Twilight thought the walk to Berry's house would be simple, 'Just turn left out of Sugar Cube Corner, then right past the statue in town. No wait it was keep going strait but if you're seeing Fluttershy's cottage you've gone to far. Why is navigating this town so hard? I did it fine my first day here," Twilight thought to herself.
Twilight stopped to ask directions from one of the passers by, "Excuse me, i hate to admit it but i'm having trouble finding my friends home. Could you point me in the direction of Berry Punch's house?"
"Sorry not sure who your talking about, i know a Berry Shine but no Berry Punch," said the pony, who then walked away.
"Ugh, if only i had a map," said Twilight.
"Who needs a map, when you've got me," said another familiar voice behind her, turning around Twilight found Lyra. "How are things going Twilight? Have you got your tickets to the Gala yet?"
Twilight was not in the mood to deal with this, "Before you ask no you can not have my second ticket, i'm already having a real time trying to choose who to bring. I don't need any other choices to make this more complicated,"
Lyra tilted her head at Twilight, "What? Why would i need your tickets? I pre-purchased mine months ago, no way am i missing out on a chance to see the greatest quartet in Equestria playing live!" Twilight tried to recall the members, all but one name was escaping her, "There's Beauty Brass who plays the sousaphone so gently you could put a foal to sleep with it. On grand piano is the savant of the ivory keys, Frederick Horseshoepin."
Twilight was amazed, 'I guess when you're so in love with something like music or books you learn every detail, even the most obscure.'
"Then on cello is, um i don't really know that much about her, but she's good too." Twilight's jaw was on the floor, even outside of music circles Octavia Melody was making huge waves, how could Lyra Not know who she was. "And most important of all, the stallion who's notes i wish i could come close to. The greatest harpist to ever tread the soil of Equestria, Parish Nandermane! Ahhhhh," Lyra was pretending to be the cheering crowds for her idol, occasionally throwing out a 'We love you Parish!' or 'Play us another one!'
"Are you done?" asked Twilight, interrupting Lyra's mock fanfare.
"*Hrmph* Well i am now. Anyways i'm finally getting a chance to see them live again, it's been years since the last time so i'm really looking forward to this." said Lyra. "So you were saying your having problems with your tickets huh? How can i help?"
'I suppose i could ask her what she would do, more opinions couldn't hurt,' Twilight thought to herself. "Well the thing is, i can't decide who i should take with me to the Gala, Lotus Blossom and Cloudchaser both have really good reasons to want to go. And i'm afraid whoever i don't pick won't want to be my friend anymore," Twilight sank her head, unsure of how to proceed.
"Alright here's what you do, take a bit and flip it," said Lyra.
"What?" Twilight said in disbelief.
"If you flip a bit then it was random chance that picked whoever gets picked, that way the pony who gets left behind can't get mad." said Lyra.
"Look i don't want something this important left up to random chance, i wan't the pony who gets the ticket to be the one with the best reason to go. I just can't figure out who that is yet," said Twilight.
"Suit yourself, just try not to agonize about it, it's not good for your health." Lyra waived goodbye and was about to walk off when Twilight stopped her.
"Wait i still need help finding Berry's house!" said Twilight.
"Seriously, Twilight your standing right in front of it," Lyra pointed out. And when she looked up she was correct, there it was the two story house with no foundation.
"Heh, i guess i just forgot what it looked like." Twilight said weakly.
"Whatever, catch you latter Twilight."
"Well i hope this will be worth it after all I've had to go through to get here," Twilight said to herself, "Now that i think about it, actually hasn't been that much." Her knock on the door was quickly answered by Berry jr. in the middle of a game of tag, the little filly reached out and booped Twilight on the nose.
"TAG! your it!" said Berry Pinch, who then ran past her outside.
She was soon followed by Berry Sr. slightly out of breath after chasing down her progeny. "Hello Twilight, what brings you round today?"
"I'm having a bit of a problem and i'd love to talk with somepony with some life experience,"
"Can i offer you a drink? We've got OJ, Purple Stuff, Soda, Sunny D?" said Berry listing off the contents of her fridge.
"No thank you, i'm fine." Twilight replied. 'What the hay is "Purple Stuff"?'
"Alright then, how about we head inside and we can chat out of the heat," suggested Berry. "Berry stay inside the yard honey! Mommy will be out there in just a minuet."
"Okay mom," said Berry Pinch. Soon Twilight disappeared inside the abode with Berry.
Down the road a ways Lyra was walking along her merry way, humming a particularly stirring segment of music, when she was stopped by a group of ponies on the street. "Is it true? What that other unicorn you were talking to said, she has extra tickets to the Gala?"
"Yeah she has a spare ticket, thou she did say she was still having trouble deciding who to give it to." Lyra looked back up to find the ponies she was talking to were no longer there, in fact all the ponies around her were suddenly gone, the streets were barren. She shrugged it off, "Some ponies are just too busy these days." Lyra picked up where she left off, humming away as she strolled down the street, unaware of the growing mass of ravenous ponies flocking around Berry Punch's house and Twilight Sparkle.
*****
Back at the library things had been going swimmingly, after talking it over calmly and collectedly, Lotus Blossom and Cloudchaser had reached an agreement. That no mater what Twilight chose they would not let it get in between their friendship, and that whomever got left behind would go in the other's place next year. A fair compromise, agreeable to the both of them. Now they only had to go over it with Twilight, if only she would get out of the bathroom.
"Spike does this happen often? I don't mean to pry but does Twilight have-" Lotus searched for how to phrase this politely, "-issues down there?"
"Not that i'm aware of, oh no what if i under cooked cooked something and i gave her food poisoning!" Spike worried.
"Don't trouble yourself Spike i'm sure if she were sick we'd be hearing all the gory details. But, she has been their an awfully long time," said Cloudchaser. "I don't suppose you have a key to the bathroom do you?"
"Sorry, we haven't been to the locksmith's yet to make duplicates. I think will have to break the door down," said Spike.
"That sounds excessive, i do not think Twilight would appreciate removing the doors from their proper places," said Lotus.
Cloudchaser moved over to the door and put an ear to it, she could not hear any sounds indicating her presence inside, only the sound of water flowing from the faucet. "I'm sure she'll understand, give me a hoof with this Lotus!" The two ponies lined up in front of the door, and prepared to kick in unison. "One, Two, Three!" The shouted, on three the two struck the door with their hind legs, making a large crack running up the center of the door, water began leaking out from the top.
From beyond their sight a magenta flash of light filled the submerged bathroom and it once again had an occupant, an occupant who was most definitely not capable of breathing under water. "Oh my gosh! We have to get this door off NOW!" said Cloudchaser, Lotus nodding in agreement began balancing on her forelegs and repeatedly struck the door. Cloudchaser was taking flying dives at the door, slamming into it with her full weight. The oak frame splintered and cracked until it caved in completely, letting all the pressurized contents burst out.
Inside the bathroom they found Twilight limp on the floor, coughing up water with each shallow breath. "Twilight!" Shouted the little dragon, his voice cracking in fear.
Rising on her own Twilight looked up, "I'm fine Spike *Cough* really i am." She crawled out of the knee deep pool of water and through the hole in the bathroom door. "I certainly wasn't expecting this when i came back. Spike remind me that we need to hire contractors to install a drain in here, this is simply unsafe."
"Is that all you have to say for yourself?!" Cloudchaser berated Twilight, getting genuinely mad.
"You could have killed yourself! Were you thinking at all!?" said Lotus sharing Cloudchaser's sentiment.
"I'm, sorry. I guess i wasn't thinking, i felt like i couldn't handle this on my own so i had to go talk with Berry. I'm really sorry i put you through so much girls. But on the upside Berry did give me some really good advise, wanna here what she told me?" Said Twilight.
Spike, Cloudchaser and Lotus all had the same reaction, "WHAT!?"