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

Chapter 26:The Gala

Twilight Sparkle had donned her blue-violet Gala dress and was looking at herself in a mirror as Spike gently brushed her mane.

"Is it bad to wear the same dress two years in a row?" Twilight thought out loud.

Spike shook his head, "No way, Twi. Last time, you were being overshadowed by Celestia. Basically nopony saw it."

"Haha, yeah..." Twilight chuckled, smiling when Spike finished. "Good job, Spike." Just then there was a knock on the door. "And just in time, too."

She opened the door with magic and Flame Heart stood walked in, wearing a navy blue tux with a violet flower. "Good enough, Twilight?"

"Good enough?" She chuckled as she looked at his outfit. "It's better than I thought you could do, Flame."

"Ahhh shut up, Twilight..." Flame closed the door behind him. "So where's everypony else?"

"Ace is downstairs in his room getting ready, and the others are on their way over here."

"How're we gonna get to Canterlot?" Flame said, sitting down.

"Instead of the carriage spell, Ace chartered something else. It's a flying machine from a engineer pony Ace met in town yesterday when he went to pick up his tux." Twilight said, sitting down across from Flame Heart.

The Pegasus raised an eye, "What's our ride if it's not a carriage?"

"It's hard to explain..." Dan's voice rang from downstairs. "Just hang on for Gear Grinder to get here, Flame."

"Gear Grinder?" Flame thought for a moment. "Oh! That pony that owns that shop? Whatzitcalled... Cirrsus?"

"Yep." Twilight smiled. "I find his research into flying machines and building something called an 'air-strip' for Ponyville fascinating!"

"So do I..." Dan said as he emerged from the basement. "Which is why I decided to stop by yesterday."

Twilight and Flame stared at the human/stallion as he stood in the doorway. "Ace, your tuxedo..." Twilight said.

"Is bomb!" Flame finished, walking up. "A real Rarity classic, if I could guess?"

Dan nodded as he looked down at his clothes. "You'd be right there, Flame..."

Dan's tux was black, just like any other tux, but with a dark-blue bow-tie, a light-blue tux shirt, and a pocket cloth that was dark-blue to match the tie. He wore no pants on his flank, but his tux jacket had to flaps that were on top of his back. His mane was styled back as it was the night of the club gig.

"Dash is so lucky..." Twilight sighed. Flame Heart turned his head, "What was that?"

"To have a stallion like him interested in her..." Twilight said hurriedly, hoping that Flame Heart wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"Oh... Well, she certainly is then... Way to go, brony."

"Thanks, dude." The two stallions brohoofed, and a knock on the door soon followed.

"That must be Rainbow Dash and the others..." Dan said, moving to open the door.

"Nu uh uh!" Twilight said, pushing Dan back. "It's my house."

Dan rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly, "Sure, sure..." He leaned against the wall. "Better they see me upon entering anyway..."

"Knucklehead..." Twilight giggled as she opened the door.

"Hey everypony!" Twilight said as her six friends entered.

"Howdy Twi!" Applejack was the first one inside. Dan's mouth hung open at Applejack's Gala dress. Her fancy cow-mare hat the accented her green dress and boots made Dan blush slightly. She winked and brushed by Ace as she walked by, "Howdy, Ace..."

"Howdy..." Ace said, staring into space.

"Oh Ace! I simply adore how you look in my work!" Rarity said as she walked in with Pinkie Pie in her sailor dress and Fluttershy with her green dress. Shadow Breeze, in a dark green tux, trotted in quietly behind her, looking steadily at the ground.

Dan shook his head and smiled, "Oh thanks Rarity!" He saw Shadow Breeze. "Hey buddy! You goin' to the gala, too?"

"Oh yes..." he smiled. "I am in fact...but um..."

"Yes, he is coming with us, if...um...if you don't mind...if it's okay" said Fluttershy, landing next to Shadow Breeze and nuzzling him a little.

Dan looked taken aback. "Oh, OH! You guys are... Right." Dan smiled awkwardly and coughed. "Good...good job, Shadow Breeze..."

Everypony in the room laughed at Dan's surprise that Fluttershy had a date with Shadow Breeze. "Now where's..." Dan gasped and stared ahead with even wider eyes than when AJ came in.

"Hey Ace..." Came the familiar raspy voice. The sound of wings flapping sounded from the open door as Rainbow Dash glided in, her rainbow dress on and her mane done in the most beautiful way he had ever seen it with small flowers and a gold circlet.

"Oh wow..." Dan thought, with mouth hanging open. "I may be a human, but...wow, she's gorgeous!"

"Dashie..." Dan walked froward and took her golden-slipper clad hoof and kissed it. "You look ravishing this evening..."

Dash giggled, "You too, casanova..."

"I have something for you..." Dan said, smiling. "Hold out your right hoof..."

Dash extended her hoof towards him and he reached into his pocket and produced the corsage he had bought. She gasped as he slid it onto her right above her golden slipper. "Oh Ace..." she leaped forward and hugged him tightly. Dan kissed her on the cheek and smiled. "Glad you like it..."

AJ sidled up to Pinkie and whispered, "Ya'll know what ta' do once we get to the Gala, right?"

Pinkie gave a small salute, "Aye, aye, bestie!"

"Good mare..." AJ said, straightening up and saying so everypony could hear, "Hey ya'll, how're we gettin' there?"

"In style, of course, my dear Applejack!" A stallion, mid-western accent called from outside.

Dan smiled and said, "Our ride's here..."

As the group of Gala-goers exited Twilight's house, their jaws dropped in amazement. In front of them was a small air-ship. It looked like a boat, but with a blimp-shaped balloon attached at the top. A ramp came down and down the ramp came an earth pony with grey fur, a short white mane, no tail and blue eyes. His cutie mark was three gears interconnecting. He had on a simple tuxedo and a chauffeur's hat.

"Nice to see you made it, Gear Grinder." Dan walked up and brohoofed the engineer pony.

"Oh yeah, Ace. You wanted to travel in style..." He raised his hooves and gestured to the zeppelin. "I brought the Gear Grinder Zeppelin Mark I."

"It's incredible, Gear!" Twilight was the first to gallop up the ramp, followed by Flame Heart, who flew onboard. "I'll have to for the plans later to see how you engineered it."

"Can do, Twilight Sparkle." The engineer pony smiled and turned his head towards the rest of the group. "Alright, everypony. Hop on! We'll be there in no time!"

As the ponies filed onboard, he grabbed Applejack's hoof and smiled at her, "Applejack, right? Owner of Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Right you are, Gear." AJ smiled. "Can ah interest ya' in sum apples later on?"

"Ah chante..." Gear Grinder winked and kissed her hoof.

AJ blushed before hurrying up the ramp. "Uh yeah! Thanks, Gear Grinder!"

The engineer pony sighed in disappointment before walking up the ramp and retracting it back into the craft. "Yeah, no problem..."



The ride over to Canterlot was uneventful, besides a few turbulence bumps every now and again. The castle for the most part was repaired, but the city was still in bad shape. Clean-up crews could be seen at work as they flew over.

"Thanks again for what you did, Ace..." Gear Grinder said as he steered the craft. "There'd be nothing left if not for you..."

Dan smiled as he put a hoof around Rainbow Dash. "Just consider us even..."

Gear Grinder laughed, "Fair enough..."

The aristocrat ponies watched in awe as the zeppelin touched down near the entrance to the castle. Celestia stood on the front steps, as was customary, but at the sight of the zeppelin, she left her post and started walking towards the zeppelin. Ponies bowed all around her as she trotted up to the zeppelin, on which Gear Grinder had lowered the ramp and descended.

"Greetings Elements...Shadow Breeze...Flame Heart...Gear Grinder..." Celestia said, nodding.

All the ponies save Dan bowed as Dan walked off the zeppelin with Rainbow Dash. "Sir Blue Bass..." Celestia smiled. "And Rainbow Dash...the Element of Love..."

Dan and rainbow Dash bowed. "Your highness..." They both said.

"I welcome you to our Grand Galloping Gala." Celestia smiled and looked up as fireworks went off in the air. This caused cheering and stamping of hooves from all the ponies outside. One firework that went off was in the shape of the gemstone on the hilt of Dan's swords. The Element of Love, a heart with a blue eighth note inside.

"Shall we?" Dan nuzzled Rainbow Dash.

"Mmhmm." Dash smiled and nodded as she and dan walked side-by-side into the castle entrance.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie followed behind. AJ nudged Pinkie and nodded. "When they're dancin'..." AJ hissed. "Do it."

"Got it." Pinkie Pie nodded.

As the entered the ballroom, Dan was instantly surrounded by a lot of ponies, begging for autographs and asking questions about the battle. Celestia entered and ordered that Dan and Rainbow Dash were to be left alone when they were together.

Dan wiped some sweat from his brow, "Thanks, your highness. That was one thing I was genuinely worried about..."

She winked. "No problem... Enjoy yourself, yeah?"

"Yeah..." Dan bowed as she walked away.

"Wow...this is so cool..." Shadow Breeze said as he flew in with Fluttershy.

"Um...yeah..." Fluttershy responded. "I was outside the whole time last time..."

"What were you doing?" Shadow landed with Fluttershy on the dance floor.

"Um..." she blushed. "You don't wanna know..."

Rarity went straight to Fancy Pants, the famous Equestrian noble, and all his friends and began to converse, Pinkie Pie and Applejack went ot the refreshments, and Twilight and Flame Heart were talking on the dance floor.

"Whatdya think, Ace?" Dash said, leaning against him. Dan took this opportunity to look around. There was a delicious looking food table, a small group of ponies playing classical instruments on a stage; among others were Octavia on the cello, and the expert composer Frederic Horseshoepin. Frederic seemed to be playing a duet with a stallion Dan didn't recognize at first. The stallion was a Pegasus with a green hide, grey mane and tail, and purplish green eyes. "It's that famous pianist, Mew Len." The decorations were simple, but effective. And the guests were not acting like wild animals with no sense in their brains. As dances went, this one was pretty well put together.

"I'm not usually one for dances...back on Earth, they sucked pony-chunks..." Dan said quietly to Dash. "Overplayed, over-annoying pop music...people dancing up and down with no sense in their mind...it was bad..."

Dash chuckled, "Your world sounds crazy..."

"Again, Dash... NOT as crazy as you..." Dan smirked at this remark.

She giggled and pulled him out onto the dance-floor as a new slow dance song started playing. "Wanna dance, lover-colt?"

Dan looked deep into her eyes, "What kind of stupid question is that?"

They both chuckled quietly as they both grasped each other tightly and began to dance to the music. Dash laid her head on his shoulder as they swayed back and forth. Dan craned his neck to plant a kiss on her cheek, and she blushed and smiled.

"So, wanna actually have a chance to hang out with the Wonderbolts this year?" Dan said. "I saw them near the food."

"Yeah, they can wait..." Dash said, wiggling her head to get more comfortable.

"The super-fan Rainbow Dash ditching the Wonderbolts for a date?" Dan feigned disbelief. "I'm shocked..."

Dash chuckled, "It. Can. Wait."

Dan smiled and pulled her closer, the music making them both sway in rhythm to the music. He looked around and saw Twilight and Flame Heart dancing, though less close about it. However, Fluttershy and Shadow Breeze were out of the balcony adjacent to the ballroom, secluded from everypony they didn't know, and were cuddling. Dan smiled and closed his eyes and let the feel of Rainbow Dash's hooves around him and the music surround him. Everything was perfect.

"Rainbow Dash!"

Dan felt himself being jerked away from Rainbow Dash as Pinkie Pie jumped in between them. Dan face-hooved. "Why did it have to be Pinkie Pie?"

"Ugh, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash protested. "I was kinda dancing here!"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry!" Pinkie frowned. "It's just that Soarin' and Spitfire were asking about you!"

"Really?" Rainbow Dash's eyes widened.

Pinkie nodded furiously. "Yep, yep! They felt really bad about last year and they want to talk about your flight exploits during the battle!"

"Oh, okay..." Rainbow Dash said, looking around her at Dan. "Ace? Is it okay if I go talk to them?"

Dan smiled, "Of course. We have all night together. I can spare a few moments away from you, Dashie..."

Dash smiled and yelled, "You're awesome, Ace!" She bolted off towards the Wonderbolts before Dan could say anything else.

Dan laughed and looked around. "Pinkie Pie? Wanna go get some foo- Pinkie?"

The pink party pony was no where to be found. She vanished into the crowd of ponies dancing with Rainbow Dash towards the food and the Wonderbolts.

Dan sighed,"Oh well, maybe I'll go watch the performers..." He thought.

Dan turned around, only to bump into a smiling Applejack. "Oh! Sorry, AJ!"

Applejack tipped her hat and crossed her front legs. "Nah problem, Ace. I couldn't help but notice you were alone on the floor... where Rainbow Dash?"

"Oh..." Dan looked down. "She went to go talk to the Wonderbolts."

"Well, that just t'aint fair that ya'll, the hero of Equestria, are stag on the dance floor!" Applejack advanced a little, eyeing Dan seductively. "Care ta' dance while RD is...occupied?"

Dan looked over at the Womderbolts, who were talking to RD and Pinkie, whose face was engorged with cake from the table, much to the distaste of Ink Writer, who was backing away slowly, trying not to get the flying frosting on his notebook.

Dan looked back at AJ who really did look good. "Um, sure..."

As the grasped hooves and began swaying to the music, Dan looked down at Applejack. AJ pulled Dan closer suddenly and leaned her head on his shoulder. Dan gulped and looked over in RD's direction, but AJ's hoof came up and re-directed his hoof back to her.

"You like wut you see, Ace?" AJ licked her lips.

"Um...well, yeah, but..." Dan gulped. "But I don't like you AJ. This isn't a good idea."

Gear Grinder, who was near-by, saw Dan and AJ and how close they were getting. Gear Grinder narrowed his eyes, "Now, if I know AJ, she's the one advancing on him..." He closed his eyes and uttered a quick prayer. "Oh please Celestia..."

She started pulling him closer. "Nah how about ya'll pucker up?"

"No! AJ!" Dan tried to get away.

"One kiss won't kill ya', sugarcube..." AJ winked before pulling him all the way towards her mouth, kissing him passionately.

Gear Grinder gasped when he saw this. "Cud..." He swore under his breath. "At least it was forced on him..."

Dan quickly pulled away and pushed her away. "Applejack!"

AJ frowned, "Ace, no! I'm sorry!"

Before anypony else could look or react to Dan's outburst, a window on the other side of the ballroom near the food table exploded.

The music stopped. Ponies screamed in terror and surprise as five figures who looked like ponies leaped through the window. They wore back hoods, and their eyes glowed yellow through the darkness. One of them threw down smoke pellet, and the ballroom instantly spewed everywhere.

Celestia growled, "Guards! Seize the zebras!" She pointed at the zebras and the guards in the ballroom charged forward into the smoke.

Dan dropped to the ground with AJ as soon as the smoke hit, "Zebras!?" Ace called out, confused. "There's zebras in Equestria!?"

"Duh, Ace!" AJ coughed before looking over at him. "Didn't ya'll know that?"

"Well yes but-" he stopped when he heard a female scream that sounded really familiar. "RAINBOW DASH!"

He leaped up and flew up above the smoke. He landed down on the other side of the smoke-screen where the food table, the Wonderbolts, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were. Dan gasped when he saw two guards on the ground with throwing knives in their throats and three more unconscious. The Wonderbolts were unconscious as well, including Spitfire. The head zebra, a male with golden armor along with the hood, was holding up Soarin' in the air with magic by the throat. Pinkie was cowering in the corner. And Rainbow Dash was struggling in the arms of a lackey zebra behind the head zebra. "Let! Me! Gol!" She tried biting, but the zebra remained stone-faced.

"Ah, the 7th Element..." The head zebra said as he slammed Soarin' on the ground. The zebra turned his attention to Dan, who snorted and pawed the floor with his hoof.

"You crashed the wrong party, stripes!" Dan snarled and starting to run at the zebras.

The head zebra's eyes glowed and lightning shot out of them. Dan yelped in pain as the lightning struck him. He fell to the ground, growling as he looked helplessly up at the head Zebra, who laughed.

"You fool..." He snickered. "You know nothing of our ways, do you? Tell me, what has the unicorn taught you of us, human?"

"W-what?!" Dan gasped. "I...I don't know what you're talking about..."

The zebra scoffed. "Clearly..." He raised the dazed Ace in the air and stared him down. "Now listen, Dan..." The zebra narrowed his eyes. "If you ever want to see your beloved Rainbow Dash again...you will bring all seven elements of harmony to us...alone..."

Dan scowled and tears formed in his eyes and he struggled to break free. All the zebras save the one holding Dash and the leader had flown out the window now using magic. The leader chuckled. "Short on words? Wondering who I am?"

A blast of magic came out of the smoke and impacted the leader zebra, sending him crashing into the wall. Dan fell to the floor once the spell was broken and jumped up, charging at the zebra holding Rainbow Dash.

"Dan!" She cried out his real name. "This cudhead...is too strong for me!"

"I'm coming Dashie!" Dan roared.

The zebra holding Dash gasped and flew out the window, but Dan took flight out of the window after him.

The leader zebra shook his head and tore himself from the indent in the wall. He growled as the smoke was cleared by a burst from wings flapping.

"Anansi..." Princess Celestia said, walked forward, her horn lowered and her hooves pawing the floor.

The zebra known as Anansi chuckled and rose up in the air, charging magic in both of his hooves. "Ah, Princess Celestia...it'e been far too long..."

"What are you doing interrupting my ball, Anansi?" Celestia demanded. "I thought I banished you long ago back to your nation!"

Anansi laughed, "That's just it, my dear Princess! I was banished, I gathered followers, and now I'm back for the elements! IF you don't mind..."

He hurled both ball of energy he was charging at the princess, who in turn absorbed them into her horn. She smirked, "I'm not that easy to defeat, Anansi..."

Anansi snarled, charging more magic, "Shall we take this outsi-OFFF!"

Celestia had already darted through the air slammed him and herself through another window.

The ponies in the ballroom were utterly confused. Fluttershy and Shadow came galloping in. Flame Heart and Twilight approached the window, looking out to see the battle at hand.

"Great..." Ink Writer face-hooved as he stood next to Mew Len, the piano player.

"What?" Mew asked.

"I was hoping for a climax..." The writer pony scoffed. "But here I get the beginning of yet another plot..."



OCs:

Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ31

Flame Heart (c) rederci939

Gear Grinder (c) Mr. Sev

Mew Len (c) Cow224

Ink Writer (c) MadMan95