Thunderlane had never been so happy to take his lunch break.
Off in the distance, a single chime sounded from the clock tower. Punctuating it was a loud growl from the stallion's stomach. Both that and the burning feeling in his wing joints served as harsh reminders of how long he’d been working since breakfast.
Still, he didn't let himself relax. His eyes darted back and forth as he circled one last time.
Well, it looks all clear...
A few strands of his forelock fell over his face as he nodded. No sign of anypony, either on the ground or in the sky. Breathing a sigh of relief, Thunderlane angled his wings down into a gentle descent. With a final, practiced back-flap, he came to a landing on a small patch of clouds and set the brown paper bag holding his lunch down in front of him.
"Finally," he muttered as he began to open the package. "A little peace and—"
"Hiya, Thunderlane!"
The stallion's eye involuntarily twitched. Slowly, all while trying not to grind his teeth too loudly, he looked up. Somehow, a lone cloud had drifted over his lunch spot. Much to his displeasure, a familiar, light-purple pegasus mare was smiling down at him from it. One whose normally messy white mane had been hurriedly brushed down, leaving several strands sticking up around her ears.
"Hello Cloud Chaser," Thunderlane grumbled, stubbornly looking back down at his lunch.
"Wow! Fancy running into you here!" A soft whump indicated his fellow weather pony landing next to him. Thunderlane did his best not to groan in response. "What were the chances, huh?"
"Yeah. Big coincidence, I'm sure." Thunderlane knew he was doing a poor job of keeping the growl out of his voice. Warily, he looked over to the mare.
Almost immediately, he wished he hadn't. Just as he'd feared, she had the same sort of smile he normally only saw on Rumble. The sort the colt wore right before he tore into his Hearth’s Warming presents.
"Soooo, what're you up to?" Cloud Chaser asked, her voice dripping with sweetness.
"I was about to have lunch," Thunderlane answered, closing the bag as his appetite waned. "Look, can we just get to what you want?"
Cloud Chaser giggled at that. Thunderlane flattened his ears, trying not think about how much he'd come to dislike that sound. His wings flicked out as he glanced over his shoulder, wondering just how quickly he could get to the other side of town.
"What, do I need to have a reason to want to talk?" Cloud Chaser's hoof fell across his withers, cutting off his escape before he could even take the first flap. "We're friends, aren't we? I just wanted to see how you were doing!"
"And the fact I got invited to the Grand Galloping Gala has nothing to do with it, I'm sure," Thunderlane countered.
Her grip weakened as the accusation struck home. Thunderlane grinned as he managed to shrug off her leg and started to turn. Cloud Chaser had already made it behind him, however, and her overly-eager smile hadn't faded in the slightest. Even if she was trying (and failing) to cover it with her now-free hoof.
"Wait. You got invited to the Grand Galloping Gala?" Thunderlane actually shuddered at how fake her surprise sounded. "Reeeeally? I certainly hadn't heard about that!"
"Guess you missed Ditzy shouting about it earlier," Thunderlane said as he tried to step to the side. "Look, it's really not a big deal—"
"Are you serious? Thunderlane, this is huge deal!" Cloud Chaser argued, her wings flaring out to block his path again. "I mean, THE Grand Galloping Gala! The biggest social event in all of Equestria!"
"I've heard the hype," Thunderlane muttered, silently praying the conversation would just end.
"So... are you bringing anypony?"
And there it was. The question he'd been dreading. Thunderlane's hooves stopped, a disgusted sigh escaping from his mouth as he looked at Cloud Chaser's face again. She still wore the same eager grin, only now it was coupled with a pleading look in her eyes. The same face he'd seen at least fifty times that morning.
"Look Cloud—" he started to say.
"Thunderlane!"
A new voice cut him off. Both he and Cloud Chaser turned, just in time to see a pale-lavender blur streaking towards them. Cloud Chaser didn't even have time to gasp in surprise before it slammed into her, sending her sailing off into another patch of fluffy clouds.
"Flitter. Great..." Thunderlane let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes.
The newly arrived pegasus just giggled as she flipped her greenish mane back behind her neck. Likely trying to draw attention to the braid it was done up in, and the lack of her usual pink ribbon. Neither of which gave Thunderlane much hope for the conversation he was about to have.
"So... uh..." Flitter bit down on her lip, leaving the stallion to wonder if somepony had actually noticed his impatient scowl for once. "Hi?"
"You already heard about my Gala ticket too, didn't you?" The look of shock on her face didn't make Thunderlane feel better. If anything, it just made him want to kick something all the more.
"Gala ticket? Wh-what are you talking about?!" Flitter stammered out, one hoof moving over her chest. "I was just on my way to pick up Rumble from school for you and—"
"School doesn't let out until three."
Flitter's wings flared as her lie was exposed. Thunderlane just tapped one hoof impatiently, his eyes narrowing on the mare as a fine bead of sweat formed on her forehead.
"Oh... uh, does it? Heh heh, silly me!" Flitter said, managing to force on another smile as she scuffed her hoof against the cloud. "So... about that ticket to the Gala—"
"Hold it right there!"
That had been Cloud Chaser's voice. Thunderlane didn't have a chance to look for where it came from, and he didn't have to bother. The weather mare came barrelling down from above, sending bits of cloud flying as she landed between the stallion and Flitter.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" Cloud Chaser yelled, jabbing her sister with one hoof. "I was here first!"
"Cloud, did you even see the look he was giving you?" Flitter asked as she brushed the hoof off. "He wasn't going to invite you."
"Uh, Flitter? Cloud Chaser?" Thunderlane waved one foreleg, trying to get their attention.
It didn't work. The two mares began circling each other, wings spread. Wisely, he felt, Thunderlane took a step back before loudly clearing his throat.
"Come on you guys!" It was hard to keep his voice anywhere near calm, especially with his pulse thundering in his ears. He was starting to wonder why he even bothered. "Would you just listen for—"
"So what makes you think you've got a better chance than me?" Cloud Chaser spat out, completely ignoring the stallion. "I work with him!"
"Oh let's think. I do watch his little brother after all," Flitter answered with a smirk and a flip of her braid. "So he knows that I'm nicer, funnier, prettier—"
Cloud Chaser let out a growl. Her wings pumped, and she started to charge—
Oh that does it
With a furious snort, Thunderlane lashed out with his rear legs.
CRACK-BOOM!
"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH!" He shouted.
Thunderlane was breathing heavily, his hooves tingling as a few sparks fell from them. The chunks of cloud he'd kicked floated away, their thunder spent. It had had exactly the effect he'd wanted, though. Both mares froze, Cloud Chaser in mid-flap causing her to flop face first onto their cushiony perch.
Positive that their eyes were on him, Thunderlane's muzzle dove into his lunch bag. With a scowl, he pulled out the golden ticket that he'd hidden inside. Unsurprisingly, both sisters' eyes went right to it as he transferred it to his wing.
"Are you two seriously going to fight over this stupid thing?!" He didn't care that he was shouting, or that the two mares were cringing away. "I mean really! It's just a stupid ticket to some fancy Canterlot party!"
"But—"
Flitter and Cloud Chaser both tried to speak up at once. Thunderlane didn't care to listen as his wing folded, cutting them off as he crumpled the Gala ticket into a tiny glittering ball.
"I've had everypony I know pleading with me, doing me favors, and arguing with each other all day to try and get their hooves on this ticket," he snarled out, flicking the ticket into the air. "If that's the way everypony is gonna act, then nopony is getting it!"
CHOMP
With a satisfied smile, Thunderlane felt a metallic taste hit his tongue. Flitter and Cloud Chaser were both staring at him in disbelief.
"THUNDERLANE!"
WHAM
That was all he had time to see before something blue slammed into him. His eyes went wide as he found himself being carried backwards by whatever it was. Something that was leaving a rainbow-colored streak as they flew. Up until it drove him into a huge cloudbank. His stomach flipped as the pressure on it increased, the air driving from his lungs...
And the slightly damp ticket flying from his mouth, where a waiting cyan hoof caught it.
"I don't believe it... I-I just can't believe it!"
Thunderlane coughed as the force on his barrel lessened. His vision slowly swam back together as he managed to draw in a breath. Just in time to see the smiling face of a rainbow-maned mare looking down at his Gala ticket.
"Rain-" he coughed one last time before managing to get his voice back. "Rainbow Dash?"
"You've got a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala. I heard the news going around the office but..." Ponyville's weather manager was looking from the invitation in her hooves and back to him, the disbelief obvious in her both her face and voice. "You got a ticket, and you almost ate it?! What were you thinking?"
That I didn't have enough problems today?
Thunderlane resisted the urge to spit that answer out. Not that he had the chance as Dash started waving the golden slip in his face.
"Do you have any idea who performs at the Gala every year?" Rainbow Dash asked, her face breaking into another huge smile. "The Wonderbolts! You were just about to throw away a chance to see them-no, to meet them! Live and in pony!"
"Dash, I really couldn't care less right now—" Thunderlane realized he'd said that out loud a second too late.
Rainbow Dash was glaring at him. He instinctively cringed, wings snapping against his sides. Somehow, for a brief moment, he'd forgotten about his manager's obsession with Equestria's premiere stunt flying team. The look on her face said that he was about to regret that.
Unless...
His eyes flew wide, looking from the ticket to Rainbow Dash. He hesitated for a second, though. The idea that had just jumped into his head was crazy and selfish, and he knew it.
As the mare took a step towards him with a face like a wild storm cloud, however, his uncertainty quickly vanished.
"But I can see you do!" he said quickly, digging a bit further back into the cloud to buy himself time to talk. "Tell you what? Why don't you just have the ticket?"
Dash's face went completely blank for a second. Cautiously, Thunderlane unfolded his limbs a bit.
"Are... are you for real?" she asked, the corners of her mouth flicking up. "You'd just give it to me? Just like that?"
"Sure! I-I mean, seeing the Wonderbolts obviously means a lot to you." Thunderlane laughed a bit, his shoulders suddenly feeling so much lighter as he spoke. "You just take it and invite anypony you want, alright?"
"YEEEEEESSSSSSS!"
With a joyful shout that echoed off the faraway mountains, Rainbow Dash streaked into the air. Thunderlane just heaved out a sigh of relief as he finally pulled himself from the cloud, dusting the last few wisps from his flanks as he watched his boss turn loop-de-loops.
"And that dumb thing can be your problem now," he muttered to himself.
His stomach ached a bit. Both from Dash's tackle and a pang of guilt running through it. Still, Thunderlane had a satisfied smile on his face as the rainbow contrail darted to and fro across the sky. He let out a short chuckle as he spread his wings, preparing to take off.
"So, guess this means we'll need to see somepony about dressing up for this, won't we?" Rainbow Dash's voice suddenly asked from above.
"Huh?" Thunderlane shook his head and thought for a second. "Yeah, I guess so—"
With another second's thought, he realized just what he'd been asked. His head snapped up, jaw dropping as he stared up at the cyan mare hovering above him.
"Wait, what do you mean 'we'?" he shouted, his veins turning to ice. "I gave the ticket to you! You can invite anypony you want!"
"Yeah, but your name's already on it..." Rainbow Dash answered, one hoof rubbing the back of her head. "Besides, I owe you at least this for giving me a chance to meet my heroes!"
Thunderlane tried to protest again, but all that came out was a pitiful squeak. His senses were starting to swim again. Enough that he barely noticed as Dash gave him a pat on the head and a smile.
"I knew you'd be happy! You're alright, Thunderlane," she said, flapping her way back up. "I'll just hold onto this ticket so you don't do something stupid with it again."
"Bu..." Thunderlane couldn't choke out anymore as his eyes followed her.
"Oh, and why don't you take the rest of the day off?" Dash suggested over her shoulder. "You look like you deserve it!"
Without another word, she took off in a rainbow streak. Thunderlane's jaw flapped uselessly a few more times before he realized she wasn't there anymore. His eyes slowly drifted back down.
They immediately shrunk to pinpricks as he saw another nearby cloud. One which Flitter and Cloud Chaser were standing on. The both of them glaring daggers at him, their mouths pulled back into snarls.
Oh pony feathers...
"So Rainbow Dash has your ticket now?" Twilight's voice interrupted. "Seriously?!"
Thunderlane quickly shushed the little dragon as she shouted. His eyes darted about, only finding relief as they saw nothing but empty grass and skies. Slowly, he moved his wing away from Twilight's mouth.
"You've met Dash. She's kinda hard to say 'no' to..." Thunderlane's ears fell flat as he sighed. "And now everypony thinks I gave Dash my guest spot so I could get special treatment!”
"Well why don't you tell them that it's a misunderstanding?" Twilight asked, jumping to her feet. "Just explain how crazy they were driving you—"
"And tell Rainbow Dash how I tried to dump my problems on her?" Thunderlane finished for her with a roll of his eyes. "Oh yeah, that'd go over well!"
Twilight fell silent, her tail and ear fins both slumping. The little dragon sniffled as she sat back down, her eyes falling to her feet. Thunderlane flinched at the sight, his head suddenly ringing with internal scolding as he let out a weary sigh.
"I'm sorry, Twi. I really don't mean to keep snapping like that," he said, gently patting her shoulder with one hoof. "Between getting bugged for that stupid ticket and now this whole mess… it's just been a really cruddy day."
"It's fine," Twilight muttered as she sat down again, resting her head against one of her paws. "I know the feeling."
Thunderlane's hoof stopped just above the dragon. Slowly, he raised one eyebrow.
Twilight's disappointment was clearly etched on her face. Thunderlane couldn't deny that. But at the same time, something about her tone had an edge to it. Especially with the way her claws were tightly gripping the roll of parchment she'd been carrying, and the thin curls of smoke that she blew out as she sighed...
"So, you're just gonna stay up here?" Twilight asked.
Her grumbling voice caused Thunderlane to shake his head. He looked about again, still seeing no sign of any other ponies despite the raised voices. With a weary sigh, he leaned back against the trunk.
“I… I dunno. I guess so?” he said with a shrug. “I just really wanted to be away from everypony until this whole Gala nonsense blew over and they stopped acting crazy.”
"But what about your ticket?" Twilight's head had lifted again, and Thunderlane's eyes darted to the side. He truly hoped he imagined the familiar, pleading spark in the dragon's eyes…
"Dash can keep it for all I care." Thunderlane drew a deep breath, trying to force his voice to sound less harsh. "But… well, I guess… I really shouldn’t have tried to pass the bit like I did.”
Twilight’s eyes were falling away again. The eagerness in them had vanished. Thunderlane barely noticed as a familiar knot formed in his stomach. This time much more insistent than before.
“Wouldn’t wish the day I’ve had on anypony either,” he admitted, rolling his gaze to the cloudless sky above. “I should probably just agree to go with Dash to save her—”
A short grunt from Twilight followed by a loud scratching sound cut him off.
"Fine." Twilight said with something that sounded suspiciously like a disgusted sigh. "I hope you two have fun then."
By the time Thunderlane had looked back down, the purple dragoness had vanished. Only a long trail of claw marks running down the trunk of the tree and several clawed footprints on the ground below were left.
Time Turner
Thunderlane
Big Macintosh
Cheerilee
"Alright... just keep it together, Twilight." The little dragon was talking to herself once again as she rolled up her scroll. "There's still two ponies left!"
The problem was convincing her body of that. The edges of the list were looking quite ragged thanks to how hard her claws gripped it. She wasn't even sure just how long she'd spent listening to Thunderlane, a thought which drove her feet as they hurried down the road.
"I just need to be a little faster this time!" Twilight insisted, not even stopping to look at any of the passing scenery. "I'm sure I can still get a ticket!"
Even if I was kinda rude with Thunderlane...
Twilight flinched as one fang dug into her upper lip.
"He… he probably didn't want to talk about the ticket anymore anyway," Twilight told herself as she started to pant from the effort of jogging and talking simultaneously. "I'll apologize... later..."
In spite of her desperation, Twilight's rubbery legs started to slow. Wiping sweat from her brow, the little dragoness stumbled to a halt and put one paw against the fence running alongside the dirt road. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, and a smile crossed her face.
The buildings of Ponyville lay far behind her. Nothing but acres and acres of farmland waited beyond the fence she now leaned against. What had her attention, however, was further up the road. A building that, from a distance, looked like another red barn. She could see the extra windows and attic addition, however, as well as flower boxes planted all around it. All the markings of a comfortable farmhouse. Closing her eyes and tilting her head back, Twilight inhaled deeply through her nose. Her racing heartbeat calmed slightly as her senses were filled with the scent of warm soil and fresh grown apples.
“Aaaah…” A blissful sigh escaped her muzzle as she gave a confident nod. “Sweet Apple Acres.”
The purple dragon's legs were already moving again, this time at a much more leisurely pace. Any worries about Thunderlane were miles behind her as she walked. Her smile was just growing bigger and bigger, as more and more memories floated up with each step she took.
Like the sight of the largest stallion she'd ever met, blinking in surprise from her camera flash.
Or watching as Spike tried to get more than one word at a time from the huge earth pony.
And seeing his red coat almost start to glow with how hard he was blushing, as ponies crowded around him, slapping him on the back, thanking him for helping the town. Only to turn stark white as she pulled out her camera again...
"It's perfect!"
Twilight put a paw over her mouth as a few startled birds leapt from their perches above. She couldn't suppress the giggle as she approached the farmhouse, transmitting her parchment scroll to her waiting tail.
"Mac's the shyest-er... the most humble pony in town." Twilight stopped and nodded to herself, snickering a little over her verbal stumble. "I'll bet he hasn't even told anypony he has a ticket yet."
Clearing her throat, Twilight raised one paw to knock on the farmhouse door.
"YEEEEEE-HAAAAAW!"
Twilight froze, her claw a fraction of an inch away from its target. Slowly, with one eye twitching slightly, she looked to the side. A window next to the door was open, no doubt the one that the shout had come from. A shout every bit as joyful and excited as Dinky Doo's had been back at the library which, for some reason, sent a feeling of dread creeping into the young reptile's stomach.
Either Granny Smith just got her prescriptions refilled or—
She didn't finish the thought. Biting her lower lip, Twilight jumped over and grabbed the window sill, pulling herself up so she could see inside. A cozy family room greeted her, complete with a squat sofa, apple-patterned wallpaper and paneling...
And a sight that filled her insides with ice.
Big Macintosh wasn't sure what was going to give first.
He could see his sister, Applejack, out of the corner of his eye. The normally orange mare's face was almost the same shade of red as his own. Between that, her bulging cheeks, and the trembling smile on her muzzle, she looked ready to explode into laughter at any moment.
On the other hoof, the red stallion's neck wasn't faring well either. It felt like it was about to snap under the force of the forehooves embracing it. Rather surprising, as he never would have guessed that the wrinkly green mare responsible for the hug had so much strength. She didn't seem to notice, however, being far too busy covering his face in sloppy kisses.
"Aww, Macky!" The affectionate assault wasn't letting up. If anything, the aged pony's grip seemed to tighten. "If this ain't the nicest-the most thoughtful—"
"Ah guess—" Mac grunted and let out another cough as he tried to speak. "-that's a yes?"
The worrying feeling of something popping in his neck served as the answer. Along with the feeling of his grandmother's hug growing ever stronger. His eyes rolled back up to Applejack, doing their best to plead with the smiling mare even as spots danced across his vision.
"Heh heh heh... Alright, Granny." Applejack was doing a very poor job hiding her chuckles as she trotted over. "Ah think Mac gets the idea."
With some gentle coaxing from orange hooves, the embrace on his neck finally released. Mac drew in a deep breath as he pulled himself upright again. His hoof rubbed over the back of his neck, eliciting a wince as he silently counted his vertebrae.
"Ah just cain't believe it!" Granny Smith was still smiling, looking like she was about to jump for joy despite her trembling hip. "The Grand Galloping Gala! Ah've wanted to go since Ah was a little sprout like Applebloom!"
"Ah know," Mac said, finally smiling as he found no permanent spinal damage. "Glad yer excited 'bout it."
"Oh, but Macky are yew sure 'bout this?" Granny Smith asked.
He didn't have the chance to ask what she meant before her forelegs reached out again. This time they were much more gentle, wrapping around one of his forehooves. The red giant blinked a few times before noticing how sad his grandmother's smile had become.
"This is yer ticket, Macky, and Ah'm just some old biddy," she said as she patted the massive limb. "Yew sure ya don't wanna take some pretty young mare as yer guest?"
"Or maybe yer business-savvy little sister?"
Mac rolled his eyes and turned a glare to Applejack. The orange mare cleared her throat, the hopeful smile on her muzzle beginning to fade. Slowly, one hoof reached up to the brim of her stetson.
“Heh, just a thought,” she said, tugging down her hat to hide her face.
Applejack took a step back. Mac watched her for another moment, before being sure she would stay quiet. With a smile, he turned back to his grandmother and gently laid his free foreleg over her own.
"Ah ain't worried 'bout any young mares," he said, carefully pushing her hooves back down. "Just wanna show mah granny how much Ah 'preciate her."
Before she could protest again, he pulled his legs back. The old green mare's eyes went wide as she saw the glittering golden ticket he'd left atop her hooves. Those same eyes began to water, one hoof lifting her shawl to wipe away the forming tears.
"Aww, Mac..." Granny Smith said as she softly patted his cheek. "If'n you ain't the sweetest little apple this family ever raised..."
Big Mac could feel himself start to blush again. He was honestly surprised the shriveled hoof could bare to touch him with how hot his face felt. Granny didn't seem to notice or care, however, as she continued to smile up at him.
Right before she drew back in a sharp gasp.
"Heavens to Betsy!" she shouted. "That means Ah'm really going to the Gala!"
Her hoof drew away so suddenly it nearly clipped Mac in the jaw. The stallion took a step back as Granny Smith jumped to her hooves and started towards the stairs.
"Somethin' wrong, Granny?" he asked, his pulse racing a bit at the way his grandmother was hobbling.
"If'n Ah'm going to the Grand Gallopin' Gala, Ah gotta look the part!" she answered, looking back over her shoulder as she put one hoof on the bottom-most stair. "C'mon Applejack! We gotta make sure mah fancy girdle still fits!"
"Er..." Applejack visibly flinched before waving to the retreating senior. "You go ahead, Granny. Ah'll be up in a second."
The ancient farm horse was humming a happy little tune as she began her climb. Mac just chuckled a bit as he watched her, waiting until she was out of sight before turning his grin to his younger sister.
"Whew-weee. Don't think Ah've ever seen Granny so excited."
Applejack did not return the smile. Mac let out a grunt as she slid up to his side, tossing one leg over his withers.
"Course, she did sound like she wouldn't mind if yew took somepony else. Not that Ah'm sayin' yew should, of course!" Applejack said, buffing one hoof against her chest. "Ah just wonder if yew really thought 'bout how much good selling our apple treats at one o' the fanciest shindigs in Equestria could do for the farm?"
Mac's smile fell away. With a shrug of his mighty shoulders, he easily forced his sister's hoof off. Applejack didn’t jump back, and her smile didn’t fade even as his eyes narrowed on her.
“Granny’s been good to us,” he said firmly. “Yew know she deserves this more than anypony.”
Mac’s brow furrowed as his sister trembled a bit. Much to his surprise, a chuckle slipped out as she playfully shoved one hoof against his shoulder.
"Aww shewt, 'coure Ah know that. Doesn't mean Ah cain't dream, right?" Applejack asked, her grin spreading from ear to ear. "We both know yer doin' the right thing, Granny's Boy."
Big Mac snorted and glared, but a short chuckle slipped out. Applejack's pent up laughter was finally finding its way out as she threw her leg over him again, pulling him into a hug.
"Well howdy thar, Twilight! What're yew—"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The scream from outside immediately sent Mac bolting to the front door. Perhaps a bit too fast as he felt Applejack get dragged along with him. He did his best not to lose her as he threw open the door and charged outside.
He came to an immediate halt, right in front of a small, yellow filly.
"WHOA NELLY!" Applejack shouted as she went flipping over his head.
Whoops...
Mac winced as the elder of his two sisters crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Uh... Hi Mac. Hi AJ." The little filly before Mac shuffled her hooves as she looked between her siblings. "What's goin' on?"
"Ah was-ow..." Applejack rolled back to her hooves, flinching as she dusted off her coat. "Ah was about to ask yew the same thing, Applebloom."
"Was that yew yellin'?" Mac asked, his heart still going a mile a minute.
"Well, no..." Applebloom's hoof pointed to the side as she trailed off.
Mac's green eyes followed, and went wide. There wasn't anything where his sister had pointed, but clearly something must have been. And whatever it was had left twin streaks of slightly scorched earth and a trail of clawed footprints.
"But… any clue what Miss Twilight was doin' here?" Applebloom asked.
Big Macintosh just shrugged.
Time Turner
Thunderlane
Big Macintosh
Cheerilee
"Just... gotta... keep... going!"
Twilight could hardly breathe. She'd always thought her insides were just as fireproof as her scales. That theory was crumbling thanks to how hard her chest was burning.
It did nothing to stop her paws from moving, however. The little dragon had fallen to all fours, her tail wrapped tight around her list. She forced down another breath as she barreled down the road with leaping strides. Off in the distance, she thought she heard the clock tower chiming. She didn't even bother to count how many times it rang.
It only served as another reminder that more time was passing.
"Cheerilee..." Twilight coughed and nearly stumbled. "Cheerilee could still..."
Seriously?
"She's nice!" Twilight insisted to her own, doubting thoughts. "She's friendly... warm..."
The little dragon's breathing was easing slightly. Probably thanks to the fact that she was slowing down. Even as she tried to drive her weary legs faster.
"... and caring and kind and..." Twilight's body felt like lead as she stumbled to a halt. Her eyes were watering as she looked at the still-distant buildings of Ponyville. "Oh, who am I kidding?"
She brought her tail around, plucking the scroll out of it. Wiping her eyes with one dusty paw, Twilight unfurled the parchment and pulled out a quill.
Time Turner
Thunderlane
Big Macintosh
Cheerilee
"If anypony already has a date, it's her," Twilight realized.
Something hard and heavy had settled into the bottom of her stomach. The little dragon sniffled as she tottered to the side of the road. With a final, heavy thud, she slumped down against a tree.
It's not fair...
A half-choked whimper escaped Twilight's muzzle as she wrapped her arms around her knees. She could barely see the names on the list anymore, but her eyes wouldn't leave it.
"I... I just..." She didn't even know what she was trying to say. Not that it mattered, since she couldn't finish it anyway. Her voice trailed off into a few hiccups as the tears rolled down her cheeks. The paper crinkled slightly as her grip on it tightened...
RIP
The list was trying to slip from her trembling claws. Twilight just grit her teeth as she tugged harder at the tearing parchment.
It's. Not. Fair!
RIP
The list tore further down its length. Smoke curled from the young dragon's nostrils, even as more tears came. She could feel the fire building in her throat as she crumpled the paper mess and tossed it away.
Why does everypony else get to go and I don't?!
Twilight drew in a deep breath, flames roaring in her chest, her ears, her eyes...
A second drifted by. Followed by another.
Slowly, she breathed out, a column of white smoke hissing between her teeth.
"Because they earned them." Twilight sighed as she answered her own question. "Those are their tickets. They can do what they want..."
But Spike would have taken me.
Twilight clamped her claws over her ear fins. The painful reminder was already bouncing around in her skull however, kicked up like a leaf in the gentle wind that had started to blow around her.
Whap
The thought was thankfully silenced. Though this time it was due to that same wind picking up Twilight's discarded list and blowing it into her face. The dragon let out a low growl as she peeled the torn scroll off.
She blinked in surprise, however, as something slipped from its curled bottom and landed in her scaly lap.
"What the..." Twilight's voice trailed off as she picked up the envelope, releasing her list back to the breeze as she opened it up. "Oh…. my gosh."
Twilight's paw fell over her mouth as her voice failed. Her tears had dried in an instant, though that didn’t make her eyes any easier to believe. Not even with the golden ticket glinting from between her claws.
Mister Spike Flail, plus one guest,
You are cordially invited to attend
The Grand Galloping Gala
"What... how..." Twilight's head was pounding as she realized she wasn’t imagining what she held. “When did…”
She remembered picking up the envelope. She remembered walking towards the writing desks. Then the realization had struck. Everything collapsed into ink, quills, blank parchment…
And through it all, she never remembered putting the envelope down.
"Have I been carrying this around the whole time?" Twilight asked herself, already knowing the answer.
Well... that's lucky.
Twilight blinked at the thought. It wasn't a happy tone that carried in her head. Even if she could see the little smirk on her face in the fuzzy reflection on the ticket's golden surface. She quickly shook her head, forcing the smile away.
"Spike already promised this to Rarity," Twilight said firmly as she slipped out the small card behind it. "A-and I still have to take care of the RSVP!"
Twilight gripped her quill a bit too hard as she pulled it out. Her body was trembling again in the wake of another idea. One that her stomach was doing back flips over as she did her best to ignore it. She instead forced all her attention onto the small, white card before her.
Thank you for the invitation.
__ I will be attending__ I can not attend due to the following reasons:
Spike would have invited me.
The white feather froze over the box next to the "will be attending" option. Twilight's eyes darted to the side, landing on the golden ticket again. Biting the inside of her cheek, she tried to tear her gaze away from it...
Rarity just got there first.
"It's fine! He likes her!" Twilight winced as she realized how loud she was shouting. "It's fine..."
But she stole my spot...
Twilight grabbed the quill in both paws, trying to force it down. Neither of the limbs would obey, however. It was almost as though the feather was tied to some invisible ceiling. Try as she might, Twilight couldn’t get it any closer to her goal, nor could she peel her gaze from the scrap of gold to her side.
"Well what can I do? I already told Spike it's okay!" Twilight argued with herself, trying and failing again to lower the quill. "I'm not going to make him change his mind now, that’d be selfish!"
Her breath caught in her throat as the quill finally lowered a bit. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Twilight prepared to place a mark into the proper box.
But Rarity stealing the ticket was selfish too.
One more millimeter and she'd have made it. The quill nearly snapped as Twilight squeezed it, trying to wring a drop of ink onto the card before her claws rebelled again.
Nopony gave her the right. Nopony told Spike it was okay, either.
Twilight's breath was coming harder and faster. Frantically, she pulled her eyes from the ticket back to the RSVP card. Her heart stopped when she noticed which line they landed on.
__ I can not attend due to the following reasons:
Why should either of them get to go?
The quill wavered. Twilight’s wrist began to ache as she clamped down on it with her other paw. She winced, fighting back the pain as she struggled to steady her writing hand.
"I... I couldn't do that!" she protested, even as her eyes lingered on the forbidden line. "I mean... I shouldn't..."
But it's so unfair
Twilight's cheek was beginning to hurt from how much she was chewing on it.
"It really is..." she shook her head. "B-but... that wouldn't make it right!”
Just... think about it.
A soft whisper of wind pushed the flap of the envelope shut. Twilight blinked and shook her head, suddenly realizing she'd been looking at the ticket again. She quickly snatched the envelope up before the wind could get any stronger, and forced her eyes back to the RSVP card.
__ I will be attending
__ I can not attend due to the following reasons:
Twilight swallowed hard as she lowered her quill again. She froze an inch from the paper. The tip began to waver, slowly moving from one check box to the other.
"I can't... I shouldn't..." Twilight said to herself. "Even if it wasn't fair…”
She was breathing heavily. The two lines were taking up her entire vision.
“... Even if he knew I’d want to go…”
Twilight’s chest was starting to burn again. Despite that, her writing paw had stopped shaking.
“And he gave my ticket away anyhow…”
A thin curl of smoke rose from the corner of the dragon’s sneering mouth. Finally, the choice seemed so clear.
Twilight brought the quill down.