the mariachi band began to play another song, one faster and noisier than the previous one.
"NO, NO, NO!" Dusk shouted immediately to stop the scandal, which seemed to get bigger every minute. "I wasn't referring to the TYPE of music!"
Dusk again covered his face with his hoof, increasingly irritated that Pinkie Pie didn't understand what he meant. Then, if she didn't understand hints, he would have to be direct.
"Pinkie! Do you really not understand!? Look around! This is a library!!" Dusk said moving his hoof so that Pinkie could see around her.
"Ohh..." Pinkie Pie said for the third time, realizing her mistake again. "Okay, now I definitely understood what is wrong, no problemo!"
It was so that Pinkie Pie had finally left, followed by the mariachi band. As soon as they were gone, Dusk ran to close the library door, grateful that Pinkie Pie finally understood that she couldn't make noise in a library. Dusk began to return to the center of the library when the door opened again with a slam, revealing Pinkie Pie, who came with her characteristic party cannon.
"This place needs a more party atmosphere!" Pinkie Pie said with her big smile, firing the party cannon, from which balloons and streamers appeared that covered the entire room. Immediately, the mariachi band entered again, playing an even faster music, then Pinkie Pie threw her sombrero on the floor and started dancing around it.
"GET OUT!" It was the loud scream Dusk made, while the four mares and Spike, who were spying from the other window of the library, saw Dusk used his magic to throw Pinkie Pie, her party cannon and the mariachi band out of the library, then he slammed the library door.
"Wow... you really made Dusk mad." Fluttershy said to Pinkie Pie as she and her friends approached the newly expelled mare of the library, except Applejack, who was nowhere to be found.
"Yeah, I don't know why he bothered so much. Maybe he doesn't like mariachi bands." Pinkie Pie said still on the ground, still not understanding why Dusk had bothered. Then she stood up and said goodbye to the mariachis. "That's all for today, adios amigos!"
While the mariachi band was leaving, the mares spoke again among themselves.
"I'm really surprised you got a mariachi band in such a short time..." Rarity said, who never ceased to be amazed at Pinkie Pie’s surprises.
"I guess my chance to have a good time with Dusk is over, I don't think Dusk will ever let me into the library again, at least for a while." Pinkie Pie said a little ashamed.
"Yeah, but anyway, your turn was over." Spike added, who had a chronometer in his claw and who had been chosen by the mares to keep track of the times and turns of their challenge. "Then, the next is-"
"It's me!" Rainbow Dash said with a note of pride in her voice. "And after me it'll not be necessary for anyone else to enter, because I have an infallible plan that guarantees that I'll have a pleasant afternoon with Dusk!"
While Rainbow Dash was moving away from her friends and approaching the library door, she was reviewing her plan.
"I know why Pinkie Pie failed, she wanted to have a good time with Dusk the way SHE likes doing it." Rainbow Dash thought with a confident smile. "But I'll do the opposite, I'll have a good time with Dusk doing what HE likes to do!"
Meanwhile, Dusk was ordering the mess left by Pinkie Pie, picking up the streamers and balloons scattered around the room. As he did so, he glanced sideways at the two visiting mares that were still reading among the books in the library, Dusk could have sworn that for a few moments he felt the look of one of the mares on him, and Dusk felt that it had been a look of anger, therefore, he would have loved to go and apologize for the scandal caused, but that meant interrupting his visitors reading again, so Dusk just ducked his head with regret, picking upthe items left by Pinkie Pie as quiet as possible, hoping that no more interruptions would happen again.
"Hi Dusk!" Rainbow Dash suddenly said, entering the library without warning.
In the act, Dusk ran to his friend and stood in front of her, putting a hoof over her mouth, and hoping that Rainbow Dash had more common sense than Pinkie Pie and understood what it meant to be in a library.
"Don't worry, I understand, I won’t be noisy." Rainbow Dash said whispering, while Dusk sighed with relief because she understood.
"What brings you out here?" Dusk asked once he was calmer.
"Well, I..." Rainbow Dash said as the security that she had about her plan began to waver quickly as she glanced sideways at the shelves full of books.
"Damn! I don't want to do this, after all, I have to keep my 'cool pony' image." Rainbow Dash thought nervously. "But if it's to get Dusk to invite me to the Grand Galloping Gala, I'll sacrifice myself and pretend to be an egghead."
"I came here to read." Rainbow Dash said finally, making an unconvincing smile.
"Really? That's fantastic! I didn't think you were a pony who would like to read." Dusk said surprised, smiling.
Upon hearing that, Rainbow Dash immediately regretted what she was planning to do, because now Dusk would believe that she was just a fool egghead and all her reputation as a tough and cool mare would go down the drain. She was about to retract when Dusk spoke again.
"It makes me happy to know that I can share my hobbies and tastes with a good friend like you, Rainbow Dash, I'm glad you want to read here with me." Dusk added with a tender smile. "In fact, I'll take the opportunity to read a little while and keep you company."
"Y-Yeah! Of course! I like to read! I love to read! I couldn't spend a day without reading a good book! Hahaha!" Rainbow Dash said with great enthusiasm, forgetting everything related to being seen as an egghead and only falling for the tender smile of Dusk.
"All right! This is working! Now we can both have a nice time together, and we'll have so much fun that when the others ask him who he wants to go to the Grand Gala with, he'll choose me without hesitation!" Rainbow Dash thought excitedly as she watched her plan work.
Then Dusk and Rainbow Dash approached the shelves with books.
"So, what would you like to read? We have all the topics you can want!" Dusk asked kindly, excited to be able to do his librarian job.
"Um... I don't know, I-I think I'll read that." Rainbow Dash said, pointing to a random book, because for her, every book was the same and she didn't really care which one to take, after all it was just an excuse to be with Dusk.
Dusk took the book that Rainbow Dash had pointed and read the cover.
"Are you sure this is the book you want to read?" Dusk asked, surprised.
"Yeah, yeah, I read it all the time." Rainbow Dash said without given much importance.
Then Dusk passed the book to Rainbow Dash and only then Rainbow Dash understood the confusion in Dusk's face, although the expression that the colt put on was nothing compared to the one she put, who put a face of horror while her mouth fell open, the title of the book was: 'Every mare needs love, advice for flirty mares.'
After the initial surprise, Rainbow Dash's face turned red with embarrassment to see that Dusk had seen her asking for that book, she immediately thought about correcting the misunderstanding, but it was too late, she had even said that she read that book all the time! Now Dusk wouldn't only think that she was an egghead, but also a silly corny mare who was looking for advice for falling in love!
Resigned to the fact that she could no longer change her book choice and that she needs to continue with her plan, Rainbow Dash took the book with her face still red and sat near where the other mares were also reading, then Dusk took a book and sat next to the mares too, forming a circle in which Dusk was facing Rainbow Dash. So, the four ponies were silent, reading their respective books, or at least three of them, since one of those ponies just pretended to read the book she was holding. Rainbow Dash just held the book between her hooves, but did not once look down at the book, she just opened it, lowered her head to pretend like she was reading the book, and looked at Dusk, watching how he read and enjoyed that activity that seemed so tedious to her.
"He really is a complete egghead, if he wasn't so cute I think I would hit him..." Rainbow Dash thought as she blushed. "Well, whatever, if this makes him happy, I'll sacrifice myself so we can both have a good time together, this plan is flawless!"
The minutes went by quickly while all that was heard in the library was the noise of the hooves changing pages while the ponies read, something that began to slowly annoy Rainbow Dash as the time progressed, not only because it reminded her that she couldn't make noise in that place, but for something more important, because with each minute that passed, she was beginning to realize something vital, the big mistake that her plan had, something that started to make her more nervous every second.
"This... This is not working!" Rainbow Dash suddenly thought once she had spent a great deal of time pretending to read, finally realizing the big mistake in her plan. "I'm doing something that Dusk likes, but it's like I'm not here! If we just stay to read, I can't talk to Dusk or make him start thinking of me as the perfect companion to the Grand Gala, and what’s worst, at this rate my shift with Dusk will end and I'll have wasted all my time just sitting here without doing or saying anything!"
"Umm... Dusk, what do you think of today's weather?" Rainbow Dash finally asked, lowering the book she pretended to read and looking at Dusk, hoping to start a conversation to get out of that perpetual silence they were in. "I think-"
"Shhh! We're reading." Dusk said interrupting Rainbow Dash, silencing her so she wouldn't disturb the other readers who were there.
"No! Now that Dusk has started reading, I can't even talk to him! This was the worst idea in the world!" Rainbow Dash thought terrified.
"Eh... Rainbow Dash?" Dusk suddenly asked.
"Yes?!" Rainbow Dash replied smiling, hoping that Dusk would have realized her discomfort and that he would like to have a conversation with her.
"Why do you read the book backwards?" Dusk asked, just realizing an important detail, pointing with his hoof to the book that Rainbow Dash read.
Rainbow Dash looked at the book she was holding and only then she realized that all that time she had held the book upside down while pretending to read.
"I-I was just practicing for when I flip upside down, hehe, you know, as I've read this book so many times, I got it memorized." Rainbow Dash replied embarrassed, quickly inventing an excuse, forgetting for a second the kind of book she was holding. "Especially this chapter: 'How to be ardent in bed, the best position-'"
As soon as Rainbow Dash read the title of the chapter in which she had randomly opened the book, she stopped before she finished reading it, completely blushed, quickly changing pages and hiding her red face behind the book. Meanwhile, Dusk couldn't help but blush to know the type of topics that Rainbow Dash liked to read, but he quickly returned to his reading, trying to not let his imagination play tricks on him, as many shameful ideas went through Dusk's mind to know that Rainbow Dash liked to read such books.
While Rainbow Dash was still ashamed of what she was about to say, her head began to work quickly as she tried to think of a way to fix all her mistakes to get Dusk to notice her at least a little, and in that way, she still has a possibility of Dusk inviting her to the Gala. That was how without realizing it, she read the title of the chapter of the book that had arrived after hastily changing the page, the title said: 'Three techniques to make him notice you'. When reading that, for the first time Rainbow Dash seemed partially interested in a book, so she continued reading, hoping that maybe if she occupied one of those techniques, she would accomplish her mission with Dusk.
"Attraction technique n° 1: 'The gaze'. No colt resists the sweet and seductive look of a mare that looks at him with intensity, plays with him, exchange glances playfully, letting him know with your eyes only that he is the stallion of your dreams."
Dusk was reading quietly until he began to feel an uneasy feeling, as if many ponies were watching him, something that immediately made him nervous, since he hated being the center of attention. Then Dusk slowly lowered the book he was reading to see where that uncomfortable feeling came from, and it didn't take him long to find out what caused it. In front of him was Rainbow Dash, who for some reason had completely lowered her book and was now looking intently at Dusk, without even blinking, as if she wanted to kill him with her eyes.
"What's wrong with her? It seems that she doesn't even intend to read, first the book upside down and now this, does she want to have a staring contest to see who blinks first?" Dusk thought a little annoyed, lowering his head again to continue his reading.
"This is not working!" Rainbow Dash shouted in her mind, stopping her intense gaze, not knowing that she had taken the 'intense gaze' too literally. Then she raised the book again to read the next technique.
"Attraction technique n° 2: 'The mirror'. The subconscious of each one influences the decisions that one makes, that is the reason why this technique is born. Become your lover's mirror, adopt his posture, copy his gestures, and unconsciously he'll begin to feel that there is a connection between the both of you."
After Dusk looked down to return to his reading, it didn't take long for something else to distract him, a noise of something moving in front of him, which indicated that Rainbow Dash was again the guilty. Dusk looked up from the book again, and for the second time, he was confused by what was happening. He again couldn't explain the strange behavior of his friend, but what Rainbow Dash had done now was to brush her mane in such a way that it was an exact copy of Dusk's mane style, only with different colors, besides Rainbow Dash had the same confused look he had, staring at him, they even blinked at the same time!
"Why is she imitating me now? Is it another one of her pranks? Or does she just want to bother me? Or maybe she just wants to make fun of me..." Dusk thought disconcerted, again focusing on the book he was reading, since he didn't want to disturb the reading of the other visitors to the library.
"It still doesn't work, stupid book!!" Rainbow Dash thought hysterically as she banged her face with the book and her mane returned to its natural style. Then she took off the book of her face and read the last technique indicated in the book.
"Attraction technique n° 3: 'Indifference'. If none of the other techniques worked for you, maybe this technique is your thing, remember, a mare always has to be mysterious, the stallions love that, especially if you become an unattainable prize for them, they'll fight to get your attention if you stop paying them the right attention, become yourself in something he wants, and show him that your world doesn't revolve around him."
"Well, finally something easy!" Rainbow Dash thought knowing exactly what to do. Then she put a displeased face and looked to one side, closing her eyes and tilting her head up so Dusk noticed that she wasn't paying attention to him. "Now my attention is not on you! Come on, Dusk! Come closer! Make me feel that you care me!"
That's how Rainbow Dash stayed, like a statue, totally motionless as time passed. After several minutes, all the determination that Rainbow Dash had, began to waver, which made her open one eye a little to see Dusk, only then she realized that Dusk was still totally immersed in what he was reading, so absolutely concentrated that he didn't realize what Rainbow Dash was trying to get, and it was just at that very moment that a cold sweat began to fall down the pegasus's back when she realized that she had made the same mistake again.
"But what's wrong with me!? If I remain indifferent, without doing anything, I'm making the same mistake I made at the beginning! How come I didn't notice it!!? This book just gave me bad advice!!" Rainbow Dash thought totally distressed.
As soon as Rainbow Dash opened her eyes completely, she saw that something seemed to move in the window, so she looked at it, then she saw that behind the window were Rarity and Pinkie Pie, both pointing to a chronometer watch that was between their hooves, what could only mean one thing.
"Dammit! I ran out of time! Stupid! Stupid book!!" Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted furiously, taking the book she held and throwing it hard and far as she could, while Dusk and the two mares that read calmly jumped out of surprise due to the strong and surprising cry of the pegasus.
"Rainbow Dash has run out of time, I wonder if she has understood our message..." Rarity wondered, talking to her friends outside the library.
Suddenly the library door opened, and Rainbow Dash was ejected from it, flying off in the same way that Pinkie Pie did moments ago.
"It seems she did understand." Pinkie Pie said smiling, responding belatedly to the question Rarity had asked, then looking at Rainbow Dash, who was still lying on the ground. "So... Dusk also got upset with you?"
"Apparently..." Rainbow Dash said sadly, standing up. "Anyway, it didn't matter, I think I had already ruined it, and my shift was over. By the way, where is Applejack? She still not coming back?"
"Here I am!" The voice of Applejack said from a distance, who was coming to the library carrying a small wagon.
"Where did you go?" Rarity asked, looking curiously at the small wagon her friend was carrying.
"I just went looking for my secret weapon." Applejack replied smiling. "Well, now it's my turn to go with Dusk, wish me luck." Applejack said approaching the library door, ready to start the fourth assault with Dusk, after Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had finished their turns. She was full of confidence, determined that she would have good results, compared to her friends.
Dusk was standing, putting the book that Rainbow Dash had taken and thrown abruptly in its place, still annoyed by how noisy her friend had been. After doing that, he also put the book he was reading back, after all, with everything that happened, the desire to keep reading was taken away from him, and now he realized that he couldn't afford to enjoy a good reading, since he was the librarian, and therefore he had to work and ensure that everything was in order and that his visitors could read quietly, who by miracle were still sitting there and reading, despite the interruptions caused by Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Dusks sight had redirected towards the door of the library, since someone had touched the door. He quietly walked away from the reading area of the library and opened the door to see who was outside.
"Hello Dusk!" Applejack said with a smile.
"Eh... Hi Applejack, what brings you here?" Dusk asked with a confused look, as he began to realize that it was very unlikely that four of his friends would come one by one to visit him just as a coincidence, plus there was another thing that caught Dusk's attention, it was that Applejack was carrying a kind of cart behind her.
"I was just passing by and it occurred to me that you could be hungry." Applejack said, lifting the cover of the cart she was carrying, revealing that it was filled with several pies and different apple desserts.
"I can't fail with this!" Applejack thought confidently. "Granny Smith always says the way to colt's heart is through his stomach, and I've seen that Dusk likes my pies! And once his stomach is full, he'll be so happy that in gratitude he'll invite me to the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"Well... I was-" Dusk began to reply, thinking about denying Applejack's invitation to eat, but at once his stomach growled with hunger as soon as he saw the delicious pies, besides, his manners prevented him from rejecting a gift from a mare. "I guess you're right, I'm a little hungry." Dusk finished speaking somewhat embarrassed.
Applejack smiled cheerfully to see that Dusk had accepted and everything was going as planned, so she took a few pies and went into the library.
"I just ask you to stay here, near the door." Dusk said quickly before Applejack moved further. "I should go to the main hall to continue watching the visitors, but I don't want to be impolite and go to eat by their side while they read quietly."
"Sure! No problem, actually it's better that way, since the cart can't pass through the door." Applejack replied smiling.
Then Applejack and Dusk sat down while she put a couple of pies from the cart in front of Dusk.
"After every harvest season, Granny Smith leaves a large batch of apples to prepare her famous apple pies, which sell very well." Applejack said looking at Dusk expectantly. "But this time I made these pies myself, practicing all the recipes from the family's old cookbook, I hope you like them!"
As soon as Dusk heard the words of Applejack, he felt a greater responsibility when eating the cakes, because if she had made all those pies that were in the cart, it meant that she had spent hours working in the kitchen, and now that she was bringing them to him, he couldn't lightly take all the effort that Applejack had put into those pies.
"Hmm! It's delicious!" Dusk said after tasting the first apple pie, remembering how good a cook his friend was.
"That's an apple pie with ground nuts and oat bark." Applejack said a little blushed, glad that Dusk enjoyed the pies she had prepared and brought. "Now eat this, it's a cake of acorns and sweet and sour green apples."
So, Dusk began eating one by one the pies that Applejack put in front of him. Each time Dusk ate a pie, Applejack went to the cart and brought another one, because each pie was a different recipe, and each time she brought a cake and saw Dusk eat it, saying how delicious it was, Applejack was getting happier to know that Dusk enjoyed her cooking skills, and knowing that her plan for Dusk to have a good time with her was working. However, even though Applejack thought that Dusk was enjoying all that, the unicorn thought otherwise, because it was true that Applejack pies were all delicious, however it seemed that the pies never ended, and his stomach was filling more and more, to the point that Dusk felt that it would explode.
For Dusk, it would have been very easy to stop Applejack and simply tell her that he couldn't eat anymore, however, he felt he couldn't refuse the pies that Applejack gave him, because it would be terrible to reject the hard work that her friend did. Meanwhile, Applejack didn't realize that great detail, since her family was a 'country family', with big and strong stallions, she was used to her brother and cousins eating tons of pies when Granny prepared them, so she didn't realize that Dusk was very different from his brother, smaller and more refined, with a small stomach accustomed to elegant and small palace dinners.
"Was... was that the last one?" Dusk asked slowly after seeing that apparently the cart that Applejack brought was empty. He was lying on the floor with his cheeks swollen and his stomach about to burst, all after having eaten dozens of apple pies, more than he could handle. "They... they really were delicious..." Dusk added with a forced smile.
"Eh... yeah, I think it was the last one." Applejack replied confused, understanding that Dusk had smiled forcefully and, therefore, getting her nervous, without even understanding what had failed in her plan. "Although I remember making one more pie, an apple pie with hazelnuts and seeds of 'dragon sneeze' but I can't find it anywhere."
"'Dragon sneeze'... I know that flower." Dusk said remembering a particular red and yellow flower that flourished in certain sectors of Canterlot. "I didn't know it was edible."
"Only the seeds, but-" Applejack began to explain before being interrupted.
"ACHOOO…!!" A tremendous sneeze was heard, one that caused many of the shelves in the library to move.
"What was that?!" Applejack asked surprised, walking out of the library and seeing that her friends were nearby, all of them covering Spike's snout, while his eyes were red, the fire that came from his nose while his sneezes were stopped. The other thing that caught Applejack's attention, was that the pie that was missing in her cart was right at the feet of Spike, half-eaten.
"I-I think it was the wind or something, hehe..." Applejack said nervously, speaking to Dusk as she went back into the library, knowing that she couldn't expose her friends and say that they and Spike were outside the library while she had her turn in their little challenge.
However, the words of Applejack were unnecessary, since Dusk didn't even pay attention to her, in fact he hadn't even given importance to what had been that great noise and who caused it, the only thing that Dusk cared about was seeing the dozen books that had fallen from the shelves after the movement caused by the huge sneeze. Dusks eyes were fixed on the books while trying to stand up with great effort, because his distended stomach made it difficult.
"The books... I must order the books..." Dusk said as he stood up with an effort with his huge stomach.
"Oh! I can order them for you!" Applejack said quickly, seeing an opportunity to help Dusk, running quickly to where the books had fallen. "It'll be very easy, you just rest!"
At once, Applejack grouped all the books that had fallen, then she took them and threw them into the air, and it was then she used her great skill of being an apple harvester to sort books, she quickly hit each book with her hind legs, one by one, which fell precisely in the empty places of the shelves.
"There ya go!" Applejack said proudly after having ordered the disaster that had been left, ready to receive the praises of Dusk.
"You... What the hay do you think you were doing?!" Dusk yelled furiously, approaching with effort to the shelves of books.
"Huh?" Applejack asked confused. "I... I just ordered the mess..."
"No, you didn't! You only put the books on the shelves, but each book must be ordered according to different criteria! Each book has its place! Now I don't know which books are in their place and which are not!" Dusk said angrily as his anger increased, approaching the only book he was sure was one of the books that Applejack had 'ordered', taking it out of the shelf. "But that's not the most important thing, look! You ruined the cover! This is a first edition book! It has many years, and now the cover is ruined because it has the mark of a hoof! You can't just go and hit such a delicate book!!" Dusk finished saying, yelling even more annoyed.
Dusk understood that Applejack had only tried to help, but it was also a fact that he loved books, he adored them! And seeing her friend beating them in such a carefree and negligent way, for a few seconds he couldn't contain his anger.
"Agh! Enough!" The cream-colored mare that had been reading there yelled, lowering the book she held.
Before the surprise yell, both Applejack and Dusk were frozen watching the mare.
"First Fluttershy with her strange voices and laughs, then Pinkie Pie with her mariachi band, then Rainbow Dash with her strange gestures and her sudden anger, then Applejack with her flying books, and now you with your yells." The mare named Bon -Bon said, totally annoyed, standing up. "I can't take it anymore! I haven't been able to advance beyond the first chapter of my book because of all the noise you made! It's impossible to read here! Isn't it supposed to be a library?!"
"Umm... I didn't advance beyond the first chapter of my book either." The other mare suddenly added, the turquoise- colored mare called Lyra, also standing up. "Although not because of the noise, but because I had so much fun seeing all the attempts the girls made to attract the new librarian, hehe." Then Lyra looked at Bon-Bon and asked. "So... are we leaving now?"
"Yes!" Bon-Bon said still annoyed, walking towards the library door next to Lyra. It was only then that Dusk reacted and approached her to apologize.
"By the way..." Bon-Bon added, looking annoyed at Dusk before he could speak. "It's obvious that all those ponies want to attract you, you're a fool if you don't realize that! It would be simpler for all of you if you just chose one and have a date with her."
At the words of Bon-Bon, Dusk froze, not knowing how to respond to what she had just told him, while Bon-Bon opened the library door loudly and left.
"Don't worry, Bon-Bon is just in a bad mood." Lyra said with a distressed face looking at Dusk. "She was one of those who ate your cupcakes in poor condition the other day. She didn't want to come here but I convinced her to come, although I guess it didn't work out as expected, but don't worry, I know that at some point her anger will go away and she'll apologize."
Then Lyra also left the library while Dusk was still frozen where he was, still thinking about what Bon-Bon had said before leaving. He stayed quiet for a while, all while Applejack had also stayed where she was, not knowing what to do or say, not knowing if Dusk was still angry with her or not.
"Applejack..." Dusk finally said after a while, still not moving, having his back on Applejack, so she couldn't see his face. "Was what that pony said true...? You and the others... have been acting strange... because all of you're interested in me?" It was only then that Dusk turned to see Applejack, and the mare could see that Dusk showed an expression of nervousness and confusion.
Applejack stood with her mouth open, nervous, not knowing what to answer, just looking into Dusk's eyes.
"What... What am I supposed to answer?" Applejack thought nervously, lowering her head so that Dusk didn't see the confusion on her face. "I still don't know that, I'm still discovering it, I... I just know that I like to be with you, that's why I want to know you more, but if you want me to give you an answer right now, I... I'm...!"
At that moment Applejack couldn't stand the look of Dusk, because although she already knew what she felt for Dusk, it was still too early for her to face what he asked her, least of all if he asked her so suddenly, so she he just ducked her head and ran quickly out of the library, leaving Dusk alone, motionless, not knowing how to interpret Applejack running away, while thousands of ideas crossed his mind and his feelings were entangled with each other.
"Wait a second..." Dusk said thinking aloud, realizing what that mare had said, he had forgotten something very important. "Those ponies left because they weren't able to read quietly! Everything because of me! I even shouted in a library!! I'm the worst librarian in the world!" Dusk finished shouting, with a face of horror, discovering that he had become what he hated most, a pony that didn't respect the sanctity of a quiet library.
Meanwhile, Applejack had ran out of the library, but hadn't moved far from there, because as soon as she came out, she saw that there was a group of ponies gathered talking nearby, they were her friends, who were meeting and chatting with Bon-Bon and Lyra. Applejack immediately approached them.
"...So please, don't get mad at Dusk or think he's a bad librarian." Fluttershy said with a sad look as she spoke to Bon-Bon and Lyra.
"Yeah, it was all our fault." Pinkie Pie said, also embarrassed.
"Hmm ... so this is all about getting a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala..." Bon-Bon said, less annoyed after hearing the explanation from Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, who had rushed to talk to her when she came out angry from the library. "I suppose I would also act a bit crazy if there was a ticket to the Grand Gala at stake, although I wouldn't do it knowing that I would have to go with that colt." Bon-Bon finished, who still had a lot resentment against Dusk, being part of the group of ponies that still disliked Dusk.
"He's not that bad, you just have to know him better." Rainbow Dash said, trying to improve Dusk's image on Bon-Bon's mind.
"Yes, so please, don't stop coming to the library because of us." Rarity added with a small, embarrassed smile.
"Huff... okay, I guess I'll give it another chance in the future." Bon-Bon finally said sighing and starting to walk away to go home. "What madness, all this just for a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala... Although I would also like to go..." Bon-Bon finished saying, whispering as she walked away, talking to herself, although the other mares reached to hear her.
"Yeah, sure, all of this is ONLY for a ticket to the Grand Gala, huh?" Lyra said suddenly with a mischievous look, who had just remained silent while the other mares tried to make Bon-Bon stop being upset with Dusk, but now that her friend was leaving, it was her moment to speak, since she felt that there was much more behind the words and actions that Fluttershy and the others had said and done. "I wish you all luck with Dusk! Bye-bye!" Lyra added with a smile, winking at them, before running off to catch up to Bon-Bon.
At the words of Lyra, the five friendly mares blushed, without answering anything, watching as Lyra and Bon-Bon walked away while the sun went down, and the afternoon was almost over.
"Well... It seems that Lyra found out, are we really that obvious?" Pinkie Pie asked with a smirk, still blushing.
"With all the follies we did, I guess we were." Applejack replied scratching her head, also blushing.
"At least nopony else has seen us act like this, trying to call Dusk's attention so desperately." Fluttershy said with her cheeks blushed.
"What are you talking about?" Spike asked without understanding what the mares were referring to. "Are you still talking about the competition?"
"O-Of course!" Rainbow Dash quickly responded, not wanting the dragon to realize that this competition was not only to see who was going to the Grand Gala, but rather who would have a date with Dusk at the Grand Gala. "By the way, since Applejack's time is over, the last turn is to-"
"Me, darling." Rarity said with a proud look, interrupting Rainbow Dash. "Now it's my turn, and I regret to inform all of you that it wouldn't have mattered if you had had a good time with Dusk, after all I have my victory secured with an infallible plan, fufufu..."
"We all failed, what makes you think your plan won’t fail?" Rainbow Dash asked, a little annoyed by her friend's arrogance.
"Well, you were all with Dusk trying to think of how he might like to have a good time with a mare." Rarity replied with arrogance as she approached the library door, turning around one last time to look at her friends. "But I don't have that problem, because I already know how Dusk likes to spend time with a mare he likes!"
The four mares stared at Rarity, confused, while Rarity enjoyed seeing their confusion, knowing that her victory was assured.
"While you watched the others through the window, I had a little talk with Spike, and I asked him if there was someone Dusk liked in Canterlot, and it turns out that yes, there was someone Dusk liked." Rarity added, before the surprised look of her friends. "Now I know what Dusk liked about her, and I'll do exactly the same thing." Finishing that, Rarity came over to knock on the library door.
Dusk was sorting the books in the library, since Applejack had messed up and put some in the wrong places. While he was doing it, all Dusk wanted to do was to go to bed and rest, since he was full of laziness due to his full stomach, besides the huge depression that had been generated by the knowledge that his visitors had left the library annoying, which made him think that he was the worst librarian in the world.
"I just hope the rumors don't spread through Ponyville and it becomes a ghost library..." Dusk said sadly thinking out loud.
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Dusk turned to hear the knock on the door, before having the feeling of knowing who it could be.
"Go ahead." Dusk said with a suspicious look.
Opening the door, Rarity appeared with a tender smile on her face.
"I knew it! Only she was missing, all my friends have been coming one by one, but... What are they all plotting?" Dusk thought, suspecting the strange attitude that his friends are having.
"Hi Dusk!" Rarity greeted cheerfully as she approached Dusk.
"Hi Rarity..." Dusk greeted, looking suspiciously at Rarity, hoping that at any moment she would do something crazy, just like his friends before her. "You... What brings you here?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to see if you were alright." Rarity said, still seeing Dusk affectionately, in a calm and friendly voice. "Tell me, do you need help with anything?"
Dusk opened his eyes in surprise to see how normal and calm Rarity was acting, a totally different attitude from what he expected.
"I... I'm fine, thanks." Dusk responded by returning to his suspicious attitude.
"Very well, then I'll just stay here, watching you be well, ready to help you if you need me." Rarity said with a loving smile.
Dusk couldn't help but blush at the tender smile of Rarity, and more for her kind and calm attitude, worthy of Fluttershy, who on the contrary, had acted very strange that day. So Dusk kept ordering the books while Rarity watched him, just smiling, both without saying anything, which made Dusk somewhat nervous since it wasn't normal of Rarity acting this way, but he didn't complain, as he liked to finally have a moment of tranquility without having the other mares going crazy. Finally, Dusk was able to track the books that Applejack had ordered wrong, cleaned them carefully to remove the spots of hooves that had been left on them, and ordered them where they belonged, thus ending his task.
"Phew... I think I'm done." Dusk said once he put the last book in place, letting himself rest on the floor because his huge stomach full of food demanded it.
"Very good! I congratulate you! You are such a talented foal!" Rarity said smiling, applauding Dusk after seeing that he had finished his work.
"I... uh, hehe, I think so." Dusk said blushing for some reason, thinking it was weird that Rarity called him a 'foal', but easily falling for flattery as he always did.
"Tell me..." asked Rarity who suddenly was approaching Dusk, still smiling. "Would you like me to prepare a hot milk for you? It seems you've eaten a lot and I think a good hot milk would help you relax and make you feel better, what do you say?"
"Eh... I ... yeah, I think maybe it's not a bad idea..." Dusk replied, returning to his suspicious attitude towards Rarity, but not being able to deny what Rarity offered him because it sounded good, besides, the maternal tone Rarity was using, was unconsciously making Dusk more docile.
So, Rarity went to the small kitchen of the library and stayed there for a while until she came back smiling, carrying a small container with her. Then she stood in front of Dusk, with a kind smile.
"Okay, here's the milk, now oooopen up... Here comes the choo-choo train!" Rarity said maternally as she moved the small container that brought the milk inside it, and it was only then that Dusk realized that for some reason Rarity didn't bring the milk in a glass, but in a kind of feeding bottle, moving it from one side to the other until it was close to Dusk's mouth.
"Rarity... What are you doing...?" Dusk asked very confused. "Why are you serving me milk in a feeding bottle?"
"Oh! So you don't drink in a feeding bottle? What a big boy!" Rarity said surprised for a moment but quickly smiling gently again, then she removed the teat that was above, leaving only the bottle. "Here you go, but be careful, it's hot."
"Tha ... Thanks...?" Dusk responded more and more confused, not understanding why Rarity was treating him like a baby.
Once Dusk drank all the milk, which he had to admit had been perfect to relax his heavy stomach, Rarity took the bottle, took it to the kitchen and returned to the main hall, just when the cuckoo clock in the library marked the time of sunset.
"My Celestia, look at the time it is!" Rarity said with a surprised look, turning then to see Dusk. "Well, young colt, it's time to go to bed."
"Uh?" Dusk said completely stunned, just when he had stood up.
"Come on, come on, it's time to go to your room." Rarity said, pulling Dusk up the stairs with her.
"Rarity! What are you doing?! Why do you want to go to my room?!" Dusk said nervously as millions of ideas crossed his mind, all while he was still being pulled by Rarity up the stairs, so nervous to know that this was the first time he was taking a mare to his room that he unconsciously offered no resistance.
So finally, both unicorns reached the top of the stairs and entered Dusk's room, then Rarity closed the curtains and walked over to Dusk's bed, where she sat.
"Come here, it's bedtime." Rarity said with a kind smile.
"What are you talking about?! What do you mean it's bedtime?!" Dusk said completely red with embarrassment.
"Sigh... you're a really stubborn foal, come here." Rarity said with a look of false disgust, using her magic to drag Dusk's hooves and make him come to the bed where she was, both of them sitting in the bed, looking at each other. "Now lie down."
"I-I... You... are you sure...? I... I don't know if I'm ready for this..." Dusk answered completely red, totally nervous, since it seemed that he was going to lose his innocence that night.
"Are you not ready?" Rarity asked confused, then realizing something. "Oh... I know what's missing!"
Then Rarity suddenly embraced Dusk and began stroking his back affectionately. That took Dusk by surprise, he didn't know how to react, he just stood still while Rarity's soft touch calmed him slowly.
"Here it is! Another hug, as warm as ever..." Dusk thought, blushing even more but calming his nerves a little. "But this one is different from all the ones I've given before, this time I'm cuddled in a bed next to a mare, all while she asks me to go to bed. I... Will I be ready for that? Or rather, could I reject her when she embraces me in this way? I... I don't think I can reject her..."
"Rarity, I-BURP!!" Dusk began to speak tenderly before being interrupted by his own loud belching, which caused all his romantic thoughts to vanish.
"There it is! What a good baby you are! Do you feel better already?" Rarity asked as she stopped hugging Dusk and looking at him with the same motherly smile she had been having all this time.
"Eh?" Dusk asked totally confused, not understanding what Rarity was talking about, and even more confused to hear that she had said 'baby'.
"Now, little foal, do you want me to read you a bedtime story?" Rarity said holding the same loving smile.
"Eh?!" Dusk asked again, louder, more and more confused and stupefied.
"Oh... It seems you're confused, let's see! Who is the cutest foal in the world? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!" Rarity said fondly, squeezing Dusk's cheeks as if she were a mother and Dusk her little baby.
"EH...!!?" Dusk said again, even louder, more confused than ever about what was happening.
"STOP THERE, YOU TWO!" Rainbow Dash yelled suddenly, slamming the door of the room while the four mares and Spike entered the room. "Rarity... What were you and Dusk doing alone in his room?!"
"Oh! Don't worry, I was just making little Dusk sleep." Rarity said soothing her friend, understanding immediately what she and her other friends must have thought when she was alone with Dusk in his room. "Don't worry, I won’t break our deal."
"What...? What deal are you talking about?" Dusk asked, totally confused, not knowing anything nor understanding what all his friends were doing in his room.
"Well, that's enough." Spike said, who had become as nervous as the mares when he saw Rarity come up to the room with Dusk. "The last turn was from Rarity, so it's about time that Dusk knows everything that happens."
Then Spike began to explain to Dusk everything that happened after breakfast, when the Princess sent him the two tickets saying that Dusk needs to go to the Grand Gala obligatorily and that he needs to attend with a companion, about how his friends arguing about who deserved to go to the Gala, and how they finally reached an agreement to see who had a better time with Dusk so that at the end of the day he would decide who to go with. While the dragon explained, the five mares just stared down, glancing sideways at Dusk, not knowing if Dusk would get mad at them for their little contest or their way of acting that day. Finally, after Spike finished speaking, Dusk just remained silent, with a thoughtful face while he was ordering in his mind all that new information, arranging it in the day to make it fit with what he had live with, and putting in order all the questions that still needed answers.
"Okay... I think I understand..." Dusk finally said after a long silence. "So, all of you have acted strange with me today because everyone wanted to make me feel good today, isn't it? Knowing that, the first question that comes to my mind is: What the hay was Rarity trying to do? I mean, I think I understood what Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack tried to do, but I don't understand at all what you tried to do!" Dusk finished, looking at Rarity.
"Oh! Well... I spoke with Spike and he told me that in Canterlot there was a mare you were in love with, and that she took care of you, played with you, fed you, and treated you as if you were the cutest foal in the world." Rarity replied smiling.
Dusk looked annoyed at Spike for a second and then he looked back at Rarity with a face of shame.
"W-Well, that's because... I was in love... with my foal-sitter." Dusk said as he blushed.
"Your foal-sitter?!" Rarity said surprised and scared.
"Yeah, but it was a long time ago... Although she really was a very special mare... so pretty... B-But all those things that Spike said she did for me, she did when I was a foal!" Dusk answered very ashamed to have to explain who his first love was, then he looked back at Spike and started arguing with the dragon for being a loose mouth, while the dragon asked for forgiveness, without admitting that he had been exposed to the charms of Rarity when she asked him about that.
"Hey, Rarity, how come you didn't realize it was his foal-sitter?" Pinkie Pie asked, whispering to Rarity.
"I don't know, be treated like a baby... I thought maybe it was some strange fetish, hehe." Rarity replied ashamed, also whispering so that only Pinkie Pie could hear her say something so embarrassing.
After Dusk finished scolding Spike, he looked back at his friends, ready to face the doubt that was still in the air, the most difficult to answer.
"Well, back to the important issue, there's something I have to tell you about the tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." Dusk said looking serious, looking at his friends who also looked at him expectantly. "The truth is I don't want to go to the Gala, I don't care about going to that type of social gathering at all, and if I could, I would give my ticket to one of you so that at least two of you could enjoy the Gala, since after everything you did today, it's obvious that you five do want to go to that Gala. Having said that, I can only say, that I MUST go, if Princess Celestia personally sent me a letter saying that I must to attend, I can't excuse myself from going, I always follow everything the Princess tells me, since she's not only a royal princess, but my teacher, and despite everything, I obey and respect her, and that's why even though it hurts me to leave four of you without the option to go to the Gala, I'll have to choose out of all of you who will get the extra ticket."
At that moment Dusk stopped, he had his mouth dry while a cold sweat ran down his back, he continued to see his friends and they looked at him closely. He wanted to make everyone hapyy so much, but he knew that no matter what happened, he would only make one of them happy and the other four unhappy, so, although he knew that he should obey the dictates of his teacher, his heart faltered at the hard task before him and began to decide.
"I-I..." Dusk began to tremble, ready to say a name. "I... I think I'll go with-"
BURP!
A sudden belching from Spike took away all the tension at that moment, making the six ponies look towards Spike and saw what he had on his feet, because of that famous belching of Spike had become his well-known magical flame, of which a scroll jumped out, that could only mean that it came from a pony. However, Spike's fire was not the only surprise that happened, since as soon as the scroll sprang from Spike's flame, one of the golden tickets that Spike still held, vanished by magic with a golden glow, as if a certain alicorn that had a golden magic aura would have made it disappear.
Dusk immediately went to take the scroll, opened it and read:
"Dear Dusk.
I just realized that you don't only have one mare to invite, but five, and it would be very cruel of me to make you invite only one, so here I’ve sent you the necessary tickets so that all of your friends can attend.
You bid farewell affectionately, Princess Celestia."
As soon as Dusk finished reading the letter and opened the scroll completely, five gold tickets fell out of the letter. Everypony immediately understood what they were and what had happened.
"This... This is great! Now everyone can attend! Isn't this magnificent!? Princess, thank you very much!" Dusk said cheerfully, speaking up as if the Princess could hear him, taking the five golden tickets between his hooves.
The five mares, who had been surprised with everything that happened, smiled like Dusk, all happy since now they could all go to the Grand Gala with Dusk, because although they all thought they would have loved to be on a date alone with Dusk, all of them preferred to leave aside a probable date with Dusk in order to see their friends also fulfill their dreams of going to the Gala. However, although everyone was happy with the situation, their joy was giving way to doubt, and even fear, because before the letter arrived with the extra tickets, apparently Dusk had made a decision, he was going to choose one of them to accompany him to the Gala! But then... Who did he choose?! The five mares looked at each other with worried looks, all knowing that they were thinking the same thing, the five almost ran out of air due to the suspense of knowing that Dusk was going to choose, all of them wanting to be chosen but at the same time not wanting Dusk's decision to hurt the others. It was only then that a great question arose in all the mares, one that filled them with doubts and worry: Would they be able to stand to see Dusk choosing one of them at the expense of the others? The truth is that none of them knew that in that moment, and therefore, with their eyes, they realized that perhaps for the moment it was best not to know who would have been chosen, at least for now, because they knew that the answer could easily break the joy of the moment, where the six ponies simply should be happy to go together to the Grand Galloping Gala.
While the mares thought about the situation, Dusk approached them and gave each one a golden ticket, immediately the mares left all those thoughts that tormented them aside, being happy as soon as each one of them had their respective invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala. Then they all smiled to see the tickets that had been delivered, reading with joy the part in which is said, 'Invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala', which meant that finally they had been invited to the most prestigious Equestrian party. However the happy face of the mares changed radically when each one read what was written at the end of the ticket, where they all put a face of surprise and depression when they read where it said 'Title' next to the dotted space to fill, it appeared crossed out 'Dusk Shine's special mare' and under that appeared in capital letters 'Dusk Shine's FRIEND', then the five mares lowered their heads resigned, realizing the cruel joke that the Princess was doing at that precise moment , who, like the day the Princess confirmed that the magic of the elements was the magic of FRIENDSHIP, now she was rubbing it in their faces again, that they were just friends of Dusk, it was as if Princess Celestia was having fun with their mistakes of it being ‘love’.
Finally, seeing that the sun had already disappeared giving way to the night, the five mares withdrew from Dusks house, each carrying their precious ticket, ready to go with Dusk to a dream night in few months. Meanwhile, after saying goodbye, Spike went to the kitchen to prepare something before bed while Dusk stayed in the doorway, watching his friends go away, happy in a way that the crazy day had ended, although it seems that these crazy days were becoming a habit here in Ponyville.
While Dusk watched the mares walk away, he couldn't help but smile as he remembered all the follies they had tried to do, just to try to make him have a good time, stopping at the memory of Rarity and how she had inadvertently been acting as a foal-sitter with him.
"It's funny... I used to think a lot about her, but since I got to Ponyville I hadn't even thought about her." Dusk thought, remembering his foal-sitter, his first crush.
Then Dusk closed his eyes and imagined himself entering the Grand Galloping Gala with his foal-sitter, the most beautiful mare of all Equestria. Dusk walking through the halls of the castle, approaching Princess Celestia, there he was smiling for how happy he was in that moment, then he looked at his side to see the beautiful face of his date, but for some reason he couldn't visualize the beautiful face with which he had dreamed so many times, instead, he saw Pinkie Pie, putting that smile that always cheered his heart, along with Rarity, as beautiful and elegant as ever, along with Applejack, who looked at him with her honest and deep green eyes, there was also Fluttershy, who always exuded a relaxing aura of kindness to everyone around her, and next to her was Rainbow Dash, smiling at him with confidence, letting him know that he could always count on her...
It was then that Dusk opened his eyes, surprised at what he had imagined.
"What was that...?" Dusk said confused, thinking aloud, with his heart racing and his cheeks blushed. "I was imagining my ideal partner... Why did I start thinking about my friends...?"
After realizing what he was imagining, Dusk remembered something that had made him nervous that afternoon, what Bon-Bon had said before leaving the library.
"Now that I think about it, I got nervous for no reason, that mare was wrong, it was not that they were interested in me... All those crazy things were because they wanted to win the ticket." Dusk said thinking aloud, for some reason, with a melancholy look. "Of course, we are just friends, we could never be anything else... we are just... friends..." Dusk finished saying a little uncomfortable, not understanding how he felt at that moment.
"They are so great... They deserve the best! And I... I certainly am not. I... I'll always be their friend, but that's not bad, isn't it?" Dusk thought trying to cheer himself up, while his low self-esteem and complex mind played tricks on him.
In the highest tower of the Canterlot's castle, was the always strong and elegant figure, the magnanimous princess Celestia, solemn, elegant, imposing... or at least that is how she should have been.
"Pfft! Hahahaha!" The white alicorn laughed without being able to contain her laughter anymore, covering her mouth with her hooves to try in vain not to laugh at what she saw. "It was definitely worth taking my free day! I can't get their cute little confused faces out of my mind, they're so tender and cute! Just like my dear Dusk." After saying that, Celestia remembered that she was alone in that place, so she moved the hoof that covered her mouth and laughed calmly without restrictions, taking advantage of the fact that she was alone and that she could be herself while nopony saw her, leaving aside her serious and imperturbable attitude.
Celestia had spent all day in the 'Watchtower balcony', a balcony on the highest terrace of the castle, which was characterized by only having a large golden telescope, which was only allowed to be use by the Princess, and that wasn’t for nothing, because with that telescope, an ancient relic from the ancient times, added to the alicorn magic, it could be used to see at a great distance, all over Equestria, it could even see through doors and walls, revealing to its user everything that the eye couldn't see. This telescope was used on very rare occasions, only in the face of great threats that could threaten the kingdom, or when the princess wanted to spy on someone very dear to have fun, which had happened only a couple of times, since although Celestia liked to have fun secretly, she respected the privacy of her ponies, however, now that she had this day off, and after Spike had sent her the letter saying that he would go to the Grand Galloping Gala instead of Dusk, she couldn't avoid the chance to see Dusk's darling friends with her telescope and seeing their reactions when they saw that the ticket she sent said 'Dusk Shine's special mare', something that wasn’t done randomly, since she wanted to see how much fun Dusk's new friends could give her, and fortunately for her, the mares exceeded her expectations. Seeing the shy pegasus trying to act like her friends; seeing the pink pony irritating Dusk with her music; watching the rainbow-mane pegasus try to approach Dusk by reading and see how everything turned upside down for her; seeing the country mare fill Dusk with food until he burst, and see the elegant mare treat Dusk like a baby... Celestia saw everything! And with each action of the mares, the Princess laughed more.
"I really can't believe that Rarity made him burp like a baby! Hahaha!" Celestia laughed as she watched with the telescope through the walls of the Ponyville library. "Gosh, I don't think she even realized how close she was to making Dusk fall, if she had realized the effect that hug had on Dusk, she would have done something different and Dusk would have definitely fallen for her charms..."
"Sister! Why are you laughing?!" Princess Luna's voice suddenly said, abruptly opening the balcony door where her sister was. "I heard you before opening the door! It's not fair! You left me all that paperwork for the whole day just to come here and have fun!"
"That's not true, Luna, I just thought you should get used to the administrative tasks since from now on we'll reign together." Celestia said solemnly, lying as best as possible so that her sister wouldn't realize that she had just left everything to have a day off, since she hasn't had one for years.
"Don't lie to me, I know your liar's face..." Luna said reproachfully, taking a moment to clear her anger, finally sighing for a long time. "Huff... well, it doesn't matter anymore, at least today you didn't have scheduled audiences, you know I don't like to appear in this form, I don't want to appear in public until I have recovered all my magic and my true appearance."
Luna approached her older sister, who was still looking through the telescope.
"So you still have that relic... You know you shouldn't spy on others." Luna said with a false look of annoyance but seeing that her sister was so focused on the telescope, she got curious. "And by the way, what are you seeing that makes you so funny?"
"Oh, I'm just watching my dear student and his friends." Celestia said while continuing to watch through the telescope.
"Dusk Shine!?" Luna said with her cheeks slightly blushed. "Is that the reason why you've been laughing? Are you playing one of your jokes on him and his friends?"
"Something like that, I forced him to attend this year's Grand Galloping Gala with a couple." Celestia said, smiling mischievously. "All her friends did their best to get Dusk's attention, it was really funny! But now Dusk is finally about to choose one, I wonder who he'll choose as a couple... "
Upon hearing that, Luna bit her lip, looking in the direction of Ponyville. The blue alicorn thought for a moment with a nervous glance, until a brilliant idea came to her.
"S-Sister... If you enjoy so much seeing them, then why will you end your fun?" Luna said smiling nervously.
"What do you mean?" Celestia said finally lifting her eye from the telescope to look at her sister.
"I mean, if Dusk Shine chooses a mare, then that'll be the end, your fun will be over." Luna responded feigning disinterest. "Wouldn't it be more fun if Dusk still doesn't choose a mare?"
Celestia remained pensive for a second until she finally spoke.
"You're right!" Celestia said realizing that her sister was right. Then she used her magic to appear a scroll with five golden tickets, then she wrote something at lightning speed and sent the letter, disappearing it with her magic.
The white alicorn came quickly to the telescope again and waited a few seconds.
"Hahaha! Look at those faces! They are so tender when they are confused by the love they feel for Dusk..." Celestia said laughing as she looked through the telescope. "You were absolutely right Luna, after all, Dusk'll soon realize what they feel for him, and what he feels for them, but until then, I think it would be best not to interfere, I'll just have fun watching the show, hehe."
"Yes... I think the best thing is for Dusk Shine to go on alone... at least until he finds the mare of his dreams." Luna said, speaking more to herself than to her sister, blushing when she mentioned and remembered Dusk.
# End of chapter 24