Several weeks had passed since my return to Ponyville and dinner with the Apples, most of it spent at the edge of the Everfree searching for any connection in the forest with Norrath. Sadly, there had been no signs of anything even close to being able to open a portal back home so I took to reading any and every book in Twilight's library in the hopes of finding out a way to send Lutano and I back. Speaking of, he had been allowed back to Ponyville after a week and we had set up a kind of routine to help with the apple orchard, where I would heal or grow trees and he would carry the baskets of apples. The present time found me sitting on a cloud over Ponyville in my pegasus form, watching the town go about it's normal business without a care in the world.
For a while I sat in peace, thankful that there was only one pegasus that there was even a chance of looking for me and she was busy for the day... or so she said. Unfortunately my peace wasn't meant to be as a few minutes later I heard shouting as well as a mass of hoof steps. Looking over the edge of the cloud, I spot Twilight running from a mob of ponies and I can't help but chuckle. Even without knowing the reason, the whole thing just struck me as funny since I knew that the Equestrians were extreme pacifists so there wasn't any actual threat.
To my surprise, Twilight was run into an alley but once cornered teleported herself and Spike who had been riding on her back. Sighing to myself, I stand and unfurl my wings. I knew this was going to ruin my rest but curiosity of what could rile up so many ponies just wouldn't let me be. Jumping from the cloud, I glide toward the library and again chuckle at the discovery I had made a few days ago. While I was from another world, the magic of this one gave my pegasus form the same abilities as the pegasi in Equestria. Being a druid that didn't mean a whole lot but it was amusing to sit on clouds when they shouldn't be able to hold me. Landing outside of the library, I push on the door but when it doesn't budge, I frown slightly. 'I guess being chased really got to her.' Rather than knock, I just walk into the door and step out into the library where I found Twilight surrounded by her friends.
Blinking at the sight, I notice two golden tickets held in a purple aura and Twilight looking at her friends with a nearly heartbroken expression. Before I could speak, Twilight broke down and said she couldn't choose who to give her second ticket to because she didn't want to hurt any of her other friends by not choosing them to go to the Gala with her. After seeing all of them begin to look regretful, I give a light cough. "I'm not exactly knowledgeable about this place yet but maybe I can help? What is the Gala?"
Twilight glances at me for a second and answers after recovering from the surprise of me appearing in the room. "It's an event held by the princesses in Canterlot, it's very hard to get into and only a select group of ponies are invited."
I frown slightly. "The event is held by the princesses, one of whom is your mentor.... correct?" When Twilight nods, I chuckle slightly. "Than ask for more tickets. If the princess can invite who she wants, I am sure that her student can get a few extra tickets for her friends."
Twilight shakes her head. "It would be rude to ask for more when she has already given me this much. I can't ask that of her... what would she think?"
Mentally groaning, I almost wished I was in my true form so I could face palm. "I'm sure she would understand that you would want to go with all your friends, not just one. Send a letter at least asking if it would be possible to get more, if she says no than send the two you have back and stay here with your friends because honestly, I can't see how anyone would enjoy going to an event in a large city like that. Especially if they are all royals like I believe them to be based off your description."
Twilight is silent for a second before sighing and nodding her head slightly. "Ok, I'll have Spike send her a letter." Before she could turn to ask Spike to write it down for her, there was a soft crackle from flames and we all looked at Spike who had a claw outstretched.
Smiling sheepishly, Spike shrugs. "What? We all knew it was going to happen at some point so I wrote the letter earlier."
Chuckling to myself, I shake my head. "The baby dragon realized this before any of you... It's kind of funny that a child realized what none of you did almost immediately." Before anyone could retort, Spike belched fire and a scroll with the mark of Celestia on it materialized.
Opening the letter, Spike began to read aloud. "Dear Twilight, I am sorry for not sending all of the tickets the first time. A few had fallen out of the last letter as I was interrupted before I could send it. I hope to see all of you at the Gala as well as Lutano and Sarikasin who have tickets as well."
Blinking a couple of times, it took a minute for what was said to fully register. Shaking my head, I glare at the letter. "Wait a second, she wants me to attend the gala even after telling her how much I hate cities? She is just asking for some kind of disaster to happen." Turning back into my true form, I clench my hands into fists and the wood floor of the library begins to tremble. "It was bad enough being there just with the princesses but I refuse to go when there will be hundreds of others there as well."
Struggling to keep their feet, it was Applejack who finally gained enough balance to speak. "What in tarnation has ya so worked up about goin to Canterlot? Ah understand ya don't like cities but what could be so bad?"
Forcing myself to calm down and release my power, the floor smoothed out. "Druids as a whole dislike cities and avoid them because our magic is alive. If we spend too much time there, our magic will take over and kill us after destroying most if not all of whatever city we are in to make room for nature to fill the void caused by cities. Even if that wasn't the case, I don't like being around more people than I have to be."
Applejack frowns slightly. "Ah still don't get it. What is yer problem with crowds?"
I give her a deadpan look before sighing. "I lived in a forest alone for most of my life, I enjoy my quiet and lack of more than a few people at a time. I'm just more comfortable being on my own pretty much, though Lutano is the exception to that rule given how amusing he can be."
Applejack chuckles at that and nods. "Ah guess everypony likes a little peace and quiet from time to time. Still ah hope you go with us, it wouldn't be the same without ya."
I shake my head and smile slightly. "Sorry but I would rather work on a way home, the lack of a connection to Norrath is bothering me considering we came here through one of my own portals."
Twilight grins slightly. "Maybe that's the problem, your frustration could be messing with your magic and making you miss what you are looking for. You could also be overlooking a small detail that is crucial to the connection. If you relaxed and took a day to enjoy yourself you might realize what you have been missing."
I start to argue but the pleading looks from all six mares stops the words in my throat and I sigh. "Fine, but I would like to accompany Fluttershy. If I am going to be going to this place, I would like to at least be in the company of the closest thing to another druid as I can find here. That should hopefully keep me at least in control for the duration."
Suddenly sporting a grin, Rarity's eyes seem the shine. "Oh! I know just what to make to truly make you stand out!" With that, she dashes out of the library and toward her boutique leaving me groaning in despair.
I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Rarity was going to give me a day of living nightmares and there was nothing I could do about it unless I wanted to hurt her so I was left resigned to my fate at the hands of someone I knew would dress me up many times before being satisfied. Shaking my head, I turn back to the others. "Well, now that this... horrible catastrophe has been resolved, what are your plans?"
The five mares look at each other before shrugging. After a second, Twilight speaks up. "I guess we just get ready for the gala and help Rarity if she needs anything since I know she is going to want to make all of us a dress."
I frown slightly. "Hopefully she will understand that a dress won't work for me. Lutano would have fun at my expense for weeks if she did." Shaking my head, I look to the others. "Anyway, I will let you get back to what you are doing to prepare and I will let Lutano know of this." Turning to the door, a sudden chill runs up my spine and I stop with a frown. 'That's not a good sign... Looks like I will have to warn Lutano of a coming fight as well.'
After walking out of the library, I shift into my pegasus form and take to the air. Flying back to Sweet Apple Acres, I shift back a few feet above the ground and hit the ground at a jog. It didn't take long to find Lutano and after a quick explanation of the gala and the warning that something was going to be happening soon, I turn around and head for the Everfree. Despite what Celestia wanted, I still made occasional visits alone to the forest so that I could focus solely on looking for a connection to create a portal through. Unfortunately I was stuck with bad luck and before I ever reached the edge of Ponyville I was stopped by a cyan blur slamming into the ground in front of me.
When the dust settled, Rainbow Dash was standing a little shakily in front of me. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes at me. "I want to have a race with you, since you have a larger set of wings I want to see if you can even come close to beating me since you should be able to go faster."
I blink a couple of times before shaking my head. "You forget that I am also twice the height of any pegasus here in that form. My size would make me slower than you since I would have more resistance from the wind."
Rainbow Dash snorts slightly. "Excuses, that's why you train so that you can remove that limitation by getting stronger. I wasn't able to do a Sonic Rainboom right off the bat, it took me years of practice."
I open my mouth to argue but end up sighing instead. "You aren't going to leave me alone until I agree to the race, are you?"
Rainbow Dash shakes her head and smirks. "Not a chance, I want to see what you can do with your wings or if they are just for show."
My eyes narrow slightly and I shift into the pegasus. "A druid learns the forms they can take on inside and out until it is just like the body they were born in. We have lived and fought in these forms and there is nothing 'For show' about them. So what is the finish line?"