//------------------------------//
// The Gala Part 1 
// Story: Spike Pie 
// by Silver Butcher 
//------------------------------//

Spike and Pinkie were moving at top speed, the Gala was in less than a few hours and they were panicking slightly.
"Spike wheres your tux jacket?" Pinkie demanded as she quickly filled a backpack with a large number of random snacks.
"Rarity said Opal tore a hole in the sleeve," He replied as he tried to put his Wing-pack on over his suit, "said it should be finished before the carriage ride." Pinkie looked at the time.
"Oh, Maud and Marble will be here in a few minutes and we still have to meet with Aloe and Lotus for lunch on the train," Pinkie groaned "I wish we could have all just eaten here, oh of all the times for Mrs.Cake to go into labor it had to be today!"
"I know!" Spike replied with a groan "now the entire time we're at the gala I'm gonna be thinking of cute baby foals!" Pinkie suddenly changed tunes and jumped on Spike's back as he just managed to clip his bag on.
"You think they'll have twins, or Triplets, or a Quartet,"
"Oh, that would be the best!" Spike replied with a smile "Oh no what if they have twin boys, does that mean I owe you a hundred bits?" As the two continued to panic and contemplate they hurriedly made up their room for a sleepover for six, just in case Aloe, Lotus, Maud, and Marble were all too tired after the Gala to go home right away. 
"This is gonna be epic!" Pinkie cheered "Just imagine, the greatest party of the year!"
"I'm imagining it!" Spike cheered hopping in place "It's gonna be-Mauds here!" Spike instantly bailed out the open window and landed on the ground in front of Sugar Cube corner with a small mushroom cloud of dust, once it cleared he and Pinkie were standing in wait, without a speck of dust on either of them.
"You two look very dapper," Maud noted as she looked them over, Pinkie had a had and a pink dress with a white frill around the middle sporting Lollipops and Candy corn. Spike was wearing a Green undershirt Covered in Bubbles and Ballons along with Purple pants and a bowtie around the Spade of his tail. Maud was wearing a Blue Dress covered in specks of white, grey, and fading blue. Marble was wearing a Black dress and had her mane tied back in a bow.
"Limestone make you do that?" Spike asked when he noticed Marble's mane.
"Mhh," She replied simply.
"Really?" Pinkie asked with shock.
"Mhh," Marble replied with a smile.
"Wow, I'm proud of you," Maud deadpanned as the 4 made their way to the train where they were meeting Aloe and Lotus for Dinner.
The Spa Twins had beaten the Pie's to the Train and were having their table set up for 6, they were having problems of their own, unfortunately, try as they might a few colts were trying their hardest to score the seats around the two mares.
"This seat taken?" A Colt dressed in a black tux with gold trimmings asked.
"Yes," Lotus and Aloe said in unison.
"Oh come now," The colt said as he pulled out the seat "I'm confident you'll love my company, I have a very Wealthy personality," The colt smiled as he pulled on his golden tie.
"We don't care how Wealthy your personality is," Lotus said as she put her hoof around the chair and forced it back into place "These chairs are reserved, and this table is taken, so kindly leave," The Colt huffed and turned away from them.
"Whatever, I'll go find some more natural-looking mares to sit beside," The Colt stuck his tongue out before adding "And to give my spare Gala tickets to," The Colt stood in place his hoof to his ear, clearly expecting them to call him back in a hurry,"
"Good," Aloe said simply "Now get lost," The Colt looked back in shock.
"Um, hello," He said irritably "I just said spare Gala tickets, as in the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"Yeah, we heard," Lotus said looking back at the colt irritably "We simply don't care in the slightest," The colt's nostrils flared.
"Listen here girl," he stared when he was shoved to the side most rudely.
"Opps," Spike said with a shrug as the Colt fell onto his side "Did I do that?"
"Oh dear," Pinkie agreed "Should we help him up?"
"Naw," Maud decided.
"Mhh," Marble agreed, the 4 made their way to the table and took their seats, Maud by the window, Aloe next to Maud, Spike next to Aloe, Marble in the other window seat, Lotus next to Marble, Pinkie next to Lotus.
"Wonder what's on the menu?" Spike said as he picked up his menu, only for the Colt to return and smack the menu out of Spike's hand and Slam his other hoof on Pinkie's menu.
"Listen here you Reptile " He pointed to himself "I am a very important colt, and can easily have your scaley ass deported back to the Dragon lands, so why don't you apologize to me by giving me your seat, and if your friends here," He gave Pinkie a look that made her want to throw-up "are enjoyable enough company, I might forgive your transgressions," The Colt moved his hoof and pointed behind him with his hoof "So what do you say?"
"Who are you?" Spike asked in confusion "are you the guy we knocked over?" The Colt was steaming as Spike looked to Pinkie, who shrugged, the other 4 mares at the table where all giving the colt a death glare.
"I'm usually pretty good at picking out a face," Pinkie said as she looked the colt in the eye for a moment, suddenly her ears perked. "I Got it! Your Ocean Fog!"
"Ah, a Mare with taste," Ocean said with a smile "So now that we have rank sorted out-"
"Oh man," Pinkie said with a laugh cutting him off "Spike you remember Ocean Fog, His dad's birthday was last month on the 8th," Ocean looked shocked but Spike laughed and said loudly.
"Oh Yeah! Good old Bellow Bloom!" Suddenly, as if summoned by magic, an older looking colt with the most spectacular of mustaches was next to the table, "Speak of the devil!" Spike cheered when he saw the old colt, he had a sour look on his face but it lightened up when he saw Spike and Pinkie.
"Spike old chap!" He bellowed in an echoing voice "So good to see you again, And Pinkie old girl, how's that pet Alligator of your's doing?"
"Bellow!" Spike cheered as he shook the old colt's hoof "It's great to see you!"
"And Gummies doing fantastic!" Pinkie added as she shook the colt's hoof. "How's your leg doing?"
"Oh this old thing," Bellow asked as he held up his left back leg, revealing it to be mostly wooden "I almost forgot it was gone, this old Procteic you got me's been working like a wonder!" Bellow's smile suddenly turned so sour the group could almost taste it, His eye's shifted to the side as he eyed his son, who was trying to sneak away as fast as he could. "Ocean," He said in a tone that almost made Maud wince, "Come here now," Ocean was instantly back at his father's side, shacking as he stood, Bellow turned to Pinkie and instantly his tone and face shifted. 
"Pinkie I do hope you'll be able to make it next month for the misses' birthday, she was feeling a wee bit off so she gave her ticket to our son," Ocean shook under his father's gaze as his tone of voice got more bitter with each word. "Who has thus far embarrassed me in front of many old friends a total of 8 times," Bellow turned to Pinkie who was smiling.
"Of course!" Pinkie cheered "I wouldn't miss Sea Frost's birthday for the world!"
"Wonderful," Bellow said before tipping a none existent hat at her and to Spike, who mimicked his actions.  "Come now boy," Belloe said angrily, "I think you and I need to have another serious chat," The group watched as Ocean was dragged out of the train car by his father, the second Bellow turned his back to them Pinkie and Spike were looking back at the menu like nothing had even happened.
"Oh, they have cake," Spike cheered as Aloe stared at him in awe.
"Spike that was amazing," She said with a shine in her eye.
"How did you guys meet that guy?" Lotus added.
"Oh we were in Manehattan throwing a party for a child, and he was a friend of the guy who's foalsat a foal who was attending the party." Pinkie smiled at Lotus before pointing to the menu "Oh hey, they have chips and queso with optional hot sauce,"
"Sold!" Spike and Maud said in unison, Spike turned away from his menu to wave at Applejack, who was sitting a few tables away with the rest of the Mane 6 and Owlishious.
"So..." Aloe said as Spike turned his attention back to the Menu "Spike...we're going to the gala together...that's pretty-"
"Awesome?" Pinkie asked Spike jumped at the word.
"Amazing?" he interjected, "Not only are we going to the Gala with most of our family-" Spike and Pinkie in unison pulled Aloe and Lotus into a hug respectably, making the two blush. "-But we also get to go with two of our favorite ponies, and the best Spa ponies in Equestria!" Aloe was glowing red as she just sat back at let Spike hug her, Lotus patted Pinkie on the back, earing a bigger hug for her efforts before the two turned back to their menus.
"I'm...I'm one of your favorite ponies?" Aloe asked, glowing bright red.
"Of course," Spike cheered as he looked over the menu, Pinkie chimed in and turned to Lotus.
"Not very many ponies would shut down their business for a day just to take care of us," The Twins sat in silence as the two Pies began arguing over what to get on the menu.
"Favorite ponies?" Aloe whispered before getting lightly pat on the back by Maud.
"There's a slim chance they say that to everypony they know," Maud whispered "But if it makes you feel better, you're the first pony I've heard him say that to who was neither related to him or a Wonderbolt," Aloe turned to Maud, who was sipping on a thermos as she looked over the menu, before looking back at Spike who was now having a staring contest with Pinkie for some reason or another, Aloe's cheeks glew pink as she looked at him.
"Favorite pony," She repeated with a smile.