//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: At The Gala // Story: The Story of 3 Hearts // by Flutterbat276 //------------------------------// The next few hours were mostly uneventful, say for the Doctor trying his suit on. I swore I heard banging, but the Doctor only went towards the source whilst Jack and I sat in my old bedroom. When Doc came back, the noise was gone. I wanted to question him, but the bell rang on the new TARDIS alarming system. It's like one of the alarms on a "cell phone" from the Doctor's previous home on Earth. "Ah, that's our que! Come along Miss Hooves!" he said, grabbing my hoof. "Doc, it's only four thirty! I need to get my dress on and my hair done!" I said. "I can help, mommy!" Dinky chimed in. Doctor was nervously chuckling to himself, then he spoke up to say, "Oh, right." After half an hour of getting my dress on and Dinky helping to fix my hair up nice, I finally came out of the bedroom. Doctor and Jack were chatting amongst themselves about who knows what when I came out. "Hey guys. I'm ready!" I said. "Alright! Allons-y!" the Doctor said as he stood up to head to the control panel. I giggled to myself as Dinky for herself ready. Pipsqueak was elsewhere in the TARDIS getting his suit on. "Are we there yet?" the small colt asked me. "Ah, yes! Come along now!" Doctor answered for me. Dinky teleported into the room in a pink dress. It was threaded in golden thread and there were some golden silk layers I the dress itself. The collar was in a golden silk as well with sequins. She had a headpiece that showed a shining star. One look at Pip told me that he was awestruck. "Wow Dinky, you look just...just...magical!" Pip stuttered, his thoughts probably swimming about. "Thanks Pippy. You, too," Dinky responded, blushing a light rose. I looked at Pip's suit. It was the usual black tuxedo, but it had a light brown undershirt. He had a black bow tie as well. "You all coming or what?" Jack said, starting out the door. "Yes Jack, we're coming!" I said. "Come on you two." We were greeting by Cadence and Shining Armor at the entrance to the empire. As I walked, I managed to start leaning up against the Doctor, as if using him as a support. He rested his head on mine a slight bit as we both smiled. He must've thought I was tired, as he didn't question my behavior. "Go down this way to the end and take a right. The ball room will be on the end of that hallway," an orange colored guard said. I smiled and thanked him for the directions. "I'll take the door!" Pip said, rushing ahead to hold the door open with his magic. "Such a little gentle colt! Thank you!" I said as I walked into the room, Dinky close behind. The Doctor and Jack came in with Pip taking the rear. "Octy, let me put a song on next, please!" Vinyl whined. The stage was just to the left of the doorway, well in earshot of anypony coming into the room. "Vinyl, this is a high class event! It took a lot to get booked for this for the second time in a row, so don't blow it for me!" Octavia said. "Can't we just make a mashup song?" "Vinyl," Octavia said. "Ugh! Whatever! I'm gonna hang out with Neon!" Vinyl snapped. "Fine! Fredrick is a much more classy pony anyways!" Octavia said. I walked over to the two friends and said, "Um...is it a bad time to request something?" "Not at all Miss. Doo! What would you like to hear?" Octavia asked me. "How about a good slow song?" I said. "Perfect! Lyra, you're on in five!" Octavia said, running to Lyra who was adjusting her golden bow tie for the event. Octavia's long black dress was trailing behind her, her amethyst earrings sparkled under the ambient lighting. Lyra had a similar dress with golden heart earrings. I laughed and joined the Doctor again. He chatted on the sidelines, as did many other couples. It was when the song played that I asked him to dance. He took my hoof and soon we were dancing to the song. As it went on, my legs became wobbly an I grew more tired by the second. By the end, I felt as though I'd pass out from exhaustion. The only thing keeping me on my hooves was the Doctor. "Derpy? Are you okay?" he asked me. "Y-yes..just tired..." I said. "Derpy! Don't trust him!" I heard a voice say across the hall.