A Night at the Gala

by Locomotion

Chaper 1: The Invitation

It was a bright and sunny morning in Ponyville. Birds were singing, flowers were just starting to bloom, and Hornette was prancing up the lane to Sweet Apple Acres with a carefree spring in her step. She hummed cheerfully as she trotted along, giving a friendly nod or wave to any of her friends who happened to be passing by.

Winter had been an interesting experience for the young changeling, to say the least. True, she hadn't enjoyed that spell of what her beloved Locomotion called “the January blues”, but Hearth's Warming had more than made up for it; and it had been great fun helping with Winter Wrap-Up too. But the onset of spring had left her with a sense of freedom and renewal – now she could go out and about with friends whenever she felt like it, and all without having to wrap up warm.

As rows of houses gave way to groves of apple trees, she gazed all around herself, heartily taking in all the sights, sounds and smells of the new season until she spotted Apple Bloom nearby, with a cart full of watering cans. Hornette beamed in delight, and eagerly called out her name as she cantered over.

“Howdy, Hornette!” called Apple Bloom cordially. She unhitched her cart, and both mares met in a friendly hug. “Sure is good ta see y'all again. How ya been?”

“Just great, thanks,” gushed Hornette. “We've been making some pretty good progress on Loco's layout, he and his uncle and I; and just last Thursday, they took me out to dinner at that Chineighse place he really loves.”

“Ah, first time at the Golden Dragon, huh?”

Hornette nodded. “Yep, and by no means the last. I can see why Loco enjoys their food so much. How about you, Apple Bloom?” she ventured. “How did your vacation go?”

“Ah, it's a' been good,” chuckled Apple Bloom. She had been away in Manehattan for a week, visiting her favourite cousin whose name seemed to escape the young changeling. “Worth it fo' seein' Babs again at any rate...” Babs, that was it! “...you should totally come an' meet her sometime, Hornette. Ah reckon y'all would get along just great together.”

“Might just hold you to that, Apple Bloom!” giggled Hornette.

“So what brings ya up here, anyway? Ya can't 'ave come all this way just ta gossip with li'l ol' me!”

“Well...yes and no. I was actually after some more apple juice,” explained Hornette. “We're running low again, and Big Mac says the stall's fresh out too.”

“Aw, well, that's alright,” smiled Apple Bloom. “We got plenty back at the farmhouse. Ah'll come on back an' fetch ya some.”

“Thanks, Apple Bloom...if it's not an inconvenience.”

“Nah, them apple trees can wait fo' their water. C'mon,” and Apple Bloom led the way back to the farmhouse.

They reached the farmyard just as Derpy arrived with the morning mail. She had her hoof raised to knock at the front door, but stopped herself when she saw Hornette and Apple Bloom approaching. “Oh, hi, Apple Bloom. Boy, am I glad I caught you,” she remarked. “Is Applejack anywhere about?”

“She's out tilling the fields at the moment,” answered Apple Bloom. “How come?”

“Well, I've got important letters for you both, all the way from Canterlot Castle,” explained Derpy, pulling two envelopes from her satchel bearing the Royal Canterlot seal. “I don't suppose you could take delivery of these, perchance?”

“No problem. Ah bet Ah know what this is!” said Apple Bloom eagerly.

“Oh, and Hornette...?” went on Derpy.

“Yes?”

“I've got a couple for you and Loco as well, so is there any chance I can leave them with you? They're pretty urgent, but they also need a signature to show they've been delivered safely.”

“Oh, sure,” conceded Hornette without hesitation. She waited patiently while Derpy produced a delivery form from her satchel, which Apple Bloom promptly signed; but during that time, a puzzling thought occurred to her. “Why would they be writing to me and Loco anyway?” she wondered.

But Apple Bloom was too excited to take any notice. Having signed the form and passed it to Hornette, she wasted no time in ripping open the envelope in her name, her eyes lighting up in delight. “Ha! Just as Ah thought – an invite ta the Grand Gallopin' Gala!”

“I suspected as much,” sighed Derpy enviously. “Lucky you, Apple Bloom.”

“What's the Grand Galloping Gala?” ventured Hornette.

“The Grand Galloping Gala is the biggest and most important event in all of Equestria, a royal ball held in Canterlot Castle every summer,” said Derpy. “It's full of all kinds of elite ponies – royalty, diplomats, movie stars, dukes, duchesses, heroes of the realm...I've never been there myself, but I'm told there are ponies who'd sell their souls for a gala ticket.”

“Applejack an' 'er friends 'ave been there on an' off since before the Friendship Council was even thought of,” added Apple Bloom. “They even took me an' Scoot an' Sweetie-Belle once, when we were still kinda young an' hadn't got our Cutie Marks yet. Ah'm guessin' our Cutie Mark Crusader movement is what put us on this year's guest list,” she finished thoughtfully.

“Why, do you have to be invited in order to attend?”

“Well...not necessarily, Hornette; but Grand Gallopin' Gala tickets are rarer than hens' teeth,” observed Apple Bloom. “Why, ya thinkin' of comin' along?”

Hornette shook her head. “Not particularly. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable among all those high society ponies, even with Loco by my side,” she confessed earnestly. “Besides, that gala's way out of my league.” But secretly, she couldn't help envying Apple Bloom a little – whichever way she looked at it, the Grand Galloping Gala did sound grand. Maybe in a few years' time, she thought as she opened her own letter, when she felt a little more confident about...

But her thoughts came crashing to a halt when she saw what was in the envelope. Her blood ran cold and her aura faltered; and if it hadn't been for Derpy's split-second reaction, the contents could have spilled out and become tarnished in the soil. Taking care not to crumple them, she got back to her hooves, passed the letter over to Apple Bloom and gingerly checked herself over for any scuffs or bruises she might have sustained.

Apple Bloom goggled in amazement. “Whoa, Nelly!” she gasped as she read the letter. “You too, Hornette?”

“B-b-b-but...h-how can this be?” stuttered Hornette, paralysed with fear and disbelief. “It...i-i-i-it can't possibly...no, I'm dreaming it! I must be!!”

“It ain't no dream, sister!” proclaimed Apple Bloom. “Letter says, an' Ah quote: 'Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announce the Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on the 21st day of July, 2016, between the hours of 7pm and 2am the following day, cordially extends an invitation to the changeling Hornette plus one guest......P.S.: As our first naturalised changeling subject, and a Heroine of the Realm, Her Highness would consider it a true honour for the recipient to attend as a show of our newfound solidarity with the Changeling Kingdom of Metamorphia.' An' unless Ah'm mistaken, that means Loco's been invited too!”

The only response Hornette could manage was a quiet, shaky, “Oh dear,” as she eyed the other letter.

---

Having obtained the apple juice she was after, Hornette spent the rest of the day fretting. She didn't know what to think about the Grand Galloping Gala – it sure was generous of Princess Celestia to invite her, she couldn't deny that; but what would the other guests think of having a changeling at the event? And how in Equestria would she be able to cope with all the attention? This was Canterlot, after all, not some cosy, friendly backwater town.

The only thing she could be sure about was that Locomotion would be just as doubtful about the whole thing as she was herself. When he and Steamer returned home that evening, accompanied by Sweetie-Belle who wanted to stop by and say hello, the young changeling told them what had happened that morning. As it turned out, Apple Bloom was right; for when Locomotion opened his own letter, he found a written invitation along with another pair of...

“Gala tickets?” he exclaimed in disbelief. “But...there must've been a mistake, surely!”

“I dunno, Loco,” said Steamer earnestly, eyeing the two other strips of golden paper that had Hornette so worked up. “These don't look like forgeries to me; and that's definitely the Royal Canterlot Seal on those envelopes.”

Sweetie-Belle beamed in delight. “Isn't this great, Hornette?” she gushed. “You and Loco at the Grand Galloping Gala with us – and with two spare tickets to boot – must be like a dream come true! Any idea who else you'll be inviting to join you?”

“We're not going!”

“WHAT?!” Sweetie-Belle stared at Locomotion, aghast at what he had just said; and even Steamer shot him a dubious look as if he'd just sworn allegiance to Nightmare Moon. “Did I hear you right?!” she spluttered. “The grandest, most romantic, most important, most special event in the whole kingdom, and you're telling me you're not going?! You must be mad!”

“Says the mare who's clearly forgotten who we're gonna be sharing it with,” retorted Locomotion indignantly. “Me and Hornette? Hang out with a bunch of stuffy, shallow, toffee-nosed snobs with no respect for changelings? Not on your sweet life! Hornette wouldn't last five minutes at the mercy of those upper class twits!”

Hornette whimpered plaintively in agreement.

“Harsh, much?” remarked Steamer. “Come on now, Loco, they aren't all bad. What about that film director you worked with on Battle of the Griffins? Yes, Technicolour Tarquin was an 'upper class twit' as you so quaintly put it, but you enjoyed working with him.”

Locomotion rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well...at least I know I can trust him,” he conceded grudgingly.

“And how about Rarity and Octavia?” put in Sweetie-Belle.

“Yeah, them too – but what about the Canterlot elite?” argued Locomotion, raising his voice. “What about that stuck-up mare who insulted me at the Horse Junction crash, even after I helped her out of that wrecked coach? What about that...that......that selfish excuse for a prince Blueblood?! They'd eat Hornette alive even with me backing her up, for crying out loud!”

“Too loud, Loco,” soothed Steamer, trying in vain to calm him down.

“Don't try and shut me up, Uncle Steamer! Nopony's gonna badger me into dragging Hornette all the way up to Canterlot to be insulted by elitists! I'm not having it, I tell you!”

“Not even if most of those elitists turn out to be friendly?” put in Sweetie-Belle reasonably.

Locomotion snorted. “Yeah, right! By what measure am I expected to believe that rubbish?”

“By way of Rarity's old friend Fancypants, for a start,” Sweetie-Belle pointed out. “He's an elitist, but he doesn't look down on others just for being different or of more humble stock.” Seeing that Locomotion was about to protest still further, she drew her trump card; “And didn't you know? Princess Cadance is gonna be at the Gala too,” she added with a knowing smirk

Hornette perked up. “The same Princess Cadance who was present for mine and Loco's homecoming?”

“That's the one! I bet you anything she'll be happy to see you again.”

In spite of her nervousness, Hornette managed a small, wistful smile. Her interaction with Cadance had been relatively short, but she still held a great respect for the pink alicorn, and longed to meet up with her again. If only the Crystal Empire wasn't so far away...

“Go on, Loco,” coaxed Steamer gently. “At least give it a college try. You saw what Princess Celestia put in Hornette's letter – you're the perfect show of unity.”

“That's another thing I object to, Uncle,” complained Locomotion feelingly, “being treated as a mere political statement. If they wanted a changeling there for that purpose, why not invite Thorax? He is their king, after all.”

“Does he have so much as a consort yet?”

That threw Locomotion for a loop. He had to admit Steamer was right; for while he and Thorax had been pen-pals ever since Chrysalis' demise, none of his letters had said anything about a significant other as far as he could tell.

“Look, I know this is all a bit sudden,” continued Steamer, “but you've got a good four months to get your heads round it. And if you ask me, I think it'd be a great shame if you don't attend.”

Locomotion sighed heavily in defeat. “You two aren't gonna take no for an answer, are you?”

“You've got that right, Loco,” giggled Sweetie-Belle. “Cheer up – you and Hornette are in for the chance of a lifetime. You never know, you might enjoy it.”

“Well...alright then,” muttered Locomotion at last. “But if I find Hornette crying her eyes out over the whole thing – even if it's just one solitary culprit who's gone and upset her – it's on your own heads,” he finished sternly.

“Guilty as charged,” conceded Sweetie-Belle.

“Duly noted,” agreed Steamer gravely. “There's just one other thing, Loco – what are you planning on wearing to the event?”

“Oh, gosh,” gasped Hornette, “I'd only just thought of that. Any chance, Sweetie-Belle, that Rarity might...”

“Say no more,” interrupted Sweetie-Belle with a cordial smile. “I'll speak to her tomorrow morning.”

“And could you maybe put in a word for me too, please?” asked Locomotion, with a hint of reluctance. “If I'm gonna be there, I'd rather have something as comfy as it is smart.”

“What about that prom suit of yours?”

“Ugh! No thanks,” grimaced Locomotion. “That thing was itchy as flabberwocky, and there's no way I'm going to that Gala dressed up like a penguin!”

“Oh, I dunno,” Sweetie-Belle reassured him. “You looked pretty neat in that suit; and you got a pretty good stand-up gig into the bargain. But I respect your feelings,” she added understandingly. “I'll have a word with Rarity and see what she can do.”

“Thanks...for what it's worth.” But Locomotion was still deeply unsettled, and from the look in Hornette's eyes, he could see that the feeling was mutual. Forget what Uncle Steamer and Sweetie-Belle had just said about the Gala, he thought grimly – as far as he was concerned, there was no way in Equestria that this could be anything short of a nightmare...

---

“So you're coming to the Grand Galloping Gala too, huh?”

Locomotion nodded wearily. “Didn't have much of a choice, really,” he lamented. “Sweetie-Belle wouldn't let me back out, and from what I read in my letter, the princesses are practically begging me and Hornette to attend.” He let loose a heavy sigh. “I don't mind telling you, Scootaloo, this is way out our comfort zones.”

“Well...I'm sure they'd understand if you just turned the invitation down,” Scootaloo counselled.

“Turn it down?!” Locomotion looked daggers at her. “Scoot, have you got cloud tufts in your ears?!! I al...”

“Oh, for heaven's sake, Loco!” snapped Rarity impatiently. “I do wish you'd stop fidgeting!”

“Sorry, Rarity,” mumbled Locomotion meekly. He was in the middle of having his new suit tailored for him, and was already growing restless. Thank goodness he had Scootaloo to offload onto, he thought. “But seriously, Scoot,” he went on bluntly, “how do you just say no out of hoof to the kindest and most respectable sovereign in all the world? The one who personally bestowed you with the Star of Rockhoof and the Celestial Peace Medal?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Nah, you make a good point there,” she said thoughtfully. “What about your uncle? What did he have to say about it?”

“Well...he was pretty much on Sweetie-Belle's side of the argument. But at least he was reasonable about it...I guess,” continued Locomotion. “He certainly did a much better job of hearing us out, for a start; and more to the point, he actually respected our feelings. To hear Sweetie-Belle talk,” furrowing his brow crossly, “you'd think she was bent on us being at the Grand Galloping Gala whether we liked it or not!”

Rarity shook her head in amusement as she interjected; “Well, I for one think she's quite right. I know you don't like formal events, Loco, but think of what a romantic night it'll be for you both – you, the very pony and changeling who brought harmony to Metamorphia, gliding across the dance floor, the eyes of a hundred nobles smiling upon the belle of the ball and her beau...”

“Romantic indeed!” snorted Locomotion. “The only thing those nobles are likely to smile upon is the amusement they get at Hornette's expense. And in case you've forgotten, Rarity, I happen to be useless at dancing!”

“Rubbish! It just takes practice, that's all,” dismissed Rarity. “Believe you me, Locomotion, so long as the likes of Spike, Fancypants, Hoity Toity and I have anything to do with it, you and Hornette will be the centre of attention – and for all the right reasons, I promise you.”

But this did little to soothe Locomotion's nerves – quite the opposite, in fact. “Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you're living in a sitcom?” he complained to Scootaloo.

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, the fact that practically everypony seems to be united against you, even Lady Luck herself. If it's not Princess Celestia trying to make an example of us, it's peer pressure from Sweetie-Belle; and if it's not her, it's Rarity trying to flog some pie in the sky about me and Hornette having the best night ever.” Locomotion's expression soured as he gave Rarity a sidelong glance. “Course we all know yours was anything but.”

“We made it work out in the end,” scoffed Rarity. “And anyway, I did find my Prince Charming eventually – just not in the way I thought I would.”

“You certainly didn't find anything charming about the one prince you met there, I seem to recall,” rejoined Locomotion. “The way that royal pain in the neck behaves, it's a wonder he hasn't...”

“Hey, Scoot.” A familiar voice quickly cut Locomotion's rant short. “How do I look?”

Scootaloo beamed fondly as she examined the tuxedo Rumble was wearing. “Just great, Rummy bear,” she replied.

“Thanks – and that dress looks pretty neat on you too,” said Rumble, giving her an affectionate nuzzle. He turned to Locomotion, his eyebrow raised at the snazzy grey top hat and tailcoat he was wearing. “And what brings you here, Loco? Getting suited up for a fancy dress ball or something?”

Locomotion cringed. “Uh...not really. Same event as you two, as a matter of fact.”

“Oh right?” remarked Rumble. “I didn't think you did formal events.”

“I don't,” frowned Locomotion. “It's just that...I didn't want to seem ungrateful after Princess Celestia herself had invited us – that and Sweetie-Belle wasn't exactly showing us any quarter.”

“Us?”

“Him and Hornette,” explained Scootaloo simply. “They've been specially invited to show our unity with Metamorphia.”

Rumble nodded understandingly. “Hmm...I see. Yeah, speaking for myself, I'm...sort of sympathetic.”

“Aw, not you too!” Locomotion was beginning to wonder where all this coercion was going to end.

“Well, no, hear me out,” interjected Rumble. “I think it's real cool that you two are being invited as guests of honour, and I can...kinda see where the princesses are coming from; but I'm still a little bit on your side, Loco. You're worried about being judged, am I right?”

“Umm...more on Hornette's behalf than my own, but yeah.”

“Thought so,” mused Rumble gravely. “Yeah, so would I if Scoot were in the same position. But try not to lose sleep over it,” he finished. “If Rarity and her friends could make it work, then so can you.”

Locomotion gave him a weak smile. It was moments like these that made him feel lucky to have such a sympathetic friend as Rumble. “Well, I can't make any promises,” he observed, “but I'll certainly give it my best shot.”

“That's the spirit, Loco!” Rumble gave him an encouraging pat on the back; but before Locomotion could further voice his appreciation, their attention was distracted as Hornette emerged from the changing room. Both stallions could only stare in awe at the stunning light pink dress she was wearing, with silken light blue sleeve ends, a light blue satin bodice, hem and neckline with jet-black hearts, and a set of pale pink ballerina slippers topped with little pink bows.

The young insectoid shyly cleared her throat and struck a pose. “Hi again, Loco. Do I look alright?” she ventured.

“Alright?” Locomotion was so captivated by what he saw that he forgot to be anxious. “You look wonderful,” he breathed.

“Aw, thanks,” murmured Hornette, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. “I was worried this might look a bit plain.”

“Nah, it suits you down to the ground.”

“I'll say,” chimed in Rumble, visibly impressed. “That dress speaks volumes about you, Hornette; cute, modest, unpretentious...”

“Watch it, Rumble!” warned Scootaloo teasingly. “I'm still here, you know!”

Rumble gave a hearty chuckle. “Ah, give it up, Scoot,” he retorted playfully. “I'm not hitting on her, I'm just stating a fact.”

“And quite right too,” agreed Rarity with a warm smile. “That dress is just right for a debutante like you, Hornette.”

“Debra what now?”

“Debutante,” explained Rumble. “It's a synonym for a young female making her debut in high society. Although,” he went on, arching a puzzled eyebrow at Locomotion, “your outfit seems a bit...ostentatious for your first Gala appearance, doesn't it?”

“Well, if I'm gonna be dragged along to this Gala, I thought I might as well do this properly. Besides – and Uncle Steamer agrees with me on this – I'm more likely to blend into the crowd if I dress as a railway director.”

“President, more like,” quipped Scootaloo.

“Whatever,” grumbled Locomotion under his breath, rolling his eyes in sullen dismissal.

Hornette smiled reassuringly and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Don't mind her, Loco,” she soothed. “You look really handsome in that outfit.”

Now it was Locomotion's turn to be flattered. “You reckon?”

“Oh, I know it,” affirmed Hornette, nuzzling him affectionately. “What was it that Twilight said of Flash Sentry once...'handsome is as handsome does'?”

“Aw, thanks, honeybee,” murmured Locomotion as he fondly returned the gesture. Almost at once, however, his touched smile gave way to a look of mock dismay as he spotted something out of the corner of his eye; “Talking of ostentatious!” he remarked.

“What...?” Hornette looked back over her shoulder to see Sweetie-Belle standing behind her. She wore an elegant violet ballgown with pink sleeve collars, a dark purple bodice and a skirt of pink, violet, lilac and dark purple frills, and was grinning eagerly from ear to ear as she stood before them.

“Hi, guys,” she trilled. “How do I look?”

Rarity looked up and smiled broadly. “Absolutely ravishing, Sweetie-Belle,” she admired, “even if I do say so myself.”

“Yeah...I guess you do look pretty good,” agreed Hornette, silently puzzling over what “ravishing” meant.

“Yeah – for a Grand Duchess!” commented Locomotion.

But his cheek was lost on Sweetie-Belle, who trotted over to the nearby mirror to check for herself. No sooner did she see what her reflection looked like than her eyes widened as if in shock. “OH MY GOSH!!!” she squeaked, causing Locomotion, Hornette, Scootaloo and Rumble to flinch at her shrill tone. All four exchanged bewildered glances, and Rarity began to worry she might have messed up somewhere – until... “I'M GORGEOUS!!!!”

Despite earlier his frustration with Sweetie-Belle, even Locomotion couldn't help bursting into laughter!