Friendship is Shining: The Ticket Disaster

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

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"I don't get it," Spike said from his spot on the stallion's back as they went through Ponyville. "I thought you liked Applejack. Why didn't you simply invite her when she said she wanted to go?"

"I thought about it," Shining responded, "but we're just friends. Besides, you saw how excited Fluttershy got about the garden. I couldn't just disappoint her."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. That's why I used lunch as an excuse to get out there. Plus I did say we were going to get some when you were going through the apples. So where do you want to eat?"

As they were going past, the top portion of the door to Sugar Cube Corner burst open. The two managed to catch site of a pink blur before something slammed into them. Shining Armor let out a grunt as the pink form slammed into him, knocking him off his hooves and toppling him and Spike onto the street.

The two tickets, sent flying by the crash, floated gently down and landed on Pinkie Pie's snout as she laid on the ground beside Shining Armor and Spike.

"BATS!" the pink party pony shrieked. "BATS! Bats in my face! Heeelp!" The screaming, and dancing suddenly stopped. "Wait. Those aren't...

"Tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala?"

Pinkie Pie's face lit up and stars filled her eyes. She grinned widely, her mouth open as she stared at the two golden tickets.

"It's the most amazing, incredible, tremendous superfunwonderfulterrificallyhumongous party in all of Equestria! I've alwaysalwaysalways wanted to go.

"Oh, The Grand Galloping Gala," Pinkie sang out, "is the best place for me. Oh The Grand Galloping Gala, is the best place for me. Hip-hip. Hooray! It's the best place for me. For Pinkieeeeee!" She stopped singing, but continued to talk.

"With decorations like streamers and fairy lights and pinwheels and pinatas and pincushions. With goodies like sugar cubes and sugarcanes and sundaesandsunbeamsandsarsaparilla. And I get to play my favoritest of favorite fantabulous games like 'pin the tail on the pony!."

"Oh The Grand Galloping Gala," she sang again, "is the best place for me. Oh The Grand Galloping Gala, is the best place for me. 'Cause it's the most galloping superlyterrific gala ever in the whole galaxyyeee! Whee!"

"Oh thank you, Shining," Pinkie squealed as she bounced in a circle. "It's the most wonderful gift ever." The pink pony leaned forward and grinned at Shining Armor, blinking her big, sky blue eyes.

Shining Armor had managed to get back up into a sitting position during Pinkie Pie's excited performance. Now he sat there, staring at the excited pink pony grinning in front of him. His mind was working to catch up and figure out...

That now Pinkie Pie wanted the ticket to go to The Grand Galloping Gala as well.

"Uh, actually...." Shining Armor shifted, not wanting to look Pinkie in the eye and tell her that he had not technically invited her. It was hard to imagine anything disappointing the ever friendly pony, and Shining did not want to be the pony to cause such a thing.

Spike had also gotten up from where he had landed. Reaching down, he picked up the tickets from where they had landed. A gasp from behind him made the young dragon tense and turn around. There stood Rarity, neck outstretched and eyes wide as she looked at the tickets.

"Are these what I think they are?" she asked.

"Yes, yes. Yes!" Pinkie squealed with a small hop. "Shiny-hiney's taking me to The Grand Gallopin Gala in Canterlot!"

"The Gala!" Rarity gasped. "I design ensembles for the Gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamour. It's where I truly belong. And where I'm destined to meet.... Him!"

"Him!" Pinkie repeated. The excitement quickly gave way to confusion. "Who?"

"Him, Rarity stated again as her gaze turned distant.

"I would stroll through the gala, and everyone would wonder, 'who is that mysterious mare?' The would never guess, that I was just a simple pony from little old Ponyville. Why, I would cause such a sensation, that I would be invited for an audience with Princess Celestia herself. And the princess would be so taken with the style and elegance, that she would introduce me... to him.

"Her nephew. The most handsome, eligible unicorn stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet. Our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent." She emphasized the m, making it sound like she ate something delicious. "He would ask for my hoof in marriage, and of course I'd say... YES!

"We would have a royal wedding, befitting a princess. Which is," she giggled, "what I would become upon marrying him: the stallion of my dreams."

Returning to reality, Rarity turned her full attention to Shining Armor.

"Shining. I simply cannot believe that you would invite Pinkie Pie so that she can...party..and prevent me from meeting my true love. How could you?" With a "hmph" she turned her back to him.

Shining's ears pulled back and his jaw clenched. Now, not only was he being scolded for something he did not do, but he was being made to feel guilty over something he had never done. Plus, he now had two more friends that wanted to go. One was assuming she was going, and the other offended she was not. The stallion opened his mouth.

"Wait just a minute!" a voice shouted before Shining could. Turning toward the source, the ponies and dragon found that Rainbow Dash was standing on an overhanging roof support, staring down. Her wings gave a single flap as she glided down to the ground.

"Are we talking about The Grand Galloping Gala?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Shining groaned, rubbing his head. "Not you too."

"I never saw you as the gala type," Spike added.

"The Wonderbolts perform at The Grand Galloping Gala every year," Dash responded. "I can see it now...

"Everyone would be watching the sky, their eyes riveted on The Wonderbolts. But then, in would fly... Rainbow Dash! I would draw their attention with my Super Speed Strut. Then, I would mesmerize them with my Fantastic Filly Flash. And for my grand finale, The Buccaneer Blaze!

"The ponies would go wild! The Wonderbolts would insist that my signature move would be incorporated into their routine. And then, welcome me as their newest member.

"Don't you see, Shining? This could be my one chance to show'em my stuff. You've gotta take me."

"Now wait just another minute!" Applejack said as she walked up toward the group.

"Applejack?" Shining called out. "Were you following me?"

"No," Applejack replied, "but I did hear the this one!" She pointed at Rainbow Dash. "Tryin' ta take my ticket."

"Your ticket?" Rainbow Dash nearly yelled.

"But Shining's take me!" Pinkie proclaimed.

The mares started to yell at each other, arguing over who got the ticket. Any and all conversation became lost to Shining Armor as he stood there with Spike. The two found themselves surrounded by four mares who were arguing, and he could see that Fluttershy was not far off as well. It was all making it hard to think. He had only had the tickets for less than an hour and now he was in the middle of a fight.

"ENOUGH!" Shining Armor shouted, stomping his front hooves and igniting his horn. The mares quickly started to turn silent and look toward him.

"And I said 'oatmeal?" Pinkie continued "Are you crazy?" That was when she noticed that the others had turned silent and stopped talking as well.

"The next pony to say a word," Shining continue "Will be muzzled." He turned to look at them all, his eyes narrowed. In turn, each one of them looked away. He let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping.

"Look," he continued. "I get it. You all want to go, and you all have reasons. But arguing about it is useless."

"But, Shining-" Rarity was cut off as a small bit of Shining's lavender colored magic wrapped around her snout and held it shut.

"This is my ticket," Shining stated. "Which means that it is my decision. Now I get you all want to go, but all this yelling is making it hard to think." He let Rarity's mouth go. "Now, Spike and I are going to get some lunch and I'm going to try and figure out a way to decide. So the rest of you just go on about your business, and leave us to ours."

The five ponies looked from Shining Armor to each other and back. Silently they turned from Shining and walked away. As soon as they were gone, the stallion slumped down and let out a sigh.

"Are you okay?" Spike asked, moving to put a claw on the stallion's shoulder.

"My head hurts a little," Shining replied. "Come on. Let's get some lunch. I think the stress and hunger has made me lightheaded."

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

I can still hear the sounds of the mares arguing.

[Burnasius]

Oh shit, now we have a Stallion in the middle... Use it to your advantage Shining... Abuse it... Manipu- *cough*
Where was I? A yes... Nightmare Moon becomes a new entity and is romantically attracted with Shining Armor!!!
SHIP IT!!!

[TheChronicler]

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