The following day, a newspaper was printed and sent out, describing the events of the Grand Galloping Gala, which was prematurely cancelled after not only a horde of wild animals crashing the party, but was also gatecrashed by notorious thief Grand Heist, who was publicly revealed to be the Mayor of Ponyville, Grey Mare upon her arrest.
Grey Mare was promptly put to trial for her crimes, Prosecutor Shining Armour forming a case where the thief was responsible for many acts of theft and breaking and entering, but also for theft of highly experimental magical technology, treason against Princess Celestia’s crown and the framing of Night Light for embezzlement. The judge ruled in the prosecutions favour and Grand Heist was promptly sent to one of Equestria’s best prisons.
Any complaints any Canterlot nobles had regarding the actions of some gala guests went unreported, as were any rumours regarding Princess Celestia’s mysterious sister, Luna.
Though it seemed the night had come to a close, there were still many loose ends left to be resolved......
-------------------------------------
Rainbow sighed as she stood at the train station with her friends. The Gala had been cancelled after the Grand Heist debacle had ruined it, and the Princesses had promptly retreated to their quarters in the castle, leaving the guards to quietly bid the guests to leave. The rainbow-maned Pegasus turned to her friends (and Pinkamena, it wasn’t so clear with her) with a regretful look.
“Look I...”
“You were right.” Twilight said with a sigh, interrupting Rainbow.
The Pegasus blinked, tilting her head. “About what?”
“About the gala of course!” The purple unicorn replied. “You told us over and over again it wouldn’t be what we were expecting, that it wouldn’t be some perfect magical evening where everything we wanted came true, and you were right! I was too different from Canterlot ponies...and none of them trusted me because of what my dad supposedly did...I don’t belong here and I was stupid to think otherwise...”
“And everypony was not interested in talking to me about fashion.” Applejack added. “And the only one who did speak to me at all simply wanted to bully me and insult me....Ah’m afraid Ah may have responded in an...unladylike manner.”
“You...you didn’t enjoy yourselves at all?” Rainbow frowned in compassion, turning to her other friends. “What about you guys?”
Fluttershy grinned sheepishly, looking away from Rainbow. “Welllll I MIGHT have annoyed the musicians because I didn’t like their music aaaaannnnnd might have let loose all the animals in Canterlot garden into the Gala to living the party up.”
“You DID do that.” Pinkamena interjected drolly. “You ended up causing a mass panic and caused lots of minor property damage, and scared many ponies witless if not hurt a fair many.”
Fluttershy’s eyes welled up with regretful tears. “Yeah...”
“That...happened?” Rainbow winced, biting her lip. “Um...wow. I didn’t realise, I thought most of the damage was from Grand Heist....”
“Oh no, the night went downhill REALLY fast before you ever came onto the scene.” Pinkamena said.
Rarity sighed, scuffing her hoof onto the ground. “I just humiliated myself in front of the Wonderbolts, I doubt they’ll ever let me join them after THAT mess.” The unicorn winced before she continued. “And...I got a Princess Luna covered in punch and got her mad at us.”
“You ALL did something to get her mad.” Pinkamena said.
“Yeah...” The four mares sighed and bowed their heads sadly.
Rainbow frowned and looked at Pinkamena. “I assume you had a terrible night as well?”
PInkamena shook her head. “I got to kick the stupid former mayor of Ponyville in the face. That was the greatest moment of my life. Nopony bothered me and I didn’t have to bother with anypony else. I had a good time.”
Rainbow tilted her head before shaking it dismissively. “Alright...anyway...I have something to say...not sure if it’ll make things better or worse. I...I had an ulterior motive for coming here.”
“Darling, after tonight, and your absence for most of it, it’s pretty obvious you had to come here to capture Grand Heist and stop hi-her from stealing the Elements of Harmony.” Applejack smiled. “And OF COURSE we had to come since it would have looked strange otherwise, and we would have felt betrayed. Is that not so?”
“You...figured that out easily.” Rainbow pointed out.
“Rainbow, come on, we’re not idiots.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Besides, after she nearly blew up the whole town, it’s understandable you’d do whatever it took to bring her down.”
“So you’re not mad?” the blue Pegasus asked hopefully.
“Mad!?” Fluttershy laughed. “Gurl, you’re a hero!”
“Never say ‘gurl’ again.’ PInkamena mumbled darkly.
“But I used you!” Rainbow argued. “I took advantage of our friendship.”
“You did no such thing!”
The six mares blinked and turned, seeing a pair of unicorns.
Twilight teared up, recognising the pair. “O-Oh! Y-You two...”
Jet Set smiled. “Are these your friends, Twilight? Who would have guessed such a nice mare would be friends with such an interesting group of mares?”
Twilight gulped. “You...you don’t hate me?”
Upper Crust gasped and laughed good-naturedly. “Hate you? Just for saying you didn’t like Canterlot’s nobles? Look, we doubt you include us in that statement and you had a bad experience with some of our ‘elite’, why we would we hold that against you? Nopony would be friends with anypony if little things like that mattered.”
Rarity trotted over to the couple, eyes filled with concern. “You two look like a mess...are you hurt?”
“Oh just some roughhousing from a few wild beasts.” Jet Set chuckled, holding up a tennis racket. “Nothing a little badminton couldn’t handle.”
“Just like that time on safari in Zebica.” His wife added.
Fluttershy gasped. “Oh gosh! I’m sorry! That was my fault!”
“Yes really put a damper on the night, I will admit.” Jet Set said. “But ultimately, nopony was hurt and a notorious ne’er-do-well was apprehended by Equestria’s Finest, so why dwell on it?”
“Ah doubt the other guests would agree...” Applejack muttered.
“Pish posh!” Upper Crust smiled warmly, waving her hoof dismissively. “Sure a few bad eggs might blame you girls for everything, but we’ve seen WAY worse.”
“Like that time when Blueblood insulted Zecora!” jet Set chortled. “Oh, Iron Will was SO mad! He blew up half the castle just to punish the prince! You can hardly even tell any damage had to been done at all nowadays!”
“And it gave that former brat a much needed attitude change!” His wife added.
Rainbow made a mental note to remind herself it was a good idea she never attended the gala before, nor stepped outside of her room. Also to never make Iron Will angry if she ever met him.
“That may be so,” Applejack interrupted, “but that doesn’t change the fact that the four of us caused a lot of trouble and ruined Princess Luna’s first public appearance in a thousand years.”
“Apart from when she was super evil!” Fluttershy interjected.
“That was implied by her saying Princess Luna, rather than Nightmare Moon.” PInkamena said.
“Oh right!”
“ANYWAY!” Twilight exclaimed, flailing her hooves in the air before giving a light cough and settling back down. “Anyway, yeah you two may SAY it’s alright, but the point is none of us really enjoyed the Gala, none of us had a good experience with the ponies there apart from you two, none of us achieved anything we wanted to do and...in the end...it’s clear we just don’t belong here...”
Both Canterlot ponies raised their brows in surprise. “Don’t belong...? “ Jet Set said. “What does ‘belonging’ mean anyway, and why would it matter? Do you KNOW how many different ponies live in Canterlot, or visit the Gala? TONS! An unbelievably extravagant amount, all different and distinct!”
“Seriously, nopony’s going to hold this night against you. The Gala is a time for ponies who are otherwise unavailable to reconnect and settle down.” Upper Crust added. “Look, by this time tomorrow I’m sure everything will be alright, so just chin up. You six are ALWAYS welcome in Canterlot, no matter what!”
The train sounded out its whistle as it rolled to the station platform, cutting the conversation short.
“Honestly, I think its best we head home and get ourselves some rest.” Rainbow said, giving the Canterlot pair a smile. “But thanks for trying to cheer my friends up. You’re welcome to visit Ponyville whenever you like.”
“Why wait!?” Jet Set said, trotting to the train with his wife. “No time like the present, I always say!”
Rainbow shrugged and followed after the pair, PInkamena sighing and trotting off next. The four remaing mares looked at each other warily, unsure about the future.
“Oh well!” Fluttershy smiled. “No point being glum! What’s done is done! Let’s go home everypony! I’m sure they’re right: everything will work out!”
-------------------------
Applejack woke up the following day, wearing a nightgown as she walked to her mailbox to see what, if anything, had been delivered to her. To her surprise, she noticed a letter addressed to her by Hoity Toity. She quickly opened up the letter, worried he was going to reprimand her for attacking another mare at the Gala.
Instead, to her shock, it was an apology. It read:
“Dame Applejack,
My sincerest apologies for my rude, flippant behaviour. Yes, The gala is a time of relaxation and rest, and a time to reconnect with friends among the elite, but that is no excuse for how I treated a friend of Rainbow Dash, one of the finest mares I ever had the fortune of knowing, albeit for a short time.
Your friend has been an inspiration to many of us, and has allowed me to find many talented mares who bring fresh new ideas and styles to an industry that, quite frankly, few even give much thought.
If you wish to still share some ideas with me, I welcome it. It’s the least I can do not only for Rainbow Dash, but for a mare who likely needs a better view of how we in Canterlot act. If you wish to speak with me, I’d prefer it in person, so you may find me at 2pm at Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville. It comes highly recommended to me by a pair of good friends.”
Applejack gasped, realising she needed to get ready, and the mare shouted out. “Applebloom! Strongheart! I need something business-like, charming and casual!”
---------------------------
Rarity stood on the roof of a Ponyville house, goggles over her eyes. She realised that there was only one way to prove herself to the WOnderbolts: to apply herself and train and then apply to the academy. Even if they were still mad at her, even if they laughed at her, she wouldn’t just give up over a single mistake.
She’s the unicorn who will touch the sky.
-------------------------
Twilight shovelled at the family farm’s field, her father walking up to her.
“Vorking hard I see.” The stallion noted.
“Yeah.”
“I hope you had a lovely time.”
Twilight sighed. “...Not really. Everypony treated me like a criminal, and I didn’t feel comfortable with those big city ponies who never worked a day in their lives.”
“Is zat vhat you zink?” Night Light frowned. “Many nobles, und many of ze non-noble ponies of Canterlot, got to vhere zey are not zrough handouts or inheritance or vhatever. No, zey got zhere by hard work. It took me some time to build up a good standing viz ze ponies before I became ze most trusted banked in Canterlot.”
“Yeah, before you were framed. Now everypony looks at you and your family as scum, even the princess.”
Night Light frowned with a nod. “It...hurt, learning ze truth about Grey Mare. I had always considered her a valued friend, and I cannot understand vhy she vould hate me so much...I vonder vhat I did....” His expression became more serious. “Howezer, at ze time, I accepted my punishment. Regardless of my guilt, I did fail ze ponies of Canterlot and their trust. We moved to Ponyville for a simpler, quieter life, and vhile ve are proud Ponyville citizens, at heart your mozer und I are Canterlot zrough und zrough.”
“But!” Twilight exclaimed, looking at her father with fearful defiance.
“No buts, young lady. I vill not say Canterlot is the sort of city you’d like, nor one you’d find comfortable. Nopony said ozerwise. But do not take it out on ponies you never met if you did not have a good time at a party.”
Twilight looked down. “How...what was it like when you met mom?”
He smiled wistfully. “I vas at ze Gala. I had just moved to ze city und I vas feeling very exhausted und burnt out, not to mention a little overwhelmed by such an unfamiliar place. A friend of mine, I’m not sure who, introduced me to a lovely mare. She vas a writer, and very beautiful. She lead me outside to ze gardens und ve started talking. I about my vork and my homeland, und her about her stories und ze city. She told me about ze buildings, ze ponies, ze places she would frequently visit. She spoke viz much care and pride, und I realised I vanted to connect viz her, to feel how she felt. I wanted to know what made Canterlot so special.”
Twilight frowned softly. “I...see...”
“Naturally we didn’t fall for each ozer zen and zere, but it vas a start.” He smiled. “I vill show you how we came to love ze city.”
“How?” Twilight asked.
A stallion walked over to the pair, looking tired but satisfied, glasses over his muzzle as he held a large book at his side. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Twilight glared at her brother. “What are you doing here?”
Shining Armour stood stoically. “Well for one thing, I am here to officially state that Night Light, and his family, are hereby exhonerated for crimes that were perfomed by Grey Mare and they are welcome to return to Canterlot for a personal apology from Princess Celestia herself, as well as for honourary reinstatement of citizenship.”
Night Light smiled. “Zat is vonderful, but I’m afraid I cannot accept. I have a farm to take care of, afterall, und Ponyville is a lovely town to live.”
Shining nodded. “Indeed, it is. Pales in comparison to Canterlot, but it is a nice town.”
“Dad, he abandoned us!” Twilight shouted, turning to her brother. “Get out of here, you big jerk!”
Shining frowned. “Twilight...there was a reason I stayed in Canterlot.”
“What possible reason could you have that makes up for you leaving us high and dry! To never visit us at all over the years, nor even write! To stay in that city with your cushy, high paying job while we struggle just to feed ourselves!”
“Ve don’t struggle zat much...” Night Light muttered.
Shining Armour looked at his younger sister impassively. “Well, for one thing, I needed to prove that my father wasn’t a criminal. I became a prosecutor because I suspected we were used and betrayed by a close friend. I have spent YEARS collecting evidence and goodwill from the city and its citizens, all for the day I finally put Grand Heist behind bars and revealed her crimes in their entirety.”
“Do you think that makes up for anything!?” Twilight shouted, tears falling. “I...I loved you! But you turned your back on us all for revenge!? Do you think I care how you sugarcoat it!?”
The stallion sighed, giving his sister a sympathetic look. “No, it does not, and no I don’t think you would care to hear my reasons. But I there was another reason I became prosecutor, too: I needed to fix the city. I needed to repair the city I grew up in, the one our father loves, for it had become broken and twisted somehow. I had to repair a city that would condemn an entire family, but spare only one member purely due to his position in society. I had to fix a city where its people had begun to lose their kindness and trust. I HAD to, otherwise what was the point of saving our family’s reputation if we could our home was no longer what it was?”
“Stop making yourself sound so noble!” Twilight cried. “You...you have no right!”
“Indeed.” Shining Armour sighed and looked at his little sister, smiling proudly. “I have no right to explain myself to the sister I hurt so. But, I am glad to see you and father all the same, and to have done what I have done despite you both not seeing it as necessary.”
Twilight seethed and quickly turned away. “Whatever, I’m going to pick some apples.” The mare started to trot off.
“She’ll come around. “Night Light said hopefully. “Come inside, we have tea, and your mozer will be happy to see you.”
“She likely will.” The prosecutor looked around himself. “Not quite the same as your old bank or our old mansion but...it does have a certain rustic charm.”
“Ponyville’s like that.” His father nodded. “It’s so unlike Canterlot, yet at ze same time, it feels exactly the same.”
-------------------------
Filthy Rich stared up at the Captain of the Royal Guard. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am dead serious sir.” Blueblood said. “You’re the Mayor of Ponyville now.”
“Th-there must be some mistake! I’m a businesspony, not a politician! S-surely there’s somepony else more qualified!?”
The guardspony shook his head. “I am afraid not, Mr Rich. Anypony else is is either underqualified or were part of Grey Mare’s administration, and we can’t be too certain how far her influence goes, and in the meantime while we investigate further, Ponyville will be leaderless in a time it most needs it.”
“B-But I can’t run a town!?”
“Sure you can. You have all the qualities, plus one more: the trust of the people. Everypony knows you, everypony has seen how capable you are and how honest you are. And when it comes to running a town, these are qualities most needed.”
Filthy Rich sighed. “I...I suppose there’s no getting out of this is there?”
“I’m afraid not.”
The earth pony looked at the other figures in the room. “and who are these...ponies?”
Blueblood smiled. “Something Ponyville has been sorely needing but lacking. Ponyville is a testing ground of sorts to see them prove themselves.”
The commander of the Nightsteeds nodded and saluted. “We shall do our best to protect the town and to make up for our misdeeds, Captain.”
-------------------------------
Princess Celestia stood at the balcony of the tallest tower in the castle, looking over the country she ruled.
Her elde sister walked up to her. “So...let’s talk.”
Celestia sighed, tears falling. “I...I have failed you.”
Luna blinked, taken aback.
The younger Princess continued. “Today was supposed to be so perfect. It would have proved how much the land has prospered under me, and would have proved your distrust and jealousy was misplaced but...it all went wrong. I failed to account that my little...our subjects weren’t perfect, were fallible, that they were just as capable of harming others as our enemies could. I blinded myself for thinking so grand...and for thinking I could just hide or excuse any problems that were inconventient. The truth is...I wanted to prove I COULD rule alone...so that maybe...maybe you didn’t need to, and you didn’t need to hate me anymore...” Celestia looked sorrowfully at her sister. “I-I always thought the Gala was boring...so I laughed when things went so pear-shaped but...but then you got angry. And I realised...I realised I never understood you at all...I’ve failed both as a monarch and as family...”
“Sunny...” Luna trotted over, raising a wing to gently stroke her sullen sister’s neck. “I-I know I was upset...upset at...everything but...”
“No...you were right. I can’t rule, I’ll just ruin everything again...You should do it, you’re better than me, you know more about it.” Celestia looked downcast. “You were ALWAYS better than me...”
Her elder sister shook her head, pale. “N-no...I-I can’t be trusted....I-I almost destroyed our kingdom! I-I don’t even know our ponies! I am out of touch!”
“But you understand how to be more pragmatic! You can be stern and ensure when justice is served! Not to mention how personable you are!”
“But you are nicer, more gentle! You help the land prosper in times of peace!”
“Mind if I make a suggestion?”
The two Princesses turned, seeing Princess Cadance.
“My apologies aunties, for not being at the Gala, I had...matters of my own to deal with.” The pink princess smiled warmly. “However..you seems you both have a problem with ruling alone...but, you both have complementary skills as rulers that nopony, let alone I, can wield.”
Luna frowned, giving the mare a cool gaze. “What do you suggest then?”
Cadance chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious? If you have too many faults to handle alone...then why not rule together as you once did years ago?”
------------------------
Grand Heist grunted, stuck in a tacky prison uniform, her wonderful costume held up in an evidence room somewhere, or possibly Night Light’s brat’s trophy room. She lay on her prison bed, glaring at the ceiling as she thought of plans, mind awhirl with thoughts of the mare who ruined everything, who ALWAYS ruined everything....
“Rainbow Dash....Rainbow Dash...Rainbow Dash....”
There was a knock and she turned to her side, seeing a hole in the wall and a pair of intelligent eyes looking at her.
“Howdy.” Rotten Bad Apple greeted. “So, whatcha in fer, pardner?”