//------------------------------//
// Gala Preparations  
// Story: The 7th Element 
// by thunderhawk7865 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 25: Gala Preparations

Rarity Unicorn was happily tending her boutique the next day, cropping a new dress she was designing for herself for the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Oh yes, Rarity..." Rarity said to herself as she carefully placed gems on the waves of ribbon trailing off the dress. "This year's dress will knock them dead! The prince will feel so absolutely terrible for treating me the way he did!"

The door opened and a male spoke up, "Hey Rarity. Plotting against the prince again?"

"Ace?" Rarity stepped out from her back room and saw the stallion with a big smile on his face, but his mane was...

"OH, DEAR CELESTIA!" Rarity gasped.

"What?" Dan stepped back, alarmed. "You're not really planning on murdering Prince Blueblood, are you?"

She put a hoof on her forehead. "No, my dear! Your...your mane!"

"My what-now?" He looked in a mirror off to the side. "Huh...wow...it is pretty bad, huh?" It was sticking up all over the place and it was not it's smooth texture like normal.

"What in Equestria could've caused this crime against fashion?" Rarity said, pushing Dan into her back room towards her sick. "Your long, luscious mane is simply ruined!"

"What caused it? Um..." Dan blushed. "I'd rather not say..."

"Too embarrassing. I get it. At least let me fix it for you..." Rarity rushed away and came back with a spray bottle and a brush. "You will want to look your absolute best for Rainbow Dash, right?" She sprayed his hair until it was completely drenched, and he chuckled under his breath.

"Oh yeah, of course..." He smiled. "I wouldn't want her to see me any other way..."

"So tell me, dear colt..." She said as she started brushing his mane. "Why have you come to visit me today?"

"Well, as you know, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up..."

"Oh yes!" Rarity smiled as she continued to brush with her magic. "It's the most important gathering in Equestria!" She stopped brushing and smiled, "Let me guess...you received an invitation?"

Dan closed his eyes and smiled, "Yep! And Rainbow Dash is going to be my date."

She dropped the brush and smiled, "Oh my... that is simply adorable!" She turned Dan around so he could look into the mirror. "Good enough?"

Dan shook his head to get his mane back to a position he liked and nodded, "Good enough. Thanks Rarity." He hopped down off the chair she had placed him in. "ANYway, I was kinda hoping you could-"

"Make a tuxedo to match Rainbow Dash's Gala outfit? Oh yes! Yes, I will, Ace!" She shook his hoof furiously. "Free of charge for a friend, of course!"

"Thanks Rari-"

"Oh wait!" Rarity suddenly looked around, narrowing her eyes as if deep in thought. "Maybe your tuxedo shouldn't match but rather...it should contrast... NO! It needs to match!" She turned and saw Dan staring at her like she was crazy.

She blushed and giggled, "Oh dear... I'm sorry Ace. I tend to babble to myself when I get a new order..."

Dan shook his head and raised a hoof, "Take your time Rarity... I'll let you get to it."

"Good-bye, Ace!" Rarity waved as he left the boutique.

"Bye Rarity! Don't rush! The Gala's in two days, for crying out loud!" He called back. Rarity didn't hear, she was busy lugging out her male pony-quin to make the tux, talking to herself all-the-while.

Dan was happy and carefree following the events of last night. Everypony who saw him said he had a slight skip in his step as he trotted down the main street of Ponyville. His saddlebag on his back, he entered Sugar Cube Corner, and was greeted by the Cakes with smiles on their faces.

"If it isn't the hero of Canterlot himself! Hello Ace!" Mrs. Cake said, leaning over the counter. At the mention of Ace's title, everypony in the café turned their heads toward Ace.

Ace raised a hoof and greeted everypony. "Hey all..."

Someponies he recognized. Fluttershy was sitting at a table with a Unicorn stallion who was orange with a cyan mane and tail and glowing emerald green eyes and a comet cutie mark. Fluttershy waved with a smile, and Dan waved back.

He also saw a red Earth pony with a black mane and brown eyes sitting in the corner. He looked up from a book he seemed to be writing in and pushed his glasses he wore down on his muzzle to get a better view of Ace.

"What can we do for you today, Ace?" Mr. Cake emerged from the back-room, holding his twin foals as they sucked on binkies.

"Aw..." Dan said as he saw the foals. "They're so cute. Good job to the both of you."

"Thank you Ace." Mrs. Cake smiled and tickled the female's chin, which made her giggle.

"Anyway, I'm here because the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up and...well, I have a date..."

"With that crazy mare Rainbow Dash?" Mr. Cake shook his head, "Good heavens, how did you manage to tame that beast?"

Most of the ponies in the café laughed, but Dan just smiled. "My charm, I guess..." He leaned over and lower his voice. "I heard from an anonymous source that you guys run a behind-the-counter corsage service?"

The Cakes both laughed. "For Equestria's sake, Ace!" Mr. Cake smiled. "It's not illegal to sell flowers, now, is it?"

"I don't know the law here..." Dan said. "But yeah...I need a corsage for Rainbow Dash..."

"Oh, you got it Ace!" Mrs. Cake said, walking into the back-room. "I've seen her Gala dress. I know JUST the thing..."

"Thank you Mrs. Cake!" Dan called back.

Mr. Cake brought up a glass of apple cider. "Here, Ace. Have a glass of Sweet Apple Acres cider, on the house while you wait for the missus."

"Thanks, Mr. Cake." Ace said, walking over to the table Fluttershy and the unicorn stallion from before were sitting.

"Hey Fluttershy. What's up?" Dan said as he sat down next to Fluttershy, who smiled at him. The Unicorn took of bite of his cake and raised an eye at Dan as he sat down.

"Oh hi, Ace." Fluttershy grinned even bigger. "Getting flowers for Rainbow Dash?"

"Yep! Jeez... It never ceases to amaze me how fast word travels around here... I just barely left Twilight's place an hour ago!"

"Get used to it, buckie." The Unicorn sighed sarcastically. "With mares in town like Pinkie Pie who can't keep their mouths shut, news always gets out as soon as it happens..."

Dan blushed, "I hope not... Fluttershy, who's your friend?"

"Oh! He is one of my bestest friends!" Fluttershy muttered timidly. She gestured over to the Unicorn. "This is my good friend, Falling Star."

Falling Star reached a hoof over the table and smiled, "Nice to finally meet you face-to-face, Ace. I helped sneak the Elements into the castle, you know."

"Oh really?" Dan shook his hoof.

Falling Star nodded, "Oh yeah. Saw you in action and everything. Hey, if it were up to me, you be bucking living in an Canterlot castle suite for the rest of your life, brony!"

Dan chuckled and took a sip of his cider. "I'm glad you took the risk. You should be honored too."

Falling Star shrugged, "Hey, I impaled a diamond dog in the throne room... That's good enough for me..." He bent down a took another bite out of his cake. "Took me days to get the blood off my horn..."

While both stallions laughed, Fluttershy frowned. "We shouldn't dwell on violence, you two! Just be grateful the battle is over."

"We are, Fluttershy." Falling Star said, grinning. "Stallions like to tell war stories sometimes, ain't that right, Ace?"

"True enough." Dan said. It was the same with humans on Earth. Males just had to brag about their achievements all the time.

As the trio of friends laughed and talked, out of the corner of Dan's eyes, the red book pony would look up occasionally. Whenever Dan would crack a joke or do anything really, the pony would hurriedly write something down in his notebook off to the side.

"Excuse me, guys." Dan said, finishing off his cider and sliding off the stool. He trotted over to the writer pony and smiled. "Hey there."

The red pony didn't look up from his work, but rather, continued writing and took a sip from his hot apple cider. "Good morning."

Dan glanced at what the pony was writing. It was notes on Dan's behaviors, his reactions to questions, everything. He even saw a picture of him in his armor, flying through the rain. It was a clipout from the Equestria Daily newspaper.

"A big fan, huh?" Dan asked, angling his head to get a better look.

"Not just a fan..." The red Earth pony looked up, removing his glasses. "A writer."

"A writer?"

"Ink Writer's the name..." The pony known as Ink Writer said, gesturing at Ace to sit down in his booth. "I'm an well-known author of fiction in Equestria."

Dan sat down and nodded, "Yeah, now that you mention it, Twilight had mentioned you a few times... Did you write Daring Do?"

The writer pony scoffed, "Oh pish-posh... I had nothing to do with that series... Although the author was a colleague of mine at Hoofford."

"Ah..." Dan tried to look at the writer pony's notes and picture again. "So, why all the...observations, Ink Writer?"

"Well..." Ink Writer closed his notebook and smiled. "I thought I'd try my hoof at something a little different than fiction for a change..."

"Meaning?" Dan cocked an eye.

"I was hoping you'd come over because I was just about to ask if it was okay for me to try and immortalize in story the epic battle between good and evil you had just a few weeks ago in Canterlot." Ink Writer smiled. "That's why the notes are being taken. I'm trying to capture your character."

Dan raised his eyes, "Oh really?" Dan scratched his chin. "That's fine with me, so long as you stick to the truth. No exaggerations. Or too much angst."

"Please..." Ink Writer said, putting his glasses back down at his notes. "Who do I look like? Stephanie Mayre?"

Dan chuckled and stood up, "That joke just earned you points in my book..."

"It wasn't a joke." Ink Writer snarled slightly. "I can't believe she even calls those books literature..."

"Oh Ace!" Mrs. Cake called from the counter. "It's ready!"

Dan nodded at Ink Writer. "Nice to meet you. Will I see you at the Gala?"

Ink Writer looked up and smiled, "Most definitely. It will make a terrific closing scene to the story."

Dan left the writer to his work and walked up to the counter. Dan gasped. In Mrs. Cake's hooves was the most gorgeous corsage he had ever seen. It looked simple, but it;s wide assortment of different colored flowers to match that of the rainbow as dazzling enough. Adding anymore beside the white ribbon that held the arm band on underneath would've ruined it.

"Mrs. Cake... It's awesome!" Dan said, eyeing it.

"I'm so glad you like it!" Mrs. Cake smiled and put the corsage in a plastic box. "That'll be 15 bits."

"Here you go." Dan tossed the bits on the table from his bit-bag. He grabbed the box with his mouth and tucked the flowers into his right saddlebag. "Thanks so much, guys!"

Dan waved as he flew out the door. "Keep it cool until the dance, hun!" Mrs. Cake called out.



"Let's see..." Dan said to himself as he flew through the air. "Order tux...check. Buy flowers...check. Now just have to go see how Twilight's doing with that carriage spell."

Dan landed gracefully near Twilight's house. Upon walked towards the door, he noticed a stallion standing in front of it talking to Twilight through an open door.

The stallion was a Pegasus with dark blonde fur, a flame red mane and tail, and had hazel-green eyes. A large fireball took up his flank as a cutie mark. He was smiling as he said, "So Twilight, do you have a date to the Gala yet?"

"No, I don't Flame Heart. I've never really been on a date before."

"Pfff...you have nothing to worry about, Twi!" The dark golden Pegasus chuckled. "You;ve never been on a date, though?"

"No, I haven't." Twilight smiled awkwardly, but then she took on a pleasant face. "But I'd be happy to go on one with you..."

"Whoa whoa whoa..." Dan walked up, putting his hooves between the Pegasus known as Flame Heart and Twilight, who looked kind of relieved Dan had shown up when he did. "You sir, have to pass my test before you can date Miss Sparkle..."

Flame Heart smiled sarcastically. "Ace! I didn't know you lived with Twilight!"

"Oh, but I do, Mister...Flame Heart, was it?" Dan laughed a little and continued, "But do not worry, my fellow feathered friend... I am not dating her."

Flame Heart looked a little relieved. "Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up..."

"Question number 1..."

"What?" Flame Heart looked shocked. "There's a test? I didn't study!"

Twilight chuckled, but Dan kept a stone face and said slower, "Question. 1."

Flame Heart stood up and nodded.

"What's her pet dragon's name?"

"Spike!" Flame Heart rose his hoof.

"Correct!" Dan said, narrowing his eyes. "But that was the easy one... Question 2... Which Element of Harmony is she?"

"Um..." The Pegasus scratched his chin. "Magic! That's it! Magic!"

"Also correct." Dan turned slightly to see Twilight trying hard not to burst out laughing at Dan's defensiveness. "One more, brony...and you're good to go, but this one's a doozey. You ready?"

"Born ready." Flame Heart licked his lips.

"Final question..." Dan lifted up into the air and folded his front hooves. "When's her birthday?"

"What!" Flame Heart rejected. "I don't know that!"

"Clock's ticking, my friend..." Dan said, looking up at the sky.

"Oh Ace..." Twilight playfully pushed the musical pony aside. "Flame, I will go to the Gala with you. Wear something purple, ok?"

Flame Heart nodded, "Okay! Bye Twilight! Bye Ace!" The happy Pegasus took off.

Twilight stifled a laugh as she and dan walked in. "What was that all about?"

Dan shrugged as he let off his saddlebag. "Hey, I was in the mood to make a funny... and truth be told, I don't know your birthday either!"

Twilight laughed as she walked up to her reading-stand and started flipping through a book. "You find the corsage and order that tux?"

"That I did. Rarity said she'll have the tux ready tonight and I have Rainbow's corsage... Speaking of which..." Dan blushed. "Is she...is she still down there?"

Twilight smiled dryly. "Nope. She left about an half an hour ago, saying she had preparations of her own to do."

Dan sighed and opened the door downstairs. "Good, good..." He looked up at Twilight before he went downstairs. "Hey, you haven't told anybody about what happened last night, right?"

Twilight smiled and shook her head, "Nope. Your secret's safe with me..."

"Good." Dan shut the door and threw his bag on the bed, which had yet to be made. "I would hate for Applejack to hear about this..."



"THEY WHAT!?" Applejack roared, as she bucked an apple tree, nearly knocking it over.

Pinkie Pie nodded as she bounced up and down. "Yep yep! I saw Rainbow Dash fly into Twilight's house in the middle of the night and not leave until morning and ooooh was Ace's mane messed up and her's was pretty messed up too but you know-"

"SHUT IT, PINKIE!" Applejack barked again, bucking the tree again, even though it yielded no more apples.

"Sorry..." Pinkie frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Nah, Pinkie!" Applejack scowled as she picking up the bucket of apples she had just created. "I'm just aces!"

"It doesn't sound like your-"

"Sarcasm, Pinkie!"

"Oohhhh..." Pinkie started bouncing around next to Applejack. "What's the problem bestie?"

"The problem is that stallion stealin' mare Rainbow Dash!" Applejack spit out the bucket of apples at the barn. "She knew I liked Ace, and she hasn't even come ta' talk to me 'bout it!"

"That is kind of inconsiderate..." Pinkie muttered.

"Yer darn-tootin'!" AJ got up in her face. "Pinkie, the Gala's comin' up fast! And I need yer help!"

"With what?" Pinkie cocked her head.

"Ta' get Ace to come crawlin' ta me..." AJ smiled devilishly.



OCs:

Falling Star (c) BrightDark89

Ink Writer (c) MadMan95

Flame Heart (c) rederci939