Ticket to Gallop

by Starpony999

I've Got a Golden Ticket

They were halfway through town before Gummy worked up the courage to ask Dawn her opinion. "So, who you gonna give the ticket to, Dawn?"

"It's meant for you, Gummy." She responded. "I don't know how I'm going to break the news to them, but I really can't eat--I mean think--on an empty stomach. Where should we eat?"

Of course, it was at that moment that Carrot Top was rushing through the marketplace with an almost overdue book. She brushed past the unicorn with just the right amount of force to knock the cotton-candy-colored mare over. The two apple embalmed, golden tickets flew out her hair where she had stashed them, and floated to the ground, directly in front of her blue eyes. "Gah!" She muttered.

It was just the starving mare's luck that Fleur-de-Shy would also be in the marketplace today.

"Dawn! Dear! Are you okay?" The yellow mare kneeled down so she could help her fellow unicorn to her hooves.

"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me." Her friend answered.

"Oh, and what are zese?" Fleur picked up the tickets in her turquoise magic. "Tickets to ze Grand Galloping Gala? Parasol Boutique designs ensembles for ze gala every year, with myself designing ze accessories, but I've never had the opportunity to attend." She sighed dramatically. "Oh, ze society, ze culture, ze glamour! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him."

"I'm afraid to ask, but who is 'him'?"

"Him. I would stroll zrough ze gala, and everypony would wonder, 'Who is zat mysterious mare?' Zey would never guess zat I was a simple pony who lived in little old Ponyville.

"Why, I would cause such a sensation zat I would be invited for an audience wiz Princess Celestia herself, and ze princess would be so taken with ze style and elegance zat she would introduce me to him, her nephew: ze most handsome, eligible pegasus stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent. He would ask for my hoof in marriage, and of course, I would say, 'Yes!' We would have a royal wedding, befitting a princess, which is," She giggled uncharacteristically, "What I would become upon marrying him, ze stallion of my dreams."

Dawn stood in silence as she processed everything the mare had just said. After a few moments, she managed to respond. "Wow. You really thought this through, haven't you?"

"Well, I did meet ze prince back in Prance a few years ago. He was certainly a Knight in Shining Armor."

"Uh huh." Dawn was still unconvinced. Having recovered, she tried once more to explain the dilemma. "Fleur, the ticket is for Gum-"

"Oh, these are perfect Angelica!" Came a slightly high-pitched voice.

Of course, Dawn couldn't be left with only three of her friends to choose between. There was also the resident animal caretaker, Rarity....Dawn couldn't for the life of her remember what Rarity's last name was...was also in town that day. And of course she just happened to notice the tickets fluttering away in the breeze. It appeared that her pet bird had snatched the tickets up in its beak and had set them on Rarity's waiting hoof.

Dawn had tried to ignore the arrival of her other friend, and repeated her explanation. "Fleur, the problem with that is that the tic-"

"Pinkamenia?"

Dawn sighed. "Yes, Rarity?"

"I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else--"

She was cut off by the fashionista. "You? You want to go to ze gala?"

"Oh, no. I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see, it's not so much the Grand Galloping Gala as it is the wondrous private gated garden that surrounds the dance. The flowers are said to be the most beautiful and fragrant in all of Equestria. For the night of the gala, and that night alone, would they all be in bloom... and that's just the flora! Don't get me started on the fauna.

"The best part of it all, though, is the secret gazebo. During the night of the gala, deep within the gardens, the secret gazebo is able to be found. It's said not only to have the perfect acoustics, but it also is enchanted by magic to give inspiration to anyone under its roof."

"Wow, Rarity, that sounds... beautiful...?" Once again, Dawn was at a loss for words.

"Wait just a minute." Came a lower voice from overhead.

"Twilight Swish!" The ticket-holder accused, "Were you following me?"

"Yes." Seeing Dawn's face, Twilight thought better of her answer. "I mean, no." Okay so lying wasn't accepted either. "I mean, maybe? Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-four-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anypony."

Okay, now that definitely sounded like a quote from something Dawn had read in one of her books.

"Wait just another minute." Apple Jet was right behind her other pegasi friend.

"Both of you?" Dawn shook her head. "Apple Jet, were you following me too?

"Of course not." The cowpony retorted. "I was followin' this one to make sure she didn't try any funny business. She's trying to take mah ticket. I won that wing wrestle."

The purple pegasus flew up to meet her. "Only because you cheated!" She poked her friend in the chest.

"Well, who's to say either of you get the ticket?" Fleur jabbed.

Dawn was pretty sure Rarity added in something of her own, but her arguing was significantly quieter. The overlapping arguments got so loud that Dawn couldn't even hear her own belly rumble, although she could certainly feel it. Overcome by the discord and discomfort, the unicorn yelled,

"QUIET!"

"And then I said, 'Strawberries? are you craz--' oh." While Dawn was sure Twilight had at last a semi-good reason for saying this, now was not the time to ask.

"Girls, there's no use in arguing."

"But Dawn, dear-". Fleur tried, but got a taste of her own medicine when she was cut off by the addressed mare.

"Enough! This is my ticket, and I'm gonna give it to whoever its for. Now, I certainly can't think straight with all this noise..." Not to be forgotten, her stomach rumbled. "...not to mention hunger. Now go on, shoo." The unicorn made a shooing motion with her forehooves.

"And don't worry, I'll figure this out..."

Everypony left her, grumbling. Nopony was left when she finished her statement.

"...Somehow."

Comments

[Comickook]

Hello there. Once again, very good work on the latest chapter. The exchanges and characterizations were, as usual, well done. And, indeed, I liked how Dawn was getting JUST Genre Savvy enough to lampshade that ALL of her friends are going to want that other ticket when they find out about it.

Plus, here is another possible exchange for either the end of this story or for later in another:

Twilight: No offense, Fleur, but, well, as weird as it is for ME to accuse somebody else of reading too much, I have to say, you've been reading WAY too many romance novels.

Fleur: Oh, really?

Twilight: Yes, really. Besides, I heard about that prince from my brother, who is in the Royal Guard. What my brother said about him, well, it was NOT as flattering as YOUR image of him by a long shot, and my brother has had to bodyguard that prince enough times to know what he's talking about. But even if he WERE as gallant and all that as you seem to think he is, he would still think you would be coming on too strong.

Fleur: Well, okay, maybe I HAVE exaggerated A FEW details. But your brother is in the Guard?

Twilight: Yeah. He is. Plus, he is a close friend of Celestia's NIECE (i.e. the prince's adopted cousin), which gives him EVEN MORE reason to know what he's talking about concerning that prince's actual behavior.

Dawn: Celestia's niece? You don't mean Cadance, do you?

Twilight: Yeah, I do. She used to foalsit me a lot back when she and my brother were in high school.

Dawn: Somehow, I get the feeling that she and your brother are A LOT closer than just "'close friends'".

Twilight: Hey! No further spoilers please!

Of course, if you don't like the idea, I will completely understand.

And, yeah, I'll definitely be eagerly looking forward to more of this.

[Starpony999]

8876528
While I absolutely love your ideas, especially the exchange between Twilight, Fleur, and Dawn, this particular installment is all planned out already. I honestly think you'll like how they get their tickets in this story a lot better....but I don't want to spoil it for you. Plus, there is a couple of small twists in this universe that prevent that particular conversation from taking place.

As always, I really appreciate your comments and suggestions! They always brighten up my day. Have a spectacular week!