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The Best Night Ever – Part 3
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Alex poked his head out the window of the Carriage and scratched his head, at the huge number of ponies singing and dancing on their way into the Gala.
“How do ponies do this?” Alex asked Spike as she took one last look in the mirror before stepping off.
“What do you mean?” Spike asked, walking over him and watching along.
“I mean… There are like four different songs being sung right now, all by different ponies, to different tunes and tempos…” Alex said incredulously, “Do they practice? Or do the words just COME to them?”
“Sometimes we sing,” Spike shrugged, “The words just come to you. Maybe you should try sometime.”
“Maybe not,” Alex said, shaking his head as he stepped off the carriage, “Not much of a singer.”
“I hear you singing along to your I-thingy all the time,” Spike said.
“Yeah, but that’s Elton John, or Peter Cetera,” Alex said, watching Dash fly around while she sang a verse of her own, “I’m no improviser.”
“You’ll see when the time comes,” Spike said, bumping Alex on the shoulder, “I was the same.”
Deciding to be silent and listen to the song, Alex had to admit that it was good. Suddenly, he realized something else. Where was the instrumental coming from?
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“So what’s the game plan?” Alex asked as they all assembled in the lobby.
“We’re going to dance!” Dash said, speaking up before he could talk again, “No shenanigans!”
“Right!” Alex said obediently, “Okay! Let’s go!”
The two promptly walked off, leaving everypony to discuss the rest of the night themselves.
“Oh look!” Twilight smiled, “There’s Princess Celestia and Luna!”
“Princess!” Applejack called, getting Luna’s attention.
“Applejack! Fellow ponies from Ponyville!” Luna said happily, trotting over to them, “How goes the gala for you?”
“We just arrived,” Twilight said, “Have you seen Prince Blueblood anywhere?”
Luna frowned, “Why do you wish his company?”
“We have a little bet going on,” Twilight explained, winking, “See who can pick him up first.”
“I would advise against that,” Luna said seriously, “He has… a reputation.”
“Don’t worry about us,” Twilight smiled, “We’re big girls.”
“If you insist,” Luna said, frowning a bit.
“Hey Luna!” Scootaloo called, running into the room in a purple dress, and matching flower, “Oh, hey guys!”
“Hello Scootaloo,” Fluttershy smiled, “What’re you doing here?”
“Luna invited me and the rest of the Crusaders to the gala!” She smiled, “Hey, where’s Rainbow—“
“S-Sweetie Belle is here?!” Rarity asked quickly.
“Yeah!” Scootaloo smiled, “She’s over there having an eating contest with Apple Bloom!”
Rarity looked over to a table covered in food and gasped in horror at the two girls with their faces buried in a plate of chocolate cake.
“Tis’ fine, Rarity!” Luna laughed, “I’d be right there with them, if I were allowed.”
Rarity smiled strangely at Luna, not wanting to look stuck up in front of the Princess who would rather be participating in an eating contest, rather than be at a formal event.
“Hey, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle shouted, as every pony between them looked from her to her sister, “I got to come too!”
Rarity pretended she didn’t hear her.
“Your sister calls, Rarity!” Luna said, “Don’t you hear her?”
“I do…” Rarity sighed, turning around to the cake-covered little girl, as Apple Bloom passed her, to see her own sister.
“Isn’t this great?!” Sweetie beamed, “We should hang out all night!”
“Oh… I don’t know…” Rarity said, looking at her friends, as they all held back laughter at her uncomfortable situation, “Alright, Sweetie, but we simply must clean your face off first! Princess, where is the nearest ladies room?”
“Allow me,” Luna smiled, “I’ll take you up to my personal chambers.”
“Oh! That’s not necessary!” Rarity said quickly, “We can use—“
“I insist,” She said, gesturing to the staircase behind her, “Please follow me.”
Deciding not to argue whatsoever, Rarity followed behind the Princess, holding her breath in anticipation of seeing the royal bathroom, “I’ll be one minute, Spike.”
“Sure thing,” He said, trying not to laugh at her.
“Would you like to join us, Applejack?” Luna asked, remembering Apple Bloom was also messy.
“We’re fine here!” She smiled, “Ah’ got enough spit to fix’er up!”
“Aww… Sis!” Apple Bloom whined, as Applejack spat on her hoof, and scrubbed Apple Blooms face with it.
“Wow!” Pinkie said, poking Apple Blooms face to collect some icing and licking it off her hoof, “It tastes just like what the Cakes use!”
“I bought their recipe for use in the castle,” Celestia said, having somehow snuck up on all of them, “It simply took too long to have them shipped to the castle.”
“Oh, princess!” Twilight said, “Have you seen Prince Blueblood?”
Celestia frowned, just as Luna had, “Why ever are you looking for him?”
“I’m gonna pick him up,” Twilight said proudly.
“Twilight, I would advise against that,” Celestia said, seriously.
“It’s a contest!” Applejack cut in, “We jus’ wanna see who’s best at pickin’ up colts!”
“And… Who is participating in this game?” Celestia asked.
“Me!” Pinkie jumped up.
“I am too,” Twilight said.
“Ah’m in on it,” Applejack said.
“And me…” Fluttershy whispered.
“I’m not,” Spike said.
Now, Celestia strongly considered herself to be a level-headed pony that gave excellent advice. But, there was the conflict here. One between her adult, serious exterior, and her somewhat silly, troll-like attitude.
On one hoof, she didn’t want Blueblood being rude to any of them, or heaven forbid actually take advantage of any of them.
On the other hoof… She wanted to see this play out.
“Well, just be careful,” Celestia winked, “He can be a devil.”
“Got it!” The three of them said, while Fluttershy muttered an ‘okay’ quietly.
“Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I need to greet the guests as they arrive,” Celesta said politely.
“Of course Princess!” Twilight smiled, “See you in a bit.”
“Alright everypony!” Twilight said to her friends, “Good luck!”
“Ah’ don’t need luck!” Applejack said confidently, “Ah’ll have him wrapped around mah hoof in minutes!”
“Not if I do first!” Twilight grinned confidently.
“There he is!” Pinkie called, pointing to the stallion as he exited the lobby, and went outside.
The three looked to each other, before all taking off at once to try and catch him first.
Spike just watched them climb over one another to try and reach him first.
“Geez, those ponies…” Spike said, looking Fluttershy said, she hung her head a bit, “You going, Shy?”
“Yeah…” She sighed, “I guess.”
“Sounds like you’re excited, huh?” Spike smiled softly.
“Oh no, not one bit!” She said as upset-sounding as she could, “But I promised I would…”
“Just give it a try, Fluttershy,” Spike said, not even noticing his rhyme, “Worst case, he thinks you’re too introverted, and decides not to spend more time with you.”
“I guess…” She said, perking up a bit, “Then I can move on to the animals in the garden!”
“Right!” Spike said, “You’d better hurry, so you can get it over with, right?”
“Right!” She nodded determinedly, “Thanks for helping me out, Spike.”
“No problem,” Spike smiled, “Just have a good night.”
“You know,” She said, walking past him, “Rarity was right. You have grown up!”
“Thanks,” Spike said, hiding his blush, “I means a lot to hear it.”
“You’re welcome!” She said, as she walked away from him, “Have a good night, Spike!”
“I will!” He called back as she disappeared into a crowd, leaving him alone, waiting for Rarity to return.
“Would you look at who it is,” A familiar voice said from behind him, “I should have known you and your friends would have been here.”
“Ramsley!”
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“Is this good enough for you?” Alex asked, as they swayed along to the slow music, “Am I being normal enough?”
Alex had always been a bit worried he might slow dance the wrong way, when it came down to it. However, it was always so simple. Just rest your chin on your partners neck, or their upper back, depending on their size. But, that was a side effect of coming into this world so late. He was always afraid he was doing things wrong.
“You’re getting there,” She said, adjusting his head a bit to be a bit more comfortable.
“So…” Alex said, not wanting to have an awkward silence pop up, or anything, “What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t know…” Dash said, thinking for a moment, “Why don’t you tell me about your home?”
“Earth?” Alex asked, “You’re really interested in hearing more?”
“Yeah!” She said, honestly “Wouldn’t you want to hear about Equestria, if I showed up on earth one day with no explanation?”
“I guess,” Alex admitted, focusing on his feet, so he didn’t trip, “What do you want to know?”
“Tell me about your house,” Dash said, picking it out of her head randomly, “What did your room look like?”
“Well…” Alex said, thinking to himself, “It wasn’t much. A bed, a few dressers, a television and a few game consoles.”
“I want to see those things!” Dash said, “They sound like so much fun!”
“Video games?” Alex asked, not wanting to sound like a nerd, but realizing that she probably wouldn’t pick up on it anyway, “I used to spend a lot of my free time on them.”
“If you ever find a way back there, I want to come with you and try one,” She smiled, picturing herself having the time of her life.
“Well, that’s if you don’t turn into a horse when you come over,” Alex said.
“I’m a pony!” She said quickly, “Not a horse!”
“Well… Either way, I’d have to keep you in the stable,” Alex teased.
“Do you want to get kicked right here?” Dash asked.
“Do it,” Alex whispered in her ear, “Ruin the whole night!”
Sighing, she closed her eyes, and continued to dance.
“What else can I tell you,” Alex said to himself, “Um… School!”
“Right!” She said, “How is that?”
“Terrible.” Alex said, “Nothing like the schools here.”
“Explain it to me!” She asked quickly.
“Well, okay,” He said, making a small list of points in his head to cover, “It all starts in gym class…”
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